Documentaries for Health & Social Justice
Since 2006, 35 short films have been created in partnership with community organizations. Learn more.
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Not sure what to watch? Start with The Highlights
Films sorted by Semester
Fall 2010 / Spring 2011
The Art of Presence explores the value of meditation and mindfulness-based elder care as transformative practices for healthy aging.
Breathing Khmer is a 15 minute documentary about The Nagara Dhamma Temple in San Francisco where Cambodian refugees and their children cultivate community, culture and healing through Buddhism.
Educated Minds explores how public schools try secular mindfulness practice as a learning aid with students.
Refuge in Sangha is a short documentary that explores how meditation can be used to foster community and healing among a diverse group of people in Oakland, California.
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Greta Snider
Associate Professor of Cinema
- Teaching Assistant: Ewan Duarte
Spring 2010
United by Language. Journey into Deaf Culture through an intimate portrait of a couple balancing the advancement in medical technology while honoring and celebrating Deafhood.
Sex Workers: Your Voice Counts. Learn the stories of four women in San Francisco who are redefining and reclaiming sex work with dignity, awareness and education.
Make Moves. See how Oakland youth are transforming hard life experiences into vibrant art to live their dreams and lift up their generation.
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Weimin Zhang
M.F.A. Coordinator, Assistant Professor
- Teaching Assistant: Chris Tipton-King
Fall 2009
This series of films was created in partnership with Bay Area LISC.
Excelsior Rising. A community working to create a safer neighborhood
Blossoming Families. A child and family center building community
Ping Yuen: Peace Garden. Residents advocating for quality public housing
Redefining RIP. Young men of color reinvigorate their neighborhood
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Weimin Zhang
M.F.A. Coordinator, Assistant Professor
Spring 2009
(Sex)abled: Disability Uncensored Celebrate people with disabilities as sexual beings
Old Age is No Place for Sissies. Investigate senior care for the LGBT community
M'Ba: Keep Mothers Alive. An experimental documentary that honors motherhood
Lunch is the Lesson. Explore public schools as a venue to improve nutrition
Backyard Freeways. How pollution disproportionately affects low-income residents
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Greta Snider
Associate Professor of Cinema
Fall 2008
Race to the Bottom. Truck drivers advocate for living wages and healthier work conditions
One Sister at a Time: Positive Women’s Stories. Explore the lives of three very different HIV positive women
Laughter Rx: No Harmful Side Effects. Why is laughter "the best medicine?"
Cannabis: Therapeutic Potential. Learn about the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Greta Snider
Associate Professor of Cinema
Fall 2007 / Spring 2008
This series of films was created in partnership with AIDS United.
Empowering the Yard. Incarcerated women in Oklahoma City are using peer education to empower themselves and their communities
Living Positive. Women in New Orleans share the challenges and triumphs of living with HIV
Be Nice to Sex Workers. Survival sex workers in Washington DC facilitate healthy decision making with their peers
Pasa La Voz. A unique peer-education program set in the trans-border community of El Paso, TX and Juarez, Mexico
The Talk. Parents learn to become their children's sexual health educators
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Greta Snider
Associate Professor of Cinema
Spring 2007 Documentaries
The Verde Garden: Growing a Health Community. How a school community garden is growing healthy foods and kids.
It’s My Body, My Baby, My Birth. Why women are choosing natural childbirth
Yo Soy Lo Que Soy. Gay Latino immigrants building a supportive community
Van Hoa VSA: The Search for Culture in America. Vietnamese American students bridging both cultures
The Break. The state of the levees of the California Joaquin River Delta
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Weimin Zhang
M.F.A. Coordinator, Assistant Professor
Spring 2006 Documentaries
A Family Matter. Advocatng for same-sex marriage equality
A View of the Bay. Residents respond to plans to revitalize their neighbhorhood
BDSM: It's not what you think. Conversations about stigma and safety with practitioners
Bed Bugs. They don't discriminate, learn what you can do
School Health Centers. Bringing doctors to where the kids are
INSTRUCTORS
- Rachel Poulain
MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production, HEI
- Greta Snider
Associate Professor of Cinema
Films sorted by Alphabetical Order
The Art of Presence explores the value of meditation and mindfulness-based elder care as transformative practices for healthy aging.
