In the Tall Grass - ALA Notable Video of the Year

We're pleased to say that "In the Tall Grass" was selected by the American Library Association as one of its Notable Videos for Adults for 2007!

The list’s purpose is to call attention to recent video releases that make a significant contribution to the world of video recordings.

The selections were made during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, Washington, January 20-25.

We want to congratulate the film's director, J. Coll Metcalfe, on winning this award for his film.

To learn more, click here to visit the ALA website.

In the Tall Grass - Screening at UCLA in February

Choices is pleased to announce that "In the Tall Grass" will have a public screening at UCLA on Wednesday, February 7th at 7pm.

In the Tall Grass picks up where Hotel Rwanda left off, focusing on the Hutu and Tutsi as they struggle through Rwanda’s unique reconciliation process Gacaca, a network of grassroots community courts. With unprecedented access, this powerful documentary follows a survivor through this historic process as she confronts the man she says murdered her husband and children, giving audiences a stark and terrifying look at how the genocide of 1994 continues to shape the lives of Rwandans today. She receives some justice, and her village finally faces their pain, but she is only one story in hundreds of thousands.

The film's director, J Coll Metcalfe, will take part in a Q&A session after the screening. Admission is free and open to the public.

The screening will take place at UCLA, 190 Royce Hall. Parking is available in Lot 5.

This screening is sponsored by the UCLA African Studies Center and Choices.

To learn more about the film, click here.
Read an article on the film here.

Daughters of Afghanistan - Screenings

Our popular title "Daughters of Afghanistan" will have several screenings next month.

Daughters of Afghanistan will be playing at the Latches Theater on March 17th at 4pm and again at the Hooker Dunham Theater on March 18th at 1pm. This is part of the Women's Film Festival being held in Brattleboro, VT.

For more information visit the festival website here.

Daughters of Afghanistan will also being playing as part of the University of Delaware's International Film Festival in March. More details on the screening will appear soon.

The Miseducation of Pakistan

Choices proudly announces our new release "The Miseducation of Pakistan" which will be released on DVD on January 30th.

A nation’s future hangs in the balance when it cannot educate its youth. Using a journalistic approach, The Miseducation of Pakistan explores the country’s appalling public education system. Schools with no teachers, schools overflowing with garbage, schools under the open sky, without drinking water or electricity; this is what most students of public schools in Pakistan can look forward to. Little wonder that a vast majority of primary school graduates can’t even be considered literate by international standards. All the while, a corrupt hierarchy of officials and school staff line their pockets with funds meant for educating the nation’s children and powerful feudals deny the children of their peasants the right to even a basic education, while sending their own offspring to the best schools in the country and abroad. And no one is held accountable. Using In-depth interviews and shocking footage, the filmmakers reveal a country where quality education is reserved only for a chosen few, while millions of children are denied the chance of a future.

The DVD will be priced at $59.95 and will include a guidebook and photo gallery.

Click here to watch a clip from the film.

Take Our Survey - Win a Free DVD!

Happy New Year to All!

This hopes to be an exciting year for all of us at Choices. To celebrate we are offering a FREE Choices DVD to everyone who takes part in a brief survey.

The survey starts now and runs until February 2nd. One winner will be chosen from all who complete the survey.

No Purchase Necessary. Void Where Prohibited. Prize value not to exceed $100.

Click here to take the survey.

Saz to perform in New York City

Saz who is featured in our current release "Saz: The Palestinian Rapper for Change" will perform on December 24th in New York City as part of the Sephardic Music Festival. The concert which will feature American Jewish and Muslim artists to promote understand is sponsored by Hip Hop Sulha.

Event details and how to purchase tickets are below.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2006 @ 8PM

HIP HOP SULHA

Featuring Hadag Nachash, Saz, Yuri Lane, Y-Love,
Jake Break and dj handler
The Hip-Hop Sulha reinvents the concept of the traditional Arab sulha [reconciliation] by bringing leading Israeli and Palestinian hip-hop musicians -- as well as notable American Jewish and Muslim artists -- together to celebrate peace and religious tolerance via the performing arts.

BB King Blues Club & Grill
237 West 42nd Street, New York, NY

Doors @ 6PM show begins promptly at 8PM / all ages
$40.00 General admission standing room only
$55.00 VIP reserved general admission seating — First come, first served
Order tickets online here

New Release - A School of Their Own

Choices is pleased to announce our latest release, "A School of Their Own".

