A Closer Look

10/03/2024

Watch Children of the Inquisition this Rosh Hashanah! As we enter this time of reflection, the documentary offers a powerful perspective on the Jews who were forced to convert or flee under the threat of death and violence. During Yom Kippur, the Kol Nidrei is recited to absolve un-kept vows. Did you know that Spanish Conversos (once derogatorily called Marranos, meaning swine) often used this prayer to nullify their forced Christian conversions?

Some even suggest that the Kol Nidrei was written to counter religious persecution of Jews as early as the 6th century, although no proof has been found. However, its use during the Inquisition is well documented. This highlights the deep role holiday traditions have played in Jewish history, especially during periods of persecution and expulsion,

Watch it on PBS or stream online at http://www.childrenoftheinquisition.com

08/07/2024

In honor of renowned author and civil rights activist James Baldwin's 100th birthday this past week, A Closer Look is highlighting the 20/20 interview Lovett released to the world and the engaging webinar ACL hosted with NYU's Grey Art Gallery.

Watch both and find yourself astonished by how relevant Baldwin's words are to this day.

Interview: https://vimeo.com/561405000

Webinar: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=794937264548025

The following 1979 profile of James Baldwin was never aired. Sylvia Chase: Writer, interviewer, Narrator. Joseph Lovett: Producer, Director Richard O’Regan:…

06/05/2024

🌈🎉 GIVEAWAY TIME! As we paint the town rainbow this Pride, we’ve got something special for you! Enter to win our exclusive 'Gay S*x in the 70s' Pride Celebration Pack. Each pack includes a DVD of the iconic documentary (Gay S*x In The 70's), themed condoms for a touch of fun, and an exclusive sticker pack to jazz up your gear!

Want in? Here’s how you can enter:
1️⃣ Like this post—let’s see those thumbs! 👍
2️⃣ Follow us ✨
3️⃣ Comment below tagging the fabulous friend you’re celebrating Pride with! 👯‍♂️
(each comment is an entry!)

We’ll be announcing the winners during the last week of Pride Month, so get your entries in and let’s make this Pride one to remember! Let the celebrations begin! 🕺💫

*xinthe70s

05/21/2024

🌟May is Blind Awareness Month!🌟

Explore the challenges, triumphs, and everyday realities faced by those experiencing vision loss.

Don’t miss the powerful documentary 'Going Blind' at goingblindmovie.com to see real stories of resilience and hope.

03/23/2024

🚨 Vision Alert! 🚨 Did you catch this? Work shouldn’t cost us our eyesight, but for 13 MILLION people, it’s their reality. And that’s not all - vision troubles can mean job troubles. 💼👓

👁️ This March, during Work Eye Wellness Awareness Month, let’s focus on what matters. “Going Blind” isn’t just a film; it’s a journey into the lives of those who see the world differently.

So let’s watch, learn, and start taking our eye health seriously – at our desks and beyond. Your eyes will thank you! 🌟

Dive into the stories that change the way we see the world. Watch Going Blind at goingblindmovie.com and join the conversation. How does vision impact your perspective? Share with us! 🎥✨
🌎💔

03/08/2024

👓 This Workplace Eye Wellness Month, we turn our focus to a crucial conversation with 'Going Blind.'
As we emphasize the health of our eyes in the digital age, let's also shine a light on the experiences of those whose sight is a daily challenge.

👀'Going Blind' is more than a documentary; it's a journey alongside those who navigate the world with vision loss. Let’s learn to create inclusive environments that support eye wellness for everyone.

🌟 Because every person deserves to see their potential, in all its clarity.

📺Stream 'Going Blind' Today at https://goingblindmovie.com/film/.

02/07/2024

February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. is a leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years or older, and more than 2.9 million Americans age 40 and older have low vision. Hundreds of viewers have watched ACL's Going Blind and learned about the experience of living with low vision and blindness.

Stream ACL's Going Blind for free at https://goingblindmovie.com/

"Your film helps patients understand the options and opportunities for those blind or with severely limited vision, allowing them to lead productive and happy lives. It’s an uplifting story."

12/13/2023

Children of the Inquisition Part 2 aiirs in NYC Thursday Decenber 14 at 7pm on WNYE (Channel 25 on Spectrum).
This hour follows those who converted to the Bew World where tived as Catholics - and those who emigrated to the Muslim Ottoman Empire where the sultans allowed them to keep their Jewish identity for 500 years!

Now airing on public television. Check your local listing and ask your local station. Now airing on public television. Check your local listing and ask your local station. “an incredible journey of discovery, insight, and rich history…a lasting thought of how reclaiming your identity is also rec...

12/07/2023

Children of the Inquisition, a feature-length documentary from A Closer Look’s Joseph Lovett, will broadcast on NYC’s WNYE on the 7th and 14th of December at 7PM.

This extraordinary documentary re-examines history and reveals the secrets of the families forced to convert or flee during the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions (1478-1834). These stories are told by a diverse, multi-racial cast of their contemporary descendants, many of whom are just discovering their once very problematic Jewish roots. Their complex journeys across continents and oceans with ever-changing names and identities is masterfully described in the film by the leading historians of the .

More information at https://www.childrenoftheinquisition.com/ and you can follow the film here on facebook at Children of the Inquisition

06/07/2023

https://archny.org/the-sheen-center-presents-children-of.../

Children of the Inquisition will have it's first screening at a Catholic institution on June 13th.

The film screening, sponsored by Robert Calderisi, will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker, Joseph F. Lovett, as well as New York artist, Carlos DeMedeiros who is profiled in the film, Thomas F. Madden, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University, and Ronnie Perelis, Alacalay Associate Professor of Sephardic Studies at Yeshiva University. Reverend Ryan Muldoon, S.T.L., will moderate. Muldoon was awarded the John Paul II Prize for Catholic-Jewish Studies in January 2022.

Tickets can be bought here : https://www.sheencenter.org/events/detail/children-of-the-inquisition

03/08/2023

Please join us for this mind expanding conversation Sunday, March 12 in person or on zoom. Please share this invitation.

Sign up to join "all of us" today and Sunday, March 12. Finding Judaism Across Africa and Central America, Intersections with Sephardi and Mizrahi Culture and Practice IN PERSON and ONLINE! Sunday, Ma