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Double Exposure: Investigative Film Festival

Illuminating Perspectives: Shorts on the Human Experience

The DC Public Library is excited to partner with 100Reporters as one of the host for this years Double Exposure Film Festival.

Double Exposure, a project of the investigative news organization 100Reporters, celebrates the finest new films inspired by the investigative instinct. It combines film screenings for the public with a professional symposium for journalists and visual storytellers.

Moving towards its tenth edition, DX does more than just identify and celebrate a new genre of filmmaking. It casts this vital body of work toward recognition as a coherent artistic vision. It connects audience appreciation for creative output to the rights of reporters and filmmakers to pursue investigations in the public interest; it ties stirrings of artistic curiosity to practical consequences and groundbreaking storytelling to policy changes.

Click the links below to learn more about the other festival shorts showings at the MLK Library during the Double Exposure Film Festival.

November 8th, 2024, Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival

November 9th, 2024, Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival

November 10th, 2024, Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival

For reasonable accommodations, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc.gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation, please allow at least seven (7) days notice.

Safe Place

Although experiencing a lifelong battle with pain and trauma, Jerod Draper lived an average, normal life in Southern Indiana. During high school, Jerod started to get off track after losing his best friend at the age of 14, and his first love at 15. To cope with the sudden loss at such a young age, Jerod started experimenting with drugs. After high school and through his younger-adult years, Jerod's substance abuse amplified. Throughout his 20s and 30s, Jerod continued to fight for sobriety while marrying and having a daughter. Following the divorce and not being able to see his daughter due to substance abuse, Jerod made a vow to stay clean. On October 4

th, 2018 - Jerod was well over a year sober, yet fighting a familiar challenge, the severe depression and anxiety induced by weaning from drugs. During that evening, Jerod endures a fatal night of torture after being arrested for a routine traffic stop.

Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian is an award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker exploring societal themes at the intersection of time, isolation, health, science, and introspection.

His debut feature documentary, Greener Pastures, screened at over 50 film festivals between 2023-2024 and won over fifteen awards including the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2023 Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado. The film is executive produced by Emmy Award-winners, David J. Cornfield and Linda A. Cornfield (The Social Dilemma, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Chasing Coral). Greener Pastures was acquired by PBS' Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning series, Independent Lens and made its national broadcast premiere on March 25th, 2024.

Samuel-Ali was named a PBS Wyncote Fellow in 2023 and is a recipient of the Kodak Motion Picture Film Bronze Award for Excellence in Filmmaking. His work has been supported by Far Star Action Fund, Doc Society, Catapult Film Fund, Exposure Labs, ITVS, The Redford Center, and The Points North Institute.

Everything is Fine

Evanston, Illinois is known as one of the most liberal cities in America. Yet despite its veneer of progressivism, it is also one of the most divided. When the National YMCA passed down orders to desegregate facilities, Evanston’s White Y closed the Black Y branch. There were multiple attempts by the Black community to buy the building back, but all were denied by the White Y. Instead, the building ultimately fell into disrepair. And in 1980, the Evanston Fire Department used the historic building to practice putting out fires, burning it to the ground.

More than 40 years later, former Emerson YMCA members reminisce on the memories, heartache, and impact the demolition of the building still has on the Black community today.

Vanessa Kjeldsen is the Wisconsin State Capitol Bureau Chief for all five of Gray Television’s stations in the state’s viewing area (WMTV 15 in Madison, WEAU 13 in Eau Claire, WSAW 7 in Wausau, WBAY 2 in Green Bay and KBJR 6 in Duluth/Superior). As the Statewide Chief Political Reporter, Kjeldsen’s mission is to provide accountability for those in power and context for those impacted. She is the recipient of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Achievement Tom Skilling Award and has been nominated for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy for her previous team coverage at WMTV 15.

Kjeldsen is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. During her time as an anchor, producer and reporter for Northwestern News Network, she was also nominated for five Student Chicago/Midwest Emmys, including Best Talent. Kjeldsen’s collegiate investigative police reporting also earned the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence. Previously, she reported for the Washington Post and United Press International.

A Shot at History 

Fulfilling a childhood promise to her father who suffered from a fatal disease, Nita Patel made it her mission to cure infectious diseases. Her determination led her to develop a life saving vaccine during the height of a global pandemic. Through Nita's journey to become a powerhouse scientist, we witness the untold story of women scientists, along with the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

Erika Cohn, Director and Producer

Erika is a two-time Emmy, Peabody and DGA Award-winning filmmaker who Variety recognized as one of 2017’s top documentary filmmakers to watch and was featured in DOC NYC’s 2019 “40 Under 40.” Most recently, Erika directed/produced the New York Times Critics Pick, Emmy Award-winning and Peabody nominated Belly of the Beast, featuring the 2021 Oscar shortlisted original song, “See What You’ve Done” by Mary J. Blige. This powerful expose´ of human rights abuses in women’s prisons opened in theaters and was broadcast on PBS’ Independent Lens series last fall. Her current releases also include The New York Times Op-Docs short film, What You’ll Remember, a beautiful portrait of a family who reframes their experience of homelessness, now playing in theaters and major film festivals. Previously, Erika directed/produced The Judge, a Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated film about the first woman judge appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a courts, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. She co-directed/produced In Football We Trust, an Emmy award-winning, feature documentary which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Erika’s work has been supported by IFP, the Sundance Institute, Tribeca Institute, Chicken & Egg, Hot Docs, ITVS, Women in Film, Fork Films, SFFILM, IDFA and BAVC among others.

Rajal Pitroda, Producer

Rajal Pitroda is a producer of fiction and non-fiction films. She is a Women at Sundance Fellow, an Impact Partners Producers Fellow, a Sundance Creative Producing Fellow and a Firelight Media Impact Producing Fellow. Rajal most recently produced Down a Dark Stairwell, a feature documentary that premiered at the True/False Film Festival and was broadcast on Independent Lens. Her work has been supported by Film Independent, Women in Film, Black Public Media, Chicken and Egg Pictures, the Tribeca Film Institute, SFFILM and others. Prior to producing, Rajal was the Founder of Cinevention, a media company where she designed and executed marketing and distribution strategies for feature films. Rajal started her career in film working in international marketing for Bollywood movies based in Mumbai. She has a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from London Business School.

Police Dive

 
Sgt. Mike Berry - officer, man of God, and world famous underwater detective, stands on Lake Chesdin's muddy shore, ready to dive for a murder weapon through a kaleidoscope of memories.

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