All Events
Cup of Culture
Golden Gate Girls
MCC Theater
Author S. Louisa Wei’s Golden Gate Girls goes behind the camera to reveal the untold story of Esther Eng, one of the first female Chinese American directors in the U.S. A San Francisco native and out lesbian, the slick-haired Eng drew her inspiration from the traditional Chinese opera, directing and producing her first films by the age of 19. Her contribution to film history is sadly overlooked—her 11 feature films mostly lost. Wei’s documentary paints a fascinating picture of how Eng’s career in filmmaking broke through gender and racial boundaries in Hollywood and Hong Kong, a time when opportunities for Chinese women were few and far between. With captivating archive of newly discovered images and interviews with those who knew her, Wei uncovers a rich chapter of film history that challenges both gender hierarchies and national narratives. 90 min., English, 2013.
View: Trailer
Cup of Culture
Cartel Land
MCC THEATER
Hailed by The New York Times as “urgent and unnerving,” Cartel Land is a chilling meditation on the breakdown of order. Jose Mireles, a Michoacán physician known as 'El Doctor,' leads the Autodefensas, a citizen uprising against the Knights Templar drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region. Across the border, U.S. vet Tim 'Nailer' Foley heads Arizona Border Recon, a paramilitary group determined to keep cartel activity out of the U.S. Filmmaker Matthew Heineman embeds himself in the heart of darkness as Nailer, El Doctor, and the cartel vie to impose their own brands of justice where social institutions have failed. (98 min, English and Spanish w/ subtitles, 2015)
View: Trailer
Race Matters Series
Weapons of the [Not So] Weak: Immigrant Mass Mobilization in the U.S. South
MCC LOUNGE
Research shows that foreign-born Latino/as are among those least likely to participate in political activism. Yet during the spring of 2006, up to five million immigrants and their allies took part in a historic national protest wave. Utilizing the case of Fort Myers, Florida, this presentation examines why and how anti-immigrant legislation can motivate unconventional protest participants (soccer players, nannies, agricultural workers) to take action and utilize pre-existing community resources for the purpose of mass mobilization. Dr. Chris Zepeda-Millán is Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley.
Cup of Culture
Out in the Night
MCC THEATER
In 2006, seven African-American lesbians were violently threatened by a man on the street in a gay-friendly New York City neighborhood. After defending themselves, four of the women were convicted in the courts and branded by the media as a “Gang of Killer Lesbians.” blair dorosh-walther’s award-winning documentary examines the sensational case and the women's uphill battle, revealing the roles that race, gender identity, and sexuality play in our criminal justice system. (82 min, English, 2013)
