|
| These
videos and DVD's have been purchased by Reeltime for the Evanston Public
Library and are available for checkout. Selections shown at Reeltime have
the screening date listed in red next the title. |
| A [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] B Becoming American, 1983. 59 min. Video 305.895 Becomin Documents the adaptation of a Hmong refugee family from northern Laos to life in America, where everything is culturally alien and everyone is a stranger. Benjamin Smoke, 2001. 78 min. 06/18/03 DVD 791.433 Benjami Jem Cohen and Peter Sillen directed this documentary about Benjamin, the charismatic singer for the underground band Smoke who died of AIDS in 1999. Best of Festival of Cinema for the Deaf, 2002. DVD 791.4375 Best Films for the hearing impaired. Signed and captioned with voice over. Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords, Video 071.3 Black This documentary examines the history of African-American journalism in America through a mix of interviews and archival footage. Blacks & Jews, 1997. 85 min. Video 305.896 Blacks This film examines the history of the collaboration and recent racial conflicts between African Americans and Jews and attempts at understanding and reconciliation, with particular emphasis on events in New York City and Oakland, California. Blink, 2000. 58 min. Video 322.42 Blink Once a fanatical rising star in the white supremacist movement, Greg Winthrow grapples with a legacy of hatred handed down across generations in this haunting documentary. Producer and director: Elizabeth Thompson. Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien, 1996. 35 min. 07/12/00 Video 362.4 Breathi Poet-journalist Mark O'Brien was stricken with polio in childhood and has spent most of his life in an iron lung. He describes how he has fought against illness and bureaucracy for his right to lead an independent life and offers his reflections on work, sex, death, and God. Produced, directed, and written by Jessica Yu. Briefcases and Bombshelters, Video 355.0217 Briefca A survival manual published by the West German government for its citizens states that, in the event of nuclear war, you can protect yourself from fallout by covering your head with a briefcase as you beat a hasty retreat to the nearest bomb shelter. This contribution to atomic absurdity provides the inspiration for this satirical documentary on life in the nuclear age. Written, produced and directed by Bob Hercules. Brother Born Again, 2000. 57 min. Video 248.246 Brother This documentary film traces Julia Pimsleur's efforts to understand her brother's conversion from Judaism to Christianity and attempt to salvage their relationship. The filmmaker travels from New York to her brother's religious community in Alaska, where she and Marc search for common ground and rediscover the meaning of family. Bun-Bun, 04/09/03 DVD 791.433 Bunbun A humorous short film that satirizes the great lengths parents will go to keep their little ones pleased. Bus Riders Union, Video 388.41322 Bus Legendary cinematographer/director Haskell Wexler made this grass-roots documentary about the Los Angeles bus system. Due to inefficiencies that discriminated lower income riders a union was formed to fight these inequities. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] C Carmen Miranda: Bananas is my Business, 1994. Video B Miran.C Using archival footage, film fragments, interviews, and dramatic re-enactments, acclaimed director Helena Solberg goes behind-the-scenes to convey the true life story of the "Brazilian Bombshell," Carmen Miranda Carved from the Heart, 1997. 30 min. 04/11/01 Video 152.4 Carved When Stan Marsden, a Tsimpshian wood carver, loses his son to a cocaine overdose, he decides to create a totem pole and invites the community of Craig, Alaska to help. The project grows and helps a community heal, bringing people of diverse backgrounds together. Director: Ellen Frankenstein. Chicago Nazis, Video 323.09 Chicago Local filmmaker Tom Palazzolo documents the protests held by the local Nazi party in the Marquette Park neighborhood as an increasing number of immigrants moved into the predominantly white area. A
Child’s Century of War, 2001. 90min. 05/07/03 [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ]
Back to Top D Dark Days, 2000. 94 min. 06/11/03 DVD 305.569 Dark A documentary about a homeless community living in the railway tunnels under New York City’s Penn Station. Director Marc Singer lived underground during the filming and traces their eventual transition into public housing. At turns funny and sad, this film challenges many stereotypes about homelessness. Daughter From Danang, 2003. Video 959.7044 Daughte Heidi was born the daughter of an American serviceman and a Vietnamese woman. At the war's end, her mother, hearing rumors that racially mixed children would be persecuted, placed the seven-year-old girl on an "Operation Babylift" plane to the United States. Twenty-two years later mother and daughter are miraculously reunited in Danang and are caught in a heart-wrenching clash of cultures. In English and Vietnamese with English subtitles. Sundance Film Festival 2002 Grand Jury Prize Documentary. Daumë, 2001. 7 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Daume A visit to a location inhabited by locals and visitors, all in disguise, and all in plain sight. Created in association with the School of the Art Institute, Film, Video, and New Media, Chicago. Democratic Promise: Saul Alinsky and His Work, Video 322.4 Democa This documentary about Labor and Civil Rights organizer Saul Alinsky uses a number of his organizing campaigns to illustrate his theories and principles, starting with a glimpse of what shaped his philosophies and led to his early organizing efforts. Depression and Manic Depression, 1996. 