Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8:
DESERT ONE
Director:
Barbara Kopple
World Premiere:
Toronto 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, AFI Fest, Double Exposure, Palm Springs, Full Frame, Big Sky Doc
About:
An up-close look at the mission to free American hostages during the 1979 Iranian revolution
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8:
MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL
Director:
Alexander John Glustrom
World Premiere:
Full Frame 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, Hot Springs Doc, Washington DC Environmental, BendFilm, Raindance, Durban, Indie Grits, Montclair, Wild & Scenic, Planet in Focus
About:
An intimate profile of one man’s struggle against environmental racism.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8:
AND SHE COULD BE NEXT
Directors:
Grace Lee and Marjan Safinia
World Premiere:
AFI Docs 2020
About:
A behind-the-scenes look at the campaigns of six women of color political candidates in 2018.
I previously wrote about the project here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 19th SF DocFest
Dates:
September 3-20
About:
Emerging after the postponement of its typical late May/early June dates, this Northern Californian event goes online with just under 30 nonfiction features. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, September 4:
HEALING FROM HATE: BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF A NATION
Director:
Peter Hutchison
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2019
Select Festivals:
Martha’s Vineyard, Big Sky Doc
About:
Former hate group members help others attempting to leave behind radicalism.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 4:
FEELS GOOD MAN
Director:
Arthur Jones
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
True/False, SXSW, Big Sky Doc, Taipei, Fantasia, Sidewalk, Kyiv
About:
An exploration of the unpredictable development of an influential Internet meme.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 22nd Docaviv: Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival
Dates:
September 3-12
About:
Rescheduled from its usual May dates, this well-curated Israeli event will present nearly 90 new documentary features in an online format, though some drive-in events are also being planned. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Wednesday, September 2:
CHUCK BERRY: THE ORIGINAL KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
Director:
Jon Brewer
World Premiere:
Nashville 2019
About:
A tribute to the musical pioneer.
Billed as the first feature-length documentary about the rock ‘n’ roll legend, Jon Brewer’s film is ultimately a fairly conventional musical biography, if not outright hagiography, that feels more appropriate for VH1’s BEHIND THE MUSIC series than on film screens. Gathering family, friends, and admirers, Brewer provides a talking heads-heavy recounting of the musician’s life and career. Attempts to liven up the proceedings through unnecessary (and weirdly colorized) re-enactments add nothing but extra padding when the film instead would have benefitted much more from additional performance sequences, which are strangely limited.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, September 1:
THE MOLE AGENT
Director:
Maite Alberdi
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, Full Frame, True/False, San Sebastian, New Directors/NewFilms, Miami, Karlovy Vary, Cleveland
About:
An 83-year-old man becomes an undercover spy in a Chilean retirement home.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 77th Venice International Film Festival
Dates:
September 2-12
About:
The world’s oldest festival is also the first major Fall event to take place in theatres in the COVID-19 era, albeit with a somewhat truncated lineup of approximately 60 new features – 15 of those nonfiction. In addition, the autonomous parallel sidebars offer eight documentaries among their approximately 30 selections. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
what (not) to doc 