wc_200714_spotlight
Documentaries are a fantastic way to learn something new, whether it be a niche topic or a top trending story. They often enable the viewer to absorb a story visually, adding sight and sound to information. Kanopy has a wealth of documentaries to choose from, so here are a few documentaries on a few of the many subjects offered by Kanopy.
All of these films are available to stream on Kanopy, free with a local library card. If you do not have a library card, visit spokanelibrary.org or scld.org to learn how to apply.
Indigenous Studies
“In Whose Honor?” - A critical look at the practice of using American Indian people and iconography as sports mascots, framed by the story of and activism of Charlene Teters. Directed by Jay Rosenstein. 1997. 49 minutes.
“Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World” - A documentary that sheds light on the overlooked influence of Indigenous people on pop music in North America. Featuring interviews with Robbie Robertson of The Band, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, blues musician Taj Mahal, Iggy Pop of The Stooges and more. With special focus on rock and roll legend Link Wray, who was of Shawnee descent. Directed by Catherine Bainbridge and co-directed by Alfonso Maiorana. 2017. 103 minutes.
“Nanook of the North” - An early documentary created by Arctic explorer, Robert Flaherty, who worked for the Canadian Northern Railway. Made through participation with Inuit people and their willingness to reenact moments of their daily lives, this work would become a large influence on ethnographic films to follow. This version was restored in 1972 and paired with an orchestral score composed and compiled by Timothy Brock. Directed by Robert J. Flaherty. 1922. 79 minutes.
“Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess” - Learn about one of the most celebrated heroines of resistance against colonization as well as the larger resistance movement of the Jamaican Maroons. Directed by Roy T. Anderson. 2015. 60 minutes.
Environmental Sciences
“Wild Honey: Caring for Bees in a Divided Land” - A colonial border in Timor has displaced the people of Lookeu from land, water and history but Timor’s migratory wild honey bees challenge that division. Get an inside look at the importance of community honey harvest rituals, rich with ceremony, song, knowledge and skill. Directed by Lisa Palmer. 2019. 31 minutes.
“How We Grow: Communities Rebuilding Themselves Around Agriculture” - Visit the Roaring Fork Valley region of western Colorado and discover how a community of ambitious young farmers overcome a short growing season, land access and income inequality to discover ways of providing sustainable, local and nutrient dense food to their larger community. Directed by Haley Thompson and Tomas Zuccareno. 2018. 65 minutes.
“Rachel Carson” - Part of PBS’ American Experience series, learn about the aftermath of the publication of Rachel Carson’s popular work “Silent Spring.” From a national debate to attacks from the chemical industry, to a launch of the effects of pesticides on public health by President John F. Kennedy. Discover an intimate portrait of Carson’s life as a scientist and writer, taken from writings, letters and scholarship.
Technology
“The Future of Work and Death” - World experts in the fields of neuroscience, philosophy, anthropology and futurology share their thoughts on the impact of technological advances on the human life and experience. Drawing from historical perspectives on the Homo Havilis to the Industrial Revolution and looking forward beyond the digital age, contemplate the technologies that humans have created in order to ease the experience of living and working. Directed by Sean Blacknell and Wayne Walsh. 2015. 89 minutes.
“Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World” - Examine the past, present and evolving future of the internet and its transformation of the human experience. Featuring interviews with the pioneers and prophets of cyberspace such as internet protocol inventor Bob Kahn, hacker Kevin Mitnick and Tesla and PayPal cofounder Elon Musk. Directed by Werner Herzog. 2016. 99 minutes.
“Neon” - A celebration of the luminescent color, beauty, craft and design of the neon sign. Learn about its more than 100 year history as society switches to using mostly LED signage. Directed by Lawrence Johnston. 2016. 85 minutes.
Mental health
“Borderline” - An exploration of what it is like to live with Borderline Personality Disorder told through the story of one woman and her search for living life to its fullest after suicide attempts as a young child. Directed by Rebbie Ratner 2016. 88 minutes.
“Crazywise” - A comparison of the contrasting ways in which Indigenous and western cultures address mental illness. See how people around the world have transformed their psychological crises into a positive life experience. Directed by Kevin Tomlinson and Phil Borges. 2017. 83 minutes.