America ReFramed

History teacher Mike Zahs uncovers a trove of 19th century showreels of one of America's first motion picture impresarios, William Franklin Brinton. Zahs sets out to restore these showreels and present them to today’s audiences. In this portrait of an unlikely Midwestern folk hero, SAVING BRINTON offers a meditation on the legacy of illusionist Frank Brinton, and the magic of living history.

The youth of Camden, NJ, one of America’s poorest cities, don’t know who to fear more - the police or the violent drug dealers. Bryan Morton leads a charge to reclaim Pyne Poynt Park as a safe space for little league teams and the community. Against all odds, Morton rallies an array of stakeholders and transforms Pyne Poynt into a field of dreams where the youth can play freely in the field.

DETROIT 48202: CONVERSATIONS ALONG A POSTAL ROUTE explores the rise, demise and contested resurgence of the "motor city" through a multi-generational choir of voices who reside in mail carrier Wendell Watkins’s work route. Blamed for the devastation - disinvestment to bankruptcy - but determined to survive, the community offers creative solutions to re-imagine a more inclusive and equitable city.

Following the Civil War, all-Black towns emerged in what is now modern-day Oklahoma. Initially founded in an effort to convince the U.S. to create an all-Black state, only a few towns cling heroically to life. STRUGGLE & HOPE gives voice to the stories of the last remaining residents, while charting their fight to ensure their towns retain independence, character and hope for a better future.

Born in Mississippi, Leo “Bud” Welch’s recording and touring career begins at the age of 81. With the support of his dedicated manager, veteran Vencie Varnad, Leo’s Blues career takes him to festivals across the South and all the way to Austria. With just a handful of Bluesmen left in the U.S., LATE BLOSSOM BLUES offers a glimpse into the daily life of one of America’s living musical treasures.

Although medical interventions have kept him alive well beyond his prognosis of cystic fibrosis, 28-year-old Ethan Rice and his family live in constant uncertainty and everyday question how long they can go on fighting. In a culture that often looks away from death, EXIT MUSIC explores the intimate and complex path of terminal illness. What will Ethan’s absence mean to those he leaves behind?

Parents recount in disbelief the unimaginable trauma of forgetting their children in the car and being responsible for their deaths. Through their honest and personal stories, DEATH OF A CHILD provides insight into what it means to live with what they have done. These tragedies carry social stigma but talk about responsibility, parenting, stigmatization and shame ultimately lead to forgiveness.

In virtually every city, state and strip mall across the U.S., women get their nails done in salons likely owned by Vietnamese entrepreneurs. How did this community come to dominate an $8 billion dollar nail economy? NAILED IT takes viewers from Los Angeles to the Bronx to meet the people behind this booming and sometimes controversial industry.

After the brutal slaying of her teenage son, Janet Connors reaches out to her son’s killers to offer forgiveness. She establishes a connection with one of them in the hopes that their bond will help him turn his life around. Inspired by Native American tradition, Janet and other mothers of murdered children form peacemaking circles to help young people break the chain of violence and revenge.

Banned from attending Georgia’s top five public universities and from paying in-state tuition at other public colleges in the state, DACA students like Alejandro, Silvia, and Aldo unite through their activist work with an immigrants’ rights group. A humanizing portrait of the undocumented, we learn of their struggles as working families support their children in pursuit of their dreams.

Alexandria, Jake, Caitlin and Veronica reveal what it’s like to live with physical disabilities. Their parents search out opportunities where they are accepted and feel valued, such as a dance program in Queens, NY. With the help of a loving community, the students prepare for a spring recital. Throughout all, they become eloquent advocates for the powers of inclusion, respect and empathy.