Backyard Freeways. How pollution disproportionately affects low-income residents (Spring 2009)
BDSM: It's not what you think. Conversations about stigma and safety with practitioners. (Spring 2006)
Be Nice to Sex Workers. Survival sex workers in Washington DC facilitate healthy decision making with their peers. (Spring 2008)
Bed Bugs. They don't discriminate, learn what you can do. (Spring 2006)
Blossoming Families. A child and family center building community (Fall 2009)
The Break. The state of the levees of the California Joaquin River Delta. (Spring 2007)
Breathing Khmer is a 15 minute documentary about The Nagara Dhamma Temple in San Francisco where Cambodian refugees and their children cultivate community, culture and healing through Buddhism.
Cannabis: Therapeutic Potential. Learn about the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant (Fall 2008)
Educated Minds explores how public schools try secular mindfulness practice as a learning aid with students.
Empowering the Yard. Incarcerated women in Oklahoma City are using peer education to empower themselves and their communities. (Spring 2008)
Excelsior Rising. A community working to create a safer neighborhood (Fall 2009)
A Family Matter. Advocating for same-sex marriage equality. (Spring 2006)
It’s My Body, My Baby, My Birth. Why women are choosing natural childbirth. (Spring 2007)
Laughter Rx: No Harmful Side Effects. Why is laughter "the best medicine?" (Fall 2008)
Living Positive. Women in New Orleans share the challenges and triumphs of living with HIV. (Spring 2008)
Lunch is the Lesson. Explore public schools as a venue to improve nutrition (Spring 2009)
Make Moves. See how Oakland youth are transforming hard life experiences into vibrant art to live their dreams and lift up their generation. (Spring 2010)
M'Ba: Keep Mothers Alive. An experimental documentary that honors motherhood (Spring 2009)
Old Age is No Place for Sissies. Investigate senior care for the LGBT community (Spring 2009)
One Sister at a Time: Positive Women’s Stories. Explore the lives of three very different HIV positive women (Fall 2008)
Pasa La Voz. A unique peer-education program set in the trans-border community of El Paso, TX and Juarez, Mexico. (Spring 2008)
Ping Yuen: Peace Garden. Residents advocating for quality public housing (Fall 2009)
Race to the Bottom. Truck drivers advocate for living wages and healthier work conditions (Fall 2008)
Redefining RIP. Young men of color reinvigorate their neighborhood (Fall 2009)
Refuge in Sangha is a short documentary that explores how meditation can be used to foster community and healing among a diverse group of people in Oakland, California.
School Health Centers. Bringing doctors to where the kids are. (Spring 2006)
(Sex)abled: Disability Uncensored Celebrate people with disabilities as sexual beings (Spring 2009)
Sex Workers: Your Voice Counts. Learn the stories of four women in San Francisco who are redefining and reclaiming sex work with dignity, awareness and education. (Spring 2010)
The Talk. Parents learn to become their children's sexual health educator. (Spring 2008)
United by Language. Journey into Deaf Culture through an intimate portrait of a couple balancing the advancement in medical technology while honoring and celebrating Deafhood. (Spring 2010)
Van Hoa VSA: The Search for Culture in America. Vietnamese American students bridging both cultures. (Spring 2007)
The Verde Garden: Growing a Health Community. How a school community garden is growing healthy foods and kids. (Spring 2007)
A View of the Bay. Residents respond to plans to revitalize their neighbhorhood. (Spring 2006)
Yo Soy Lo Que Soy. Gay Latino immigrants building a supportive community. (Spring 2007)
