pittsburgh documentary salon

FEBRUARY 2012 at the SALON

2012-02-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

Oscar-Nominated Short Documentary Program

This month the Salon will join the screening of four of the

five Academy Award nominees at the (big) Melwood
Screening Room. Beverages and discussion to follow.

Friday, February 17 8:00p

JANUARY 2012 at the SALON

2012-01-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

IT'S ALL PLAY

a work-in-progress by Jamie Martina

What do you think of when you imagine the life of a stripper? Where does this imagery come from? We've all seen the cliched scenario depicting gritty clubs with coked-out women who hate their situation, patrons running away from their problems, mean management etc. But how many of us have taken the time to ask a dancer how she feels about her job? This documentary tells the story from the stage- former and current dancers set the record straight about how dancing makes them feel, what they laugh about in dressing rooms, and how, to some, they just see themselves as "sexier counselors."

Friday, January 20 7:00p

DECEMBER 2011 at the SALON

2011-11-29T17:54:00.000-08:00

HERZOG

presented by David D'Agostino

There was a program change. Instead of showing La Soufriere and

Handicapped Future, David presented:

Bells from the Deep: Faith and Superstition in Russia

1993

Saturday, Dec. 17 6:30p
Admission is free.

NOVEMBER 2011 at the SALON

2011-11-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Battle for Brooklyn
at the Three Rivers Film Festival

It's time for our annual field trip! We will attend the screening at the Harris Theater downtown (809 Liberty Ave.). A Q&A follows the screening, and after that we go out for drinks with the filmmaker Michael Galinsky.

BATTLE for BROOKLYN is an intensely intimate look at the very public and passionate fight waged by owners and residents facing condemnation of their property to make way for the controversial Atlantic Yards project, a massive plan to build 16 skyscrapers and a basketball arena for the New Jersey Nets in the heart of Brooklyn. Shot over seven years and compiled from almost 500 hours of footage, BATTLE for BROOKLYN is an epic tale of how far people will go to fight for what they believe in.

Saturday, Nov. 12 7:30p
Harris Theater
Downtown Pittsburgh

OCTOBER 2011 at the SALON

2011-10-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

ASPIE SEEKS LOVE
a work-in-progress by Julie Sokolow

DavidMatthews can’t get a date. He is a writer and artist with a great sense ofhumor

andimpeccable dry delivery. He’s scored solo art shows around Pittsburgh, readingsat

coffeeshops, and acting gigs in a few short films. He’s got a nice job, house, andcar,

andcould even treat a lady to dinner. So what’s the problem?

Atforty years of age, David was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Thislate-in-life

diagnosisand lack of treatment in childhood has left David with a lot of catching up to

do.Although David is highly intelligent, he has a major blind spot: empathy and

understandingof the human, especially female, psyche.

AspieSeeks Love followsDavid’s journey to surpass the limitations of Asperger’s,

improveas a person, writer, and artist, and find a meaningful relationship. The

documentaryhas been in production since June 2011 and is in its early stages. Raw

footagewill be shown and critiques will be encouraged and appreciated.

Aboutthe Director:

JulieSokolow is a musician, writer, and filmmaker. From 2010 to 2011 she was a finalist inRidley Scott’sLife in a Day contest, won best director at the Sprocket Guild’s Film Festival,a CreativeCapital Flight School Fellowship, Pittsburgh Filmmakers First Works Grant, and

HeinzEndowment.

www.juliesokolow.com

Friday, October 28 6:30p
Admission is free.

SEPTEMBER 2011 at the SALON

2011-08-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

Photography: Mark Schmerling, John Stolz, Ken Gayman

GAS RUSH STORIES

presented by Kirsi Jansa

Not long ago, people in Pennsylvania found out that they live on top of a huge natural gas reserve called the Marcellus Shale. Now gas drilling is changing Pennsylvania in ways good and bad.

Gas Rush Stories is a series of short documentaries about natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. They gives voice and faces to those who are experiencing the impacts of the modern day gas rush. These are the stories the gas industry hoped would remain untold.

Gas Rush Stories is produced, filmed and edited by Kirsi Jansa, an independent journalist and filmmaker on a mission to tell Stories That Matter.
http://www.kirsijansa.com

Friday, Sept. 23 6:30p

Admission is free

AUGUST 2011 at the SALON

2011-07-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Chronicle of a Summer, 50 years later

presented by Will Zavala

"Are you happy?"

If a stranger posed that question, could you answer truthfully? If we can only "be ourselves", can we be any but truthful? And what has been captured when the whole encounter is filmed? These are the kind of questions tackled by the engaging film Chronicle d'un été (Chronicle of a Summer).

If documentary history has a Citizen Kane-- a landmark film--it might be Chronicle of a Summer. It is an experiment, a test of film’s ability to capture a kind of truth (cinéma-vérité), a technological breakthrough, formally daring, and layered with meanings. Taking to the streets of Paris and the beaches of St. Tropez, a sociologist, Edgar Morin, an ethnographic filmmaker, Jean Rouch, and a cinematographer, Michel Brault shot the film in 1960, not so long after the horrors of the Second World War, on the tail end of colonialism, on the cusp of a youthful rebirth of culture. Its release in 1961 heralded the beginning of the modern documentary.

Friday, August 12

6:30p

Admission is free.

JULY 2011 at the SALON

2011-06-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

This month we will view and discuss social issue documentaries. What makes for ones that are powerful and persuasive? Is opening eyes to an issue and swaying opinion enough or must an effective social issue documentary have a call to action? What impact do production values have on viewer interpretation? How can new audiences be drawn in and these films not merely advance dialogue among an already interested choir? To foster this conversation we will look at clips and short pieces from a wide variety of social issue documentaries, including: Rosie the Riveter, A Peaceable Kingdom, We Love Cigarettes, Food, Inc, and A Necessary Arrest, by local filmmaker Bob Buncher, who will be present. Please attend for what should be another very interesting screening and lively discussion.

Friday, July 8
6:30p

Admission is free

Call for Entries

2011-06-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

The date and program for the July Doc Salon is Friday, July 8.
Barbra Labbie will present a series of social issue films; check back

on July 1 for a list of her selections.
In the meantime...

CALL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE FILMS IN PITTSBURGH
for Building Change Film Festival, October 12th-16th, 2011

The mission of the Building Change Film Festival is to open the viewer’s eyes to the injustices that we see in the world by screening films that will celebrate struggle, shed light on these injustices, and show us possibilities for a better future.

