To Breathe Free follows the 5-year journey of a Syrian family fleeing the war in Homs to the refugee camps in Jordan and starting a new life in Washington, D.C. Using home movies, phone video, family photos and interviews with family members and former refugees, this short documentary gives an intimate and unique perspective not seen in current media reporting on the refugee crisis.
Blog Archives
The Pick Up
Melanie, a teen resentful of her divorcing parents and craving independence, doesn’t like surprises. When Mom picks her up from swim practice and their trip gets derailed by a flat tire and a stranger, Melanie finds herself choosing a new road.
The Pharaohs
Based on the screenplay that won the 2017 DC Shorts Screenwriting competition, The Pharaohs is a fictional dark comedy about a woman in a senior living facility who is rejected by her former friends – a group of “mean girls” – because of her failing health.
The Mud
A self reflection on the relationship between race, heritage, and stereotype, “The Mud” tells the story of a clay figure who struggles against outside forces that seek to overtake and disfigure his very essence. Through dance and movement, he strives to understand and find himself.
The Edge Of Daybreak
It doesn’t take a seasoned musician, engineer, or producer to marvel at The Edge of Daybreak and their sole record, Eyes of Love. Though rightly acclaimed for soulful melodies and passionate vocals, said record is ultimately infamous for having been recorded in one take at the Powhatan Correctional Center’s recreational area by a six-inmate group, each member — then serving sentences ranging between six and 60 years — whisked back to their cells as soon as they’d hit the last note on the final track.
Shad Run
By the 1970s, shad fish numbers were so low that even the most seasoned anglers went home from a day on the river empty-handed. Overfishing, pollution, and a loss of habitat brought on by the construction of dams, threatened American shad not only in the Potomac but all over the east coast. This short documentary film chronicles the abundance, demise, and triumphant return of a native fish, highlighting the citizens who refused to let them fade away and those who are still united by the quest to fish the Potomac’s renowned shad run.
Saber Rock
A flamboyant, fiercely loyal interpreter named Saber Rock helps turn the tide of Helmand Province, Afghanistan against the Taliban and towards the support of coalition forces. As his successes mount, so do the threats against him.
Reverie
A girl dreams of the way she wishes the world could be… or perhaps the way the world already is.
Queens In Training
Two young African-American girls learn to play chess competitively and apply those skills to obstacles of race and gender as they prepare for a citywide co-educational tournament in Washington, D.C.
Pot Of Gold: The Origin Of The Japanese Bidet
Why are Japanese so obsessed with bidet toilet? Are they weird? A curious filmmaker goes on a journey to answer these questions.