Arab Labor is a raucous and irreverent critically acclaimed comedy series from Israel about Amjad, a Palestinian journalist and Israeli citizen in search of his identity. His personal quest for status and success as a journalist at a Jerusalem newspaper is foiled by the humiliating searches he endures everyday when he leaves his Palestinian neighborhood to commute to his job. In the midst of a walloping identity crisis, Amjad jockeys between two cultures as he tries to polish his image for his Jewish friends and colleagues while enjoying his own down-to-earth family life. The result is a comedy series that pierces the taboos of acceptable language and humor surrounding the prickly, long-standing status quo in which Palestinian and Jewish Israelis live side by side.
“Meet the Palestinian Seinfeld.”
-San Francisco Chronicle
“…groundbreaking and amazing…”
-Los Angeles Times
“It will tickle your funny bone, and maybe strike a nerve.”
-The Associated Press
“…a groundbreaking TV show…”
-The Chicago Tribune
“…barges through cultural barriers…”
-The New York Times
“It’s not really an Israeli version of Jerry Seinfeld, the Jewish American actor whose mother is a Syrian-Jew (making him my favorite Arab comedian, by the way). It’s more like the 1960s and 70s American TV sitcom, All in the Family, where race and race issues were ripped apart to make a social point.”
-Jerusalem Post
Over 40 years ago, on October 9, 1967, Ernesto Che Guevara was executed by the Bolivian army, aided by the CIA. Guevara’s diary, a detailed, personal account of his futile 11-month attempt to foment revolution in Bolivia, is the basis of this moving portrait. Che’s relationship with the mysterious Tania, his betrayal by local peasants, his constant battle with asthma, and his distress at the death of his comrades is recounted. Interviews with Bolivians who met Che during these final days, coupled with narrations from Che’s actual diaries, testify to a man who embraced sacrifice for his ideals. This is an enlightening insight into the real history of a revolutionary icon.
“…moving…”
- The New York Times
“…a revealing glimpse into the revolutionary mindset.”
- Chicago Tribune
“…a compelling portrait.”
- Seattle Weekly
“An understated, stunningly effective portrait.”
- Chicago Tribune
Death is real, it comes without warning and it cannot be escaped. An ancientsource of strength and guidance, The Tibetan Book of the Dead remains an essential teaching originating in the spiritual cultures of the Himalayas. Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this enlightening two-part series explores the sacred text and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to its profound wisdom.
Part 1:A Way of Life reveals the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and examines its traditional use in northern India, as well as its acceptance in Western hospices. Shot over a four-month period, the film contains footage of the rites and liturgies for a deceased Ladakhi elder and includes an interview with the Dalai Lama, who shares his views on the book’s meaning and importance.
Part 2:The Great Liberation follows an old lama and his novice monk as they guide a Himalayan villager into the afterlife using readings from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The soul’s 49-day journey towards rebirth is envisioned through actual photography of rarely seen Buddhist rituals, interwoven with groundbreaking animation by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ishu Patel.
Special Bonus Feature:The Trap - see what happens when Buddhist teachings are applied in a Nova Scotian fishing village.
Film of Special Merit Award
International Congress on Care of the Terminally
September 17 to 21, 1994
Montréal - Canada
Special Mention
Filmfest Medianet Award
May 27 to June 30, 1994
Munich - Germany
“Leonard Cohen’s narration, it must be said straight off, was perfect. No one else
could have succeeded so brilliantly at calmly and richly presenting this series.”
- Canadian Content
“The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a marvelous documentary creation. It is excellently written, and Leonard Cohen’s narration suits the theme beautifully. The cinematography is breathtaking: snow-capped, mighty mountains pinpricked by isolated towns provide suitable images of insignificant humanity in a vast, lonely, and hostile universe. Yet this view is juxtaposed with a sensitive portrayal of Tibetan Buddhism’s central tenet: To seek truth and practice compassion is the meaning and purpose of life. The characters of the lamas — filled with joy and compassion — imbue the film with the light of their eternal hopes for the world…This is a film that demands multiple viewing…Highly recommended.”
- CM Magazine, The Manitoba Library Association
What moves young, educated people to give up lives of material security for a spiritual quest that confronts uncertainty?
