Documentary about the preparation of a popular celebration of "Dia do Preto Velho", one of the most important rituals from the Umbanda in Brazil.
Social & External
This short film follows the journey of Rosane Pires and Iara Viana, during the preparations for their wedding, as well as the civil and religious ceremonies.
The documentary adresses the meaning of music and the musical diversity present in Umbanda (a Brazilian religion with afroindigenous roots). With interviews with four umbandistas from Fortaleza - Ceará, Crossroads of the Sound pays reverence to the enchanted dimension where the sounds cross each other to make the spirits dance.
The documentary explores the curative knowledge and resistance by african-rooted religion leaders in the Amazon, highlighting the connection between humans, nature, and spirituality. In Manaus, forested areas become spaces of healing, while the film fosters a dialogue between traditional knowledge and the need to rethink our relationship with the environment.
Jesus Camp is a Christian summer camp where children hone their "prophetic gifts" and are schooled in how to "take back America for Christ". The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America's political future.
Hong Kong started and flourished as a fishing port in the past, and its people have long been committed to worshipping ancient deities for their blessings. With over a hundred Tin Hau temples (Goddess of Sea) in Hong Kong, there are three on Lamma Island alone, located respectively in Sok Kwu Wan, Luk Chau and Yung Shue Wan. The film documents the states of Tin Hau temples on the island and beyond, as an attempt to contextualise the everyday practice of the fishing community, islanders and city dwellers visiting the temples.
A snapshot of the celebration with drums, the terecô.
A look at the Neturei Karta organisation in Jerusalem and their use of pashkavils.
The short film follows the daily lives of Pai Marcos Luciano de Oxalá and Madrinha Catingueira, LGBTQIAPN+ Umbanda leaders in Piauí. The film looks at their experiences inside and outside the terreiros, showing the tensions between gender, sexuality and religiosity. The title refers to the expression "turning the leaf", used to describe a ritual in Afro-Brazilian religious shrines in which people's sexual orientation or gender identity was "turned".
A behind-the-scenes look at the rise of the American rock band, Kings of Leon.
Rita Semel, interfaith pioneer and Jewish activist, is a recipient of the San Francisco Foundation Community Leadership Awards "for her life-long successes in creating healthy, just, and inclusive communities in the Bay Area and worldwide. She builds bridges of understanding between diverse religious and ethnic communities, and brings together the interfaith community to help alleviate poverty and end discrimination. Her catalytic leadership is felt far and wide, from the San Francisco Interfaith Council to the Global Council for the United Religions Initiative. Her legacy will be a more peaceful and compassionate world." - San Francisco Foundation
Teachings of an Issei. Advice, spirituality and challenges.
In one picturesque village in Sussex, life is very different. There’s no crime, debt or homelessness, everyone has a job but no-one earns a wage, and none of the children watch television, use social media, play video games or have a mobile phone.
The story of Lourenço and his deep relation with terecô.
Journalist Laurence Haïm, a 25-year U.S. correspondent, explores the complexities of this powerful nation. Following the presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, she documents Trump’s campaign, the devotion of his supporters, and his appeal to the most religious and conservative wing of the American right.
Examines the implications of Christian Nationalism, how it distorts not only our constitutional republic, but Christianity itself, and asks the question: What happens when a faith built on love, sacrifice, and forgiveness grows political tentacles, conflating power, money, and belief into hyper-nationalism?