The Green Creature Within

The Work(en)

Set entirely inside Folsom Prison, The Work follows three men during four days of intensive group therapy with convicts, revealing an intimate and powerful portrait of authentic human transformation that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation.

Tough Guys(en)

10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.

A Flea Market Documentary(en)

A Flea Market Documentary is a new PBS special and an all-American celebration of open-air shopping across the country. On any weekend, there may be no better place to find out what makes America great than at a flea market. A Flea Market Documentary is an unabashed celebration of the unusual people and the enticing things that can be found in parking lots, fairgrounds, drive-ins, sidewalks, and wherever else someone has posted a sign saying "Flea Market." It's capitalism mixed with craziness. It's amazing old stuff, great salespeople, the ancient tradition of the open-air market, and the possibility of finding a bargain, all uniting shoppers across the nation. Produced by WQED Pittsburgh, A Flea Market Documentary travels from the gigantic Rose Bowl Market in Pasadena, California, to the busy but modest- sized Eastern Market in Washington, DC, talking with organizers, vendors, food merchants and shoppers.

Children of the Camps(en)

Documentary following six Americans of Japanese ancestry who were held in U.S. internment camps during World War II.

The Falcons(hy)

The Falcons is an intimate, observational documentary that delves into the world of the Tshakhruk Ethnoband, a remarkable musical ensemble in the Armenian highlands. Comprised of special-needs children that reside at the state orphanage, these young musicians find solace, strength, and self-expression through the transformative power of music.

Focus On Heroin(en)

This film points out the risks of being a heroin addict. Explains that addicts cannot be identified solely with one particular socio-economic level and cannot always be detected by appearance. Addicts and ex-addicts describe the first and subsequent drugs they used.

Victims Fight Back(en)

Shocking documentary centering on victims of violent crime who seek to get revenge on their assailants.

Drug Talk: Some Current Drug Programs(en)

Explores the issues junior high and high schools were facing surrounding teen drug use. Looks at several very integrated public schools and programs being developed in them to prevent drug abuse. Includes the police lecture, the ex-addict, the youth organizer, and the "rap room." Anti-drug program organizers seek students' perspectives and knowledge about drugs. Some nice images of 1970s teens looking very stoned.

The Best of WQED(en)

Television was still a pretty new concept back in 1953 when a group of like-minded leaders got together and decided that what Pittsburgh needed was its own community-owned educational television station. It would be the first one in the country. One year later, WQED Pittsburgh was on the air and making broadcast history. The Best of WQED showcases some of t he station's earliest programs including "The Children's Corner," with Josie Carey and Fred Rogers. Rare archival footage and photographs take viewers on a journey through the early days of television and reintroduces them to the people and programs that became part of the lives of thousands of Pittsburghers. The Best of WQED is hosted by WQED Cooks' Chris Fennimore and features seldom-seen footage of everyone from Art Rooney Sr. to Martha Graham to early Rick Sebak to the Great TV Auction.

Stress(de)

"The trauma of 9/11, the ideology of violent retribution, military service as a patriotic family tradition, the “unfairness” of today’s warfare – in their voice-overs, five young Afghanistan war veterans first establish familiar foundations. Joe, Torrie, Mike, James and Justin from Pittsburgh are slow to show us their faces. Physically unharmed but full of inner pain they have become the misunderstood upon their return. Their violent experiences speak a language that the people at home don’t understand.

A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner(en)

This intimate, uncannily moving documentary profiles Norma Canner, a pioneer in dance movement therapy, who found in dance a way to help people who had been discarded by society. The film traces the evolution of Norma's career from Broadway actress in the '40s, through her ground-breaking work in creative movement with disabled and mentally retarded children in the '60s, to her present work as a dance therapist with adults. Utilizing drawing, music, theater, and dance in the context of other modes of therapy, her work has proved extraordinarily beneficial for handicapped individuals, as well as providing cathartic healing experiences for those with deep emotional scars; And her work with children who were blind, deaf, or autistic has became a model.

Le chemin brut de Lisette et Romain(fr)

Kennywood Memories(en)

It’s roller coasters! French fries! And lots of good times! It’s a high-flying, double dipped, screeching, squealing, scream-your-eyes-out documentary about one of America’s greatest amusement parks, Kennywood!

The Spirit of Pittsburgh(en)

THE SPIRIT OF PITTSBURGH celebrates the human achievement of a city's continuing Renaissance. It is the heroic story of how Pittsburgh, once plagued by industrial pollution and urban blight, was transformed in just 40 years to what it is today. It is a story told by people who were intimately involved in its change - scientists, politicians, teachers, construction workers, business and community leaders. Unique archival footage dramatically portrays Pittsburgh's past; stunning photography captures the city today - from its hills, bridges and rivers to the medical, educational and artistic communities in its mosaic of neighborhoods. This is Pittsburgh, a place whose people take pride in their heritage and in their ever-changing home. THE SPIRIT OF PITTSBURGH was commissioned by The Pittsburgh Foundation of Dollar Bank. Look for this remarkable film at its permanent home in the Renaissance Theatre of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

L'Arc-en-ciel éclaté(ar)

Inner Freedom(es)

A man tries to get a group of young people trapped in drugs out through philosophy.

Great Old Amusement Parks(en)

On a Hot Summer day, there may be no better place on earth than a traditional amusement park. A place where you can hop on a classic wooden coaster, reach for the ring as you whirl by on the merry-go-round, or cool down on the Caterpillar. In this documentary, you get to visit some of America's most charming parks from Lake Compounce in Connecticut to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in California. You get to gallop on the Derby Racer at Playland, go with the flow on the Boat Chute at Lake Winnepesaukah, and rock on Deno's Wonder Wheel at Coney Island. And of course there are coasters, including the Thunderbolt at Kennywood, the Cyclone at Astroland, the Raven at Holiday World, and San Diego's Giant Dipper!

The Ocean - Five Years(en)

An early morning phone call in 2017 changed the lives of two teenage brothers bonded by their love of percussion. One died tragically in a car accident while the other determined to make sense of his loss through music.

Downtown Pittsburgh(en)

This documentary explores the wonders of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rick Sebak narrates while you are taken on a nostalgic journey through downtown Pittsburgh's rich history as a bustling American urban center. The film explores downtown Pittsburgh's culture, history, architecture, and secrets. With new and archival footage.

Houses Around Here(en)

Looking in other people’s houses can be fun. And in southwestern Pennsylvania, it doesn’t matter if you live in a city neighborhood like Friendship or in rural Washington County, you can find wonderful houses not far away that reveal much about the history, the culture and the people in this comfy corner of the state.