Hosted by Robert Redford, Global Focus – The New Environmentalists, is an Emmy-award winning six part series, featuring intimate portraits of six passionate and dedicated activists from around the world. All have been honored with the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of the environmental world. These fearless grassroots leaders are taking on government and corporate interests and working to improve the environment and living conditions in their own communities and for the entire world. The series' three producers – John Antonelli, Tom Dusenbery and Will Parrinello circled the globe many times to bring these stories to the screen.
Sol d' Or Award Catalan International Environmental Film Festival,
Mion Environmental Film Award,
Best Short Documentary Woods Hole,
Environmental Conservation Award Vatavaran India Environmental Film Festival.
Broadcast on PBS stations and on the Sundance Channel's primetime programming block, The Green.
"... documents brave and audacious environmentalists, as they struggle to protect the earth."
—San Francisco Chronicle
Narrated by Richard Gere, Mustang – Journey of Transformation, tells the remarkable story of a 15th century Tibetan culture pulled back from the brink of extinction through the restoration of its most sacred sites. Featuring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the film is a tale of hope and rebirth told by the people who helped save this once Forbidden Kingdom.
Special Jury Award, Documentary EcoVision Palermo, Sicily,
Audience Award, World Cinema Short Maui Film Festival,
Best Film On Mountain
Culture Taos Mountain Film Festival,
Best Documentary Sundial Film Festival.
"... combines stunning Himalayan vistas, with a story about a place that time has literally forgotten ..."
—The Aspen Times
"... One nearly surefire way to know if a film is very good is wishing
it were twice as long ..."
—The San Francisco Chronicle
Emile Norman – By His Own Design. Emile Norman may be one of the most indomitable artists you never heard of. At age 90, this self taught California artist is still working with the same passion for life, art, nature, and freedom that inspired him through seven decades of a changing art scene and turbulent times for a gay man in America.
HBO Audience Award Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
Nationally broadcast on PBS.
"You will want to keep your eyes on Will Parrinello's Emile Norman – By His Own Design ... it's
greater theme is making room in the world for living the life you want to lead."
—Los Angeles Times
"... not just a simple portrait of an artist but also a love story."
—San Francisco Chronicle
"... an artistic history of post World War II America, and an eye-opener for anybody who's never heard of this gifted creative mind."
—Orlando Sentinel
Angle of Inspiration. Like other grand works of public art, Santiago Calatrava's Sundial Bridge has generated both awe and opposition — and changed the image of the town of Redding, California. Angle of Inspiration documents the process of turning an architect's vision into a one of a kind bridge, and in the process of creating a new center of town: connecting the two sides of the river, and stirring the passions of every resident.
An interview with Calatrava, architect of the train station at Ground Zero and the Olympic Stadium in Athens, anchors the documentary. Produced by John Antonelli and Jessica Abbe, narrated by actress Jill Eikenberry (LA Law), original music by Jon Herbst.
Best Short Documentary Turks & Caicos Film Festival,
Best Short Documentary Orinda Film Festival.
Broadcast on PBS stations.
"When a community welcomes an architect like Santiago Calatrava into its midst, it's life-transforming. It's the kind of experience for which there really is no substitute."
—Herbert Muschamp, New York Times
Dreaming of Tibet is a film about the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship. This heart-rending documentary traces the lives of three Tibetan exiles as they build new lives as "strangers in strange lands" while striving to maintain their own culture.
Audience Award Amnesty International Film Festival,
Chris Award Columbus Film Festival,
Cine Golden Eagle Award.
Congressional Human Rights Caucus screening.
Airing on PBS stations and LinkTV.
"... a moving documentary."
—Oakland Tribune
"... beautifully photographed, lyrical film."
—Marin IJ
"Engaging ... lovingly presented ... an important addition to collections."
—School Library Journal
Little Italy is a warm look at the struggles and triumphs of three generations of Italian Americans, from Ellis Island to The Godfather. Poignant tales of immigration and assimilation, memories of Italian mothers with indomitable spirits and the music, art and food of Italian American culture are vividly recounted by those who grew up in the Little Italy's of North Beach in San Francisco and the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx, including such personalities as August Coppola, Diane di Prima, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Chazz Palminteri.
Gold Hugo Award Chicago Film Festival,
Golden Gate Award Certificate San Francisco Internatonal Film Festival.
PBS pledge program.
"
a warm look at the Italian American Experience
—Walter Goodman, New York Times
riveting
wonderful and uplifiting.
—San Francisco Examiner
seductive
this documentary has almost a poetic form.
—San Jose Mercury News
very tenderly told
bursts with heart, humor, warmth, tradition
and respect.
—New York Daily News
Sumo Basho The rituals, traditions and spectacle of Japan's ancient national sport serve as background to this documentary about the first accredited Sumo match held on American soil. The film goes behind the scenes with the sport's first two foreign champions, the Hawaiian-born Akebono and Konishiki.
Best Film Gold Award Houston International Film Festival,
Gold Award Worldfest – Charleston,
PBS Best of the West – Documentary – Pacific Mountain Network Awards.
Broadcast on PBS stations. Emmy Award Nomination.
"You'll be impressed with this documentary in two ways: the athleticism of these behemoths is surprising – but even more unexpectedly, the excitement generated by only seconds-long confrontations is amazingly intense."
—San Jose Mercury News
Yen for Baseball In 1935 Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and a team of All Stars first visited Japan on a "goodwill tour." The Americans won 17 of 18 games. But the Japanese stuck with it and by 1998 the American All-Stars came within one game of loosing their series to the Japanese. Along the way they learn that baseball is played differently under Japanese rules.
Broadcast on PBS stations. Emmy Award Nomination.
"
an intriguing look at the differences between Japanese and American culture and a delightful half hour for baseball fans."
—Contra Costa Times
Kerouac – King of the Beats follows Kerouac on the road from the life of a beat in New York City, across the country to California, as he set out to find the real America and himself. Driven by a period jazz soundtrack, archival photographs, film clips, interviews with those who knew him, like Allen Ginsberg, William S Burroughs and Lawerence Ferlinghetti, dramatic recreations of his life, readings from his books, and scholarly commentary provide insight into this icon of the Beat generation.
Blue Ribbon American Film Festival,
Gold Apple Award National Educational Film Festival.
National theatrical distribution.
Broadcast on PBS, A & E, The Learning Channel and numerous foreign markets.
This handsome, well-made documentary drama on the short lived but prolific writer of the Beat Generation stands as one the best films of its kind.
—San Francisco Chronicle
Its like being in the car with Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady as the pair barreled back and forth across the country.
—Denver Post