2023 Films and Events

A time capsule of a year unlike any other, 2020 Chaos and Hope features a diverse group of individuals and renowned experts as they reflect on the year 2020. The film brings us face-to-face with the dramatic and emotional moments of the year – COVID-19, racial strife, political unrest, truth under fire, and increased economic disparity, all gathered into the perfect storm. Where do we go from here? It’s up to us to decide.

26.2 TO LIFE explores the transformative power of San Quentin State Prison's 1000 Mile Club, in which incarcerated men are coached by elite marathoners who come into the prison to train the runners for an annual marathon that takes place behind the walls of the prison. With a zero percent recidivism rate among the club's released members, the 1000 Mile Club shows how powerful community engagement can be, not just for the runners, but also for the volunteer coaches who gain a complex understanding of who ends up in prison and why and what true rehabilitation looks like.

Jo Standish, a passionate young pilot, is challenged by her grandmother to live her life on her own terms, but she finds herself at a crossroads when that could mean revealing her grandmother's long-buried secrets. When she returns to Molokai, Hawaii in 1977 for her grandfather’s funeral, she discovers that her grandmother’s quickly encroaching short-term memory loss reveals some long-hidden secrets. She's determined to discover whether or not her grandmother is an infamous aviatrix, why she's hidden on this island for so long, and if the truth will change her career and fortune.

Brian and Maggie, a struggling couple, decide to kidnap London MP Richard Hardy while visiting their local area. Hoping for a big payout, they're disappointed when Hardy's wife refuses to pay the ransom. Things take a surprising turn when Hardy offers to pay the ransom himself in return for keeping him there longer, knowing how good this will be for his political profile. But can they all trust each other to stick to the plan?

After a run in with the local hangman, a young outlaw finds himself bound and dangling by the ankles from an old ranch gate. He’s accused of robbing a stagecoach and making off with $1200 worth of bank bonds. And he isn’t alone. Strung up beside him are two others, accused of the same crime. The deal is simple: they tell the Hangman where to find the bonds, and he’ll set them free. But who, if anyone, is guilty? There’s Barry, down on his luck without a penny to his name. There’s this mysterious new guy who swears he “ain’t no outlaw” but whose stories aren’t adding up. And then there’s the man in the mustache; folks call him Catfish, the slipperiest eel in the West. Will he find them a way out of this? Or does he have plans of his own?

Ariel - Back to Buenos Aires is the story of a brother and sister who return to Argentina, the country of their birth, for the first time in their adult lives. Against the backdrop of the glamorous tango clubs of Buenos Aires, they uncover dark family secrets and the reason why their parents emigrated to Canada.

Art and Pep are the owners of the iconic Chicago bar Sidetrack. And they're also civil rights leaders who have been fighting for LGBTQ+ equality for decades; their activism focuses on their struggle to live and love freely. From being on the frontlines of the AIDS crisis to co-founding Equality Illinois, Art and Pep have been leading the fight all along, making Illinois one of the most progressive protectors of LGBTQ+ rights in the country. ART AND PEP is a look back at the long struggle for equality and the fight to love freely - and a look ahead at the work being carried on by a new generation of activists.

Shot over an unparalleled 10 years, BATATA follows the plight of Maria and her family of Syrian migrant workers who, after toiling for decades in Lebanon's fertile Bekaa valley, find themselves unable to return back to their hometown of Raqqa, Syria. Unique among the numerous refugee stories to date, director Noura Kevorkian's intimate camera captures an entire decade of marriages, births, and deaths, all the while documenting not just the age-old conflict between Syria and Lebanon, but, more importantly, the unbending spirit of a woman who puts family ahead of everything else.

This film takes us on a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool to the present-day poignancy of what would have been Marc Bolan's 75th birthday. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children's home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever. Years later, still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes her best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan to visit his shrine in London, where a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Bolan's Shoes is a joyful celebration of seventies culture and brims with the energy of that vibrant era, but, like Marc Bolan's legacy, its retro glitter is dimmed by the tragic repercussions of that deadly road accident. Light-hearted comedy and supernatural chills abound in this inspirational story that explores the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the life-affirming power of music.

