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Documentary Shorts #1

From dressing up cows for an annual county fair to competing for the most creatively decorated hearse, this collection of documentary short films celebrates the quirky realness we all exhibit as humans.

In this program


Dress A Cow

Directed by Dawn Luebbe

A meditation on cows…in costumes.

Janwaar

Directed by Danny Schmidt

JANWAAR celebrates a rambunctious group of kids whose lives are transformed when a skatepark is built in their small village in India. Raw talent, creativity, and unadulterated childhood find a home on four wheels, and manage to break down generations of caste and gender barriers in the process.

Myles Berrio – From Surviving To Thriving

Directed by Anil Dhokai

Myles Berrio shares how a car accident changed his life and how his outlook shaped his journey through recovery.

My Duduś

Directed by Tom Krawczyk

A Polish mother grieves when her only child leaves their home in Chicago to study in Poland. She finds a baby squirrel in her backyard and forms a unique and powerful bond with the animal, raising him as if he were her own child.

R. Carlos Nakai: The Sound Of Prayer Within

Directed by Jeremy Frindel

Native American Flute Master R. Carlos Nakai reflects upon the relationship between prayer and music in his work.

Tommy Kha’s Bits & Pieces

Directed by Jia Li

In his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee artist Tommy Kha dons a black garbage bag and a Batman mask before stepping in front of his camera and taking a photograph, recreating a scene from his childhood. Tommy, looking straight at his camera, photographs himself playing his younger self, an Asian-American boy searching for ways to be seen in a sometimes hostile culture. The moment encapsulates his unique creative vision, an uncanny mix of comic, tender, theatrical and documentary impulses. Now based in New York City, the artist frequently mines his own biography as well as the cultural landscape of his childhood to create photographs and installations that not only reveal the vulnerabilities and contradictions of his own self and family, but also critique the nature of representation itself. From his childhood backyard to his grandfather’s grave to Memphis’ famed Elvis Week gatherings, this short documentary film follows Tommy photographing throughout the city, as he tries to reconnect with his hometown and come to terms with fundamental questions about the self and his chosen medium. As Tommy asks, “Where do I stand in the picture? What’s the best way to arrive at ourselves through photography?”

First Final Ride

Directed by Evan Kidd

Don’t let your first ride in a hearse be your last. The story of Dirt Nap Fest. A hearse festival for all.

Bacon ‘N’ Laces

Directed by Stephen Michael Simon

A single dad of three boys manages a diner. But, there’s more to John than meets the eye.

Dates & Times

Past

The Independent Picture House

Sat, Oct 1
1:25 pm