Giancarlo Parretti was central to one of Hollywood’s greatest scandals. In 1990, Parretti bought iconic James Bond studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists for $1.3B with high hopes. However, within weeks, the 17th James Bond film (GoldenEye) was put on ice, paycheques to Dustin Hoffman and Sylvester Stallone had bounced, and hundreds of staff were fired. Parretti soon faced an FBI investigation for alleged financial irregularities and his ownership of Hollywood’s most famous studio spiraled out of control.

What do a farmer in Kansas, a laid-off factory worker in Ohio, and an Uber driver in Florida have in common? All three are resourceful, positive thinkers who strive to adapt and thrive despite dehumanizing forces at play in the American economy. As the film’s heroes face these roadblocks with courage, certain ideals remain sacred: family, love, and staying strong in the face of adversity. Lush cinematography galvanizes a sense of place and, as the narrative unfolds, the intimacy with the characters results in an emotionally rich observational drama. Ultimately, “The Disrupted” reveals a collective American experience of financial challenge, family resilience, and the quest for the purpose and dignity of work.

Set in the cutthroat, boy-dominated world of high school debate where tomorrow’s leaders are groomed, GIRL TALK tells the timely story of five girls on a diverse, top-ranked Massachusetts high school debate team as they strive to become the best debaters in the United States on their own terms.

This in-depth look into the powerhouse industries of big-game hunting, breeding and wildlife conservation in the U.S. and Africa unravels the complex consequences of treating animals as commodities.

Rory Gallagher was the original Irish guitar hero, whose artistry with a battered ’61 Stratocaster became the stuff of legend. Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters admired him, the Rolling Stones tried to hire him – and his fans worshipped him. Clad in faded denim and a checked shirt, he sold 30 million records and became a charismatic icon of Irish music, inspiring musicians such as Brian May, The Edge, Slash and Johnny Marr. But away from the stage, Rory was an intensely private man. His closest confidante was his brother Dónal who accompanied Rory on his rise from their childhood Everly Brothers stage performances and the Showband scene across the North and South of the Irish border through to the deafening heart of the ‘70s rock scene in London – and far beyond. Now, Dónal, along with insights from Rory’s friends and admirers, takes us on a musical journey through the life and career of this shy guitar hero to better understand what made him so great.

With the original intention of empowering a citizenry’s ability to defend themselves against a corrupt or tyrannical government, the concept today may seem farfetched or the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster. However, it has happened throughout U.S. history. And long before gun control was positioned as a “common sense measure” to combat violence, it was used as a means to oppress certain minority groups. Presently, the growing trend in gun control favors the wealthy and privileged, who leverage their connections to ensure their Second Amendment rights and safety, while those of lesser means struggle. Informative and emotionally charged, “Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire” is an eye-opening look at the genesis of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, leading the audience to rethink the issues surrounding gun control, and the effect on civil rights and liberty. After all, what you don’t know can kill you.

An immersive and enthralling journey through the Sonoran Desert on the U.S.-Mexico border, El Mar La Mar weaves together harrowing oral histories from the area with hand-processed 16mm images of flora, fauna and items left behind by travelers. Subjects speak of intense, mythic experiences in the desert: A man tells of a fifteen-foot-tall monster said to haunt the region, while a border patrolman spins a similarly bizarre tale of man versus beast. A sonically rich soundtrack adds to the eerie atmosphere as the call of birds and other nocturnal noises invisibly populate the austere landscape. Emerging from the ethos of Harvard’s Sensory Ethnography Lab, J.P. Sniadecki’s attentive documentary approach mixes perfectly with Joshua Bonnetta’s meditations on the materiality of film. Together, they’ve created an experience of the border region like nothing you’ve seen, heard or felt before.

Only in New Orleans: fighting to break free from the Supreme Court’s monopoly in the heart of the French Quarter.

For some married couples, sex is an obsession that overwhelms their belief in strict monogamy. The ability to act out their sexual fantasies is more important than upholding any convention of love or marriage. Sex with Strangers paints an authentically intimate portrait of three such couples, from the euphoria of fantasies fulfilled to the desperation of splintering relationships, showing how their lives are profoundly affected by the lifestyle they lead. James and Theresa, a couple in their thirties, use their motor home as a pleasure palace travelling from club to club seducing couples wherever they go. Calvin and Sarah are thinking about getting married when they meet Julie, who doesn’t swing, and isn’t bisexual – until she falls for Calvin. Psychodrama almost displaces sex for Shannon and Gerard, who are passionate about swinging, even as they question whether the lifestyle is really for them…

On December 10, 2010, Sotheby’s auctioned off what could be considered the most important historical document in sports history — James Naismith’s original rules of basketball. “There’s No Place Like Home” is the story of one man’s fanatical quest to win this seminal American artifact at auction and bring the rules “home” to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith coached and taught for over 40 years.

Halfway between a sports documentary and an conceptual art installation, “Zidane” consists in a full-length soccer game (Real Madrid vs. Villareal, April 23, 2005) entirely filmed from the perspective of soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane.

Home2Home tells the story of Dennis Kailing who travels 43,600 km (27,000 miles) through 41 countries on 6 continents to circumnavigate the planet in 761 days. He does it on a bicycle – on his first bike journey ever. With the question “What makes you happy”, but without experience in bike traveling, the 24-year-old from Germany jumps into the deep end and simply sets off – always heading east.