In remote Nepal, the Riverside School is a unique educational environment that educates low-caste and tribal children, half of whom are girls. There, children flourish in an environment free of the caste system, gender prejudice, and violence found in government schools - and in their society at large. Follow the school’s struggle to stay afloat during the bloody ten-year civil war in which children are caught in the middle. The police accuse them of being Maoist rebels while the rebels themselves forcibly draft children over twelve years old into their army. Though Nepal is currently enjoying a tenuous peace, the future is uncertain. Through in-depth interviews and stunning footage, A School of Their Own shows how children, even in the most extreme circumstances, can lead a nation to a better future.

Choices will release the DVD on November 28th, 2006. Price will be $99.95. DVD will include photo gallery, director's statement and guidebook. Learn more about the film here.

New Release - Saz

Choices is pleased to announce our latest release - Saz: The Palestinian Rapper for Change.

This provocative documentary goes behind the ghetto walls of Ramlah to look at a year in the life of budding Palestinian hip-hop star Samekh Zakhut a.k.a. Saz. Growing up in a Jewish neighborhood as a third generation of a moderate family, Saz has had to learn to balance their traditional viewpoints with his strong feelings of insult and rage for the injustices his people have suffered. He does this through music, using it as a starting point for discussion with Israeli and Arab youth who have grown further apart since the recent Intifada.

For Saz, music is a place where people who disagree can come together. It takes him to the clubs and neighborhoods of Tel Aviv, Haifa, and London. The film also looks at his relationship with his aging grandfather, a refugee of the 1948 war. Their conversations reveal their differing ideologies. "I don’t see my Palestine being built by blood" says Saz. "It should be built by negotiations, not bombings in Tel Aviv. My bullets are my rhymes. My M-16 is my microphone".

The DVD will be released on November 14th. The price will be $49.95 and will include two tracks from Saz's upcoming new album "Min Yum".

Learn more about the DVD here.

Screenings of "In the Tall Grass"

"In the Tall Grass" is an official selection of the 2006 United Nations Association Film Festival which screens documentaries from around the world. The festival will be travelling to various cities starting this fall.

To find out when "In the Tall Grass" will be playing go to this link here. You can also print out a schedule here.

The festival will start October 25th at Stanford University and then travel to San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Monterey, Wisconsin, Boston and Berkeley.

New Release - In The Tall Grass

Choices is pleased to announce our latest release - In The Tall Grass - which will be available on October 24th, 2006 for $99.95

In the Tall Grass picks up where Hotel Rwanda left off, focusing on the Hutu and Tutsi as they struggle through Rwanda’s unique reconciliation process Gacaca, a network of grassroots community courts. With unprecedented access, this powerful documentary follows a survivor through this historic process as she confronts the man she says murdered her husband and children, giving audiences a stark and terrifying look at how the genocide of 1994 continues to shape the lives of Rwandans today. She receives some justice, and her village finally faces their pain, but she is only one story in hundreds of thousands. In the Tall Grass delivers a raw and uncompromising look at the tremendous challenges faced by post-genocide countries like Rwanda, as they transition from violence to peace.

Hanging With The Sloth

We're pleased to announce the release of our latest title - Hanging With The Sloth - which will be available October 5th. Also, a short profile on sloths using footage from the DVD will be aired on ABC's "20/20" this Friday, October 6th. Check your local listings for airtimes.

The sloth is a truly remarkable, highly specialized mammal and is often misunderstood due to its unique appearance, slow movement and causal behavior. In this new film, director Jeri Ledbetter dispels the myths and introduces you to this amazing creature. Discover how conservation efforts are protecting the sloth and its habitat which is under constant threat from development. Scientists and animal experts discuss how efforts at rescue centers set up especially for sloths are contributing to better understanding.

Viewers will learn first-hand about the history behind one of nature’s true wonders from its earliest discovery to present day. Filmed in Costa Rica and Panama, Hanging With The Sloth is a must for nature lovers of all ages. Special Features include Photo Gallery and Guidebook.

Running Time: 30 minutes. Price includes limited public performance rights.

National Media Market - Part 2

The National Media Market was a great success for Choices. We met a lot of new and current customers and learned a great deal about what today's educational market is looking for in video content. Attendees were especially excited about our new titles including "City of Bees", "Concrete Revolution". "Letters From Iran", "Awakening" and "Reckless Indifference".

Overall it was a great trip and we hope to back again next year! To learn more about the National Media Market visit their website - www.nmm.net

National Media Market

Choices is at the National Media Market this year which is being held in Mesa, Arizona. Many educators, librarians and other savvy folk attend this conference to find out the newest content out there. Choices is presenting its new titles there along with showcasing our customer favorites. When we have time, we'll let you know more of what's happening here in sunny (and very hot) Arizona.

Extended Interview with Brandon Hein

Here is the link to an extended interview with Brandon Hein that director William Gazecki conducted. The interview discuss a wide range of topics and updates to the film "Reckless Indifference".

Watch the Interview.

