With IDFA kicking off tonight, this second of two posts wraps up my list of titles I’d be checking out if I were headed to the Netherlands. Yesterday’s post covered the competitions, while the following runs down the fest’s various non-competitive strands. Continue reading
Author Archives: basiltsiokos
IDFA 2013: Overview, Part Two
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: THE MOTIVATION
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 19: THE MOTIVATION
Adam Bhala Lough’s skateboarding competition doc debuted at Tribeca this year. It went on to Newport Beach before a series of one-off special screenings at skateparks and in theatres, as well as a VOD release in the Summer.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
IDFA 2013: Overview, Part One
Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 20 sees the opening of the 26th edition of the largest documentary event in the world, The Netherlands’ IDFA. Screening approximately 150 new feature documentaries, plus additional retrospective programming, shorts, and transmedia projects through Sunday, December 1, Amsterdam’s fest will play host to hundreds of the nonfiction world’s top buyers, broadcasters, and programmers, not to mention its over 120,000 general attendees. While I’ve attended the event for the past four years, I’m very sadly missing this one. Still, I’ve diligently (and wistfully) scoured through the lineup to construct my wishlist, if I were attending, broken down by section. As in the past, the fest’s sheer size necessitates breaking this down into two posts – today’s looks at IDFA’s competitions, while tomorrow’s will look at the non-competitive line-up. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On VOD: BEST KEPT SECRET
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, November 19: BEST KEPT SECRET
Samantha Buck’s look at a driven teacher of special needs students had its premiere at the Independent Film Festival Boston. Other fest engagements included Montclair and AFI Docs, before its limited theatrical release and POV broadcast. The Orchard now makes it available on iTunes, Amazon, X-box, Google Play, and Vudu.
I previously wrote about the doc out of AFI Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
On VOD: AT NIGHT I FLY
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 19: AT NIGHT I FLY
Michel Wenzer’s look at the impact of an arts program on prison inmates debuted at Sheffield in 2011. It also screened at FilmFest München, Tempo Doc, Planete+ Doc, Thessaloniki Doc, Raindance, and MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight, among others. FilmBuff now releases the doc on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Xbox Video, Cinemanow and Vudu.
I previously included the film in my Thessaloniki Doc coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On DVD: INFORMANT
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 19: INFORMANT
Jamie Meltzer’s complex profile of a notorious activist turned FBI source made its world premiere at San Francisco last year. Its fest circuit included New Orleans, DOC NYC, IDFA, Cleveland, Florida, Big Sky, Thin Line, Denver, Woodstock, Austin, and Sebastopol Doc, among others. The film also enjoyed a limited theatrical release this Fall.
I previously wrote about the doc out of DOC NYC here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On TV: INDIAN RELAY
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, November 18: INDIAN RELAY
Charles Dye’s trackside exploration of a Native American equestrian sport premiered at the National Museum of the American Indian this past Spring. It’s also screened at community screenings in New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Santa Fe, and Seattle, among others, before making its broadcast premiere in Montana last month. Independent Lens now brings the doc nationwide in nearly 1000 PBS broadcasts in commemoration of Native American Heritage Month.
With origins as a competitive sport going at least as far back as the mid 19th century and likely earlier, the unique sport of Indian relay horse racing has proven popular in the American West but remains largely unknown outside. Dye’s film introduces viewers to the competition, where up to eight jockeys ride bareback, switching to a new horse after the first two of three laps, often at over 40 miles per hour. Following three teams hailing from First Nations in Idaho and Montana, Dye chronicles the ups and downs of one season for young neophyte Miles of the Blackfeet Nation, the up-and-coming Tissidimit team from the Shoshone-Bannock Nation, and early favorites MM Express from the Crow Agency of the Apsaalooke Nation. While there are a few too many subjects crammed into the film’s television hour length to form a fully-rounded picture of any of them, Dye manages to successfully capture the energy – and danger – of the sport, the love shown to the horses, and how the relay offers its participants, and spectators, the opportunity to honor Native traditions and culture.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On Cable: WHOOPI GOLDBERG PRESENTS MOMS MABLEY
Coming to HBO as part of its Docs Fall series tonight, Monday, November 18: WHOOPI GOLDBERG PRESENTS MOMS MABLEY
Whoopi Goldberg’s funny and engaging tribute to the legendary African-American comedian debuted under its original title, I GOT SOMETHIN’ TO TELL YOU, at Tribeca this past Spring. Other stops on the fest circuit have included Mill Valley, Austin, Provincetown, LGBT fests in Seattle and Washington DC, and Chicago’s Black Harvest, among others.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Tribeca here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On DVD: BLACKFISH
Released on DVD last week: BLACKFISH
Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s exploration of the consequences of keeping killer whales in captivity debuted at Sundance at the beginning of the year. Other screenings have included DOC NYC, Nantucket, Seattle, Sarasota, Vancouver, Provincetown, AFI Docs, Miami, Moscow, Melbourne, and Sydney, among others. The film has enjoyed a limited theatrical release and has been broadcast on CNN.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On Cable: TINY
Coming to Al Jazeera America Presents tonight, Sunday, November 17: TINY: A STORY ABOUT LIVING SMALL
Merete Mueller and Christopher Smith’s personal chronicle of living with less debuted at SXSW. It’s gone on to screen at DOC NYC, Hot Docs, IFF Boston, Mountainfilm, Tallgrass, Hollywood, and Hot Springs, among others.
I included the doc in my Hot Docs coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
