Directed by Women
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KARAMA HAS NO WALLSMiddle Eastern Studies Political Science World History Media Studies Peace & Conflict Short Films 2014 Academy Award Winners & Nominees The Arab Spring Directed by Women
2014 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject, Karama Has No Walls is a gripping, eye-witness account of a tragic day that changed the course of the revolution in Yemen; when pro-government snipers opened fired on a peaceful gathering of protesters, sparking national outrage and ultimately leading to the end of 33 years of autocratic rule.
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SUITCASE OF LOVE AND SHAMEAmerican Studies Human Sexuality Media Studies Anthropology Psychology & Psychiatry Sociology Women's Studies 2014 Directed by Women
A forbidden love story played out in a decade that would soon spawn the sexual revolution, Suitcase of Love and Shame reconstructs a mesmerizing and erotic narrative from 60 hours of reel-to-reel audiotape discovered in a suitcase purchased on eBay. A fascinating, one-of-a-kind documentary, it addresses issues of morality, sexism, privacy vs. exhibitionism, and the impact of technology in yesterday's America as well as today's.
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FINDING HILLYWOODAfrican Studies Cinema Studies Peace & Conflict 2014 Directed by Women
A stirring documentary about the very beginning of Rwanda's film industry, Finding Hillywood looks at the people - the filmmakers, festival organizers, and audience - that are part of this blossoming film community and shows how it has become a beacon of hope and healing for a country still grappling with its past.
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YOUR DAY IS MY NIGHTAsian-American Studies Asian Studies American Studies Urban Studies Women's Studies New York City 2014 Directed by Women Immigration
Blending autobiographical monologues, intimate conversations, and staged performances, Lynne Sachs' Your Day Is My Night documents the lives of Chinese immigrants sharing a "shift-bed" apartment in the heart of New York City's Chinatown, offering a deeply felt portrait of the Asian-American immigrant experience.
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PEOPLE'S PARKAnthropology Asian Studies Cinema Studies Cultural Studies 2014 Sensory Ethnography Lab Directed by Women
Produced at Harvard's groundbreaking Sensory Ethnography Lab (Sweetgrass, Leviathan, the upcoming Manakamana), People's Park is an exhilarating single shot documentary that immerses viewers in an unbroken journey through an urban park in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, offering a fresh gaze on public interaction, leisure and self-expression in China.
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ZIPPER: CONEY ISLAND'S LAST WILD RIDEUrban Studies New York City Architecture American Studies Political Science 2013 Directed by Women
A documentary about greed, politics, urban development and renewal, the award-winning Zipper: Coney Island's Last Wild Ride is an absorbing chronicle of the efforts to redevelop an iconic American landmark, Coney Island.
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NOWA CUMIG: THE DRUM WILL NEVER STOPEnvironmental Studies Native American Studies Anthropology American Studies 2013 Directed by Women
Featuring extensive interviews, rare photographs and archival footage, this is a fascinating, candid portrait of Dennis Banks ("Nowa Cumig" in Ojibwe), co-founder of the American Indian Movement. The film chronicles the history of the American Indian Movement, from the Custer Trail to Wounded Knee to the Longest Walk.
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MUSICWOODEnvironmental Studies Native American Studies Music Performing Arts 2013 Business Directed by Women
For hundreds of years, the acoustic guitar has been made from the same species of Spruce. Today, due to an extreme logging practice known as clear-cutting, this tree is in danger of disappearing - and with it, the acoustic guitar. In this captivating documentary, owners of the top guitar makers unite with Greenpeace and travel to the largest forest in the US to meet with Native American landowners in the hope of finding a sustainable solution.
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BOB AND THE MONSTERMusic Alcohol & Drug Abuse Psychology & Psychiatry 2013 Directed by Women
Bob and the Monster follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest through his life-threatening struggle with addiction to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today (appearing alongside Dr. Drew Pinsky on shows such as "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sober House.")
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THE HILL2013 African-American Studies American Studies Sociology Urban Studies Directed by Women
Clinging to the last affordable housing in a rapidly gentrifying city, a determined group of neighbors come together when the city claims eminent domain over their land in order to build a new school. An absorbing look at the complex issues surrounding urban planning, gentrification and economic renewal.