28 min. 05/10/00 Video 616.895 Depress Documentary features well-known personalities discussing their mental illness. Originally broadcast on the television program: The Doctor Is In. Production of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; writer and producer: Jamie Guth. Did They Buy It? Nicaraugua’s 1990 Elections. 1990, 45 min Video 972.85 Did Locally produced video about U.S. media coverage surrounding Nicaragua’s 1990 presidential elections. Includes interviews with North American news personnel, and discusses issues of the elections as well as misinformation and problems in reporting in a situation such as these elections. Digital Divide: Technology and Our Future, 2000. 2 parts: 57 min. each. Video 004.071 Digital Part One shows visits to several high schools in an examination of the push to wire America's schools and the effectiveness of incorporating the new computer technology into the curriculum. Part Two looks at economic challenges to community and home access to computers and the Internet, and explores the fundamental alienation felt by many girls and students of color in the computer world, and the need for fostering an environment of inclusion. Executive producer: David Bolt. Dinner for One, 2001. 14 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Dinner A darkly humorous silent film using trick photography and toy instruments as sound effects. Created in association with Northwestern University Radio/TV/Film, Evanston. Writer and director: Clayton Brown; producer: Stephanie Green. Discovering Dominga, 2002. Video 972.81053 Discove A survivor of the 1982 Rio Negro massacre in Guatemala, Denese Becker, born Dominga Sic Ruiz, was adopted by an American family and raised in Iowa. As an adult she begins to confront her memories and nightmares, returning to Guatemala almost 20 years after the massacre and ultimately becoming an advocate for the victims and survivors at great personal cost. Displaced in the New South, 1995. 57 min. Video 305.868 Displac In the 1980s, over 200,000 Latino and Asian immigrants came to Atlanta and north Georgia. This film describes the difficulties and successes they faced in establishing themselves in a different culture. Produced and directed by David Zeiger and Eric Mofford. Divorce Iranian Style, 1998. 76 min. 06/13/01 Video 346.0166 Divorce Looks inside an Iranian divorce court and shows how women are treated under Islamic law. Narrator: Joanna Rosenthall. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] E Erased, 4min 05/09/03 Jay Rosenstein made this short video from his family’s home movies juxtaposed with answering machine recordings left for him by his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] F Father Roy: Inside the School of Assassins, 1997. 57 min. Video 355.007 Father Describes the military assistance and training that the United States provides to Latin American countries at the U.S. Army School of the Americas, and Fr. Roy Bourgeois, a human rights advocate who would like to see the school closed, on the basis of torture training at the facility. Writer, producer, director: Robert Richter. Narrated by Susan Sarandon. Fighter, 2000. DVD 940.5318 Fighter Documentary film that follows Holocaust survivors and friends Jan Wiener and Arnost Lustig on a trip to Europe in 1998. The trip recreates the journey made by Wiener as he escaped from Nazi occupied Prague, through Slovenia and Italy, on his way to joining the British Royal Air Force before his return to Prague after World War II. Produced and directed by Amir Bar-Lev. Films of Thomas Edison, 1993. 59 min. Video 778.5309 Films v.1 Motion pictures produced by Thomas Edison between 1898 and 1905. Library has vol. 1 only. Silent. 5 Girls, 2001. 113 min. Video 305.235 Five Follows five young teenage girls going to schools in Chicago. Looks at their family life, their behavior at home and school, and their friendships and other relationships. Producer and director: Maria Finitzo. Fossil Fuel, 2001. 4 min 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Fossil. Using a toy car and toy dinosaurs, filmmaker Jacob Borshard gives a view of extinction, decaying matter and the predominance of oil culture. Created in association with the School of the Art Institute, Film, Video and New Media, Chicago. Free of Eden, 1998. 98 min. 02/09/00 Video 791.4372 Free A high school dropout realizes that education is the only way out of a dangerous, dead-end neighborhood. Sidney Poitier plays the tutor. Also featured is his daughter Sydney Tamiia Poitier in her film debut. Screenplay and original story by Delle Chatman. Executive producer: Sidney Poitier. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] G Gabbeh, 1999. 75 min. 05/08/02 Video 791.4372 Gabbeh A folkloric carpet (Gabbeh), picturing a man and a woman riding away on horseback, is the prized possession of an elderly nomadic couple. When they wash it, a beautiful young woman emerges from the carpet to reveal the secret of the carpet. In Farsi with English subtitles. The Garifuna Journey, 1998. 46 min. Video 972.82 Garifun Presents the history, the language, food, music, dance and spirituality of the Garifuna culture in Belize. Special project of Cultural Survival, an indigenous rights organization. Produced and directed by Andrea E. Leland and Kathy L. Berger. Gaza Ghetto, 1984. 82 min. Video 953.1 Gaza Follows the daily routine of one Palestinian family confined to the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, showing their living quarters, the local school, and hospital in order to personalize the Arab-Israeli conflict. George Washington, 2000. 89 min. DVD 791.4372 George Director David Gordon Green’s debut film is a jarring portrait of life in the South, a beautiful film about adolescence that somehow transcends the questions of race and age it seems to raise. Ghost Cities, 2002. 