Coming to NYC’s AMC 25 this Friday, July 13 with a national release to follow: FAMILY PORTRAIT IN BLACK & WHITE
Julia Ivanova premiered her portrait of a Ukrainian woman and her more than twenty foster children – most biracial in a racist society – at Sundance last year. The film’s festival circuit has included the Hamptons, Vancouver, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Hot Docs, winning an award at the latter.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, July 10 and screening at this year’s event in San Diego on Thursday, July 12: COMIC-CON: EPISODE IV: A FAN’S HOPE
Morgan Spurlock premiered his multi-character look at the various facets of the annual comic/genre/film fan convention at Toronto last year. Additional fest followed, leading up to a limited theatrical release as well as a VOD release. Spurlock will take part in a Q&A with special guests after a screening at this year’s Comic-Con this week.
I previously wrote about the film out of Toronto here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Outfest leaves its twenties behind this Summer as Los Angeles celebrates the 30th anniversary of its popular LGBT film festival between July 12-22. Though I haven’t made it to the fest since 2008, it used to be one of my regular stops on the circuit when I ran NewFest, and always impressed me with its professionalism, fun, and ability to draw huge audiences despite being located in the most movie-saturated town in the world. Now that Outfest has entered into partnership with NewFest – something I tried to engineer twice during my tenure – I’m hopeful that both events will be enriched. I’ll sadly miss Outfest again this year, but wanted to wish my colleagues there well and highlight some of their documentary programming. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Celebrating its 10th edition, MoMA’s annual showcase of Brazilian cinema in collaboration with the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, Premiere Brazil!, begins next Thursday, July 12 and runs through Tuesday, July 24. More than a dozen films will screen, including a restored print of 1972 classic drama SÃO BERNARDO; a special panel on “Film and Social Change” focused on the favelas; and a special opening night Brazilian music event tied into MoMA Nights summer music series.
The lineup includes four new documentaries: Wagner Novais, Rodrigo Felha, Luciano Vidigal, and Cadu Barcellos’ PEACE IN RIO (5 x PACIFICAÇÃO), a multiperspectival investigation into Rio’s controversial favela “pacification” policy, designed to clear the slums of the drug mafia; Wolney Oliveira’s THE LAST CANGACEIROS (OS ÚLTIMOS CANGACEIROS), in which a 95-year-old patriarch reveals to his unsuspecting family that his wife and he were long ago part of a notorious gang (pictured above); Kiko Goifman and Claudia Priscilla’s LOOK AT ME AGAIN (OLHE PRA MIM DE NOVO), about Silvyo, born a woman, for a time a lesbian, and finally now a man, as he takes a road trip to locate relatives who might help him start a family with his wife; and Eduardo Coutinho’s SONGS (AS CANÇÕES), an exploration of the special connections and meanings songs have in people’s lives.
Time permitting, I hope to have a chance to watch these and post a round-up later this month.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, July 10: FIGHTVILLE
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein premiered their film on Mixed Martial Arts at SXSW last year. Its festival circuit included Hot Docs, Woodstock, Doc NYC, IDFA, and Abu Dhabi. It has had a limited theatrical run and is also available on VOD.
I included the film in my SXSW roundup here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to PBS’ POV tomorrow, Thursday, July 5 (and available online between July 6 and August 5): THE CITY DARK
Ian Cheney’s personal meditation on the loss of the night sky due to light pollution made its world premiere last year at SXSW, where it picked up an award for Best Score. Its festival circuit included the Independent Film Festival Boston, Woods Hole, Yale’s Environmental fest, and the Geek Film Festival, among others.
I included the film in my SXSW roundup here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, July 6: CHINA HEAVYWEIGHT
Yung Chang premiered his sports doc/economic commentary at Sundance. It’s gone on to screen at Hot Docs, Sheffield, and Silverdocs, among others. The doc expands to other cities later this month and into August.
I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Thursday, July 5: THE IMPOSTER
Bart Layton’s gripping investigation into a case of assumed identity made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. It’s gone on to screen at other notable festivals including Seattle, Edinburgh, BAMcinemafest, and Miami, where it won the grand jury prize.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Quad Cinema this Friday, July 6: UNITED IN ANGER
Jim Hubbard’s history of ACT UP had its world premiere at MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight. Its festival circuit has also included Hot Docs, LGBT fests in Torino, Boston, Toronto, and Milan, as well as Frameline. Later this month it will also screen at Outfest and Philadelphia’s Q Fest.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, July 3: GONE: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF AERYN GILLERN
Gretchen and John Morning’s doc on a mother’s crusade to locate her missing gay son in Vienna premiered last year at Tribeca. Its festival run has included a number of LGBT events, including Frameline, AgLIFF, Reel Affirmations, Image Out, and NewFest, where it scored best documentary, as well as the Viennale.
I included the film in my Tribeca roundup here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
