Library Stories: Books on the Backroads is a film about New Mexico's rural libraries. It’s about villages and Pueblo communities, their histories and their people, where their libraries are, and what their libraries mean. Rural people across our country know their libraries are essential to the educational and social fabric of their communities.
Smithsonian Magazine once asked the rhetorical question, 'Can a weekly paper in rural New Mexico raise enough hell to keep its readers hungry for more, week after week?' The Rio Grande Sun, published in Espanola, New Mexico is considered one of the best weekly newspapers in the country. The Sun is known for its investigative reporting. It broke the story that its own rural community had the highest per capita heroin overdose rate in the country. It has led the fight for open records and open meetings in a county where political shenanigans are the rule. The film follows the Sun's reporters and editors as they write about the news, the sports, the art and culture of a large rural county. John Burnett, an NPR correspondent, reports on the Sun's Police Blotter--'the best in the country.' Tony Hillerman, the celebrated author and newspaper editor, speaks eloquently about the value of community newspapers. The Sun Never Sets is narrated by Bob Edwards, Peabody Award winning news anchor.
Acclaimed folklorist Nasario Garcia wanders through landscape and memory amid the ghosts towns of New Mexico's Rio Puerco valley, reviving recuerdos tales of his youth when the ranching villages thrived and viejitos elders told stories beside a river that once ran.
A documentary by husband and wife filmmakers, Mario Balibrera and Dana Evans, of the art colonies of Taos, New Mexico in the early part of the 20th century.
And Those Who Dance it Surrender Their Hearts to Each Other is a portrait of Lone Piñon, a Northern New Mexican string band celebrating their region’s cultural roots. With fiddles, upright bass, accordions, vihuela, mandolin, guitars, jarana huasteca, and vocals in Spanish, English, Nahuatl and P’urepecha, they play a wide spectrum of the traditional music that is at home in New Mexico. The musicians have learned from elder musicians (such as Antonia Apodaca) who instilled in them a respect for continuity of the community based social and dance music. Noah Martinez, Jordan Wax, Leticia Gonzales and Greg Glassman have brought the language of New Mexico traditional music and related regional traditions back onto the modern stage, back onto dance floors, and back into the ears of a young generation.
This Traveltalk series short takes viewers on a tour of old New Mexico. Starting in Santa Fe, the oldest state capitol in the USA, the city existed long before European migration. It's unique architecture is its most prominent feature. There are several archaeological sites trying to date when Indians first settled in the area. Seven percent of the population are of Indian origin. Near Taos is the onetime home of Kit Carson whose grave is one of the sacred shrines of New Mexico. The Navajo live on their 14 million acre reservation and continue their traditional way of life.
A documentary that takes a look at the film and media industry of New Mexico and its impact today.
Up Heartbreak Hill chronicles the lives of three high school seniors living on the Navajo Nation and struggling to shape their identities as both Native American and modern American. They must decide whether to stay in their community - a place inextricably woven into the fiber of their beings - or leave in pursuit of educational and economic opportunities.
An American serial killer suspected by police to have murdered as many as 60 people; David tortured and presumably killed his victims in a $100,000 homemade torture chamber he called "The Toy Box."
Two strangers, each living at the edges of society, are fatefully united for a harrowing and inspirational journey through the enchanting vistas of New Mexico. A passionate young woman escaping her abusive past and a reclusive young man with autism take a journey that redefines the notion of family.
In the shadow of Dinosaur Cliff lies Fossil Gulch and Ghost Ranch. Will someone on the ranch be an innocent victim?
A renegade Englishman known as “The White Apache” tangles with brutal scalp hunters who fear no man! Gripping Western adventure!
Overworked boxer Jim goes to a health ranch in New Mexico to recover where he falls in love with Peggy and her sickly son. Once recovered, Jim leaves to return to the ring. Can their romance survive the distance?
An archaeological expedition uncovers a prehistoric hominid burial site. When their team is unexpectedly attacked they are forced to take refuge in the catacombs of an unmapped cave. One by one they fall to an ancient predator.
William Hart McNichols is a world renowned artist, heralded by Time magazine as "among the most famous creators of Christian iconic images in the world". As a young Catholic priest from 1983-1990 he was immersed in a life-altering journey working as a chaplain at St. Vincent's AIDS hospice in New York city. It was during this time that he became an early pioneer for LGBT rights within the Catholic church. "The Boy Who Found Gold" is a cinematic journey into the art and spirit of William Hart McNichols. The film follows his colorful life as he crosses paths with presidents, popes, martyrs, and parishioners, finding an insightful lesson with each encounter. McNichols' message as a priest, artist and man speaks to the most powerful element of the human spirit: Mercy.
Retiring from a life of train robbing, Benjamin R. Jones takes over the ghost town of Stillwell, knowing full well that the property belongs to Molly O'Rourke. Enter horse wrangler Tom Mason, who smells a rat and does his best to unmask Jones as the crook he knows him to be. Molly at first falls for Jones' scheme, but confronts him when a general feeling of lawlessness sets in. The villain, alas, has an ace up his sleeve: Molly owes back taxes on her property, which is ripe for a takeover.
Plant Explorer Richard Evans Schultes was a real life Indiana Jones whose discoveries of hallucinogenic plants laid the foundation for the psychedelic sixties. Now in this two hour History Channel TV Special, his former student Wade Davis, follows in his footsteps to experience the discoveries that Schultes brought to the western world. Shot around the planet, from Canada to the Amazon, we experience rarely seen native hallucinogenic ceremonies and find out the true events leading up to the Psychedelic Sixties. Featuring author/adventurer Wade Davis ("Serpent and the Rainbow"), Dr. Andrew Weil, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir and many others, this program tells the story of the discovery of peyote, magic mushrooms and beyond: one man's little known quest to classify the Plants of the Gods. Richard Evans Schultes revolutionized science and spawned another revolution he never imagined.
A fungus dubbed "Space Rust" from Outer Space threatens to destroy the Earth.
Caroline Williams, a well-known social media travel writer, is given the assignment to cover a hundred-year-old Christmas parade in the small town of Carte De Amor, New Mexico. Not excited about the assignment, Caroline goes anyway and meets a high school music teacher, Oscar Ortiz, who introduces her to a side of Christmas that she has never seen, with different traditions and meanings. In the twelve days before Christmas, Caroline falls in love with Christmas all over again and finds true love for herself.
A documentary about actor/director Dennis Hopper, showing him at his home and studio putting together his film "The Last Movie."