Cultural Studies

A portrait of Sioux medicine man Leonard Crow Dog, the spiritual leader of eighty-nine American Indian tribes and the spokesman for the traditionalists, those who wish to retain the beliefs and way of life of their forefathers.

Written and hosted by Jamake Highwater, this video examines the history and culture of the Native Americans who discovered and civilized the North and South American continents tens of thousands of years ago. It is a story of remarkable achievements, brilliant inventions, fierce political struggles, unique religious ideals and colorful mythology.

Examines the impact of industrial development on native peoples in North and South America, the crisis of identity that this entails, and the national and international efforts to politically organize to protect Indian lives and land.

This documentary portrait of a small Native American tribe struggling to retain what is left of its culture focuses on 77-year-old Marie Smith, the last of Alaska's Eyak Indians to speak the language of her people.

This video, featuring an all Native American cast and filmed in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, dramatizes the Trickster storytelling tradition, delving into the humor and visual language of this central Native American cultural icon.

This video explores the issue of racial identity among Native Americans and African Americans, and the coalescence of these two groups in American history.

This video examines the work of Native American artists in the Pacific Northwest and how their wood carvings of totem poles, ceremonial masks and sculptures is part of a broader cultural renaissance.

This unusual video examines the ways in which corporate representations have shaped Americans' ideas about Third World countries.

Chronicles the history of Chicano Park, famous for its giant murals painted on freeway pillars, which became the focus for the revitalization of San Diego's Chicano community in the 1970s and '80s.

Chronicles the history of Filipino immigration to the U.S. during the 1920s and '30s. The story is told by the immigrants themselves, and their interviews are blended with historical photos, film footage, and period music.

Focuses on Asian-Indian immigrants in the U.S. who discuss the complex social and personal issues involved in dealing with their dual cultural influences.

In 1993, Mieko Ouchi, a half-white, half-Japanese actress, began researching a documentary about her Japanese immigrant grandfather. Shortly thereafter, she was cast to star in The War Between Us, a feature film on the WWII internment of Japanese-North Americans, thus re-enacting a key episode in her own community's history.

This provocative documentary, blending interviews with archival footage, examines the nature of shared national identity and what it means to be an American today.

Examines the aspects of culture and heritage that African Americans have brought into the new millennium.

Examines the worldwide crisis in teenage pregnancies through four case studies of teenage mothers in Ghana, England, Cuba, and the U.S., thereby providing a cross-cultural survey of the underlying reasons for the increasing rate of adolescent pregnancies and also discussing the hazards to the health and well-being of such young mothers.

Chronicles the lives of the students of the EAGLES Center (student population: 30), an alternative high school in Los Angeles for gay and lesbian teens who, due to persecution, are unable to function in the regular school system. In addition to the students' discussions of the social discrimination they face and their own personal struggles, the video shows their historic efforts in organizing a citywide promo for over 200 gay and lesbian high school students throughout L.A. County, and the first gay and lesbian prom in America.

This video takes us on a trip through six decades and over twenty countries in tracing the development of Betty LaDuke, one of America's leading multicultural artists. Her vision encompasses not only American culture, but also influences from Native American, Mexican and African cultures and lifestyles.

Examines the cultural and political history of plena, a Puerto Rican musical blend of African and Spanish rhythms, featuring great performers of the past and contemporary attempts to preserve plena.

This cinema-verite documentary explores the realities of life as a classical musician through the story of Hexagon, a newly-formed chamber ensemble. The documentary chronicles their challenging first year and a half, from the group's seemingly casual first rehearsal to its high-pressure launching into the mainstream of the classical music scene.

Takes us to the heart of the Andes to capture the atmosphere of the annual music festivals, showing ceremonies of the Aymara Indians who dress as devils, bears and sacred spirits that come to life at carnival time.