We are looking for feature length, mid, and short films (25 minutes or less) themed around social justice issues, preferably those that have relevance to Southwestern Pennsylvania. This is open to a full range of issues including; the environment, poverty, LGBTQ issues, racial and gender equality, prison/police reform, food justice, peace and human rights issues. Ideal films will demonstrate the power and value of filmmaking as a vehicle for exploration of social justice issues and will motivate viewers to seek solutions and promote change. There is no age limit and all genres will be considered. Deadline is July 15th.

The Building Change Film Festival is part of Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice, a 3-day open attendance event being coordinated by the Three Rivers Community Foundation and other progressive organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

For more information and a submission form, go to: www.buildingchangewpa.org <http://www.buildingchangewpa.org>

JUNE 2011 at the SALON

2011-06-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

DEEP...SPACE...ROBOTS

Deep...Space...Robots

Jonathan Minard and Michael Pisano are the principals of deepspeed media, currently producing a documentary about the first-ever privately funded mission to the Moon. They will show a trailer from that project, as well as two other short films about art and science in extreme environments:

Submersible (9 min.)
Lauren Mullineaux is an astronaut of the deep sea. As a marine biologist who studies hydrothermal vent communities, she has become intimately familiar with one of the most extreme habitats on Earth, miles below the ocean’s surface.

Moonrush (Trailer, 7 min.)
The first privately funded mission to the Moon will launch in 2013, pioneered by a legendary Pittsburgh roboticist and his team of students at Carnegie Mellon University. This breakthrough is the first step in a mission that will continue well beyond our lifetimes.

Space Artist (11 min.)
Lowry Burgess, a pioneer space artist, has over thirty years of experience collaborating with NASA and creating visionary artworks in a cosmic context. In 2013, a robotic mission from Carnegie Mellon, the first commercially funded lunar expedition, will send his art to the Moon.

Saturday, June 11 6:30p
Admission is free.

MAY 2011 at the SALON

2011-04-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Live From Indonesia
SAKTI PARANTEAN is a Jakarta-based filmmaker making documentaries with his company, Fictionary Media Technology. We will show several short films and then Sakti will join us via Video Skype for a Q & A.

A Different Jakarta (17 min) To be young and underwater, in the seasonal flooding of Indonesia's capital city.

Pork or Chicken (12 min) A day in the life of Novi, a Chinese 10-year-old girl in Jakarta. Her days are about work, not school.

Art of Deception (21 min) How could the ancient treasures of Indonesia's national museum be spirited away and replaced with fakes? A remarkable work of investigative journalism first aired on Al Jazeera English.

And we'll show an excerpt from 55 Hours in Aceh, a journal of the filmmaker's visit to the region devastated by the 2004 tsunami.

Join us for these multiple views of the world's fourth most-populous country.

Friday, May 27
6:30p Food and Social
7:00p Screening

Admission is free.

APRIL 2011 at the SALON

2011-03-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

FIVE YEAR BIRTHDAY AND LITTLE DOC PARTY

April 2011 marks five years since the Pittsburgh Documentary Salon was launched. Let’s celebrate the occasion with a screening and contest of short documentaries from its members.

Everyone—film fans and film makers—will participate in one way or another:

FILM FANS:

bring some food or drink, or
contribute a few bucks to the Prize fund, or
volunteer to help with the Contest

FILM MAKERS:

We will screen any and all of your short non-fiction works, hand out ballots, and give out cash money prizes at the end! The rules are here.

Want to show your work but don’t want to enter the contest? That’s OK, too--just bring it that night.

Saturday, April 23

6:30p Food and Social

7:00p Screening

MARCH 2011 at the SALON

2011-02-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

In addition to this Saturday's Salon, see below for some other documentary screenings to take note of.

MARRIED IN SPANDEX

Work-in-Progress, presented by Devin Gallagher and Allison Kole

MARRIED IN SPANDEX is a love story about Amanda and Rachel, a young lesbian couple who decide to go from Philadelphia to Ames, Iowa to get married by gold lamé devotee and lady rapper Leslie Hall. While the couple begins the trip as a wacky adventure for themselves and their friends, it quickly becomes a family affair in an unfamiliar state.

Devin and Allison are near completion of this film, and are interested in your comments.

Saturday, March 26 @ 6:30p

Admission is free.

FEBRUARY 2011 at the SALON

2011-01-31T22:23:00.000-08:00

LENKA CLAYTON

Selected Works, 2002-2010

Lenka Clayton is an artist and documentary maker. Her work investigates the poetry of labour expended toward an epic, utopian, often impossible task. She recently relocated to Pittsburgh.

People in Order (Age) & People in Order (Love) (2 x 3 mins) with James Price

A series of four short films that populate scales of age, length of relationship, yearly income and stage of pregnancy with 467 strangers filmed on a 6-week camper van tour of Great Britain.

Conversation (12 mins) with James Price

A split screen video that reveals the hidden split-second judgements we form of other people, based on a single three-second glance. Filmed with the kind participation of 30 strangers over two days in East London, UK.

Qaeda, Quality, Question, Quickly, Quickly, Quiet (20 mins)

An alphabetical re-arrangement of President Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech.

Five Women, Five Men, One Child Audio & Slides (8 mins)

An audio record of every word uttered over the course of the normal days of eleven anonymous individuals across Pittsburgh on 1st April 2010, US Census Day. Words uttered at exactly the same moment by people usually separated by geography and circumstance collide to form an accidental documentary of the city. It happened, but no-one heard it.

Mysterious Letters News Report & Slides, (10 mins) with Michael Crowe

We intend to write a letter to everyone in the world, one village at a time. So far we have sent a personal, handwritten letter to each of the 467 households in the small Irish village of Cushendall, to all 620 homes in Polish Hill, Pittsburgh, USA, and to 582 residents St. Gallen, Switzerland. The art work consists solely of the discussion between the recipients about what on Earth these letters are, who sent them and why, etc.

http://www.lenkaclayton.co.uk

Saturday, February 19

6:30p Food & Social

7:00p Screening

Admission is FREE

JANUARY 2011 at the SALON

2010-12-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

Shelter: a Squatumentary
presented by Hannah Dobbz

In economically turbulent times, rent and home-ownership have become unaffordable at best and impossible at worst. Thus, people all over the world continue a long tradition of reclaiming this basic human right by squatting. Shelter: A Squatumentary is a documentary film that explores the squatting movement in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2004 to 2007. The film follows three examples of the struggle for housing in one of the most expensive housing markets in America. Hellarity House, Banana House, and Power Machine are stories of squatters who have found one tentative solution to the ongoing housing crisis.

