Living Art (2024)

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory

Working men and women leave through the main gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon, France. Filmed on 22 March 1895, it is often referred to as the first real motion picture ever made, although Louis Le Prince's 1888 Roundhay Garden Scene pre-dated it by seven years. Three separate versions of this film exist, which differ from one another in numerous ways. The first version features a carriage drawn by one horse, while in the second version the carriage is drawn by two horses, and there is no carriage at all in the third version. The clothing style is also different between the three versions, demonstrating the different seasons in which each was filmed. This film was made in the 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and at a speed of 16 frames per second. At that rate, the 17 meters of film length provided a duration of 46 seconds, holding a total of 800 frames.

We're All Plastic People Now

In an era of throw-away ease, convenience has cost us our well-being. Plastics have been found inside our bodies— in our colons, our brains, and even in mothers’ developing wombs. Scientists around the country are sounding the alarm, but without public buy-in, there is little that can be done. How much evidence do we need before we decide to take action?

Events in a Cloud Chamber

In 1969, Akbar Padamsee, one of the pioneers of Modern Indian painting, made a visionary 16mm film called Events in a Cloud Chamber. This was one of the only Indian experimental films ever made. The print is now lost and no copies exist. Over 40 years later, filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia worked with Padamsee, now 89 years old, to remake the film.

Paparazzi

Paparazzi explores the relationship between Brigitte Bardot and groups of invasive photographers attempting to photograph her while she works on the set of Jean-Luc Godard's film Le Mépris (Contempt). Through video footage of Bardot, interviews with the paparazzi, and still photos of Bardot from magazine covers and elsewhere, director Rozier investigates some of the ramifications of international movie stardom, specifically the loss of privacy to the paparazzi. The film explains the shooting of the film on the island of Capri, and the photographers' valiant, even foolishly dangerous, attempts to get a photograph of Bardot.

Daybreak Express

Set to a classic Duke Ellington recording "Daybreak Express", this is a five-minute short of the soon-to-be-demolished Third Avenue elevated subway station in New York City.

An Inconvenient Truth

A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.

Unearthed - The Mystery of the Shaman Woman

One of the most significant cases in European archaeology is the grave of the shaman woman of Bad Dürrenberg, a key finding of the last hunter-gatherer groups. From a time when there were no written records, this site was first researched by the Nazis, who saw a physically strong male warrior from an ‘original Aryan race’ in the buried person. It was, in fact, the most powerful woman of her time. The latest research shows that she was dark-skinned, had physical deformities, and was a spiritual leader. The documentary – using high-end CGI and motion capture – compares the researchers of the Nazi era, who misrepresented and instrumentalised their findings, to today’s researchers, who meticulously compile findings and evidence, and use cross- disciplinary methods to examine and evaluate them. It also substantiates the theory of the powerful roles women played in prehistoric times. The story of this woman, buried with a baby in her arms, still fascinates us 9,000 years after her death.

Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home

JB Smoove and Martin Starr host a celebration of 20 years of "Spider-Man" movies, from the Sam Raimi trilogy to Marc Webb's movies and the trio from Jon Watts.

Big Buck Bunny

Follow a day of the life of Big Buck Bunny when he meets three bullying rodents: Frank, Rinky, and Gamera. The rodents amuse themselves by harassing helpless creatures by throwing fruits, nuts and rocks at them. After the deaths of two of Bunny's favorite butterflies, and an offensive attack on Bunny himself, Bunny sets aside his gentle nature and orchestrates a complex plan for revenge.

Barbie: The Perfect Woman?

More than sixty years after her birth, the Barbie doll is still as seductive as ever. Between stereotypes and emancipatory discourse, we explore an iconic toy that has changed with the times.

The Way of Samodelkin

A mystical detective story set in the realm of Moscow art scene. Psychedelic trip through different places, characters and strategies in the search for the Author, covering mythology of Moscow art from the period of 1980-2010. The movie is based on the 'Inspection Medical Hermeneutics' group's text of the same name and on the historical research performed by the authors of the film. Production was an experiment in collective film making experience.

Koyaanisqatsi

Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.

Little Wings

The dramatic short, Little Wings, explores the trauma of child abuse through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy named Thomas. In this emotional tale, Thomas learns about the Legend of the Butterfly from his mother, Emily. The Legend states that if you whisper a wish to a butterfly and then set it free, the butterfly will carry the wish off to the heavens to be granted. Thomas loves butterflies and seeks the escape he needs in the pages of his favorite butterfly book. Butterflies are his only true happiness while growing up on a farm with his abusive father. After Thomas saves a butterfly from a spider's web, a stranger arrives at the farmhouse. As the tale continues, Thomas ultimately finds his freedom and steps into the unknown world of "Joy".

