2016

In this award-winning documentary short, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor donates his violin of 70 years to a local instrument drive, changing the life of a 12-year-old school girl from America’s poorest congressional district, and unexpectedly, his own. Joe’s Violin poignantly illuminates how the power of music brings light in the darkest of times, how one violin transcends vast generational and cultural differences and how a small act can have a great impact.

Miguel, David, and Danielle are three young friends who grew up in Meadows Park, Colorado Springs, where they faced gang violence, family tragedy, and poverty. Their stories have shaped them into who they are today – resilient individuals who are working to break the cycle and give back to their community.

I, Destini is an animated documentary that explores the poignant and imaginative illustrations of a youth grappling with the effects of having an incarcerated loved one. Each shot of the film, word written, and frame animated was born from a series of creative workshops between director Nicholas Pilarski and Destini Riley (14 years old). From this collaboration, an autobiographical film was created where Destini explores issues relating to race, class, media, and over policing in her community of Durham, North Carolina.

I AM YUP’IK tells the story of Byron Nicholai, a 16-year-old Alaskan Yup’ik teenager who leaves his tiny village and travels across hundreds of miles of frozen tundra to compete in an all-Yup’ik basketball tournament. Unskilled as a Yup’ik hunter, a tradition passed down over thousands of years, Byron is determined to prove himself by leading his village to a championship in the District Tournament.

When thirtysomethings Nick and Téa experience a breakup, they’re thrust into the stages of survival. With any loss, first comes denial, especially when you’ve been blindsided by your boo. After attempting to bury themselves in work, it’s time to face reality- and crash with friends. Of course, these friends have everything Nick and Téa don’t, which is really freaking depressing. After Nick and Téa fail to be rejuvenated by their respective one night stands, they let depression wash right over them. Their well-intentioned friends concoct perfect cyber-versions of Nick and Téa, forcing them into the unnerving world of online dating.

The danger is palpable as intrepid young filmmaker Nanfu Wang follows maverick activist Ye Haiyan (a.k.a Hooligan Sparrow) and her band of colleagues to Hainan Province in southern China, to protest the case of six elementary school girls who were sexually abused by their principal. Marked as enemies of the state, the activists are under constant government surveillance and face interrogation, harassment, and imprisonment. Sparrow, who gained notoriety with her advocacy work for sex workers’ rights, continues to champion girls’ and women’s rights and arms herself with the power and reach of social media.