Are you an experienced writer looking to push ahead with a comedy project? Or maybe you’ve got an itch to try your hand at funny writing in a fun, supportive environment? If so, this Woods Hole Film Festival writing workshop is for you! Over three days in beautiful Woods Hole, participants will read, discuss, be inspired, make new friends — and write funny stuff. Whether you’re interested in writing monologue jokes, sketches, longer comedy scripts, humorous fiction, or even song lyrics, veteran comedy writer Steve Young (leading his third Woods Hole comedy workshop) will help you make progress. Participants will collaborate on a comedy piece that will be performed live on Saturday evening as part of the Awards Night festivities. An opportunity to perform (if you want) as well as write!

A cook in his heyday, Camilo is now a worn-out fifty-year-old who works for a cleaning company. He is looking for a way to get back on track when an opportunity to rediscover his culinary passion finally presents itself. Everything is in place for this new beginning when Camilo receives a visit from his daughter Tania, with whom he has cut ties. She tells him that he is a grandfather and asks him to take care of her child while she undergoes her umpteenth stint in rehab. The arrival of this grandson will upset Camilo’s plans to get his own life back on track. There is a new beginning for him, but not the one he imagined.

Seed&Spark’s cornerstone class lays out the steps toward a successful crowdfunding campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with an audience. Attendees learn how to find your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more.

Dusty & Stones intimately chronicles the remarkable ride of cousins Gazi “Dusty” Simelane and Linda “Stones” Msibi, a determined duo of struggling country singers from the tiny African Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) who long for their big break. When they are unexpectedly invited to record their songs in Nashville and to compete in a Texas battle of the bands, Dusty and Stones embark on their long-awaited first pilgrimage to the ancestral heart of country music. Over a momentous ten-day road trip through the American South, Dusty and Stones bring their music to life in a top Nashville recording studio, explore the storied locales of their favorite country songs, and excitedly engage with the culture they’ve long felt part of from afar. But this sense of kinship is abruptly thrown into question when Dusty and Stones arrive in the small town of Jefferson, Texas to compete in the battle of the bands. There, the hostile leader of the local backing band threatens to derail their debut American performance. As their family and friends back home wait for good news, a shell-shocked Dusty and Stones take the stage and fight to bring home an award for Swaziland.

A desperate theater owner resuscitates his struggling business with off-the-wall productions, all the while losing sight of why he chose this life at all.

Four strangers come to Eden, a clandestine company in the middle of nature, to escape the troubles that plague them once and for all: a young woman broken by guilt who cannot forget her past, an old man who wants to avoid inflicting pain on his loved ones, a charismatic woman with a personality disorder, and a desperate man who hides a dark secret. But is it so simple to escape from the deepest trials of life?

On a blisteringly hot summer day, psychotherapist Ina notices something about her is amiss. But she doesn't have time to worry about it: patients are waiting at the practice, her daughter is threatening to move in with her father, her boyfriend wants to emigrate to Finland, and her self-centered mother is celebrating her 70th birthday. Ina wants to please everyone, but then a life-altering discovery changes everything.

Feast Your Ears: The Story of WHFS 102.3 will take you on a trip back to the 60s, 70s and 80s, when ''free form'' progressive FM radio was in its heyday in America. Broadcasting from ''high atop the Triangle Towers'' near Washington, DC, the legendary and beloved WHFS was more than just a local radio station - it was the voice of a generation. Hear from local, national and international musicians, the HFS deejays, record label veterans, journalists, historians, fans, and more as they reflect on a time when the music united a tribe who spoke out via the radio waves about war, equality, and a time of great social, cultural, and political upheaval.

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project is a feature documentary that takes us through the mindscape of legendary poet Nikki Giovanni as she reflects on her life and legacy. Nikki’s voice guides us across time and space, through dreams and remembrances, and across decades of American history as the film reimagines her most iconic work with visual lyricism fit for a poet. Present day finds Nikki in a late chapter of life, reckoning with health struggles and the inevitable march of time. However, in her art and dreams, Nikki ventures beyond her own lifetime to Middle Passage and Mars, always keeping hold of possibility. She urges us to dream of a better future where equity and justice reign and Black women lead, calling us to action with an unforgettable mantra: “We’re going to Mars.”

Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small multigenerational family farms over the course of four years. Through an intimate, observational lens, we examine the various farm stressors, policies, and politics farmers must maneuver to survive, connecting the dots between mental health, industrialization, food production, and climate change. It is a story of perseverance, patience, and determination that tackles the future of farming in America.

The renowned playwright and director James Lapine casually meets the 86-year-old Rose Styron - poet, journalist, human rights activist, and widow of the famed author William Styron - and is promptly invited to lunch. Expecting a couple of great stories, he brings along his camera. Fascinated by her tales, Rose becomes his Scheherazade over a period of six years as he learns of the fascinating and complicated life she has led and the people she has known, and along the way, he learns something about himself, too.

When an obsessive-compulsive teenager discovers her new home is haunted by the ghost of its previous occupant, she searches for a way to help him move on, only to discover they have far more in common than expected - and, in the process, they forge a connection that makes it hard for both of them to let go.

Following a miserable breakup, Jessica must now play maid-of-honor at her best friend's off-the-grid wedding in the woods, where she will be confronted by her more successful friends from college, her perfect ex-girlfriend, and every bad decision she’s made in life so far.

As the #1 American musical act of the 1970s, the Carpenters were on “Top of the World,” producing a string of pop masterpieces, including “Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” But behind closed doors, Karen’s quest for perfection resulted in low self-esteem, a disheartening love life, and a public battle with anorexia nervosa, which resulted in her untimely death at the age of only 32. She was the first in a long line of celebrities to suffer from this eating disorder during an era when the vastly misunderstood phenomenon brought shame and public humiliation. For the first time, we hear Karen Carpenter’s personal struggle in her own voice through never-before-released recordings - and through the legendary voices of those who knew her and were inspired by her music. The film provides astounding new insight into the singer’s tragically short life and her enduring musical legacy.

Central Appalachia is a place of mountains and myth. Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon knows this well, calling those mountains home. Coal has had a profound influence on this community’s identity, but Sheldon dares to consider what future stories might look like outside the shadow of coal, now that ourrelationships to coal are changing. The film takes us on an alluring cinematic journey through the past, present, and future of Appalachia. Sheldon’s distinct vision remixes present-day moments of life in a coal-mining town with archival footage and atmospheric invocations of the land to create something new — a rare, nuanced depiction of this community. The end of one story welcomes the beginning of another.

Gangster to some, philanthropist to others: who was the real Edward Jones? In the 30s and 40s, this descendant of slaves becomes one of the richest men in the United States thanks to the Policy business, an illegal numbers game, that ultimately became the modern State Lottery. But in those times of segregation, his success and unfailing support to the African American community were a problem. In conflict with both the mob and the Feds, he was forced into a life on the run. Exploring the rise and fall of the most famous Policy King of all times, the filmmaker, Edward Jones’ granddaughter, uncovers an unparalleled story, while showing the lasting repercussions of his life, both within her family and for Chicago’s South Side, where he was once the embodiment of the American dream.

KNOW YOUR PLACE is a slice-of-life drama set in present-day Seattle, WA. Robel Haile, an Eritrean-American boy of 15, embarks on an errand to deliver a huge and heavy suitcase across town destined for a sick family member in his parents’ homeland. He enlists the help of his best friend, Fahmi Tadesse. An unexpected turn transmutes his simple task into an odyssey across the city of Seattle, forcing him to navigate challenging directions to make his delivery on time and weather the challenges of familial responsibility, self-identification, and dislocation amid the ongoing redevelopment and economic displacement of the only community he’s ever known as home.

Lakelands takes place in a small town in the midlands of Ireland – the sort of place where Gaelic football is religion and identity is defined by what one can do on the pitch. The film tells the story of Cian Reilly, a young Gaelic footballer who struggles to come to terms with a career-ending injury after a violent attack on a night out. At the same time, he begins a friendship with Grace, a nurse who is back in town to look after her ailing father. Cian tries to find meaning in other areas of life, but the pull from the team and pressure from the town is too strong. He soon finds himself risking it all by returning to football against the doctor’s orders and considering seeking retribution against his assailants. The film depicts youth culture in the midlands that hasn’t been seen in Irish cinema ever before.

