DOCUMENTARY FILM

 


Project Music: Not A Single Dissonant Note
A film by Richard Falco

Project Music is an intensive after-school music education program for
inner-city children. It is the brainchild of the jazz pianist and educator,
Joyce DiCamillo. DiCamillo became concerned that inner-city children from
economically deprived areas did not have access to the arts and particularly,
music. The program takes inspiration from the El Sistema model. El Sistema
 was founded by José Antonio Abreu in 1975 to help impoverished Venezuelan
children learn to play musical instruments and be part of an orchestra.
Over the next four decades, El Sistema become a worldwide
network of youth orchestras, choirs and music centers. The program provides
a free music education. In addition to music, its goal is to cultivate fundamental life
skills such as self-expression, cooperative learning, discipline, leadership, and
creativity— all of which have been linked to improved social and academic outcomes.
 The program has had an important impact on the community and provides a
positive alternative for impoverished children who have few other resources.
 

 


Dorothea’s Tears - The State of Mental Health Care in America
A film by Keith Maciog & Geer Teng

For over 50 years, America has been shutting down its state mental
hospitals. The movement known as “deinstitutionalization”
was intended to normalize the mentally ill and integrate them into the
community. However, while once they were cared for by the states, the
severely mentally ill are ending up in our nation’s prisons, on our city
streets, and in county morgues. Few small towns in our nation
better symbolize the problems with the mental health system
than Newtown, CT - site of the former Fairfield Hills State
Hospital and of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. This
film documents those who have worked (and currently work) in the
trenches of the mental health system, and those who have felt the
impact of a system that many have dubbed a “failure”.  


 

Crossroads - Rural Health Care In America
A film by Richard Falco & Joe Alicastro

Healthcare is one of the paramount concerns of our times. Providing
all Americans with access to quality healthcare is one of the most
complicated social policy issues faced by our nation.  The unfortunate
truth is not all Americans have access to basic care.  In the United States,
the divide is not just between rich and poor or the insured and uninsured.
It is also about where you live –- in an urban or rural area. No place on
earth exemplifies this fact more starkly than the poverty stricken areas of
the Mississippi Delta.  Vision Project’s documentary follows the doctors,
nurses, community organizers and patients who are part of an innovative and
well-planned healthcare network. Instead of focusing on the difficulty of
the situation, they have chosen to focus on a solution.

Link to Witness Magazine story
 


Josie: A Story About Williams Syndrome
A film by James Eades, Richard Falco & Daniel Reyntiens

Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that presents itself at birth.
Individuals with Williams Syndrome develop a number of medical problems,
including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning
disabilities. However, these individuals are extremely friendly, usually have striking
verbal abilities, highly social personalities and an affinity for music. There is no
cure for Williams syndrome. It is estimated to affect 20,000 to 30,000 people in the
United States alone.

The documentary focuses on a wonderful, little girl named,
Josie Portnoy. In addition to Josie's personal story, we have integrated a
number of doctors, teachers & other professionals involved with Williams
into the story. Our goal is to create an in-depth, comprehensive film that looks
at the conditions and complexities related to Williams Syndrome.
 

 

Holding Back The Surge - New Orleans
A film by Richard Falco

This documentary focuses on the rebuilding of the Hurricane Protection System
by the Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina’s impact
on New Orleans was devastating. It profoundly changed the lives of many of the
residents who lived there.

After the storm, it became abundantly clear that the hurricane defenses were
completely incapable of protecting the city. It was left to the Army Corps of
Engineers to design and build a new system. The focus of the documentary
is on the $14.5 billion dollar construction project and how that system
will protect the city.

At the same time, many residents are trying to rebuild their lives. The film
addresses the issue of security and the concept of ‘Home.’ This portion
incorporates residents & community organizers from the 9th Ward and St.
Bernard Parish who were hit hardest by the storm.
 


Corcovado's Dark Secret
A Film by Ryan & Sherwood

Journey inside one of the world's most well-known eco tourist destinations,
and discover a dark secret about Costa Rica's vibrant wilderness: poachers are
plundering the jungles' natural resources. This documentary is the first
investigative look into the heart of the Osa Peninsula where the park rangers
are bravely risking their lives to protect a unique paradise, the Corcovado
National Park. It's a place where one Canadian conservationist, an ally of
the rangers, has already lost her life in the fight to save the animals.
This dark journey ends with a message of hope, that this community
will one day find peace.
 


They Never Knew
-A Film by Dinesh Lakhanpal

India has a population that exceeds one billion. Mr. Lakhanpal ‘s
film focuses on the massive movement of people from the rural areas
into the cities. The film examines the societal changes and the
impact of HIV on this population.