New Release - Through My Eyes

We are pleased to announce "Through My Eyes" will release on Septemember 20th. This film on Rwandan youth was produced by Eric Kabera who also directed another Choices title "Keepers of Memory".

Through My Eyes follows the youth of Rwanda today, who use the arts to help move the country forward ten years after the genocide. By expressing themselves through dance, poetry, music and painting, the teens, many of whom lost parents and family members during the conflict, are able to deal with the emotional and physical trauma they endured.

The film documents how through organizations and group activities, these creative talents not only honor those that perished but also confront new problems affecting the country such as poverty and AIDS. By focusing on what they can accomplish by working together in creative endeavors, the youth of Rwanda prove that art can not only benefit those around them but ensure future generations have a brighter future. From acclaimed director Eric Kabera (Keepers of Memory).

Running Time: 44 minutes

Subject areas: Africa, Rwanda, Art, AIDS, Poverty, Genocide, History

Awakening Trailer

Here is the trailer for our new release "Awakening".

View Trailer

New Release - Awakening

We're pleased to announce that our newest release - Awakening: Empowering Women Through Microloans will be released on September 5th. Here is the synopsis.

Awakening documents the social and economic empowerment of women in Afghanistan and India whose roles have traditionally been restricted by their cultures. Awakened to new possibilities through education and access to micro-loans these women are redefining their roles in society. In Bihar, India’s poorest state, Sister Mary Lobo organizes village women into groups where they learn to save small sums and invest their capital as a group. In Afghanistan, the nation’s first woman-led micro-finance institution believes the nation’s long-term success is dependent on women’s economic freedom.

We hope to have the trailer posted soon.

Reckless Indifference - Press Release

As promised, here is the press release for Reckless Indifference.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Marisa Spears

Phone: (310) 203-0606 ext. 18

Email: mspears@slextreme.com

Choices Releases Film on Controversial Felony Murder Case

Los Angeles, CA (August 15, 2006) - Choices, Inc. proudly announces the release of Reckless Indifference, an inside look behind one of the most controversial murder cases in recent memory. A searing indictment of the American legal system, the DVD features a new, updated Epilogue, along with an exclusive full-length interview with Brandon Hein available on the Choices website, www.choicesvideo.net. Hein was convicted under California's felony-murder law and has spent the last ten years in a California state prison, a sentence which law professor Alan Dershowitz terms "an outrage...I believe it's cruel and unusual punishment."

Reckless Indifference tells of a classic suburban nightmare of teens, drugs, parents, and prison. After a backyard brawl resulted in the death of a Los Angeles Police Department officer's son, the ensuing trial sent four teenage boys to prison for life without the possibility of parole, even though only one committed the crime. Described as a "heart-wrenching story [that] you will find yourself thinking about long after you've seen it," the film was recently named an Editor's Choice by Video Librarian magazine.

The documentary also reveals the naïveté, guilt, and denial of middle-class families caught in the criminal justice system. The prosecution exploited a little-known law to maximum effect. The "felony-murder rule" states that anyone present during the commission of a felony where death occurs is automatically liable for First Degree Murder. Four teenage boys - only one of whom wielded a weapon - now sit in Level IV Maximum Security State Prisons for the rest of their lives. This tragic story begets a "powerful portrait of suburban America, and the illusions suburbanites have about crime,

Choices Releases Award-Winning Film on

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punishment, the safety of their neighborhoods, and most of all, about their own children," says critic David Ralston of Movie Gurus. With revealing interviews with legal expert Alan Dershowitz and family members from both sides, Reckless Indifference presents a case study of a true American tragedy.

Larry Rattner, co-president of Choices, commented, "We look forward to bringing this important film to a larger audience." Choices, Inc. will release Reckless Indifference on DVD August 15, 2006. The DVD includes a lesson plan and guidebook for educators. SRP is $49.95, and orders may be placed at our website, www.choicesvideo.net.

About Choices:

Choices, Inc. is a specialty distributor of quality documentaries, educational programming, and feature films. The company believes that documentaries are highly effective teaching tools, and provides both lesson plans and guidebooks as a resource for educators. More information is available online at www.choicesvideo.net.

Newest Acquisition - Awakening

Choices is pleased to announce our latest acquisition Awakening. This documentary explores how the use of microloans is changing the lives of women in India and Afghanistan by offering them the means to financial prosperity.

To learn more about this unique film, visit the filmmakers' website here to watch the trailer and get more info.

We plan to release the film in the early Fall of 2006.

Reckless Indifference

Reckless Indifference, our latest DVD, is scheduled to release on August 15th, 2006. I've attached the cover of the box art along with the press release for the film. We hope to have an interview with the director, William Gazecki, very soon.