Rust Belt & Appalachia Documentary Series

640 Braddock Avenue,Braddock PA 15104

05 November, 2022

Description

This one-night event presented by The Video Consortium’s Pittsburgh chapter will screen selected documentaries from local filmmakers and films shot in the region. The night includes a special screening of (In)Hospitable which is a gripping new documentary about patients and activists who banded together in an effort to fight UPMC, a sneak preview of Jose Muniain’s new project Consumed by Grief, and the Pittsburgh premiere of Braddock documentary Down The House. Come early to enjoy refreshments, make new connections and demo some of the newest professional camera gear, like the Sony Fx9 and Canon C500, brought to you by our equipment sponsor, Lightbulb Rentals. This family-friendly, outdoor event is suggested donation. Rain location in the same building but bring a coat! Food and refreshments provided. SCHEDULE: 5:30 - 6:00 pm - Meet & Greet + Equipment demo by LightBulb Rentals 6:00 - 6:10 pm - CONSUMED BY GRIEF (10 minutes) 6:10 - 6:25 pm - Q&A with director Jose Muniain & Mark Knobil 6:25 - 7:05 pm - DOWN THE HOUSE (45 minutes) 7:05 - 7:20 pm - Q&A with director Tricia Murajda & Pavló Fedorov 7:20 - 7:30 pm - Intermission 7:30 - 9:10 pm - INHOSPITABLE (100 minutes) 9:10 - 9:40 pm - Q&A with editor and producer Stacy Goldate and special guests and film participants Natasha Lindstrom and Pennsylvania House Representative of the 34th District Summer Lee! Moderated by Stephanie Strasburg, chief photojournaist for PublicSource. ABOUT THE FILMS: INHOSPITABLE By director Sandra C. Alvarez, producer Veronica Nickel, and producer & editor Stacy Goldate (In)Hospitable follows the story of patients and activists as they band together in an effort to fight UPMC, a multi-billion dollar nonprofit hospital behemoth in western Pennsylvania. In its quest for market domination, UPMC was planning to make vital care unaffordable for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable patients. These patients were taxpayers who had been subsidizing this supposedly nonprofit institution whose main mission as a charity was to serve the community. This illuminating documentary tells the inspiring story of these brave patients and activists who, faced with life-or-death consequences, fight to win the battle for their health — and their community. DOWN THE HOUSE By director Tricia Murajda & cinematographer Pavló Fedorov Down the House transports the viewer to the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Once the epicenter of the U.S. Steel Industry, the steel production in the region helped build the U.S. and win WWI and WWII. Abandoned and facing economic implosion in the 1980s, the town lost nearly all of its population and its grasp on the American Dream. As former Mayor John Fetterman once described Braddock, "90% of our city is in a landfill somewhere." From urban farming to revitalization through artistry and mutual aid, the residents of Braddock struggle to survive and thrive, living in the remnants of a more vibrant age and reimagining the next incarnation of the town in the shell of the old. CONSUMED BY GRIEF By director Jose Muniain & cinematographer Mark Knobil Consumed by Grief is a collaboration with Italian photographer Nicolò Filippo Rosso. Rosso has been documenting migration movements across South, Central, and North America since 2018. In 2021, Rosso was awarded the Eugene Smith Award for Humanitarian Photography for his project Exodus, which is about the tens of thousands of migrants fleeing Central American countries from violence, climate change, and economic collapse. WHAT IS THE VIDEO CONSORTIUM? The Video Consortium is a non-profit global network of today’s top emerging voices in non-fiction video. We’re award-winning producers and directors, staff video journalists and independent filmmakers, video department heads and studio cinematographers, editors, and animators - all based throughout the world but united within our tight-knit creative collective. We welcome you into this thriving community and support emerging storytellers through various programs, workshops, screenings, and mentorship programs. What does that mean to all of you who work locally in documentary film and visual journalism? More gigs, more ideas, more gear, more friends, more support, and more equity! https://www.videoconsortium.org/ WHAT IS VCPGH? Video Consortium’s Pittsburgh chapter represents non-fiction filmmakers and visual journalists working and based in the Rust Belt and Central Appalachian regions. As we shape this local chapter of VC, we’re focused on bringing together every voice working in the Pittsburgh area’s non-fiction film and video landscape to establish a deep-rooted community of visual storytellers. Our main goals are to help local freelancers and independent filmmakers find work and advice while also providing referrals and guidance to non-local news outlets and documentary film crews working in the region. Our mission is to address issues like news deserts, freelancer advocacy, and equitable representation in the non-fiction film industry. We hold quarterly screenings of recent films, workshops, and networking events. We encourage all media makers to connect and engage with one another about some of our most pressing issues in the region so we can support each other as we build this chapter together. We’re super excited to grow this chapter with you and look forward to seeing you at the gathering! VCPGH organizing team: Nick Childers, Hansen Bursic, Stephanie Strasburg, Ryan Loew, and Nate Smallwood Learn more at: https://www.videoconsortium.com/pittsburgh Special thanks to: Gregg Kander Will Zavala Sky Dylan-Robbins Amanda Walters We’d like to extend a very special thank you to our sponsors and partners: Location Sponsor: Ohringer Arts Event Sponsor: Film PGH Community Sponsors: Center for Media Innovation - Point Park University WQED Filmmakers Equipment Sponsor: Lightbulb Rentals - Pittsburgh Programming Partner: Documentary Salon Media Partners: Postindustrial Media PublicSource ---SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY--- This event will take place following all municipal, state, and federal laws. We are taking the following precautions: We highly recommend being vaccinated against COVID -19. This event will be entirely outdoors (unless in the case of rain there is an indoor location onsite) Please dress warmly. There will be heaters and hot food and beverages. PPE and sanitizer will be provided. Seating is capped at 100 maximum Any guest +21 wanting alcohol must first get their ID checked. This building complies with ADA standards and has an elevator to the roof. If you need any additional accessibility needs please let us know at [email protected]. Help us make this event safe! If you're feeling sick, stay home! We need you to adhere to these guidelines for everyone's sake. While we are taking the above precautions, we cannot completely eliminate risk. If you choose to attend this event, you agree to not hold The Video Consortium liable for any illness or injury.