VINYLMANIA: WHEN LIFE RUNS AT 33 RPMS

A trip into the grooves, Vinylmania is a 75 minute feature length documentary about an object that has never lost its soul: the vinyl record. An epic love story, the film is filled with fascinating characters and internationally recognized artists including PHILIPPE COHEN SOLAL (Gotan Project), WINSTON SMITH (Dead Kennedys, Greenday record sleeve artist), PETER SAVILLE (Joy Division, New Order record sleeve artist) and DJ KENTARO (2002 World DJ Champion).  Devotion, ecstasy, infatuation, agony – all feelings that the director of the film, Paolo Campana, has experienced from childhood and shares with like-minded record collectors, Djs, musicians and artists (the said vinylmaniacs) in the documentary. Set in 11 different cities worldwide, the director sets out on a global road trip to find out what role vinyl records play in the 21st century. The fascinating characters he meets along the way will delight, amaze and inspire you.

In association with Stefilm International, srl, of Torino, Italy 

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BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY

BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY tells the story of the legendary musician Bill Monroe, often called the Father of Bluegrass music. His life was the quintessential American success story, beginning with his troubled and lonely childhood through his slow and steady rise to greatness. He is to this day the only musician who has been inducted into four Music Halls of Fame. Monroe was hugely infuential on the formation of Rock and Roll and modern popular music. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Garcia, Ray Charles, Levon Helm, Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins and many more musical stars have cited Monroe as a major influence in the inspiration and formation of their music. The film will star Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) and Olivia Wilde (House, Cowboys and Aliens) along with many other A-list actors soon to be announced. The soundtrack, much of which has already been recorded, will feature a who's who of bluegrass and country musicians.

In association with Bluegrass Movie Productions.

WEIRD WARRIOR

Throughout the ages, man has proven himself in competitions that test his strength, courage, cunning, and dexterity….

What you are about to see…

…are NOT those types of sports.

The World Pillow Fighting Championship, The World Bog Snorkeling Championship, The Air Guitar Championship, Octopushing (Underwater Hockey), The Rock, Paper, Scissors Championship, Extreme Ironing, The Wife Carrying Contest. All these and more are held every year around the world but no one’s really heard of them.  That’s about to change.

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SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING
The Legendary Howlin' Wolf 

Smokestack Lightning is a groundbreaking documentary film about the life and music of the late blues singer Chester Burnett, The “Howlin’ Wolf”. The film traces Howlin’  Wolf’s journey from an abused runaway child plowing the fields on Mississippi plantations to the legendary Chicago electric bluesman who became the father of hard rock. Singer Toledo Diamond (Dark Streets, 2008) plays Wolf in artful recreations of the singer's powerful presence on stage. The narrations will be interwoven with archival performance clips of Wolf, interview clips of late bluesmen, former Wolf bandmembers, and rock stars telling the story of Wolf and his influence on the white rock bands of the 1960’s. Groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin considered Wolf to be a profound influence on their musical styles. Wolf’s ascent to stardom was a continuous struggle through the racial tensions of the time, from the violent and oppressive plantations of Mississippi to the tumultuous fifties and sixties, when riots, protests and lynchings happened regularly. At a time when white and black societies were violently clashing, black blues musicians and the white rockers that emulated them broke the cultural barriers and fueled the Civil Rights Movement.

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AVIATRIXES
The Women Who Soared Above the Glass Ceiling

This is the story of the brave women who struggled to achieve their dream of flying in the male-dominated world of aviation. They faced skepticism and derision as they pursued their ambitions and accomplished amazing feats in military, sport, space and commercial spheres of flight. At the vanguard we find amazing Aviatrixes whose stories will inspire not only women, but everyone. 

In 1911, The Detroit Free Press answered the question, “Ought women to aviate?” by quoting flight instructor Claude Graham-White,“Women are temperamentally unfitted for flying because they are prone to panic.”

Aviatrixes tells the stories of the women over the past century who rebelled and defied social norms of their time to make their dreams a reality. These women did not allow prejudices, social and family pressures to hold them back. They risked everything, even their lives, to follow their passions to help change aviation and women’s role in the field. 

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NEON BUFFALO
An American Story

Neon Buffalo is a feature‐length documentary that will tell the story of how the $28 Billion per year tribal gaming industry empowered Indian Country to choose its own destiny. The story will be told by those who have lived it and those who still live it. The history of tribal gaming is the story of altruism distilled to combustible purity. It’s the story of individuals confronting centuries of denigration and self‐doubt to slowly change the fate of many by creating jobs where there were none to be found. It's the story of how the tables were turned against the House, how an extreme long shot became a jackpot for a people the establishment hoped to forget. Against the Catholic Church and the Elks Lodge; against Donald Trump and no‐name attorneys general looking to leave a mark; against state governors, the Feds, Las Vegas, the horse tracks, the dog tracks, an army of lobbyists, and a legion of naysayers; against all odds, tribal governments bet everything they had—and won.

FORMULA: RACE LAB
The Toughest Competition in College Isn't Football
 

Formula:RaceLAB is a web series devoted to engineering and the challenges that face college and university students around the globe as they attempt to build the ultimate racecar. We experience the successes, the failures, the blood, sweat, tears, outpoured hearts, long nights and sacrificed grades of these young race car builders.

