Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC: The Washington, D.C. International Film Festival (April 18–24) for a thirteenth year to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring films and filmmakers for several films into D.C. classrooms. Students gain a lot from viewing the documentaries, preparing questions, and discussing the film with the visitors.

Filmfest DC is offering tickets for classes to see a specific film during the festival and offering opportunities for filmmakers to visit a class after the class has viewed the film.

Please note that while most Teaching for Change programs are for the D.C. metro area, the funding for these visits is limited to schools located in the District of Columbia. Film formats (DVD, streaming from YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) for classroom screening may vary.

The deadline to request a filmmaker visit is Monday, April 1. Tickets for online and in-person screenings are limited, and requests will be evaluated on a rolling basis.

In addition, on Sun. Apr. 21, 2024 at 3PM join the Kennedy Center for a FREE film screening of Bring the Beat, a documentary which celebrates the global impact of DC’s homegrown go-go, the Official Music of Washington, D.C. in the Justice Forum at the REACH. Learn more.

Films

On the Mountain (12 mins)
Room to Breathe (27 mins)
The Test (16 mins)
One Wheel Bandit (4 Mins)

build me through the image (9 mins)
Igualada (81 mins)
Mailman (18 mins)
Mountains (95 Mins)

Request a film/filmmaker visit

build me through the image

2023, 9 minutes, by Paula Hung

A short documentary exploring the intricacies and complexities of the construction of a transmarginal Latine, multiracial, and queer identity through the experiences of a father, mother, and daughter.

Igualada

2024, 81 minutes, by Juan Mejia Botero

In one of Latin America’s most unequal countries, Francia Márquez — a Black Colombian rural activist — challenges the status quo with a presidential campaign that inspires a nation to dream. IGUALADA: Una “igualada”, a derogatory term (based on class, race, and gender) used to designate someone who acts as if they deserve rights and privileges that supposedly don’t correspond to them.

Mailman

2022, 18 minutes, by Nick Pelecanos

Mailman is a short dramatic film depicting a day when a perceived racial slight, a misidentification of aggression, and a fatal shooting alter the lives of the participants forever. It is set in East–of–the–Park, Northwest D.C., where two Black brothers live in their grandmother’s legacy house and witness the gentrification of the neighborhood with interest and some degree of trepidation. In the aftermath of of the tragedy, it’s revealed that the people involved are more complex than they seemed, and that understanding and acceptance can light the way going forward towards a better tomorrow. Note: Depiction of gun violence.

Mountains

2023, 95 minutes, by Monica Sorelle

Xavier, a dutiful middle-aged Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their young adult son Junior, caught between two cultures as he pursues a standup comedy career. Mountains is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami’s own stratification of race and nationality, the looming threat of gentrification, and the pursuit of the American dream. What results is a loving portrait of the Haitian community in Miami.

On the Mountain

2024, 12 minutes, by Anya Raza

Rabia, an English teacher from Kabul, is forced to make an agonizing choice to save her family as they resettle in the US. Inspired by true events.

Room to Breathe

2023, 27 minutes, Directed by Dave Haft, Produced by Mary Awosika

Newlyweds Mary and Dave, who live in Washington, D.C., confront pandemic parenting and virtual school in their search for household balance. Through verité, Dave intimately captures daily life with two young kids and a growing emotional imbalance. Seeking relief and encouragement, Mary connects with her sister through video messages, unveiling the power of sisterhood. This intimate family portrait is a universal tale of adaptation, and in this moment of collective recovery from years of community disconnection, Room to Breathe is a tool for parents and caregivers to reflect and heal.

The Test

2023, 16 minutes, by Claudia Myers, Laura Waters Hinson

A Ghanaian maintenance worker at a Virginia retirement community dreams of becoming an American citizen to provide a better life for his family. With their future at stake, he enlists the help of two elderly residents to prepare for the biggest test of his life: the US Citizenship exam.

One Wheel Bandit

2023, 4 minutes, by Rick GoNZALEZ

Is it a unicycle? Did he steal the bike? How does he weave through DC traffic like that? I got Allen off his bike and asked him a few questions.