Videos that Stimulate Discussion and Inspire Action
Below is a listing of videos that depict specific dialogue and deliberation models.? Since there are also many fabulous videos that are great tools for stimulating D&D on intergroup relations issues, we also list some of those - as well as sources for more such videos that may not be listed here. If you know of a video that should be added, let us know!? Email with your suggestion.
Intergroup Dialogue (Various Models)
Videos that inspire dialogue and deliberation about intergroup relations issues
Sources for more for intergroup-related videos
Intergroup Dialogue (Various Models)
Bridge to Baghdad. 2003. Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV). 60 minutes.
On March 1st, 2003, while world leaders met behind closed doors, 6 young Americans and 7 young Iraqis took part in a historic dialogue. At Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV), a loft in lower Manhattan, and at the Orfali Art Gallery in Baghdad, these youths were able to meet face to face. Transcending time zones and national borders, they spoke freely as war approached. For more info and to purchase the program, go to www.dctvny.org/b2b/index.html. $30. A 10-minute video clip is viewable online at www.worldlinktv.org.
The Color of Fear. 1994. Lee Mun Wah. Oakland, CA: Stir-Fry Productions.
This well-known 90-minute film captures a multiracial group of eight men engaged in intense and riveting dialogue about racism. This powerful film makes clear why intergroup dialogue on racism can be difficult and why it is so necessary. A follow-up video entitled Color of Fear, Part II: Walking Each Other Home is also available. Contact Stir Fry Seminars at 1-800-370-STIR, www.stirfryseminars.com or . Each video is $460 for educational institutions, $220 for small nonprofits and $110 for individuals.
The Color of Fear II: Walking Each other Home. Lee Mun Wah. Oakland, CA: Stir-Fry Productions.
This 55-minute sequel to The Color of Fear is about the remaining 23 hours that occurred on that incredible three-day weekend in Ukiah, California. The Color of Fear was an intense emotional confrontation about racism, whereas Walking Each Other Home explores in greater depth the intimate relationship that the eight men had with each other. In this new sequel, the European American men have added opportunities to express how they felt when the men of color were angry, why they were afraid, and what they discovered about themselves and each other as men of European descent. Winner of The Cindy Silver Medal. Contact Stir Fry Seminars at 1-800-370-STIR, www.stirfryseminars.com or . $460 for educational institutions, $220 for small nonprofits and $110 for individuals.
The Difference Deliberative Dialogue Makes: The Diversity and Community Project at Franklin Pierce College. 2002. The New England Center for Civic Life.
This 52-minute documentary video production chronicles a 4-year-old campus dialogue project on diversity issues which has engaged students, faculty and staff both in and outside the classroom in a unique type of public discourse that is patterned on the National Issue Forums. The video tells the story of how policy-oriented deliberative forums and the related practice of "sustained dialogue" helped change a rural New England college campus from a state of racial conflict and crisis to one of increased tolerance and respect for diversity.? The video captures the experience of what it is like to be a participant in these dialogue groups and explains how such experiences educate and transform those involved. $25.00 (including shipping and handling). Email Doug Challenger at for purchase instructions.
Healing the Heart of America. 1993. Hope in the Cities/MRA Inc.
In June of 1993, hundreds of Richmond, Virginia citizens put on their walking shoes to experience a profoundly moving tour of the racial history of their city. This 27-minute video captures the event from the perspectives of both the organizers and participants, and provides clear direction and inspiration for those working to unite their community through dialogue. 804-358-1764. $25.
MSNBC Coverage of the Jewish/Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group. 2002. MSNBC.
Inspiring 10-minute VHS or PAL format video of recent MSNBC coverage of the Jewish/Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group convened by Libby and Len Traubman in San Mateo, California. Viewable on the web at http://traubman.igc.org/global.htm (a third of the way down the page). Email the Traubmans at for more info.
Skin Deep: College Students Confront Racism. 1995. Reid, Frances. (Producer/Director). San Francisco, CA: Resolution/California Newsreel.
This 53-minute documentary chronicles the journey of a multi-racial group of college students as they examine their own and confront each other?’s attitudes about race and ethnicity. This video vividly illustrates students of color and white students at different stages of racial identity and demonstrates the possibility of growth as a result of dialogue. Order Skin Deep from California Newsreel (www.newsreel.org) or Iris Films (www.irisfilms.org) for $195. Iris Films also offers two shorter versions (under 15 minutes) of the video, called Talking About Race, for $110.
Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace. Active Voice.
Documents the historic first encounter between Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu and renowned historian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr. John Hope Franklin. On Goree Island, the infamous former slave port off the coast of Senegal in West Africa, the two meet and discover surprising truths about their personal histories and their nations?’ struggles for racial peace. They are joined in these conversations by an international, interracial group of 21 teenagers. Together they engage in a series of unusually candid encounters on race and begin an emotional journey towards racial reconciliation. Contact Elaine Shen, Director of Training and Partnerships, for more information (415-553-2846 or ). You can also visit www.activevoice.net.
The Visionaries Documentary. National Association for Community Mediation.
A two-part episode from the highly successful documentary series aired on PBS. Each part is approximately 30 minutes long. Narrated by actor Sam Waterston, this video profiles three community mediation programs and a representative case from each - a victim/offender mediation, a race-relations dialogue group, and a multi-party land-use negotiation. An excellent introduction to community mediation for courts, police, and other agencies and groups. $15.00. Complete the order form at www.nafcm.org/pg54.cfm or contact Erika Acerra at 202-667-9700 x223 or .
The Way Home. 1998. Shakti Butler (Producer/Director). Oakland, CA: World Trust.
This 92-minute video powerfully depicts the 8-month dialogue experience of 64 women who came together to share their experiences of oppression through the lens of race. Separated into eight intra-group councils (Indigenous, African-American, Arab, Asian, European-American, Jewish, Latina, and Multi-Racial), the women explore their stories of identity, oppression, and resistance. The Way Home video and conversation guide is $75 for students, $99 for individuals, and $350 for institutions. Order on-line at www.world-trust.org or by phone (510-595-3322 or 877-WAY-HOME).
Note: To order any of these Future Search videos, contact Sally Theilacker at or 800-951-6333.
The Children of Southern Sudan. Blue Sky Productions.
A 30-minute video documenting UNICEF-sponsored future searches with Sudanese children and adults to address the crisis of losing a generation of children to the turmoil of a brutal civil war, led by Sandra Janoff. $35 plus $4.95 shipping.
Discovering Community: A Future Search as a Springboard for Action in Santa Cruz County. Blue Sky Productions.
A 30-minute video documenting a Future Search around affordable housing conducted by Sandra Janoff and Marvin Weisbord in Santa Cruz, California. Includes 18-month follow-up. $50.00 plus $4.95 shipping.
Search for Quality. Blue Sky Productions.
A 30-minute video documenting Haworth Corporation's Future Search with 70 stakeholders, led by Marvin Weisbord. Includes follow-up interviews two years later. $50.00 plus $4.95 shipping.
A Public Voice. Milton B. Hoffman Productions.
Each year, many public television stations around the nation air an hour-long program that features U.S. citizens deliberating in National Issues Forums around the nation. The programs also feature distinguished panels of nationally known political leaders, commentators and journalists meeting at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. to reflect on what this "public voice" may mean in setting direction for America. In 2002, the topic was ?“Racial and Ethnic Tensions.?” In 2001, it was ?“Money and Politics.?” For a list of these videos, go to www.nifi.org/catp1.html. Tapes of these programs are available for $6.50 each. To order, e-mail Ruffolo at , call 1-800-600-4060, or FAX 937-435-7367.
NIF also has a number of videos that were developed to accompany particular issue guides. As of May 2003, the following videos are available for $12 each plus shipping from Kendall Hunt Publishing (800-228-0810 or ):
Terrorism: What Should We Do? (2002)
Public Schools: Are They Making the Grade? (1999)
A Nice Place to Live: Creating Communities, Fighting Sprawl (1999)
Alcohol: Controlling The Toxic Spill (1999)
Protecting Our Rights: What Goes On The Internet? (1998)
At Death's Door: What Are The Choices? (1997)
Illegal Drugs: What Should We Do Now? (1997)
Governing America : Our Choices, Our Challenge (1996)
Environmental Protection: A Challenge Bigger Than All Outdoors (1996)
Mission Uncertain: Reassessing America 's Global Role (1995)
Contested Values: Tug-Of-War In The School Yard (1994)
The Health Care Cost Explosion: Why It's So Serious, What Should Be Done (1993)
The Health Care Crisis: Containing Costs, Expanding Coverage (1992)
Energy Options: Finding A Solution To The Power Predicament (1991)
The Battle Over Abortion: Seeking Common Ground In A Divided Nation (1990)
Note:? To order any of these NVC videos, call 1-800-255-7696 (if calling within the U.S.), or by calling 818-957-9393 from anywhere. For U.S. delivery, add shipping and handling charges of $5.00 for the first item and $1.00 for each additional item. If you are outside of the U.S., call 818-957-9393 for shipping costs. You can also email or fax 818-957-1424. Go to www.cnvc.org for more details.