Each year, the brightest minds from universities around the world put their knowledge, nerve and pride on the line in the world’s largest engineering competition -- the Society of Automotive Engineers’ formula-style racing competition (FSAE). Student teams from over 400 universities around the world spend months designing, engineering and testing their own formula-style racecars.

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THE LAST WILD RACE

Every year top athletes from around the world converge in Chilean Patagonia to test their physical and mental strength as they navigate 600+ kilometers of narrow fjords, imposing glaciers and unexplored mountains on foot, bike and kayak. During ten days of non-stop racing The Last Wild Race documents stories of survival, endeavor, drama and success of the fearless racers. The Last Wild Race stretches the limits of human physical endurance. More than  half of the co-ed teams drop out of the race because of physical exhaustion, injury or lack of preparation for the grueling environment that is the Patagonian wilderness. Every athlete is highly trained and they literally put their lives on the line; exposed to the elements, swimming through freezing waters, kayaking through choppy seas, climbing snow covered peaks.
 
There is little rest and even less sleep during The Last Wild Race. And the powerful drama of this show is not contrived. It is much more than man vs. the wild and well beyond an amazing race. This is a test of human courage and endurance as the competitors fight not only to win, but to survive.

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LIVE FOREVER: THE RAY BRADBURY ODYSSEY

Ray Bradbury was an American writer without equal, having created hundreds of forward thinking short stories, screenplays and books that continue to leave their mark on the global media landscape. From totalitarian regimes that burn books as in “Fahrenheit 451” to outer space travel like “The Martian Chronicles” that spawned much of today’s Sci-Fi genre, Ray’s writings seemed able to prophesy the future. And just as fantastic as his tales, the methodology of his inspirations for writing is more relevant then ever.

Weaving cinematic re-creations and animated moments of pivotal life events, “Live Forever” includes chance meetings, mystical places, and curious obsessions that served as the rich tapestry of inspiration that Ray relied on for his writings. In addition, rare archival material, intimate discussions with Ray,

celebrity interviews (including Malcolm McDowell, Roy Disney, Hugh Hefner, Edward James Olmos, and Joe Mantegna among others) and iconic moments from Ray’s films (under exclusive license) reveal his ongoing impact on cinema and television and further cement his writings as prophetic masterpieces.

Ray  Bradbury helped forge a new course for  American literature, TV and cinema and stepping into Ray’s world is a rare opportunity to be inspired by a master, to see things in ways never imagined - to “Live Forever.” 

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PRODUCE BUZZ
THE GATHERING PLACE FOR LOVERS OF FRESH FRUIT AND VEGGIES

 Produce Buzz is a multimedia project that seeks to encourage people to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. The creators of Produce Buzz love fresh produce so much they have never understood why so many people eat so little fresh fruits and vegetables. When one considers that not only is fresh produce so delightful and delicious to eat but it can do so much for one's health, the puzzle is even more perplexing. The creators of Produce Buzz are siblings who grew up on fruit and vegetable farms and helped their father run a wholesale produce business. Recognizing that the world is facing serious health crises, many of which can be alleviated by eating more fresh, natural foods, they wanted to share their passion for fresh produce and enlist others with the same fanatical appreciation for fruits and vegetables to do the same. Their hope is that passion will become contagious and help reverse modern society's struggle to stay healthy. Please join them and spread Produce Buzz!

VISIT PRODUCE BUZZ WEBSITE

SMALL BATCH

Small Batch is a series dedicated to those who dedicate their lives to the art of Craft Beverage making. We strive to tell the stories of passion and determination in all who break out on their own to start a brewery, or move their family to the country to farm and make wine, or decide they can no longer live the corporate life and start making kombucha and selling it at farmer's markets. There's a growing movement to make by hand those things that we have taken for granted as grocery list items. Small Batch documents those men and women who have the vision and passion to do what they love. Whether it's in a garage or a warehouse downtown.

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YOUTH 4 PLANET

Youth4planet encourages young pioneers in their quest for a better world. Youth4planet sharpens their awareness of the beauty and the boundaries of the earth and provides them with competencies and tools for telling stories about their findings using films and social media. Youth4planet provides them with entrepreneurial skills and courage to find creative solutions for a peaceful future together.

Our goal is to build up a network of competent young people who are creating a source of ever-increasing experience and knowledge in what we call the “competence cloud.” Via mobile phones and apps, anyone can access the information and media in the competence cloud and create their own projects. Through this global platform, a whole generation is given the tools and support to assist in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals SDG of the United Nations.

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VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ

Vieux Farka Touré is a Malian musician and son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré. Historically, much of modern music has its roots in the rhythms of Africa. Vieux’s early music drew heavily on the West African tradition that is echoed in American blues. Vieux’s sound mixes elements of rock, Latin music, and other African influences. His music works to link the world’s diverse cultures as well as create a new soundtrack for the global community. His collaborations with other renowned artists from around the world have been highly acclaimed. While performing, Vieux’s music takes on a life of its own, his speed and dexterity on the guitar, as well as his palpable charisma and luminous smile, captivate all audiences in spite of any language barriers. This documentary explores the link between music and culture and how they can work to bring us together. Music does have the power to transcend vast cultural and political divides.

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