88 min. 07/09/03 Local filmmaker Ines Sommer directed this experimental feature about a woman struggling to make ends meet in contemporary Chicago. Girl Trap, 2001. 8 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Girl A moment deconstructed into a blur of past, present and future. Produced in association with the School of the Art Institute, Film, Video and New Media, Chicago. The Gleaners and I, 2000. 82 min. 11/13/02 Video 631.56 Gleaner Director Agnes Varda's most recent effort--the first filmed with a digital video camera--focuses on gleaners, those who gather the spoils left after a harvest, as well as those who mine the trash. The director likens gleaning to her own profession--that of collecting images, stories, fragments of sound, light, and color. The Global Assembly Line, 1986. 60 min. Video 331.1297 Global Portrays the lives of working men and women in the "free trade zones" of developing countries and North America. This film "emerges as the definitive statement on the international division of labor and the growing importance of women in the industrial workforce." Director: Lorraine Gray. Good Kurds, Bad Kurds, 2001. 79 min. Video 956.7044 Good Acclaimed journalist Kevin McKiernan’s documentary examines the Kurdish populations of Northern Iraq, where they have been systematically oppressed by the Hussein regme, and the urds of Turkey who have been battling the Turkish government for years. We are asked to consider what makes one group good, another bad. Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life, 1992. 70 min. Video 305.89159 Grass Originally issued as a silent motion picture in 1925, this documentary follows the first Westerners to reach a tribe of nomads in Iran known as the Bakhtyari. They accompany the tribe on its 48-day trek across deserts, streams and mountains to reach pasture for their flocks. Presented by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky. Golub, 1988. 56 min. 06/21/00 Video 759.13 Golub Follows the artist Leon Golub as he creates one of his large canvases from its early sketches to its first major exhibition over a year later in Derry, Northern Ireland. Challenges viewers to question their relationship to the violent nature of the subject of the painting and of modern society. Produced and directed by Jerry Blumenthal and Gordon Quinn of Kartemquin Films, Ltd Guy Maddin Collection, 1990-2000. DVD 791.4375 Guy A collection of three films from the staggeringly brilliant director Guy Maddin that includes two features, “Archangel” and “Twilight of the Ice-Nymphs”, and one short “The Heart of the World”. A wonderful introduction to one of the most fascinating filmmakers working today. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] H Here's Where I'm Comin' From, 2001. 2 min. Video 791.433 Alterna Heres An evocative and haunting video poem about the power of art to overcome internalized wounds. Alternative Youth Video Festival 2001. Hidden Wars of Desert Storm, 2000. 64 min. Video 956.7 Hidden A two-year investigation, Hidden Wars of Desert Storm brings answers to many questions based on documents never before seen on television and backed by interviews of such prominent personalities as Desert-Storm Commander General Norman Schwarzkopf, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, former UN Iraq Program Director Dennis Halliday, former UNSCOM team-leader Scott Ritter and many others. Produced, written and directed by Gerard Ungerman and Audrey Brohy; narrated by John Hurt. Hip Hop, a Culture of Influence, 1999. 28 min. Video 781.649 Hiphop The Youth Organizers Television (YO-TV) crew interviews their peers, authors of hip hop culture, hip hop artists, and persons on the street, collecting a range of opinions on various themes relating to hip hop, including race, sexism, homophobia, commercialization, the influence of youth on hip hop, and the influence of hip hop on youth. Home to Tibet, 1995. 56 min. Video 951.5 Home Focuses on the dangerous journey of Sonam Lama from his exiled residence in Massachusetts to Tibet, a place he has not seen in 12 years. Includes his meeting with the Dalai Lama, visits with friends exiled in India, and his reunion with his sister and others from his home village. In English and Tibetan with English subtitles. Hope is the Thing With Feathers, 1999. 28 min. Video 155.937 Hope This touching portrait, told through Beau Riley's poetry, art and spoken words, depicts his inner and outer journey as he cared for his lover, David Whitmore, during his illness and death, while confronting his own illness and impending death. Hybrid, 2000. 90 min. 03/12/03 Video 633.155 Hybrid Montieth McCollum made this documentary about his grandfather, Milford Beeghly, one of the pioneers of corn hybridization. McCollum utilizes a variety of styles, including stop-motion animation of dancing corn -cobs, to create a beautiful portrait of a fascinating, enigmatic figure. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] I If the Mango Tree Could Speak, 1993. 58 min. Video 972.8 If A documentary about children ages 12 to 15, growing up in the middle of war in Guatemala and El Salvador. Producer and writer: Patricia Goudvis; directors: Patricia Goudvis, William Turnley. In the Mood for Love, 2000. 91 min. DVD 791.4372 In Hong Kong, 1962: a man and woman move into neighboring apartments on the same day. Their encounters are polite and formal-until a discovery about their respective spouses sparks an intimate bond. At once delicately mannered and visually stunning, Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love is a masterful evocation of romantic longing and fleeting moments in time. In the Shadow of Memory, 1998. 