The Basics of Nonviolent Communication - An Introductory Training with Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. The Center for Nonviolent Communication.
This edited one-day training shows how we can connect with others in a way that enables everyone?’s needs to be met through natural giving. $50.00 each (order#s: VHS nvc157, PAL nvc158).
Making Life Wonderful. The Center for Nonviolent Communication.
Improve relationships with yourself & others by increasing fluency in Nonviolent Communication. Two-day training session in San Francisco filled with insights, examples, extended role plays, stories, & songs that will deepen your grasp of NVC. $175.00 for the set (order#: VHS nvc152, PAL nvc153). Set of 4 videotapes runs over 8 hours.
Nonviolent Communication - A Language of the Heart. The Center for Nonviolent Communication.
An 85-minute introductory video featuring a Marshall B. Rosenberg workshop. Topics include anger, depression, focusing attention, punishment, mediation, trusting the process, connecting feelings to needs, and more. $20.00 each (order#s: VHS nvc132, PAL nvc140).
Resolving Conflicts with Children and Adults. The Center for Nonviolent Communication.
A two-hour videotape of an evening workshop with Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., including songs, stories, and audience participation. $35.00 each (order#s: VHS nvc117, PAL nvc136).
175-Person Open Space in a Work Setting. 1995. Peggy Holman (producer), Justin Harris (director), U.S. WEST Open Space.
This 16-minute video is available through the Open Space Institute. Email Peggy Holman at for ordering instructions.
Learning in Open Space. 1991. Anne Stadler (producer).
This 30-minute video produced by 5-time Emmy Award winner Anne Sadler introduces the viewer to the Open Space experience. $65 plus $4 shipping per copy (in the U.S.). Send order and check to Harrison Owen, 7808 River Falls Dr., Potomac, MD 20854.
Beyond Black and White: Affirmative Action in America. 1999. Fred Friendly Seminars/PBS.
This video addresses the issue of affirmative action using the Socratic dialogue method, in which a panel of sixteen experts respond to hypothetical situations posed to them by a moderator. Unable to fall back on stock speeches, the panelists role-play to decide what they would do in complicated, real-life situations where the ?‘right?’ choice is not clear. The purpose of this program is to clarify the issues, focus the key questions, and point the way to constructive solutions to problems that will assume an ever more prominent place in our public agenda. Obtain your copy from PBS Video, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314; 800-344-3337. $59.95 for institutions, $19.98 for individuals.
Note:? To purchase any of these Study Circles videos, download an order form at www.studycircles.org/pdf/orderform.pdf.
Act Against Violence: A Maine Study Circle Program. 1996. Maine Public Television.
A 30-minute production documenting the final forum in the Act Against Violence Campaign. Highlights program outcomes developed by various communities. $5.00.
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Americans Finding Their Voices: Community-Wide Study Circles. 2000.
This 10-minute motivational video introduces the concept of study circles, including a profile of the study circle program in Decatur, Georgia. $5.00.
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Aurora, Illinois, YWCA. 1999.
A 26-minutes film featuring study circles on race. $5.00.
Calling the Roll: Study Circles for Better Schools. 1999. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
A 19-minute video showing parents, students, teachers, school administrators, and state and local policy-makers in 15 Arkansas and Oklahoma communities carried out study circle programs. $5.00.
Story of a People: Interracial Relationships. 1995. SI Communications.
This 17-minute excerpt is part of a four-part documentary on interracial relationships which was broadcast on network affiliates across the United States. The excerpt documents a Lima, Ohio, community-wide study circle program that addresses race relations. Highlights organizers, community leaders, participants and community impact. $5.00.
Student Study Circles in Springfield, Ohio High Schools: How it works. 1997. Springfield City Schools Communications Office.
This 15-minute film documents a high school study circle program in Springfield, Ohio. Offers student and teacher perspectives on how the experience affected their values and relationships. This program is also highlighted in Teaching Tolerance.
