VEENA RAO

Ali Alamedy, an Iraqi artist living in Turkey after being forced out of his country, makes incredibly detailed dioramas of places he has read about but has never been. Part of Season 6 of the New York Times Op-Docs series. Read the story here: nyti.ms/2tlQuOh Director/Producer/Editor: Veena Rao Featuring: Ali Alamedy Camera: Veena Rao Composer: Eliot Krimsky Colorist: Begonia Colomar Sound Mix: Pete Karam Archival Stills: Ali Alamedy Translation: Isra Abdulhadi Additional Support: New York Council for the Arts (NYSCA) Special Thanks: The Alamedy Family Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective Esra Saydam Guillermo Sanchez Maryam Hussain Mohamed Abdelfattah Executive Producer: Kathleen Lingo Coordinating Producer: Lindsday Crouse Supervising Editor: Andrew Blackwell

Members of the Harlem Honeys and Bears, a synchronized swim team for seniors, describe the freedom of the water.

At 5am everyday, before the crowds, traffic and heat descend on the city, Abbas Sheikh, a top ultramarathon runner, gets up to run along Mumbai’s picturesque Marine Drive. By 9am, he is at work in a hot, cramped factory where he polishes jewelry for 12 hours a day. Abbas describes these contrasting realities and the world that has opened up to him while running through the vibrant city he calls home. Featured on The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/423519/the-marathon-runner-of-mumbai/

Is our DNA the government's business? The very things that we discard everyday and never think twice about-hair, skin, and saliva-can be clues about who we are. They can also as well as liabilities. Traces focuses on the work of artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg, who created Stranger Visions, a series of masks based on DNA samples extracted from trash discarded in public places, and Invisible, a spray that erases and obfuscates DNA. Through her art, she raises questions around DNA privacy that parallel the very questions we are asking about who has access to our personal data. These questions are not theoretical. Recently Black Lives Matter activist Deray was arrested during a protest and his DNA was sent to the FBI. Should this be acceptable? What regulations do we have around DNA collection? Articles: twitchy.com/2015/08/11/seems-a-bit-extreme-ferguson-protesters-arrested-at-federal-court-house-swabbed-for-dna/ cnn.com/2013/06/03/justice/supreme-court-dna-tests/index.html

Carla performs using an unlikely instrument. Carla & Cecil screened at the 2014 Northside Film Festival and a version of the film, Secrets of a Die-Hard Ventriloquist, was featured on narratively: http://narrative.ly/how-to-make-it-as-an-artist/secrets-of-a-die-hard-ventriloquist/

 

There She Is follows two beauty queen hopefuls in the 2011 American Beauties Plus Pageant. The film screened at several festivals nationwide and was featured on numerous publications including Huffington Post and Jezebel.  www.pageantdocumentary.com

For the Segal family, everyday life is intertwined with a love of music. Sound Makers was a 2011 International Documentary Challenge Finalist, screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and aired on the Documentary Channel. TRT: 6:30

In his own way, Paul asks us what it means to be free. Hangin' Out was a 2010 International Documentary Challenge Finalist and screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. TRT: 6:31

John L. Stewart gives us a rare glimpse into the world of an art collector, whose collection is expansive and valuable yet unavailable to the public. Not On View was an official selection at Docuwest and Indie Memphis in 2009. TRT: 5:25

In a society where singular dedication to a career seems like the only way, Gary Synder struggles to balance two lives and thrive as both an art dealer and an Aikido instructor. Art of Balance was a 2008 International Documentary Challenge Finalist and screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and Dokufest. It won the Platinum Muse Award at the 2008 Rockport Film Festival. TRT: 6:05

A retired elementary school teacher who never had children but has instead collected, named, and given personalities to thousands of dolls contemplates what her collection means to both her own and society's views of girlhood, motherhood, and old age. Mrs. Henderson's Kids was an official selection at the 2008 Chicago Underground Film Festival, and at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. A version of the film, The 2000 Dolls Teacher, aired on Current TV.