58 min. 10/20/99 Video 940.5405 In The film focuses on Evanston resident Jerri Zbiral, daughter of a survivor of Lidice, a Catholic village in Czechoslovakia destroyed by the Nazis. At the 50th anniversary of the massacre, she speaks with survivors, their children and others about how Lidice affected their lives. Directed by Jacky Comforty. In Whose Honor? 1997. 47 min. Video 970.1 In A critical look at the practice and controversy surrounding the use of American Indian mascots and nicknames in sports. Charlene Teters, a Spokane Indian, mother of two and a graduate student at the University of Illinois, began a protest against the use of the Indian mascot at the University. Inside StreetWise, 1997. 27 min. 11/03/99 Video 362.5 Inside This Emmy Award-winning documentary profiles the successful newspaper entitled StreetWise, which is produced and distributed primarily by homeless Chicagoans. A documentary by Bill Glader. Invisible Revolution: A Youth Subculture of Hate, 2000. 55 min. Video 305.8 Invisib Profiles racist youth groups and the anti-racist youth group Anti Racist Action (ARA). Produced, directed and edited by Beverly Peterson. It's Elementary: Talking about Gay Issues in School, 1996. 77 min. Video 306.766 Its An exploration of what happens when experienced teachers talk to their students about lesbians and gay men. Students are asked to consider issues related to homosexuality at six elementary and middle schools. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] J The Jack Bull, 1999. 116 min. 09/22/99 Video 791.4372 Jack A search for justice in the Wyoming territory becomes a feud between two proud men: a rancher, played by John Cusack, and a wealthy landowner. The film premiered on HBO in April of 1999. Written by Evanstonian Dick Cusack. Jane: An Abortion Service, 1995. 57 min. 04/12/00 Video 363.46 Jane The story of how "Jane," an abortion counseling/referral service, came into being in Chicago in the 1960s. Includes interviews with the founder, Heather Booth, and other women who were involved with the service. Jane provided a much needed service for women at a time when abortions were illegal. A documentary by Kate Kirtz and Nell Lundy. Jung (War): In the Land of the Mujaheddin, 2000. Video 958.1046 Jung In 1999, a surgeon and a war correspondent join forces to found a hospital in Afghanistan, a country that has been devastated by civil and border wars for the last 20 years. In Arabic, Italian and English, with English subtitles. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] K King Gimp, 2000. 49 min. Video 616.836 King Dan Keplinger, a disabled artist, tells the story of his life from the age of 13 through his early 20s. Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Subject. Kings on the Hill: Baseball's Forgotten Men, 1993. 60 min. Video 796.357 Kings A documentary about the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues and the ending of segregated baseball which caused the demise of the institutions that were a major source of black pride. Narrated by Ossie Davis. The Knowledge of Healing, 1996. 90 min. Video 615.899 Knowled Tibetan traditional forms of healing. Director: Franz Reichle; producer: Marcel Hoehn. Portions in Tibetan and other languages with English subtitles. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] L Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, 1992. 25 min. 01/10/01 Video 791.433 Landsca Exploration in animation of the social welfare system by Chris Sullivan. Produced at the Art Institute of Chicago. Last Frontier Video 791.433 Last Corporate advertising runs amuck in the near future. In desperation, a group of the poor and homeless sell their foreheads as commercial space. Satire on American commercialism from Bob Hercules. Latin American Trails: Guatemala, 1997. 38 min. Video 972.81 Latin Examines the history, music, textiles, culture, art, architecture, theater and people of Guatemala. Narrated by Claudette Maille. Written, produced and directed by Ariel F. Zapata. Legacy, 1999. 90 min. Video 305.896 Legacy Terrell Collins, a 14-year-old African American boy living in Chicago's Henry Horner Homes housing project and the son of a crack addict, was an honor student to be featured in a documentary on "ghetto success stories." On the day filming was to begin, Terrell was fatally shot. His cousin, Nickcole Collins, narrates the documentary, chronicling the transformations and triumphs in the life of a family in the wake of a tragedy. Director, producer, and writer: Tod S. Lending. Leona's Sister Gerri, 1994. 57 min. Video 342.0878 Leonas Tells the story of Gerri Santoro, the real person in the police photograph of an anonymous woman collapsed on a motel room floor, dead from an illegal abortion. Produced and directed by Jane Gilooly. Letters not about Love, 1998. 58 min. 07/10/02 Video 808.86 Letters A skillful and beautifully produced montage by filmmaker Jacki Ochs documenting the five-year letter correspondence between United States poet Lyn Hejinian and Russian poet Arkadii Dragomoshchenko. Life and Debt, 2001. DVD 972.92 Life Jamaica became an independent country from Great Britain in 1962. It is the land of sea, sand and sun, but it is also a prime example of the complexities of economic globalization on the world's developing countries. Based on A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid. Little Dieter Needs to Fly, 2001. DVD 959.70437 Little Feature-documentary by Werner Herzog about the extraordinary capture and escape of the German/US pilot Dieter Dengler in Laos. Dengler emerges as an expert storyteller as he speaks about his experience and reenacts his escape in the Laotian jungle. Living with Pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100, 1999. 60 min. 02/21/01 Video B Ellis.R Documentary with narrative recreations about the life and times of Ruth Ellis, the oldest "out" African American lesbian. The Long Road Home, 1992. 