Current Projects

A feature documentary about the exciting life and lasting impact of the intrepid mid-century California food writer M.F.K. Fisher, who elevated cooking from a domestic chore to a critical study of life itself.

Concerned about where her young daughters might go to college one day, award-winning filmmaker Debbie Lum sets out to discover whether being a “tiger mother” will turn her kids into “the model minority” in this humorous and heartfelt tour through the central nervous system of Asian America. 

After 2 ghettos, 9 concentration camps, and 2 death marches in Nazi Europe, Ben Stern builds a new life, only to face American Nazis and their planned march in Skokie, Illinois, 30 years later. Ben stands up, speaks out and sparks a fierce public battle over Hate Speech. He defies many who said, “Stay home”, and builds huge national support. Ben’s story ignites conversation and inspires commitment to action – today. And a new generation gets it.

When referred to as a founding father of American satire, Paul Krassner demanded a paternity test. An Impolite Film About Paul Krassner is an irreverent biographical documentary about Paul Krassner, the irreverent author, journalist, comedian, co-founder of the Yippies and founding publisher of the free thought magazine The Realist.

Every year, approximately 20,000 to 25,000 babies die in America within the first year of life. The United States has the fifth highest infant mortality rate when compared to 34 other Western countries and the highest rate of maternal mortality in the industrialized world. One solution: free-standing birth centers staffed by nurse/midwives providing prenatal and natal care.

No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics tells the story of five scrappy and pioneering cartoonists who depicted everything from the AIDS crisis, coming out, and same-sex marriage, to themes of race, gender, and disability. They tackle the humor in queer lives in a changing world, and the everyday pursuits of love, sex, and community. 

In a universe where cool kids are nerds, the school orchestra is world class, and being Asian American is normal, seniors at Lowell High School compete for the top prize: admission to the college of their dreams. The film follows a diverse group of students through a heart-pounding last year of high school at this iconic San Francisco public school. Will their hard work pay off? What happens if they fail? Try Harder! is an engaging, heart-breaking journey about dreams that don’t always come true – a story that will ring true for so many young college hopefuls today. 

A production of Florentine Films/Sherman Pictures

The sound of a guitar is unlike that of any other instrument. Just a few notes can illuminate our thoughts, lighten or sadden our hearts, and move us profoundly. In "Guitar Crazy" some of the world’s finest and most famous guitarists will play and share their love of the instrument they cherish and collect.”

Today, we are facing daunting global crises—climate change, pandemics, famine—that threaten our livelihoods, our health, and even our survival. If we are going to meet these challenges, we need a well-educated population that can understand and unlock the science that is central to so many of these problems. In memory of Michael Schwarz, we ask that you consider helping us bring to fruition a project he cared about deeply. It’s a series of short documentaries called Our Beautiful Planet.  

You Should Never Blink is a feature-length documentary presenting the rebellious life of the “pop art nun” Corita Kent, also known as Sister Corita (1918-1986). Corita challenged the limitations of her working poor roots and societal expectations of women, to establish herself as an artist and change the way we see the world. By the 1960s, Corita was a cultural icon and celebrated art teacher, but half a century later her impact is at risk of being forgotten. This film explores the forces and choices that undermined Corita’s cultural legacy and reinserts her joyful art and activism into the narrative.

When Kathy Huang's estranged uncle approaches her to make a film about his life, she spies a chance to learn about her family's murky past. But she soon finds that Uncle Frankie holds the key to a much more startling mystery at the center of modern Taiwanese politics.

“Modernism, Inc.” explores the intersection of postwar business, culture and design through the life and career of Eliot Noyes, the iconic architect and designer who built the design programs for IBM, Westinghouse and Mobil Oil. The Noyes story shows how the ideals and ethos of Modernism were embraced by the postwar cultural elite before being challenged in a countercultural backlash.

Images: Eliot Noyes Archive

In Post-Production

A cinematic portrait of Faith Petric (1915 - 2013), San Francisco folk musician and community builder who lent her voice to social justice movements in the Bay Area and nationally for over half a century.