A long-distance couple meet in a small town between them once a month in an attempt to save their relationship. Over the course of six months, they begin to lose grip on what they once had.

Nothing symbolizes "making it in America" quite like owning a home. Yet today the racial gap in home ownership is widening, and those most impacted are women of color. Set in Detroit, LOCKED OUT brings us into the lives of courageous Black women who face evictions, predatory lenders, and the trials of traditional banking as they become ground fighters in a movement to battle modern-day redlining and housing injustice so that the American Dream may become a reality for all.

In filmmaker Maggie Contreras' directorial debut, five incredible women from around the world gather in Paris for "La Maestra," the only competition in the world for female conductors, to show the world the singular talent that unites them and which, for far too long, has been considered the pursuit of only men. Mothers, daughters, rebels, leaders – over four days, each take to the stage to compete: a mother of young twins from Athens, determined to show her kids anything is possible; a Ukrainian doing all she can to focus on her art and the competition in front of her while Russia invades her home country; a Polish student just starting out; a newlywed American grappling with the decision to start a family; and a French immigrant returning to the city that closed its doors to her many years ago. Personal stories of survival, passion, and perseverance are woven together with the drama and excitement of this one-of-a-kind event. The struggles and triumphs of the gifted artists in MAESTRA offer a microcosm for the challenges faced by women in every industry and in every walk of life today, while also providing valuable insights into how we may conduct ourselves as we create a new movement for a more equitable future.

A character-driven story is one of the compelling and engaging ways to drive a documentary, but it can be a complicated process to navigate—and one that is totally different from a traditional expository documentary. In this masterclass we’ll examine how to find characters that will make your story “pop,” how to make use of storytelling tools traditionally used in the narrative space to craft a story arc, how to remain flexible with the story, and how to bring it all together to create a memorable character-driven story that captivates viewers.

When Randi is diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband Brian, a conservative Midwest family man, embarks on an extraordinary journey to boost her morale that turns into a homespun prosthetic nipple business. All while, they must fly under the radar of their friends, their church, and their five children.

More than anything 8-year-old Zelma wants love. Only love will make her complete, the Mythology Sirens insist. But love is elusive when you are an outcast at school and a loner at home. Guided by the Sirens'' hypnotic songs, Zelma tries to change herself into the kind of girl she thinks boys like - cute, weak, demurring. But there are consequences, counters Biology. Zelma has DNA, millions of neural pathways, and a vast array of chemical reactions inside her brain that make up her personality. Zelma has no choice but to be a battleground of conflicts between the Mythology Sirens and Biology as she struggles to find her own ground. Coming of age brings blood and creepy compliments. Her early sexual encounters confound her. Tragically, her best college friend Darya dies in childbirth. Zelma is comforted by marriage to Sergei, but it soon veers into domestic abuse. A second marriage to gender-bending Bo, though brief, deepens her understanding of herself and her place in the world. Zelma’s story represents a journey of all women who try to fit in - to be the best woman they could be according to standards they did not set. Narrated by Zelma from an older age, ''My Love Affair With Marriage'' has a unique perspective on growing up female in traditional society.

Formed in late 2021, ARLO quickly hit the ground running. Since playing their first show in March of 2022, they’ve logged over 50 shows in the area already. Currently working on a handful of originals in the studio, there is plenty to look forward to from this trio. Mike Weir handles the guitar and vocals, Leo Ludwig lays down the low end and backing vocals, while Matt Walsh holds it together on the drums. Mike and Matt both have ties to Woods Hole; Mike is a researcher at WHOI and Matt is the mailman. As for the music, you can expect to hear everything from the Grateful Dead, the Beatles and U2 to Harry Styles, Amy Winehouse and everything in between.

In this coming-of-middle-age comedy, two brothers make a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles in order to move their somewhat estranged father into a retirement home.

Called “one of the Boston music scene's most valuable players” by The Art Fuse, Julian Loida is a percussionist, composer, and producer. Loida’s musical curiosity and open-mindedness has propelled him towards a wide-range of sounds, genres, and artistic endeavors. He’s performed jazz, folk, and classical, collaborating with dancers, visual artists, songwriters/composers, and musicians of all stripes. The thirst to participate in and experience this range of sounds is partly a product of Loida’s synesthesia. Music is a full- body experience for him, with sounds often invoking involuntary sensations of color, texture, or even taste.

