Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia
Synopsis: The Sherpa of Nepal's high Himalaya are the men and women known for their endurance and ability to survive at oxygen-deprived altitudes. And in New York City, they're driving cabs, selling imports at street market stalls, and chopping vegetables in the kitchens of Asian restaurants. The film follows mountaineers Nima Dawa Sherpa and Kipa Sherpa from the top of Mount Everest to Queens, New York, as they strive to start a new life. With nuance, humor, and insightful direction, filmmaker Andy Cockrum offers a fresh perspective on the immigrant's journey, who put everything on the line to provide a better life for their children. Director Andy Cockrum and documentary subjects Gary Guller and Kipa Sherpa expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A after their US Premiere screening. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia
Synopsis: The gap in opportunities for different races in America remains extreme. Nowhere is this more evident than our nation"s top public schools. In New York City, where blacks and Hispanics make up 70% of the city"s school-aged population, they represent less than 5% at the city"s most elite public high schools. Meanwhile Asian Americans make up as much as 73%. This documentary follows a dozen racially and socio-economically diverse 8th graders as they fight for a seat at one of these schools. Their only way in: to ace a single standardized test. Tested includes the voices of such education experts as Pedro Noguera and Diane Ravitch as it explores such issues as access to a high-quality public education, affirmative action, and the model-minority myth. Directed by Curtis Chin, who is best known for his seminal film Vincent Who? about the killing of Vincent Chin, this feature doc offers an extensive look at the systemic inequalities facing students of color in NYC public schools. Facebook Event Page