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Syracuse Study Circles: Community-Wide Dialogue. 1999.
A 5-minute testimonial to study circles on race. $5.00.
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Toward a More Perfect Union : An Invitation to Conversation. 1996. Arcadia Pictures.
This 23-minute film was created as a companion piece to the study circle discussion guide Toward a More Perfect Union In an Age of Diversity: A Guide for Building Stronger Communities through Public Dialogue. Available through the Study Circles Resource Center only when used as part of a community-wide study circle program. All other users must call Arcadia Film Library, 201-652-1989. $5.00.
On Dialogue and Reflection. Narrated by Juanita Brown; Music by Michael Jones.
This video offers an evocative visual journey which creates the space for reflective conversation in group settings. World Café Conversations are an intentional way to create a living network of conversation around questions that matter. A Café Conversation is a creative process for leading collaborative dialogue, sharing knowledge and creating possibilities for action in groups of all sizes. Available from or by calling Whole Systems Associates at 415-381-3368. $20.
Videos that Inspire D&D about Intergroup Relations Issues?
Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery. 1998. Orlando Bagwell (Executive Producer). WGBH/PBS.
How did America build a new nation based on principles of liberty and equality while justifying the existence of slavery? Did American slavery and American freedom have to exist side by side in this nation? How has this history shaped current views about race? Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery takes on these tough questions in a four-part documentary series narrated by Angela Bassett. The series takes viewers on a journey through the birth of America?—from Jamestown in 1607 to the start of the Civil War in 1861?—and shows the dramatic impact of the struggle over slavery and freedom in shaping our country. Contact WGBH Boston Video for a copy: PO Box 2284, South Burlington, VT 05407; 800-255-9424. $150.
Bubbeh Lee & Me. Andy Abrahams Wilson: New Day Films.
As the filmmaker journeys to Florida to visit his feisty, 87-year old Jewish grandmother, tags along on her event-filled trips to the supermarket, and talks with her heart to heart about love, death, and his being gay, their two worlds collide and the strength of their bond emerges. A spirited reflection on aging, identity, alienation and acceptance, this 35-minute film examines the legacies passed through generations and shows that the journey of self-discovery can begin at any age. Order a copy through New Day Films, 22-D Hollywood Avenue Hohokus, NJ 07423; 201-652-6590 or 888-367-9154 (toll-free); email: ; website: www.newday.com. Videos are $199 for institutions or $89 for community groups/public libraries. $75 to rent.
Color Adjustment. Marlon Riggs, Producer: Newsreel.
Color Adjustment traces 40 years of race relations through the lens of prime time entertainment, scrutinizing television's racial myths and stereotypes. Narrated by Ruby Dee, the 88-minute documentary allows viewers to revisit some of television's most popular stars and shows, among them Amos and Andy, The Nat King Cole Show, Good Times, Roots, and The Cosby Show. As engaging as it is perceptive, Color Adjustment sheds light on the racial implications of America's favorite addiction: television watching. It will help viewers reexamine America's and their own attitudes towards race. Order through Newsreel, 149 Ninth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103; 415-621-6196; email: ; website: www.newsreel.org.
Essential Blue-Eyed (aka "Brown Eyed, Blue Eyed"). Produced by ABC News.
A wake-up call for all ages, this best-selling program teaches about prejudice using a dramatic framework. It provides an examination of the realities of discrimination as experienced by actual students in the classroom of third grade teacher, Jane Elliott, whose demonstration shows how quickly children can succumb to discriminatory behavior. The video shows how easily prejudicial attitudes can lead to frustration, broken friendships and vicious behavior. This special Trainer?’s Version condensed the original film 86-minute film to its most insightful 50 minutes. Includes a new 36-minute debriefing in which Jane Elliott shows how to help participants apply the lessons of her exercise to their daily work lives. $295 from Guidance Associates (http://store.yahoo.com/guidanceassociates/). Its 60-minute sequel, A Class Divided, which was filmed 15 years later and explores what the children in Jane Elliott's daring classroom experiment learned about discrimination and how it still affects them today, is also available from Guidance Associates.
Eyes on the Prize I and II. 1986, 1990. Hampton, H. (Producer). Alexandria, VA: PBS Video.