The Willie J Laws Band is one of the most notable Blues acts with a modern funky style that’s uniquely its own. The band’s sound includes deep Texas roots music, add some funk, and jazz influenced bass patterns, and the influence of various Afro-Caribbean drum beats, a genre-bending sound tempered with a groove from Motown, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, the Gulf Coast of Texas, and New Orleans. This isn't strictly Blues, much of it is original music with it's own sound and tempo. You will enter the Willie J Laws Band musical train, cover a varied terrain with its assorted musical sounds. It's an exciting, fast moving train, and you will most definitely enjoy the ride! Come hear the “The Last Prophet of the Funky Texas Blues.”

For years, Patrick Dykstra has dedicated his life to traveling the globe and following and diving with whales. Over the years, Patrick has learned how whales see and hear, how they perceive other creatures in the water, and how they behave at close quarters. He has a finely tuned sense and knows how to act when within touching distance of a whale - what to do, what not to do, and when to do it. This allows him to consistently get closer to whales than anyone else alive - a truly unique skill. Patrick recently experienced a life-changing event. In Dominica, he had a close encounter with a female sperm whale. She seemed to be curious about him, coming within touching distance, pulsing him with her sonar. She studied him as he studied her. Patrick felt an overwhelming sense that she was genuinely trying to communicate. We follow Patrick as he travels to Dominica again to find this special whale he named “Dolores” so she can help him show us the hidden world of her species. Using stunning underwater footage, Patrick explores the fascinating nature of the sperm whale, attempting to shine a light on its intelligence and complexity, as well as highlighting its current and past relationship with humankind. The film follows his personal journey and explores the psychology of a man who has sacrificed everything in his single-minded quest to connect with and understand one of the biggest creatures in the ocean.

An emerging crisis in one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America ignites a heroic mission in PATROL. When illegal cattle ranchers decimate large swaths of rainforest, indigenous rangers join forces with an American conservationist and undercover journalists to expose the dark world of conflict beef.

Discover the life and music of jazz luminary Ron Carter, the most recorded bassist in history. Filmed over the course of six years, Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes invites viewers to meet the gentleman behind the bass. Best known as the rhythmic force in Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet, Carter has since amassed more than 2,500 musical credits over a prolific six-decade career. His unmistakable melodies and timbre accompany the likes of Chet Baker, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Paul Simon, and A Tribe Called Quest. Carter approaches every challenge with immovable grace and dedication, even in the face of discrimination and great personal loss. The film reflects on his early rejection as a Black musician in the white classical canon and how that experience shaped his career. “No one is gonna tell me what I cannot do,” he states in the film. “They may tell me I can’t work there. They may tell me I can’t go in their front door. But they’re not telling me what I can’t do.” Carter’s adaptability contributed to the breadth of his innovation. He revolutionized the bass’s role in modern music and set an example for Black musicians across all genres. In a rare private moment, Carter shared, “As offensive as being called a colored boy is, there have been times when I have been glad to be called that. I played Carnegie Hall. And I got to Carnegie Hall being a colored boy. I can live with that.” Featuring original concert footage and candid interviews with jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Stanley Clarke, and newcomer Jon Batiste, Finding the Right Notes is a vibrant portrait of one of America''s great musical trailblazers. “He’s creating his legacy every day. I think he’s been doing that for a long time. Every bass player today, whether they know it, like it, or whatever, when you play jazz bass, there’s a bit of Ron Carter in everyone.” - Stanley Clarke, bassist “Playing with Ron, that was one of the dreams I had. I mean everybody knew he would be the next guy in line to be the top jazz bass player.” - Herbie Hancock, pianist “The beautiful thing about jazz and maybe about all music is that it lends to individuality. You can identify Ron if you hear some music for a few moments, you can listen: ‘oh yeah, that’s Ron Carter.’” - Sonny Rollins, saxophonist From seven-time Emmy Award-winning director Peter Schnall, “Through six extraordinary years of filming and traveling together, Ron never ceased to amaze me with his warmth and grace. This project pulled me into a world I knew very little about - yet who better to journey with through that world than one of the great gentlemen of jazz? Everyone has heard sir Ron’s music, now they can finally hear his story.”

