Coming to OVID.tv this Thursday, October 8:
FARMSTEADERS
Director:
Shaena Mallett
World Premiere:
Athens International Film and Video Festival 2018
Select Festivals:
Cucalorus, Big Sky Doc, IFF Boston, Indie Grits, Hot Springs Doc, Newburyport Doc, Chagrin Doc, Southern Circuit
About:
An Ohio couple attempts to restart a family dairy farm.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6:
THE RINGMASTER
Director:
Molly Dworsky and Dave Newberg
World Premiere:
Festival of Cinema NYC 2019
Select Festivals:
Doc Edge, Chagrin Doc, Jaipur, DOC LA, Twin Cities
About:
A filmmaker gets too involved in trying to find a happy ending for his subject, a small-town cook with a secret onion ring recipe.
Zach, a recovering gambling addict who used filmmaking as a rehab tool, decides to follow his dream and become a filmmaker. With fond memories of the onion rings of his childhood home in Minnesota, he decides to make a pilot for a proposed food TV show on unsung “American food legends,” and plans to profile Larry Lang, the son of the originator of those famed onion rings. Larry is an awkward and unassuming 50 or 60-something who was never able to re-open the family restaurant after a fire, and, unfortunately for Zach, has no interest in being filmed. Undeterred, Zach refuses to end the project until he finds a happy ending, attempting to intervene in Larry’s life – which leads Zach’s increasingly unhappy crew to start filming him as the project goes off the rails. Given both the originally intended television focus and the meta nature of the project, it looks and feels messy, and, at times, the crew comes off as playing to the camera, suggesting this likely isn’t all genuine. While more or less watchable, the film’s lack of both polish and originality ultimately make it forgettable.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to virtual cinema via Film Forum this Wednesday, October 7:
AGGIE
Director:
Catherine Gund
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, MoMA Documentary Fortnight, Cleveland, San Francisco, Ashland, Salem
About:
The filmmaker profiles her mother, the influential art collector, philanthropist, and social justice advocate, Agnes Gund.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to POV this coming Monday, October 5:
THE INFILTRATORS
Directors:
Alex Rivera and Cristina Ibarra
World Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
SXSW, Hot Docs, Miami, NY Latino, Montclair, Calgary, Hawaii
About:
A hybrid docufiction project detailing the mission of undocumented youth to be detained by Border Patrol.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Friday, October 2:
DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD
Director:
Kirsten Johnson
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
True/False, CPH:DOX, Doc10
About:
The filmmaker approaches her father’s mortality with inventiveness and dark humor.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to DVD this week:
ASK NO QUESTIONS
Directors:
Jason Loftus and Eric Pedicelli
World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020
About:
A speculative investigation of a controversial Falun Gong-related protest in 2001.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Festival:
The 16th Camden International Film Festival
Dates:
October 1-12
About:
This Maine nonfiction event, delayed from its typical September dates by the pandemic, returns with a hybrid format of online and drive-in offerings of just over 30 documentary features. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
New to DVD/VOD this week:
URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN
Director:
Daniel Traub
World Premiere:
Vancouver 2019
Select Festivals:
Berkshire, Architecture Design Art, Hamptons Doc
About:
A portrait of the noted sculptor.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 29:
HELMUT NEWTON: THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Director:
Gero von Boehm
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (cancelled)
About:
A portrait of the often controversial fashion photographer.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 29:
JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE
Director:
Dawn Porter
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (cancelled)
About:
A wide-ranging look at the life, activism, and political career of the esteemed civil rights icon.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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