A Touch of Greatness

[LipmanNYC1 at aol.com]

Just wanted to let you all know about a wonderful film tomorrow on  PBS. Hope 
you can watch it, or tape it to see later. 
Enjoy, 
Louise Lipman 
A TOUCH OF  GREATNESS
produced by Catherine  Gund and Directed by Leslie Sullivan

Tuesday, November 14 at  10:00 p.m.
(60 minutes; check  local listings below)

One good teacher can change a child's  life.

In the 1960s, Albert Cullum rejected Dick and Jane for Shakespeare  and 
Sophocles in his elementary school classroom, where students swam down the  
Mississippi River and hurled themselves from the walls of Troy--all without leaving  
school grounds. He used drama and action methods in the classroom, and they  
changed children's lives. 
This touching portrait  of one of America's most influential educators  shows 
how Al Cullum ignited the imagination of a generation of children,  teaching 
them how to find their own inner greatness.
Watch the film that  captures some of the lessons and values he treasured 
most deeply: joyful  learning, teamwork, imagination and the impact of teaching 
children through  dramatic action. 
I was one of those  children. The film uses both archival footage shot by 
Robert DowneySr., the  1960’s and interviews with students today. They tracked us 
over a period of 10  years to see how our lives turned out. The film won best 
documentary at the  Hamptons Film  festival in 2004, the same year it opened 
the Margaret Mead film festival in  NYC. It was voted best film at the Denver 
Film Festival in 2005; and was nominated  for an Emmy Award for Best 
Documentary on Television in 2006.   
If you haven't already  seen it, don't miss this opportunity to see a 
portrait of an amazing man, and an  inspiring teacher.  


You can meet  some of Al Cullum's former students, read about the most 
memorable moments they  shared with their favorite instructor and find out what 
they're up to as adults.  Read an exclusive interview with the filmmakers and find 
out about their views  on arts and education. Also, learn about 
filmmaker/actor Robert Downey, Sr., who  shot the stunning black-and-white footage of 
Cullum's classroom and  performances. Many of Albert Cullum's former students wrote 
in to Independent  Lens to share their experiences about being in his 
classroom.


Check your local  broadcast schedule for the viewing time in your area at the 
Web site:

_http://pbs.org/independentlens/touchofgreatness/_ 
(http://pbs.org/independentlens/touchofgreatness/)  
To read comments from  former students: 

_http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/touchofgreatness/talkback.html_ 
(http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/touchofgreatness/talkback.html)  



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