Category: Documentary

North American Premiere at Hot Docs 2022 Animated Doc “Eternal Spring (長春)” 

Confronted with government denunciations and human rights violations against their spiritual practice, a group of Chinese activists executes a bold and perilous plan to hack into state television. 

ETERNAL-SPRING-Photo: Lofty-Sky-Pictures
ETERNAL-SPRING-Photo: Lofty-Sky-Pictures

In March 2002, a state TV signal in China is hijacked by members of banned spiritual group Falun Gong. Their goal is to counter the government narrative about their practice.

In the aftermath, police raids sweep Changchun City, and comic book illustrator Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars), a Falun Gong practitioner, is forced to flee. He arrives in North America, blaming the hijacking for worsening a violent repression. But his views are challenged when he meets the lone surviving participant to have escaped China, now living in Seoul, South Korea.

Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the event on its 20th anniversary, and brings to life an unprecedented story of defiance, harrowing eyewitness accounts of persecution, and an exhilarating tale of determination to speak up for political and religious freedoms, no matter the cost.

Screening Schedule

  • Hot Docs, May 3 @ Varsity Cineplex and May 6 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox
    (Canadian Spectrum Competition, First-time Filmmakers Competition and Audience Award eligible, North American Premiere)

ETERNAL SPRING (長春) TRAILER from Lofty Sky on Vimeo.

Director and Writer: Jason Loftus
Additional Writers: Masha Loftus, The Pearman Brothers
Producer: Jason Loftus
Producers: Yvan Pinard, Kevin Koo
Executive Producer Masha Loftus
Director of Photography John Tran, csc
Animation Director David St-Amant
Editor: David Schmidt
Lead Concept, Storyboard, and 2D Artist Daxiong
Music By Tom Hill
Casting & Voice Director for Animation Masha Loftus
Featuring: Daxiong, Jin Xuezhe ("Mr. White"), Lan Lihua ("Xiao Lan"), Wang Jianmin, Zhang Zhongyu , Wang Liansu, Wang Huilian
Animation Cast: Daxiong Himself, Jin Xuezhe "Mr. White" Henry Guo, Liang Shi Jian, Big Truck Ben Li, Little Wei Yu Feng, Zhang Wen Tan Junfeng, Lei Ming Yu Zhicheng, Liu Weiming Tony Bai, Aunt Zhou Zhang Yuhuan, Sister Chen Xiao Yanrong 

VMI Worldwide Presents “RANDY RHOADS Reflections of a Guitar Icon” Available on Video On Demand May 6th

Randy Rhodes poster

A FILM BY ANDRE RELIS

A look into the life of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads best known for his gut-wrenching guitar solo in Crazy Train with Ozzy Osbourne.

AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND
FRIDAY, MAY 6th

Randy Rhoads, the legendary guitarist known for his unmatchable guitar riffs, re-shaped rock’n’roll as the lead guitarist for Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne. After forming Quiet Riot with bandmates Kelly Garni, Drew Forsyth, and Kevin DuBrow in the 70s, the band quickly became one of the most popular acts in the Los Angeles club circuit. However, their music failed to land them a legitimate record deal. After playing with Quiet Riot for over 10 years, Randy received an opportunity to be the lead guitarist for former Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne. Randy played with Ozzy for a few short years, recording legendary songs such as Crazy Train, which includes Randy’s groundbreaking guitar solo. After touring with Ozzy in the early 80s, Randy was tragically killed in a plane crash on March 19, 1982 at the young age of 25. His body died that day, but his soul and music live on forever.   

RT: 85 Minutes | Not Yet Rated

Genre: Documentary

RANDY RHOADS: Reflections of a Guitar Icon is directed by Andre Relis. Narrated by Tracii Guns. Written and edited by Michael Bruining. Produced by Relis and Jessica Bennett. Executive Produced by Relis and JD Beaufils. Cinematography by Rich Buhrman. Music by Sean Kelly. A VMI Worldwide production.

Interviews: Delores Rhoads, Kelle Rhoads, Laura 'DuBrow' Mandell, Rudy Sarzo, Drew Forsyth, Eddie Van Halen, Lori Hollen, Jodi Vigier, Kim McNair, Brian Reason, Peter M. Margolis, Frankie Banali, John Donais, Joel Hoekstra, Bruce Kulick, Doug Aldrich, Gary Moore, Dweezil Zappa, George Lynch, and Ozzy Osbourne.

