THE U.S. HISTORY OF THE ASSAULT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE LAST CENTURY

A documentary about how the American auto industry engineered the demise of city public-transit systems. This Doc & Talk included a post-show presentation by the Duluth Transit Authority on the Better Bus Blueprint and the conditions, needs, and opportunities of public transit in the Twin Ports.

A documentary about the brave Coloradans that challenged the status quo to advocate for the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This Doc & Talk included a post-show panel on accessibility with Arc Northland, Duluth Aging Support, the Duluth Commission on Accessibility, and Lighthouse Center for Vital Living.

Free To Ride is the story of the relentless spirit of community leaders from across Dayton, Ohio who overcame a suburban contingent fearfully opposed to the expansion of public transit along a commercial corridor, and the system of checks and balances that allowed justice and reason to prevail. 

Half of the human population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this will increase to 80%. Life in a megacity is both enchanting and problematic. Today we face peak oil, climate change, loneliness, and severe health issues due to our way of life. But why? The Danish architect and professor Jan Gehl has studied human behavior in cities through four decades. He has documented how modern cities repel human interaction and argues that we can build cities in a way, which takes human needs for inclusion and intimacy into account. ‘The Human Scale’ meets thinkers, architects, and urban planners across the globe. It questions our assumptions about modernity, exploring what happens when we put people at the center of our planning.

Emily Ford and sled dog Diggins attempt to cross the secluded Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in winter during subzero temperatures to raise awareness about copper mining threats.

Bikes vs Cars is a documentary about the bike and what an amazing tool for change it can be. It highlights a conflict in city planning between bikes, cars and a growing reliance on fossil fuels.

Discover how the advent of the automobile brought new mobility and freedom for African Americans but also exposed them to discrimination and deadly violence, and how that history resonates today.