"Memory is everything. Without it we are nothing," says neuroscientist Eric Kandel, winner of the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking research on the physiology of the brain's storage of memories. As he explains, memory is the glue that binds our mental life together and provides a sense of continuity in our lives.

IN SEARCH OF MEMORY is a compelling blend of autobiography and history that recounts the life of one of the most important neuroscientists of the 20th century and illuminates scientific developments in our understanding of the brain's role in recording and preserving memory. In addition to archival footage and dramatic re-creations of Kandel's childhood experiences in Nazi-occupied Vienna and his formative years as an emigrant in New York, the film features discussions with Kandel, friends and family, as well as his public lectures in Vienna and New York, which explore both his professional and personal life, especially his emotional ties to Judaism.

Both through its personal journey into the memory of this amazingly spry and witty 79-year old, especially his traumatic experiences during the Holocaust, and a visit to his Columbia University laboratory, where Kandel and his colleagues demonstrate their experimental research, IN SEARCH OF MEMORY examines how the brain stores memories, the difference between short-term and long-term memory, Alzheimer's and age-related memory loss, and structural modifications to the brain that enhance memory.

In revisiting the people, places and objects of Kandel's lifetime experiences, IN SEARCH OF MEMORY reveals how everything we undergo changes the brain, even our genetic make-up, and can determine the focus of a life's work.

NR, 95 Minutes
Icarus Films, USA, 2010
Official Website: http://icarusfilms.com

Nobel-winner Eric Kandel in person Fri, Jan 8 at 7:35!

Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel, whose life and work is profiled in the new documentary IN SEARCH OF MEMORY, will appear in person for a discussion on opening night, Friday, January 8, following the 7:35pm screening.

"Mentally stimulating and emotionally affecting."
- Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Location Name:  IFC Center

Address: 323 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street, New York, NY

Tribeca Cinemas announces the return of the two-day series "Tribeca Cinemas Presents: Docs on the Shortlist." Curated by the Tribeca Film Festival programming team, the series offers filmgoers the opportunity to see a selection of the documentary contenders shortlisted for the nomination for Best Feature Documentary for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Docs on the Shortlist is hosted by the Tribeca Film Institute's Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, which offers finishing funds to documentaries of social significance.

Launching on Friday, January 8, and continuing Saturday, January 9, the two-day series brings together filmmakers who have been involved with previous editions of the Tribeca Film Festival to screen their new documentary films, which are currently being recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Six of the 15 documentaries under consideration for nomination will be screened; the films in the series are: The Cove, Food, Inc., Living in Emergency, Soundtrack for a Revolution, Under Our Skin, and Which Way Home.

Tickets: Tickets go on sale December 16, 2009. Admission for each film screening is $10 for regular tickets; $8 for members of the Guilds (PGA, DGA, WGA and SAG), members of BAFTA East Coast, DocuClub, IDA, IFP, and/or Shooting People with a valid membership card and full-time students with current I.D.; free for Academy Members.

Public Information:
Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street (corner of Laight), New York, NY 10013
The public may call 212/941.2001 for further information. Visit us on the Web at www.tribecafilm.com/docseries
Subway: A, C, E - Canal Street/6 Avenue; 1 - Canal Street/Varick Street

SCREENING SCHEDULE

Friday January 8

6:30pm
Which Way Home, directed by Rebecca Cammisa
Running time: 82 minutes
Director Rebecca Cammisa will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion.
As the United States continues to build a wall between itself and Mexico, Which Way Home shows the personal side of immigration through the eyes of children who face harrowing dangers with enormous courage and resourcefulness as they endeavor to make it to the United States.

The film follows several unaccompanied child migrants as they journey through Mexico en route to the U.S. on a freight train they call "The Beast ." Director Rebecca Cammisa (Sister Helen) tracks the stories of children like Olga and Freddy, nine-year old Hondurans who are desperately trying to reach their families in Minnesota, and Jose, a ten-year-old El Salvadoran who has been abandoned by smugglers and ends up alone in a Mexican detention center; and focuses on Kevin, a canny, streetwise 14-year-old Honduran whose mother hopes that he will reach New York City and send money back to his family. These are stories of hope and courage, disappointment and sorrow. They are the ones you never hear about - the invisible ones.
Courtesy of HBO. World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.