Hannas baby

Plot unavailable

A Tale of Two Kitchens

Two countries, two restaurants, one vision. At Gabriela Cámara's acclaimed Contramar in Mexico City, the welcoming, uniformed waiters are as beloved by diners as the menu featuring fresh, local seafood caught within 24 hours. The entire staff sees themselves as part of an extended family. Meanwhile at Cala in San Francisco, Cámara hires staff from different backgrounds and cultures, including ex-felons and ex-addicts, who view the work as an important opportunity to grow as individuals. A Tale of Two Kitchens explores the ways in which a restaurant can serve as a place of both dignity and community.

Silent

A duo of street performers learns how sound and picture work together to create amazing cinema experiences.

Here There Be Tygers

Third grade student Charles really needs to go to the bathroom. And when his evil teacher Miss Bird finally releases him to go and relieve himself, he arrives at the bathroom to find a full-grown tiger sitting outside of the stalls.

Affirmations

A look at what it's like to be gay and black in America.

Castor, la force de la nature

Plot unavailable

To Kill a Mockingbird: All Points of View

A 60th anniversary retrospective documentary on the influence and context of the 1962 film, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Ada Blackjack Rising

In the pre-dawn twilight of an Alaskan shore, a young Native woman reflects on the story of Ada Blackjack, the sole survivor of a disastrous 1921 Arctic expedition, and the loneliness she must have felt waiting for a rescue through the months-long polar night.

Nidhal

Between reality and animation, the story of Nidhal is told, a young homosexual Tunisian who defended individual freedoms in Tunisia through his work in radio. He found himself under a lot of pressure which forced him to leave the country and seek asylum in the Netherlands.

Cedric

Death as a global service provider? Unthinkable! So far Death has thought that too. But then his nephew Cedric had the crazy idea of founding the company AFTER LIFE while his uncle was away. This company takes over the craft of death with the latest technology and markets it worldwide.

Marine Life Interviews

Interviews with the animals at the Marine Life Institute about their experiences with Dory.

When Darkness Came: The Making of 'The Mist'

Behind the scenes documentary on the making of the film.

Le Monde sous les bombes, de Guernica à Hiroshima

Plot unavailable

Les défis de la Grande Barrière de corail

Plot unavailable

Legends of Great Outdoors Colorado

The short documentary Legends of Great Outdoors Colorado celebrates the visionaries who put Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) into motion three decades ago, creating a unique-in-the-nation resource and an enduring legacy of protecting and enhancing Colorado’s wildlife, parks, rivers, trails, and open spaces. In-depth conversations with legendary Coloradans, including GOCO co-founders Roy Romer and Ken Salazar, tell the origin story, and how the mission is possible thanks to passionate partners across the state, the people of Colorado, and GOCO's funding source, the Colorado Lottery. A combination of intimate interviews, archival footage, present-day scenes, and 8-mm film pays homage to Colorado’s outdoor heritage and GOCO’s continued commitment to conservation and recreation.

Home Movie

A young man returns to his hometown in the countryside of Minas Gerais and revisits the memories of his grandparents through conversations and restored personal files.

Before Father Gets Back

In a darkened classroom, the white cracked walls serve as a movie screen. We are in a remote mountain village in Georgia. The light from the projector breaks the darkness: the children's first cinematic experience is about to begin. Among the kids are Iman and Eva, two Muslim girls, for whom the experience becomes a turning point and inspires them to pick up a camera and start filming their daily lives. The girls are growing up in a valley infested by radicalism, where most people live in constant fear that their relatives will sacrifice their lives in the name of God.

Isaiah vs. The Hodag

A young man living with his parents in Wisconsin comes face to face with a terrifying monster while searching for the elusive cryptic known as the Hodag.

Thread: My Rose

Thread: My Rose is the 1st part of the Sequel: Thread

The End of Summer

A 16 year old girl recalls the last moments of her summer vacation, spent with friends in the Laurentians north of Montreal. She reminisces about their talks on life, death, love, and God. Shot in direct cinema style, working from a script that left room for the teenagers to improvise and express their own thoughts, the film sought to capture the immediacy of the youths presence their bodies, their language, their environment.

