Sub-Basement Docs: Rock, Flight, Light: Spring 2026 Program

Event Details

The Department of Performing and Media Arts presents:

Sub-Basement Docs: Rock, Flight, Light

Spring 2026

Presented by Advanced Documentary Production (ANTHR/PMA 4401/7401)

The Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
430 College Avenue
Wednesday, May 6, 5:15 p.m.

LEGENDS

Photograph showing a rugged cliff face with vertical rock formations and sparse vegetation in a desert landscape. Background includes distant mountain ranges under a clear blue sky, highlighting geological features and natural terrain.

Directed by Suraj Kushwaha

A contemplative portrait of Chi'chil Biłdagoteel (Oak Flat) and the people coming together to protect it, LEGENDS explores local, emplaced resistance to the encroachment of global corporate mining. Directed at rock climbers, this film raises questions about the limits and possibilities of allyship and coalition building.

Duration of the film: 20 minutes

Incredible birds and birders of Finger Lakes

Photograph showing a large flock of ducks densely spread across a body of water, with one duck standing out by being upright among the mostly resting birds. The scene highlights the vast number of ducks and their calm, clustered arrangement on the blue water surface.

Directed by Meena Haribal

Finger Lakes region is one of the most beautiful regions in New York state, with lovely deep long lakes, stunning waterfalls, and rich natural habitats with over 360 species of both migrant and resident birds - making it a unique destination for birdwatching. The experience is enriched by the area's longstanding birding tradition and the presence of Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Duration of the film: 30 minutes

seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Photograph of a person walking alone on a sandy beach near calm ocean waters under a pale pink sky. The scene conveys a serene and contemplative mood with muted colors and minimal background elements.

Directed by Esther Grace Brenner

Lingering within the shifting life of the landscape and returning to the canvas, a painter moves between field and studio, gathering what she sees into medium. In this quiet passage between exterior world and interior reflection, painting emerges as a form of listening, a way of attending to atmosphere, change, and the felt trace of encounter.

Duration of the film: 12 minutes