AN ACT OF WORSHIP World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2022

Photo 3-(L-R) Khadega in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)

Director: Nausheen Dadabhoy
Producer: Sofian Khan, Kristi Jacobson, Heba Elorbany
Running Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Language: English, Arabic
Country: USA

PUBLIC SCREENING SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 9 at 5:00PM at Village East - WORLD PREMIERE
Friday, June 10 at 6:00PM at Cinepolis - 2nd Public Screening
Sunday, June 12 at 8:15PM at Tribeca Film Center - 3rd Public Screening

(L-R) Aber and her mother in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)
(L-R) Khadega in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)
(L-R) Aber in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)
(L-R) Aber in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)

AN ACT OF WORSHIP is a polyphonic portrait of the last 30 years of Muslim life in America. Told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States, the film offers a counter-narrative of pivotal moments in U.S. history and explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11. Due to their first-hand knowledge and intimate access to the Muslim community, the filmmaking team is able to take charge of the account, which has previously been shaped by outsiders.

ABER’s father was deported when she was 16. Now, she’s a community organizer leading a sanctuary city initiative in New York. KHADEGA is an 18-year-old Sudanese immigrant living in Michigan. While she feels compelled to advocate for her community, she struggles to overcome society's expectations of her and find her own way. AMEENA is a civil rights lawyer in California, but as a mother, she’s conflicted between caring for her three young children or sacrificing her time with them to fight for change.

Weaving together observational footage of these three women with community home videos, and evocative recollections from individuals impacted by incidents of Islamophobia, AN ACT OF WORSHIP opens a window into the world of Muslim Americans through collective memory. 

NAUSHEEN DADABHOY, is a director and cinematographer whose work spans fiction and documentary. She lensed an Oscar nominated film, an Emmy winning documentary, and films that have played at Sundance, TIFF, Locarno and on Al Jazeera, HBO and PBS. Her directorial debut THE GROUND BENEATH THEIR FEET premiered at IDFA.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2022

Link to buy tickets: https://tribecafilm.com/films/act-of-worship-2022 #Tribeca2022

END OF THE LINE On Digital and Cable On Demand in U.S. on June 14

Gravitas Ventures logo
POSTER-END OF THE LINE (Gravitas Ventures)

Director: Emmett Adler
Executive Producers: Emmett Adler, Ian Mayer
Co-Producer Mariah Wilson
Editor: Emmett Adler
Genre: Feature Documentary
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Running Time: 1 hour 5 Minutes

OFFICIAL SELECTION: DOC NYC

“END OF THE LINE” will be released On Digital and Cable On Demand platforms in the U.S. on June 14.th

Available of VOD Platforms: Apple/iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu, Microsoft and more.

Andy Byford and Joe Lhota in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Andy Byford in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Eric Adams in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Cynthia Nixon in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)

Award-winning filmmaker Emmett Adler's feature documentary END OF THE LINE is a character-driven political drama about the New York City subway crisis and a long overdue reckoning on infrastructure. 

Establishing the vital economic importance and grandeur of New York City’s historic subway system, the film dives into its dire modern-day troubles picking up in the late 2010s when flooding, overcrowding, power failures, and derailments have become commonplace. After a particularly bad spate of disasters in the summer of 2017, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proclaims a state of emergency and hires a new international wunderkind executive named Andy Byford to save the subways. Byford, an earnest Briton with an impressive resume, enters as a charismatic would-be hero.
As the political turmoil behind the subway’s decline comes into sharp focus, scenes in barbershops, bodegas, and bakeries show the frustration and devastation among business owners and residents who are caught in the middle. 

Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic furthers this, and brings to light America’s need to shore up its infrastructure in cities across the country and the inequality struggles that are central to this debate. A heartfelt and scrupulous exploration, this film poses the question: what happens when the lifeline of a city goes flat?

This film is dedicated to the heroic New York City transit workers who lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic.

EMMETT ADLER is an Emmy-winning filmmaker who has taught art in Shenzhen, China, was once a chess champion in the state of Illinois and can juggle pins while walking on stilts. He has over a decade of experience as a freelance documentary and commercial film editor. In 2021, he made his directorial debut with the feature documentary END OF THE LINE which premiered to sold out audiences at DOC NYC film festival. 