32 min. Video 972.81 Long Follows a 19-year-old Mayan refugee from his home in Chicago to a Guatemalan refugee camp in Mexico. The viewer learns why Ricardo Hernandez and his family had to leave Guatemala, what life is like in exile, and the cooperative efforts being taken by the refugees to return home. Producer and director: Andrea E. Leland. Long Night’s Journey Into Day, 2000. Video 968.064 Long South Africa's search for truth and reconciliation As it investigated the crimes of apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission brought together victims and perpetrators to relive South Africa's brutal history. By revealing the past instead of burying it, the TRC hoped to pave the way to a peaceful future. Directed by Frances Reid and Deborah Hoffmann; narrated by Helen Mirren. The Lumiere Brothers' First Films, 1997. 62 min. Video 778.5309 Lumiere A look at the birth of the motion picture through 85 of the more than 1,500 films made by the Lumiere Brothers between 1895 and 1897. These films include views of Moscow, New York, Paris, Saigon, and Jerusalem; vignettes of life in France; and comedy shorts. Narrated by Bertrand Tavernier. Lunch With Louie, 1997. Video 791.433 Lunch A repressed bureaucrat having lunch on a park bench finds his solitude disturbed by a somewhat friendly, somewhat threatening derelict. By the time lunch is over, the two men have formed a bond that neither of them will forget. Writer, producer, director: Peter Robinson. El Lustrador: The Shoe Shiner, 1999. 6 min. Video 305.562 Lustrad Chronicles a moment in the life of a young boy who shines shoes in a small village in Guatemala. Directors: James Prater, Ryan Shaddelee. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] M M & M Smith: For Posterity's Sake, 1995. 57 min. Video B Smith.M Explores the lives and work of Morgan and Marvin Smith, twin brothers and prolific African American artists. Features the photographs, motion picture film, paintings and other art which the Smiths produced throughout their long careers. Narrated by Ruby Dee. Made in Brooklyn, 1993. 55 min. Video 307.76 Made Examines the decline of New York City's industrial base as economic policy makers shift their focus to a service-based economy. Focuses on the history and current vitality of Brooklyn's manufacturing community. Includes archival footage. Produced and directed by Isabel Hill. Making up Time with Dad, 2001. 10 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Making Never having had a relationship with her father until after his life-threatening stroke in 1997, Serena Moy tries to make up the time she missed with him by taking care of him. Created in association with Columbia College, Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary, Chicago. Mamadrama: The Jewish Mother in Cinema, 2001. Video 306.8743 Mamadra A unique exploration of the maligned mother figure in Jewish twentieth century culture. Writer, director, producer: Monique Schwarz. The Man We Called Juan Carlos, 2000. Video 972.81 Man The story of an ordinary man, whose life affected the lives of the filmmakers for over 25 years. Wenceslao Armira, a Mayan Indian, who was an illiterate peasant until the arrival of a foreign aid project, became a teacher, community organizer, guerilla, and Mayan priest. His life raises questions about social justice, life choices and the cost of commitment. Produced and directed by Heather MacAndrew and David Springbett. Masters of Russian Animation. 01/08/03 DVD 791.433 Masters A four DVD set highlighting master works of Russian animation. Maxwell Street: A Living Memory, 2002. 29 min. Video 977.311 Maxwell Captures the essence of this once famous Chicago market through the children and grandchildren of the Eastern European Jewish immigrants who built it. Produced and directed by Shuli Eshel. Maxwell Street Blues, 1983. 56 min. Video 781.643 Maxwell Chicago's urban legend where ethnic groups mingle in a unique and true representation of the melting pot, and where great blues music continues to be born and re-born on the street corners. Directors: Linda Williams, Raul Zaritsky. Me and My Black & White World, 2001. 1 min. 05/12/01 Video 791.433 Alterna Me A one-minute experimental film. Alternative Youth Video Festival 2001. Created in association with Street Level Youth Media. Means of Grace, 1996. 57 min. Video 362.2 Means Using home movies, archival footage, and dramatizations, the film presents an inside view of "madness" using the diary entries and writings of the filmmaker's mother. Narrator and filmmaker: J. Clements. Measurements, 2000. 7 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Measure A young Oriental woman describes what physical features she likes and dislikes in a man. Writer, director, producer: Daniel Peltz. Created in association with the Radio/TV/Film Dept. at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Memory, 2000. 5 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Memory A woman remembers an event that may or may not have happened. This film plays out as a personal opera of betrayal and abandonment: a mother packs her suitcase as her infant daughter plays at her feet. The mother goes down the stairs and out the door, leaving the infant. Created in association with the Radio/TV/Film Dept. at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Men Are From Moon, 1998. 5 min. Video 612.665 Men Men tell everything they know about menopause - no wonder the film is so short! Mercury Moon, 2001. 19 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Mercury Three short science fiction films by Kim Collmer. Created in association with the Film, Video, and New Media Dept. of the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. Message in a Bubble, 2003. DVD 338.04 Message A documentary that focuses on the rise and fall of the Internet industry. Written, directed and produced by local filmmaker James Stanford. Missing in Tibet, 1997. 