9:00pm
Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner
Running time: 93 minutes
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers, and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli - the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farms' Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising - and often shocking - truths about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation, and where we are going from here.

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. World Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival.

Saturday January 9

1:00pm
Living in Emergency, directed by Mark Hopkins
Running time: 93 minutes

Bosnia. Rwanda. Kosovo. Sierra Leone. Pakistan. Just a few of the world's humanitarian and political crises in the past years. Whether the result of war or nature, these disasters devastate populations and cripple health systems. Despite the immense dangers and difficulties of the work, one organization, Doctors Without Borders, has continuously intervened at these frontlines of overwhelming human need.

Set in war-torn Congo and post-conflict Liberia, Living in Emergency interweaves the stories of four volunteers with Doctors Without Borders as they struggle to provide emergency medical care under the most extreme conditions.

Two volunteers are new recruits: a 26 year-old Australian doctor stranded in a remote bush clinic and an American surgeon struggling to cope under the load of emergency cases in a shattered capital city. Two others are experienced field hands: a dynamic Head of Mission, valiantly trying to keep morale high and tensions under control, and an exhausted veteran, who has seen too much horror and wants out.

Amidst the chaos, each volunteer must confront the severe challenges of the work, the tough choices, and the limits of their own idealism.

World Premiered at Venice Film Festival.

3:30pm
Soundtrack for a Revolution, directed Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
Running time: 81 minutes

SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music -the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality.

The film features new performances of the freedom songs by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots; riveting archival footage; and interviews with civil rights foot soldiers and leaders, including Congressman John Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, and Ambassador Andrew Young.

The freedom songs evolved from slave chants, from the labor movement, and especially from the black church. The music enabled blacks to sing words they could not say, and it was crucial in helping the protesters as they faced down brutal aggression with dignity and non-violence. The infectious energy of the songs swept people up and empowered them to fight for their rights.

SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION celebrates the vitality of this music. Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman (Nanking), and executive produced by Danny Glover, SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION is a vibrant blend of heart-wrenching interviews, dramatic images, and thrilling contemporary performances -- a film of significance, energy, and power.

World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.

6:00pm
The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos
Running time: 92 minutes
Director Louie Psihoyos will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion.

In the 1960's, Richard O'Barry was the world's leading authority on dolphin training, working on the set of the popular television program Flipper. Day in and day out, O'Barry kept the dolphins working and television audiences smiling. But one day, that all came to an end. The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos, tells the amazing true story of how Psihoyos, O'Barry and an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions. World Premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

8:30pm
Under Our Skin, directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson
Running time: 103 minutes

A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money, Under Our Skin exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time.

Each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are "all in their head." Following the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a haunting picture of the healthcare system and a medical establishment all too willing to put profits ahead of patients.
World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.

 

 

Wednesday, January 13 - 8:00PM
Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Blvd., LA, CA 90028
www.americancinematheque.com

Los Angeles Premiere! GIRLS ON THE WALL, ITVS, 2009, 62 min. Dir. Heather Ross. What happens when a group of incarcerated teenage girls get a shot at redemption via a musical based on their lives? This award-winning documentary introduces us to three unforgettable girls whose sense of humor is all the more surprising as we hear the stories that brought them to lockup during the writing and staging of their production.

Discussion following with director Heather Ross. Plus, starting at 7 PM, a live hip hop session in the courtyard featuring the breakdance stylings of the "ANTICS" b-girl crew, plus some of the city's finest teen MCs. Trailer | Official Website

Direct link: http://www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2010/Egyptian/specialevent_JAN_ET_2010.htm#GIRLS%20ON%20THE%20WALL

Tickets: General Admission $11. Tickets are available in advance on www.fandango.com IDA members can purchase tickets for the discounted rate of $9 at the box office only. Simply show your IDA membership card or mention that you are an IDA member. This discount is good for up to two tickets per IDA member.

