Docs on the Edge

A Student Documentary Showcase from the 2014-2015 Video Production Seminar

Presented by the Department of Anthropology, the Department of Cinema Studies, and the Program in Culture and Media at New York University

Free and open to the public.

Juanita by Ximena Amescua Cuenca (Cinema Studies)

A glimpse into the everyday life of Juanita, a Mayan traditional doctor, midwife, nurse and activist. Leader of "The Awakening of the Women who Heal,"; an organization of midwives in the Orient of Yucatan, Mexico. Juanita has dedicated her life to helping others with her gift for healing. The film follows Juanita as she redefines the meaning of ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ medicine practices.
(In Spanish and Mayan with English subtitles)

One Man’s Trash by Kelly Adams (Draper Program)

For 34 years, Nelson Molina has worked for the NYC Department of Sanitation, developing a unique relationship to the objects that fill the garbage bags lining the streets. With a keen curatorial eye for finding treasure in household trash, Nelson has created a collection of found objects in a sanitation garage in East Harlem, which he refers to as a museum of “Treasures in the Trash.” As the film follows Nelson on his route and through his collection, he encourages us to see the things that we encounter in daily life anew.

Raise and Remember: A Father's Survival Story by Katie Leary (Cinema Studies)

In the thirteen years since September 11th, 2001, Bill Spade has retired from the fire department, raised two sons, and retold his remarkable story of survival to hundreds of tour groups. When the towers came down on 9/11, Spade thought only of his family. Now, Spade dedicates himself to sharing his story with others. The film explores what survival means for this Staten Island father whose personal memories are part of U.S. History.

What Remains by Lee Douglas (Anthropology)

Since 2000, forensic experts in Spain have exhumed an estimated 2,000 bodies from hundreds of mass graves. Although no official records have been kept, Experts believe that at least 118,000 victims of Franco’s fascist dictatorship have yet to be located. The film follows anthropologists Julián García and Jorge Moreno as they track one family’s attempt to piece together the effects of political violence. In this process, they make sense of and give meaning to a haunting past that, despite more than seven decades of silence, refuses to pass.
(In Spanish with English subtitles)

The Ladies by Tyler Zoanni (Anthropology)

For 50 years, a group of Ukrainian women has gathered in New York’s East Village to make dumplings for their church. This observational short offers an evocative portrait of “the ladies” and the work that brings them together.
(In Ukrainian with English subtitles)

*a short intermission will follow the third film*