Directors Susan Wittenberg & Carol Stein, Ace Pictures, Inc.
Presented by Missy Reynolds, Executive Director at the Cape Cod Art Center, Barnstable
One Class
1:30 – 4:00
November 18
This course is generously co-sponsored by the Cape Cod Art Center in Barnstable. Missy Reynolds, Executive Director at the CC Art Center), will present these two meaningful documentaries by her friend Susan Wittenberg, who is also professionally connected with Ken Burns. A highly regarded film maker in her own right, these two documentaries by Susan show the greatness of our country through the diversity of its people. We are privileged to have access to these two films. (Ace Pictures, co-founded by Susan Wittenberg and Carol Stein, is known for producing works focused on music, dance, arts, and culture, including films like Women Who Rock and Nashville 2.0.)
Film # 1: Two Roads is a film produced by Ace Pictures and the Irish Repertory Theatre, directed by Susan Wittenberg, that explores the cultural intersections of African American and Irish communities. The documentary highlights the shared history and artistic expressions, particularly through dance and music, between the two cultures. The film features prominent figures like Lenwood Sloan and the late Mick Moloney, showcasing how art can bridge divides and celebrate cultural connections. It includes performances by rising stars like Kaitlyn Sardin, who is also part of Beyoncé‘s COWBOY CARTER tour. The film has been recognized with a Chita Rivera Award nomination for Outstanding Direction of a Dance Documentary.
Film # 2: Set against the iconic Coney Island boardwalk, Brighton Beach is a neighborhood in constant re-formation. This 1980 documentary offers a vérité portrait of the immigrant communities that changed the Brooklyn neighborhood—mostly Soviet Jews and Puerto Ricans—as they mingle on the boardwalk with long-time residents, eye one another, and coexist around a shared sense of uprootedness. From directors Susan Wittenberg and Carol Stein, Brighton Beach is an unposed, seductively shot, color film about life’s simple pleasures and the creation of a community. The new 4K restoration is courtesy of IndieCollect.
