La Palabra
A grandmother and a grandson develop a bond as they work to translate her Spanish poems into English, and perform them together.
Learn MoreLand for Sale
Eleni is about to fulfill her grandmother's wish, and crosses the UN Buffer Zone which partitions the Greek Cypriot in the south and the Turkish Cypriot in the north. The journey becomes an emotional ride as she visits her grandmother's forsaken village.
Learn MoreDay
The boys call him Red, but his name is Joseph. He strolls the campus grounds alone while illegal booze and smuggled girls swarm his university dorms. Even if he were to try, he would not fit in. How can he - when his only friend is his worst enemy?
Learn MoreFate of a Fruit
When senior widower Don is partially paralyzed with a stroke, living with his divorcee son and granddaughter may no longer be an option. Confronted with the limit of their ability to care for each other, they take a ride on a bright Sunday afternoon to reflect on where their relationship has been and where it's going.
Learn MoreA Saturday Morning
Negra and Tapon work with the full intention of fighting against their reality. They have had enough and will not settle for what life has given them, even if it means loosing a bit of their humanity. Three teens head to breakfast at a high end restaurant in their new car. They have no care in the world other than gossip when was the last shooting in this dangerous town of northern Mexico. Characters from different worlds in the same city - two different realities existing during a silent war.
Learn MoreSweet Sixteen
Her only wish on her 16th birthday quickly turns into a nightmare. Haley, an adopted Chinese American girl wants to find out about her biological family in China. In searching for her loved ones, she uncovers a 16-year old secret.
Learn MoreSinging Was the Only Way Through
Photographs of asylum inmates dance with the ghosts of doctors and speak with the spirits of plants in this hybrid documentary that explores the mind's ability to heal from pain. "Singing Was the Only Way Through" uses charcoal and collage animation, time-lapse photography, and a journey through the grounds of an abandoned psychiatric institution to reflect on a power shared by doctors and artists to mold the meaning of our collective realities. It wonders what we lose when we pathologize the full range of our emotions and yet still fail to alleviate the suffering of those of us in anguish. Are we crazy or do we live in a crazy world? Who has the power to decide?
Learn MoreDon’t Feed the Trolls
Don't Feed the Trolls is a film both by and for the fans. It is a documentary which delves into the world of fandoms by giving real fans the narrative power. Distinct as individuals, but united in their message, fans will explore the existence of stereotypical "nerd" representations in the media and explore hidden facets of fandom communities.
Learn MoreThe Brothers Texas
Every family has a secret and The Brothers Texas are no different. After their mother abandons them, Austin and Dallas are left to raise their little brother, Houston. On his 13th birthday, Houston finally builds up the courage to ask his crush to be his girl but will all his wishes come true?
Learn MoreToasted Marshmallows
Anoushka Ratnarajah grew up in a mixed race family in a conservative town plagued with racial discrimination where questions like “what are you?” and “where are you from?” were part of her daily existence. After her Sri Lankan grandmother passes it becomes more difficult to connect to the culture she was separated from. Through their grief, Anoushka and her father take an unforgettable first journey to the place of their homeland to meet family they never knew they had and uncover the distant parts of their heritage.
Learn MoreThe Coup
The 1953 Military Coup uncovers the untold documentary story of how the British, in collaboration with Grand Ayatollah of Iran, over threw the secular government of Dr. Mossadegh at the cost of Iran's oil nationalization and its nascent secular democracy. With the help of a beautiful aristocratic tango dancer, a son traces his father's memories (after facing Alzheimer's) and discovers secret British embassy correspondences and networks that reveal the British ties to religious fanaticism of past and current Iran.
Learn MoreZio Ninuccio
Carmine Ametrano is one of the few remaining farmers practicing traditional winemaking on Mt. Vesuvius in southern Italy. It is a technique that goes back to the ancient civilisation of Pompeii. Following Carmine through the course of a year’s harvest, this documentary explores the inherent hard work and beauty of his winemaking. Carmine is just a one craftsmen whose tradition is in danger of disappearing. "Zio Ninuccio" is a tribute to dying traditions around the world. Please visit Zio Ninuccio Film website Follow my Facebook page!