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ANDRE GREGORY: BEFORE AND AFTER DINNERPerforming Arts Literature New York City American Studies 2013 Directed by Women
A wonderful exploration of the life and work of groundbreaking director, actor and artist Andre Gregory. A witty and often hilariously funny raconteur, Gregory looks back on a career that spanned decades, from his influential theatre work to the making of the Louis Malle-directed classic My Dinner with Andre, in which he starred and co-wrote.
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THE WELCOME: a healing journey for war veterans and their familiesPsychology & Psychiatry American Studies Native American Studies Performing Arts 2013 Directed by Women
An up-close and emotionally resonant look at a diverse group of veterans, from Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, who come together to participate in a healing retreat. The Welcome offers an intimate view of life after war: the fear, anger and isolation of post-traumatic stress that affects veterans and family members alike.
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THE YOUNG ANCESTORSNative American Studies Anthropology Sociology American Studies 2013 Directed by Women
The Young Ancestors explores the growing movement within American Indian communities to revitalize their native languages before they become extinct. An inspiring documentary, it follows a group of teenagers, who as part of a pilot program created by the Indigenous Language Institute, are learning their native language for the first time.
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ELEMENTALEnvironmental Studies Native American Studies Asian Studies 2013 Directed by Women
A powerful and unusually intimate portrait of modern environmental activism, Elemental captures the stories of three eco-warriors, separated by oceans, but united by their deep connection with nature and commitment to confront some of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time.
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RESTORING THE LIGHTAnthropology Asian Studies Disabilities Health Economics Cultural Studies Children & Young Adult 2013 Medicine Directed by Women
A heart-wrenching documentary, Restoring the Light observes the work of a dedicated ophthalmologist who operates a non-profit mobile eye clinic in one of China's poorest regions, as well as the lives of his patients. It captures the adversities and hopes of a population that has been left behind in the wake of China's dizzying economic boom.
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WORDS OF WITNESSMiddle Eastern Studies Women's Studies Media Studies Political Science World History Peace & Conflict Family Relations 2013 The Arab Spring Directed by Women
A fascinating account of Egypt post-revolution, Words of Witness follows a 22-year-old female reporter, an incredible, fearless young woman, as she covers her country's unsteady transition to democracy. From the director of Garbage Dreams, a dynamic portrait of the youth movement that sparked the revolution and its continued reliance on social media.
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SEE YOU SOON AGAINJewish Studies Psychology & Psychiatry Education World History 2012 Directed by Women
Do people still want to hear stories about the Holocaust? This question plagues Leo Bretholz, a Holocaust survivor who has recounted his story to thousands of students across the country. See You Soon Again is a singular film about the weight of history, about how hard it is to tell a story of unspeakable suffering, and how impossible it is not to.
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INOCENTE2013 Academy Award Winners & Nominees Chicano Studies Short Films Women's Studies Education Directed by Women Immigration
2013 Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Subject! The moving and inspiring story of a remarkable 15-year-old girl, homeless and undocumented, but fiercely pursuing her dream of becoming an artist. An essential documentary that confronts issues of teen homelessness, immigration and the importance of arts education in this country.
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OUR SUMMER IN TEHRANAnthropology Middle Eastern Studies Sociology Islamic Studies Women's Studies 2012 Directed by Women
In her Oscar nominated documentary Promises, filmmaker Justine Shapiro took us into the lives of Palestinian and Israeli children in and around Jerusalem. Her new documentary, Our Summer in Tehran, transports us into the seldom seen realm of middle class family life in Iran, transcending overt politics for a perspective Western media has little interest in showing.
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BROOKLYN BOHEMEAfrican-American Studies Performing Arts Cinema Studies Urban Studies New York City 2012 Directed by Women
In this inspiring documentary, filmmaker Nelson George explores a singular neighborhood in Brooklyn that gave rise to an African-American arts movement in the late 20th century as vibrant as the Harlem Renaissance. Through interviews with Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Lisa Jones Chapman, Branford Marsalis, Lorna Simpson, and many others, Brooklyn Boheme celebrates the rise of a new kind of African-American artist.
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