Coming to PBS’s American Masters tonight, Friday, June 4:
BALLERINA BOYS
Director:
Chana Gazit, Martie Barylick
World Premiere:
American Masters PBS broadcast (June 2021)
About:
A portrait of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, also known as the Trocks, an all-male company that for 45 years has offered audiences their passion for ballet classics mixed with exuberant comedy, poking fun at their strictly gendered art form.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Netflix today, Friday June 4:
BREAKING BOUNDARIES: THE SCIENCE OF OUR PLANET
Director:
Jon Clay
World Premiere:
Netflix (June 2021)
About:
David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockström examine Earth’s biodiversity collapse and how this crisis can still be averted.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, June 4:
THE ANCIENT WOODS
Director:
Mindaugas Survila
World Premiere:
IDFA 2017
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Sydney, Vilnius, DocPoint, CPH:DOX, Docs Against Gravity, BelDocs, Docaviv, MakeDox, New Zealand, Camden, Bergen, DocsBarcelona, Washington DC Environmental
About:
A wordless immersion into the biodiversity of the Baltic forests.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Through immersive cinematography and exquisite sound design, one of Europe’s last remaining old-growth forests comes alive in a poetic documentary about the quotidian rituals, survival, and non-anthropocentric harmony of the varied inhabitants of a Lithuanian woodland. Biologist-turned-filmmaker Mindaugas Survila spent a decade making this extraordinary project, patiently infusing its panoply of nonhuman characters with drama, humor, and transcendence.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Rooftop Films tonight, Thursday, June 3 and to theatres tomorrow, Friday, June 4:
ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE
Director:
Theo Anthony
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Jeonju, True/False, New Directors/New Films
About:
An interrogation of the idea of objectivity through the shared histories of cameras, weapons, policing, and justice.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
New to Hulu this week:
CHANGING THE GAME
Director:
Michael Barnett
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019
Select Festivals:
Palm Springs, Mountainfilm, Watch Docs, Sidewalk, Virginia, Nashville, Flyway, Guth Gafa, Salem, Frameline, Outfest, BFI Flare
About:
A profile of several trans high school athletes.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 28th Sheffield Doc/Fest
Dates:
June 4-13
About:
Nearly 80 new and recent features make up the lineup of this well-respected and popular British event, presented in a hybrid format this year.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
New to DVD this week:
THE BLINDING OF ISAAC WOODARD
Director:
Jamila Ephron
World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (March 2021)
About:
A violent instance of white supremacist police brutality serves as a spark to undo Jim Crow.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to DVD this week:
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Director:
Jen Rainin
Co-Director:
Rivkah Beth Medow
World Premiere:
Frameline 2020
Select Festivals:
NewFest, Outfest, Image+Nation, Athena, Cleveland
About:
A triumphant chronicle of historic lesbian publication Curve Magazine and its trailblazing founder.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to VOD via Netflix this week:
BLACK HOLES: THE EDGE OF ALL WE KNOW
Director:
Peter Galison
World Premiere:
CPH:DOX 2020
Select Festivals:
Bergen, Jackson Wild
About:
An international assemblage of scientists work together to capture the first image of a black hole.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to VOD this week:
THE PENNY BLACK
Director:
Joe Saunders
World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020
Select Festivals:
St Louis, Newport Beach
About:
A man searches for his shady neighbor, who entrusted him with a valuable stamp collection before mysteriously vanishing.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
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