Brooklyn Documentaries Screening at Brooklyn Historical Society December 11th, 2015

Conrad Milster

Brooklyn Documentaries Screening at Brooklyn Historical Society December 11th, 2015. 

 At 6:30 PM, the Brooklyn Historical Society in partnership with the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival will present a screening of Brooklyn short documentaries titled, "Brooklyn Always, Timeless – Changes.” 

Bushwick Homecomings by Stefanie Joshua

Bushwick native filmmaker returns to her old neighborhood to examine the changes underway in Bushwick and to convey the experiences of those residents who survived the crime waves and community erosion of the 1980s’ and 90’s. This documentary examines the roots of the drastic changes in Bushwick and the lessons learned by community members who survived the most turbulent era of Bushwick.

 Conrad and The Steamplant  -  Filmed by Dustin Cohen

Conrad Milster, Pratt Institute’s chief engineer, has worked in the Brooklyn power plant nearly his entire adult life. Starting as a mechanic in 1958, he later became one of only four chief engineers in the plant’s 127-year history, taking over the official duties in 1965. He’s been there ever since.

For the last six decades, Milster (now 79 years old) has lovingly maintained the nineteenth century steam engines that provide heat and hot water to Pratt’s campus. “We have our hands full,” says Milster. “If the plant stops in the winter, Pratt stops.

 

  New York, A Documentary Film -  Excerpt from Ric Burns'  of Walt Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" with a narrated reading. This extraordinary documentary is seventeen and one half hours in length and comprised of eight parts. Produced by Steelplechase Films and  the film was originally aired on PBS.

Jazzsoon: Portrait of a Brooklyn Hustler  -  Filmed by Ivan Cash

 The portrait of Jazzsoon: Collector. Hustler. Brooklyn Native. Living for the weekends.  

While shooting his Last Photo series, filmmaker Ivan Cash met a man who calls himself Jazzsoon. Cash was intrigued, so he spent a Saturday with him to learn more about his life. Jazzsoon, it turns out, is an avid collector of comic books, vintage sports uniforms, and sneakers; he hawks what he finds to make a living. It's a common sort of street hustle, and with a city's worth of competitors, he relies on charisma and bravado as much as he does on wares. "As long as I can supply a demand, I can make a living," he says.

Fire Brooklyn, Stillwell Avenue – Filmed by Mark Kroytor,

This footage documents a massive fire engulfing a historic multi-story building on Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn. The filmmaker’s unique vantage from the elevated platform provides a galvanizing view of dramatic that  can unfold suddenly in the streets of Brooklyn.

The Shore Theater, Coney Island  - Filmed by Charles Denson 

"The Shore Theater represents not just Coney's golden past, but also its bright future." 

 The seven-story, neo-Renaissance style theater and vaudeville house opened in 1925 and operated for half a century. Both structures have been closed and sealed up for decades. The theater's facade was granted landmark status in 2010, but the interior is not protected and vulnerable to demolition. Denson is one of the few people who has seen the inside the Shore Theater in recent years.

Location: Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont St. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201                 Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. This program is FREE & Open to the Public.                  For information call the Brooklyn Historical Society at (718) 222-4111