(Hannah E. Dobbz, 2008, 45 min.)

http://www.killnormal.com/shelter/
http://www.youtube.com/killnormal

Friday, January 21

6:30p

Admission is free

DECEMBER 2010 at the SALON

2010-11-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

Y E R T

presented by Mark Dixon

YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip) is a groundbreaking adventure and a celebration of the American spirit in the face of adversity - a thought-provoking, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious documentary about the courageous and creative individuals, groups, businesses and leaders of this country who are tackling the greatest environmental threats in history. Called into action by the ever increasing threats of planetary catastrophe (from climate change to toxic pollution, from water scarcity to habitat destruction), the three of us - Mark Dixon, Ben Evans, and Julie Dingman Evans - upended our lives, pooled our collective life-savings, and set off on a first-of-its-kind, 50-state, year-long journey of discovery to personalize sustainability and to answer a critical question: ARE WE DOOMED?

Friday, December 17

6:30p Food & Social

7:00p Screening

Admission is free.

NOVEMBER 2010 at the SALON:

2010-11-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

THE ELECTRICITY FAIRY
This month we join up with the Three Rivers Film Festival by hosting the visiting filmmaker Tom Hansell, who is presenting his documentary about the Appalachian coal industry "The Electricity Fairy." Tom is coming from Kentucky, where he is affiliated with the legendary film collective Appalshop.

The Electricity Fairy examines America's national addiction to fossil fuels through the lens of electricity. The documentary follows the controversy surrounding a coal-fired power plant in southwest Virginia’s mountains, connecting the local controversy to the national energy policy debate.

http://www.electricityfairy.org

Saturday, Nov. 13 7:00p

Melwood Screening Room

We will not meet as usual outside the little theater. Instead, we'll attend the public screening in the big theater, and go out with Tom afterwards.

OCTOBER 2010 at the SALON

2010-09-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

HÄXAN

(aka Witchcraft Through the Ages)

1922 Denmark, by Benjamin Christensen

The single, persistent question with which viewers are left after viewing Häxan (The Witch) is, what is it? Part illustrated exploration of the history of witchcraft, part grisly horror film, part burlesque comedy and part condescending reappraisal of the ignorant past, Häxan is nothing if not utterly unique, a compelling oddity that still retains its often shocking effectiveness and, despite being left out of many conventional film histories, is one of the most artful and influential of all silent films.

-James Kendrick, KinoEye.org

Not sure how a film can be both an oddity and influential, but it's a delightful documentary, or whatever-it-is. Will, your host, will celebrate Danish diabolism with his brew of the intoxicating hot drink gløgg, along with the usual non-alcoholic selections. Please bring something to drink or snack, and we'll head into the screening room early, at 6:45p, with an introduction by the director Christensen, filmed in 1941.

Friday, October 29

6:30p Social

6:45p Intro to Häxan

7:00p Häxan

Meanwhile, some Salon members are getting a great documentary project off the ground with a Kickstarter campaign. It's called "Sust Enable: The Metamentary":

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1686680197/sust-enable-the-metamentary

SEPTEMBER 2010 at the SALON

2010-08-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Arthur Knight Hammer King of the Bears

presented by David D'Agostino

Arthur Knight Hammer King of the Bears is a documentary about a self-proclaimed homosexual prophet who leaves his computer consulting business to dedicate his life to serving the Bear community and also to reveal to the world that Jesus was gay. Rejected by the mainstream gay community for being fat and hairy, and by the mainstream Christian community for being gay, Knight Hammer felt it was his divine duty to create a sanctuary for these large hairy men to soul-search, love, and eat pizza. Arthur Knight Hammer King of the Bears is an intimate portrait of a man’s spiritual calling as it unfolds with his friends in “Bearidise,” his Victorian Italianate mansion in rural Pennsylvania.

Friday, Sept. 24 6:30p

AUGUST 2010 at the SALON

2010-07-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

PITTSBURGH WELCOMES

a work-in-progress presented by John Detwiler

One year ago, the city was engulfed in anxious anticipation of being host to world leaders as the G20 Summit approached. Pittsburgh Welcomes is a reflection on the summit experience, focusing on its interplay with local activists. The work draws upon action footage of the Summit (from several sources) and on retrospective interviews and analysis.

The participants include civil liberties attorneys, academicians and local government officials, as well as the 'traditional' peace community and the antiauthoritarian/anarchist collective.

The goal of this piece is to focus attention on the nature of political dissent, and on the range of tactics for activism. John is seeking feedback before he completes editing.

Tuesday, August 17 6:30p

JULY 2010 at the SALON

2010-06-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

THIS MONTH at the SALON:

Women Filmmakers in Afghanistan

presented by Kalpana Biswas

Roya Film House was established in Herat, Afghanistan, in 2004 by Roya and Alka Sadat, two self-taught Afghani sisters in their early twenties. Born in Herat under the Taliban, the Sadat sisters used video to document the extreme vulnerability of women and children at the mercy of a repressive and brutal tribal society. Helped by local filmmakers, who loaned them equipment on rest days, and International NGOs that provided some financial aid, the sisters have produced, directed, scripted and shot five short films and six documentaries, tackling painful subjects such as child marriage, bartering of women, wives forced into dangerous narcotics smuggling, murder by in-laws, and self immolation as the only escape. Their films have garnered international recognition at film festivals but are unable to find distributors in Afghanistan.

Kalpana will show segments from:

1, 2, 3, ?

a documentary by Alka Sadat

Playing the Taar

a feature by Roya Sadat

and an Interview with the Sadat sisters.

Kalpana met the sisters while in India. She conducted the interview as part of a documentary project about Roya Film House.

Friday, July 23 6:30p

http://www.royafh.af/

Preview of Roya Sadat’s short films http://www.cultureunplugged.com/storyteller/Roya_Sadat

JUNE 2010 at the SALON

2010-05-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

TWO FROM CAROLINA LOYOLA-GARCIA

Herederos del Agobio - Inheritors of a Burden

(working title)

A work in progress (14 min.)