ABOUT GRAVITAS VENTURES

Gravitas Ventures is a leading all rights  distributor  of independent  feature  films  and  documentaries. Founded  in  2006,  Gravitas  connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe.  Working  with  talented  directors  and  producers,  Gravitas  Ventures  has  distributed thousands of films into over a hundred million homes in North America - over one billion homes worldwide. Recent releases include Queen Bees directed by Michael Lembeck, Our Friend directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, and Jason Segel,Vanguard, directed by Stanley Tong and starring Jackie Chan, The Secret: Dare to Dream, directed by Andy Tennant and starring Katie Holmes; For more information, please visit www.gravitasventures.com, and follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.

ABOUT ANTHEM SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem's portfolio includesAXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution companyGravitas Ventures; Fight Network, the world's premier combat sports channel;IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world's leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events;Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content;GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNET MOVIES, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest inPursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S. For more information, please visitanthemse.com .

W: www.endoftheline.doc
F: https://www.facebook.com/endoflinedoc
T: https://twitter.com/endoflinedoc
I:  https://www.instagram.com/endoflinedoc/

Basketball Legend Dick Barnett’s Long, Challenging, And Historic Journey to Get His College Team Inducted into The Hall Of Fame is the Subject of Inspiring New Documentary

PAFF_Anniversary_Medallion

Dick Barnett spent three seasons with the Lakers before helping the Knicks beat L.A. twice in the NBA finals.

In 1957, nine years before Texas Western's NCAA title victory over Kentucky, there was the Tennessee A&I (now known as Tennessee State University) Tigers.  And while Texas Western became the first team to win the NCAA title with an all Black starting lineup, Tennessee A&I was the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to win a national championship tournament.  Led by Hall of Fame coach John McLendon, and future NBA players Dick Barnett and John Barnhill, Tennessee A&I closed out the 1950s winning the NAIA Tournament in 1957, 1958, and 1959, the first college team, on any level, to win three consecutive national titles.

 Fittingly, in the 65th anniversary year of the Tigers' first national championship of that historic run, comes the 2022 release of The Dream Whisperer (The Dream Whisperer Trailer - YouTube).  Eleven years in the making, the documentary chronicles New York Knicks legend Dick Barnett's long and often frustrating journey to have his team recognized for its achievement at the highest level -- induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.  The Dream Whisperer, which will first be playing the festival circuit, is a not only a homage to a historic team from a small HBCU school which won three consecutive national championships in the midst of segregation in the Jim Crow South, but a testament to Barnett's persistence and perseverance to make sure the Tigers' legacy would be honored and remembered.

 "This is a story about the first college basketball team to win three consecutive national championships.  A team that almost was lost to history until I decided to do something about it," said Barnett, who is now 85.  "It's about a legacy that needs to be protected and passed on."   

Narrated by Dr. Barnett, The Dream Whisperer features interviews with: John Thompson, Hall of Fame coach; Julius Erving, Hall of Fame NBA player; Walt Frazier, two-time NBA Champion; Bill Bradley, two-time NBA Champion; Phil Jackson, Hall of Fame coach;  David Stern, Hall of Fame NBA Commissioner; Joanna McLendon, Coach McLendon's widow; Jim Satterwhite, Tennessee A&I championship team member; Harry Carlton, Tennessee A&I championship team member; Howard Gentry, former Tennessee State University Athletic Director; Dr. Harry Edwards, Civil Rights activist; John Doleva, President, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame; and George Willis, sports journalist.  

 Barnett, known as the Skull during his college days, was selected by the Syracuse Nationals in the first round (No. 5 overall) of the 1959 NBA Draft.  The Nationals made the playoffs in Barnett's first two years before he jumped to the American Basketball League in 1961, where he led the Cleveland Pipers, owned by George Steinbrenner, to the ABL title.  Barnett and his Fall Back Baby jump shot returned to the NBA in 1962, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that made it to the NBA Championship Finals in two of the three years he played for them.

He was traded to the New York Knicks in 1965 and was a member of the 1970 and 1973 NBA Championship teams.  The Knicks retired his No.12 jersey, which hangs in honor with those of his teammates inside Madison Square Garden.  Barnett, who holds a master's degree in public administration from New York University and a PhD in education administration and supervision from Fordham University, continues to champion the battles for equity and social justice by telling his story, and the story of the courageous and talented Tennessee A&I team, on which he played, to students, of all ages, around the country.

The Dream Whisperer is executive produced by Ed Peskowitz, Penelope Peskowitz, Eric Drath, George Willis, and Grammy Award-winning hip hop producer 9th Wonder, produced by Danielle Naassana, Aaron Cohen, and directed by two-time Emmy winner Eric Drath.   

