Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust

Brexit Through the Non-political Glass

October 2021 •English

On 1 January 2021, the UK's transition period with the EU ended and new rules and regulations were agreed at the last minute. This is a time for reflection on the social phenomenon that is Brexit - which has now become a British trademark world-over, alongside the Royal Family, fish and chips and Sherlock Holmes. Brexit Through The Non-Political Glass puts politicians and public sentiments to one side, and seeks the opinions of non-partisan world-class experts - the scholars and professional advisors who specialize in this very topic; no politicians and propagandists, and no social media and populism; among the experts is Vernon Bogdanor, the Oxford tutor of former British prime minister David Cameron, who was consulted before the referendum was offered to the nation; you will hear what his advice was.

Blood Money: Inside the Soviet Economy

June 2024 •French

How did the USSR - a country considered a second-rate industrial power, economically inferior to Germany, the USA and the UK - shape its victory over the armies of Hitler's regime, and secure its place among the winners?

Nous étions soldats - Les oubliés de la Seconde Guerre mondiale

May 2024 •French

D-Day, 100 jours pour la liberté

June 2024 •French

Using restored, colorized archives and testimonies from all the players in this conflict, this documentary covers the hundred days of apocalyptic fighting that wrote History. June 1944, the Allies landed in Normandy. This odyssey was meticulously prepared for months. The construction of two artificial ports, the transport of Anglo-American troops, their training cost colossal efforts, and caused many cold sweats: the secret of D-Day almost came to light several times. The documentary reveals the inner workings of Operation Overlord, it also deciphers the military operations, and evokes the choices of the high command. Placed at human level, it retraces the fate of Norman civilians subjected to deadly bombings, the attitude of the Allied soldiers and their German adversaries, as well as the aspirations of the French population, torn between fear and hope.

Evan Dalton Smith on Andy Griffith

April 2019 •English

'A Face in the Crowd' was Andy Griffith's first film role; he would go on to be most famous for his folksy portrayal of Sheriff Andy Taylor on television's The Andy Griffith Show. In this interview, filmed by the Criterion Collection in 2018, Griffith expert Evan Dalton Smith discusses the actor's difficulties with the role of Lonesome Rhodes and how it led to his career-defining television show.

Jay Cocks and Farran Smith Nehme on 'The Heiress'

May 2019 •English

In this 2018 Criterion Collection program, screenwriter Jay Cocks and film critic Farran Smith Nehme discuss the adaptation for the film version of 'The Heiress' (1949) of the 1947 play by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, which was itself inspired by the 1880 Henry James novel 'Washington Square'.

Mythos Côte d'Azur - Liebe, Luxus, Leidenschaft

November 2021 •German

Black Girl in Bloom

August 2024 •English

St. Louis florist Darien Burress launches her small business while preparing to compete at Art in Bloom, the St. Louis Art Museum's annual festival celebrating floral design and the fine arts.

Martin

November 2002 •Latvian

A film about the daily life of Martin, a handicapped child who will always be dependent on his parents. Ever since he was very small, Martin has had to get around in a wheelchair and has needed the constant help of an adult. Martin’s parents, Inga and Andris Skesteri, tell about their life, about their son’s character and about their hopes for the future.

The King Without a Crown

October 1937 •English

This short explores the possibility that Louis XVII, son of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, escaped death during the French Revolution and was raised by Indians in America.

The Republic Pictures Story

March 1991 •English

A history of Republic Pictures studios, featuring hundreds of clips plus on-camera interviews with stars, director, stuntman, etc.

saudade

August 2023 •Portuguese

"Saudade" is a much stronger feeling than simply missing someone. It's a deep nostalgia, with a giant affection. It's the feeling of wanting someone to be close, it's a look at the past with love. "Saudade", such a unique and particular feeling, in this documentary, people talk about their biggest longings in their lives.

THE HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC. What is Rock Music? (Documentary)

December 2022 •English

We love rock ’n’ roll: well, it’s hard not to, with its sexy, totally exhilarating back story, and the way it continues to evolve and remain relevant. Almost 70 years after it burst onto the scene in the United States, the jury’s still out on who actually invented it. The truth is, rock ’n’ roll is a mash-up of genres that aligned at the perfect time, just as people emerged from the trauma of the Second World War craving a complete break from the recent past, and with money to spend.

THE HISTORY OF JAZZ. WHAT IS JAZZ? (Documentary)

October 2021 •English

At the beginning of the 20th century, a new direction in music appeared in America. Although the word "jazz" came into use only in 1913, this music, distinguished by its loudness, audacity, and riot, was heard on the streets of New Orleans at least ten years earlier. Jazz possessed special rhythmic energy never seen before in folk music. In addition, jazz was bold and unpredictable - the same song sounded different with each performance, and this only made jazz attractive. The musicians improvised, following the inspiration and adapting the melody to the sounds of other instruments playing with them on stage.

Volcano!

September 1989 •English

For more than 20 years, Maurice & Katia Krafft have traveled the world. From Iceland to Hawaii, from Africa to Indonesia, they are usually the first to reach the scene of an eruption. Join them as they risk their lives to document the birth of a volcano.

A Foot in the Door

Invalid date •English

A Foot in the Door tells the story of Kindergarten to College (K2C), the first universal children’s savings account program in the United States. Launched by the City and County of San Francisco, the program automatically provides a college savings account to children when they start kindergarten.

Joso2020

January 2020 •English

Joso (josō 女装) is a film collaboration combining anthropology and art film to explore the nature of male reaction and sentiment on the cusp of transformation in contemporary Japan.

Les SS de la Das Reich, un parcours de la désolation

May 2016 •French

Favorite Daughter

September 2022 •English

A grandmother, mother, and daughter quarantine together in a Tribeca apartment as they laugh about life over wine.

Gifted Handz

October 2020 •English

A documentary following a West London barber, as he reminisces on his entry into his profession and how it saved him from other fates.