This documentary looks into the history of Flamenco arts in the USA, focusing on aspects of migration, cultural identity, and historical overview dwelling in the complicated structures that have brought the sorrowful expression of an oppressed group of people in Southern Spain into the United States. What motivates contemporary flamenco aficionados and professionals to pursue careers in the US? What is at the core of this art that resonates with people all over the world? These are some of the inquiries motivating our passionate investigation into the soul of flamenco.

plus

Hibridos sin Lineaje

23 min.

What are we other than small moments captured in our memories,

fragments of words heard, snapshots of places we have witnessed,

people we have once been close to? Hibridos sin Lineaje is an

experiment in representing that which refuses to be captured,

catalogued, identified. It’s a journey, a collection of moments,

words, sounds, colors, melodies… a falling into the rabbit’s hole.

Friday, June 25 6:30p

MAY 2010 at the SALON

2010-05-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Troubadour Blues

a work-in-progress presented by Tom Weber

From Tom:

For the past seven years I have crisscrossed the country, recording shows, open-ended interviews, and casual encounters with the more than two dozen troubadours--solitary traveling musicians. I asked them a lot of questions about where their songs come from, what kind of experiences they've had on the road, what they think about the state of the music business, what motivates them to get up every morning and drive hundreds of miles to another gig. But mostly, I watched and listened. I got to know them one at a time, immersing myself in their music and following them from town to town. I asked each artist to introduce me to a fellow troubadour whom she or he admired, following a long chain of friendships among members of this traveling fraternity.

Troubadour Blues is the story of these modern-day wandering minstrels who ply their trade outside the media spotlight and far from the glitzy world of pop stardom.

Tom is near completion on this 95-minute film, and would welcome feedback before he finishes.

Friday, May 28 6:30p

APRIL 2010 at the SALON

2010-03-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

JANET COLLINS: TO DANCE IS TO LIVE

presented by the filmmaker, M.J. Washington

In 1951, New York's Metropolitan Opera would, for the first time, feature an African American dancer as prima ballerina with their company. Her name was Janet Collins. This documentary profiles a pioneer whom few Americans are familiar with.

http://www.todancefilm.com/

Friday, April 30 6:30p

MARCH II at the SALON

2010-03-08T23:10:00.000-08:00

This is the re-scheduled screening from the snowed-out February Salon. Note the special time.

Sneak preview of "Mythopoeic Times"

Rebecca Einhorn will present the first half of her feature-length experimental documentary about a community of artists in northern Michigan.

Friday, March 19 6:00p

MARCH 2010 at the SALON

2010-02-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

The Groundwater Up Project
Get on the Bus Productions will present The Groundwater Up Project, a new documentary film about water in Delhi, India. The mega-city faces a crisis in water supply, which this film traces from source to tap to sewer. . . and right back to tap. If you enjoy drinking, swimming, bathing, flushing the toilet, or washing your clothes, you should see how it gets done in Delhi.
Get on the Bus Productions' Moriah Mason will be present.
http://www.groundwaterup.com
Friday, March 5 6:30p

FEBRUARY 2010 at the SALON

2010-01-14T22:50:00.000-08:00

This screening was postponed due to bad weather in

February until Friday, March 19.

Rebecca Einhorn will present a half-hour preview of her feature-length, experimental documentary "Mythopoeic Times." Click on the image to read the description.

Friday, February 5

JANUARY 2010 at the SALON

2009-12-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

What Does Trouble Mean?

Erica Peiffer and Jim Seguin will present the one-hour documentary about Pittsburgh labor leader Nate Smith, who fought discrimination against African-Americans in the construction trades.

http://www.natesmithmovie.com/

Friday, January 8

THIS MONTH at the SALON: December '09

2009-11-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

Music and Documentaries

MUSIC HAS NO PLACE IN DOCUMENTARY. Real life doesn’t come with a musical score, so if doc's purport to represent real life, why mess with that by adding music to the soundtrack? The use of a musical score suggests a sentimental attachment to the traditional Hollywood fiction filmmaking, and a lack of faith in the power of the documentary footage.

ALL AGREED? Then come and support the manifesto. Don’t agree? Then come and bring an example of how added music made the documentary better. It would be interesting to see filmmakers’ own work and hear about how they made musical choices. Non-filmmakers can bring films with especially-memorable scenes that include music--or are music-free! Bring a clip of a documentary that was:

enhanced by outside music added to the soundtrack
diminished by it
better for not using it
could've used some music

or any other scene where added music struck you as noteworthy.

In keeping with the potluck nature of the program, you are encouraged to bring a little food.

Friday, Dec. 4 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Nov '09

2009-10-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

No. 4 STREET OF OUR LADY

This month the Salon takes a field trip, to the Harris Theater downtown, where we will attend the Nov. 14 screening of the documentary No.4 Street of our Lady, making its Pittsburgh premeire as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival. Admission is FREE for Salon members (reg. admission $8); see below for details.

No.4 Street of our Lady tells the remarkable story of Francisca Halamajowa, a Polish-Catholic woman who hid 16 of her Jewish neighbors during the Holocaust, cleverly passing herself off as a Nazi sympathizer. The filmmakers will be in attendance for the screening this multi-award winning film.
http://streetofourlady.org/

After the screening, the filmmakers will join the Salon for a drink or dessert downtown. Let's plan to pitch in a couple bucks to treat our guests, who are driving in from Harrisburg.

Saturday, Nov. 14 8:00p
Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave.

When you arrive, look for me (Will Z) and I'll give you a pass. If you can't find me, go to the ticket window and identify yourself as a Doc Salon member. There are a limited number of passes, so if you bring a friend who is not a Salon member, please just take a pass for yourself. You are a "Salon member" if you're on the monthly mailing list =}.

THIS MONTH at the SALON: October '09

2009-09-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

DOCUMENTING G-20

Did police single out filmmakers and photographers recording the protests surrounding the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh?
What do filmmakers have to shoot if there IS no confrontation?
Whose record is more valuable--the indie journalists' on the street, or the surveillance cameras' above?

This month, the Salon has invited mediamakers who shot events surrounding the G-20 Summit to screen samples of their work and discuss these and other questions, with the aim of understanding how free speech is exercised and how history is written. This event is open to the public, with a special invitation to those with photographic and videographic records of the happenings in September 2009.

Friday, October 2, 2009
6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Sept '09

2009-08-14T02:12:00.000-07:00

THIS MONTH at the SALON:
Rumor of Blue Sky

Andrew Maietta shows his chronicle of a landmark event in American environmental history, the 1948 deadly smog tragedy in Donora, PA. Twenty-five survivors give dramatic first-hand accounts of the disaster which claimed 20 lives and sickened half the population of the town.

