‘”God & Country’ looks at the implications of Christian Nationalism and how it distorts not only our constitutional republic, but Christianity itself…[it also] asks this question: What happens when a faith built on love, sacrifice, and forgiveness grows political tentacles, conflating power, money, and belief into hyper-nationalism?”
Lenny Bruce's depiction on film did not start or end with Bob Fosse's Lenny (1974). Through these other often offbeat cinematic incarnations, this essay piece considers how Lenny Bruce was the perfect Bob Fosse subject, and how Fosse's focus on the lives of performers invigorated his portrait of the controversial, trail-blazing comic.
A seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris evolves into a profound meditation on the realities of the driver, whose personal life is in shambles, and his fare, an elderly woman whose warmth belies her shocking past.
In the poignant and thought-provoking short film, a distressed mother, Velda, takes center stage as she recounts the tragic tale of her son, Michael, who battles inner demons after being sent to war. As she navigates through the gut-wrenching chronology of his enlistment on the eve of 9/11, his traumatizing experiences in combat, and his futile attempts at readjustment after returning home, the narrative unravels to reveal the silent and insidious toll of war on the mental health of soldiers. Compelled by her son's devastating suicide, Velda transforms her grief into a call for action, articulating her concerns about the military's approach to mental health issues in a letter to the president. This heart-rending short film underscores the often overlooked consequences of war, giving voice to those left in its devastating wake.
Gunars Taurins has become a dad-sitter in Latvia. He wants to return to France as soon as possible once he has found a caregiver for his father. But it's not that easy and Gunars has to stay in Riga whether he likes it or not.
The story of professional musician Mark Barden, whose story of his life changed dramatically when his son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Elis & Tom is considered one of the most important albums in the history of Brazilian music. The recording took place in Los Angeles, in early 1974, and it was all captured by the team of filmmakers led by director Roberto de Oliveira, who arranjed for the duo to meet. The original footage was kept for 45 years until they were restored and remastered in 2018. The film is also an exciting reunion of the director with the artists and the material he filmed nearly five decades ago.
Mayan culture still thrives among the Tzotzil people of San Andrés Larrainzar, a town in southeastern Mexico. Each inhabitant shares responsibility for the collective well-being but only a few are called upon to serve the gods—often in a dream.