Local, USA

Indie Films Series / 8 Seasons

Culled from public television stations and independent producers from across the country, LOCAL, USA is a half-hour series featuring fascinating stories of diverse people, curated around a single theme.

26m 49s / TV-PG

Generations Stolen | Indian Boarding Schools

51s / TV-PG

Denise Lajimodiere (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) talks about the history of the off-reservation Native/Indian boarding schools and the generational trauma they created for the survivors and their loved ones. She also shares how the schools affected her own family as her father and her grandfather were sent to Fort Totten Indian Industrial School in North Dakota.

Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts | Trailer

1m / TV-PG

Established by Congress, the 14th Amendment promised citizenship in exchange for enlistment, prompting many African American men. They were denied due to Jim Crow laws but still served. The film examines the profound and often-contradictory roles played by Buffalo Soldiers in U.S. history, and how they fought on two sets of front lines: military conflicts abroad and civil rights struggles at home.

Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts | Preview

30s / TV-PG

Established by Congress, the 14th Amendment promised citizenship in exchange for enlistment, prompting many African American men. They were denied due to Jim Crow laws but still served. The film examines the profound and often-contradictory roles played by Buffalo Soldiers in U.S. history, and how they fought on two sets of front lines: military conflicts abroad and civil rights struggles at home.

Beyond the Lens with Dru Holley

5m 40s / TV-PG

Filmmaker Dru Holley talks about Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, the making of his film, and reveals the catalyst behind it. The director & producer also discusses the complexities of the Buffalo Soldiers and how, although they are a part of American history, their story remains relevant today.

Asian American Stories of Resilience and... Vol. 2 | Trailer

2m 6s / TV-PG

Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond reflects the complexities of Asian American experiences: Filipinx filmmaker Bree Nieves and her cousin grapple with what remains of their dreams, after losing one of their fathers during the pandemic; and Chanthon Bun, who lost his legal protection to live in the U.S. after conviction, must tread carefully after being released - ICE could deport him.

Asian American Stories of Resilience and... Vol. 2 | Preview

30s / TV-PG

Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond reflects the complexities of Asian American experiences: Filipinx filmmaker Bree Nieves and her cousin grapple with what remains of their dreams, after losing one of their fathers during the pandemic; and Chanthon Bun, who lost his legal protection to live in the U.S. after conviction, must tread carefully after being released - ICE could deport him.

Asian American Stories of Resilience and... Vol. 1 | Preview

30s / TV-PG

Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond reflects the complexities of Asian American experiences: Queer filmmaker Quyên Nguyen-Le recovers and articulates the legacy of their mother's nail salon for their refugee family, and Filipino-American filmmaker Frances Rubio captures the experience of being distanced from her sick father, who has been isolated in his facility during the pandemic.

Asian American Stories of Resilience and... Vol. 1 | Trailer

58s / TV-PG

Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond reflects the complexities of Asian American experiences: Queer filmmaker Quyên Nguyen-Le recovers and articulates the legacy of their mother's nail salon for their refugee family, and Filipino-American filmmaker Frances Rubio captures the experience of being distanced from her sick father, who has been isolated in his facility during the pandemic.

Girl Talk | Judgement Day

1m 36s / TV-PG

High school debaters like the ones on the top-ranking Newton South High School team understand what the judges want to hear and see. Former and current debaters share the implicit and explicit gender and racial biases and expectations they encounter when they get up to debate.

Girl Talk | A Style of Her Own

1m 59s / TV-PG

Anika, a novice member of the Newton South High School debate team, isn't afraid to stick to her particular style of debating. Her individuality together with talent, tenacity and an unmatched drive makes Anika a force to be reckon with at tournaments.

Girl Talk | Standing Up, Speaking Out

1m 4s / TV-PG

Gaby, a novice member of the Newton South High School debate team, is discovering what it takes to stand up for herself as a person which translates over to the world of debate. Disagreeing is a challenge when everything you knew before told you otherwise.

Girl Talk | Expression in More Than One Language

1m 1s / TV-PG

Hannah, a varsity member of the Newton South High School debate team, sees debating as more than speaking. As a first generation child of Vietnamese refugees, communication is key in her life at home and school, recognizing how the world perceives her and her family.

Girl Talk: A Local, USA Special | Trailer

1m 45s / TV-PG

Set in the cutthroat, male-dominated world of high school debate, GIRL TALK tells the compelling story of five girls on the diverse, top-ranked Massachusetts team at Newton South. Often talked over, underrepresented and judged differently than their male counterparts, each girl learns to navigate gender biases, reminding us that equal rights and freedom of expression are worth fighting for.

Girl Talk: A Local, USA Special | Preview

30s / TV-PG

Set in the cutthroat, male-dominated world of high school debate, GIRL TALK tells the compelling story of five girls on the diverse, top-ranked Massachusetts team at Newton South. Often talked over, underrepresented and judged differently than their male counterparts, each girl learns to navigate gender biases, reminding us that equal rights and freedom of expression are worth fighting for.

Girl Talk | Motivational Failure

1m 40s / TV-PG

The Newton South High School debate team has dealt with its share of disappointment but it doesn't stop them from moving on and up. Told to "be more Oprah," varsity member Gil is fueled by judgement of her poise rather than her points.

Girl Talk | A Balance Between Self and a "Good Debater"

1m 24s / TV-PG

Bella, a co-captain of the Newton South High School debate team, shares the struggle of maintaining her feminine identity and that of a confident debater. Even today, dress code is one relevant point in presentation at tournaments with girls wavering between skirts and pants.

Girl Talk | Perceptual Dominance

2m 3s / TV-PG

Meet the Newton South High School debate team, one of the largest in the U.S. with a diverse roster - nearly half are girls and many are first generation. What the girls must achieve at the podium is perceptual dominance as they contend with the judges' opinions simply because they are not the boys.

In Their Element | Trailer

1m 47s / TV-PG

IN THEIR ELEMENT spotlights Indigenous leaders rising up to meet the challenge of the climate crisis. The film features four communities across the United States, each working to protect a different natural resource: earth, air, fire, and water. For people whose existence is inseparable from their native land, climate change is not a tale of the future - it is the present.

In Their Element | Preview

30s / TV-PG

IN THEIR ELEMENT spotlights Indigenous leaders rising up to meet the challenge of the climate crisis. The film features four communities across the United States, each working to protect a different natural resource: earth, air, fire, and water. For people whose existence is inseparable from their native land, climate change is not a tale of the future - it is the present.

Extremism in America | Trailer

1m 38s / TV-PG

According to government officials, domestic terrorism by white supremacists is the nation's most urgent threat. EXTREMISM IN AMERICA, from Retro Report and The WNET Group’s Exploring Hate initiative, shows how the spread of extremist beliefs and violence was downplayed for decades by policymakers and law enforcement even as this dangerous ideology, fueled by racism, grew into a potent force today.

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