Gardeners of Eden

The Emmy® Awards recognizes outstanding achievements in television by conferring annual awards of merit in the Pacific Southwest region.

Praying For Death - "Each dead body earned me my daily bread. Fear was a luxury I could not afford." Introduction Praying for Death is a documentary film that will illustrate the story of Gouri Amma of Khargapur, India. Gouri is a widow who, after her husband's untimely death, takes on the normally male-held tradition of cremating the dead. Her husband Kakalu was the local dome, or cremator, for employees of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway in the Midnapore district of Kharagpur. Through Gouri's faith and determination, she struggles to support herself and three daughters against what seem like overwhelming odds. With the unexpected help of a local attorney, and the community in which Gouri lives, a neglected crematorium area is eventually transformed to a place worthy of respect and admiration. Gouri herself gains the recognition she deserves for her role as the local domni. The story will weave elements of social and economic class struggles, religious beliefs and traditions, changing roles in society, and the legal system in rural Southern India. Praying for Death will be a snapshot of rural Indian life at the crossroads of change, using the documentary film genre as the venue for social commentary. As with any ethnographic study, the film will explore what is unique in the lives of its characters, and at the same time help to bridge cultural notions and reveal what is universal in the human experience. Themes of current interest that will be explored are:

Addiction is easy. Recovery is not. Rural America has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic, but hope is alive as well. SMACKED! tells the story of how law enforcement and the health care community are coping with the heroin epidemic that has swept the rural Western Catskill mountains of New York State. The film features stakeholders primarily located in Delaware and Otsego Counties in mid-state New York. Through the creativity of the law enforcement and recovery communities, unique education, awareness and prevention programs have been created despite the scarce availability of funding. By focusing on recovering addicts and health professionals, SMACKED! humanizes the addict and addresses the dangerous stigma around addition and recovery.

What is Philanthropy? is a documentary designed to enhance the American public's understanding of the concept of philanthropy, and provide concrete and diverse examples of its role in culture and society. In addition, there is what some might call a 'dark side' of philanthropy. Motivations for giving are sometimes questioned for reasons of politics, reputation, narcissism, and even social control. This documentary addresses these questions and issues. Ultimately, it will challenge and motivate the audience to reflect and think creatively about how it can give back. After film festivals and public television broadcasts, the film will be used in higher education and K-12 schools as a teaching and learning tool.