Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19 and running through Sunday, June 30, the Edinburgh International Film Festival takes over Scotland’s capital city for its 67th edition. It’s the event’s second year under the stewardship of Artistic Director Chris Fujiwara. After the departure of the popular Hannah McGill in 2010, who had led the festival since 2006, Edinburgh suffered a critical lashing for a couple of editions presented without an artistic director until Fujiwara took over last year to set the ship aright. Out of the nearly 150 films screening this year, approximately 40 are documentary features or hybrids. Some highlights are included below: Continue reading
Edinburgh 2013: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: DOWNLOADED
Coming to NYC’s Village East Cinemas this Friday, June 21: DOWNLOADED
Alex Winter’s chronicle of the Napster story debuted at SXSW this past March. It’s since gone on to Cleveland, Hot Docs, Maryland, Martha’s Vineyard, IFF Boston, and Sydney, among others. The film expands to Los Angeles next Friday, June 28.
I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On DVD: THE SOURCE FAMILY
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, June 18: THE SOURCE FAMILY
Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille’s look at the 1970s Los Angeles spiritual commune debuted at SXSW last year. Its fest circuit included Hot Docs, San Francisco, Seattle, and Silverdocs, among others, before going on to limited theatrical engagements around the country.
I previously wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Frameline 2013: Documentary Overview
Turning 37 this year, San Francisco’s Frameline is the undisputed daddy of US LGBT film festivals, annually offering the newest crop of US and international queer films for its large and loyal local audience, as well as for the scores of fest programmers and film fans that come from far afield to sample the “gay Cannes.” Beginning this Thursday, June 20, and running through Sunday, June 24 – always coinciding with the end of SF’s gay pride celebration – the festival will present more than 35 feature documentaries among its more than hundred selections, including the gala Centerpiece slot, Sundance alum VALENTINE ROAD. Among the other docs that Frameline’s expected 60,000 attendees can check out are the following: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On VOD: HIGH TECH, LOW LIFE
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18: HIGH TECH, LOW LIFE
Stephen Maing’s profile of Chinese citizen journalists debuted at last year’s Tribeca. It went on to Hot Docs, Sydney, EBS, DocAviv, One World, CPH:DOX, and Sheffield, and picked up awards at Woods Hole, Little Rock, and the IFF Boston, among others. After a limited theatrical release, the film is now available via iTunes and other platforms via Sundance Artist Services and Cinedigm.
I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Special Screening: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
Coming to Rooftop Films tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
Sarah Burns, David McMahon, and Ken Burns’ revisitation of an infamous NYC rape case debuted at Cannes last year. It went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, DOC NYC, and numerous other festivals before a limited theatrical run, DVD/VOD release, and PBS broadcast.
I included the doc in my Toronto coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
In the Works: VERY SEMI-SERIOUS
An inside look at the New Yorker‘s signature cartoons, the artists who create them, and the editorial team who bring them to readers.
Inspired by the magazine’s weekly Caption Contest, director/producer Leah Wolchok, working with producer Davina Pardo, set out to learn more about the cartoonists who played such a vital role in distinguishing the New Yorker on the stands. Gaining access not only to a core group of illustrators, but also to cartoon editor Bob Mankoff and his staff, the filmmakers go behind the panel to explore the history of this feature, which used to be a staple in magazine publishing, and to gain insight into the process artists go through to try to get their sometimes clever, sometimes quizzical gags into print. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
