Religion & Spirituality

This three-part video series examines different social aspects of the cultures of Mesoamerica (i.e., the nations of Mexico and Central America).

This four-part series examines changes in Cuban society during the post-Soviet economic crisis between 1994-98.

Examines the impact of Islamization on women in Pakistan, revealing the oppression and injustice which has led Pakistani women to the forefront of the political struggle for equal rights.

Blending archival footage and contemporary interviews, this documentary chronicles the true story of the Chinese invasion and brutal occupation of Tibet, a country where hopes for democracy and religious freedom are routinely punished by imprisonment and torture, a continuing tragedy which the Chinese government bars international human rights groups from investigating.

Explores the Indian community in Trinidad, outlining the events and accidents of history that constitute this example of the Indian diaspora, and interviewing various Trinidadian- Indians about the hybridity of their culture and their relationship, if not preoccupation, with India.

Tibetans in exile discuss the discrimination and human rights abuses their people suffer from the occupying Chinese government. These interviews, filmed in the U.S. and in a Buddhist monastery in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama's government in exile in Northern India, are blended with historical footage of the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet, surveillance footage of the brutal Chinese suppression of a major protest by Tibetan monks in 1988, and contemporary footage and photos of life in Dharamsala, the second home for Tibetan refugees.

A docu-drama portraying the selection and lifelong education of an Inyanga, an African healer who dispenses traditional herbal remedies. The film examines the preparation and use of traditional medicines, the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and the metaphysics and cosmology of African beliefs regarding the powers of the Inyanga.

Examines the West African religious institution of trokosi, where young women are chosen to serve an indefinite period of servitude for crimes committed long ago by their grandparents and even great-grandparents.

Portrays religious terrorism in Pensacola, Florida, which has become the epicenter of the national debate over abortion, including a 1984 clinic bombing, the 1993 murder of a clinic physician, and the 1994 murder of another clinic physician and his escort.

Examines the political activism of the religious New Right, focusing on their anti-abortion efforts. Combining interviews with scenes filmed at anti-abortion conventions and demonstrations, the video provides a revealing, inside look at the movement and its philosophy as expressed by its leaders as well as its rank and file activists.

Examines the Sanctuary Movement, a modern-day underground railroad in which American citizens, supported by churches, synagogues and other organizations, transport political refugees from Central America to places of refuge in the U.S.

A provocative look at the Protestant and Catholic churches in Ireland, examining both the myths and realities of their legislative and educational influence on such issues as abortion, contraception, homosexuality, and women's rights.

An offbeat documentary portrait of Lily Dale, New York, one of America's oldest spiritualist communities, where just about everyone is a psychic or a medium who claims to be able to communicate with the dead. The video includes interviews with several mediums in Lily Dale and shows them as they give private readings, perform public healings, and take part in outdoor services where they receive messages "from the spirit side of life."

Examines the centuries-old tradition in Puerto Rico of using hand-carved santos in Catholic religious practices. The film visits an elderly santero (carver) and his teenage apprentice, revealing the skill and artistry of this ancient craft as well as the importance of the saints in the lives of the faithful.

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.

"LOVE'S OLD SWEET SONG?" examines the changing status of women in Ireland and the struggle to gain women's rights from the government, the Church, and employers.

"HOLY GROUND?" examines the changing face of Catholicism, including the recent sexual abuse scandals and controversies surrounding contraception, abortion, and the role of women in the Church.

"Ireland's Other Protestants" examines the status of Protestants in the Republic of Ireland and the perceptions of Northern Protestants about their co- religionists.

This video tells the story of Springfield Park, a housing estate built in the early Sixties in West Belfast, made up of both Catholic and Protestant families who lived side by side in harmony.

This unusual documentary reveals the "friendly" face of modern-day discrimination in America. A lesbian and a gay man from San Francisco, in an effort to discover why the Religious Right perceives homosexuality as a threat to civilization, embark on a road trip into the heartland of religious bigotry in America.