Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, August 24:
AGAINST THE CURRENT
Director:
Oskar Pall Sveinsson
World Premiere:
Reykjavik 2020
About:
Transgender adventurer Veiga Grétarsdóttir attempts to kayak the 1,300 mile circumference of Iceland, counter-clockwise and against the current, an achievement that has been compared to climbing K2.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25:
BOB ROSS: HAPPY ACCIDENTS, BETRAYAL, & GREED
Director:
Joshua Rofé
World Premiere:
Rooftop Films (August 2021)
About:
Bob Ross brought joy to millions as the world’s most famous art instructor, but a battle for his business empire cast a shadow over his happy trees.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Festival:
The 38th Jerusalem Film Festival
Dates:
August 24-September 4
About:
This respected Israeli event presents more than 100 features, including approximately 30 documentaries.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to Netflix’s UNTOLD series tomorrow, Tuesday, August 24:
CAITLYN JENNER
Director:
Crystelle Moselle
World Premiere:
Netflix (August 2021)
About:
Caitlyn Jenner’s unlikely path to Olympic glory was inspiring, but her more challenging road to embracing her true self proved even more meaningful.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Discovery+ today, Monday, August 23:
GENERATION GROWTH
Director:
Mu Sun
World Premiere:
Heartland 2020
Select Festivals:
Hot Springs Doc
About:
A Bronx educator who has developed an indoor gardening curriculum to bring hope, health, and opportunity to low-income students works to expand the program across the country.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to VOD this week:
UNDER THE VOLCANO
Director:
Gracie Otto
World Premiere:
SXSW 2021
About:
The story of George Martin’s AIR Studios Montserrat and the island that changed music forever.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 20:
MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
Director:
Lisa Molomot, Jeff Bemiss
World Premiere:
Dallas Docufest 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Double Exposure, United Nations Association, Hot Springs Doc, Rocky Mountain Women’s, Fargo, Salem, Sonoma, Thin Line, Cleveland, Annapolis, Ashland, Sarasota, RiverRun, Mountainfilm
About:
The deadly consequences of America’s immigration policy are revealed in a Texan border town.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Just 70 miles north of the Mexican-US border is a land haunted by ghosts. Brooks County, Texas is a barren landscape designed as a deterrent to illegal crossings, but people continue to attempt to cross, and many die trying. The municipality lacks the resources to properly deal with this sad reality, and the numbers keep rising. Multiple locals proffer contrasting opinions as two families search for their loved ones, and the toll of an unsustainable immigration policy is laid bare.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to HBO Max this Sunday, August 22:
MR SOUL!
Director:
Melissa Haizlip
Co-Director:
Sam Pollard
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2018
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, True/False, AFI Docs, New Orleans, Rotterdam, Durban, BlackStar, Urbanworld, Pan African, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, London, Indie Memphis, Woodstock, Heartland
About:
A portrait of the pioneer behind SOUL!, the acclaimed African-American public television cultural variety show.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, August 20:
LAST MAN STANDING: SUGE KNIGHT AND THE MURDERS OF BIGGIE & TUPAC
Director:
Nick Broomfield
World Premiere:
Bertha Dochouse (June 2021)
About:
The story of Suge Knight, legendary rap music label Death Row Records, and their connection to the murders of Biggie & Tupac.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 20:
ON BROADWAY
Director:
Oren Jacoby
World Premiere:
Hamptons 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New York Jewish, RiverRun, Atlanta Jewish, Miami Jewish, Sedona, Boulder Jewish
About:
A history of and love letter to Broadway.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
For anyone who loves theater, this contemporary history of Broadway is a joy, packed with legendary stars and performances. Key players—Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, James Corden, Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow, Viola Davis, Hugh Jackman, and Ian McKellen—take us behind the scenes of Broadway’s most groundbreaking shows, from A Chorus Line to Hamilton. The film includes performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patti Lupone, Bernadette Peters, James Earl Jones, and Mandy Patinkin.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 