Filmed in the gorgeous countryside and ancient cities of India and Turkey, Through the Eastern Gate is a compelling documentary following the journeys of three young people who have turned their backs on the material comforts and distractions of the West to find meaning in the spiritual philosophies of the East.
Sister Yeshe Chodron’s journey leads her from Australia to the foothills of the Himalayas and life as a Buddhist nun. On a riverbank in southern India, Ronela Vainio, a native of Finland, immerses herself in tantric yoga. Lastly, Californian Aziz Abbatiello discovers his calling as a Sufi dervish in Turkey, where he prays, sings, and spins himself into spiritual ecstasy.
The idyllic settings in which these young people practice their disciplines sharply contrast the cramped landscape of the West and the often aimless lifestyle of their peers. The lives of the three spiritual novices, however, are not without challenges. They must leave their family behind and make material sacrifices. Ronela admits, “My family still wonders why I wanted to go so far away, why I don’t live like a normal human being.” In addition, attaining true spirituality requires tremendous effort and the patience to delve deep beneath the surface and not be distracted by the trappings of this world. “It’s easy to go around in circles”, says Aziz, “but to empty yourself of yourself, that’s a struggle”.
“…transcends the “lost youth” vibe to deliver a soul-provoking
look into the deeper meaning of life…”
- IndieWire
Sacred Love-Making is the kind of film that will awaken all of your senses, challenge you, enrich your intimate understanding, increase your spontaneity, cultivate your artistry, and– without a doubt– make you a better lover.
Watch as best-selling author and relationship expert, Karinna Kittles-Karsten, introduces ancient Taoist love secrets and rituals for deeper sexual satisfaction and emotional connection as she guides you through the Sacred Love-Making experience in this exquisitely beautiful, breakthrough educational DVD.
Karinna helps two married couples, one together four years and one twenty, take their most intimate relationship experience to new levels of passion, connection, communication, pleasure, freedom and sublime union. Follow these two couples at two different stages of their relationships and discover how you and your partner can experience the sensually sublime.
In a wooded glade somewhere near San Francisco, The Workshop challenges the rules of modern society by pushing all boundaries of normal convention - especially the sexual ones! A group of people agree to take part in a 10-day ‘workshop’ led by spiritual leader Paul Lowe in their search for a higher personal truth. On day one they are told to introduce themselves and meet everyone else - completely naked!
Searing emotional honesty, full nudity, experiments and sexuality and the exorcising of inner demons are the hallmarks of this groundbreaking and provocative documentary. Enlightenment achieved?…maybe. But definitely the naked truth…
“One of the most talked about films at the [2007] Tribeca Film Festival
…an extraordinarily frank and thought-provoking sexual odyssey which,
with the right exposure and a healthy pinch of salt, could be a zeitgeist,
talking-point film along the lines of What the Bleep Do We Know or Shortbus.”
-Mike Goodridge, Screen International
“The breakdown of convention is a wild ride, as Morgan chronicles love
triangles, couples struggling with monogamy and a gay man having sex with
a woman for the first time-all on camera. Jealousy, both emotional and physical,
erupts within the flock. It’s an amusing and emotional adventure in sex, love,
betrayal, fear and joy until the workshop ends.”
- Aaron Krach, Tribeca Film
Forgiveness: Stories of Our Time focuses on four individuals who have lived through events so painful and horrific they are unimaginable to most of us.
Lesley Parrott’s young daughter was stalked, raped and strangled. Anne Marie Hagan’s father was murdered by their next-door neighbor. Alan McBride’s wife and eight others were killed in an IRA bombing in Belfast. Reverend Julie Nicholson’s daughter was killed on the London underground in an al Qaeda bombing in 2004. Through heartfelt interviews and archival footage, these are the stories of men and women as they absorb, cope with and attempt to move beyond brutal events in their lives.
In a world wracked by increasing violence and horror, Forgiveness: Stories of Our Time brings hope that there are other possibilities beyond blind revenge – and that in forgiving others we can set ourselves free.
“Deeply moving.”
- The Globe and Mail
“…a groundbreaking documentary.”
- Hollywood Reporter
“This is a powerful film and although it’s heart wrenching and difficult to watch in some points,
it delivers by doing what good documentaries ought to do; it makes the viewer think.”
- Vitality Magazine
“The stories presented to the viewer are real in every sense of the word,
and this film is worth a look.”
