NEW YORK CITY: HISTORY & CULTURE

B E S T S E L L E R S
BOWERY DISH JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE WALTER ROSENBLUM
IN SEARCH OF PITT STREET

120 WOOSTER STREET

This video profiles Frederick Brown, one of America’s most prolific expressionist painters, whose Soho loft studio in New York served as a gathering place for artists, musicians, writers, dancers and other creative personalities during the Sixties and Seventies.


THE AGGRESSIVES

This dynamic film explores the lives of six New York City women who assume the category of "aggressive" through masculine roles, behavior, and dress. It offers a unique appreciation of a little known subculture within society's gender tapestry.


THE AMERICAN DREAM: PUERTO RICANS AND MEXICANS IN NEW YORK

This documentary examines two migrant experiences, one from the Caribbean and one from Latin America, which comprise an important part of the Hispanic experience in New York.


AWAKE ZION

Ever wonder why Jews and Rastafarians both use the Star of David and make references to Zion? This exuberant documentary explores the surprising connections between reggae culture and Judaism.


BOWERY DISH

This film explores the global issue of gentrification by observing how trendy restaurants and bars have spearheaded the transformation of America’s most notorious skid row, the Bowery, in New York City.


THE BRAVE MAN

The year is 1776 and thirty-five thousand British regulars and Hessian mercenaries are bearing down upon George Washington's recently formed American army of twelve thousand men. The Revolution could be snuffed out before it has a chance to begin. The actions of one man, General William Alexander prevented a decisive British victory that day. The Brave Man tells his story.


THE CHANCES OF THE WORLD CHANGING

Several years ago, a New York City man made headlines when it was discovered he was sharing his apartment with over 1,200 endangered turtles - a veritable Noah's ark. This is an extraordinary story about one man's unbelievable mission to save hundreds of species from extinction.


CLOSING THE OPEN DOOR: THE FIGHT FOR A COLLEGE EDUCATION

This video tells the story of the Open Admissions policy at the City University of New York, the third largest university system in the U.S., with the largest minority population.


CODE YELLOW: Hospital at Ground Zero

Code Yellow: Hospital At Ground Zero, narrated by Brian Dennehy, relives the response of the hospital nearest to the World Trade Center attack from the moment it received the first victims.


COMEDY MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE

Comedy Middle Eastern Style, with a mix of humor and candid interviews, Middle Eastern standup comics living in New York share their views on political issues and the prejudice they’ve had to endure since September 11, 2001.


COPS: BEHIND THE BADGE

This behind-the-scenes documentary follows police officers in Houston and New York City on their daily patrols, showing the demanding and often dangerous situations they confront regularly.


DOG DAYS

This video examines the world of New York City's hot-dog vendors, revealing their lifestyles, hopes and dreams, and the current political struggle in which New York's Mayor Rudy Giuliani is attempting to restrict their access to the city's streets.


DREAMS ENSNARED: DOMINICAN MIGRATION TO NEW YORK

This documentary examines the situation of Dominican immigration into New York City, detailing the economic pressures of unemployment and poverty in the Dominican Republic which have led to a rapidly growing Dominican community in New York.


A FARM PICTURE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LONG ISLAND FARMS

Farms in Long Island, New York, are at a critical juncture. Faced with historical development pressures, many families have sold their land to real-estate developers, while others are struggling to preserve their family and occupational heritage.


FIVE POINTS

this video looks at New York in the 1850s as seen through the views of a native-born Protestant reformer and an immigrant Irish-Catholic family.


FLYIN' CUT SLEEVES

Examines the recent history of street gangs in New York City, contrasting video interviews with Bronx gang members made twenty years ago with contemporary interviews.


FREE VOICE OF LABOR: THE JEWISH ANARCHISTS

A dramatic portrait of immigrant life in the U.S. as seen through the eyes of the sweatshop workers who made up the Jewish anarchist movement.


FRONTRUNNERS

It's hard to run for office - even in high school. Frontrunners follows the recent elections at the ultra-competitive Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and explores how politics works at its most nascent level.


GETTING TO HEAVEN

This short drama, based on interviews with actual immigrants, portrays Hispanic immigrant workers at a New York City restaurant, depicting their workaday reality and dreams for a better life in the U.S.


GIULIANI TIME

Could this man be the next President of the United Sates? This incisive documentary examines Rudolph Giuliani's rise to power, his policies, and their effect on the city he referred to as the 'Capital of the World.'


GOLUB: LATE WORKS ARE THE CATASTROPHES

An acclaimed documentary on New York artist Leon Golub, whose politically charged work calls attention to human rights violations and the abuse of power around the world.


THE HEALING GARDENS OF NEW YORK

A wonderful film that illustrates the significance of gardens and green spaces in the face of ever growing urbanization and development.


THE HEART OF LOISAIDA

Depicts the efforts of Latino residents of New York's Lower East Side who have taken over their own buildings abandoned by landlords.


HEAVEN WILL PROTECT THE WORKING GIRL

This video tells the story of the 1909 shirtwaist strike is told through vignettes that explore immigrant women's lives in turn-of-the-century New York.


JIM MAGUIRE: A LIFE ON WALL STREET

This video chronicles the history of Wall Street, America’s financial center since 1949, exploring the last half-century of economic history through the life of Jim Maguire.


JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE

This investigative documentary deals with the brutal murder of two young Puerto Rican men, Antonio Rosario and Hilton Vega, who were shot by NYPD detectives (one of them a former bodyguard for Mayor Rudy Giuliani) in the Bronx in early 1995.


LIFE. SUPPORT. MUSIC.

When Jason Crigler, a young musician, suffered a brain hemorrhage, the doctors' prognosis was dire: if he survives, there won't be much left of him. Incorporating footage shot by hospital staff, this acclaimed documentary follows Jason's extraordinary rehabilitation and recovery. In the process, it opens an window into the workings of the human mind.


