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Unknown Role
Aline Morales is one of the main broadcasters of Maracatu in Toronto. From a meeting with members of Recife's Maracatu Estrela Brilhante Nação, she and her traveling companions reflect deeply on the different aspects of this genre, beyond music.
No measure of hellfire preaching can quell the boisterous and bawdy passions of Maracatu, an Afro-Brazilian burlesque carnival tradition with roots in slavery that takes place in the northeast state of Pernambuco. As the Falstaffian character Tiao, Valmir do Coco leads a nonprofessional cast of authentic Maracatu practitioners in a tale told through dance, music, and the supernatural, set in the sugarcane fields outside Recife.
In this fascinating Oscar-nominated documentary, American guitarist Ry Cooder brings together a group of legendary Cuban folk musicians (some in their 90s) to record a Grammy-winning CD in their native city of Havana. The result is a spectacular compilation of concert footage from the group's gigs in Amsterdam and New York City's famed Carnegie Hall, with director Wim Wenders capturing not only the music -- but also the musicians' life stories.
Actor Tony Curtis and his wife, Jill, discuss the important need to protect horses from consumption overseas in this documentary, which examines the couple's passionate struggle for equestrian rights and personal efforts to rescue horses. Featuring startling footage captured directly inside a slaughterhouse, this meaningful movie aims to celebrate horses and keep them shielded from cruel and senseless deaths.
A fascinating look into an obscure institution, this documentary visits the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City, Calif. Comprising a collection of exhibits, dioramas and curios -- most of which seemingly have nothing to do with the Jurassic period or technology -- the museum offers an intellectual trip down the rabbit hole. The film includes interviews with founder and curator David Wilson and an extensive tour of the museum's oddities.
Filmed in Britain during the 2004 Babyshambles tour, director Roger Pomphrey's intimate portrait attempts to peel back the layers of Pete Doherty's media mask to reveal his true artistic identity. Simultaneously dubbed "the coolest man in rock" and "waster of the year," the controversial singer-songwriter -- a perennial favorite of the tabloid press -- embraces a murky duality. But just who is the man behind all the hype?
Three women whose paths never cross, yet are bound by the shared experience of losing their mothers during adolescence, exploring each one’s sometimes-complex relationship with her mother.
Vancouver-based voice artist Ashleigh Ball has been the voice of numerous characters in classic cartoons such as Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, Cinderella and more. When Ashleigh was hired to voice Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash for Hasbro's fourth series to use the My Little Pony name - My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - she had no idea she would become an Internet phenomenon and major celebrity to a worldwide fan-base of grownups. Bronies are united by their belief in the show's philosophy. This documentary gives an inside view of the Pony fan-world, and an intimate look at the courage it takes to just be yourself...even when that means liking a little girls' cartoon.
Brothers addicted to speed at any price. Documentary following the motorcycle road racing careers, and fate, of the Dunlop family.
From his humble beginnings in his hometown of Sheffield, England, Steve Peat has established himself as one of the worlds most iconic cyclists. Peaty has been competing at the top level in his chosen sport of downhill mountain bike racing for the past 23 years, longer than the lifetime of many of his current competitors. Through 20 years of archival footage and photos and intimate interviews with Steve, his family, close friends and competitors, Won’t Back Down takes viewers on a captivating tour of the history of the sport of downhill mountain bike racing and offers a never-before-seen view into the life and legacy of this enduring icon.
A humorous ode to the world of classical music and some of its star musicians.
Asian-American rapper Jin is the subject of this revealing documentary, which charts how the urban artist went from virtual unknown to releasing his successful album "The Rest Is History" and a role in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious. The fascinating exposé goes behind the scenes for a glimpse at Jin's rags-to-riches career. Also included are an interview with Jin's family, freestyle footage and a promo for the clothing line Dirty Denim.
A Chadian film director who lives and works in France returns home upon the death of his mother. He is shocked at the degraded state of the country and the national cinema. The filmmaker decides to make a film dedicated to his mother.
It is El Salvador, 1989, three years before the end of a brutal civil war that took 75,000 lives. Maria Serrano, wife, mother, and guerrilla leader is on the front lines of the battle for her people and her country. With unprecedented access to FMLN guerrilla camps, the filmmakers dramatically chronicle Maria's daily life in the war.
Kevin Kline narrates this documentary that chronicles the New York City Ballet's landmark 2003 journey to St. Petersburg's legendary Mariinsky Theater -- the very stage where company co-founder George Balanchine got his start. Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Balanchine's birth, these lovely performances include some of the ballet master's favorite numbers. This program also includes behind-the-scenes footage of that tour.
During the Swedish-Lithuanian war 300 years ago, the bell of the Plateliai church was apparently dismantled and then left to sink at the centre of the eponymous lake. Stonys followed a scientific diving expedition organised for the purpose of finding the disappeared bell and thus confirming what seems like a popular legend. Like in Countdown, the filmmaker widens his consideration of collective memory and the bringing into crisis of belief.
Over the course of 10 months, a camera travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Hanover, Germany to meet with Magalí, María Belén, Ivana and Carla, the founding members of the Archivo De La Memoria Trans Argentina, the first existing Trans Archive in the world. Taking the shape of a photo-novel, the documentary not only recounts the founding members lives as trans women under the Argentine dictatorship (1976-1983), the AIDS epidemy, state repression and mass assassinations but also years of fighting for their rights, sorority and the exaltation of life and laughter in times of death. Filming each one of them is filming them embracing their new role as curators, archivists and historians while a collection of 7,000 photos goes through the filter of their memories.
A look at the history of this legendary manager
He ran the most infamous drug empire in Brooklyn. They unleashed a violent reign of destruction on the streets of New York that made George H. Bush campaign for the War On Drugs. He orchestrated robberies, kidnappings, murdered in cold blood, and beat the charges. This true crime documentary examines how Brian Glaze Gibbs saved his life and found redemption.
