SAABA: Official Trailer
SAABA: a 6-part digital docuseries following the personal stories of community members in a small town in Burkina Faso working toward greater security. Produced by Meridian Hill Pictures and Big Mouth Productions.
Friction
Last year we produced this short for our friends Friction Quartet. Through December, they are now traveling the high seas in the prestigious Lincoln Center Stage on the Holland America Line Oosterdam. They are some of the most talented people we know. Follow their adventures on Instagram + Twitter (@frictionquartet).
If You the Words... an interview with Michelle Aguilar about t...
Tune in as our intern Sarah Diamond interviews our director of production Michelle Aguilar about our most recent series of documentary shorts, "If You Had the Words", in partnership with Vocabulary.com!
Check out the 4-part series here --> https://www.vocabulary.com/films/
#MHPStories Reel
We're pleased to share a new reel of our short commissioned films created by our former intern Cindy Centeno. We've been sitting on this for a while and finally got around to sharing!
Shout-out to: Friction Quartet, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, New Heights Program for Expectant & Parenting Students - Anacostia SHS, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc., Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Mundo Verde Public Charter School, Center for Inspired Teaching, National Endowment for the Humanities. Much gratitude for the chance to help tell your stories.
Lutheran Social Services — Welcome Boldly
Today is #WorldRefugeeDay, a time to recognize the diversity, tradition, and culture that refugees bring to benefit our community. There are over 21 million refugees worldwide looking for safety and a new home. Less than 1% each year gets a chance to begin again. We've been fortunate to collaborate with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area on documentary storytelling projects over the years with the refugees they serve in the DC Metro Area. Get involved and share the ways refugees positively influence our communities. http://bit.ly/2sOX6Fh
The Donor
In honor of Capital Pride, we're sharing THE DONOR. We made this film in 48 hours as part of the 2012 DC Shorts/Story District short film competition. Much appreciation to Christopher Love or sharing his heartwarming/heartbreaking story with the world.
Life as a Collage - trailer
In 2011, we worked with students at Sitar Arts Center in the first iteration of our Youth Documentary Program to create the award-winning film Life as a Collage, the poignant story of the life of artist + teacher Tim Gabel.
Lutheran Social Services — Serve Boldly
Last fall we produced this short film about Ibrahim, Kimora and Donovan, three people impacted by Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area. For 100 years, LSS/NCA has provided services that rebuild lives through adoption/foster care, refugee services, and programming for children affected by HIV/AIDS. Today for #DoMore24, consider supporting LSS/NCA and their vital role in our community.
https://domore24.org/npos/lutheran-social-services-of-the-national-capital-area
Washington Ballet at 40: The Septime Webre Years
Episode 2 from the series we produced for The Washington Ballet: The Septime Webre years. Congrats TWB on a fantastic season!
Washington Ballet at 40: The Mary Day Years
Congrats to The Washington Ballet on an incredible 2016/2017 season! Here's Episode 1: The Mary Day Years, from the 40th anniversary series we produced for TWB last fall. Can't wait for the 2017/2018 season!
The Journey Home
We honor the men and women who never came back home, those who returned with the mental and physical wounds of war, and the courageous vets serving today, to protect our country.
In 2014 we made THE JOURNEY HOME with Heather Courtney for the Mental Health Channel. The short film tells the story of three vets — all injured in different wars — who find healing powers through a unique fly fishing program called Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. developed to assist vets in overcoming reintegration challenges.
Operatunities
Before we started MHP in 2010, Brandon worked for the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a teaching artist facilitating documentary film programs to young people. We've been fortunate to maintain the relationship with the KC over the years. In honor of JFK's centennial, we wanted to share some of the projects that have come out of our collaborations with the Kennedy Center. First up, 'Operatunities,' a short film made by students in a residency we led at the Arts & Technology Academy in NE DC back in 2011. In the film, the students explore the art form of opera through their own perspective.
The Scholar & The Sailor
While in solitary confinement, Gregory White decided to turn his life around after reading a history book that moved him. The book was penned by Dr. Jeffrey Bolster, a historian at the University of New Hampshire, through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2012, we made this short film recounting the story about how this convicted felon and academic came to change each other's lives through a passion for sailing and the written word.
Five years later, the new budget proposes shuttering the NEH, NEA and CPB. In these difficult moments, please consider the impact of these institutions in our society. Arts and humanities grants are investments in our humanity.
https://www.neh.gov/news/press-release/2017-05-23
Washington Ballet at 40: The Julie Kent Years
#TBT: Last fall we were honored to produce a mini-series for The Washington Ballet about its 40-year history. Tonight at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, TWB opens new artistic director Julie Kent's first-ever commissioned work, FRONTIER, choreographed by Ethan Stiefel. The work is inspired by President Kennedy and his aspirations for America to be a leader of artistic, cultural, and intellectual excellence.
WATCH the "Julie Kent Years" episode and get your tickets for FRONTIER: http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/RRWLB
Future Trails
Future Trails tells the story of Sunny, Sterling and Jonathan, three people whose lives are impacted by Northeast DC's Metropolitan Branch Trail. Produced in collaboration with Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the Capital Trails Coalition, which seeks to create a world-class network of multi-use trails equitably distributed throughout the DC Metro area.
