Sundance’s Premieres section includes one nonfiction title: NICK OFFERMAN: AMERICAN HAM, a stand-up comedy performance film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts.
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2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: NICK OFFERMAN: AMERICAN HAM
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On VOD: WORLD CIRCUS
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, January 14: WORLD CIRCUS
Angela Snow’s exploration of international circus culture made its debut at Sedona last year. It also screened at Sarasota and RiverRun, among other events. FilmBuff now releases the doc on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, PlayStation, Vudu, XBOX, and Google Play.
Snow profiles several circus acts chosen to compete at the prestigious Monte Carlo Circus Festival, known in the profession as the Academy Awards of circus competitions, an event started by Monaco’s royal family. Acts range from lion taming and aerial dancers to plank jumping Cirque du Soleil acrobats and clowns, in rehearsal and during the multiple-day competition. In contrast to its decided second-class entertainment status in the US, Snow demonstrates the high esteem the craft is afforded in Europe, blending a history lesson about the art form on both continents with a competition doc format to make a slight – but diverting enough – hour long film.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V JAMES J BULGER
The final film in this year’s Documentary Premieres welcomes back another Sundance alumnus: Joe Berlinger returns to Park City with WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V JAMES J BULGER, an investigation into Boston’s most notorious organized crime figure.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: MARVIN HAMLISCH
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, January 14: MARVIN HAMLISCH: WHAT HE DID FOR LOVE
Dori Berinstein’s appreciation of the late musical genius debuted at the BFI London Film Festival last year. Other screenings included DOC NYC and the Hamptons, as well as a limited theatrical release prior to its broadcast premiere as part of PBS’s American Masters series last month.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: WE ARE THE GIANT
Tuesday’s Sundance profiles begin with the penultimate entry in the Documentary Premieres: Greg Barker’s WE ARE THE GIANT, an exploration of the revolutionary spirit.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: REWIND THIS!
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, January 14: REWIND THIS!
Josh Johnson’s love letter to the VHS tape debuted at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at IFF Boston, Puchon Fantastic, Fantasia, Melbourne, L’Etrange, and Strasbourg fests, among others, before being released on VOD.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its VOD release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
In Theatres: MAIDENTRIP
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, January 17: MAIDENTRIP
Jillian Schlesinger’s chronicle of a Dutch teen’s solo circumnavigation of the globe debuted at SXSW last year, where it picked up an audience award. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, Nantucket, Full Frame, Citizen Jane, Milwaukee, Antenna, Vancouver, Sarasota, Telluride’s Mountainfilm, and Camden, also claiming awards at the latter two events.
I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: TO BE TAKEI
The Final Frontier meets LGBT activism in today’s final Documentary Premieres profile: Director Jennifer Kroot and co-director Bill Weber’s TO BE TAKEI, a portrait of actor and social media icon George Takei.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On TV: DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK
Coming to PBS’s AfroPop tonight, Monday, January 13: DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC
Kevin Couliau and Bobbito Garcia’s history of pickup basketball had its premiere at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. It went on to screen at Urbanworld, Philadelphia Awesome Festival, New Jersey, and Toronto’s Regent Park, and also enjoyed a limited theatrical before its release on DVD last Fall.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: THIS MAY BE THE LAST TIME
Next up in Documentary Premieres is the feature documentary debut of a Sundance narrative alumnus: Sterlin Harjo’s THIS MAY BE THE LAST TIME, a personal exploration of memory, community, and song.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