Filmed over an expanse of 25 years, two brothers go on a 2,000-mile road trip to solve a family mystery. Shooting on nearly every camera format imaginable, from hand-developed Super-8 film to Arri 4K, Sam Harkness and his older half brother Reed employ their creative world of fiction filmmaking to dive headfirst into dealing with the issue at hand: Sam’s mom is missing. Sam’s wetsuit and mask-wearing alter ego, the Blue Panther, bounds into frame with youthful energy and a heroic spirit of adventure. But can the Blue Panther save the day?

Beth (Vivian Kerr) has recently been laid off and struggles to maintain the appearance of a successful middle-class lifestyle as she bounces around Los Angeles. Hoping to land a new job and change her situation before her estranged older brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) finds out, Beth must confront her own pride in order to reconnect with him and provide for her young daughter, Birdy. Meanwhile, Ben and his wife Stacy (Lana Parrilla) consider a third round of IVF and Stacy, a successful attorney, must reevaluate her own conflicted relationship to motherhood.

"Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life." - John Lubbock

“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.” – George Bernard Shaw

After escaping a kidnapping, Meg travels with her husband, Scott, to his family’s isolated compound in Cape Cod. When they arrive, they discover they are not alone on the property. Scott’s odd aristocratic cousin, Madelin, is staying next door. Soon, Madelin’s presence is inescapable and Meg and Scott’s already fragile relationship begins to fracture. All the while, Meg is haunted by vivid nightmares, visions of an old woman in the woods, and a growing suspicion that Scott is hiding something.

How much should you crowdfund for? As much as you need to move your project forward! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to build a budget, utilize loans to make up your budget (conceptually as well as literally), navigate the ask, break down your script, and get creative with ways to cut costs without sacrificing your vision.

The Artist and the Astronaut tells the unlikely love story between the artist Pat Musick, a civil rights activist, and the Apollo astronaut Jerry Carr as they participate in some of the most historic events in human history. The film is filled with never-before-seen footage of the early space pioneers and features interviews with key figures from that era. It chronicles Pat’s and Jerry’s vastly different paths as they traverse uncertain times, eventually coming together to render some of America’s most enduring art. The Artist and the Astronaut is an uplifting love story proving that curiosity, perseverance, and empathy for others can be powerful agents of change. The story of the making of this documentary is as unlikely as the story depicted in the film. Bill Muench, a full-time teacher and basketball coach, at the urging of his wife, decides to make a documentary on a local Vermont couple. He embarked on this journey with no plan or budget. In the next six years, he traveled to nine states and two continents to interview numerous Apollo Astronauts, their wives, award-winning authors, artists, art historians, and even NASA directors of mission control. Eventually teaming with music legend, Todd Hobin, they produce a story that otherwise would have never been told.

A small town reels from the sudden and mysterious death of ''Feral Boy,'' a local legend since his discovery in the woods as a child. Father Moss, a priest with a loose grip on the faith, attempts to counsel the forlorn couple that raised the boy. As the answers are revealed, he finds parallels between this grisly incident and his own recurring nightmares, haunted in both sleeping and waking hours.

After a car accident leaves his family in need of his help, Thai returns home to Southern California, only to find his whole world in disarray. With mounting medical bills and secrets of their own, the family watches as Cher, a tough and stubborn Hmong father, suffers through the devastating effects of kidney failure. Thai struggles to choose between his fractured relationship with his family or a life free from the burden of traditions.

Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand, using only the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. This is "hedgerow couture," the greenest of slow fashion. It’s also the medicine that helps him survive the death of his wife, which leaves him and their four children bereft, and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her. ''Grasping the Nettle'' is at the heart of it. Making a dress this way becomes devotional, with every thread representing hours of loving attention. Over the course of seven years, Allan is transformed by the process as much as the nettles are. The challenge of making zero carbon clothing means re-learning ancient crafts: foraging, spinning, weaving, cutting, and sewing. Finally the dress is worn by one of his daughters, back in the woods where the nettles were picked. A modern-day fairytale and hymn to the healing power of nature and slow craft. "Exquisite and inspiring, beautiful and helpful for anyone suffering loss or grief." --Sir Mark Rylance

Join Moderator Tribekah Jordan, Tim Miller, Allyson Johnson, Sarah G. Vincent, Tim Jackson and Tom Meek, members of the Boston Society of Film Critics for a spirited discussion about the changing role of film critics in the age of artificial intelligence and streaming.

