Coming to PBS’s POV next Monday, July 15: ONLY THE YOUNG
Elizabeth Mims and Jason Tippet’s intimate coming of age film had its world premiere at True/False last year. It went on to screen at San Francisco, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, and AFI Fest, picking up awards at the latter two fests, and enjoyed a limited theatrical release.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Coming to HBO as part of its annual Docs Summer Series next Monday, July 15: THE CRASH REEL
Lucy Walker’s intimate exploration of snowboarder Kevin Pearce’s struggle with traumatic brain injury had its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. Since then, the doc has screened at Berlin, Hot Docs, True/False, Full Frame, Seattle, and Los Angeles, among others, and has picked up awards at SXSW, Dallas, and Ashland.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Saturday, July 13: BRASSLANDS
The Meerkat Media Collective’s look at the world’s largest brass music festival debuted at the Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, where it won “Best of Fest.” It went on to close Belgrade’s BelDocs and later made its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
The setting is Guča, a small Serbian town of just over 2000 that sees an influx of more than half a million visitors each Summer to attend its annual trumpet festival, a celebration of Balkan brass band music. For its 50th anniversary, the organizers have extended invitations to non-Serbian bands to compete in a special International section, giving non-Balkan, Brooklyn-based band Zlatne Uste an excuse to return for the first time since 1987 – a time, critically, before the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the ethnic wars that followed which ravaged the region for years. While they serve as de facto guides for Western viewers, there frankly isn’t much to their story beyond being slightly naive enthusiasts of the music. Somewhat more interesting are the profiles of other competitors: the festival’s reigning champion, Dejan, and a strong contender from the south, Demiran, who faces prejudice because of his Roma roots. Meerkat Media’s film best captures the festive atmosphere of Guča – a sort of brass SXSW or Coachella – making it most palatable for music doc fans. Beyond that sense of vibrant cultural spectacle, there are moments when ethnic, political, and historical divisions bubble to the surface, providing viewers with an intriguing hint of the factors ever at play in a nation still struggling with its past scars.
Filed under Documentary, Film
Latinbeat, the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s annual Latin American cinema showcase, begins this Friday, July 12 and runs through Sunday, July 21. For its 14th edition, taking place a month earlier than its typical August berth, the series presents 18 films – hailing from all over the region, from Argentina to Uruguay, Chile to Brazil – of which four are documentaries:
From Colombia, Priscilla Padilla’s THE ETERNAL NIGHT OF TWELVE MOONS (LA ETERNA NOCHE DE LAS DOCE LUNAS) (pictured above) explores an indigenous tradition that keeps young women isolated for a year upon the onset of menstruation; from Guatemala/Mexico, Mercedes Moncada’s MAGICAL WORDS (BREAKING A SPELL) (PALABRAS MÁGICAS (PARA ROMPER UN ENCANTAMIENTO)), a personal reflection of growing up in Nicaragua during the Sandinista revolution; from Mexico, Emiliano Altuna, Diego Enrique Osorno, and Carlos Rossini’s THE MAYOR (EL ALCALDE), a portrait of a controversial millionaire turned politician who resorts to extreme measures to keep his community safe from the narcotrafficking violence plaguing other parts of the country; and from Argentina/France, Daniele Incalcaterra and Fausta Quattrini’s IMPENETRABLE (EL IMPENETRABLE), following the filmmaker and his brother as they try to explore inherited land in Paraguay, only to be frustrated by unwelcoming neighbors.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres this Friday, July 12: TERMS AND CONDITIONS MAY APPLY
Cullen Hoback’s indepth investigation of privacy in the age of the Internet made its debut at Slamdance. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, Dallas, Newport Beach, Sonoma, SF DocFest, and Seattle.
I included the doc in my Hot Docs coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
It’s Summer, but not everyone can find time to make it to the beach. Let my latest curated selections for Hulu’s Documentaries cool you off virtually with a series of surfing docs. Watch them now for free!
For more information about the selections, see my Indiewire article.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Indiewire @ Hulu Docs, Recommendations
Southern California’s largest LGBT film event, Outfest, kicks off its 31st edition this Thursday, July 11. Over eleven nights, the festival will present nearly 60 features, close to 100 shorts, as well as panels and other special events, for an estimated audience of 55,000. Included among the lineup are more then 20 feature documentaries from which I’ll offer highlights below:
Like last year, nonfiction takes two of Outfest’s coveted Gala slots: Roger Ross Williams’ Sundance alum GOD LOVES UGANDA screens as the Documentary Centerpiece, while Pratibha Parmar’s ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY IN TRUTH (pictured) takes the Fusion Centerpiece position.
The bulk of the fest’s docs screen in the main program, which includes: Lily Keber’s BAYOU MAHARAJAH: THE TRAGIC GENIUS OF JAMES BOOKER (pictured), a portrait of the unheralded African American gay jazz pianist; Liam Sullivan’s IAN HARVIE SUPERHERO, the trans standup comedian’s concert film; Timothy Wheeler’s THE OTHER SHORE, following lesbian long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad’s attempts to finally swim from Cuba to Key West after a disappointing failed attempt three decades prior; Lisa Biagiotti’s DEEPSOUTH, exploring the inadequacies of HIV/AIDS healthcare in the American South; Fan Popo’s MAMA RAINBOW, a profile of mothers of LGBT kids in China; and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason’s Tribeca winner BRIDEGROOM, about tragedy befalling a young gay couple.
Finally, Platinum, the experimental and cutting edge section, includes two docs: Travis Mathews and James Franco’s Sundance hybrid, INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR., inspired by CRUISING; and Charles Atlas’ TURNING (pictured), a concert film on Antony and the Johnsons’ 2006 European tour.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to ESPN as part of their Nine for IX initiative tonight, Tuesday, July 9: PAT XO
Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern’s portrait of coach Pat Summitt made its bow at Tribeca this Spring. It’s the second film in ESPN’s new series, which explores women in sports, directed by women.
I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to PBS and VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9 and already released on DVD: AGE OF CHAMPIONS
Christopher Rufo’s portrait of senior citizen athletes had its world premiere at Silverdocs in 2011. It went on to screen at Austin, San Diego, Fargo, and Documentary Edge, among other fests, as well as several community screenings and conferences on aging. Its digital release includes iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, and more.
A diverse assemblage of athletes from around the US gather every two years to compete in the Senior Games, demonstrating the benefits of active aging. Rufo follows a number of appealing competitors, from centenarian tennis champ Roger to African American swimming brothers John and Bradford, who remember the days when there were no integrated pools in their hometown of Washington DC. These seniors take their sports seriously – witness Louisiana’s five-time women’s basketball gold medalists the Tigerettes, Southern belles with a reputation for aggressive play – making this no cutesy pandering old folk doc. While viewers might not ever completely forget that they’re watching senior citizens, Rufa’s light but enjoyable film is never reductive, presenting instead rounded, and inspiring, portraits of active individuals who thrive on sport and camaraderie with their peers.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9: THE GATEKEEPERS
Dror Moreh’s candid look at Israel’s internal security agency debuted at Jerusalem last year. Its festival circuit most notably included Telluride, Toronto, and Sundance. The doc was one of the five nominees for this year’s Best Documentary Oscar.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