Rumor of Blue Sky (56 min), which first aired on WQED in April 2009, will be presented by Andy and co-producer Janet Whitney.

Friday, Sept. 4 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: August '09

2009-07-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

We had a low turnout this month, and didn't hold a meeting.

THIS MONTH at the SALON: July '09

2009-06-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

ONE EXTRAORDINARY STREET
presented by the filmmaker Laura Magone

This documentary tells the story of a small street in the
river town of Monongahela, PA. Immigrants came to the
town for work and formed a community in the small Park Avenue neighborhood, allowed for extraordinary successes of their children and grandchildren. Featuring:

Joe Montana, Hall of Fame Quarterback
Gen. Carl E. Vuono, 31st U.S. Army Chief of Staff
Dr. Fred Cox, D.C., inventor of the Nerf Football, all-time leading scorer for the Minnesota Vikings
Dr. Deirdre Bair, Ph.D., acclaimed biographer and Winner of the National Book Award
Jim Jimirro, Founder of the Disney Channel
Mary Ann Barkey, first woman to climb a telephone pole for Bell of PA
Vincent Bartolotta, JD, a top trial attorney in the United States
John Taylor Gatto, New York City and State Teacher of the Year, author and lecturer
and many more...

Laura premiered this film in 2008. She is now looking
for input on any technical issues. and on how to tighten it
up for film festival entry.

"One Extraordinary Street"
Running Time: 95 min.

Tuesday, July 7 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: June '09

2009-05-06T08:22:00.001-07:00

MONEY IS A VEGETABLE
work-in-progress (60 min.)
presented by Jim Meacci

from the filmmaker:
When I was twenty-one, I took care of my grandmother. Her name was Jane and she had Alzheimer’s. Fourteen years later, through a crystalline lens, I connect the confusion of the present, the uncertainty of the past, and the crescive bark of the future like arms locked in a game of Red Rover (ready to be broken).

Miscast as myself, I star in this film called "Money is a Vegetable." In it, I uncover what being a man can mean, with a re-acquaintanceship of place and land, how routine defines the substantiation of our personhood, and how to extract humor from the sad mish-mash of right mindedness.

“Just shoot me if I get like that.” I’ve heard that said of aging, Alzheimer’s, and disease. But who are we to decide what other souls need. Most of us barely know what we need. Or want.

In the initial stages of editing, I hope to discover what this film wants to be. I look forward to sharing this work with you all, and to your invaluable input.
-Jim

This is the re-scheduled screening from the May meeting.

Tuesday, June 2 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: May '09

2009-04-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

Jim Meacci was scheduled to show his work-in-progress in May, but via his envoy Mike, he requested a June showing instead. The extension was granted, the fifth of Skyy playing no part in the decision. This prompted John Landis--who had treated us all to delicious chili--to head down to the Filmmakers library with tENT, where they raided the video cabinets and came back upstairs with two DVDs: "Berlin: Symphony of a City" and a collection of short documentaries compiled by Full Frame. Will then displayed both video covers to each attendee, and by a 6-5 vote, the group decided to watch the short films. Everyone liked at least one of the shorts (including Lucy Tsak Tsak, Why Can't We Be a Family?, Laughing Club of India, and Mojave Mirage), which is the point of any shorts program!

Tuesday, May 5 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: April '09

2009-03-03T19:27:00.000-08:00

KINETIC POETRY: Castro Street and Night Mail
in 16mm film
presented by Will Zavala

Cinema, like a poem spoken aloud, makes patterns over time. Rhythms of great complexity are formed by combinations of camera movement, movement within the frame, cutting between shots, and the soundtrack. Documentary utilizes these elements, and at times goes further to capture the rhythmic qualities of life itself. This month we’ll screen two films that chose that cinematic favorite—the moving train—to provide the meter for a kind of kinetic poetry.

Castro Street (1966) is Bruce Baillie’s document of an avenue in the Bay Area…but not in San Francisco. This Castro Street is across the Bay in the oil refinery town of Richmond, and the film follows the railway that run parallel to the street.

Lesser film poets might be satisfied to confine their attention to an easy beauty... In Castro Street, Baillie alchemically transforms an "ugly" space into a stunning one." (Scott MacDonald, The Garden in the Machine)

Night Mail (1936) is a poetic film, literally—W.H. Auden was hired to write the verses that conclude the film—about overnight postal delivery in Great Britain. That a mundane subject is made exhilarating attests to the artistic vision of the filmmakers (Basil Wright and Harry Watt, working on John Grierson's team) and to respect they had for the postal workers.

Both 16mm prints have been kindly provided by Hillman Library at the Univ. of Pittsburgh.

Castro Street (1966, 10 min.) Bruce Baillie
Night Mail (1936, 25 min.) Basil Wright and Harry Watt

Tuesday, April 7 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Mar '09

2009-02-11T17:57:00.000-08:00

tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE premieres
“HiTEC 051 - New Hazlett Theater”

HiTEC, Histrionic Thought Experiment Cooperative, premiered its piece entitled "Systems Management" at the New Hazlett Theater on Friday, January 9, 2009. This vaudeo documents the entire performance on real time - complete w/ 8 camera shots, extensive titles, a game for the vaudience to play, & over-the-top explanation. If thinking is yr idea of a good time, then this is for you (maybe).

308. “HiTEC 051 - New Hazlett Theater”
tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE: piano, SysMan, electronics, percussion, spinner, editing, etc..
Tony Balko: camcorder
Ben Opie - reeds, electronics
Kenny Haney: clarinets, balloons
Spat Cannon: upright acoustic bass
Dani Simmonds: banjo-uke
Roger Dannenberg: trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet
Missi St Pierre: toy piano w/ effects
Julian Krishnamurti: electric bass
Johan Nystrom: extended percussion
Kerrith Livengood: alto flute
Ben Harris: violin
Jonathan Borofsky: monome with mabalhabla software
Mike Tamburo: hammered dulcimer
Unfinished Symphonies: electronic keyboard
Joy: electric guitar w/ nylon strings
William Wedler: Experiment 1
Erok: trombone
Stuart Anderson: laptop
James Gyre: drums
- moving cameras: Blissy Ann Higgs, Bill Daniel, Ashley Brickman
- shot Friday, January 9, 2009; edit finished February 4, 2009
- high-definition hard-drive & mini-dv -> mini-DV & DVD-R
- 1:38:42

