7′ and 13′ documentaries for Arte’s daily travel program “Invitation au voyage”
Carville-by-the-Sea: San Francisco’s Streetcar Suburb
Synopsis: When cable cars began replacing San Francisco’s old horsecars, the Market Street Railway Company needed to purge their outmoded horse-drawn inventory. So in 1895, they began selling the old horsecars for $20, or $10 without the seats. Some creative individuals purchased these horsecars and converted them into houses, offices, clubs, and shops on the outskirts of town... 7 min documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". May 2022.
The story of the Anti-mask League in San Francisco
Synopsis: The influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919 was the most deadly flu outbreak in history, killing up to 50 million people worldwide. In the United States, local governments rolled out initiatives to try to stop its spread. Wearing a mask was one of them. Most people complied, but some resisted... 7 min documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". September 2021.
In the Richmond, the Devil is never too far
Synopsis: The Richmond is not just a pretty neighborhood in San Francisco, it is also the historical home for a certain "Black House" in 1966... 7 min documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". April 2021.
Under the threatening California Sun: a story of Joan Didion
Synopsis: For nearly five decades, Joan Didion has been one of California’s most compelling literary voices. Her coverage of zeitgeist moments, from ’60s “be-ins” to the election of Ronald Reagan, helped usher in an era of journalism where reporting read as engagingly as a novel. She’s penned books on Miami and El Salvador, covered national politics and now resides in New York City, yet California remains her work’s true north. 13 min documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". January 2021.
Coming out in San Francisco: the story of Harvey Milk
Synopsis: Harvey Milk was an outspoken human rights activist and one of the first openly gay U.S. politicians elected to public office in San Francisco; even after his assassination in 1978, he continues to inspire disenfranchised people around the world. 7 min documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". September 2019.
Back to the origins of Burning Man
Synopsis: Did you know Burning Man could trace its roots to Baker Beach? In 1986, a wooden figure burnt on Baker beach during the Summer Solstice. A curious crowd gathered to watch it burn. The rest is history... 7 minutes documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". Juin 2019.
A secret mineshaft on Berkeley Campus
Synopsis: The Berkeley campus is filled with secrets... One of them is hidden on the north side of campus, locked behind a metal-grated door but visible if you know where to look. The door leads to the Lawson Adit, a mine blasted into the Berkeley hills — directly across the Hayward fault — more than 100 years ago by students. A 7 minutes documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". January 2019.
In Chicago, the liberating fever of jazz
Synopsis: In 1915, African-American musicians from New Orleans came to Chicago. They brought something with them: jazz! 13 minutes documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". January 2019.
When Al Capone was ruling over Chicago
Synopsis: Gang warfare ruled the streets of Chicago during the late 1920s, as chief gangster Al Capone and his Chicago Outfit gang sought to consolidate control by eliminating their rivals, Italians from the North Side Gang, in the illegal trades of bootlegging, gambling and prostitution.
“We Seceded Where Others Failed”: a story of Key West
Synopsis: In the early 80s, South Florida became a conduit for illegal immigrants and illegal drugs. To stem the flow, the United States Border Patrol set up inspection points on the two roads connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland. Key West City was not happy. The federal government did not respond to their protests, and the mayor of the city, Dennis Wardlow, declared “independence” on April 23, 1982... 7 minutes documentary for Arte, "Invitation Au Voyage". Juin 2018.