Janet Stone's yoga class at YogaTree, San Francisco. Photo courtesy of Yogawomantv.com.

Like so many New Yorkers, the thought that I don’t have to get on the subway and go somewhere to find happiness or enlightenment is a radical idea. I know I’m not the only one who has taken away something from stretching my body and sitting quietly for a few moments. Yoga has provided a wide variety of insights to a diverse audience in urban cities and around the world. Historically, and one of the most interesting facts, is that yoga originated as a mostly male practice. It’s evolved in western culture as a very empowering practice for women (in addition to men). The film, Yogawoman highlights this story.

Africa Yoga Project, Kenyan school children practicing yoga in the fields of Nairobi. Photo courtesy of Yogawomantv.com.

Through inspiring personal stories from practitioners and teachers around the work from New York to Kenya, Yogawoman traces the impact of yoga as a source of inspiration and power it has had for us busy women.

Join us tonight for this very special advanced screening. Purchase tickets to reserve your spot in the Auditorium. Doors will open at 6:30pm this evening for the 7pm show.

Abu Jandal. As seen in The Oath. Credit: Khalid Al Mahdi

He’s also an engaging and intriguing character with a magnetic personality.  Dare I use the oxymoron charismatic extremist? Regardless, the film is a powerful document to the trails of the Middle East, the justice system, and the personal relationships affected by those complex networks. Tension comes not only from the timely subject matter but by the candid approach and ethnographic insights explored. Recent events make it particularly fitting to see right now.

How does one meet (let alone film) the former bin Laden body guard?

I was fortunate enough to have a phone conversation with editor and co-producer Jonathan Oppenheim. He gave some back-story and will be on hand for a Q&A after the screening to share more:

Abu Jandal. As seen in The Oath. Credit: Khalid Al Mahdi

Oppenheim explained that the film originally focused on the families of Guantanamo bay prisoners who were waiting for their loved ones to be released. Abu Jandal was the brother-in-law of one such prisoner named Salim Hamdan. Another layer to the story is that Salim Hamdan is the plaintiff in the 2006 US Supreme Court Case Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, also the first person to stand trial for war crimes at Guantánamo. A lawyer working on the case put Director Laura Poitras and Abu Jandal in touch. From the get-go Oppenheim stated Jandal was very forthcoming which is extremely surprising given his unique position. The footage was too important to ignore.

In an earlier interview, Director Laura Poitras stated, “Themes of betrayal, guilt, loyalty, family and absence are not typically things that come to mind when we imagine a film about Al Qaeda and Guantánamo. Despite the dangers of telling this story, it compelled me.”

Perhaps it will for you too. Purchase tickets. The screening will take place on Thursday, June 23rd @ 7. Editor and co-producer, Jonathan Oppenheim will be on hand for a Q&A after the film. You won’t want to miss it.

The Oath is a co-production of Praxis Films and the Independent television Service (ITVS) in association with American Documentary | POV.

Kings of Pastry screening as part of our POV film series this Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 7 p.m.

Such is the experience watching Kings of Pastry. As part of our collaboration with the award winning documentary series, POV, the film will screen May 26 at 7pm in the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium.

“Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman in France)

The film documents the quest for the distinguished “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman in France). The contenders throw caution to the wind when it comes to the amount of butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate involved. What we see is a fascinating portrayal of the human spirit, of chef’s doing what they do best and doing it for the sake of it.

And as always it’s important to ask why. Why this film and why at the Brooklyn Museum? In answer, firstly let me say that to be in Brooklyn is in many ways to be a foodie. There are countless award winning bakeries and cafes within a ten, five, two mile radius or maybe even a block away from where you read this. There are Brooklyn specific food blogs, countless culinary classes, tastings to attend, as well as succulent restaurants other cities probably wish they had.

Jacques Torres ("Mr. Chocolate") will host a Q&A with us following the screening. Torres is not only in Brooklyn, he is the youngest person to ever win this prestigious “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman in France).

Also exciting, the famous chocolatier Jacques Torres (“Mr. Chocolate”) is in Brooklyn and will be at the screening for a Q&A after the film along with local film legends DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

Kings of Pastry documents the very similar path of a culinary artist. It compels us to watch, cheer for our favorites, lick our lips, and point fingers at the judges. Get your tickets. It’s all worth it for (like in any good competition) the process is just as important as the final product.

The partnership started as all partnerships do, with an idea and a goal. With the change in museum hours, now open until 10pm, the thought of a film series sparked. A list of potentials ran through my head including: local filmmakers, local films, Brooklyn films, museum films, films about our thriving Brooklyn cultural, films with appropriate subject matter that could play in compliments to our permanent exhibitions and rotating special exhibitions, films by certain distributors, and films you can’t see anywhere else on a big screen. Having evening hours planted a seed. I sent a few emails and wound up connecting with the community engagement folks at POV. After one hour-long meeting, it seemed my jumbled list of potential ideas was taking shape into something more concrete and fluid. I was in Coney Island and I had found the perfect hot dog.

Why POV? The cinema term for “point of view” POV is televisions longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. Their community engagement efforts aim to build new audiences, broaden public debate, and bring important social, political, and economic issues to light (a familiar mission statement). Plus, they reach a large audience and their films have won every major film and broadcasting award (including Emmy’s and Academy Awards just to start).

Q&A that followed the screening of Off and Running. Photo by Lavonda Manning.

In January and February we showed POV films Good Fortune and Off and Running respectively. Filmmakers (all local Brooklyn) were on hand for Q&A after each screening. We were pleased with the films and how they relate to the museum, the turn out, audience discussions, and continued excitement for more films from the audience evaluations passed out at the end of each screening.

Olga smoking in her kitchen in Moscow — from the documentary film My Perestroika by Robin Hessman. Courtesy of Red Square Productions.

The series will continue on May 5^th with My Perestroika, a story of five Moscow schoolmates living in post-Soviet Russia. They share personal stories of their Soviet childhoods, the huge changes of Perestroika (Restructuring), and let us see the true nature of contemporary Russian life.  Screening at the museum around Victory Day of May 9^th, (when Russia celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany) and recent, radical government change (think current events), not to mention the large Russian Community living in Brooklyn, and a local filmmaker to boot, the film is timely and appropriate.

Young Soviet Pioneers on Red Square during a May Day demonstration, Moscow, 1977 — from the documentary film My Perestroika by Robin Hessman. Courtesy of Red Square Productions.

We are delighted to have director Robin Hessman on hand for a Q&A after the film. The Meyersons, one of the families in the film, are making the trip from Russian to be here for the screening. If that still doesn’t spark your interest, Perestroika’s recent sold out shows at IFC and this New York Times article and review might.

We encourage you to purchase tickets in advance. We’ve been to Coney Island and found the perfect hot dog so look for more POV films at the Brooklyn Museum Thursdays @ 7.