This April, POV unveils two enthralling collections, each offering a deep dive into the inextricable relationship between humans and the environment.
UNSETTLED TERRAINS: NARRATIVES OF LAND AND COMMUNITY embarks on a journey through landscapes that are not merely backdrops but active participants in unfolding human sagas. Experience the steadfast spirit of Puerto Ricans rebuilding their lives post-hurricane, and witness the cultural reawakening of the Haida people. Each documentary within this collection paints a vivid picture of our connection to the land and the thriving communities that draw strength from it.
THE SPECTRUM OF DIVIDE delves into the complex networks of social conflicts and identity, bridging geographical and cultural chasms. From the racial tensions in Jasper, Texas, to the unexpected solidarities forged in divisive times, the surprising alliances that emerge in times of division. This collection compels us to confront and rethink the boundaries that separate us.
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For Earth Month, we’ve compiled a collection of films that emphasize the interplay between land and community. From urban locales, to rainforests and deserts, Unsettled Terrains invites us to imagine a world where people and land are truly connected.
Landfall
In Puerto Rico, against the backdrop of a devastating natural disaster and political upheaval, Landfall offers a prismatic portrait of collective trauma and resistance to a new way of life that prioritizes profit over land.
Winter’s Yearning
Dreams, lives on hold, and the human capacity to rise again. The citizens of Maniitsoq, Greenland, reckon with its colonial past and promised future.
Freshwater Freshwater documents the destruction and devastation caused by severe flooding in Detroit in the summer of 2021. This short accentuates the need for community action in times of collective hardship.
By Way of Canarsie
In an oft-neglected, predominantly-Black New York City neighborhood, the shoreline plays a role in people’s hopes and ambitions.
Now Is The Time
Fifty years ago, the internationally renowned Haida carver Robert Davidson carved a new totem pole on his peoples’s native land. Now Is The Time shows us what that experience meant, and where to go now.
Between Earth & Sky
The winner of the 2023 Best Short Award at Big Sky Film Festival, director Andrew Nadkarni details the story of a world-renowned ecologist Nadine Nadkarni and explores her roots.
Águilas
In these hostile and treacherous lands, every bone has a story. Águilas shares the story of a brave group of volunteers who trek out into the deadly Arizona desert in an attempt to rescue migrants who have gone missing.
The Spectrum of Dividepierces the heart of social conflicts, political battles, and the deep-seated quest for identity across geographical and cultural differences. Collectively, these documentaries invite viewers to confront the challenges of empathy and understanding in a world fraught by division.
Two Towns of Jasper
In 1998, James Byrd Jr., a Black man, was brutally murdered by three white men in a small Texas town. Two Towns of Jasper follows the resulting trials, exploring how such a horrifying crime could have occurred.
The Infiltrators
For immigrants Marco and Viri, the best way to stop unjust deportations is from the inside. In The Infiltrators, these radical Dreamers intentionally get detained in an effort to protect future generations of immigrants.
Natours Grocery
Deep in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia, a Palestinian-American family’s convenience store forces us to reconsider what divides us.
The Golden Rule
In the animated short, The Golden Rule, two people with vastly different backgrounds recount a coming together during a protest days after the 2016 presidential election.
When It’s Good It’s Good
An intimate portrait of family and memory, When It’s Good It’s Good is one filmmaker’s exploration of the boom-or-bust nature of the oil industry in her small, West Texas hometown.
The Masses
There are three major religions in this South London neighborhood: Islam, Christianity, and Football. All three have their part to play.
Redneck Muslim
A unique confluence of identities leads a Muslim hospital chaplain to challenge white supremacy while honoring his Southern background in Redneck Muslim.
April 22-28 is M.S. Awareness Week, and POV is honored to present the 10-year anniversary encore of When I Walk, a poignant documentary capturing Jason DaSilva’s valiant journey with multiple sclerosis.
Diagnosed at 25, the emerging filmmaker embarked on an unexpected path, creating a film that is as candid as it is courageous. When I Walk offers a deeply personal glimpse into DaSilva’s challenges and triumphs in the face of M.S., underscoring the emergence of resilience and creativity amid adversity. Bolstered by the steadfast support of his mother and Alice Cook, his wife and filmmaking partner, DaSilva’s story is a powerful ode to love and persistence.
In conjunction with the film’s legacy, Jason DaSilva developed AXS Map, a crowd-sourced platform aimed at mapping accessible locations. Born from his documentary journey, AXS Map transcends being a mere tool; it represents a movement against social exclusion, empowering individuals with disabilities to navigate and participate fully in their communities.
Our free resources are crafted with a genuine focus on communities, classrooms, and the natural curiosity within us all. Formulated by dedicated educators, community leaders, and knowledgeable librarians, these assets provide a range of activities, reading material, guidance for facilitation, and thoughtful discussion prompts to enable tangible steps towards impactful change. Explore our comprehensive resources to deepen your grasp of the narratives and themes surfacing in our highlighted titles for the month:
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Perspective Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comes from Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Bertha Foundation, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Charitable Trust, Park Foundation, Sage Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Chris and Nancy Plaut, Abby Pucker, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee and public television viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
