Coming to VOD via Topic tomorrow, Thursday, December 31:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN VENEZUELA
Director:
Anabel Rodríguez Ríos
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Hot Docs, Docaviv, Miami, DocMontevideo, Cartagena, Shanghai, Lima, Atlanta, San Diego Latino, Vancouver, DocsMX, Denver
About:
An exploration of the socioeconomic and political crisis of Venezuela through the microcosm of a dying village.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to PBS’s American Masters today, Tuesday, December 29:
LAURA INGALLS WILDER: PRAIRIE TO PAGE
Director:
Mary McDonagh Murphy
World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (Dec 2020)
About:
An exploration of the life and writing of the popular children’s book author.
Best known for the LITTLE HOUSE series of books that ostensibly related her childhood on America’s frontier in the late 1800s, Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t publish her first novel until she was 65 years old, encouraged by her daughter, a successful writer. Director Mary McDonagh Murphy delves into Wilder’s life, and that of her parents, immortalized – and idealized – on the small screen, separating fact from the author’s autobiographically inspired but decidedly simplified and, in many cases, fictionalized version. In addition, the film explores the pivotal and contentious collaboration Wilder had with her daughter, Rose, which was kept a secret, as well as the insensitive and sometimes racist depictions of indigenous and Black people in her writing that casts a pall over the nostalgic affection that many readers have for the books. The result is an engaging look at Wilder and how she not only mythologized her own life, but generations of readers’ conception of the American frontier.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to PBS today, Monday, December 28:
VERNON JORDAN: MAKE IT PLAIN
Director:
Dawn Porter
World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (Dec 2020)
About:
A portrait of the influential civil rights leader and businessman.
Born in segregated Atlanta in the 1930s, Vernon Jordan was inspired by successful Black role models like the presidents of various HBCUs to seek higher education, becoming one of a handful of Black students at Indiana’s DePauw University and later earning a law degree at Howard. After a successful career as an attorney, he turned his attention to civil rights activism, taking leadership roles in the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, and the National Urban League, among other organizations; served as advisors to US presidents, most notably Bill Clinton; and, significantly, turned his attention to the corporate world, advocating for greater diversity and inclusion on the boards of directors for major institutions – the latter has led Henry Louis Gates to call Jordan “the Rosa Parks of Wall Street.” Filmmaker Dawn Porter succinctly relates Jordan’s background and achievements, while also capturing his charismatic personality and his ongoing commitment to mentoring and encouraging the advancement of Black people.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Food Network this Sunday, December 27:
RESTAURANT HUSTLE 2020: ALL ON THE LINE
Director:
Guy Fieri and Frank Matson
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
About:
Four celebrity chefs reckon with the impact of the pandemic on their restaurants.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC, saying:
Like many businesses, the restaurant industry has been hard hit by COVID-19. This timely film, directed and executive produced by Guy Fieri and Frank Matson, intimately chronicles the impact of the pandemic on the restaurants of four chefs familiar to viewers of Food Network: Antonia Lofaso, Marcus Samuelsson, Maneet Chauhan, and Christian Petroni. Unfolding as the COVID-19 outbreak sweeps across the US, the filmmakers follow these chefs as they face the reality of shutting down, laying off staff, and finding alternate ways to save their beloved restaurants and industry.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to VOD this week:
AI WEIWEI: YOURS TRULY
Director:
Cheryl Haines
Co-Director:
Gina Leibrecht
World Premiere:
San Francisco 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Big Sky Doc, United Nations Association, BendFilm, Raindance, Virginia, Boulder, Sonoma
About:
A behind-the-scenes look at the dissident Chinese artist’s Alcatraz exhibition.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to VOD this week:
LEFTOVER WOMEN
Directors:
Shosh Shlam, Hilla Medalia
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019
Select Festivals:
Docaviv, Göteborg, New Zealand, Atlantic, Palm Springs, Sydney, Hot Docs, Human Rights Watch London
About:
An exploration of the challenges faced by unmarried women in China.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to select theatres this Friday, December 25:
THE DISSIDENT
Director:
Bryan Fogel
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Zurich, Aspen, Savannah, Stockholm
About:
An investigation of the shocking murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, December 22:
YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE
Directors:
David Darg and Price James
World Premiere:
SXSW 2020
Select Festivals:
Fantasia
About:
Actor David Arquette seeks redemption in the wrestling ring.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Disney+ today, Friday, December 18:
ON POINTE
Director:
Larissa Bills
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
About:
A series capturing a season in New York City’s School of American Ballet.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Ballet lovers of all ages won’t want to miss this six-part Disney+ docuseries. Filmmaker Larissa Bills captures a season in New York City at the School of American Ballet, following students ages 8 to 18 as they try to realize their dreams of a career in dance. For many, that starts with performing in George Balanchine’s THE NUTCRACKER onstage at Lincoln Center. Filmed before the pandemic, the series is an emotional reminder of New York as a hub of young talent.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, December 18:
MUSEUM TOWN
Director:
Jennifer Trainer
World Premiere:
SXSW 2019
Select Festivals:
Sarasota, Berkshire, Provincetown, Aspen, Woodstock, GlobeDocs, Hamptons
About:
An institutional history and portrait of a contemporary arts center.
MASS MoCA is a contemporary arts center located in North Adams MA, a small blue collar town that was, since 1860, a one-industry town until the 1980s, when the local factory shut down, resulting in an economic downturn and depression that saw the population dwindle, with few opportunities. Numerous ideas were put forward for economic development using the old factory buildings, but ultimately the unlikely concept of a contemporary arts center was hatched, using the scale of the site to enable the showcasing of land art and other non-normative work that doesn’t easily fit within the confines of a traditional museum. Jennifer Trainer, a longtime part of MASS MoCA’s staff, interweaves the long road to getting state and local government funding for the museum with an overview of its past exhibitions and performance presentations, alongside the present project of mounting an ambitious project by artist Nick Cave. A constant refrain is how much or how little the institution has properly integrated with North Adams – many residents have no interest in or understanding of contemporary art – and the slowness of the economic development that was expected – but neither of these are particularly well-developed. While to some extent aiming for an institutional profile in the Wiseman school, the project instead ends up feeling too promotional and insider, with far too much time devoted to elements that simply don’t merit the attention, and short shrift paid to aspects that are more interesting, such as the challenges of the space.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
what (not) to doc 