Filmmaker: Phyllis Ellis
This film explores the lack of regulation and dangers of the beauty and cosmetic industry. It exposes the unregulated chemicals and toxins in cosmetics and care products through the stories of whistleblowers, world-class scientists, cancer survivors and those who have lost their lives in their fight against cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies.
The film tackles growing issues of public health that have been kept in the shadows by the power of pharmaceutical companies and the weakness of government regulators.
*If the screening is sold out, you can wait in the standby line at the theater. We will fill any open seats about 5 minutes before start time.
These moving films showcase the stories of fearless young women, both in the U.S. and abroad, who push boundaries, fight stigmas and honor legacies, shedding light on how bravery is timeless and comes in many forms.
Followed by Q&A with NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and host of MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" Andrea Mitchell and the filmmakers.
This film tells the story of young Afghan girls learning to read, write, and skateboard in Kabul. After years of conflict in Afghanistan and with the country still dubbed "one of the worst places to be born a girl,” an organization called Skateistan recruits kids from poor neighborhoods and teaches them skills so they can join or return to the public school system and get a start in life. For girls, the chance to skateboard presents a unique experience – to compete, to play, to learn their strengths and gain courage. The film follows a class of girls at Skateistan growing through the joy of skating and the warmth of the women who teach them.
As part of NBC News’ Climate in Crisis initiative dedicated to covering the most important issues affecting the environment globally, this program showcases how populations across the globe face new challenges protecting their shorelines and managing water rights.
Followed by Q&A with NBC News political director, moderator of "Meet the Press" and host of MSNBC's "MTP Daily" Chuck Todd and the filmmakers.
Louisiana loses a football field of land every 100 minutes to coastal erosion and rising sea levels. As water closes in on Southern Louisiana, the state’s ambitious restoration plan is intended to build new land in the bayous and marshes. But that plan threatens to flood rural communities and severely affect the commercial fishing industry, currently ranked second largest in the U.S.
Immigration is one of the biggest hot-button issues facing Americans and lawmakers in Washington. This track highlights the many sides of the immigration debate and sheds a light on the harrowing stories of those awaiting asylum and fleeing their homelands.
Followed by Q&A with MSNBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff and the filmmakers.
Directed by Oscar® and Emmy® winner Ellen Goosenberg Kent, this documentary follows the story of two mothers who were separated from their children in the U.S. for months and who fled danger in their homelands and sought asylum. Both mothers work with pro-bono lawyers and volunteers to reunite with their kids, who have been placed thousands of miles away with little access to communication. These stories illuminate the ongoing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border and reveal how separated families are forced to navigate a complex system while desperately attempting to reunite with their children.
The sport is brutal enough. There are the demands for strength and speed and stamina, the hours bathed in sweat, the knowledge that your opponent wants to wipe the mat with you. Those were the very reasons, though, that Mack Beggs loved wrestling—it gave him a sense of purpose and a sense of self. "Mack Wrestles" takes the audience behind the scenes as this gifted athlete from Euless, Texas, struggles against the outside forces that stigmatize transgender athletes. Despite all the turmoil, this poignant film makes one thing perfectly clear: If life were a wrestling match, the referee would be raising Mack’s arm at the end.
These films follow the largely untold stories of peculiar circumstances facing different groups and individuals in America that are fleeing oppression, challenging paradigms, searching for answers, and taking a stand.
Followed by Q&A with NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker and the filmmakers.
In the Bay Area, the San Francisco Rapid Response Network, along with sister networks across California, serves as the front line of the local fight against the current wave of federal immigration mandates. The network, the first of its kind in the country, maintains a 24-hour hotline where residents, hoping for quick legal support, can call to report suspected Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in their neighborhood. Unexpectedly, the hotline’s volunteers have become stewards for a confused and scared population, desperate to find answers amid chaos. Using real phone calls, "Enforcement Hours" explores this abstract, faceless world. Anonymous callers, their intentions unknown, punctuate unpredictable movements across San Francisco.
Washington, D.C. is now home to the largest community of Uighurs in America. However, Uighurs there say that they are still not safe; many report being contacted and threatened by Chinese authorities. In this documentary from The Atlantic, we hear from Uighurs in the U.S. who are under threat from China.
This documentary is about a man who invited one of the most notorious and controversial leaders of the 20th century, Fidel Castro, to one of the most afflicted urban areas in the country, the Bronx. Residing in the Bronx for 50 years, Julio has seen the highs and lows of his neighborhood. In 1995, the U.N. held its 50th anniversary, and while Mayor Rudy Giuliani invited most of the world leaders to various dinners and events, Julio decided to have a dinner of his own and invite Fidel Castro to his Sierra Maestra.
These films explore the brave stories of people facing the distress and hardship of having to build new lives following life-altering disasters and unexpected catastrophes.
Followed by Q&A with NBC News political director, moderator of "Meet the Press" and host of MSNBC's "MTP Daily" Chuck Todd and the filmmakers.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria’s catastrophic destruction in 2017, three Puerto Rican women and their families are caught between worlds as their FEMA housing assistance in New York expires. With the threat of homelessness on the horizon, "After Maria" follows these families as they fight to keep their families together and battle the emotional effects from displacement. Executive produced by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams.
On the morning of Nov. 8, 2018, a seemingly small fire broke out in Butte County, California near the town of Paradise. Over the course of a few short hours, the camp fire grew into the country’s deadliest wildfire in over a century, killing 85 people and destroying Paradise. Through first-hand footage of the disaster and personal interviews with survivors and emergency responders, "Fire in Paradise" vividly retells the terrifying survival stories from that day.
As part of an NBC News network-wide initiative inspired by Lester Holt’s work on criminal justice reform, these films highlight the stories that captivated the nation and put a spotlight on the advocates, organizations and lawmakers finding life-changing solutions in the fight against the drug epidemic, mass incarceration, and more.
Followed by Q&A with NBC News Chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson and the filmmakers.
Bruce Franks Jr. is a 34-year-old battle rapper, leading Ferguson activist and state representative from St. Louis, Missouri. Known as ‘Superman’ to his constituents, he’s a unique political figure — full of contradictions and deep insights, he overcame unspeakable loss to become one of the most dynamic and unapologetic young leaders in the country. This verite documentary follows Bruce at a critical juncture in his life as he’s forced to deal with the mental trauma he's been carrying for nearly 30 years after his nine-year-old brother was shot and killed in front of him.
On a frigid night in Lewiston, Maine, church volunteer Kandice Child drives around and illegally distributes fresh needles and the anti-overdose drug, Naloxone. Kandice knows she can’t stop drug use but by providing clean needles and support she hopes she can help an ostracized community and maybe save some lives along the way.
Kevin Simmers is a former police sergeant in Hagerstown, Maryland. During his tenure as a narcotics officer, he aggressively pursued drug arrests—especially those related to heroin. “I believed my entire life that incarceration was the answer to this drug war,” Simmers says in this documentary from The Atlantic. Then his 18-year-old daughter, Brooke, became addicted to opioids.
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