Reaching the halfway point in 2013’s Documentary Premieres: Robert Stone’s PANDORA’S PROMISE, a radical re-examination of nuclear energy.
Author Archives: basiltsiokos
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: PANDORA’S PROMISE
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: CHINA HEAVYWEIGHT
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, January 15: CHINA HEAVYWEIGHT
Yung Chang’s look at China’s economic development through the lens of sports made its debut at Sundance a year ago. Since then it has screened at Hot Docs, Sheffield, and Silverdocs, among others, in addition to a limited theatrical release.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On TV: SOUL FOOD JUNKIES
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens next Monday, January 14: SOUL FOOD JUNKIES
Byron Hurt’s exploration of the impact of soul food on African American health made its premiere at the American Black Film Festival in Miami this past Summer, where it picked up the best documentary award. It received similar recognition at Urbanworld in the Fall, and has also screened at Reel Sisters as well as several community screenings. Beyond the broadcast, ITVS is also screening the doc in more than a hundred cities nationwide as part of its Community Cinema engagement program.
Concern about his father’s eating habits inspired Hurt to investigate African Americans’ diets, focusing on the history and culture around soul food, and how it has contributed to health problems like obesity and diabetes. Though himself a vegetarian, Hurt travels around the country to learn more about African American food traditions and how they came to be, often as a legacy of slavery and segregation. This yields interesting findings, such as the existence of a regular guidebook black travelers used in the past to find safe places to eat on the road, or the corresponding development of the custom of packing meals during travel because of this difficulty, as well as the transformation of Southern cooking into what’s now known as soul food. Covering not only the more indulgent aspects of the cuisine that have been linked to numerous health issues, but also the problem of food deserts in lower income communities, Hurt offers an eye-opening look at black communities’ relationship to food, and the possibility of more healthy alternatives.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On VOD: ME @THE ZOO_
Coming to VOD next Tuesday, January 15: ME @THE ZOO_
Chris Moukarbel and Valerie Veatch’s profile of a YouTube phenomenon made its world premiere at Sundance a year ago. After screening at additional fests, including True/False and Provincetown, it was broadcast on HBO. FilmBuff releases the doc on iTunes, Amazon, Movies on Demand, among other VOD/digital options.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: MUSCLE SHOALS
The first of two love letters to two very different music recording studios wraps up today’s Documentary Premieres profiles: Greg “Freddy” Camalier’s MUSCLE SHOALS
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: LINSANITY
Documentary Premieres goes behind the scenes of a sports sensation, before the fame: Evan Jackson Leong’s LINSANITY
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: HISTORY OF THE EAGLES PART ONE
Today’s Documentary Premieres profiles kicks off with a portrait of one of the seminal bands of the 1970s: Alison Ellwood’s HISTORY OF THE EAGLES PART ONE
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: THE OTHER DREAM TEAM
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, January 15: THE OTHER DREAM TEAM
Marius Markevicius’ look back at the 1992 Lithuanian Olympic basketball team premiered at Sundance last year. Its festival circuit included Dallas, Newport Beach, and Seattle before a limited theatrical release.
I wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
2013 Cinema Eye Honors Winners
The 6th annual Cinema Eye Honors, recognizing achievements in non-fiction film from 2012, took place last night in a ceremony at the Museum of the Moving Image attended by the close-knit documentary community, and featuring some notable addresses by the likes of DA Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, and Michael Moore.
Here is the full list of winners – congratulations to them all:
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking
5 BROKEN CAMERAS (pictured above)
Outstanding Achievement in Direction
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady for DETROPIA
Audience Choice Prize
BULLY
Outstanding Achievement in Production
Dimitri Doganis for THE IMPOSTER
Outstanding Achievement in Editing
T. Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk for HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
Jeff Orlowski for CHASING ICE
Spotlight Award
ARGENTINIAN LESSON
Heterodox Award
MUSEUM HOURS
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking
GOOD BYE MANDIMA (KWA HERI MANDIMA)
Outstanding Achievement in an Original Music Score
Dial.81 for DETROPIA
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Animation
Oskar Gullstrand and Arvid Steen for SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film
ONLY THE YOUNG
Legacy Award
THE WAR ROOM, directed by Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker, produced by RJ Cutler, Wendy Ettinger, and Frazer Pennebaker
Note: NYC audiences have a chance to see THE WAR ROOM in a theatre tonight at MoMI, while Hot Docs will screen the film in Toronto as part of this year’s festival in late April/early May.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
85th Academy Awards: Best Documentary Feature Nominees
The Best Documentary Feature Oscar finalists were announced this morning, together with all the other categories – view the entire list of nominees here. The documentaries are listed below. Congratulations to all the nominees – four Sundance alums, and one screening in Park City this year!
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE (pictured above)
Congrats also to the Documentary Shorts nominees:
INOCENTE, by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine (whose LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM will be screening at Sundance this month)
KINGS POINT, by Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
MONDAYS AT RACINE, by Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
OPEN HEART, by Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
REDEMPTION, by Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