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Feb '09

2009-01-27T04:44:00.000-08:00

THIS MONTH at the SALON
From GUATEMALA:
Voluntarios (30-40 min., work-in-progress)
presented by Justin Crimone and Mark Staley

A documentary about The Whole Foods Market Team Member Volunteer Program in Guatemala with Corporate Alliance/GVI, as experienced by Mark Staley. The short features stories about:

The Pena Blanca Indigenous Communities Teaching Program in Panajachel, Guatemala where volunteers work and play with grade students to support their growth education
The Stove Project, where volunteers helped support the community with their involvement in building carbon-efficient stoves for the homes of students from the school
Micro-loans and the Grameen Bank while visiting the community in Santa Catarina where the Whole Planet Foundation is working
Organic coffee farming on Volcano Atìtlan, where the farmer Martin grows coffee for Allegro, a Whole Foods Market company
Mayan culture in Guatemala.

The Guatemala footage was shot by Mark and the film is edited by Justin Crimone (Zeno Films). Mark and Justin will be present at the screening to give a talk about the volunteer program and answer questions about this trip.

This is a work in progress and we would love as much input into its creation as we can get.
It's for the community by the community.

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Jan '09

2008-12-06T20:50:00.000-08:00

FROM MADAGASCAR:

"Vazaha"

40 min.

presented by director Ben Hernstrom

Drawing inspiration from Chris Marker, Werner Herzog and Alexander Sokurov, Ben Hernstrom's Vazaha is a mix of travelogue, socio-political critique and personal examination. Shot over 16 days while driving across Madagascar, the film provides a broad look at the varied landscapes, villages and cities that make up the diverse island nation, all lensed through Hernstrom's typically unnerving perspective. Eschewing traditional voice over (mostly), the film instead uses aural collages from ambient audio, music and found sound, creating something more akin to a video installation than a documentary.

Tuesday, January 20

6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Dec '08

2008-11-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Our next meeting will be on Friday, December 5, and
will feature the premiere of short documentaries by Pittsburgh-based
artist tENTATIVELY a cONVENIENCE.
The Program:
205. T.I.A.R.A. - 7:42 - 2000
A Melbourne, Australia based group of "Terrorists"
go on a spree of repurposing billboards.

228. Anemia of the Paparazzi - 8:52 - 2000/02
A documentary about the wedding of painter/performer Joe Coleman
& domainatrix Whitney Ward as performed by a ventriloquist figure
in the name of the Church of Satan at the American Visionary
Arts Museum in Baltimore.

236. Anti-Neoist Rally - 3:54 - 2000/03
A rally in Australia proposing that "It's always 1 O'Clock"
(as opposed to Alice in Wonderland's "It's always 6 O'Clock")
as a program for improving the world of the worker
by eradicating their lunch break.

242. I.A.C. Deer Head Sculpture @ former Rankin Steel Mill - 8:31 -
> 2000/04
Pittsburgh's Industrial Arts Cooperative made a giant deer head
sculpture at an abandoned steel mill - entirely out of materials
at hand. This is a brief look at the sculpture & an interview
w/ one of IAC's members: Tim Kaulen.

245. Defenders of Goolengook - 17:19 - 2000/04
Eco-activists on the East coast of Australia defend old growth
rain forest from logging.

263. The Ballad of CodyodeeodoooO - 12:58 - 2006-07
A compacted look at a few days w/ a group of people who make
their own boats out of scraps & go on several mnth long journeys
down various US rivers. "Cody", in this case, being a boat made out
of one 50-gallon drum.

Friday, December 5
6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Nov '08

2008-10-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Making of the Making of...
a talk with Laura Davis and Tjardus Greidanus
plus a special Weekend Documentary Shoot

This month visiting Hollywood-based filmmakers Davis and Greidanus will talk about their work, which includes numerous behind-the-scenes documentaries for DVD's of such films as The Insider, Ali, Collateral, Miami Vice, Public Enemies, The Birdcage, Primary Colors, The Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, As Good as It Gets, I'll Do Anything, Span'glish, Say Anything, Jerry Maguire Almost Famous, Beloved, and Everyone Says I Love You. Davis also produced the prize-winning documentary The Making of "Everest": On Location in the Death Zone.

THEN, if you'd like to gain experience working on a professional documentary, plan to join Laura and Tjardus on Saturday and Sunday as they conduct a shoot at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, including an interview with Bill Strickland, CEO. Participants will light the interviews under supervision, shoot B-roll and conduct some of the interviews. Laura and Tjardus will do their best to accommodate individuals with special interests in camera, lighting, producing, or directing.

Pre-registration is required. One must attend on
Friday evening to join the shoots on Saturday and/or Sunday. Please
call 412-681-5449 x219 to register and specify which dates you will
attend.

Schedule:
Friday, Nov. 14, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Classroom Theatre, Room 210
6:30 pm - Food & Social
7 - 9 pm - Presentation and Discussion

Saturday, Nov. 15, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild
8 am - 6 pm

Sunday, Nov. 16, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild
8 am - 6 pm

This weekend is presented in association with Steeltown Entertainment Project.

Laura Davis grew up in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh and is a
graduate of Cornell University.

Tjardus Greidanus made his first film in his native Holland at age 12, a three-minute stop-motion film of King Kong in which the giant ape climbed the Statue of Liberty. He is a graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Alberta, Canada.

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Oct '08

2008-09-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

FROM NEPAL
Ancestral Goddess
presented by Samrat Kharel

Once every three years, descendants of a Nepali Brahmin family congregate at their ancestral village to honour their patron goddess. The film depicts the ritualistic worship of the goddess.
Kharel, a native of Kathmandu and member of the family depicted in his film, will talk about the film and about how Nepal is depicted in popular American movies.
DISCLAIMER: This film depicts animal sacrifice. Viewer discretion advised.

Friday, October 3
6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Sept '08

2008-08-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

Democracy: A Steady, Loving Confrontation
This short focuses on the viability of Barak Obama's candidacy in the upcoming election. The product of a two-week-long venture into the Black Belt South, seven university students under the guidance of instructor Jen Saffron and facilitator Monica Cwynar interviewed over thirty Civil Rights activists who, through their oral histories, have passed on their legacies and invaluable lessons of tolerance and equality. It was a Top 10 finalist in the Cinemocracy national video competition, where democracy-themed shorts were selected to be screened at the Democratic National Convention in August.

plus, an excerpt from the PBS series:
Race: The Power of an Illusion
We all know that people look different. Anyone can tell a Czech from a Chinese. But are these differences racial? What does race mean? Find the answers to these and other questions by exploring different interactivities within this site. There's less--and more--to race than meets the eye.

