Summary: In spite of mounting ecological damage, the Amazon Basin continues to nurture age-old stories and beliefs. This documentary illustrates the importance of indigenous narratives to those who dwell near the city of Iquitos, Peru, and view their natural surroundings in mythical terms. Concerning a young man who has recently gone missing in the forest, the film depicts his mother's attempts to find...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2009
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Summary: As Bill Cosby did for African-Americans, comedian George Lopez has worked to "normalize" the image of Latinos through television. This documentary offers behind-the-scenes access to Lopez' life as he shares his struggles to represent his community-not in a way that knuckles under to marketers, but in a manner true to the realities of Latino culture while embracing the potential of the...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2007
View online at AVOD
Summary: Most Americans engage in "retail therapy" from time to time, but what form does it take among immigrant populations? Is excessive shopping a way of coming to grips with a new culture-and leaving another behind? This program examines that possibility in the context of the Latino community, raising provocative questions about cultural identity, consumerism, and assimilation. Ten first-generation...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2009
View online at AVOD
Summary: As the entrenched racial labels "white" and "black" become less and less meaningful, Richard Rodriguez sees a definite future for a new one: "brown." In this program, Bill Moyers talks with the acclaimed memoirist, journalist, and social critic about the ways race, culture, class, and religion are reshaping the concept of identity in America today. Rodriguez's discussion with Moyers exposes...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2005
View online at AVOD
Summary: Latino culture is celebrated for its rich traditions, close-knit families, and strong faith, but being Latino and gay, bisexual, or transgender is often seen as unforgivable. This documentary examines the lives of six Latino GBT men and women, focusing on their relationships with their families as well as their culture, religion, and professional lives. Subjects include Gus and Marcelo, a...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2008
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Summary: For guidance northward, illegal immigrants from Latin America frequently enlist mercenary escorts known as "coyotes." This program examines one such charming and unseemly figure and the three Guatemalans who have placed their trust in him. Viewers follow the nervous foursome through checkpoints and river crossings as they employ unreliable forged documents and take on false identities-while...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2009
View online at AVOD
Summary: Guiding viewers through a rich mosaic of history and culture, this program evokes the complexities of Mexico as experienced by its own people. The nation's indigenous and Spanish roots are both explored through nuanced discussions of iconic cultural elements-for example, viewers learn how the Day of the Dead reflects the national character by merging Catholic and pre-Columbian traditions....
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2010
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Summary: Following the activities of gang members and undercover agents, this program investigates a group that some law enforcement experts have informally termed the New Mafia-a super-violent criminal franchise rooted in both El Salvador and the United States, known as MS-13 or Mara Salvatrucha. The film profiles two Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents who infiltrated the gang, re-creates a deep...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2010
View online at AVOD
Summary: In this program-a follow-up to the alarming 1960 broadcast Harvest of Shame, which first awakened the nation to the plight of migrant workers-correspondents Dan Rather and Randall Pinkston document the ongoing exploitation of America's invisible laborers while highlighting efforts being made to protect them. Topics of investigation include pesticide risks, the uneven enforcement of employment...
Format: software, multimedia
Publisher / Publication Date: Films Media Group 2005