Showing at the Tribeca Film Festival: The Other City, directed by Susan Koch
Synopsis from the film's website:
In every city, there's another city that people rarely ever see.
But this other city isn't just anywhere — it's in the capital of the most powerful country in the world. This is a story about sex and drugs, homelessness and health care. About politics and ideology, corruption and bureaucracy. About an epidemic that grew out of control while few people paid any attention or cared. This is a story about people who live in the shadow of the Capitol but remain almost invisible to the lawmakers and lobbyists who work there. This is the story of The Other City — "Washington" to most, "D.C." to its residents — a city that boasts a higher rate of HIV/AIDS than some countries in Africa and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Told through intimate, character-driven stories, and with unprecedented access to those living on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic, this documentary offers a raw, personal look at the "two Washingtons" — one that is affluent and powerful, the other that is overwhelmingly poor and powerless. And while Washington D.C. has the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the U.S., there are several cities across America that are also dealing with epidemic-like numbers.
With a disease that knows no borders, The Other City will resonate with a worldwide audience and speak to the disparities and inequities that exist in cities all over the world.
Showing posts with label washington dc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label washington dc. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Toe to Toe
Opening in New York at the Village East Cinema: Toe to Toe, directed by Emily Abt
Emily Abt's emotionally powerful feature, Toe To Toe, tells the story of a love/hate relationship between lacrosse mates Tosha and Jesse, two senior girls at a competitive Washington, D.C., prep school. Tosha is a fiercely determined African American scholarship student from Anacostia, one of Washington's poorest areas, while Jesse is a privileged, but troubled, white girl from Bethesda, who deals with promiscuous tendencies that pull her toward self-destruction. The two forge a close and genuine friendship on the field, but that bond is tested when the obstacles presented by societal circumstances threaten to tear them apart. Abt draws penetrating performances from bright, young talents Louisa Krause (Jesse) and Sonequa Martin (Tosha). Together they craft a complex story rich with nuance and authenticity, avoiding predictability and challenging tired racial narratives. Inspired by the disturbing fact that interracial friendships end at age 14 for 87 percent of American teenagers, Toe To Toe is a powerful reminder of the transforming power of honesty and the way that those who test us often make us better.
Emily Abt's emotionally powerful feature, Toe To Toe, tells the story of a love/hate relationship between lacrosse mates Tosha and Jesse, two senior girls at a competitive Washington, D.C., prep school. Tosha is a fiercely determined African American scholarship student from Anacostia, one of Washington's poorest areas, while Jesse is a privileged, but troubled, white girl from Bethesda, who deals with promiscuous tendencies that pull her toward self-destruction. The two forge a close and genuine friendship on the field, but that bond is tested when the obstacles presented by societal circumstances threaten to tear them apart. Abt draws penetrating performances from bright, young talents Louisa Krause (Jesse) and Sonequa Martin (Tosha). Together they craft a complex story rich with nuance and authenticity, avoiding predictability and challenging tired racial narratives. Inspired by the disturbing fact that interracial friendships end at age 14 for 87 percent of American teenagers, Toe To Toe is a powerful reminder of the transforming power of honesty and the way that those who test us often make us better.
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