Friday, Sept. 5

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Aug '08

2008-07-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

STREET FIGHT
Marshall Curry (2005)
Captures a bare-knuckle campaign battle in the streets
and housing projects of Newark, New Jersey. On one side
incumbent Sharpe James's old-school political machine
works to crush anyone who dares question his campaign.
On the other, up-and-coming Cory Booker faces vicious
smear campaigns. Is it possible to stay clean in a street
fight? It is a wild ride to see who wins and a great insight
into how democracy, power, and race play out in urban
American politics.  
(from the DVD cover)
82 minutes
presented by Bob Buncher


Wednesday, Aug. 6  6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Jul '08

2008-06-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

DARK DAYS: The Ultimate Underground Film
presented by Rob Cullen

intro to DARK DAYS
For two years Marc Singer lived with the people who make their home in the tunnels beneath Penn Station in New York, creating an unflinching portrait of a part of society that is literally and figuratively beneath our notice. With its grainy black-and-white photography and haunting soundtrack, this is a surprisingly beautiful film, but it is never sentimental, nor does it try to impose a false nobility on its subjects. Dark Days simply shows us a world that we never knew
existed.

Also showing part of the "Making of Dark Days" video, in which the director and producer talk about the totally unique way the film was made.

Wednesday, July 2 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: June 08

2008-05-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

SILENCES

"...sometimes ignorance is bliss."

In this short film by Octavio Warnock-Graham, a bi-racial son confronts his mother and her refusal to acknowledge that he is of African American descent. While trying to understand his mother's choices, the filmmaker discovers that too often the truth reveals itself in the unspoken.

This film was chosen as the 1st place documentary winner at the College Emmy Awards, and has received numerous other awards and official selections at festivals nationwide.

Plus, excerpts from...
WATTSTAX

Whatcha See Is Watcha Get says the opening song. Wattstax, the dynamic film of the 1972 Los Angeles event attended by over 10,000 concertgoers and first billed as the "black Woodstock," getcha plenty! Its performances burn with vitality. Its forays into the neighborhood are a time capsule of pride and pain. And the Richard Pryor comedy riffs that provide the running commentary are a treasure all by themselves.

Wednesday, June 4 6:30p

THIS MONTH at the SALON: May 08

2008-04-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Mark Knobil, Documentary Cinematographer

Mark is one of the leading film & video cinematographers
working in documentary television today. Among his credits
as Director of Photography are programs aired on PBS, WQED,
National Geographic Television, and The Discovery Channel.
He will present segments from two recent productions he's shot:

Strange Days on Planet Earth (PBS)
Border Wars (National Geographic TV)

Mark Knobil Film/Tape:
http://mknobil.tripod.com/

Tuesday, May 6

THIS MONTH at the SALON: Apr 08

2008-03-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

Morning of the Earth
1971, Albert Falzon (79 min.)
presented by Annie Teneyck

Morning of the Earth is a "visual poem of the backsurfer lifestyle." Made with the assistance of a loan of $20,000 from the newly established Australian Film Development Corporation, the film represents the emergent proto-hippie-New-Age, "soul-surfing" lifestyle in a color-saturated, "psychedelic" manner that resonates with the content; that is, in ways which emphasize the fusion of avant-garde and documentary techniques characteristic of the discourse of ecstasy and delirium.... Morning of the Earth replaces voiceover with a [fantastic] music soundtrack that fuses and integrates its episodic "narrative." Falzon's film explores a number of themes prominent in underground film (drop-out sub-cultures, eco-hippiedom, indulgence in soft drugs) incorporating multiple innovations in form and content, and setting a whole new benchmark for documentary surf movies.

Today the film remains the most influential of all Australian surf movies and a gauge of quality for the large number of current surf moviemakers who film the world's best riders in exotic locales across the globe. Apart from its superb camerawork, what distinguishes Morning of the Earth is that “flow” which seems to emanate organically from its editing rhythms, and which is enhanced by the liquidity of the music score. All these formal aspects merge to produce the sounds and images of a quintessential body-and-head-trip we could call: 'Surfin' Down Under.' *

*from Arthur O'Bryan, October 2004 at http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/04/33/morning_of_the_earth.html

Tuesday, April 1

THIS MONTH AT THE SALON: Mar 08

2008-02-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

In Service: Authentic Narrative From Iraq to Pittsburgh
with creative director Jeff Carpenter and media director Ralph Vituccio in attendance. Presented by Jessica Fenlon

Five years ago this month, US and a coalition of other countries invaded Iraq. To mark this anniversary, the Salon presents In Service, a view of the war from the perspective of those Americans who fought there, and returned.

In Service was originally presented as a multimedia presentation featuring moving and still images and live narration from those who have served in Iraq. Fenlon, one of the original editors, has created a single-screen version of the show.

Tuesday, March 4

THIS MONTH AT THE SALON: Feb 08

2008-01-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

City of Gold, plus more 16mm films
presented by Joe Morrison

City of Gold (1957, Low, Koenig, 22 min.). A groundbreaking film about the Klondike Gold Rush, this National Film Board of Canada production was the first documentary to make extensive and meaningful use of archival photography. If you thought Ken Burns invented the “Ken Burns Effect”, come see City of Gold.

Plus, more vintage 16mm films:
The “educational film” market produced some incredibly dull films for classroom consumption. But mixed among them was some brilliant work by filmmakers of great integrity and artistic vision. Joe will bring a few from his collection to choose from, like:

Heartbeat of a Volcano (1970) Bert Van Bork
Joshua's Soapstone Carving (1981) Don McBrearty
and maybe even the beloved non-doc
Paddle to the Sea (1967) Bill Mason

If you started school after 1980 or so, come experience days of classroom yore. If “yore” pre-1980, relive your childhood—no spitballs!

Joe Morrison is Operations Manager at Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

Tuesday, Feb. 5
6:30p Food & Social
7:00p Screening

THIS MONTH AT THE SALON: Jan 08

2007-12-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

ANIMAL OWNERSHIP
Today I Baled Some Hay to Feed the Sheep the Coyotes Eat
presented by Will Zavala
A film about sheep ranching in Montana during lambing season.

