Hard Problems

Romance novels comprise nearly half the paperback books sold in America. Chiffon-shrouded, jewel-laden, flower-bedecked Barbara Cartland has written hundreds of them. And filmmaker George Csicsery has given his heart to this fascinating subculture where all the women are beautiful, all the men are mysterious and all the endings are happy.

A short documentary profiling several COYOTE members and their founder Margo St. James as they argue for legalizing and decriminalizing prostitution.

In an age when genius is a mere commodity, it is useful to look at a person who led a rich life without the traditional trappings of success. A man with no home and no job, Paul Erdös was the most prolific mathematician who ever lived. Born in Hungary in 1913, Erdös wrote and co-authored over 1,500 papers and pioneered several fields in theoretical mathematics. At the age of 83 he still spent most of his time on the road, going from math meeting to math meeting, continually working on problems. He died on September 20, 1996 while attending such a meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

A documentary that follows Dr. Penny Patterson's current scientific study of Koko, a gorilla who communicates through American Sign Language.

In April 2013, a lecturer at the University of New Hampshire submitted a paper to the Annals of Mathematics. Within weeks word spread: a little-known mathematician, with no permanent job, working in complete isolation, had made an important breakthrough toward solving the Twin Prime Conjecture. Yitang Zhang's techniques for bounding the gaps between primes soon led to rapid progress by the Polymath Group, and a further innovation by James Maynard.

Since its 1988 premiere, this critically acclaimed documentary series has presented hundreds of films that put a human face on contemporary social issues by relating a compelling story in an intimate fashion. "POV" has won virtually every major film and broadcasting award available, including 38 Emmys, 22 Peabody Awards and three Oscars.

Filmed in Canada, Iran, and the United States, Secrets of the Surface: The Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani examines the life and mathematical work of Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian immigrant to the United States who became a superstar in her field. In 2014, she was both the first woman and the first Iranian to be honored by mathematics' highest prize, the Fields Medal. Mirzakhani's contributions are explained by leading mathematicians and illustrated by animated sequences. Her mathematical colleagues from around the world, as well as former teachers, classmates, and students in Iran today, convey the deep impact of her achievements. The path of her education, success on Iran's Math Olympiad team, and her brilliant work, make Mirzakhani an ideal role model for girls looking toward careers in science and mathematics. Written by George Csicsery

Declared "a tale from a New Age witch hunt," George Paul Csicsery's documentary exposes the malpractices of the mental health and legal community during one family's harrowing ordeal. In 1990, 15-year-old Nicole accused her father of molesting her and claimed a host of bizarre incidents had happened, including satanic rituals, a murder and sex orgies. The family tries to piece together the truth despite overzealous prosecutors and therapists.

Porn stars Sharon Mitchell and Tigr navigate the ups and downs of being in love while working in the sex industry.

Examining the collaboration of accomplished mathematicians and math educators with children and teachers in the Navajo educational system.

Details the impact of television on people and social institutions.

Severely underrepresented in mathematics, African Americans have played important roles as researchers and educators in the field. Journeys of Black Mathematicians: Forging Resilience, the first of two documentary films, traces the history of the individuals who worked as pioneers in expanding the presence of African Americans in mathematics. In addition to the rich histories to be covered and compelling stories of contemporary Black American mathematicians, Forging Resilience showcases innovative educational programs in math for African American students at every level from grade school through undergraduate and postdocs, portraying their experiences, struggles and accomplishments. The historical characters and their stories will be interwoven to support themes identified in the lives and experiences of the students and aspiring mathematicians we plan to follow in various institutional settings as they explore the field and possibilities for future careers in mathematics.

Jack Lyon used his experience as a Vietnam Veteran to help found the Veterans Village of San Diego. With a mission of offering peer support and spiritual guidance, Jack immerses himself in a life of helping young U.S. veterans.