Okavango: A Flood of Life

A great flood arrives in a desert kingdom, transforming a dustbowl into a vast and lush wetland, in one of the most diverse habitats on earth. This breath-taking blue-chip natural history film is a journey through Okavango’s seasons, seen through the eyes of an indigenous River Bushman. Our storyteller guides us through the course of Okavango’s flood and into a savage drought, interweaving intimate and spectacular wildlife stories. The arrival and disappearance of precious water determines the destiny of the millions of animals that call Okavango home. For many, the flood is a lifeline. For others, it brings the greatest challenges. Everyone lives or dies by this epic event. It is the heartbeat of the Kalahari.

The Magdalene Sisters

Three young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum.

Behind The 1975’s 'Notes on a Conditional Form'

“Let’s describe it as a desire to be outward followed by a fear of being seen,” The 1975’s Matty Healy tells Apple Music. “I think that is the conversation that happens in this record.” This short film finds Healy reflecting on his motivations and complexities as he and his bandmates reveal the ideas that fuelled their fourth album, Notes on a Conditional Form. It’s a unique and unguarded look at one of Britain’s most venturous bands.

Brothers in Space

15-year-old Johan helps his 9-year-old brother, Oscar, to build a space rocket to go visit their dad. Johan has made up a story for Oscar, as to why their dad is no longer with them. But on the day that Oscar celebrates his 10th birthday, this lie turns into something unexpected. Will Johan tell Oscar the truth?

Teach Me to Dance

In this drama, Lesia convinces her English-Canadian friend Sarah to perform a Ukrainian dance with her as part of their school's Christmas pageant. Sarah's father, angry at the growing number of Ukrainian settlers, won't allow his daughter to participate. Despite the prejudices of their parents, the girls' friendship remains strong, and they meet in Sarah's barn to celebrate Christmas Day together. Part of the Adventures in History series.

Topsy-Turvy

As Cyclone Remal approached, we arrived in Debpur village of Dhankhali Upazila, Bangladesh. What struck us immediately was the stark contrast between the official warnings of impending devastation and the villagers' apparent lack of preparedness. Over the following days, amidst the unfolding chaos, we documented the lives of individuals as they grappled with the imminent threat of destruction. The film captures the overbearing anxiety that grips entire communities in the face of an approaching cyclone. Through intimate encounters, and candid interviews, we witness firsthand the resilience and fear of those directly in Remal's path. Their voices echo the overwhelming power of nature and the human spirit in adversity.

Rocky and Bullwinkle

After receiving the key to the city for their heroic efforts, Rocket J. Squirrel notices that Bullwinkle falls in love with a robotic moose. Unbeknownst to him, inside the moose is Boris Badinov, who, along with Natasha Fatale and Fearless Leader, are carrying out another plan to eliminate Rocky & Bullwinkle.

Party Central

Mike and Sulley are back at Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come up with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen.

Zog and the Flying Doctors

Pearl and Gadabout are now a flying doctor trio, caring for creatures including a mermaid, a unicorn and a sneezy lion. However when bad weather forces them to land at the palace, Pearl is locked up by her uncle, the king.

Clown

Follow a little toy clown, thrown away with a load of old discarded toys, as he goes on a journey to find a new loving home for himself and his friends.

The Black Dog

Since Rosa was little, people used to say around town that her grandfather was a black dog. The legend, belonging to the Valley of Oaxaca, spoke of a man who had the ability to turn into a black dog and roam the streets at night. Through images of the town, interviews with the brothers and animated interventions, the documentary tells the story of the myth and its importance in the collective memory.

White Earth

An oil boom has drawn thousands to America’s Northern Plains in search of work. Against the backdrop of a cruel North Dakota winter, the stories of three children and an immigrant mother intertwine among themes of innocence, home, and the American Dream.

Where Do You Stand Now, João Pedro Rodrigues?

João Pedro Rodrigues answers the question from the title with an autobiographical short-film.

Make the World Greta Again

Upon realising her generation won’t have a future unless the world’s politicians act now on climate change, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg skipped school in August 2018 to protest outside the Swedish parliament. What started as a one person strike soon gained global momentum. We follow Greta and the organisers of the school strikes for climate as they are cementing a worldwide movement ahead of their first global protest that took place on March 15th, 2019. It was the biggest climate strike in history with up to 1.6 million students in more than 125 countries.

Searching for Bong

Unlike our dream of becoming a great filmmaker, the movie boards that adults talk about are tough. We are looking for our idol, Bong Joon-ho...