Alyse Ardell Spiegel

Grasshopper Republic

Deep in the forests of Uganda, millions of grasshoppers gather to mate in devastating swarms. A group of young men set up a strange contraption at the edge of the crop fields, with customised generators, large quantities of light bulbs, barrels and sheet metal. They can then begin harvesting the grasshoppers, a prized delicacy among city dwellers.

Beba

A raw, poetic self-portrait in which young, NYC-born Afro-Latina Rebeca “Beba” Huntt stares down historical, societal, and generational trauma.

The Militiaman

In the hills of rural Pennsylvania, the leader of a local militia must prepare his men for the turbulent political landscape of 2020 while at war with his own conscience. For over ten years, 48-year-old Iraqi War Veteran and machinist Christian Yingling has commanded a troop of private militiamen and women concerned with the government’s infringement on their constitutional rights. The group practices paramilitary drills, stockpiles food and ammo, and attends gun rights rallies in preparation for a doomsday scenario. Now that a worldwide pandemic has hit, followed by a summer of racial injustice protests and a Presidential election like no other, Christian—out of work and nearly out of money—must confront his allegiance and choose to act or not.

This Is Congo

An unfiltered look in to the lives of 3 characters surviving amongst the most recent cycle of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, otherwise known as the M23 rebellion.