Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Broadway Rising

There is no New York without Broadway. It’s both a landmark and a community, an industry and a people, making magic in a dark theater, eight times a week. During the pandemic, over 96,000 people lost their jobs and an entire ecosystem of small businesses were brought to a standstill. Broadway Rising tells the story of the broadway community and its harrowing journey back to the stage following the COVID-19 shutdown. This feature documentary brings everyone into the spotlight - from the costume makers to the ushers to the producers to the stars.

Obsession

Before meeting George Good, Sonny Jordan was just a lost drifter with a troubled past floating from town to town, looking for work. As fate would have it, Sonny ends up saving George's life from a murderous back-alley mugger. As thanks, George gives Sonny a home and a job as a mechanic on his farm in the lonely Louisiana Bayou. Sonny quickly settles in and makes himself useful around the place but then Sonny meets Larissa, George's alluring wife. She has a mysterious past and the two are irresistibly drawn to each other. The two begin a passionate affair leading them to construct a twisted plot to take George's life in cold blood in order to be together. As their despicable plan unravels, they learn how far they are willing to go to cover their misdeed.

Selma

"Selma," as in Alabama, the place where segregation in the South was at its worst, leading to a march that ended in violence, forcing a famous statement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that ultimately led to the signing of the Voting Rights Act.

The Invention of Lying

Set in a world where the concept of lying doesn't exist, a loser changes his lot when he invents lying and uses it to get ahead.

American Gangster

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.

Honeydripper

In 1950s Alabama, the owner of the Honeydripper juke joint finds his business dropping off and against his better judgment, hires a young electric guitarist in a last ditch effort to draw crowds during harvest time.

Mr. Brooks

A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.

Brother's Shadow

Jake Groden is the black sheep of his family. Ankle deep in fish guts, he serves out his parole in Alaska. Then, after a decade of self-imposed exile, he is forced to return to his Brooklyn family. He soon discovers that his perfect brother, Michael is dead, and he begins trying to take what Michael had- a beautiful wife, adoring son, control of the family furniture business and the love of their gruff father. For Jake, the price of a new life is his identity.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

A drama set in the 1920s, where free-spirited Janie Crawford's search for happiness leads her through several different marriages, challenging the morals of her small town. Based on the novel by Zora Neale Hurston.

Lackawanna Blues

In a story fueled by rhythm and blues, a young boy's life is shaped by love and the stories of a cast of characters in the boarding house where he lives in 1960s Lackawanna, New York.

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

When the Civil War ended in 1865, more than four million slaves were set free. Over 70 years later, the memories of some 2,000 slave-era survivors were transcribed and preserved by the Library of Congress. These first-person anecdotes, ranging from the brutal to the bittersweet, have been brought to vivid life in this unique HBO documentary special, featuring the on-camera voices of over a dozen top African-American actors.

Little John

The unmarried daughter of a Texas rancher gives birth to an unwanted child. She puts the child up for adoption and moves away from home. Without her knowledge, her father took the boy and raised him. Twelve years later, she is now a successful family-court judge in L.A. Over the years, she has avoided her father and knows nothing of the child. That all changes when he decides that is time she knew her own child and heads for L.A.

Domestic Disturbance

Frank Morrison is a divorced father with a 12-year-old son, Danny. His ex-wife Susan and son Danny now live with Rick Barnes, Susan's new husband. Danny, who has a reputation for telling lies, accuses his stepfather of committing a murder. Initially, no one believes his accusations, but then Frank becomes convinced and is the only one who believes him. Now, the father Danny trusts must protect him from the stepfather he fears.

American Tragedy

Johnnie Cochran defends O.J. Simpson who is on trial for his wife's murder.

Shaft

New York police detective John Shaft arrests Walter Wade Jr. for a racially motivated slaying. But the only eyewitness disappears, and Wade jumps bail for Switzerland. Two years later Wade returns to face trial, confident his money and influence will get him acquitted -- especially since he's paid a drug kingpin to kill the witness.

The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer

An account of early 1970s social activist Ira Einhorn, who allegedly murdered his girlfriend and then fled the country.

Rear Window

Jason Kemp is a quadriplegic who passes the time spying on his neighbors from his window. By chance he catches one of them, Julian Thorpe, beating his wife and reports it to the police. He becomes certain that Julian has killed her, but fails to convince his nurse or his friends of any foul play.

The Devil's Advocate

Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax accepts a job at a New York law firm. With the stakes getting higher every case, Kevin quickly learns that his boss has something far more evil planned.

White Lies

A museum worker pretends to be an artist in order to impress women. When an attractive assistant director of a SoHo art gallery overhears him, she offers to exhibit his work. He plays along, which leads to a series of complications following his newfound double life. He starts falling in love with the assistant director, but her art critic fiancé grows suspicious.

Bleeding Hearts

An ill-fated, tender romance between an adult white male tutor and his 17-year-old African-American female student.

The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.

Lieutenant Rick Hunter's girlfriend is murdered.

Solomon & Sheba

In the land of Israel, Solomon (Jimmy Smits) is trying to figure out a way to become the world’s supplier of frankincense. He sends an envoy to the tiny country of Sheba to announce his intentions. The Queen of Sheba, Nikaule (Halle Berry), is outraged by Solomon’s greedy plan.

Blown Away

Blown Away tells the story of Jimmy Dove, who works for the Boston bomb squad. Shortly after Dove leaves the force, his partner is killed by a bomb that Dove thinks might have been made by someone he knows.

Which Way Home

An American nurse is determined to smuggle a group of orphans out of Cambodia in the late 1970s, assisted by an Australian boat operator.

Coming to America

An African prince decides it’s time for him to find a princess... and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.