For a decade, Silver Spring MD has played host to Silverdocs, one of the country’s signature nonfiction festivals. Back in April, organizers revealed that the event, formerly a co-presentation of AFI and Discovery, would be rebranded as AFI Docs, gaining a new presenting sponsor in Audi, and shifting its focus to DC proper (though still maintaining the AFI Silver Theatre in its original location as a secondary venue). While the move means a leaner festival – two fewer days, about half the number of films, and the reduction of its multi-day Conference to one day of Catalyst Sessions – it’s a welcome change, positioning the event in the heart of the nation’s government, with the potential of making direct connections between policymakers, films, and their issues. The eleventh edition of the fest showcases 45 features and two shorts programs, beginning this coming Wednesday, June 19, and running through Sunday, June 23. The following offers a rundown of selected offerings:
Four titles are presented as Galas including the opening film, Bill Couturié’s LETTERS TO JACKIE (pictured), an emotionally affecting revisitation of some of the nearly 800,000 letters of condolence received by the White House after JFK’s assassination; and the closing event, AJ Schnack’s CAUCUS, a direct cinema look at the sideshow that was the Republican race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Two additional selections screen in this section: Michael Stevens’ HERBLOCK – THE BLACK & THE WHITE, a tribute to the popular Washington Post editorial cartoonist; and Jose Antonio Vargas and Ann Lupo’s DOCUMENTED, the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Vargas’ personal story of life as an undocumented immigrant.
AFI Docs’ lineup includes some of the best recent nonfiction from many of the key festivals of the past several months, most of which I’ve already covered elsewhere. There are also several world premieres and screenings of titles that are just beginning or relatively early in their fest runs, including many that I’ve seen and would recommend but have not yet had a chance to cover: Jean-Michel Dissard and Gitte Peng’s I LEARN AMERICA, an endearing portrait of several teenage recent immigrants at Brooklyn’s International High School; Joshua Rofé’s LOST FOR LIFE (pictured), a thoughtful consideration of the complex issue of juvenile offenders receiving life without parole; Grace Lee’s AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS, a profile of a committed 97-year-old activist; Patrick Creadon’s IF YOU BUILD IT, following two forward thinking designers who try to help revitalize a poor NC town through an innovative and practical high school design class; Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale, and Brian Wilson’s A WILL FOR THE WOODS, in which a terminal man makes arrangements for a non-toxic, green burial, part of a growing environmental movement; and Yoruba Richen’s THE NEW BLACK, which tackles the controversial and complicated ways African Americans have responded to the marriage equality debate.
Finally, the fest presents several features that I’ve not yet seen and hope to check out when I’m attending next week to cover the event for Indiewire, including: Cecilia Peck’s BRAVE MISS WORLD, following a former Miss World as she speaks out about the sexual assault she experienced; Dan Krauss’ THE KILL TEAM, uncovering the story of American soldiers who turned on Afghani civilians; and Jacqui Morris’ MCCULLIN (pictured), a look at the life and work of the influential British war photographer.
what (not) to doc 