Eyes on the Prize I: America?’s Civil Rights Years (1959-1965) and Eyes on the Prize II: America at the Racial Crossroads (1965-1985). Combined, this 14-volume set of videos provides a comprehensive look at a critical 30-year period in the relations between African Americans and European Americans in the U.S. This stirring video series is both highly educational and highly motivational. Contact 1-800-645-4PBS or go to www.pbs.org/als/eyes_prize/ to order. Textbook/reader, faculty manual and tradebooks also available.
Facing Racism.? 1996. Produced and written by Tom Weidlinger.
This 57-minute video is from the four-part Making Peace series focusing on 11 people who work neighbor-to-neighbor to heal the conditions that create violence in American communities. In this concluding segment, five individuals (white, Jewish, African-American, Latino and Asian) track their progress through an intensive three-day workshop in Berkeley, California, called Unlearning Racism. In an initial exercise, pairs of participants are instructed to find out as much as they can about their partner. When asked to report on what they learned, tempers flare as partners accuse each other of flippancy, misrepresentation and insensitivity. Frustration gives way to introspection as participants confront their preconceived notions about other racial and ethnic groups. Narrated by Ruby Dee. Obtain your copy from Films for the Humanities & Sciences: PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543; 800-257-5126; . $129.
Facing the Truth with Bill Moyers. 1999. Bill Moyers, Public Affairs Television/PBS.
Facing the Truth reports the extraordinary story of a nation engaged in telling the truth about its past with the hope of creating a new moral order for its future. This two-hour premiere looks at the history of apartheid in South Africa and wrestles with the questions and issues raised by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Whether South Africa succeeds is significant for all of Africa and for the United States, where thirty years after the death of Martin Luther King we are still groping to confront the issues of race. Obtain your copy from Films for the Humanities & Sciences: PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543; 800-257-5126; . $159.95.
Family Name. 1998. Alston, Macky (Director/Producer). PBS/Points of View.
A moving portrayal of a white filmmaker?’s search for his connection to the African Americans who share his surname. Macky Alston journeys across the South to trace his family?’s history as one of the largest slave-holding families in North Carolina. He chronicles the surprising twists and turns of the shared histories of his family and African-American Alstons who are descendents of slaves. The film won the Freedom of Expression Award at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. Contact First Run/Icarus Films for a copy: 153 Waverly Place, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10014; 800-876-1710. $440 for institutions for the full-length version (89 minutes). $390 for the 60-minute version. Inquire about cost for personal use.
Four Little Girls. 1997. Spike Lee, Director. 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.
Spike Lee's feature length documentary, Four Little Girls, tells the horrendous tale of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which resulted in the death of four African American girls. The Academy Award-nominated film was originally made for the USA cable network channel HBO. List price: $14.95. Can be ordered from Amazon.com (for $14.94, as of 4/03).
Free Indeed. 1995. Mennonite Central Committee.
This 23-minute video is designed to begin a discussion about white privilege. In a roughly-acted drama, four white middle-class young adults are required to be involved in a unique card game before they can do a service project for a black Baptist church. Their ensuing discussion addresses issues of accountability, unseen assumptions, success and how racism effects white people. Contact MCC at 717-859-1151. The video is $20, but can be borrowed for the cost of shipping.
It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School. 1996. Debra Chasnoff, Director and Helen S. Cohen, Producer. Women's Educational Media.
It's Elementary is a highly acclaimed film shot in first through eighth grade classrooms across the U.S. The film, intended for an adult audience, is a window into what happens when educators address gay issues with their students in age-appropriate ways. With surprisingly funny and moving footage, It's Elementary demystifies what it means to talk with kids about gay people. The film makes a compelling argument that anti-gay prejudice and violence can be prevented if children have an opportunity to have these discussions when they're young. Order the full-length film (75 minutes) for $53.96 or the educational training version (37 minutes; includes guide) for $75.00 by calling 800-405-3322. Organization and institution purchases can be made by contacting New Day Films, at 888-367-9154. For further purchasing info, contact Women's Educational Media (phone: 415-641-4616, email: , web: www.womedia.org).
Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. The Islam Project of Active Voice.
Tells the story of the 7th century man who, in just 23 years, changed history, and whose life continues to serve as a model for more than 1.2 billion Muslims in the world today. Much of the film?’s story is told by American Muslims whose experiences in some way echo Muhammad?’s life. Leading scholars and theologians provide additional insights, making the film an excellent resource for viewers seeking to understand the basic tenets of Islamic faith and practice. Contact Elaine Shen, Director of Training and Partnerships, for more information (415-553-2846 or ). You can also visit www.activevoice.net.