27 min. Video 951.5 Missing In 1949, China invaded Tibet, devastating Tibetan culture and tradition; over 100,000 Tibetans have fled into exile. In 1995, one Tibetan exile, Ngawang Choephel, returned to Tibet to document remnants of traditional music and dance. This videotaped footage was sent out of Tibet prior to his arrest. Directed by Robin Garthwait and Dan Griffin. Narrated by Goldie Hawn and Peter Coyote. Mud Peoples Video 738.092 Jolly M Mudpeop A documentary about artist Marva Jolly My Germany: Unqualified Remarks of a Distant Observer, 1995. 29 min. 10/20/99 Video 943.0879 My Triggered by the widespread resurgence of Neo-Nazi groups and xenophobia in Germany in the early 1990s, this video reflects filmmaker Ines Sommer's troubled feelings toward Germany, the country she grew up in but left behind when she moved to the U.S. in 1986. Director, writer, camera, and editor: Ines Sommer. My Girl, 2001. 15 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest.) Video 791.433 Alterna My Three videos: My Girl deals with death and healing; Female Riot deals with issues of sexuality, representation and self-esteem; What's Ghetto consists of interviews of people defining what the word ghetto means to them. Created in association with Street Level Youth Media. N Nigel & Me, 2001. 9 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest.) Video 791.433 Alterna Nigel A mentally disturbed young man chooses to have a popsicle as a friend, which he names Nigel. Alternative Youth Video Festival 2001. No Loitering: Teens Searching for a Place, 2001. 57 min. Video 305.235 No Set in the small town of Sitka, Alaska, home to a large Alaska Native population, the video chronicles the creativity, concerns, and dreams of youth growing up today. Directed and produced by Ellen Frankenstein. Nobody’s Business, 1999. Video B Berli.O Oscar A. Berliner, father of director Alan Berliner, is the reluctant subject of this study of family history and memory. Family members add their comments to this portrait of a retired Jewish sportswear manufacturer and salesman who describes himself as "just an ordinary guy." [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] O One Day Longer: The Story of the Frontier Strike, 1999. 50 min. 09/13/00 Video 331.892 One Recounts America's longest running strike by restaurant workers of the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. Produced and directed by Amie S. Williams. One Hundred and One Nights, 1994. 102 min. DVD 791.4372 One Agnes Varda reflects on her fifty years of filmmaking as well as the entire hundred-year history of the medium. Casting Michel Piccoli both as himself and also as Simon Cinema, legendary figure of film history, Varda sets up a rollicking parable of cinematic flashbacks, cameos, and commentary. The Optimists, 2001. 82 min. Video 940.5318 Optimis A documentary film tells how the Bulgarian Christians and Muslims found ways to protect 50,000 Jews from destruction during the Holocaust. Directed by Jacky Comforty. The Orphan Saint, 2000. 65 min. 07/10/01 Video 791.43617 Orphan Set in the fictional town of Asulon, Illinois, this tongue-in-cheek mock documentary satirizes a small town's preparations to induct its first living saint: a young woman who has survived a major car accident. Produced and directed by Christina and Dymphna Timmons [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] P Palindrome,
2001. 12 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] R Rabbit
in the Moon, 1999. 85 min. 06/05/02 [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] S Samples & Shorts, 2001. 23 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest.) Short films covering various topics of importance to Black students in Chicago, including how they view life in Humboldt Park, a farewell tribute from the last class of students to attend Chicago's Jenner School; making informed decisions about sex. Alternative Youth Video Festival. Scout's Honor, 2001. 60 min. 02/12/03 Video 369.43 Scouts Documentary examining the Boy Scouts of America policy against gays in the organization. Focuses on Steve Cozza, boy scout and activist against the policy, and relates the stories of others removed from the Boy Scout organization for being gay or for working to have the policy eliminated. Produced and directed by Tom Shepard. Scraps, 1998. 8 min. Video 791.433 Scraps Captures the filmmaker's impressions of North Dakota in late August, featuring chirping crickets, county fairs, and fishing. Producer and director: Tom Schroeder. Seeing is Believing, 2002. 58 min. 05/14/03 Video 070.18 Seeing A documentary about the consumer video camera that weighs the pros and cons of its democratizing effects. See how a product initially intended for weddings and little league games has become a political tool. Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists, 1984. 100 min. Video 973.91 Seeing Through interviews with present and former American rank and file members, this film probes the reasons why a number of politically conscious persons were drawn to the Communist party in the period from the Great Depression until the 1950s. The Shadow and the Sound, 2001. 15 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest.) Video 791.433 Alterna Shadow A man relates his dream to a woman friend. Note: the first 60 seconds is sound without picture. Alternative Youth Video Festival 2001. Shira-Tama: White Rice Dumpling, 2001. 8 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Shira A young Japanese man ponders his married life and how his earlier family relationships influenced him in his marriage. In Japanese, with English subtitles. Created in association with Columbia College, Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary, Chicago. The Silence of Neto, 1994. 