THE HEALING GARDENS OF NEW YORK
Price: $310.00 Code: 2224 |
Directed by Alexandra Isles
2005, 54 minutes
Purchase: $310 Classroom Rental: $125
Beautiful and inspiring, The Healing Gardens of New York tells the stories of the lives and communities transformed by gardens and green spaces created in response to crime, neglect, poverty and urban decay.
In the Bronx, we meet a man who was "lost and without direction" until a community garden he founded changed not only his life, but his community. His garden now has over 100 families as members, sponsors youth mentoring internships, and runs a program that feeds the neighborhood's needy.
In Times Square, we're introduced to a man who suffers from mental illness, but has found increasing emotional stability through tending a small garden. On Rikers Island, we see how The GreenHouse Project allows inmates to find redemption in their work, while providing necessary job skills for their release. And in East Harlem, we hear from a woman who restored an abandoned garden overrun with graffiti, trash, and drug dealers. Warned repeatedly that her neighbors would destroy her work, she persevered and created a thriving garden that has become the source of pride for the community.
The Healing Gardens of New York is a wonderful film that illustrates the significance of gardens and green spaces in the face of ever growing urbanization and development. In cities dominated by glass and concrete, it takes an in depth look at how gardens can be a platform for social change and an opportunity to develop new skills and transform lives.
"An inspiring documentary! This beautifully photographed program features excellent technical qualities. It would be a superb resource for a beginning college sociology course and a solid addition to any public library." - Library Journal
"Alexandra Isles has reached deep into the soul of gardens and gardeners to identify one of the mystical aspects of gardening – that mysterious interaction with soil and plants that produces a sense of well-being." - Anthony Smith, President, Horticultural Society of New York
"The Healing Gardens of New York captures the one universal truth all community gardens share – and that is the power to make life better for those who toil in them." - Zazel Loven, Senior Editor, Organic Gardening
"The Healing Gardens of New York shows the transformative power of gardens in people’s lives, through the act of gardening, and in enjoying the spaces that others have created. It is recommended for public and academic libraries." - Educational Media Reviews Online
2005, 54 minutes
Purchase: $310 Classroom Rental: $125
Beautiful and inspiring, The Healing Gardens of New York tells the stories of the lives and communities transformed by gardens and green spaces created in response to crime, neglect, poverty and urban decay.
In the Bronx, we meet a man who was "lost and without direction" until a community garden he founded changed not only his life, but his community. His garden now has over 100 families as members, sponsors youth mentoring internships, and runs a program that feeds the neighborhood's needy.
In Times Square, we're introduced to a man who suffers from mental illness, but has found increasing emotional stability through tending a small garden. On Rikers Island, we see how The GreenHouse Project allows inmates to find redemption in their work, while providing necessary job skills for their release. And in East Harlem, we hear from a woman who restored an abandoned garden overrun with graffiti, trash, and drug dealers. Warned repeatedly that her neighbors would destroy her work, she persevered and created a thriving garden that has become the source of pride for the community.
The Healing Gardens of New York is a wonderful film that illustrates the significance of gardens and green spaces in the face of ever growing urbanization and development. In cities dominated by glass and concrete, it takes an in depth look at how gardens can be a platform for social change and an opportunity to develop new skills and transform lives.
Subjects & Collections
Urban Studies New York City Psychology & Psychiatry Sociology Environmental Studies Criminal & Law African-American Studies Directed by Women
Reviews
"Documentary filmmaker Alexandra Isles has come up with a new movie, so incredibly lovely that it gives a person hope for the human race…. This is an unusually tranquil film experience with wonderful music. It will take your mind off a lot of nasty things. Don't miss it!." - Liz Smith, New York Post"An inspiring documentary! This beautifully photographed program features excellent technical qualities. It would be a superb resource for a beginning college sociology course and a solid addition to any public library." - Library Journal
"Alexandra Isles has reached deep into the soul of gardens and gardeners to identify one of the mystical aspects of gardening – that mysterious interaction with soil and plants that produces a sense of well-being." - Anthony Smith, President, Horticultural Society of New York
"The Healing Gardens of New York captures the one universal truth all community gardens share – and that is the power to make life better for those who toil in them." - Zazel Loven, Senior Editor, Organic Gardening
"The Healing Gardens of New York shows the transformative power of gardens in people’s lives, through the act of gardening, and in enjoying the spaces that others have created. It is recommended for public and academic libraries." - Educational Media Reviews Online