Movies and TvShows featuring "community-action" theme.
The life of Henri Grouès, known as Abbé Pierre, from his time in the Resistance in WWII to his fights against poverty and for the homeless.
George McKenna, a dedicated principal, takes on the challenge of turning around a failing high school plagued by gang violence and low academic achievement. With determination and innovative approaches, he builds relationships with his students, instills a sense of pride and purpose, and leads them towards success. Based on a true story set in 1980s Los Angeles.
Waste Land is a documentary that follows artist Vik Muniz as he goes to the world's largest garbage dump in Rio de Janeiro and works with the catadores, or garbage pickers, to create art out of trash. The film explores the lives of the catadores and their struggles, as well as the transformative power of art and the importance of dignity for all individuals.
Postwar France was slow to recover from the after-effects of the World War Two. The economy was doing poorly, and many people were poor and homeless, sleeping under bridges, etc. The winter of 1953-54 proved particularly difficult for these people, as it was one of the coldest on record. Father Pierre (Lambert Wilson), a parish priest, on seeing the suffering of these people (and their frequent death from the cold), was moved to write the French government seeking help for them. When his letter, which was published in the newspapers, succeeded in rousing overwhelming popular support for helping the homeless, he was able to form a charitable group (still active today) titled "Les Chiffoniers d'Emmaus," or "The Ragpickers of Emmaus" to channel help to them. This biographical film tells the true story of Abbe Pierre's successful efforts in those years.
A Luta Continua explains the military struggle of the Liberation Front of Mozambique (FRELIMO) against the Portuguese. Produced and narrated by American activists Robert Van Lierop, it details the relationship of the liberation to the wider regional and continental demands for self-determination against minority rule. It notes the complicit roles of foreign governments and companies in supporting Portugal against the African nationalists. Footage from the front lines of the struggle helps contextualize FRELIMO's African socialist ideology, specifically the role of the military in building the new nation, a commitment to education, demands for sexual equality, the introduction of medical aid into the countryside, and the role of culture in creating a single national identity.
Street Fighting Men (2017) sheds light on the challenges faced by the community in Detroit, Michigan. It explores themes of poverty, racism, and the effects of globalization, as residents fight for justice, economic stability, and a better future.
The Interrupters is a documentary film that tells the story of three community activists in Chicago who try to interrupt the cycle of violence in their city. They work as violence interrupters, mediating conflicts and intervening in street disputes in an effort to prevent retaliatory violence. The film explores their efforts, the challenges they face, and the impact they have on the lives of the people they help.
In this sequel to the award-winning You’ve Been Trumped, director Anthony Baxter once again follows American billionaire Donald Trump and a cast of other greedy characters who want to turn some of the Earth’s most precious places into golf courses and playgrounds for the super rich. From the historic site of Dubrovnik to the ancient sand dunes and rolling green hills of the seaside town of Balmedie, these tycoons bully local residents, influence governments, ignore local referendums and even meddle in national environmental policies to acquire their latest trophies. With in-depth interviews and Baxter’s expert storytelling, we learn just how devastating these golf courses can be to the surrounding countryside and water tables. In this funny, inspiring and at times heartbreaking David and Goliath story for the 21st century, the locals don’t give in easily. But will their fight be enough to protect their land and traditional way of life?
Filmed in a squatter community of Labangon in Cebu, Philippines, Holding Our Ground is the inspiring story of a group of women who have organized collectively to pressure their government for land reform, to establish their own money-lending system and to create shelters for street kids. A story of grassroots organizing that can be a model in both hemispheres.
How the Monuments Came Down is a documentary film that explores the movement to remove Confederate monuments in Richmond, Virginia. It examines the history of these controversial statues, the cultural significance they hold, and the activism and community action that led to their removal. Through interviews with activists, politicians, historians, and community members, the film sheds light on the ongoing debate surrounding race, politics, and social change in America.
A documentary that chronicles the story of a group of local residents in Aberdeenshire, Scotland who confront and resist the construction of a golf course by real estate developer Donald Trump. The film explores themes of property disputes, ecological concerns, abuse of power, and social injustice.
Sarah Kamya is a school counselor in New York City. She began the project Little Diverse Libraries on June 3rd and has already raised over $13,000, supported black owned bookstores, and has distributed 775 books to Little Free Libraries across all 50 states. Sarah is helping educate communities while most importantly amplifying and empowering black voices.
The Garden is a documentary that tells the story of a community garden in South Central Los Angeles and its battle against a greedy real estate developer. The garden, which provides fresh produce and serves as an oasis in an urban setting, faces eviction when a property dispute arises. The film explores the themes of community involvement, economic development, and the power of collective action.
Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team is a documentary that tells the story of the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team and the community's fight to keep them in Seattle. The film explores the team's history, the heartbreaking relocation to Oklahoma City, and the efforts of fans and activists to bring basketball back to Seattle.
Small Market, Big Heart is a documentary film that delves into the story of the Sacramento Kings, a basketball team from a small market with a devoted and passionate fan base. The film explores the struggles and triumphs of the team, highlighting the impact it has on the community and the dedication of its supporters. Through interviews with players, coaches, and fans, the documentary provides an intimate look at the love and devotion that exists between the team and its city.
A prescient portrait of late-1970s Washington, D.C., that chronicles the city's creeping gentrification, the systematic expulsion of poor Black residents, and the community response in the form of the Seaton Street Project, in which tenants banded together to purchase buildings.
Using video recording technology, the citizens of Rosedale, once referred to as "the rear end of Alberta" by a frustrated citizen, pulled themselves together as a community. They formed a citizens' action committee, cleaned up the town, built a park, and negotiated with the government to install gas, water and sewage systems. And all this happened within five months.
"We are the renters of this world, not its masters," reminds Pooshkar, a precocious 13-year-old member of a youth environmental defense group in India. He and his fellow voraciously energetic students actively rally against the use of plastics. In Africa, a renaissance man teaches citizens to harness solar power to cook food. In Papua New Guinea, villagers practice sustainable logging to save their rainforests. A woman in London uses her PR savvy to start a successful environmental communications firm. Self-described "hillbillies" in Appalachia battle the big business behind strip mining. In this rich and inspiring documentary, director Brian Hill takes us around the world to find the ordinary people taking action in the fight to save our environment.
GARBAGE DREAMS follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade and growing up in the world's largest garbage village. It is the home to 60,000 Zaballeen, Egypt's 'garbage people.' When their community is suddenly faced with the globalization of their trade, each boy is forced to make choices that will impact his life and the future of his community.