A deep dive into the lives of high school students in three radically disparate communities as they navigate the pressures around college while staging a musical, until seismic events upend their dreams and expectations.
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Bots High (2010)
Bots High is an exciting documentary following the adventures of three high school robotics teams battling for first place at a national robotics competition in Miami, Florida. It's a no-holds-barred fight to the death with robot carnage everywhere you look. Genius inventor Will builds robots so powerful they're unstoppable...if only they don't destroy themselves first. The Mechanical Misfits are an all girls team stumbling through their first foray into combat robotics and Elizabeth and Danielle are a formidable pair looking to reign supreme during their last year of high school. Bots High follows these students as they design, build and compete at Nationals - all while surviving high school, first love and teenager procrastination. A FilmBuff Presentation.
Junkyard Dogs (2015)
A moving, inspirational story that gives viewers a rare glimpse into the world of high school wrestling at one of Los Angeles' most elite and highly touted prep schools. Filled with drama, laughter, and heart, "Junkyard Dogs" is an underdog story that captures the essence of what it takes to be a champion and sheds light on the power and importance of one of the world's oldest sports.
Sweeney Todd: Scenes from the Making of a Musical (1980)
Opening with the first day of rehearsals of the London production of "Sweeney Todd", this ninety-minute documentary focuses on the rehearsal process with the musical's director, composer and actors.
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An intimate verité film that follows students and educators at a groundbreaking new high school in Memphis. Their inspiring journey shows what learning can look like—and accomplish—when a city comes together to rethink what high school can be.
La Grande Seine (2024)
Discover the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony full preparations, from first sketches until the very end of the show. We follow every aspect, including exclusive access to Celine Dion’s rehearsal, as a small team of dedicated individuals defy all odds to create one of the most incredible TV shows that has ever-been produced.
The Magic Behind 'd'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical - The Audio Theater Experience' (2020)
A special behind-the-scenes look at the making of the audiobook edition of "d'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical" and how it did its part in helping keep theater and the arts alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resolved (2007)
The fascinating complexity of high school debate gives way to a portrait of the equally complex racial and class bias of American education in Greg Whiteley's riveting documentary.
More than a Game (2008)
This documentary follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his talented teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Ohio and James' journey to fame.
We Did It on a Song (2014)
This film tells the stormy tale of a group of friends from Boulogne-sur-Mer, a French town hit by the financial crisis. A year between dreams and disillusion, imagined by teenagers from a working or middle class background, with songs that regularly add poetry, laughter, and emotion to reality.
Pen-Hi Grad (1975)
In Penticton, BC, most students graduating from the only high school in town know that job opportunities and higher education lie elsewhere, most likely in Vancouver. So, for one memorable week, they go through a whirlwind of formal ceremonies, wild celebrations, hi-jinks and farewells that involve the whole population of this Okanagan Valley community.
Going Varsity in Mariachi (2023)
A year in the life of an underdog competitive high school mariachi band in the Texas borderlands.
Dalya's Other Country (2017)
In 2012 Dalya and her mother Rudayna fled Aleppo for Los Angeles as war took over. Months before, Rudayna learns a secret that destroys her marriage, leaving her single at midlife. Arriving in LA, Dalya enrolls as the only Muslim at Holy Family Catholic High School. Can mother and daughter remake themselves while holding on to their Islamic traditions?
Freakonomics (2010)
Some of the world's most innovative documentary filmmakers will explore the hidden side of everything.
Pressure Cooker (2008)
A committed, passionate teacher tries to make all the difference in the lives of disadvantaged students.
American Teen (2008)
A documentary on seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town and their various cliques.
Harlem School 1970 (2018)
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The Act of Reading (2021)
A retired high school English teacher is confronted by a former student who failed her class 15 years prior. He then involves her in a feature-length presentation on Moby-Dick and the science of reading.
Scenes from the Glittering World (2021)
At the farthest edge of the Navajo Nation, the purpose and future of the most remote high school in the continental United States is in question while three Indigenous youth grapple with ambitious dreams, family responsibilities, and the isolated nature of their community.
Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Mask (2006)
The story of the creation of the world's most successful musical.
Upstage (2021)
A documentary on Goshen High School, a school in Upstate New York, and its theater program which has a vast history spanning over 60 years. The film explores Paul Wright, the founder of Goshen's theater program, and the history of the program up until the cancellation of the 2020 musical of Beauty and the Beast. This film takes a deep dive into the process of how Goshen High School musicals are produced and what makes this theater program so special