Testing the Limits

Through interviews, archival footage, photos and classic tunes, learn about the remarkable career and troubled life of legendary jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, who influenced countless musicians before alcoholism lead to his premature death. Close friends and associates such as Hoagy Carmichael, Charlie David and Louis Armstrong share their memories of Bix's abilities, playing style and personality.

This in-depth examination of the life and career of clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw cuts between archival footage, location shots, and an interview with Shaw himself. Berman illustrates the tumultuous, complicated, and remarkable legacy of a man who brought numerous innovations to jazz and swing music during the big-band era.

A revealing look at the outspoken, flamboyant founder of the Playboy empire. With humor and insight, the film captures Hefner's fierce battles with the government, the religious right and militant feminists. Rare footage and compelling interviews with a remarkable who's who of 20th Century American pop culture, present a brilliant and entertaining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the controversies that surrounded him.

A group of sorority pledges are stalked by a stranger during their Christmas break. That is until the young women discover that the killer is part of an underground campus conspiracy.

Director Brigitte Berman profiles Canadian icon Gordon Pinsent, who left Newfoundland in the late 1940s to launch a storied, seven-decade career as one of the leading actors and most beloved figures in Canadian film and television.

In 2009, veteran documentarian and filmmaker Brigitte Berman released Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel, a film about the life and legacy of Hugh Hefner. Expanding on Hefner's influence not only as a celebrity figure but as a catalyst for social awareness, discussion and change, Berman continues to break new ground in Playboy: After Dark, Speaking Out in America. In this doc, Berman details the run and lasting influence of Hefner's two short-lived television shows Playboy: After Dark (1969-1970) and Playboy's Penthouse (1959-1960). Part entertainment segments, part talkshows, the programs featured numerous celebrity guests and covered a diverse range of subjects during their respective runs, including race, integration, environmental changes and free speech. With the story told through interviews and a collection of archived footage, this documentary makes it clear how and why both programs deserve their spots in television history.