The Dream Whisperer will have its world premiere at the 30th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival on Sat., Apr. 30th at 7 p.m. with Dick Barnett in attendance.

Tickets are available here.

Who:  Pan African Film & Arts Festival and Dick Barnett

What:  The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival

When: Saturday, April 30, 2022, Red Carpet at 6 p.m., Screening at 7 p.m., Q&A to follow screening

Where: Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008 

PAFF30 is taking place in-person through May 1, 2022, at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills and the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The Festival will showcase nearly 200 films, as well as a slew of accompanying filmmaker Q&As and audience engagement opportunities. In addition, PAFF’s renowned Black art show will take place at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

For additional information about PAFF visit paff.org.

See New Trailer! IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA at Hot Docs 2022

Hot Docs 2022 Logo
IOAND (Photo Credit Paranord Film)
IOAND (Photo Credit Paranord Film)

IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA International Premiere
Section: Artscapes
Director: Nils Gaup
Producer: Linn Henriksen
Running Time: 1 hour 11 minutes
Language: English, German, Norwegian
Country: Norway, Germany
Genre: Feature Documentary

HOT DOCS 2022 Festival Screenings:
Public Screening:
Saturday, April 30 at 11:30am
Location: Varsity 8 (55 Bloor Street West)
Thursday, May 5 at 8:45pm

About
A persistent art collector (Haakon Mehren) faces unexpected resistance while championing the work of an unknown Norwegian artist after finding a cache of paintings in a barn. Despite success abroad, the undiscovered work of Aksel Waldemar Johannessen, an admired contemporary of Edvard Munch, takes nearly three decades to launch. The painter's oil depictions of prostitutes and drunks living in miserable poverty offend the bourgeois aesthetics of Norway's art establishment and challenge the canon to the point of sabotaging his rediscovery. Will rejection by the curatorial staff at the National Museum and gatekeepers of the Munch Museum diminish Johannessen's work? An invaluable insight into art world politics, cultural institutions' ties to big business and the power of exposure, IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA  shows Johannessen's pieces repetitively throughout the film, to the point of familiarity, to demonstrate how contact with works of art cultivate appreciation and memorability, and how essential access is to making or breaking an audience for an artist's oeuvre.

Nils Gaup was born in Kautokeino, Northern-Norway in 1955. Gaup is an award-winning screenwriter and director with over 30 years of experience from filmmaking. His first feature film PATHFINDER (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award.

Since then, he has made numerous feature films, with IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA, being his first documentary. His upcoming projects include THE RIOT, a powerful Norwegian historical action film chronicling a miners’ uprising at the start of the 20th century starring Swedish actors Otto Fahlgren (BEARTOWN) and Simon J. Berger (MARGRETE- QUEEN OF THE NORTH).

HOT DOCS 2022 Link to buy tickets:

https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/hot-docs-festival/films/2022/images-of-a-nordic-drama

@hotdocs #HotDocs22

SEE TRAILER BELOW!

RANDY RHOADS Reflections of a Guitar Icon Video Available On Demand May 6th

Randy Rhodes poster

A FILM BY ANDRE RELIS

A look into the life of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads best known for his gut-wrenching guitar solo in Crazy Train with Ozzy Osbourne.

May 6, 2022, Available Video On Demand

Available on VOD beginning Friday, May 6th
ITUNES, AMAZON, INDEMAND, VUDU/FANDANGO NOW, VUBIQUITY, DISH, HOOPLA, MIRCOSOFT STORE/XBOX, GOOGLE PLAY, DIRECTV (coming soon to SVOD)

Director:  Andre Relis 
Narrator: Tracii Guns |
Featuring: Randy Rhoads, Dana Strum, Ron Sobol, Rudy Sarzo, and Eddie Van Halen
Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Documentary

ABOUT RANDY RHOADS
Randy Rhoads, the legendary guitarist known for his unmatchable guitar riffs, re-shaped rock’n’roll as the lead guitarist for Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne. After forming Quiet Riot with bandmates Kelly Garni, Drew Forsyth, and Kevin DuBrow in the 70s, the band quickly became one of the most popular acts in the Los Angeles club circuit. However, their music failed to land them a legitimate record deal. After playing with Quiet Riot for over 10 years, Randy received an opportunity to be the lead guitarist for former Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne. Randy played with Ozzy for a few short years, recording legendary songs such as Crazy Train, which includes Randy’s groundbreaking guitar solo. After touring with Ozzy in the early 80s, Randy was tragically killed in a plane crash on March 19, 1982 at the young age of 25. His body died that day, but his soul and music live on forever.

