Maysles Cinema Presents Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America Curated by Sylvia Savadjian WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27th 7:30 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Wednesday, April 27th at 7:30 PM The Maysles Cinema will present the Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America curated by Sylvia Savadjian. This event will feature three films on the topic of gun violence in America. The first film is Living for 32 directed by Kevin Breslin, the second film is Bullets in the Hood: A Bed- Stuy Story directed by Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard and the third and final film is A Harlem Mother directed by Ivana Todorovic. The panel for the night includes the director of Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, Colin Goddard the subject of Living for 32, Jean Corbett- Parker, the subject of A Harlem Mother and co-founder of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. and Stephanie Skaff, the director of DCTV's (Downtown Community Television) anti-gun violence media campaign "Beyond Bullets". The topic of gun violence in the United States, with the attendant political debate surrounding gun control, has always been a pressing consideration and issue in domestic United States culture and politics. Deaths related to gun violence are two to four times more common in the United States than in countries with a similar level of economic and political development. This violence has taken numerous forms with everything from political assassinations, armed militancy, riots, organized crime and the appalling, historically recent phenomenon of gun violence that takes place amongst the youth. In relation to gun violence amongst the youth, there are the occasional, brutal acts of seemingly psychopathic violence that erupt in schools like Columbine and Virginia Tech as well as the more common place but equally tragic violence that claims the lives of largely black and Latino youth growing up in America's poorer urban centers. The films being showcased on this night, curated by Sylvia Savadjian, take a wide look at the tragedy of gun violence amongst America's youth, both in schools and on the streets. The first film being shown Living for 32 directed by Kevin Breslin deals with the 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre through the eyes of one of its survivors Colin Goddard. The second film Bullets in the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story directed by Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard won the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking and takes a guerilla style filmmaking approach in taking a look at the notorious projects of Bed- Stuy, Brooklyn. The final film A Harlem Mother tells the heart rending story of LaTraun Parker who was shot dead while making his own film about life in Harlem and his mother who after his death tried to help other mothers cope with the pain of losing their children through her own group Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. (Stop Another Violent End) which also works to put an end to urban gun violence in New York. A part of the proceeds of the night will go towards Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. The panel for the night includes the director of Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, Colin Goddard the subject of Living for 32, Jean Corbett- Parker the mother of LaTraun and co-founder of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. and Stephanie Skaff the director of DCTV's (Downtown Community Television) anti-gun violence media campaign "Beyond Bullets". WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27TH, 7:30pm Beyond Bullets: Gun Violence in America (A Portion of the Evening's Proceeds Will Be Donated to Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.) Living for 32 Kevin Breslin, 2010, 40 min. Living for 32 is the inspirational story of Colin Goddard, a survivor of the tragic gun shooting massacre which occurred on the Virginia Tech campus, April 16th, 2007. The winning combination of Colin's passion, charisma and optimism has commanded the attention of the American public and media since the devastating incident which left 32 dead and 17 injured. In Living for 32, Colin shares an intimate account of terror he and his classmates endured and the courageous journey of renewal and hope he chose to pursue. Film Website with Trailer Bullets In the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story Terrence Fisher and Daniel Howard, 2005, 22 min. Winner of the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking, Bullets in the Hood: A Bed Stuy Story contains frightening images that could only be captured by someone like co-director Terrence Fisher, who has spent his entire life in the projects and experienced the tragedy of gun violence as a seemingly inescapable part of life. Says indieWIRE, "...a great example of how Guerilla film making can play an important social function by bringing forth new and intimate voices and subjects that are normally glossed over by local evening news casts." Film Profile Page on DCTV Website Film Trailer A Harlem Mother Ivana Todorovic, 2009, 14 min. In 1998, 18 year old LaTraun Parker made a documentary about the difficulties of growing up in Harlem. Eights years later he was shot dead on the street. Today his mother Jean Corbett-Parker (co-founder of not-for-profit Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.) fights youth gun violence and helps other parents survive the pain through her organization, Harlem Mothers. Weaving footage from LaTraun's own film with scenes from Jean's new life today, A Harlem Mother is a short documentary that tells this tragic and inspirational story from the dual perspectives of mother and son. Film Website with Trailer Post screening panel with: Kevin Breslin, Director, Living for 32 Kevin's directorial credits include A Smile Gone, But Where? and Women of Rockaway. His latest, Living for 32 premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Colin Goddard, Subject, Living for 32 Shot 4 times at the Virginia Tech shootings which left 32 dead and 17 more wounded, after finishing his college degree, Colin decided to volunteer for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's largest gun control organization. Jean Corbett-Parker, Co-founder Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. A longtime resident of Harlem, Jean was moved to start Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. after her son, LaTraun Parker, died on April 28, 2001 outside a nightclub at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 131th Street. Stephanie Skaff, Downtown Community Television Director of DCTV's anti-gun violence media campaign, "Beyond Bullets". Before coming to DCTV, Stephanie worked as a producer, fundraiser and arts administrator throughout NYC. Maysles Cinema 343 Lenox Ave (127th and 128th streets) New York, NY 10027 The Maysles Cinema is co-directed by Jessica Green and Philip Maysles. Please direct press inquiries, including requests for complimentary tickets to cinema@mayslesinstitute.org, or contact the Cinema at 212.582.6050 ext 221 www.mayslesinstitute.org