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How can trees be racist? That’s the question explored in a new documentary, “Racist Trees,” about a historically Black neighborhood called the Crossley tract in Palm Springs, Calif., whose residents suspected a dense row of tall tamarisk trees might have been planted decades ago to segregate them from the adjacent golf course.

While putting a close-up on the residents’ campaign to have the messy, view-blocking trees removed, the film deftly explores wider issues, like the troubled racial history of the idyllic resort town, gentrification and generational wealth – all with a light touch that includes plenty of colorful historic footage of swimming pools and movie stars.

The controversy over whether the trees should be removed might have remained a small local issue if it wasn’t for a 2017 article in the local paper, the Desert Sun. Reported by Corinne Kennedy, the piece drew worldwide attention, and the idea of “racist...

LeVar Burton is making a return to children’s entertainment with Sound Detectives, a podcast debuting this spring from SiriusXM’s Stitcher.

Created by Burton in collaboration with Julia Smith and Joanna Sokolowski, Sound Detectives begins with the premise that sounds are starting to go missing in the world, and the culprit appears to be the so-called Sound Swindler. To solve the case, the characters Detective Hunch and Audie the Ear will lead kids on a narrative adventure that engages their listening skills as they compare and contrast sounds. Each episode will also take place in a different location in the world, showcasing different cultures, as young listeners try to identify what a sound is and where it is coming from.

Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday, Burton said that as a military kid growing up overseas, he often relied on the radio for entertainment...

Sales agent Deckert Distribution has boarded “Racist Trees,” directed by Sara Newens and Mina T. Son, and produced by Wayfarer Studios and Wild Pair Films, ahead of its world premiere in IDFA’s Frontlight strand. The feature-length documentary investigates the timely story of racial conflict in Palm Springs, uncovering an even darker racist history that few would equate with the city’s progressive image.

In Palm Springs, lies the historically Black Lawrence Crossley neighborhood, cut off from the glitz and glamour, and overshadowed by towering 60-foot Tamarisk trees. They were planted by the city authorities in the late 1950s to line the 14th fairway of a city-owned golf course, and – so some claim – to block Lawrence Crossley from the view of the white folk, and cut the neighborhood off from the rest of the city.

The trees have become the focal point of frustration and animosity for locals who see...

Spanish-language outlet Kmex leads with the field with 22 nominations for the 71st annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, topping Kcet’s 19. Read the full list below, and check out the nominations by network here.

It’s the first time since 2015 that Kmex has led the noms list outright. Last year it tied with Kcet for the most noms from the Television Academy, with the former PBS outlet, ultimately scoring the most trophies six months later.

Kvea is running third with 12 nominations, with NBC4 next with nine.

The hardware will be handed out during a July 27 ceremony at the Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Programming & News Categories

L.A. Local Color

30 Years with Val Zavala (SoCal Connected) • Kcet

Linda Burns, Senior Producer Karen Foshay, Executive Producer

Kathy Kasaba, Supervising Producer Robert McDonnell, Supervising Producer

Louis & Jazz (The Migrant Kitchen) • Kcet

Matthew Crotty,...

For a film festival to have going on 27 editions in its long and storied history, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is one of the great unsung gems of a year’s film festival calendar. Often times introducing new voices to mass audiences or highlighting some of the truly great and sociologically important works from across the globe, the Hrwff is a truly enthralling example of what a festival can be. Mixing fiction and non-fiction films ranging from domestic meditations on urban life to a documentary about political activism in China, this festival has a deeply political focus and an eye to the experiences of people from all countries.

And this year’s festival is now different. Again in its 27th edition, this year’s slate includes 18 films that will run from June 10-19. Co-presented by both the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center, this festival is...

HBO has acquired U.S. rights to Leah Wolchok’s documentary Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait Of New Yorker Cartoonists, with the pic premiering on the network December 7 following an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run starting November 20 in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The pic, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, offers a window into single-panel cartoon king The New Yorker, offering up a glimpse into the process behind their creation. The pic follows cartoon editor Bob Mankoff as he sifts through hundreds of submissions and pitches every week.

Wolchok also produced her feature debut alongside Davina Pardo. Regina K. Scully, Deborah Shaffer and the late Bruce Sinofsky are executive producers and Joanna Sokolowski co-produced. Cinetic Media repped the the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.

The Power/Rangers fan film and The Grey producer Adi Shankar is set to make his directorial debut alongside...