Claude Motley in When Claude Got Shot.
Thursday, Aug. 12, finds NHDocs offering three films in the evening that showcase three different men each facing their own unique challenges.
When Claude Got Shot follows the engrossing story of Claude Motley as he recovers from being shot by 15-year-old Nathan King during a carjacking attempt. The day after shooting Motley, King himself is shot and paralyzed by Victoria Davison as he attempts to rob her. Director Brad Lichtenstein gives the viewer insight into all three of their lives, focusing on not only the physical injuries sustained by Motley, but the emotional and psychological effects of both shootings on the three people involved, as well as their families and friends.
As viewers watch Motley undergo and recover from multiple surgeries over the course of five years, they also witness his struggle to get his career back on track, as well as his financial and insurance-related struggles. Meanwhile, the criminal process King must go through is also documented, along with Motley’s and Davison’s roles in that process.
There are no easy answers offered in this riveting film, as even those who wish justice to be served are compelled to view all sides of this situation. Suffering and loss are revealed to be a shared experience. Trauma is not cured by a conviction, and forgiveness becomes a vital step in the healing process.
This event includes a talkback discussion about gun violence in New Haven immediately following the screening moderated by Babz Rawls Ivy.
Norman Malone in For the Left Hand.
For the Left Hand focuses on Norman Malone, a beloved music teacher and chorus master who becomes famous after a series of articles is written about him in the Chicago Tribune, which results in Malone being sought after as a concert pianist.
Directors Gordon Quinn and Leslie Simmer retrace Malone’s journey from childhood to the present. A five-year-old natural musician who ended up with a right-sided paralysis at age 10 resulting from an attack by his father, Malone persevered throughout the rest of his life to become proficient at piano pieces written for the left hand only. The film lets Malone tell his own heartening story, highlighting his ongoing dedication and persistence as he continues to learn new piano pieces and refine his practice.
Viewers will be uplifted by Malone’s mesmerizing piano playing as well as his story, a shining example of how commitment to a practice one loves can heal the self and inspire others.
Following the showing of this film at St. Paul and St. James Episcopal Church, there will be a Q&A and live performance by Norman Malone himself as well as a performance by pianist Eric Trudel.
Alex Liu takes a much different type of journey in A Sexplanation, a thought-provoking and flat-out fun film that follows the director and star on a quest to get answers to questions he has had for almost his entire life about a topic almost no one wants to talk about: sex. This film is being shown at Cafe Nine and will be preceded by six short films, the event billed as “A Night of Uncomfortable Comic Brilliance.”
Liu interacts with a wealth of experts in the field of sex and sex education, but also has frank conversations with random people he meets throughout his travels, friends, and even his parents about their own sexual knowledge (or lack thereof). He leaves no stone unturned, from participating in a study of the human orgasm at Rutgers University to discussing sexuality with a Catholic priest, all done with a healthy dose of humor and an eagerness to overcome years of Liu’s own shame and fears. The film shines a light on this country’s ongoing difficulties making this topic a regular part of our everyday conversation and education.
Ultimately, Liu ends up learning for himself, and teaching the viewer, that all of the answers he received lead to one true realization: being more open and honest with ourselves and each other can only lead to better conversations, awareness, and acceptance of human beings as sexual beings.
Tickets for the above events and others in the film festival’s lineup can be purchased at the NHDocs website here.