City of Trees: Official Theatrical Trailer
"HONEST, REAL, explores the MESSY TRUTHS in all fights for environmental and social justice." - Van Jones
STREAM our award-winning documentary City of Trees Film on Netflix iTunes and Amazon Video!
http://www.cityoftreesfilm.com/watch-online
Lance testifies at DC City Council — Nov 2011
"Change on a local level may be where we have some of our greatest leverage. There are countless local arts councils, state film offices, public agencies, family foundations, and grassroots audiences in our backyards who could stand to become some of our best allies. But it may take speaking in new ways about the costs and benefits of our work, in social and financial terms that make sense."
http://www.documentary.org/feature/messy-truth-behind-day-job-documentarian
The Webby Awards — VOTE
Don't forget to cast your vote in The Webby Awards — the 'internet's highest honor' — for #TheMessyTruth by April 20th! We produced the web series in collaboration with Van Jones and Magic Labs Media in a response to the toxicity and polarization during the election last November. VOTE for us in the News & Politics Series category here: http://bit.ly/2oyx2LP
Panel discussion on documentary ethics at Reel Independent Film Extravaganza! (the video rights itself after a few mins)
A Green Home
Big congratulations to our friends Mundo Verde Public Charter School for receiving the prestigious The American Institute of Architects 2016 Education Facility Design Awards. Back a couple of years ago, we collaborated with the school to document the story of their move into the John F. Cooke School and the first phase of green renovations in this short film, "A Green Home." Grateful to have this long-standing relationship with MV and to have helped to tell their story since the early days.
http://new.aia.org/showcases/16641-mundo-verde-bilingual-public-charter-school
Wagin' Peace — Seeds of Peace
Today marks Meridian Hill Pictures' 6th birthday! Here's a blast from the past: our very first project, a participatory music video we created during the summer of 2010 with Palestinian, Israeli, Jordanian, Egyptian, Indian, Pakistani, Afghan, and American young leaders at the Seeds of Peace summer camp.
Our endless gratitude to the countless people who have shared your stories in our films, worked on our crews, come out to screenings, made contributions, interned, volunteered, made us food, given us advice, and believed in us over the past six years.
Project SING Demo
It's with great sadness to share the news that Nancy Ann Hawes Berry, the remarkable woman who was a central participant in our feature film in-progress PROJECT SING, passed away suddenly Monday morning. We've had the irreplaceable pleasure of being with Nancy through countless memorable experiences over the past four years as she welcomed us into her life in Fort Lincoln. We're grateful for her friendship, openness and inspiration, and we hope that we will do her story justice when the film is ultimately completed. Rest in peace, Nancy.
http://www.meridianhillpictures.com/project_sing
Kramer & Sons demo
Kramer & Sons explores how one small, independent butcher shop in Washington DC served as a centerpiece for a new immigrant family to learn respect, dignity, and the importance of community.
http://www.kramerandsons.com
Porchfest
TOMORROW: Hobart Street will celebrate the 6th annual PORCHFEST!
We can't believe how time has flown by since this incredible neighborhood festival began in 2011. This is one of our favorite celebrations of neighbors, community, and, well...porches. Check out MHP's short film that won Best Short Documentary at the 2012 The Our City Festival.
Read more here: http://www.meridianhillpictures.com/porchfest
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park Snowball Fight 2016
We love the park.
In the Path of My Father teaser trailer
Check out the teaser trailer for the latest film from the Meridian Hill Pictures/Sitar Arts Center Youth Documentary Program — IN THE PATH OF MY FATHER. The film premieres Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Sitar. RSVP today — hope to see you there!
City of Trees teaser trailer
It's here - the new City of Trees teaser trailer! Hope you enjoy & help us share widely.
City of Trees tells the intimate story of the intersection of public stimulus and one community's fight for equal access to good jobs and safe parks in our nation's capital.
Directed by Brandon Kramer
Produced by Lance Kramer
a film by Meridian Hill Pictures
trailer by Wheelhouse Creative
cityoftreesfilm.com/join
"I am from..." poems
Poetic responses from our students in the Sitar Arts Center Youth Documentary Program to the prompt “I am from…”
Learn more about the impact of this incredible program: http://bit.ly/Zcf5Sh
"I live to succeed, not to please...giving life is planting trees/Life is a jungle, even if I stumble, I still stay humble/Give where I live, and face my fears. Lead by example for my kids and my peers." -- Charles Holcomb
Join over 360 City of Trees backers on our Kickstarter campaign: http://kck.st/1FIlTpA
Meet James, a longtime resident of Washington, D.C.'s Ward 8. James feels a personal mission to address the suspicion that can accompany attempts to revitalize public green spaces in underserved parts of the city.
In this moment from City of Trees, he talks to community members in Oxon Run Park about the importance and legacy of tree planting.
Support City of Trees on Kickstarter and help the film reach a broad and diverse audience: http://kck.st/1FIlTpA
Meridian Hill Pictures is an innovative documentary production company dedicated to producing, teaching, and sharing films that inspire meaningful community participation and engagement.
