As we suspect most of you anticipated, we are suspending our community screenings for the time being. 

Nevertheless, we are living in a golden age of documentaries, and we’ve been proud to show many great ones over the years. Our group has also viewed many others that we highly recommend, but could not show for reasons of availability, length, or number of programs we are able to present. Now you can watch some of them while you’re safely at home, during the Coronavirus outbreak and beyond.

We don’t want to overwhelm you — so we’re including just 3 films here — this time all on Amazon Prime, one also on Kanopy (more about that further on). We plan to keep sending you ideas — even after we’re all out and about again, to supplement our regular program!

HONEYLAND (Amazon Prime) It’s a strange and curious thing: part fly-on-the-wall anthropology, part ecological fable, the film sneaks up on you in a quiet yet powerful way. Oscar-nominated for 2019 Best Documentary and Best International film; Winner, Sundance Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary.

LIFE, ANIMATED (Amazon Prime) The inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man with autism who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films.

I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (Amazon Prime / Kanopy*) A thrilling introduction to James Baldwin’s work, a remedial course in American history, and an advanced seminar in racial politics — a concise, roughly 90-minute movie with the scope and impact of a 10-hour mini-series. It is not an easy or a consoling movie, but it is the opposite of bitter or despairing. “I can’t be a pessimist because I’m alive,” Baldwin said. “I’m forced to be an optimist.”

*If you’ve not used Kanopy before, you’re in for a treat, because at kanopy.com you can stream many films FREE by using your library card. Simply go to the appropriate link below, input your library information, and you will get a certain number of FREE downloads every month at kanopy.com. It’s a terrific resource!
If you have an Oakland Public Library card: https://oaklandlibrary.kanopy.com/
a Berkeley Public Library card: https://cityofberkeley.kanopy.com/

We hope that these films help you get through the next week or two. We’ll let you know when we’re hosting screenings once again, and keep sending you films we love in the meantime.