Coming to Vice tomorrow, Wednesday, September 8:
TOO SOON: COMEDY AFTER 9/11
Director:
Nick Fituri Scown, Julie Seabaugh
World Premiere:
Vice broadcast (September 2021)
About:
From the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to today, stand-up comedians, talk-show hosts, sketch performers, television animators, and other entertainers have used often-controversial jokes to unite and heal in the face of tragedy.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to MSNBC and Peacock this Wednesday, September 8:
MEMORY BOX: ECHOES OF 9/11
Director:
David Belton, Bjørn Johnson
World Premiere:
Broadcast/streaming (September 8)
Select Festivals:
Toronto
About:
The story of September 11, 2001, through a retrospective consideration of eyewitness testimonies recorded in a small plywood booth in the months following the attacks.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Netflix’s UNTOLD series tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7:
BREAKING POINT
Director:
Chapman Way, Maclain Way
World Premiere:
Netflix (September 2021)
About:
Under pressure to continue a winning tradition in American tennis, Mardy Fish faces mental health challenges that change his life on and off the court.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September7:
APOCALYPSE ’45
Director:
Erik Nelson
World Premiere:
USS Intrepid/Pearl Harbor screenings (August 2020)
About:
Two dozen veterans recount the last months of combat in the Pacific theater of World War II.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7:
ALL THE STREETS ARE SILENT: THE CONVERGENCE OF HIP HOP AND SKATEBOARDING (1987-1997)
Director:
Jeremy Elkin
World Premiere:
theatrical release (July 2021)
About:
An exploration of the impact from the interplay between the subcultures of skateboarding and hip hop in late 80s and early 90s downtown NYC.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to VOD today, Friday, September 3:
MOMENTS LIKE THIS NEVER LAST
Director:
Cheryl Dunn
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
Select Festivals:
Docaviv, Melbourne
About:
A compelling, immersive portrait of the late artist Dash Snow.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Showtime tonight, Friday, September 3:
BITCHIN’: THE SOUND AND FURY OF RICK JAMES
Director:
Sacha Jenkins
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021
About:
A profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James, capturing the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellious soul, driven to share his talent with the world.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, September 3:
FAYA DAYI
Director:
Jessica Beshir
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, BlackStar, True/False, Full Frame, Visions du Reel, Seattle, New Directors/New Films, Rotterdam, Melbourne
About:
A poetic, sensorial journey into the highlands of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, the birthplace of khat.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 3:
LOS ULTIMOS FRIKIS
Director:
Nicholas Brennan
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2019
Select Festivals:
Miami, DOK.Fest Munich, Havana
About:
A Cuban heavy metal band explores their past and their nation’s changing future.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Despite restrictions beginning under the regime of Fidel Castro, heavy metal band Zeus became icons of the Cuban music scene. Over the decades, the band and their front man, Diony Arce, have challenged the status quo under threat of government suppression. As the bandmates approach their 30th anniversary together in a shifting political and social climate, they embark on a national tour while contemplating the cultural influence of metal as a genre and music as their life’s purpose.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 3:
THE BIG SCARY “S” WORD
Director:
Yael Bridge
World Premiere:
Mill Valley 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, AFI Fest, Big Sky Doc, Cleveland, Wisconsin, Mountainfilm, DOXA, Thessaloniki Doc, Melbourne Doc
About:
A comprehensive exploration of the ideology of socialism, increasingly attracting both supporters and detractors in a polarized America.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
With debates on income inequality and healthcare becoming increasingly prevalent, and figures like Senator Bernie Sanders rising to prominence, socialism has found a new relevance. As Americans confront 21st century issues, the allure of the economic system attracts politicians and everyday citizens alike to its cause. Through a comprehensive history and expert interviews, Yael Bridge’s film unravels the decades-long debate around this misunderstood ideology.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 