Video – Pasquale

A Legacy in the Floodlines

Born from exclusion, Asheville’s legacy neighborhoods became essential centers of connection and culture for the city’s minority communities. Over time they endured repeated destabilization, including the sweeping urban renewal programs of the late 20th century. On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina with unprecedented force, bringing a new wave of destruction. In this documentary, Asheville natives Todd Gragg and Renee White explore what has been lost, how these historic challenges intersect, and how the East End/Valley St. legacy neighborhood came together to care for its own.

Sofia

Sofía Eisner is an Argentine mother of eleven. Over time, half of her children have moved abroad.
Jorge, her oldest son and primary caretaker, chose to stay. Now he faces the same question he once turned down as his own children are faced with the same decision he once turned down. From New York, the youngest son, Ernesto, offers a different perspective shaped by distance.

They don’t always agree. Their conflicting views and contradictions reflect the larger tension around migration in Argentina, a decision shaped by economic reality, family responsibility, and personal ambition. Through their conversations, the film examines what it means to stay, and what it means to go.

Warning Signs

Lori spends her days making and putting up signs as well as protesting to raise awareness about coal ash in the area. A coal burning plant has been producing the byproduct since the 60’s and allegedly been spreading the substance in the area. With disproportionally high cancer rates in town, Lori believes the coal ash is getting Mooresville sick.

Didn’t Miss A Beat

Many people doubted Bessie Elmore when she insisted that her son William, who had been sentenced to natural life in prison, would be a free man again. However, after 25 years of prison letters and visits, she fulfilled her promise of giving him a good sucker punch to the stomach standing outside the gates of Orange County Correctional Facility. Now she pays it forward by running a transitional house in Durham that offers resources and temporary housing for people reentering society after incarceration.