Inspirational Documentary Block

Inspirational Docs

Ultimate Citizens

Mr. Jamshid is an Iranian who in the 1970’s came to study in America, and due to the Revolution, never went “home.” As a guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools, Jamshid’s best work takes place out of the building and on a playing field with “his kids,” the children of refugees and immigrants.  Frisbee in hand, Jamshid is the first to show that “love wins” on the field, off the field, at home with family, or boldly forging a new community, in a new country – one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time.

Director: Francine Strickwerda
52 minutes

Relighting The Flame

Relighting the Flame tells the story of how a new generation of workers are defying enormous odds to rebuild and grow America’s steel industry, right in the Industrial Heartland.

Director: Carl Kriss
25:49 minutes

Ten Times Better

Driven by his refugee mother to be “Ten Times Better” in white America, George Lee is the quintessential invisible immigrant with an extraordinary past. The 88-year-old Vegas blackjack dealer, who grew up in Shanghai studying ballet with Russian emigres, was handpicked by George Balanchine to originate the Chinese dance in the choreographer’s 1954 premiere of The Nutcracker and persuaded by Gene Kelly to try Broadway in the original Flower Drum Song—pioneering tales of an early Asian American Pacific Islander dancer who no one knows. Until now.

Director: Jennifer Rita Lin
29:52 minutes