Vienna’s Prater is an amusement park and a desire machine. No mechanical invention, no novel idea or sensational innovation could escape incorporation into the Prater. The diverse story-telling in Ulrike Ottinger’s film “Prater” transforms this place of sensations into a modern cinema of attractions. The Prater’s history from the beginning to the present is told by its protagonists and those who have documented it, including contemporary cinematic images of the Prater, interviews with carnies, commentary by Austrians and visitors from abroad, film quotes, and photographic and written documentary materials. The meaning of the Prater, its status as a place of technological innovation, and its role as a cultural medium are reflected in texts by Elfriede Jelinek, Josef von Sternberg, Erich Kästner and Elias Canetti, as well as in music devoted to this amusement venue throughout the course of its history.
You May Also Like
California makes some of the finest wines in the world and few places are better than Napa and Sonoma. This entertaining film looks at the wines, wineries and winemakers of Napa and Sonoma, providing fascinating insight into what makes great wines and great winemakers. From the wine novice to the sommelier, there is something for everyone in this tour of the wine culture.
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
The King’s Highway is a Documentary film about the untold story of Northeast Philadelphia’s impact on America and the historical significance of this region. The historic buildings and structures along the King’s Highway along with the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route are the foundation of the film. Augmenting that with in-depth historical coverage of Philadelphia’s three defining creeks and rivers, will allow for a very comprehensive depiction. Our expert speakers and documentary filmmaker Jason Sherman will provide the narrative. Archival footage, documents, photographs and artifacts gives you a glimpse into the past. Time lapse, aerial, and walk-through footage of many locations enables you to see the beauty that has been all but forgotten.
The feature-length documentary chronicles Alan’s life from his upbringing in Georgia in the 1950s and ’60s to his Hall of Fame induction in 2017. The film is primarily narrated by Alan and includes interviews with family members, musical colleagues and country stars, including Carrie Underwood. Written, produced and directed by John Albarian, the film showcases the inspirations that led Alan to write hits such as “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Chattahoochee,” “Here in the Real World,” “Livin’ on Love,” and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).”
Fifteen years after the smash, Tony-winning Broadway run of “Spring Awakening,” the original cast and creative team reunite for a spectacular, one-night only reunion concert to benefit The Actors Fund. Chronicling their whirlwind journey back to the stage, this documentary follows the players as they reconnect and rediscover the beauty and timelessness of the hit musical.
In December 2016 a remarkable chapter in music history was closed as the Finnish punk rock band Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät (PKN) retired. Punk Voyage is a feature length documentary film about the last years of the band, with all the ups and downs included. After becoming celebrities in Finland, this incredible quartet continued to conquer new fans around the World. In its seven years run PKN played nearly 300 gigs in 16 countries. In 2015 the band was selected to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest, where they played to over 100 million television spectators. However, the busy traveling and success created a lot of pressure within the band: Kari struggled with the temptations and responsibilities brought by publicity; Sami extended his territory to politics and religion; Toni’s and the band’s roadie Niila’s crush to the the same girl caused conflicts; and Pertti, tired of this all, decided to retire.
In the Greenland ice sheet we can see our future. The film travels with three pioneering glaciologist on their expeditions INTO the inland ice of Greenland. Top-notch science meets breathtaking visuals when one of them descends into a 200 meter deep moulin hole to find out about the bottom of the ice sheet. What they find may sound the alarm for our planet’s climate and is a clear call to act now.
Life as a prima ballerina over 30 is tough enough for Maiko when she decides to start a family….
Joe Cardamone, front man of The Icarus Line, navigates his way through the ups and downs of the modern music landscape in the current LA music scene.
Just when you thought you where safe, the “indestructible” Andrew Dice Clay is back with a brand new stand-up comedy special – his first in 15 years – proving he is still the undisputed heavyweight comedy king. Filmed in Chicago at the Arcada Theater, Dice picks up where he left off, taking on every taboo topic from gay marriage to racial stereotypes to sexual exploits.
Mamie Lang Kirkland still remembers the night in 1915 when panic filled her home in Ellisville, Mississippi. Her family was forced to flee in darkness from a growing mob of men determined to lynch her father and his friend. Mamie’s family escaped, but her father’s friend, John Hartfield, did not. He suffered one of the most horrific lynchings of the era. Mamie vowed to never return to Mississippi – until now. After one hundred years, Mamie’s youngest child, filmmaker, Tarabu Betserai Kirkland, takes his mother back to Ellisville to tell her story, honor those who succumbed to the terror of racial violence, and give testimony to the courage and hope epitomized by many of her generation
History exists beyond what is written. The Africatown residents in Mobile, Alabama, have shared stories about their origins for generations. Their community was founded by enslaved ancestors who were transported in 1860 aboard the last known and illegal slave ship, Clotilda. Though the ship was intentionally destroyed upon arrival, its memory and legacy weren’t. Now, the long-awaited discovery of the Clotilda’s remains offers this community a tangible link to their ancestors and validation of a history so many tried to bury.