RANDY RHOADS: Reflections of a Guitar Icon is directed by Andre Relis. Narrated by Tracii Guns. Written and edited by Michael Bruining. Produced by Relis and Jessica Bennett. Executive Produced by Relis and JD Beaufils. Cinematography by Rich Buhrman. Music by Sean Kelly. A VMI Worldwide production.

Interviews: Delores Rhoads, Kelle Rhoads, Laura 'DuBrow' Mandell, Rudy Sarzo, Drew Forsyth, Eddie Van Halen, Lori Hollen, Jodi Vigier, Kim McNair, Brian Reason, Peter M. Margolis, Frankie Banali, John Donais, Joel Hoekstra, Bruce Kulick, Doug Aldrich, Gary Moore, Dweezil Zappa, George Lynch, and Ozzy Osbourne.

What’s Happing Today at the 30th Pan African Film and Arts Festival Friday, April 22

PAFF_Anniversary_Medallion

Find the latest information on what to see, hear and do at the 30th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festial

ARTFEST
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

FILM FESTIVAL
Today’s film screenings can be found here.

Senior Connections
Free screenings for seniors
Fri, April 22 @ 1:15p
The Cannons 
Location: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD

PANELS

Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community
Thu, Apr 21-Sun, May 1

This digital panel discusses the context of entrenched institutional, structural and systemic racism, monopoly capitalism, sexism, gender identity, socialism, intersectionality, Pan Africanism, Mother Nature (COVID-19 and climate change).
Moderator: Journalist Jasmyne Cannick
Panelists: Ayuko Babu, Professor Angela Davis, Dr. Melina Abdullah, historian Dr. Gerald Horne
WATCH IT HERE

Earth Day: How You Can Help Protect Our Community from the Oil Field in Our Backyard

Fri, Apr 22 @ 4:30p
The Inglewood Oil Field, right here in Baldwin Hills, is the largest urban oil field in the US. More than a million people live within 5 miles of Inglewood Oil Field and it exposes residents to toxic chemicals, which can cause a vast amount of public health concerns like respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Learn about the impacts of oil fracking on our public health, especially in Black communities, and how you can help us transition to a better, cleaner, future for all.
Moderator: Josiah Edwards,  Sunrise Movement Los Angeles
Panelists: Damon Nagami, Senior Attorney and Director of NRDC’s Southern California Ecosystems Project, Veronica Flores, Chief Executive Officer at Community Health Councils, Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor 2nd District, David Haake, M.D., Chair of Clean Break Team, Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, and Kaela Thomas from Black Women for Wellness.
Location: SSC Gallery, BHC 2nd level (#272)

Women Behind the Scenes
Fri, Apr 22 @ 6:00p
BIPOC women are working behind the scenes and bringing their POV, life experiences and talents to film and television projects. Learn from an all-female panel discussion about the importance of gender representation in the entertainment industry and why representation empowers and amplifies female voices for the culture.
Moderator: Dominique DiPrima, KBLA 1580AM Talk Radio
Panelists: Jessica Sarowitz (Founder, Miraflores Films & 4S Bay Partners), Areva Martin, Camille Tucker, Tina Farris
Location: PAFF Institute Lounge, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 1st level

AN ACT OF WORSHIP World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2022

Tribeca logo
Act of Worship photo1

Directors: Nausheen Dadabhoy
Producer: Sofian Khan, Kristi Jacobson, Heba Elorbany
Running Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Language: English, Arabic
Country: United States

PRESS SCREENING
Friday, June 10 at 9:30AM at Village East - Press/Industry Screening
 PUBLIC SCREENING SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 9 at 5:00PM at Village East - WORLD PREMIERE
Friday, June 10 at 6:00PM at Cinepolis - 2nd Public Screening
 Sunday, June 12 at 8:15PM at Tribeca Film Center - 3rd Public Screening

Photo 5-(L-R) Aber in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures).
Photo 5-(L-R) Aber in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures).

AN ACT OF WORSHIP is a polyphonic portrait of the last 30 years of Muslim life in America. Told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States, the film offers a counter-narrative of pivotal moments in U.S. history and explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11. Due to their first-hand knowledge and intimate access to the Muslim community, the filmmaking team is able to take charge of the account, which has previously been shaped by outsiders.

