VIDEOS

This work shows how John Sutton, a blind African American sang at Suburban Station in Philadelphia from the 1980s until COVID. Although John Sutton sometimes struggled financially, he was in many respects a wealthy man. He had a beautiful singing voice and many people loved him. People often gave him money because listening to his melodic tone made them happy.

If you think that a wheelchair user is incapable of dancing, then think again.
Wheelchair users, whether athletically mobile or not, can learn to dance with a standing partner. This documentary brings wheelchair users and standing partners together. Whether the wheelchair users choose to dance competitively or not, the activity puts them in a world without limits. They were taught to believe that their disabilities would limit them, and now doing something that they thought they would never be able to do exposes them to a world of possibility.

Award of Recognition Disability Issues at The Best Shorts Competition June 2019

Finalist at the 2022 My Hero International Short Film Festival
Nominated for Best Pennsylvania Filmmaker Category West Chester Film Festival April 2019
Semi Finalist Utah Film Festival March 2019
Screened at the First Glance Philadelphia Film Festival Oct. 2022
Screened at the 2019 Media (PA) Film Festival, and the 2019 New York Short film Festival (Brooklyn). This film appeared on TUTV (Temple University Television) and PHILLYCAM. It was also screened at the 38th Inhale Performance Series at Chi Movement Arts Center in Philadelphia, October 2018.

“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
– Winston Churchill

Horses don’t judge by appearance. They look past peoples’ disabilities and recognize the emotions inside. A horse is a mirror of the soul.

Horseback riding provides physical therapy. Walking with the horse, touching the horse, grooming the horse all provide emotional therapy.

• Horses provide a safe and protected venue to help Autistic children speak for the first time.
• Horses comfort people disabled by grief.
• Horseback riding gives blind people the freedom and mobility to go wherever they want.
• Horseback riding puts wheelchair users at the same eye level as able-bodied riders.
• Horseback riding gives wheelchair users the ability to travel over any terrain.

• Award of Merit: Disability Issues/Documentary Short Best Shorts Competition September 2021
• Inclusion Award received at the 2018 PhillyCAM Award Ceremony in Philadelphia, PA
• First Place The 2017 Media Film Festival Audience Award in Media, PA
• Second Place Audience Award 2017 Southside Film Festival in Bethlehem, PA
• 2016 IndieFest recipient of the Award of Merit: Documentary Short (Student)
• 2016 IndieFEST Film Awards Humanitarian Award Honorable Mention
• Best Director Documentary Short 2016 Atlantic City Cinefest in Atlantic City, NJ
• Second Place Audience Award at the 2016 Roslyn Film Festival in Roslyn, PA

Ballroom dancing merges the rhythm of the music with the graceful movements of the dancers as they glide around the floor. Dancing Outside the Box shows how wheelchair users and their able-bodied partners bring their two worlds together on the dance floor, creating beauty in motion and proving that everyone can dance.

“Whatever you thought you knew about dancing, throw it out the window, because this documentary shows a whole new side of moving to music.” The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

• Discovery Award received at the 2017 PHILLYCAM inaugural Award Ceremony Philadelphia, PA
• The Life Tree Award at the 2013 Life Tree International Film Festival in Loveland, CO
• Best Documentary Short at 2013 Eugene International Film Festival in Eugene, OR
• Second Place Viewers’ Choice Award a the 2013 Roslyn Film Festival, in Roslyn, PA

In Word Association roller derby can trigger many responses: Pro wrestling on wheels, sexy women, tattoos. However, the sport was never meant to go down that path.

Former Roller Derby star Judy Sowinski (1940 – 2011) and other former skaters tried to create a new roller derby league, Old School Derby association Pro. It was to be a professional league, minus the theatrics. The theatrics arguably marred the sport. The OSDAPRO skaters’ passion, dedication and great feats of athleticism make David Block’s film breath taking. Although Sowinski’s death brought the league to a dormant state, her dream of creating OSDAPRO lives on. It can come true as long as skaters have the drive and determination to make it happen.

Presented as part of Philadelphia Independent Film & Video Associations New Works Series Philadelphia, PA

Presented at Scribe Video Center New Works Series Philadelphia, PA

“Let us care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”   – Abraham Lincoln Second Inaugural, March 4, 1865

If Lincoln were alive today, he would be shocked.

Abandoned Heroes demonstrates how certain U.S. veterans return home to a thankless nation. For bravely serving the U.S. when Uncle Sam called, VA doors slammed in their faces. No financial compensation, no jobs offered, no place to live. The U.S. veterans, from Valley Forge to Operation Iraqi Freedom, were abandoned.

Abandoned Heroes is the overdue voice of veterans, crying out for justice. This disturbing documentary is the true account of veterans helping other veterans after organizations that were supposed to help, failed miserably.

• Best Short Documentary Award at the 9th Annual DIY Film Festival, 2011, CA
• Best Documentary Award at the 2010 Directors Circle Festival of Shorts, PA
• Best Documentary Award at the 2010 Great Lakes International Film Festival, PA
• Best Independent Short Documentary Award at the 2009 Independent Film Festival of Tampa (Florida)

“The Hidden injuries of American heroes begin to surface in this rare look at the forgotten conclusions of war.” Ken Burns

Brian’s Run shows how the sudden paralysis of high school football player Brian Bratcher started an ongoing tradition in West Chester, PA. The original intent was to host a one-time 10k race to help defray Brian’s medical expenses. At Brian’s request, the race became an annual event to help other people in need. This documentary is about community / neighbors helping neighbors.

 Televised on WYBE Channel 35 Philadelphia Stories Series 2009

• 2012 Culture Unplugged Film Festival, screened online
• 2005 International Festival of Cinema and Technology, New York, NY
• 2004 West Chester Film Festival, West Chester, PA
• Screened at the prestigious Prince Music Theatre’s Black Box Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 2002.

Distributed by Cinema Guild, New York, NY

 Portraits of Possibility shows blind and visually impaired athletes competing at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Spain in judo, swimming, goalball and track and field. This documentary challenges the negative attitudes that some people have about athletes/people with disabilities. The work was broadcast on WHYY TV 12 and on Kaleidoscope TV, a network for Americans with disabilities.

1997 National Educational Media Network Competition (Third Place), Oakland, CA.

KYW News 3 Presented David Block with the Making a Difference Award as a result of producing Portraits of Possibility.

Goalball: A Sport for Good Listeners is about the blind team sport called goalball. Developed after World War II to rehabilitate soldiers who lost their vision in combat, it is now played world-wide at the Paralympic level. In this documentary, goalball players explain how they coped with losing their vision. They describe the frustrations of having to repeatedly prove themselves to public school teachers and coaches. For many of the athletes, overcoming this obstacle was more challenging than playing sports. Many of the Goalball players credit Goalball with raising their self-esteem.

Screened at the 1992 Philadelphia Film Festival of World Cinema

Broadcast on WHYY TV 12’s Independent Image series.