Steven Zeitlin

Let’s Get the Rhythm: The Life and Times of Miss Mary Mack

This film looks at the world wide tradition hand clapping games through the eyes of young girls from the greater New York area as they grow through those childhood years when it is central to their social network. Girlhood wit and charm is complemented by more mature reflections of adults who revisit in their childhood memories. Although this rhythmic play is deeply ingrained, traced back to Ancient Egypt and further, its worldly wisdom preserved by generations of girls, stands threatened as technology increasingly impacts our life style globally. Let’s Get the Rhythm is compelling testimony to the value of music in our lives.

Deaf Jam

Aneta Brodski, a deaf teen living in New York City, discovers the power of American Sign Language poetry. As she prepares to be one of the first deaf poets to compete in a spoken-word slam, her journey leads to an unexpected collaboration.

The People’s Poetry Gathering

This film explores the great themes of the People’s Poetry Gathering: the relationship of oral, written, and musical forms of poetry. Both feature traditional forms such as the Puerto Rican concorso de trovadores (a poetry contest) and literary poets such as Galway Kinnell and Sekou Sandiata, as well as new forms and formats, such as a Heavyweight Poetry Bout between Sherman Alexie and Patricia Smith and a teen slam.