American Masters launches new short film series American Masters Shorts with the acquisition of five new films.
The series expands its commitment to showcasing cultural trailblazers through short-form storytelling.
American Masters Shorts is a new digital-first documentary short series about artists who defy the odds to create remarkable work. The multi-award-winning PBS program has acquired five new documentary shorts to kick off the series including: Searching for Augusta Savage, Becoming Yamazushi, Weaving Nature, Dear Corky and Love, Jamie.
American Masters Shorts launches with the world premiere of Searching for Augusta Savage, a documentary on the Harlem Renaissance sculptor in honor of Black History Month. New episodes of American Masters Shorts will be released monthly through June 2024 on PBS.org, the PBS App and the American Masters YouTube channel.
“With this new digital series, we are excited to offer a platform for exceptional documentary shorts that illuminate the lives of artists and cultural trailblazers,” says American Masters Executive Producer, Michael Kantor. “Our Series Producer for American Masters Shorts, Joe Skinner, conceived of the series, inspired by the reception of many of these films at top film festivals.”
The initial American Masters Shorts films will be:
Searching For Augusta Savage
Directors: Charlotte Mangin and Sandra RattleyAugusta Savage (1892 – 1962) was the first person in the U.S. to open a gallery dedicated to African American art. A Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art educator, she was also one of the first Black women art activists of her time and fought for the inclusion of Black artists in the mainstream art canon. Art historian Jeffreen M. Hayes, Ph.D. explores Savage’s life and legacy, and why her artwork has been largely erased.
World premiere with American Masters
Becoming Yamazushi
Premiered in March 2024
Director: G YamazawaIn his directorial debut, Japanese American rapper G Yamazawa discovers how art can champion cultural liberation, as he examines the revolutionary legacy of the small Japanese restaurant opened by his parents in Durham, North Carolina.
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia; New Orleans Film Festival; CAAMFest; LA Asian Pacific Film Festival; Santa Barbara International Film Festival; RiverRun International Film Festival
World premiere with American Masters
Weaving Nature
Premiered on April 22nd, 2024 in Honor of Earth Month
Director: Jeff BieberJoin Maryland-based metalsmith and artist David Paul Bacharach as he creates a major “Land Art” installation to raise awareness of the global climate crisis — and shows us how we can save the planet right in our own backyard.
World premiere with American Masters
Dear Corky
Premiered May 2024 in Honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Director: Curtis ChinFor over 50 years, New York native Corky Lee photographed his hometown’s Chinatown and Asian American communities around the country. Lee captured activists, celebrities and everyday heroes with equal passion, taking over 100,000 photos. While documenting the latest rise of anti-Asian hate crimes, Corky contracted COVID-19 and died. Through his own words and pictures, this short film reveals the man behind the camera.
Asian American International Film Festival; LA Asian Pacific Film Festival; San Diego Asian Film Festival; Hawaii International Film Festival
Love, Jamie
Premieres June 3rd, 2024 in honor of LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
Director: Karla MurthyJamie Diaz is a 66-year-old trans woman and artist who has spent nearly 30 years in a men’s prison in Texas. Using the limited paint supplies available to her and brushes she fashions from her own hair, Jamie creates bold and graphic paintings awash in color and symbolism. See how her enduring friendship with Gabriel Joffe, a volunteer who happened upon one of her works, has helped Jamie’s art reach far beyond the prison walls.
OUTFEST LA, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival; DOC NYC; Bend Film Festival; St. Louis International Film Festival, Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest