Filmography

Excerpts on this page from the book Fault Lines: A Nomad Filmmaker's Journal.


Awakening from Sorrow: Buenos Aires 1997 (2009)

Stories of death, disappearance and the dissolution of a society. A film by John Knoop and Karina Epperlein. karinafilms.us

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On Chautauqua: The Alaska Tour (2005)

A month on the Alaska ferry system with the New Old Time Chautauqua who perform vaudeville in places that have never seen live performance. Post-producer, cinematographer, editor.

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San Francisco Street Music (2006)

Buskers performing in the city of San Francisco. Post-producer, cinematographer, editor.

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We Are Here Together (2003)

A film about the first year of a charter school called Home Base started by students. A film by Karina Epperlein and John Knoop. karinafilms.us

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The Simple Life (1998)

A portrait of Hansel Hagel, one of the outstanding documentary still photographers of this century. Co-producer with Gaetano Maida, cinematographer.

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River out of Time: A Journey Through Tanu Tuva (1993)

A travel film blending ethnography and adventure in SovietAsia. Co-producer with David Boatwright, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Report From Iraq (1991)

Following a group of doctors, lawyers and students from Harvard University in their assessment of the damage from the Gulf War. Producer, director, cinematographer.

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El Nuevo Amanecer (1988)

A video documentary about Salvadoran refugees at the Colomancagua camp in Honduras for the Sanctuary Movement. Director, cinematographer.

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Cafe Nica (1987)

Politics, music, theater and the '86 coffee harvest in Nicaragua. Director, cinematographer, editor.

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Mother (1982)

A 30-minute video-noir. Producer, director.

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Shadow Master (1982)

Shadow puppetry, dance and drama in Bali. Co-producer with C. L. Reed, cinematographer, editor.

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Memories of the Hunt (1980)

The cave paintings of Baja California. Director, cinematographer, editor.

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Sea of Cortez (1977)

A voyage through the Gulf of California. Director, cinematographer, editor.

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World's Fastest Hippie (1975)

A short on the American cult of drag racing and a portrait of Mike Mitchell, whose racing title was World's Fastest Hippie. Producer, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Dune (1974)

Portrait of a desert space. Producer, director, cinematographer, editor. AFI grant film.

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What I Want (1972)

An endless scroll of women's demands collected and read by Sharon Hennessey. Producer, cinematographer.

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Norien Ten (1972)

An erotic short. Producer, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Five O'clock Rush (1971)

A film about blood money during Cambodia week. Director, cinematographer, editor.


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Here Below (1971)

A meditation about death. Producer, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Penumbra (1970)

A short film of images shot through a microscope.
Producer, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Farm (1969)

A lyrical exploration of American agriculture. Producer, director, cinematographer, editor.

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Cinematography
for others

 

Phoenix Dance (2006)

A performance by Homer Avila, a professional dancer who kept on dancing after losing a leg and hip to cancer. (2nd camera with D.P. Karina Epperlein.) A film by Karina Epperlein. karinafilms.us (Click this link to find a clip.)

 


In the Light of Reverence (2002)

Native Americans struggling to protect sacred places. (Shot also by Will Parinello & Andy Black.) A film by Christopher McLeod and Malinda Maynor.

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High Cotton (1997)

This is the title sequence for the yet-to-be produced film "High Cotton," from a screenplay written by O'Neal Compton. This sequence was filmed in 35mm in one day on location in St. Matthews, South Carolina.

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Peace is Every Step (1997)

A documentary on Vietnamese Buddist Thich Nat Han. A film by Gaetano Maida.


In Search of Law & Order (1997)

A three-part series on Juvenile justice in America. Produced by Michael Schwartz and Roger Graef. Directed by Ray Telles.



 

MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour (1990-96)

MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Forty-one documentary reports from Vietnam, Cambodia, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Korea, Japan, Haiti and the U.S. Co-producer with Elizabeth Fransworth.

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Voices from Inside (1996)

The search for inner freedom by women at the high security Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, California. A film by Karina Epperlein. karinafilms.us (Click this link to find a clip.)

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Truth under Siege (1994)

Portraits of independent journalists in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia for Discovery UK, RTBF (Belgium), CBC (French Canadian) and Dutch TV. A film by Leslie Gladsjo and Nathalie Borgers
.

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Cathedrals of the Sea (1993)

Coral reefs: Audubon Film Series. A film by Hardy Jones and Julia Whitty.

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N is a Number (1993)

A one-hour portrait of mathematician Paul Erdös. A film by George Cisery. http://www.zalafilms.com/about.html

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My Home, My Prison (1992)

A documentary about Raymonda Tawil, one of the pioneers of an Israeli/Palestinian dialogue for peace. A film by Susana Blaustein Munoz and Erica Marcus.

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Harry Bridges: A Man and His Union (1992)

A one-hour documentary about the dynamic founder of the ILWU. A film by Barry Minott.


 
Maria's Story (1990)

A portrait of one of the leaders of the FMLN in El Salvador. Produced by Camino Films. Directed by Pamela Cohen and Manona Wali.

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Thanh's War (1990)

A one-hour portrait of Thanh Pham, a Vietnamese wounded in1968 and brought to the United States. Co-director with Elizabeth Farnsworth. Produced by KQED.

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The Challenge to Wildlife (1990)

A 90-minute documentary for KQED. A film by Hardy Jones and Julia Whitty.


 

If Dolphins Could Talk (1989)

Audubon Films Series. A film by Hardy Jones and Julia Whitty.


 

People Say I'm Crazy (1988)

A documentary for the California Department of Mental Health. A film by Barry Minott.


 
Cowboy Poets (1988)

Documentary portraits of three western poets. A film by Kim Sheldon.

Downwind/Downstream (1977)

One-hour documentary on environmental problems in the RockyMountains. NOVA version broadcast 1990 as Poison in the Rockies. Produced by Christopher McLeod.

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Ry Cooder & Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let’s Have a Ball (1987)

A 90-minute concert feature. A film by Les Blank.

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Sworn to the Drum (1986)

Portrait of Cuban drummer Francisco Aquabella. Produced by Tom Luddy. Directed by Les Blank and Tom Luddy.

Where the Heart Roams (1986)

A documentary on the romance novel industry. A film by George Csicery.
http://www.zalafilms.com/about.html



 

Louie Bluie (1985)

Country blues, featuring Howard Armstrong. A film by Terry Zwigoff.



Cowgirls (1985)

Portraits of American ranch women. A film by Nancy Kelly.

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Barcelona! (1985)

A promotional film for the Bureau of Tourism in Barcelona, Spain. Directed by Dan Wohlfeiler.

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The Highly Exalted (1984)

Cowboys following a traditional horse-drawn chuckwagon on a half-million acre Nevada ranch. Location co-director. A film by Kim Sheldon.

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Commercials (1987)

Bear Advertising/Lucky Boy Films. Spots for Ford Car and Truck; Bojangles Restaurants
and the South Carolina Credit Union. A film by O'Neal Compton and David Boatwright. Bear Advertising/Lucky Boy Films
.

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Industrial Documentary

Industrial Documentaries for Chevron, Northrup King, Pioneer International, EPRI, Del Monte, Hidden
Valley Ranch, American President Lines, PG&E and the Henry Luce Foundation.


Industrial Training Tapes

Industrial Training Tapes Jaime Kibben Film and Video. Short dramatic pieces for Levi Strauss, Gap
Stores and American President Lines. A film by Jaime Kibben Film and Video.


 

Campaign spots

Eight spots for Leo McCarthy for Lt. Governor. Produced by DHS Films.


 
Projects: Theatre to Tape

Titles: Twelfth Night, California Shakespeare Festival; Singing MyMother to Sleep,Walking Home and White Trash, Nina Wise; CarelessAbuse, Survival Research Laboratories.
 


Screenings and Awards


Awakening from Sorrow: Mill Valley Film Festival; Charleston Film Festival; Newport Beach Film Festival; Oaxaca International Independent Film and Video Festival; Port Townsend Film Festival; Sin Fronteras Film Festival; Brantford Film Festival

We Are Here Together: Mill Valley Film Festival; Denver International Film Festival

River Out of Time: Earthwatch Film Awards, February l994.

Report from Iraq: Broadcast on seventeen PBS affiliates in January l992.

Cafe Nica: Mill Valley FF; Film Arts Foundation Festival; Santa Fe FF; Humboldt FF; Havana FF; Amiens FF; Bahia FF; Sao Paulo FF; Discovery Channel; Globo TV, Brazil; Irish TV; Global Village.

Mother: Mill Valley FF; Boston Video Festival; AFA tour; 'Revising Romance'; Kijkhuis Video Festival (The Hague); European tour.

Shadow Master: Mill Valley FF; San Francisco FF; Australian, Dutch, Irish TV; Discovery Channel

Dune: Ann Arbor FF; Bellevue FF; Sinking Creek FF; German, Dutch, Belgian, Canadian TV.

Norien Ten: Best Special Effects, 1st New York Erotic Film Festival

Farm: Canadian & German TV broadcasts

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Phoenix Dance: Docuweek; Academy Award short list; G.G.Award, S.F.Film Festival

In the Light of Reverence: POV/PBS ’01; Am. Indian FF; Telluride Mtn. FF; Council on Foundations. FF, Henry Hampton Award; Taos Talking Picture FF

Harry Bridges: A Man and His Union: Sundance Film Festival; Best Bay Area Documentary, San Francisco Film Festival; Film Arts Foundation Festival. Sidney Film Festival. Margaret Mead FF. Dupont Award.

My Home/My Prison: Sundance FF; Mill Valley FF; Haifa FF; Wellington FF

Thanh's War: PBS, April '91; Cine Golden Eagle; Best Documentary, Asian Critics Association.

Maria's Story: POV/PBS; Mill Valley FF; Film Arts Foundation FF; Best Documentary, Havana FF; Best Documentary, San Antonio Cine Festival; Rotterdam FF; Leningrad FF; Sundance (U.S. FF).

Cowboy Poets: Golden Apple, National Educational FF; Silver Award, Houston FF; National Geographic Explorer; Discovery Channel, PBS.

Downwind/Downstream: Blue Ribbon, American FF; Golden Gate Award, San Francisco FF; Gold Apple, National Educational FF; Cine Golden Eagle; Special Jury Award, Telluride Mountain FF; NOVA.

Where the Heart Roams: Sundance FF; San Francisco FF (Golden Gate Award); AFI Festival-LA; Seattle FF; Festival dei Popoli; POV/PBS.

Louie-Bluie: Filmex; San Francisco, Edinborough, Telluride, Sundance Festivals; POV/PBS.

Cowgirls: Mill Valley, San Francisco Festivals; National Geographic Explorer.

The Highly Exalted: Mill Valley FF; Golden Gate Award, S.F.FF; Berlin FF; Nat'l. Geo.