Fall 2024 Season
The Port Jefferson Documentary Series is sponsored by:
Maggio Environmental and Wellness and Covati and Janhsen, CPAS PC
Metal Masters, Port Jeff Storage, Saranto Calamas, CPA
Please visit the TICKET PAGE to purchase a Season Pass or tickets for individual films
1. HAPPY CAMPERS
Thursday, September 5, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Join director, Amy Nicholson, in conversation with Tom Needham of WUSB Radio’s Sounds of Film.
HAPPY CAMPERS chronicles the final days of a working-class summer colony in a scrappy trailer park that just happens to hold the secret to a rich life. When their affordable paradise is sold to developers, the residents brace for eviction and the loss of friendships that span generations. They hold tight to their final days in the sun. The well-heeled crowd that takes their place will never be as wealthy.
2023 / USA / English
Running time: 80 minutes
Film Info: https://www.happycampers.film/2024
Accommodations for this screening are graciously sponsored by Danfords Hotel & Marina and The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club
https://www.danfords.com/
2. ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE?
Thursday, September 12, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Panel including Maximina Juson, the director, and Nancy Marr from the League of Women voters to follow.
At a time when many Americans question democratic institutions, ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE? unveils the complexities of the Electoral College, the uniquely American and often misunderstood mechanism for electing a president. The documentary follows four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election.
2024 / USA / English
Director: Maximina Juson
Running time: 80 minutes
Film Info: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/one-person-one-vote/
3. JOIN OR DIE
Thursday, September 26, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
In the spirit of the film’s theme, the Port Jefferson Doc Series will host various local volunteer & civic groups to join in conversation about our community.
Please consider bringing a small dessert to share. Bring a sweet, make a new friend and join a group!
Directors Pete and Rebecca Davis follow the half-century story of the unraveling of America’s social fabric through the journey of legendary Harvard social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research has illuminated the powerful connection between ordinary community bonds and our health, happiness, economy, and politics.
2023 / USA / English
Directors: Rebecca Davis & Pete Davis
Running time: 93 minutes
Film Info: https://www.joinordiefilm.com/#about
4. INVISIBLE NATION
Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Q&A Discussion to follow.
With unprecedented access to Taiwan’s sitting head of state, director Vanessa Hope investigates the election and tenure of Tsai Ing-wen, the first female president of Taiwan. Thorough, incisive and bristling with tension, INVISIBLE NATION is a living account of Tsai’s tightrope walk as she balances the hopes and dreams of her nation between the colossal geopolitical forces of the U.S. and China.
2023 / USA / English
Director: Vanessa Hope
Running time: 85 minutes
Film Info: https://www.invisiblenation.net/
5. CHECKPOINT ZOO
Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Panel to follow including the director, Joshua Zeman on Zoom, moderated by Juliette Passer, J.D., Lecturer, Political Science Dept., Stony Brook University.
In the early days of the Ukraine-Russian war, the Feldman Ecopark, a beloved animal refuge in Ukraine’s second largest city, found itself caught in the crossfire. With the invading Russian army on one side and the Ukrainian front line on the other, thousands of animals were left trapped with little food and water. Against all odds, a courageous team of zookeepers and volunteers risked their lives to embark on a seemingly impossible mission: bringing these innocent creatures to safety.
2024 / USA & Ukraine / English, Russian & Ukrainian
Director: Joshua Zeman
Running time: 103 minutes
Film Info: https://ghostrobot.com/work/checkpoint-zoo
6. IT’S BASIC
Thursday, October 24, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Panel to follow with coordinating producer, Elizabeth Sehring.
When 2020 presidential hopeful Andrew Yang proposed to give every American $1000 in monthly income, it helped bring the issue of Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) to national light. By then, several U.S. cities had already begun GBI pilot programs in which they provided $500 per month to a select group of people for one year. IT’S BASIC follows the progress of the program against a backdrop of widening income gaps, politics, and growing social concern.
2023 / USA / English
Director: Marc Levin
Running time: 77 minutes
Film Info: https://www.itsbasicdocumentary.com/
7. SEARCHING FOR AMANI
Thursday, November 7, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Screening at The First United Methodist Church
603 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Panel to follow moderated by Tom Needham of WUSB Radio’s Sounds of Film
In the heart of Kenya, a tragedy shatters a young boy’s life. Simon Ali, 13, finds himself in a world of mystery when his father, a respected conservancy guide, is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Armed with his video camera and an unwavering desire for truth, Simon and his best friend, Haron, embark on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets behind his father’s demise.
2024 / USA / Swahili with English Subtitles
Directors: Debra Aroko and Nicole Gormley
Running time: 80 minutes
Film Info: https://www.searchingforamani.com/
Please visit the TICKET PAGE to purchase a Season Pass or tickets for individual films
Thank you to our sponsors:
Maggio Environmental
88 Old Dock Rd., Yaphank, NY 11980
https://www.maggioenvironmental.com
Covati & Janhsen CPAS PC
12 Walnut Street
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
631-928-6300