ABER’s father was deported when she was 16. Now, she’s a community organizer leading a sanctuary city initiative in New York. KHADEGA is an 18-year-old Sudanese immigrant living in Michigan. While she feels compelled to advocate for her community, she struggles to overcome society's expectations of her and find her own way. AMEENA is a civil rights lawyer in California, but as a mother, she’s conflicted between caring for her three young children or sacrificing her time with them to fight for change.

(L-R) Aber and her mother in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)
(L-R) Aber and her mother in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)

Weaving together observational footage of these three women with community home videos, and evocative recollections from individuals impacted by incidents of Islamophobia, AN ACT OF WORSHIP opens a window into the world of Muslim Americans through collective memory.

NAUSHEEN DADABHOY, is a director and cinematographer whose work spans fiction and documentary. She lensed an Oscar nominated film, an Emmy winning documentary, and films that have played at Sundance, TIFF, Locarno and on Al Jazeera, HBO and PBS. Her directorial debut THE GROUND BENEATH THEIR FEET premiered at IDFA.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2022
Link to buy tickets: https://tribecafilm.com/films/act-of-worship-2022 #Tribeca2022

PR CONTACT:
Emma Griffiths (EG-PR)
emma@eg-pr.com
www.eg-pr.com

END OF THE LINE Will be Released In U.S. On Digital and Cable On Demand Platforms June 14  

Gravitas Ventures logo
POSTER-END OF THE LINE (Gravitas Ventures)

Director: Emmett Adler
Executive Producers: Emmett Adler, Ian Mayer
Co-Producer Mariah Wilson
Editor: Emmett Adler
Genre: Feature Documentary
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Running Time: 1 hour 5 Minutes

“END OF THE LINE” will be released On Digital and Cable On Demand platforms in the U.S. on June 14.
Available of VOD Platforms: Apple/iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu, Microsoft and more.

Andy Byford and Joe Lhota in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Andy Byford and Joe Lhota in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)

Award-winning filmmaker Emmett Adler's feature documentary END OF THE LINE is a character-driven political drama about the New York City subway crisis and a long overdue reckoning on infrastructure. 

Establishing the vital economic importance and grandeur of New York City’s historic subway system, the film dives into its dire modern-day troubles picking up in the late 2010s when flooding, overcrowding, power failures, and derailments have become commonplace. After a particularly bad spate of disasters in the summer of 2017, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proclaims a state of emergency and hires a new international wunderkind executive named Andy Byford to save the subways. Byford, an earnest Briton with an impressive resume, enters as a charismatic would-be hero.

Andrew Cuomo in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE(Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Andrew Cuomo in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE(Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)

As the political turmoil behind the subway’s decline comes into sharp focus, scenes in barbershops, bodegas, and bakeries show the frustration and devastation among business owners and residents who are caught in the middle. 

Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic furthers this, and brings to light America’s need to shore up its infrastructure in cities across the country and the inequality struggles that are central to this debate. A heartfelt and scrupulous exploration, this film poses the question: what happens when the lifeline of a city goes flat?

This film is dedicated to the heroic New York City transit workers who lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic.EMMETT ADLER is an Emmy-winning filmmaker who has taught art in Shenzhen, China, was once a chess champion in the state of Illinois and can juggle pins while walking on stilts. He has over a decade of experience as a freelance documentary and commercial film editor. In 2021, he made his directorial debut with the feature documentary END OF THE LINE which premiered to sold out audiences at DOC NYC film festival. 

Antonio Reynoso in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)
Antonio Reynoso in Emmett Adler's END OF THE LINE (Photo Credit_ Gravitas Ventures)

ABOUT GRAVITAS VENTURES

Gravitas Ventures is a leading all rights  distributor  of independent  feature  films  and  documentaries. Founded  in  2006,  Gravitas  connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe.  Working  with  talented  directors  and  producers,  Gravitas  Ventures  has  distributed thousands of films into over a hundred million homes in North America - over one billion homes worldwide. Recent releases include Queen Bees directed by Michael Lembeck, Our Friend directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, and Jason Segel,Vanguard, directed by Stanley Tong and starring Jackie Chan, The Secret: Dare to Dream, directed by Andy Tennant and starring Katie Holmes; For more information, please visit www.gravitasventures.com, and follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.

ABOUT ANTHEM SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem's portfolio includesAXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution companyGravitas Ventures; Fight Network, the world's premier combat sports channel;IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world's leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events;Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content;GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNET MOVIES, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest inPursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S. For more information, please visitanthemse.com .

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