Behind the Smoke(2023)

Prisoners of Fire(en)

June 26,1990, the Dude Fire rages across Zane Gray country in the towering ponderosa forests below the Mogollon Rim in Central Arizona, killing five prison crew members and a female supervisor on her first fire. Follow along with the survivors and firefighters as they share their experience as inmate firefighters and their harrowing story of courage, loss and redemption.

9/11 Firehouse(en)

Documentary film recounting the story of Ten House, the fire station right next to the World Trade Center, and the experiences of its firefighters on 9/11

Surviving 9/11(en)

9/11 was perhaps the defining historical event of the postwar era. Broadcast live around the world like horrifying theatre, it was a moment in history imprinted onto people's memories. But what was it like to actually live through, and how easy is it to move on from a day that society wants to go on remembering? Twenty years on, this film brings together 13 ordinary people who were caught in an event they weren't able to fully comprehend at the time and which they are still working through.

The last horse-drawn fire engines in Copenhagen(da)

La regla de Gala(es)

Gala is preparing for the firefighter exam when she gets her period accompanied by severe menstrual pain. Together with her father Alfonso, they must figure out how to manage the situation.

Light my fire(en)

In a loveless marriage of convenience, Edith fights to win her distant husband Nolan's heart, but as secrets emerge, Edith must decide if Nolan is worth fighting for or if it's time to walk away

The Fire Triangle(en)

"The Fire Triangle" presents different types of fires (electrical, chemical, etc.) and firefighting techniques, while exploring the "triangle" conception of fire, consisting of heat, fuel and oxygen. Shot in Los Angeles with the cooperation of the LAFD, it dates to 1962.

Mururoa 1973(en)

In 1973 Alister Barry joined the crew of a protest boat (The Fri) to Mururoa Atoll, where the French Government were testing nuclear weapons. Barry records the assembly of the crew, the long journey from Northland, and their reception in the test zone; when The Fri was boarded and impounded by French military he had to hide his camera in a barrel of oranges.

Utopiaggia - Un rêve de liberté en Italie(fr)

At the beginning of the 1980s, a group of Germans ventured into a social experiment: in the remote hills of Umbria, they founded a self-sufficient community beyond consumerism and bland gainful employment. After 40 years, the rural commune still exists. Not all the plans have come to fruition over the years. How are the dropouts doing today?

A Norman Rockwell Christmas(en)

Could there ever really be a Christmas without Norman Rockwell? For three generations, America's most beloved and popular artist treated us with his inspiring, fun-loving and wonderfully optimistic portraits of American life. To Rockwell, people were at their best during holidays and Christmas was certainly his favorite. Join Eddie Albert and Ross Malinger (TV's Good Advice) as they host this nostalgic, heartwarming look at the illustrious world of Norman Rockwell. With the help of the magnificent 170 voices of the world famous Pacific Chorale, you'll experience these Christmas scenes springing to life with all the magic and wonder Rockwell originally envisioned. Lift your spirits with this Christmas adventure you'll watch again and again!

Son of South Sudan(en)

Manute Bol stood tall at 7'7. But it's what he stood FOR that defined him.

Revolution: A History of the Sports Bra(en)

A history of this vital underclothing, from the Jogbra invented by friends Lisa Lindahl, Hinda Miller and Polly Smith to its biggest moment -- Brandi Chastain's triumphant reveal after the United States won the 1999 World Cup.

Candlelight(es)

Nearly four months after the historically devastating Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, only half of the island has power back. “Candlelight” is a journey through the storm’s aftermath and the events that changed Puerto Rico forever. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of the Puerto Rican people.

On The Wings of Brancusi(en)

Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), the most important sculptor of the first half of the 20th century, has been a fascinating and enduring influence on a generation of contemporary American artists. Insights into Brancusi’s legacy are presented by Carl Andre, Lynda Benglis, Ellsworth Kelly, Martin Puryear, Richard Serra, and Joel Shapiro, with additional commentary on Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Roy Lichtenstein, Isamu Noguchi,and Claes Oldenburg. In 1995, Anne d’Harnoncourt, Director Emeritus of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, asked Checkerboard to document the PMA’s acclaimed retrospective on Brancusi for the Museum’s archive. The resulting footage became the genesis of the documentary.

Pornografia(en)

An essay-film about images and politicians.

Laila(en)

Laila Paattinen is a working woman. Tired of low-paying jobs, she completed a five-month course in dry-wall installation. Because she had chosen a non-traditional job for women, she ran into resistance in the marketplace. She finally solved her problems by opening her own dry-wall application business. A useful film for women seeking non-traditional jobs.

Awakening from the 20th Century(en)

"Awakening from the 20th Century" contends with the collision between the actual and the virtual in the city of San Francisco. "Is life becoming virtual?" Lord asks. "Are we witnessing the end of the City? Will the computer replace the automobile?" These questions are taken up by six prominent writers, musicians, and multi-media workers, who describe their own shifting relationships to technology and public space within the city. Awakening from the 20th Century is structured around imagery from several San Francisco sites: the broadcast transmission tower Sutro Tower; "Critical Mass," an activist bicycle event; and locations from the Dashiel Hammet Walking Tour, which are interspersed with scenes from The Maltese Falcon.

Blink of an Eye(en)

Based on his book, Michael Waltrip recounts the 2001 Daytona 500 and the lighting-fast transition from elation to mourning - as he took the checkered flag to win while Dale Earnhardt, his friend and team owner, crashed in Turn 4 behind him. Earnhardt's death and the events of the race had a profound effect on Waltrip, shown in this documentary.

El Quijote desde la platea(es)

How Don Quixote de la Mancha, the immortal character created by Miguel de Cervantes in 1605, has been depicted in cinema, television, cartoons, theater, opera, ballet and other artistic disciplines. An adventure that began more than four hundred years ago in the pages of a book and is far from coming to an end.

La La La(fr)

When the silent cinema learned to speak, the audience was surprised not only by the voices of the actors and the sound effects, but also by a new element, the music, which, combined with the dance and an unprejudiced imagination, gave rise to a new genre, as important to Hollywood cinema as the western was: the musical. A journey through the history of this genre, from its beginnings to the present day.