Philadelphia Films: Videos from the Tri-Co Libraries

DVD. The movie explores mass incarceration across the U.S. and the intersection of race, poverty, and the criminal justice and penal systems. It centers around Michelle Alexander's theory in her groundbreaking book, "The New Jim Crow": through the rise of the drug war and tough on crime policies, because discretion within the system allows for targeting people of color at disproportionately high rates, mass incarceration is the new caste system in America. The movie dissects the War on Drugs and "tough on crime" movement, illustrates how the emerging Occupy movement offers hope for change, and explores possible reforms and solutions to ending mass incarceration and this new racial caste system.

Streaming and DVD. When men in a prison art class agree to collaborate with victims of crime to design a mural about healing, their views on punishment, remorse, and forgiveness collide. At times the divide seems too wide to bridge. But as the participants begin to work together, mistrust gives way to genuine moments of human contact and common purpose. Their struggle and the insights gained are reflected in the art they produce.

Streaming. Dinka diaries tells the story of some of America's most recent arrivals, Sudanese refugees, who would have never dreamt a few years ago that they'd be living in America. Over the course of ten months, the film follows the lives of three Sudanese refugees who resettle in the Philadelphia area and adjust to the new American culture and way of life

DVD. This feature-length documentary investigates Eastern State Penitentiary, one of the earliest attempts at prison reform in the United States, exploring the revolutionary experiment of solitary confinement as a rehabilitative measure and the conflicting goals of punishment and rehabilitation at Eastern State; includes rare archival footage, photography and a never before seen 1929 silent film of prison life at Eastern State.

DVD. This documentary illustrated with period lithographs, engravings, and photographs, gives a detailed history of the prison from its initial practice of total solitary confinement through its transformation into an overcrowded "Big House" to its replacement with a modern facility in 1970. The narrative places Eastern's changing practices in their social context and raises serious questions about the contemporary growth of prisons in the United States.

DVD archival copy of VHS tape. A documentary about the tent city erected by homeless Philadelphians in the summer of 1995 across from Independence Hall, and the subsequent move of the group to squatting in a nearby unused church.

On Orphan 8 DVD. A 1967 short film made by members of a Philadelphia street gang.

Streaming and DVD. A found footage film that unwinds like a great thriller about the 1985 feud between the city of Philadelphia and the radical urban group MOVE.

DVD. Portrait of Maggie Kuhn (1905-1995) who founded the Gray Panthers in 1970 after being forced to retire from a job she loved at age 65. Her outrage and determination fueled a political chain reaction that forever changed the lives of older Americans, repealing mandatory retirement laws and proving that "old" is not a dirty word.

Archival DVD of a VHS tape. A documentation of the May 1, 1990, housing takeover staged by Dignity Housing, an organization of homeless and formerly homeless people working for permanent housing solutions to the shelter crisis.

DVD. The Mediation Program at Good Shepherd House is the only neighborhood justice center in Philadelphia. This film explains the process of mediation for individuals and families.

Streaming and DVD. Cheri Honkala, executive director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, tells the story of what's happened in her hometown, Philadelphia, and warns that the economic boom in the US could yet prove a disturbing model for the rest of the world.

Streaming and DVD. It is the moving portrait of the Rainey family living in North Philadelphia. Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, Christopher "Quest" Rainey, and his wife, Christine'a "Ma Quest" raise a family while nurturing a community of hip-hop artists in their home music studio. It's a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can't always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood.

DVD. Transformation through partnerships: systems change to end chronic homelessness. Includes a set of learning tools to aid in understanding the principles of strategic partnering and how they are portrayed in the video.

DVD. A documentary about the fight to reform the Philadelphia gift house program and speed up the process by which abandoned houses are released to needy families. Focuses Gloria Giles, a leader in this movement who gains national reputation.