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Muslims. The Islam Project of Active Voice.
Explores what is means to be Muslim in Egypt, Iran, Nigeria, Malaysia, Turkey and the United States. The film shows the diversity of thought, custom and lifestyle that co-exist in the Islamic world. It is especially helpful for exploring how the politics and cultures of the countries in which Muslims live influence religious practice and interpretation, as well as for examining some of the tensions and misunderstandings that exist among Western and Islamic countries. Contact Elaine Shen, Director of Training and Partnerships, for more information (415-553-2846 or ). You can also visit www.activevoice.net
Not in Our Town I and II. California Working Group and PBS.
Not in Our Town is a national movement that encourages community response to hate crimes. The project combines PBS broadcast, grassroots events, educational outreach and online activities to help communities battling hate talk to-and learn from-each other. Since 1995, NOT IN OUR TOWN has chronicled positive community organizing stories and provided practical tools to stimulate dialogue. Not in Our Town I is a 27-minute video which chronicles the community-wide response to hate crimes in Billings, Montana, and clearly illustrates the power of working together. Not in Our Town II (1997) is an inspiring 58-minute video which shows citizens joining together to deal with discrimination, hate crimes and church burnings in their communities. Organized into seven stand-alone segments to allow for flexibility, this video is useful in schools and all types of community settings. Contact 510-268-9675 or go to www.pbs.org/niot/ for the order form. $99 each or $150 for both.
The Possible Dream? The Quest for Racial & Ethnic Harmony in American Schools. 1993.
This 58-minute video examines racial and ethical relations in the aftermath of a high school brawl. The video follows students through the incident and leads to learning and discovery. Allowed to share their differences, fears and sense of despair, students who are convinced that the American dream is a joke gradually reach a consensus: The dream is possible and individuals can change things. This video is a catalyst that can provide youth with the problem-solving tools they need to resolve differences and ease tensions in their schools and communities. $49.95 each through the National Resource Center for Youth Services (918-585-2986).
A Question of Color. 1993. Kathe Sandler (Producer/Director), St. Clair Bourne (Executive Producer), Luke Harris (Co-Writer).
This 56-minute video traces "colorism" back to the sexual subjugation of black women by slave owners and the preferential treatment their mixed-race children received. The film is especially sensitive to the burdens borne by black women who often feel devalued by white standards of beauty. Disturbing scenes with teen-age rappers, a Harlem plastic surgeon, a television news anchor and a writer indicate the color problem is still very much with us, affecting employment, friendship and marriage. This unusually sensitive film can help viewers examine the complex interplay between racial identity, culture and self-image in society and within themselves. $195 through California Newsreel (www.newsreel.org).
Rabbit in the Moon. 1999. Emiko Omori (Director/Producer). Points of View/PBS.
Like many Japanese Americans recently released from internment camps, the young Omori sisters did their best to erase the memories and scars of life under confinement. Fifty years later, acclaimed filmmaker Emiko Omori asks her older sister and other detainees to reflect on the personal and political consequences of internment. From the exuberant recollections of a "typical" teenager, to the simmering rage of citizens forced to sign loyalty oaths, Omori renders a poetic and illuminating picture of a deeply troubling chapter in American history. Emiko Omori won the Best Cinematographer Award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. Contact Transit Media for a copy: 22D Hollywood Avenue, Hohokus, NJ 07423; 800-343-5540.
Racism: Cross Colors. 1993.
Kids of various racial and ethnic backgrounds talk openly about being victimized by racism and having racist feelings themselves. This video can help to open candid discussions about a sensitive subject matter. VHS with leader?’s guide, 14 minutes. $79.95 each through the National Resource Center for Youth Services (918-585-2986).
Stolen Ground. Lee Mun Wah. Oakland, CA: Stir-Fry Productions.
This 40-minute film by the makers of The Color of Fear documents six Asian American men who struggle against racism and their anguish and pain at the trauma of assimilation towards themselves and their families. A must see film for those striving to better understand the "model minority" and the pressures of blending into the American culture. Contact Stir Fry Seminars at 1-800-370-STIR, www.stirfryseminars.com or . Each video is $360 for educational institutions, $220 for small nonprofits and $110 for individuals.
Tiger's Apprentice. M. Trinh Nguyen: Taro Root Films.