LOS SURES

An insightful documentary portrait of one of New York City's poorest neighborhoods, and the lives of five of its Puerto Rican residents.


MCSORLEY'S NEW YORK

Traces the history of one of New York City's most venerable drinking establishments, McSorley's Old Ale House, from its establishment by Irish immigrant John McSorley in 1854 to the present day.


MORE THAN FLOWERS

This video tells the story of community gardens in New York City, which flourished during the Seventies when residents of deteriorating neighborhoods removed garbage from abandoned lots, obtained temporary leases from the city, and planted gardens.


NO IRISH NEED APPLY

Novelist Peter Quinn hosts this documentary on Irish immigration into New York City in the mid-nineteenth century.


NO VIETNAMESE EVER CALLED ME NIGGER

Filmed at the Harlem Fall Mobilization March in 1967, this video lets people in the streets, as well as black Vietnam vets, speak out about social protest, life in New York's black ghetto, and the connection between racism and war.


NOT FOR SALE

From the bulldozing of the public garden Esperanza to the completion of the luxury condos built in its place, Not For Sale chronicles life on East Seventh Street in New York City and the transformations that have taken place in the lives of its inhabitants.


THE OTHER HALF REVISITED: THE LEGACY OF JACOB RIIS

More than 100 years ago, in his journalism and his influential book, How the Other Half Lives, photojournalist Jacob Riis dramatically portrayed issues of homelessness, poverty, crime, public health, and race relations in America.


OTHER PEOPLE'S PICTURES

Why would anyone buy someone else's family photographs? In this surprising look at the world of vintage snapshot collecting, nine obsessive collectors hunt for images that feed their fantasies and quiet the voices in their heads.


PASSIN' IT ON: 25 YEARS ORGANIZING THE NORTHWEST BRONX

This video celebrates the 25-year struggle of that Coalition and its successes. In their own words, neighbors document their history and hold up a vision for "ordinary people" everywhere that together they can transform lives and heal their communities.


PHILIP JOHNSON: SELF PORTRAIT

In this "American Masters" profile, one of America's preeminent architects discusses his long and controversial career, his working methods, his aesthetic, and his critics.


PRESUMED INNOCENT

Filmed at New York City's House of Detention for Men on Riker's Island, this documentary examines the constitutional issues and human problems that accompany pretrial detention.


PUBLIC MEMORY: A FILM ABOUT AMERICAN MEMORIALS

This timely documentary encourages Americans to think more deeply about the importance of memorials on our landscape. In light of the continuing debate surrounding the September 11th memorial design in New York, it is an excellent opportunity for the greater public to rethink the meanings and motivations behind building a memorial of such historical significance.


PULITZER AND WHAT HE PRIZED

This two-part documentary, using period graphics and photos, profiles the life and times of the legendary American newspaper publisher, Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911), who revolutionized American journalism.


RED SQUAD

An investigative (but frequently humorous) documentary on the surveillance activities of the New York City Police Department's Bureau of Special Services, known as the Red Squad.


THE RESTORER

The film demonstrates the day-to-day economic consequences of a post 9/11 America on the life of a middle-class immigrant who unwillingly gives up his American Dream.


RETRATOS

Chronicles the life stories of four individuals from New York's Puerto Rican community, each of whom has attempted to assimilate to life in America, but who also maintain strong ties to their cultural heritage.


SEEN BUT NOT HEARD

This video follows the lives of four Mexican women and their families whose undocumented husbands and partners, as workers at the World Trade Center, lost their lives in the tragic events of 9/11.


SHOP TALK

Focusing on a family-owned printing plant in New York City recently sold to a conglomerate, and set against a background of economic insecurity and the impoverishment of the quality of work through the growth of automation, this film offers an in-depth examination of the present state of American working class consciousness.


TALL: THE AMERICAN SKYSCRAPER AND LOUIS SULLIVAN

This film tells the story of the unstoppable rise of the skyscrapers. Tall pits the struggle for artistic integrity against the demands of fashion and the client’s bottom line. It documents the showdown between Louis Sullivan and Daniel Burnham. The outcome changed the future, shaping the modern skyline throughout the world.


TROUBLE ON FASHION AVENUE

Examines the economic problems of the New York City garment industry, including sweatshop working conditions, the plight of the working poor, the state of trade unionism, the impact of imports, and the role of organized crime in the apparel industry.


WALTER ROSENBLUM: IN SEARCH OF PITT STREET

Nina Rosenblum directs an hour-long documentary chronicling the photographic career of her father, renowned photographer Walter Rosenblum, whose photographs of D-Day, Pitt Street, Spanish Refugees, East Harlem, Haiti, Europe and the South Bronx are a recognized part of our national heritage.


WE PUT HER THERE: THE CONTRIBUTORS

This documentary tells the exciting story of who was involved: hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens from all walks of life, even children, gave their small earnings to realize Miss Liberty, first in France and then in the U.S. It took 14 years to consummate.


WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS BUILDING?

This video, which documents a controversy over plans to alter the original architectural design of the Whitney Museum of American Art, examines some of the problems raised by the decision, including Modernist and Post-Modernist styles, architecture as art, the responsibility of art museums to the public, and the role of the architect.


WHO WAS JERZY KOSINSKI?

Examines the life of the celebrated author of Being There and The Painted Bird, darling of the New York literary scene and Hollywood gadfly.


WHO'S GONNA TAKE THE WEIGHT?: AFRICAN AMERICAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH

This provocative documentary blends interviews with young black people in New York City and in Soweto, South Africa, focusing on the similarities and the contrasts between the lives of black teenagers in both countries.