So you’ve made a short film or web series, and now you want to share it with the world (or a more specific audience than that)! But what comes next? We’ll break down the current landscape of distribution for independent short films and web series, including the economics of different avenues to take, the right questions to ask potential partners, and other information to arm yourself with as you enter negotiations.

As America raced to beat the Soviet Union to the moon, a Black astronaut candidate came closer to launching into space than anyone we ever knew. In THE SPACE RACE, directors Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists, and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men. The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact, and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a fresh history to explore.

In 1985, Willem de Kooning's "Woman-Ochre," one of the most valuable paintings of the 20th century, was cut from its frame at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. 32 years later, the painting was found hanging in a New Mexico home.

Join Christy Cashman, a Boston author and Founder of YouthINK, in conversation with Dave Forbes, a Cape Cod native and CCO of T-Omego Wind at the Woods Hole Film Festival. These two talented forces who share a deep passion for Cape Cod, creativity and horses, will give us a look behind the curtain on their exciting projects including Christy’s debut novel The Truth About Horses - Available August 15th. Guests will also be treated to a special screening of Brigid and the Wolves, a short film produced by YouthINK. www.Christycashman.com

Most people dream of a better future. Pedro, an aspiring social worker, is no different. But as a blind, undocumented immigrant, Pedro faces political restrictions to obtain his college degree, secure a job in his field, and support his family. As he finally graduates, uncertainty looms over Pedro. What starts as a journey to provide mental healthcare for his community ultimately transforms into Pedro’s path towards his own healing. Through experimental cinematography and sound, "unseen" reimagines the accessibility of cinema, while exploring the intersections of immigration, disability, and mental health.

When filmmaker Alex Rappoport met then-79-year-old abstract artist Peter Bradley in the winter of 2020, Bradley hadn't sold many paintings, nor had he had a major show in over four decades - yet he still painted every day in a shipping container studio heated by a wood stove. Over time, the pair recorded Peter's fascinating story, seemingly overlooked in art history. Bradley was the first Black haute art dealer in New York - likely the first Black abstract artist represented by a major New York gallery - and curator of what is considered the first integrated modern art show in America. Talented, willful, and arrogant, Bradley lived life to its fullest - until he fell upon hard times in the 1980s that nearly ended his career. At once an intimate portrait and a deep study of the creative process, WITH PETER BRADLEY is situated entirely at the artist’s rural home and studio, and unfolds over the course of changing seasons. The sole figure on screen, Bradley narrates his life in a series of conversations: often provocative, sometimes bitter, and full of surprises. We meet the artist at a critical juncture - deeply committed to the expressive power of color, painting gorgeous pictures at a prolific pace, but without an audience to appreciate them. Despite this lack of recognition, the film is buoyed by Peter’s exuberant spirit and warm sense of humor.

A driven ballerina who defected from the Soviet Union because of antisemitism and lack of artistic and personal freedom toes her way from being a principal dancer of the Boston Ballet to leading a diverse group of ballet students in their difficult journey to become professional dancers as they struggle with the challenges such as physical and emotional stress of intense ballet training. It is the story of her transition to the American ballet stage that led, after a 25-year career, to a new role as a teacher, and to new challenges as she struggles to adapt to the educational styles of American ballet. This documentary is unique in that it does not look back - the film is about present life and about the future for our children and new generations.

First impressions matter! Knowing when to start marketing yourself and/or your project is crucial to its success. Before you launch an endeavor, learn how to identify your marketing audience, the timing for your outreach, and how to present yourself with best industry practices. We’ll touch upon AI and how to use this tool to your advantage. WIFVNE Board of Director Kristen Falso-Capaldi will moderate this panel discussion with experienced professionals in the business. Christine Merser, Managing Partner of Blue Shoe Content; Gia Galligani, Executive Producer/Showrunner and Development Executive; and John Edginton, Documentary Film Director/Producer/Executive Producer.