Tiger's Apprentice is filmmaker M. Trinh Nguyen's journey to her native Vietnam to observe and document her great uncle's 'old-country' folk medicine practices. Armed with cameras, questions, and intrigue lined with skepticism, Nguyen travels to the Mekong Delta village to learn more about this part of her roots. This film is as much about Nguyen's personal journey for internal answers to her questions as it is about her physical journey for external answers. As she documents her great uncle's work, she is also documenting her own spiritual development and internal eastern/western identity struggle. Order this 57-minute video through Taro Root Films, 22-D Hollywood Avenue, Hohokus, NJ 07423; 800-343-5540; email: ; website: www.tarorootfilms.com ($175 for schools and libraries, $75 for community groups, $25 for individuals).
True Colors. 1991. Lucasiewicz, M. (Producer). Northbrook, IL: MTI Film & Video.
ABC News correspondent Diane Sawyer follows two anonymous discrimination testers, one Black and one White, as they separately shop at the same stores and car dealership and seek employment and housing. This 19-minute video clearly and powerfully illustrates the reality of white privilege.
Twilight: Los Angeles. 2001. WNET/Stage on Screen; Producer: Anna Deavere Smith; Director: Marc Levin. PBS.
Twilight: Los Angeles is a 90-minute film adaptation of Anna Deaveare Smith's acclaimed one-woman play detailing the 1991 Rodney King beating, the violent aftermath of the 1992 verdict and the lasting impact of the Los Angeles riots on America's conscience. Award-winning director Marc Levin (Slam, Whiteboys) weaves Smith's stage performance with news footage and recent interviews. Tapes can be ordered for $19.98 at www.pbs.org (or call 1-800-344-3337). A 6-page discussion guide can be downloaded by clicking here.
Unity Through Diversity: The Keynote Address. 1995. Souder, Betances and Associates, Inc.
In this 58-minute video of an interactive session, Dr. Samuel Betances delivers strategies to reduce prejudice and promote collaboration among people of diverse backgrounds. His message, framed by humor, calls us to see diversity as a plus. Understanding is enhanced, and the stage is set for creating change in which youth of different races, genders and religious groups work toward making coalitions of mutual interest in our multicultural society. $89.95 each through the National Resource Center for Youth Services (918-585-2986).
Sources for More Intergroup-Related Videos
Active Voice www.activevoice.net
A division of American Documentary Inc., Active Voices uses powerful documentary films as the basis for campaigns that inspire participants to positive action - civic engagement, volunteerism an dcoalition building.? Campaigns include companion materials for the films and training for the facilitators of discussions held before and after film screenings. Contact Elaine Shen, Director of Training and Partnerships, for more information (415-553-2846 or ).
California Newsreel www.newsreel.org
California Newsreel provides information on educational videos on African American life and history, race relations and diversity training, African cinema, Media and Society, labor studies, campus life and much more. Founded in 1968, California Newsreel is the oldest and most notable non-profit documentary production and distribution center in the nation.
First Run/Icarus Films www.frif.com
First Run/Icarus has distributed high quality social issue documentaries to the educational community for over fifteen years. Their films cover a wide range of topics, including human rights, labor issues, and African, Asian and Latin American studies.
Human Rights International Film Festival www.hrw.org/iff
Showcase for leading fiction and documentary videos with human rights themes.
Maryknoll World Productions www.maryknoll.org/MALL/VIDEO/index.htm
Maryknoll and UNICEF have teamed up to provide excellent educational videos from around the world at low prices.
National Asian American Telecommunications Association www.naatanet.org
Founded in 1980, NAATA advances the ideals of cultural pluralism in the U.S. and promotes the understanding of Asian Pacific American experiences through film, video, radio and new technologies.
New Day Films www.newday.com
A cooperative of independent producers and filmmakers, New Day Films provides over 100 films for schools on a variety of social issues, including multiculturalism, gender, media, physical and mental health, young adult issues, social and political history, and more.
PBS Adult Learning Service www.pbs.org/als
Building upon PBS's commitment to education, the Adult Learning Service (ALS) licenses educational program rights to colleges, universities, and other organizations. The videos in their race and diversity series can be used to spark dialogue about race in classrooms, on campus, and in local communities.
Viewing Race www.viewingrace.org
Viewing Race provides grassroots organizations, libraries, and other nonprofits with access to the best of independent films and other resources on the subject of race and diversity.
