Tangled Roots

Nanook of the North

June 1922 •English

This pioneering documentary film depicts the lives of the indigenous Inuit people of Canada's northern Quebec region. Although the production contains some fictional elements, it vividly shows how its resourceful subjects survive in such a harsh climate, revealing how they construct their igloo homes and find food by hunting and fishing. The film also captures the beautiful, if unforgiving, frozen landscape of the Great White North, far removed from conventional civilization.

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory

March 1895 •French

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.

Under a Bridge

March 1974 •Japanese

In this tape, Ko Nakajima and Video Earth Tokyo interview a homeless man. The subject is initially angry and frustrated, but gradually opens up and shares stories about his life. Under A Bridge was later broadcast on cable television.

The Letter League

Invalid date •English

A short documentary that tells the story of queer artist Heather Spooner and the adult pen pal program she created during the pandemic, featuring the poignant and humorous stories of connection and humanity that came from it.

Beyond Jordan

Invalid date •English

Surely no one ever could have imagined that Pastor Steven Anderson would visit Israel - least of all he himself! In this stunning visual tour-de-force, he and Pastor Roger Jimenez will be your tour guides through the holy land, bringing Bible stories to life as never before. "Beyond Jordan" lies the land of the patriarchs, the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and spiritual ground zero for the redemption of mankind.

Islam and the Future of Tolerance

December 2018 •English

In the thick of a controversial war of ideas, two enlightening figures, Sam Harris, an atheist and a critic of religion, and Maajid Nawaz, an Islamist-turned-liberal activist, partake in an engaging dialogue on the state of Islam, its potential reform, the militant ideology of Islamism, and where all this lays in a secular world.

Night and Fog

April 1959 •French

Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.

Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2

December 1941 •English

Hedda Hopper plays hostess at a party for her (grown) son William (DeWolfe Jr.). Hopper, attends the dedication of the Motion Picture Relief Fund's country home and goes to the Mocambo. There is also a sequence dedicated to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin world premiere of the first short in this series attended by more that a few film stars.

Children of Silence

January 1962 •French

This film looks at the world of children with hearing loss and the importance of early diagnosis. With its straightforward, rigorous cinematic style and intimate approach to the subject, the film focuses on the human rather than the technical side of the problem of hearing impairment.

Αιδ' εισ' Αθήναι, η πριν πόλις

October 1980 •Greek

A documentary that captures the loss of Athens’ neoclassical houses, portraying a city caught between its past identity and modern transformation.

Carmencita

March 1894 •

The first woman to appear in front of an Edison motion picture camera and possibly the first woman to appear in a motion picture within the United States. In the film, Carmencita is recorded going through a routine she had been performing at Koster & Bial's in New York since February 1890.

Midsummer Memories

January 1942 •Swedish

A 1942 short film.

Lobo Mexicano

April 2020 •Spanish

About the mexican wolf in northwest Chihuahua, the search for its conservation among local communities, landowners, and the Livestock Assurance Fund.

Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale

May 2021 •English

A documentary about the history of Catwoman from DC.

Blow-Ups of 1947

December 1947 •English

Flubs and bloopers that occurred on the set of some of the major Warner Bros. pictures of 1947.

Translating History to Screen

June 2008 •English

Translating History to Screen (2008) Video Short - 10 June 2008 (USA)

The Future Is Rotten

September 2020 •English

A secret culture of foragers hunt the Matsutake, a coveted Japanese mushroom worth up to $1,000 a pound—although its true value lies underground as a brilliant networker and healer of ruined landscapes. The Matsutake might just be our last, best hope for an American forest system run amok.

Narciarze

January 1958 •Polish

Oberammergau

October 1984 •German

A B'nai B'rith delegation visits the town of Oberammergau to meet with its mayor and the monk who is responsible for the passion play which is presented every ten years. The group discusses their efforts to eliminate the antisemitic tone of the play.

Con Traje y Sin Zapatos

Invalid date •Spanish