Michael Kantor
Roberta Flack’s place in music history was assured when she became the first artist to win back-to-back Grammy Awards for Record of the Year with “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (1973) and “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (1974). The depth and complexity of her lyrical and thematic choices, as well as the sophisticated mix of classical and soul influences on her style, all sprang from a woman who thoughtfully interrogated her role and identity throughout her life. Filmmaker Antonino D’Ambrosio has created a marvelous monument to a singular and unclassifiable musical genius, with commentary from contemporary artists whom she has inspired.
Amy Tan has established herself as one of America’s most respected literary voices. Born to Chinese immigrant parents, it would be decades before the author of The Joy Luck Club would fully understand the inherited trauma rooted in the legacies of women who survived the Chinese tradition of concubinage.
The life and legacy of Helen Keller, including how she used her celebrity to advocate for human rights and social justice for women, the poor and people with disabilities.
Tells the inspiring story of how six iconic African American female entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier – challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes, and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage is a warm and revealing portrait of the charismatic, groundbreaking actor’s journey from his native Puerto Rico to the creative hotbed of 1960s New York City, to prominence on Broadway and in Hollywood. Filled with passion, determination and joy, Juliá’s brilliant and daring career was tragically cut short by his untimely death at age 54.
A visionary, innovator, and originator who defied categorization and embodied the word cool—a foray into the life and career of musical and cultural icon Miles Davis.
This artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller examines her life, her works, and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career. Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics, and colleagues on an exploration of race, history, the United States, and the human condition.
The life and career of the hailed Hollywood movie star and underappreciated genius inventor, Hedy Lamarr.
From Schubert to Strauss, Bach to Brahms, Mozart to…Billy Joel, Itzhak Perlman’s violin playing transcends mere performance to evoke the celebrations and struggles of real life. Director Alison Chernick’s (The Jeff Koons Show, Matthew Barney: No Restraint) new documentary provides an intimate, cinéma vérité look at the remarkable life and career of this musician, widely considered the world’s greatest violinist. Features new interviews with the world-renowned violinist, his family, friends and colleagues including Billy Joel, Alan Alda, pianist Martha Argerich and cellist Mischa Maisky.
An analysis of director Sidney Lumet's work (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) in his own words, based on a five-day interview recorded shortly before his death.
Is it true what they say in Spamalot (“You won’t make it on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews”)? Tracing Broadway’s Yiddish roots, and exploring back-stories behind many landmark shows from Showboat to Wicked, filmmaker Michael Kantor chronicles the unique role of Jewish musicians in the creation of the modern American musical. This joyful and intelligent documentary features interviews with many theatre artists, rare archival footage and recordings from original Broadway productions, and unforgettable anecdotes (hearing about Ethel Merman’s irreverent behavior at a Passover Seder during the rehearsals for Gypsy will leave you in hysterics).
Examines the dawn of the comic book genre and its powerful legacy, as well as the evolution of the characters who leapt from the pages over the last 75 years and their ongoing worldwide cultural impact. It chronicles how these disposable diversions were subject to intense government scrutiny for their influence on American children and how they were created in large part by the children of immigrants whose fierce loyalty to a new homeland laid the foundation for a multi-billion-dollar industry that is an influential part of our national identity.
The Banjo Project is a cross-media cultural odyssey: a major television documentary, a live stage/multi-media performance, and a website that chronicle the journey of America’s quintessential instrument—the banjo—from its African roots to the 21st century. It’s a collaboration between Emmy-winning writer-producer Marc Fields and banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka (the Project’s Music Director), one of the most acclaimed acoustic musicians of his generation.
This six part documentary miniseries presents the evolution of the Broadway musical from its inception in 1893 to current day 2004. It presents those influential players both on stage and behind the scenes, as well as a variety of influential Broadway shows, a handful which are known to have transformed the musical into what the audience knows it to be today.
Composer, record, TV and film producer, arranger, instrumentalist, magazine founder and multi-media entrepreneur - Quincy Jones has done it all. In his 50-year career, he has won 26 Grammy awards and an Emmy, earned seven Oscar nominations and helped ignite the career of megastar Michael Jackson. American Masters takes an all-access look at this remarkable star of the world stage. Narrated by Harry Belafonte, Quincy Jones: In the Pocket features interviews with friends and contemporaries such as former President Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou and Sidney Poitier. This candid profile also includes behind-the-scenes footage of the historic "We Are the World" all-star recording session, in-studio clips of Frank Sinatra and other exclusive visual materials.
A documentary exploring the life, career, art and legacy of Marian Anderson.