 

 

Location Name:  Egyptian Theatre

Address: 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028

The UCLASchoolof Theater, Film and Television,
Melnitz Movies, and
The International Documentary Association

A Documentary Salon Screening

VALENTINO, THE LAST EMPEROR

A film by Matt TYRNAUER

An intimate fly-on-the-wall exploration of the singular world of one of Italy's most famous men provides a first-time glimpse into Valentino's world of bygone glamour. Filmed from June 2005 to July 2007, the crew shot over 250 hours of footage with exclusive, unprecedented access to Valentino and his entourage. The resulting non-fiction film is a portrait of an extraordinary partnership - the longest running in fashion - and a story about a master confronting the final act of his celebrated career.

Q&A with Matt Tyrnauer willfollow the screening

Thursday, January 14, 2010 @ 7:30 PM
UCLA James Bridges Theater

This event is free and open to the public.

James Bridges Theater is located in Melnitz Hall at the northeast corner of UCLA's campus (Nearest cross streets are Sunset and Hilgard in Westwood) $10 parking in Lot#3

Location Name:  UCLA - Melnitz Hall

Address: Los Angeles, CA

The LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES
In association with the LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY presents
"ALOUD at Central Library"-Lectures, Readings, Performances & Discussions

[ALOUD] at Central Library
Tue, Jan 19, 7:00 PM
Q & A WITH KJERSTIN ERICKSON
FAR FROM GONE
Documentary film screening

Join us for this intimate and moving portrayal of two Congolese refugees, Stephen and Boniface, who both found themselves in a desolate refugee camp in Zambia after narrowly escaping from their war-torn country.

 Kjerstin Erickson is the founder and Executive Director of FORGE. Kjerstin started FORGE in 2003, while a junior at Stanford University. Now 26, she continues to manage FORGE's operations, growth and development. She has developed partnerships with UN agencies and has worked with multiple African governments to bring FORGE's work to over 60,000 refugees per year. An avid blogger and pioneer of ‘radical transparency,’ Kjerstin’s social media efforts have been profiled in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the San Francisco Chronicle, and in 2009 FORGE was honored with the Jenzabar Foundation's "Social Media Leadership Award." Kjerstin has also been named a Haas Public Service Fellow at Stanford University, one of America's "Top 40 Leaders Under 40" by the New Leaders Council, a "Top 10 College Woman" by Glamour Magazine, and a "Person You Should Know" by CNN. Ms. Erickson holds a degree in Public Policy from Stanford University, with a concentration in Global Development Solutions.

Ticket Price: FREE
Reservations Recommended: www.aloudla.org or (213) 228-7025
Central Library Mark Taper Auditorium, Fifth & Flower Streets, Downtown Los Angeles
Parking: 524 S. Flower St. Garage, $1 until 8:45 p.m. with Los Angeles Public Library card validation

Soundtrack for a Revolution

Starts Fri, Jan 22!

Fri, Jan 22-Sun, Jan 24 at 2pm
Mon, Jan 25-Thu, Jan 28 at 4:30pm

Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman

(2009) 82min

Soundtrack for a Revolution tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music-the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality. The film features new performances of the freedom songs by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots; riveting archival footage; and interviews with civil rights foot soldiers and leaders, including Congressman John Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, and Ambassador Andrew Young. Soundtrack for a Revolution is a vibrant blend of heart-wrenching interviews, dramatic images, and thrilling contemporary performances-a film of significance, energy, and power.

Synopsis courtesy of the film's official website.

Location Name:  BAM - NY

An Evening With Caveh Zahedi
Sunday, January 31 - 7:30pm
Caveh Zahedi present for discussion
Suggested donation $7

 

 

Caveh Zahedi is an autobiographical writer/actor/director who combines both dramatic and documentary elements in his work. He is a Guggenheim recipient, a Rome Prize Fellow, a MacDowell Fellow, and a winner of the 2005 Gotham Award for "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You." His films include A Little Stiff (1991), I Don't Hate Las Vegas Anymore (1994), In The Bathtub of the World (2001), and I Am A Sex Addict (2005). He has also appeared as an actor in Waking Life (2001), A Sign From God (2000), Money Buys Happiness (1999), and Citizen Ruth (1996).
 

Location Name:  Union Docs

Address: 322 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211