The richly obsessive life and work of renowned autistic artist Gregory Blackstock comes to life, as he uses his art to catalogue and make sense of the world around him. Gregory’s cousin Dorothy helps bring his drawings to the attention of the art world, while the film brings his work to life through hand-crafted animation, drawing you into the unique vision of this singular artist.
Hochstein at High Falls: John Dady & Benny Blue
Folk and Blues-Infused Collaboration from John Dady & Benny Blue Set to Serenade Rochester at the Hochstein at High Falls Concert Series on Thursday, June 27 at 12:10 pm.
John Dady – one-half of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame inductees The Dady Brothers – brings his unique blend of Irish and American folk music back to Hochstein at High Falls. Joining him for this concert will be Benny Bleu, an award-winning banjo player, songwriter, and singer who is also a member of The Brothers Blue. John and Benny have been friends and musical kin for years. Both are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, so you can expect lots of spontaneous moments of musical magic.
**Arrive a little early (11:50am) to hear bagpipe music by Jake Kwiatkowski, an instructor at Hochstein.
More about the concert series:
Hosted by Ryan Yarmel of The Route/WRUR 88.5, the concerts begin at 12:10 pm in the outer parking lot at 4 Commercial Street, corner of Browns Race. Please note that this is an alternate location for this summer, due to ongoing construction on the Pont du Rennes.
Concerts take place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, the rain location will be announced by 10:30 am on Hochstein’s website and via Hochstein’s social media. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and lunch. Each performance will run approximately 40 minutes.
Hochstein at High Falls concerts are presented by The High Falls Business Association, The Hochstein School, and The Route/WRUR 88.5. The new look for this year’s Hochstein at High Falls concerts was designed by Brandtatorship.
Hochstein at High Falls concerts are made possible by a number of local organizations, including Brandtatorship, LaBella Associates, Monroe Community College, and The Zoghlin Group.
Photo: John Dady & Benny Blue
Provided.
The Porter • Thursdays at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Inspired by real events and set in the 1920s, follow an ensemble of characters who hustle, dream, cross borders and pursue their ambitions in the fight for liberation – on and off the railways that crossed North America.
The Porter airing Thursdays, February 6-March 27 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
This eight-episode series is a stirring, fast-paced exploration of Black empowerment and self-determination, offering a dramatic and compelling look at the lives of train porters, their families, and a community striving for success and equality. From Montreal to Chicago, and every stop in between, THE PORTER is the story of a movement that gave birth to the first Black union in the world. Winning a record-setting 12 Canadian Screen Awards, the series stars Aml Ameen (Sense8; The Maze Runner), Ronnie Rowe (Star Trek: Discovery), Alfre Woodard (St. Elsewhere; Luke Cage; 12 Years A Slave; Black Panther), and Mouna Traoré (The Umbrella Academy).
Episode Descriptions:
Episode One • February 6 : Train porters and best friends Junior Massey and Zelenskiy Garrett are galvanized to take different—and dangerous—actions after a tragedy occurs on the job.
Episode Two • February 13 : Junior finds himself in debt to notorious Chicago gangster Miss Queenie; Zeke takes a risk to advance his cause; Lucy’s new relationship impacts her career; Marlene makes an unlikely friend.
Episode Three • February 20 : Junior starts a gambling sideline backed by Queenie; Zeke’s pursuit of union integration costs the community; Lucy finds her Stardust dream at risk; Marlene campaigns for an essential medical clinic.
Episode Four • February 27: Junior gets a chilling glimpse at Queenie’s capacity for violence. Zeke and Marlene’s road-trip reignites an old spark. Lucy’s big debut as a featured performer makes her contemplate a different path.
Episode Five • March 6: Queenie tries to keep Junior close. Fay offers Marlene some help for her clinic. Zeke’s proximity to Edwards leads to a devastating truth. Lucy may have found her ticket to the big time.
Episode Six • March 13: Junior takes a risky new angle on Queenie’s numbers game. Marlene’s split focus leads to a mother’s worst nightmare. Zeke seizes an opportunity to show the power of unity. Lucy bets on herself.
Episode Seven • March 20 : Dinger blackmails Junior. A brothel raid puts Marlene and her clinic in jeopardy. Zeke leverages an unlikely ally to put integration to a vote. Lucy’s new shot at stardom could cost her everything.
Episode Eight • March 27: Junior tries to eliminate his greatest threats; Marlene’s efforts to reconcile with Fay could be too late; Lucy faces the consequences of her betrayal; Zeke makes a final plea for union integration.
Photo: Ronnie Rowe, Jr. as Zeke and Ami Ameen as Junior with additional cast. • Credit: Shauna Towney
For the Love of Friends • WXXI-TV
Explores the remarkable life and work of activist Brent Nicholson Earle.
For the Love of Friends encores Sunday, June 23 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
Set against the lead-up to a stage play based on the same story, For the Love of Friends is a documentary that blends performance rehearsal clips with interview and archival footage to highlight the remarkable life and work of activist Brent Nicholson Earle. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Brent refused to watch his friends suffer due to government inaction and public ignorance about the disease.
His audacious response in 1986, was to embark on a 10,000-mile run around the perimeter of the United States to draw attention to the toll AIDS had taken on his community; to comfort patients, raise funds for local organizations and honor the friends he had lost. He performed this remarkable feat amid public backlash, a homophobic media blackout, his own health challenges, and an inconvenient lack of prior long-distance training. After enduring blisters, exhaustion, ignorance, and fear, he returns home to a life of activism. Though the run finishes, Brent’s fight never stops.
Photo: Brent Nicholson Earle • Photo provided by APT
4 Wheel Bob • WXXI-WORLD
Tells the story of Bob Coomber, an intrepid adventurer who sets out to become the first wheelchair hiker to cross the 11,845 foot Kearsarge Pass in the Sierra Nevada of California.
4 Wheel Bob airs Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.
The one-hour documentary follows the inspirational journey of Bob while encouraging us to look at our own self-imposed limitations and perhaps reach beyond what we think is possible.
This film is presented as part of Move to Include™ , a national initiative in partnership with WXXI and The Golisano Foundation that uses the power of public media to promote inclusion. Click here to learn more.
Photo: Bob Coomber • Provided by Tritone Films
Grantchester, Season 9 • WXXI-TV
It’s 1961, and a new vicar arrives in Grantchester. Will Geordie and the locals accept him as their own?
Grantchester, Season 9 premieres Sunday, June 16 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
It’s 1961 and times are changing in Grantchester. Will has begun to seek new challenges elsewhere, while Geordie and Cathy deal with an independent Esme being free in a dangerous world. It’s not long before Reverend Alphy Kottaram arrives as the new vicar, immediately enchanted by the glorious village. But will the locals ever be able to accept him as one of their own?
Photo: Will Davenport (Tom Brittney), Geordie Keating (Robson Green), Alphy Kottaram (Rishi Nair) • Credit: Kudos, ITV, and MASTERPIECE.
Hochstein at High Falls: Debbie Kendrick Project
Rochester’s Queen of the Blues is back at High Falls for another great performance on Thursday, June 20 at 12:10 p.m.
Due to the heat advisory, this concert will take place at MCC’s Downtown campus, 321 Main Street.
Vocalist Debbie Kendrick carries on a tradition of many great blues and gospel artists that goes back to the legendary Son House. Her group has an acoustic vibe and its influences harkens back to the early days of blues, gospel, folk, and jazz music. The Debbie Kendrick Project includes drummer Pete Monacelli, a veteran of the local jazz scene; bassist Mike Patric, who also accompanies the legendary Joe Beard; guitarist Aleks Disljenkovic, whose acoustic fingerstyle guitar provides a solid rhythmic background for Debbie’s powerful vocal melodies; and vocalist Ann Culbreth. Kendrick inspires audiences across New York and Canada with her improvisational performances, laughing with the band and chatting with the crowd.
More about the concert series:
Hosted by Ryan Yarmel of The Route/WRUR 88.5, the concerts begin at 12:10 pm in the outer parking lot at 4 Commercial Street, corner of Browns Race. Please note that this is an alternate location for this summer, due to ongoing construction on the Pont du Rennes.
Concerts take place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, the rain location will be announced by 10:30 am on Hochstein’s website and via Hochstein’s social media. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and lunch. Each performance will run approximately 40 minutes.
Hochstein at High Falls concerts are presented by High Falls Business Association, The Hochstein School, and The Route/WRUR 88.5. The new look for this year’s Hochstein at High Falls concerts was designed by Brandtatorship.
Hochstein at High Falls concerts are made possible by a number of local organizations, including Brandtatorship, LaBella Associates, Monroe Community College, and The Zoghlin Group.
Photo: Debbie Kendrick
Provided.
When I’m Her On-Demand
When I’m Her follows the double life of a dancer who inhabits an alter ego. A luminary figure at American Ballet Theatre in New York, Michael Cusumano had a stellar career ahead of him, but after past trauma prevented him from realizing his artistic and professional potential, he finds refuge and liberation by becoming Russian ballet instructor Madame Olga, the mentor he never had for himself.
Available to watch by 6/21/26