Directors: Faythe Levine & Sam Macon
Director of Photography: Travis Auclair
Editor: Bill Marmor
Produced by: Timm Gable & Jonah Mueller
US; 75m
View official trailer: http://vimeo.com/61006621
website: http://signpaintermovie.blogspot.com/
Press inquiries: signpaintermovie@gmail.com
There was a time, as recently as the 1980s, when storefronts, murals, banners, barn signs, billboards, and even street signs were all hand-lettered with brush and paint. But, like many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper. The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our landscape. Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade.
In 2010 filmmakers Faythe Levine and Sam Macon began documenting these dedicated practitioners, their time-honored methods, and their appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Sign Painters, the first anecdotal history of the craft, features the stories of more than two dozen sign painters working in cities throughout the United States. The documentary and book profiles sign painters young and old, from the new vanguard working solo to collaborative shops such as San Francisco’s New Bohemia Signs and New York’s Colossal Media’s Sky High Murals.
American Winter follows the personal stories of eight families struggling in the 
aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Filmed over the winter months of 2011-12, American Winter presents an intimate snapshot of the state of the nation’s economy as it is playing out in the lives of many American families who are seeking help through the 211 service. The film reveals the human consequences of cuts to social services, the decline of the middle class, and the fracturing of the American Dream. Woven into the film are interviews with economic experts, policy analysts, and religious leaders, as well as interviews with social workers on the frontlines of the economic fallout.
With 46% of our country now living in poverty or near poverty, and with epic budget battles being waged at all levels of government over the coming year, American Winter is a timely and moving film that shows the crushing effects of the mortgage meltdown, high unemployment, the health care crisis, and cuts to the social safety net through the personal perspective of struggling families. American Winter takes up where Inside Job left off, showing the devastating human toll of the economic downturn from the point of view of families caught in a day-to-day struggle to survive.
The timing of the film’s release and outreach campaign will come at a moment in our nation’s history when poverty and economic inequalities are increasing, at the same time that pressure is mounting to slash budgets to critical social and human services. Budget cuts are front and center in the 2013 news cycle, and they are at the top of the political agenda. This film can be a touchstone in the media and in politics, giving a voice to those most affected in the public debate on homelessness, unemployment, housing issues, and funding the social safety net.
You can see a preview here: http://americanwinterfilm.com
Stories of prostitution around the world. The documentary revolves around the lives and individual hopes, needs and experiences of the women.
directed by Robert Greenwald
Not only is Big Brother now watching your every move, the Government is also preventing you from speaking out. In our new full length documentary War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and the National Security State we tell the stories of four people who were silenced and the journalists who were finally able to get their voices heard.
Brad Lichtenstein
US, documentary
83m
http://asgoesjanesville.com/
Goes to the front lines over the future of America’s middle class – by insightfully tracking the recent battle over union rights in Wisconsin, and by focusing on the hometown of the former Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan. First, General Motors shut down Janesville’s century-old auto plant, leading to massive layoffs. Then, newly elected governor Scott Walker ignited a firestorm by ending collective bargaining and unleashing a protest movement that led to his recall election. Director Brad Lichtenstein followed the lives of Janesville’s auto workers for over three years, as they tried to save their jobs.
<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/53693696″>”As Goes Janesville” Official Theatrical Trailer</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/371productions”>371 Productions</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>Dir: Sam Newman and Susan Sipprelle
US, documentary
66m
http://www.overfiftyandoutofwork.com/videos/documentary/
Follows three Baby Boomers who attempt to recover from the devastating impact of losing their jobs during the Great Recession. The film shows their struggle to hang onto their homes, health insurance, and hope. Over time, the three boomers learn to cope with unemployment’s drastic effects on their lives, including the loss of economic security and ultimately their loss of confidence in the American Dream.
Susan Sipprelle <susansipprelle@gmail.com>
directed by véréna paravel & lucien castaing-taylor
US
documentary
a thrilling, immersive documentary that takes you deep inside the dangerous world of commercial fishing. Set aboard a hulking fishing vessel as it navigates the treacherous waves off the New England coast-the very waters that once inspired Moby Dick- the film captures the harsh, unforgiving world of the fishermen in starkly haunting, yet beautiful detail. Employing an arsenal of cameras that pass freely from film crew to ship crew, and swoop from below sea level to astonishing bird’s-eye views, LEVIATHAN is unlike anything you have ever seen; a purely visceral, cinematic experience.
http://www.arretetoncinema.org/leviathan/
<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/58995554″>Leviathan (trailer)</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/cinemaguild”>Cinema Guild</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>directed by Ken Loach
UK
Documentary
An impassioned documentary about how the spirit of unity which buoyed Britain during the war years carried through to create a vision of a fairer, united society
1945 was a pivotal year in British history. The unity that carried Britain through the war allied to the bitter memories of the inter-war years led to a vision of a better society. The spirit of the age was to be our brothers and our sisters keeper.
Director Ken Loach has used film from Britain’s regional and national archives, alongside sound recordings and contemporary interviews to create a rich political and social narrative. The Spirit of 45 hopes to illuminate and celebrate a period of unprecedented community spirit in the UK, the impact of which endured for many years and which may yet be rediscovered today.
Distributor: Dogwoof
Patrick Hurley
patrick@dogwoof.com
The Spirit of ’45 – first look review (The Guardian)
The Spirit of ’45: Berlin Review (The Hollywood Reporter)
US
101m
documentary
http://www.brooklyncastle.com/
Tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories. Ironically, the biggest obstacle thrust upon them arises not from other competitors but from recessionary budget cuts to all the extracurricular activities at their school. BROOKLYN CASTLE shows how these kids’ dedication to chess magnifies their belief in what is possible for their lives. After all, if they can master the world’s most difficult game, what can’t they do?
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