Caridad Amaran and Georgina Wong learned the art of Cantonese opera in 1930s Havana. Caridad's mentor was her foster father, Julian Fong, who immigrated to Cuba in the 1920s after his family forbade him performing opera. Georgina's father was a famous tailor in Chinatown, who encouraged her to learn Kungfu and lion dance. Although both were the single children, they formed a sisterhood on stage. Throughout the 1940s, Caridad toured cities all over Cuba with Chinese communities, as one of the leading actresses of the opera troupe. Georgina quit opera to attend college, but her study was interrupted by Castro's 1959 revolution and her required military service. Eventually, she went on to become a diplomat. After retirement and well into their sixties, the two sisters are trying to perform Cantonese opera again. Will they find a stage? Will they find an audience? Written by Louisa Wei.
America's Musical Journey celebrates the unique diversity of cultures and creative risk-taking that characterize America, as told through the story of its music. The film follows Grammy Award-nominated singer and songwriter Aloe Blacc as he traces the roots of America's music through the colorful locales and cultures where it was born. Visiting iconic cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, New York City, Nashville, Memphis, Miami and more, America's Musical Journey explores the collision of cultures that gave birth to America's diverse musical heritage.
Made over three years, It Is Not One Way is David Kenny's first feature-length documentary. It may look like it's about three men having a meal and talking. But, there is much, much more than that going on. These three men represent what is a divided United Kingdom. This film comes at a time where the World's cultural and political landscape is changing. Divisions and differences cause conflict between communities, and often these conflicts are taken to the streets. What we want to achieve with this film is to convey the message that discussion is an alternative, even if we aren't all in agreement. We hope that anyone watching It Is Not One Way pauses and considers the other side of their own viewpoint and that they can have meaningful, and hopefully productive and enlightening conversations of their own.
There is only one major professional sport where women and men go head to head for the same prizes... horse racing. Seen through the eyes of the brave women who are challenging the male-domination of this remorselessly tough world, Jump Girls, an observational feature documentary, provides unique access to the women making their living at the top of National Hunt racing: trainer Jessica Harrington and her daughters Kate and Emma, and top jockeys Rachael Blackmore, Katie Walsh, Lisa O'Neill, and Katie O'Farrell.
Scots Canadian Jim Galloway (1936-2014) from Dalry outside Glasgow became Canada's ambassador of jazz. Galloway's saga is about the global transmission of African American music, America's greatest gift to the world. Galloway studied at the world famous Glasgow College of Art. He emigrated to Toronto in 1964. He was recognized internationally as a wondrous saxophonist collaborating with stalwarts like Buddy Tate and Jay McShann. Co-founder of the Toronto Jazz Festival, Galloway also made his mark as an impresario and music journalist.