From the Ground Up

Monday, April 5th, 7:00pm

Docwatchers

Dir. Su Friedrich, 2007, 54 min.

Using minimal narration, From the Ground Up shows how an ordinary cup of coffee occupies center stage in the world economy. Traveling with the filmmaker from Guatemala to South Carolina to New York City and seeing each phase of coffee production unfold the growing, picking, processing, distribution, brewing and selling one comes to understand that most products we use have passed through the hands, and lives, of countless people in numerous countries. This film is all about the coffee, and about everything else we consume, consume, consume.

Docwatchers Presents: Boy Scouts 100th Anniversary

The Boy Scouts of Rahway

Dir. Tom Mason, 2009, 10 min.

The Boy Scouts of Rahwa takes a tongue-in-cheek look at a Boy Scouts competition in New Jersey, the Klondike Derby.

759: Boy Scouts of Harlem (72m)

Dir. Jake Boritt & Justin Szlasa, 2009, 72 min. 

Scout Troop 759 heads from the streets of Harlem to the woods of Camp Keowa. Eleven year old new scout Keith Dozier spends his first week at camp facing the challenges of the woods - the dock test in the deep dark lake, creepy creatures of the night, the daunting climbing tower, the raucous dining hall and the seductive Siberian sirens of the kitchen. With help from his fellow Scouts KC, Devon and Manny and wise Scoutmaster Sowah, young Keith faces the challenges and earns his place as a Scout. 759: Boy Scouts of Harlem is a warm, tender, and funny family documentary about Scouting in an unexpected place.

Trailer: http://www.harlemscouts.com/

Doc Watchers

Monday, January 11th

DocWatchers 

Curated by Hellura Lyle

Battle for the Hearts and Minds

Dir. Shani Peters, 2009, 10 mins.

 A video installation depicting a battle of words between historical black legends W.E.B. DuBois and Marcus Garvey.  Relating elements of their documented 1920’s era conflict to later century hip-hop and hip-hop beef, the ongoing ‘fight” for social justice, and black disunity in general, the ‘event’ is present as a cross between a title fight and a rap battle.

No Ward

Dir. Terence Nance, 2009, 10 mins.

 No Ward is a short documentary about the forced migration of New Orleans residents to cities in Texas. The film juxtaposes the migrations that occurred as a result of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and Hurricane Gustave in 2008.

Coming Home

Dir. Michele Stephenson, 2009, 39 mins.

 In collaboration with the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, The Rada Film Group is co-producing Coming Home, a documentary that tells the story of Sam Jackson, a 52 year old resident of housing projects in the 9th Ward of New Orleans and a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. The film explores how, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, this somewhat reclusive quiet man becomes a passionate advocate for his community, reaching out to people in his neighborhood, as well as around the nation and the world to support the struggle for the right of his community to move back to their rightful homes.