Urban Studies

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.

From Steve James, acclaimed director of Hoop Dreams, and Alex Kotlowtiz, bestselling author of There Are No Children Here, The Interrupters is an epic documentary work exploring violence in America, a look at an innovative program in which former gang members disrupt violent situations as they happen.

Jumping rope is one of the most timeless and universal forms of play. In the last 30 years, its popularity has moved it from the sidewalk to the stage. Doubletime profiles two championship teams - one suburban white and one inner-city black - for a revealing look inside an exciting new sport and a snapshot of race in America.

Beyond Babyland seeks to understand the causes behind the troubling rate of infant mortality in African-American communities while introducing us to the people and organizations working tirelessly to turn around this tide.

For generations, Cairo has relied on the Zabelleen or "garbage people" to collect the city's trash - resulting in the world's most efficient recycling program. A multiple award-winning documentary, Garbage Dreams considers the environmental and social repercussions when the city suddenly decides to outsource their trade to multinational waste disposal companies.

Through a passionate mixture of private videos, uncensored interviews and school-day adventures, the young children of Singleton Charter Middle School, the first school to open in New Orleans after Katrina, have created a revealing portrait of urban youth at the heart of an ongoing American crisis.

Part city symphony, part visual poem, The Solitary Life of Cranes explores the invisible life of a city, its patterns and hidden secrets, seen through the eyes of crane drivers working high above its streets. Referencing both Ruttmann and Vertov as well as Jane Jacobs' "The Death and Life of Great American Cities," it's a beautiful meditation on how our existence is shaped by the spaces we inhabit.

What does it mean to be gay and old in America? A Place to Live: The Story of Triangle Square addresses this issue by following the construction and development of the country's first affordable housing facility for LGBT seniors.

When the Loyola basketball team started four African-American players in 1963 they were suddenly thrust into the national spotlight. The Game of Change reaches far beyond sports, demonstrating this particular event's significance in the battle for race equality in a largely segregated country.

An urgent, beautifully crafted examination of urban sprawl and its impact on the environment, The Unforeseen is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning documentary from director Laura Dunn and executive producers Terrence Malick and Robert Redford.

Could this man be the next President of the United Sates? This incisive documentary examines Rudolph Giuliani's rise to power, his policies, and their effect on the city he referred to as the 'Capital of the World.'

From Buena Vista Social Club to Hollywood blockbusters, Havana's crumbling architecture has been romanticized in countless movies. But what about the people who must live in these buildings? A unique thought-provoking portrait of Havana's inhabited ruins and their curious blend of magic and decay.

As China continues its unprecedented economic growth, Last House Standing captures the poignant story of an elderly man caught between his country's past and future.

Can a single building impact the career of an architect, the image of a global company and the future of a major city? Building the Gherkin chronicles the design, planning and construction of the controversial Swiss Re building, dubbed 'the erotic gherkin' by the British press.

A wonderful film that illustrates the significance of gardens and green spaces in the face of ever growing urbanization and development.

We’ve all seen homeless people pushing shopping carts down the street, shopping carts packed to the brim with all kinds of "junk." But what’s actually inside those shopping carts anyway?

Chronicles life on East Seventh Street in New York City and its transformations. Residents share their memories of what used to be an immigrant lower-class neighborhood.

This documentary examines two migrant experiences, one from the Caribbean and one from Latin America, which comprise an important part of the Hispanic experience in New York.

This video follows the sculptures of the late Jean Tinguely (1925-1991), one of Europe’s most popular artists, as they are transported from his Swiss studio to their new home at the Museum of Basel.

Focuses on the Russian city of Ekaterinburg as a case-study illustration of the former Soviet Union's difficult transition from a socialist to a capitalist economy.