Category Archives: ITVS Deep Dive

Women, War & Peace Goes Global

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When Women, War & Peace debuted on PBS in Fall 2010 as the first pillar program of the Women and Girls Lead campaign, it took the country by storm. Screenings, house parties, workshops, and community discussions opened many American eyes to the atrocities that women and girls endure in areas of war, but also how essential women are to bringing about peace and forging new international laws governing conflict. In March, the series will continue to enlighten as one of 10 films featured online during the #SheDocs Online Film Festival. 

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Fork Films and THIRTEEN have partnered with Peace is Loud to create the screening kits for use around the world. The kits include the five films in the series (each an hour long) and a new discussion and resource guide featuring interviews with key figures from the series. The films and guide are available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Visit peaceisloud.org to read more and request kits.

Women’s mobilization in society is key to ending violence and establishing a culture of peace. You can host a screening series featuring Women, War & Peace and become a part of a global community of activists for peace and justice. Continue reading →

Pickles, Inc., Sunday on Global Voices

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The documentary Pickles, Inc. by filmmakers Dalit Kimor and Nitza Gonen airs Sunday, August 12 on Global Voices on the WORLD Channel.

In the Israeli Arab village of Tamra, in Galilee, eight widows challenge social conventions and establish the Azka Pickle Cooperative, seeking financial independence for themselves and their children. With little formal education and no work experience outside of the home, the women face endless hurdles in expanding their business start-up–while their personal lives reflect the joys and sadness of family weddings, bereavement, and loneliness. Continue reading →

Tip of the Day: Engage Beyond the Broadcast

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The internet is completely revolutionizing all kinds of media by freeing creators from linearity and one-way paradigms. Here at ITVS, we’ve been working with filmmakers for more than a decade to create multifaceted and multi-platform projects that liberate the story from dusty old limitations.

It’s easy to get stuck in a familiar way of doing things, but when you begin to think of your audience as a collaborator, and technology as an ally, you break into new dimensions and open up fresh perspectives on your story. We have a large library of the interactive projects we’ve produced in the past 10 year, and encourage you to check them out for ideas and inspiration.

Tip of the Day: Consume Indie Films on a Global Scale

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Travel the world without leaving your sofa. Check out the Global Perspectives Project for films from over 75 countries.

The Global Perspectives Collection hosts more than 100 ITVS-funded films from over 75 countries. Films attached to the collection include the award-winning Waltz with Bashir and Last Train Home.

Visit the site to learn more about independent documentaries from around the world and the diverse, political and social issues they take on.

Tip of the Day: Find That Film!

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Want to see where that hot new indie film is playing near you? Search by zip code at itvs.org and find out how close your favorite independent films are to you.

Local listings and video clips are all available online. Browse the titles most interesting to you with our “find films” feature here.

Jerusalem Gay Bar as Metaphor for Peace and Unity

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Filmmaker Yun Jong Suh

Filmmaker Yun Jong Suh discusses how she came to make a film about the only gay bar in Jerusalem. Her film, City of Borders, airs on public television this month. Check listings in your area here.

As a Buddhist Korean American, I am frequently asked why I am interested in the Middle East and how I discovered Shushan, Jerusalem’s only gay bar. I’m not the most obvious candidate to tell this story. But I believe my outsider status proved to be instrumental in making City of Borders.

I’m drawn to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because I intimately relate to both sides of the war. Like the Israelis, I grew up in constant fear of my neighboring country, North Korea, attacking my small village in South Korea. I did not see North Koreans as humans but as demons determined to kill us if they had the chance. My childhood playtime often involved devising escape routes and places to hide in my home if North Koreans ever invaded.

Continue reading →