- Anglican Journal
“This powerful film…takes us on a journey where hope triumphs
despite the suffering associated with such unimaginable loss.”
- Juicy Stuff
The American Ruling Class is a morality tale set to music about two Yale students who seek their opportunities after graduation. Lewis Lapham, the renowned essayist, author and longtime Harper’s Magazine editor, conducts them through the corridors of power – Pentagon press briefings, the World Economic Forum, philanthropic foundations, Washington law firms, banks, the Council on Foreign Relations and New York society dinners. As they make their way, the real-life luminaries they meet become characters in a dramatic story about power, its responsibilities and abuses. The subject is our country’s most taboo topic: class, power and privilege in our nominally democratic republic.
Part Monty Python, part Michael Moore, The American Ruling Class is an entertaining clarion call for all citizens to consider who has power, how they acquired it, and most importantly, how they keep it.
“A guided safari through the tribal haunts of the power elite.” -Vanity Fair
“The American Ruling Class k.o.’d me..a remarkable and revelatory documentary
…an astonishing program”
-Studs Terkel
Introduced and Hosted by
Lewis Lapham
Featuring interviews with
Robert Altman
James A. Baker
Bill Bradley
Harold Brown
Hodding Carter III
William T. Coleman, Jr.
Walter Cronkite
Barbara Ehrenreich
Vartan Gregorian
Mike Medavoy
Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
Samuel Peabody
Pete Seeger
Lawrence H. Summers
Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr.
William Howard Taft IV
Kurt Vonnegut
Howard Zinn
Last year nearly 400,000 women in the United States got breast implants. At a time when more women than ever are making this choice, fewer voices than ever seem to be asking “Why?” And fewer still are asking “Are they safe?” Absolutely Safe takes an open-minded, personal approach to the controversy over breast implant safety. Ultimately, Absolutely Safe is the story of everyday women who find themselves and their breasts in the tangled and confusing intersection of health, money, science, and beauty.
At its heart, Absolutely Safe is driven by the experience of the filmmaker’s own mother. Diagnosed in 1974 with breast tumors, Audrey Ciancutti underwent a double mastectomy with silicone-implant reconstruction surgery. A year later, her implants ruptured, and soon after, her health steadily declined. Like thousands of other women, Audrey believes her debilitating illnesses—joint pain, chronic fatigue, scleroderma– are linked to her breast implants; however, most doctors and researchers deny this link. Among the debate by plastic surgeons, toxicologists, attorneys, implant manufacturers, whistle blowers, government officials and activists, Absolutely Safe introduces more everyday women like Audrey who make choices about their breasts in our appearance driven culture.
Even though the FDA recently lifted its restrictions on silicone implants and approved them for wide-scale use, many serious questions remain regarding breast implant safety. However, Absolutely Safe reveals that the conversation on implant safety is far more complex than simple pros and cons. Rather, the real conversation, the most important conversation—with the most difficult and challenging questions—rests with viewers themselves, as all individuals in our culture ultimately face this confusing intersection of choice, risk, money, beauty, and health.
Absolutely Safe sparks this long overdue cultural conversation.
“It is the perfect antidote to ads and TV shows that now routinely mislead women into thinking that these devices have been proven to be safe.”
–Judy Norsigian, co-author and Executive Director, Our Bodies Ourselves
Please click here to find out how your purchase of Absolutely Safe can benefit Our Bodies Ourselves,
a landmark organization for women’s health.
Kate & Anna McGarrigle’s Holiday Concert with family and friends,
featuring Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Emmylou Harris, Laurie Anderson,
Lou Reed, Justin Bond, and more, (originally performed at Carnegie Hall on December 10th)
was taped live, in high-definition, at The Knitting Factory in New York City
on Thursday December 11th during a special performance.
This limited edition DVD, which will be released as A Not So Silent Night, is currently
in post-production and will be available for you to bring home soon!
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Death is real, it comes without warning and it cannot be escaped. An ancient source of strength and guidance, The Tibetan Book of the Dead remains an essential teaching originating in the spiritual cultures of the Himalayas. Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this enlightening two-part series explores the sacred text and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to its profound wisdom.
Forgiveness: Stories of Our Time focuses on four individuals who have lived through events so painful and horrific they are unimaginable to most of us.