106 min. Video 972.81 Silence Produced in Antigua, Guatemala, this Sundance Film Festival selection tells the story of a young boy’s coming of age during the 1950s while his country struggles to preserve democracy amidst CIA cold war propaganda. Spanish with English subtitles. Producer, director: Luis Argueta. Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender, 1998. 100 min. Video 791.43653 Silver Film clips and witty insights illustrate this comprehensive and incisive exploration of the hidden - and not-so-hidden--gay undercurrents of Hollywood's golden years. A Singing Stream, 1987. 57 min. Video 305.896 Singing This film takes us to a Landis family reunion in Granville County, North Carolina, where Bertha and members of her immediate and extended family share with us their life experiences and their joy in singing. Musical performances in the film span almost a century of black religious song styles, from shape-notes to contemporary gospel. Directed and produced by Tom Davenport. Sisters Empowering Sisters, 2000. 20 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest.) Video 791.433 Alterna Sisters This chronicles the group of young women involved in Sisters Empowering Sisters, a girl-led, girl-focused granting organization in conjunction with Girls Best Friend Foundation, who work for the betterment of girls' lives. Street Level Youth Media. Skin Deep, 1995. 53 min. Video 305.8 Skin A diverse group of college students reveal their honest feelings and attitudes about race and racism. Students are interviewed alone, and then discuss the issues in a group setting. Producer and director: Frances Reid. Skokie, Rights or Wrong, 1987. 27 min. Video 342.0853 Skokie Documents the conflict that erupted when the American Nazi Party attempted to march in 1978, in Skokie, Illinois--a community where many Holocaust survivors now live. The film presents a wide range of views on the Nazis' "right" to march in Skokie. Space Inbetween, 2001. 8 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Inbetwe Created in association with the Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary at Columbia College, Chicago. Stoney Does Houston, 1992. 15 min. Video 324.973 Stoney Stoney Burke leads us in a subversive tour of the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston's Astrodome. Stranger with a Camera, 2000. 61 min. 04/17/02 Video 917.69 Strange Award-winning documentary by Elizabeth Barret explores the responsibilities and ethics of those who take images of other people and put them to their own use. Based on a tragedy in which Appalachian landowner Hobar Ison killed documentary filmmaker Hugh O’Connor. The Stringer, 2001. 20 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Stringe The filmmaker takes us into the little-known world of "stringers" as she explores the world of Pauly LaPonte, a Chicago man who listens to police scanners and chases down breaking news in an attempt to be the first on the scene to get the story. Created in association with the Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary at Columbia College, Chicago. Student Show Reel, 2001. 60 min. 11/14,17/01 (College Clips) Video 791.433 College Student A collection of graduate student work, compiled by Radio/TV/Film Department of Northwestern University. Style Wars, 1983. 60 min. 05/09/01 Video 306 Style A documentary exploration of the subculture of New York's young graffiti writers and break-dancers, showing their activities and aspirations and the social and aesthetic controversies surrounding New York graffiti. Directed by Tony Silver. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] T A Tajik Woman, 1994. 19 min. 06/13/01 Video 305.48 Tajik Filmmaker Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa reflects on issues of exile and cultural conflict for Muslim women from Afghanistan and Iran living in the United States. Taken for a Ride, 1996. 55 min. Video 388.4 Taken Through a combination of still photography, archival film footage, animation, interviews, and recent video, the history of the automobile and the highway system and their far-reaching impact on America is examined. Tales From Arab Detroit, 1995. Video 973.04927 Tales A film about music in the culture of an immigrant community (Detroit, Michigan) that takes as its point of departure the performance of an epic poem by a story-teller from Egypt. Traditional music and dance from hip-hop to rap are featured here as the largest Arab community in North America blends the old with the new. Tango73: A Bus Rider's Diary, 1998. 28 min. Video 388.322 Tango Documentary about riders and drivers on AC Transit line 73 in the East Bay Area, showing the vital importance of public transportation in urban areas. Written, produced, and directed by Gabriela Quirâos. Music by Tin Hat Trio. Tashi Jong, 1998. 45 min. Video 951.5 Tashi This award-winning documentary chronicles the life of one of the first Tibetan refugee communities established in India by the renowned spiritual teacher, the eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. We witness the indomitable spirit of the Tibetan people as they preserve their unique culture and ancient Buddhist heritage as a living reality in exile. Teens on Sex, 1998. 18 min Video 613.95 Teens Offers the teen perspective on sex using interviews and skits to illustrate common myths, communication issues, and possible consequences of sexual activity. Produced by Philadelphia Youth Health Empowerment Project. Through Madness: The Subjective Experience of Psychotic Illness, 1991. 28 min. 05/10/00 Video 616.89 Through This program chronicles the subjective and personal experience of illnesses like manic-depression and schizophrenia. Highlights a former NFL star who, because of his illness, was forced to live on the streets for a time. Filmakers Library. To Serve and Protect: Policing the Police, 1993. 