Learn MoreSeyrusefer
Seyrusefer (English: Cruising) tells the story of Istanbul’s city ferry system and its hardworking crew. Straddling Asia and Europe, Istanbul is divided by the beautiful Bosphorus, whose bustling waterway breathes life into the city from day to night. Ferries play a vital role in daily life, helping Istanbulites commute from one continent to the other around the clock. Seyrusefer follows Sehir Hatlari, Istanbul’s oldest ferry company, and offers a glimpse into the life of their crew. Because of their 24 hour shifts, these crews have learned to work and live as a family… even down to arguing over whose turn it is to do the dishes.
Learn MoreCITY BOYS
As a teenager growing up in the 1980s writer/director Ron Dodd discovers a "coming out" novel called A Boy's Own Story. The book gives him a glimpse into a world far removed from his family's farm in rural Texas, and begins a life-long fascination with its author Edmund White. CITY BOYS traces the filmmaker's journey from isolated teenager to self-accepting gay man, similar to that of his literary hero, whose unapologetic, autobiographical novels explore his own personal struggles against the backdrop of a half-century of LGBT history. Woven together, CITY BOYS creates a rich portrait of a lonely, but determined young man who finds inspiration in the books of a celebrated author and cultural icon.
Learn MoreENERGY 11105
The boat graveyard is one of the largest collections of historical boats in the United States. They all have their own life story, but many of these stories have disappeared with the crew and captains. This short documentary brings audience to an amazing journey to the mysterious shipyard, revealing complex layers materials of boats’ constructions. This is part of their unique language, which the film explores visually.
Learn MorePicnic
Through a little boy’s magical journey in life, his expectations of “family” are always set very high. After failing to achieve this many times, we find that he is repeating the life of his parents...
Learn MorePortraits Of An Incest Survivor
A picture is worth a thousand words. PORTRAIT OF AN INCEST SURVIVOR, will paint a picture and each stroke will be a brief look into the lives of five extraordinary and courageous people from different cultures, backgrounds and walks of life who have survived the trauma of being sexually abused not by a stranger, but by a member of their family. Poetry and an interview with Rachel Lloyd, author of “Girls Like Us” and founder of GEMS (Girls Educational Mentoring Services) weave the film together as Alviria, Angelia, Ashton, Jamillah and Soyini break their silence to tell their stories of surviving incest.
Learn MoreSunnyside
Fernando, a Latino day laborer tries to find a job on the streets of Queens in New York City, however, he fails to do so. Instead of waiting on the street to find his next job he tries to find one himself. Finally, he finds a job as a snow-shoveler. This film follows a day in the life of a day laborer.
Learn MoreJanuary 30th
Set in Harlem, New York, when the sun rises on January 30th, Rocky Lands is haunted by thoughts of the inevitable event happening the next day. The following 24 hours prove to not only be emotionally taxing, but she discovers her strengths and vulnerabilities and decides what Loyalty really means.
Learn MoreFinding Home
Akash, an Investment banker and Javed Ali, a New York City taxi cab driver get into immigration problems and have one month to decide where they belong. They both deal with the dilemma of belonging, man’s struggle for better life and choice between love Vs money, a choice between one’s motherland and foreign country.
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Cityvisions is the annual capstone event at which the MFA students from the program in Media Arts Production at The City College of New York screen and premiere their thesis films. This event is a major festival held in June at a Manhattan theater, including an awards ceremony. This year’s showcase will be held at DGA Theatre in Manhattan (110 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019). Screenings begin on Thursday, May 29 at 6:00pm. Seating is free and general admission. The event will continue through Friday, May 30 at 6:00pm.
The festival is a juried event with judges from the film industry awarding prizes to promising filmmakers in twelve categories. Guest speakers at past Cityvisions events include Christine Vachon, Alan Heim, DA Pennebaker, Sigourney Weaver, Hal Hartley, Peter Bogdanovich and Albert Maysles. Some of our award sponsors include: Eastman Kodak, New Line Cinema, The National Board of Review, New York Women in Film & Television, CUNY-TV, AbelCine, Princess Grace Foundation-USA Awards, Technicolor and PostWorks. Cityvisions attracts an audience of over 1,200 people, including distributors, agents, film festival directors and cinema lovers from the New York community.