"I know of no other place where one can observe so many ramifications of nature... the interrelation of birth, life, and death--even the philosophy of which might have come first."

Based on a book of the same name. Will wants to hear your thoughts on this newly-completed film.
(20 min., 2008)

Preceded by another animal film: Zoista Mezzo Forte
(3 min., 2001)

Tuesday, January 8
Admission is free.

(The Salon will meet on the first Tuesday of each month during
the Winter and Spring of 2008).

THIS MONTH AT THE SALON: Dec 07

2007-11-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

The (Steel) City of the Future
Presented by Salon member Ben Hernstrom
plus Allegheny Observatory short
Thursday, Dec. 6
FREE ADMISSION

Local Filmmaker Ben Hernstrom will present his 10 min. documentary on the current efforts to revitalize downtown Pittsburgh. Produced for Current TV (www.current.com) the piece features interviews with Councilman Bill Peduto, John Valentine (The Downtown Neighborhood Association), and Dan Onorato.

Preceding these will be a "visual prospectus" by member Dan Handley on his proposed documentary on the historic Allegheny Observatory.

Bill Peduto and John Valentine are scheduled to attend. (Dan Onorato and the Cultural Trust's Veronica Corpuz will hopefully attend as well, but at the time of writing could not be confirmed.)

THIS MONTH AT THE SALON: Nov 07

2007-10-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

NON-TRADITIONAL DOCS
Presented by Salon member Dan Handley
Thursday, November 1
FREE ADMISSION

Films will include Duck and Cover and excerpts from Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance. Each is an important classic and has been very influential in its own way among filmmakers.

Almost sixty years old, Duck and Cover also has an eerie relevance to the current political climate of cultivating and maintaining fear. From Wikipedia: Duck and Cover was a Social guidance film produced in 1951 by the United States federal government's Civil Defense branch shortly after the Soviet Union began nuclear testing. Written by Raymond J. Mauer and directed by Anthony Rizzo of Archer Productions and made with the help of schoolchildren from New York City and Astoria, New York, it was shown in schools as the cornerstone of the government's "duck and cover" public awareness campaign. The movie states that nuclear war could happen at any time without warning, and for U.S. citizens to keep this constantly in mind and be ever ready.
Duck and Cover (1952) 9 min.

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by minimalist composer Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke. The film consists primarily of slow motion and time-lapse photography of cities and natural landscapes across the United States. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and music. In the Hopi language,
the word Koyaanisqatsi means 'life of moral corruption and turmoil, life out of balance', and the film implies that modern humanity is living in such a way.
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982) 86 min. (excerpts)

ARCHIVE 2006-07

2007-09-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is a list of Salon Meeting screenings, and presenters, from its inception in April 2006 through October 2007.

07 October Panel Discussionwith Jim Seguin, Jose´Muniain, Mia Boccella-Hartle, and Peter Argentine
presented by the Documentary Salon with Women in Film and Media

07 September Kieslowski + Crimone
From The City Of Lodz (Kieslowski) and
Wooden, But Wonderful (Crimone)
presented by Justin Crimone

07 August Born Into Brothels (Briski, Kauffman)
Oscar-winning doc about a photography program for children of prostitutes in Calcutta.
presented by Aruna and Vikram Raman

07 July Brazilliant: Two Docs from Brazil
Agtux (Telling Stories) (Anaya) and
Ilha das Flores (Isle Of Flowers) (Furtado)
presented by Erica Peiffer and Will Zavala

07 June Billy JacksonDidn't We Ramble On? (Jackson) and
We Are Universal (Jackson)
presented by Billy Jackson

07 May Digging Up Roots: Filmmakers Look at their Parentsexcerpts from
Tarnation (Caouette) and
Tell Them Who You Are (Wexler)
presented by Glenn Gobbel

07 Apr Parade Roots: A Memorial Day Perspective (Wilhelm)
work-in-progress, about the Memorial Day Parade in Aspinwall, PA
presented by Clint Wilhelm

07 Mar Pascua Lama (Garcia, Loyola-Garcia)
work-in-progress, about plans to mine a remote region of Chile for gold, and its effects on the village of Pascua Lama,
presented by Gloria Garcia and Carolina Loyola-Garcia

07 Feb Wal-Mart From Many Angles
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (Greenwald)
Why Wal-Mart Works and Why this Makes Some People Crazy (Galloway, Galloway)
Frontline: Is Wal-Mart Good For America? (Young)
Store Wars: When Wal-mart Comes to Town (Peled)
presented by Barbra Labbie

07 Jan Music Docs
The Making of "The River In Reverse" album with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
The Beatles Anthology, excerpt,
presented by Henry Lipput

06 Dec The Other Side (Brown)
Filmmaker Bill Brown’s visual essay on the US/Mexico border,
presented by Erica Peiffer

06 Nov (no meeting)

06 Oct Rare Canadian and French Docs
The Hutterites (1964) (Low) about the Anabaptist religious group in Manitoba.
and
Le Sang de Bêtes (Blood of the Beasts) (1949), (Franju) A meticulous look at a slaughterhouse set in the mistily peaceful Parisian surroundings,
presented by Will Zavala

06 Sept The Center for Documentary Production & Study presents...
Student-produced films from the Center:
BVB Spirit (2005, Peiffer)
About the spirit of the modern-day soccer fan in a German city.
and
That's Amore (2006)
About the 10th celebration of Steubenville, Ohio's favorite son, Dean Martin.
presented by Jim Seguin

06 August Murray Avenue: A Community in Transition (Chamovitz)
focusing on three established Squirrel Hill stores and the changes in a traditional Jewish neighborhood,
presented by Sheila Chamovitz.

06 July Tara Alexander Veteran Pittsburgh filmmaker Tara Alexander presents recent works-in-progress, including birthing practices in Mexico.

06 June Cause and Effect: The True Story of My Family (2006, Moussoba)presented by Kayan Moussoba, Cause and Effect is a personal documentary about his Lebanese heritage.

06 May Films from South America
No Place, Nowhere (2004, Torres Leiva)
The Taking of Telerama (2005, Jean Ormaza)
presented by Mark Knobil and Karen Antonelli.

06 April When the Forests Ran Red (2001, Matzen, Foster)
The definitive documentary about Braddock's Defeat and the beginnings of the French and Indian War, presented by editor Tom Wilson.