30 min. Video 363.232 To This documentary covers issues dealing with police brutality and aggression towards citizens. Produced by Educational Video Center. True Life Video Stories DVD 973.929 True In 1976, Scott Jacobs, one of the founders of Chicago's Center for New Television, using a Sony reel-to-reel video portapak that predates VHS, went on a road trip across America, capturing the lives of people from many different walks of life Twitch and Shout: A Documentary about Tourette Syndrome, 1994. 59 min. Video 616.83 Twitch This documentary presents a series of interviews with adults who have been diagnosed with Tourette syndrome (a genetic neurological disorder), but who are now able to participate in normal living experiences. Produced and directed by Laurel Chiten. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] U Uncommon Ground, 1994. 62 min. Video 968.06 Uncommo Follows the journey of five Los Angeles high school students to Grahamstown, South Africa, where they meet and live with five South African students in a black township. They discuss their experiences with family, school, violence, racism and oppression. Written, produced and directed by Amie Williams. Unmade Beds Video 791.4372 Unmade Unmade Beds is a very effective quasi-documentary, the cinematic equivalent of a "nonfiction novel" that starts with real-life events and characters and embroiders them for dramatic effect. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] V Video Machete, 2000. 15 min. 05/12/01 (Alt. Youth Fest) Video 791.433 Alterna Machete A collection of 14 short films with messages for teenagers and many with websites for further information, made by students in association with Video Machete, Chicago, in 1999. Voices of Cabrini, 1999. 30 min. 11/03/99 Video 363.58 Voices Filmed over a period of three years by Ronit Bezalel, this video is the story of how "redevelopment" is changing one of Chicago's most notorious housing projects, Cabrini Green. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] WXYZ War Photographer, 09/18/02 Christian Frei, Producer and Director. A 96-minute Academy Award-nominated documentary that follows renowned photojournalist James Nachtwey through war torn regions around the world. By attaching special micro-cameras to Nachtwey’s cameras the film provides an intimate insight into the work of this astonishing photographer. War Room DVD 791.973 War Documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back) and Chris Hegedus shot behind-the-scenes at command central for Bill Clinton's 1992 election campaign and came up with this film. The center of the film is really James Carville, who steered the machine for Clinton's '92 run and who comes across in this film as a deeply passionate, complex, and somehow timeless man who could have fit into any chapter of American history. We are Guatemalans, 1995. 28 min. Video 972.81 We There are 17 million refugees in the world today, and the number is growing daily due to "ethnic cleansing." In 1994 a group of 2,000 Guatemalans reversed this trend. After 12 years of exile in Mexican refugee camps, they returned to their homeland in the Ixcan jungle region of Guatemala. Maryknoll World Productions. When Billy Broke His Head, 1994. 57 min. 07/12/00 Video 362.4 When Written and narrated by Billy Golfus, this documentary examines how the handicapped experience life in the United States. Personal interviews portray realities, hardships, and coping mechanisms in the face of government bureaucracy and overwhelming odds. Where Women Are Banned Video 958.1046 Where Three women from Afghanistan tell their haunting stories. They talk about the tearing away of their freedom and the human rights abuses inflicted on them by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Windhorse, 1998. 97 min. 02/20/02 Video 791.4372 Windhor Based on true events, Windhorse tells the story of an aspiring Tibetan pop singer who wins favor with the Chinese government of occupied Tibet. She faces a crisis of conscience when her cousin, a Buddhist nun, is imprisoned and tortured for her religious beliefs. Produced and directed by Paul Wagner. In English, Chinese and Tibetan with English subtitles. Women of Mystery, 2000. 53 min. Video 813.54 Women Sara Paretsky, creator of V.I. Warshawski, Sue Grafton, creator of Kinsey Millhone, and Marcia Muller, creator of Sharon McCone, discuss their characters in the locales of the novels: Chicago, Santa Barbara and San Francisco. A film by Pamela Beere Briggs and William McDonald. Women of the Wall, 1999. 31 min. Video 296.832 Women News items in the Israeli media note the stages of the Jewish women's struggle with Orthodox Jewish tradition for the right to pray at the Wall. In English and Hebrew with English subtitles. Words from the Heart, 2000. 15 min. 04/11/01 Video 152.4 Words Intended to facilitate discussion of the life-altering issues raised by Carved from the Heart including suicide, grief and loss, family violence and addictions. Directed and produced by Ellen Frankenstein. Wrigley Field: Beyond the Ivy, 2001. 100 min. Video 796.357 Wrigley Beyond the Ivy delves into the other side of baseball: the devoted fans, the scalpers, the rooftop bleachers, and the daily experience of Wrigley Field. Directed by David Levenson. Narrated by William Petersen. [
A | B | C | D
| E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L
| M | N | O | P
| Q | R | S | T
| U | V | W | X
| Y | Z ] Reeltime Recommendations Compiled by Laura Hirshfield, Reader's Services Department Revised August 2002 & September 2003 by Ian McDermott |
| [
Home | Calendar
| General Information | Recommendations
| About Us | Contact
Us | Sponsors | Donations
| FAQs ]
|