Deep Roots Music Vol. 1: Revival / Ranking Sounds / 2007

Chronicling the fascinating history of reggae music, this six-part documentary series begins with "Revival," an account of how African music evolved over time into popular new forms including ska, and continues with "Ranking Sounds," which recounts how deejaying and toasting came to play integral parts in the story of reggae. Features performances by The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Byron Lee, and others.

Frayed Roots / 2020

When her father passes, Raya, a free-spirited expat, returns to Lebanon for the first time in a decade. Before attending his burial, she must confront the family matriarch, Aunt Wafaa. As she challenges the rituals of grieving, Raya finds herself on the outskirts of a world she once called home.

Roots, Reggae, Rebellion / 2016

British rapper and poet Akala tells the story of roots reggae, when a group of Jamaican musicians took songs of Rastafari, revolution and hope to the international stage.

Dhimal / 2022

Dhimal, a scheduled tribe of North Bengal, is debarred by the British Empire.

Deep Roots Music Vol. 3: Money in My Pocket / Ghetto Riddims / 2008

The final two installments of a six part series originally produced in the early 80s following the premature death of Bob Marley. "Money in My Pocket" explores some of the politics of Jamaica at the time and its relation to reggae, and includes an interview with the then-newly elected prime minister. "Ghetto Riddims" features one of producer Jack "L. Lindo" Ruby's street-corner audition sessions, with a number of unknown performers taking the mic, providing a unique opportunity to see a rawer look at the early-80s reggae scene.

My Ras Tafari Roots / 2016

David Verhaeghe seeks to uncover the truth behind the family secret: was his Italian grandmother the lovechild of legendary Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, born Ras Tafari Makkonen and still religiously admired today? In the end it is the natural mysticism of the Jamaican Rastas that seems to point David towards the imperial family. Will he succeed in discovering the truth about his ancestry?

Soy un ser cuyas raíces // I am a being whose roots / 2018

Soy un ser cuyas raíces // I am a being whose roots reworks Jacques Madvo’s Countries & People: Venezuela to explore labour and migration. Taking the final words of the film’s voice-over as a starting point, Soy un ser cuyas raíces // I am a being whose roots pairs Madvo’s film footage with a text-based conversation with young Venezuelan literature scholar and language teacher Angel Said Dominguez Pinto. Dominguez Pinto relocated to Panama in 2014 to make a living teaching English, Spanish and German in Panama City after Venezuela’s economic collapse. Over e-mail, we co-authored a conversational text, exploring migration, labour, exile, and hemispheric relationships.

Jimbo Mathus: Finding Your Roots /

his film is a brief glimpse into the life of Mississippi musician, Jimbo Mathus. Hang out with Jimbo as he takes the stage at the Hill Country Picnic and talks about his musical background: from picking guitar on camping trips with his family, through appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman with his former band, The Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Black Roots / 1970

Black Roots is the fourth feature-length film produced and directed by American independent filmmaker Lionel Rogosin. The film gathers a number of African American folk and blues musicians in a room, where they share stories and songs about the black experience in America.

Gullah Roots / 2020

Gullah Roots dives deep into South Carolina’s ties with West Africa, educating viewers about Gullah heritage, including spiritual, musical and artistic traditions.

Film in the Cities: Radical Roots in Youth Media /

In the early 1970s, a group of groundbreaking and radical teachers began Film in the Cities (FITC), a film program that forever changed the Twin Cities media landscape. Using student films and interviews, Minnesota-based filmmakers Daniel Bergin with Miranda Harincar create a cinematic celebration of education and mentorship. FITC began as a program offered through the Minneapolis Public Schools, under the umbrella of the Urban Arts Program (whose most notable student might just be Prince). FITC started teaching Super-8 filmmaking and then expanded to include photography and video. Their work not only allowed kids to express themselves cinematically, but they captured stories and images of events and landmarks that would have been forgotten today. Featuring footage shot by FITC students, Film in the Cities: Radical Roots of Youth Media is an eye-opening and inspiring documentary about a little-known aspect of Minnesota history.

Music with Roots in the Aether: Opera for Television by Robert Ashley / 1974

In 1975 the composer Robert Ashley embarked on an ambitious work titled Music With Roots in the Aether. He called it an Opera (or piece of theater depending on the case) for television. The work is comprised of seven, two hours sections. Each “episode” is dedicated to investigations, interviews, and performances of his one of his peers – David Behrman, Philip Glass, Alvin Lucier, Gordon Mumma, Pauline Oliveros, and Terry Riley respectively, with the final reserved for himself.

American Roots Music / 2001

American Roots Music is a landmark 4-episode, 4-hour documentay series featuring history and contemporary footage of many of the 20th century's pioneering artists, including Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Muddy Waters, B.B.King, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Mahalia Jackson, Clifton Chenier, Woody Guthrie and many more.

Garth Brooks: Blame It All On My Roots: Live At The Wynn / 2013

Garth Books performs at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas and discusses the inspiration behind his music.

Harlem Roots: Vol. 1: The Big Bands / 1988

Originally produced for special jukebox machines called Panorams, "soundies" were short musical programs made in the 1940s. This collection features performance footage showcasing four of the greatest big band leaders of all time. Highlights include Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher," Count Basie's "Take Me Back Baby" and Lucky Millinder's "Hello Bill."

Roots of my Rhythm / 2023

In this emotional documentary, Majid Kessab embarks on a moving journey to his Kurdish homeland, where he delves deep into his family history with his father.

I Have Roots and Branches / 2004

Adoption attorney Flory G. Herman presents an unusual vantage point in this 2004 Award-winning documentary. From young children in elementary school to articulate adults, adoptees of almost every conceivable circumstance share their most visceral and penetrating feelings about adoption. Very straightforward and not at all sugar-coated, the film encourages a positive view of one of life's most resonant and important adventures.

Flávio José - Festival Rootstock / 2011

Roots of the Earthman / 1970

The Unarius follow-up to their legendary UFO encounter film "The Arrival". In the previous film our paleolithic hero has a surprising encounter with saucer wisdom which changes his life for the better. But how to relate this new and possibly unpopular understanding to others of his world? Roots of the Earthman is about the lives and controversies of these prehistoric humans. It is also part of the Unarius practice of what they call "healing through psychodrama" where they were performing these roles to relive and understand their past lives.

I Am the Gorgon: Bunny 'Striker' Lee and the Roots of Reggae / 2013

This feature length documentary charts the story of the great Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee. A legend himself, there’s not a lot of pioneers of roots and reggae that he didn’t work with, becoming the go-to producer for that dub sound coming out of Jamaica in the sixties and seventies, further cementing his legacy when he started licensing his productions straight to London labels. Diggory Kenrick’s doco calls on not only Lee himself to tell the story, but features the likes of U Roy, Dennis Alcapone, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly and Robbie, Johnny Clarke and Johnny Holt among others.