Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 18:
WOJNAROWICZ
Director:
Chris McKim
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened) / DOC NYC 2020
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs
About:
A powerful elegy to the late New York artist, writer, and filmmaker.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 32nd Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Dates:
May 19-27
About:
Nine recent documentaries are included in the lineup of the NYC edition of this well-respected event.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to PBS’s American Experience tonight, Monday, May 17:
BILLY GRAHAM
Director:
Sarah Colt
World Premiere:
American Experience (May 2021)
About:
An exploration of the life and career of the popular evangelist and his influence on American politics and culture.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to VOD via Hulu last week:
SOME KIND OF HEAVEN
Director:
Lance Oppenheim
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Rotterdam, Doc Fortnight, Visions du Reel, New Zealand, Florida, Atlanta, Philadelphia
About:
A profile of several residents of America’s largest retirement community.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and to VOD today, Friday, May 14:
US KIDS
Director:
Kim A Snyder
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Sheffield, Doc Edge, Mountainfilm, Full Frame, Miami, Martha’s Vineyard, NewportFilm, Calgary, GlobeDocs, Bergen, Hamptons, Mill Valley
About:
The young survivors of the Parkland school shooting are followed over a transformative year and a half.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, May 14:
LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS
Director:
Marcia Jarmel, Ken Schneider
World Premiere:
Woodstock 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Miami, Havana, GlobeDocs, BendFilm, Mill Valley, Ashland
About:
During the thaw in US/Cuban relations, two brothers, both gifted musicians, long separated by borders, reunite for a joint tour through both countries.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Brothers and gifted musicians, pianist Aldo and violinist Ilmar were separated during childhood after Ilmar left their native Cuba to study abroad, beginning a lifetime of being physically apart, yet alway connected by music. Brief windows of open US/Cuban relations allow the brothers’ joyous reunions where they revel in each others’ company and create beautiful classical, jazz, and Latin music together. Filmmakers Ken Schneider and Marcia Jarmel take the viewer on a delightful musical tour through Cuba and the US, with appearances from acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to DVD/VOD this week:
BASTARDS’ ROAD
Director:
Brian Morrison
World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020
Select Festivals:
RiverRun, deadCENTER, Tallgrass, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Newport Beach
About:
A Marine copes with his PTSD by walking across the country, visiting fellow veterans.
Jon Hancock joined the US Marine Corps straight out of high school, completed boot camp just days before September 11, 2001, and joined an infantry battalion nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, which would suffer 25% fatalities. Like many veterans, after he returned to civilian life, Hancock suffered from PTSD, which resulted in self-destructive behavior, excessive drinking, fighting, and a suicide attempt. Filmmaker Brian Morrison follows the wounded warrior as he sets out on a cross country walk to reconnect with his former brothers-in-arms or their surviving family, having discovered that walking helped him manage his PTSD. Accompanying these reunions are surprisingly candid, vulnerable discussions about the impact of war on soldiers, highlighting the lack of proper counseling and preparedness they are given as they transition away from service and back into society. While the film is worthwhile for this honesty and earnestness, it is also excessively long, with too many unnecessary music interludes that mainly serve as padding and diminish the doc’s overall affect.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to DVD this week:
MARTIN MARGIELA: IN HIS OWN WORDS
Director:
Reiner Holzemer
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2019
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, New Zealand
About:
The elusive fashion designer reflects on his career.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 11:
THE REASON I JUMP
Director:
Jerry Rothwell
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, AFI Docs, Docs Against Gravity, London, ReelAbilities
About:
A profile of non-verbal autistic young people, based on the New York Times bestseller by Naoki Higashida.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to The WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 11:
CURTAIN UP!
Director:
Hui Tong, Kelly Ng
World Premiere:
Asian American International 2020
Select Festivals:
CAAMFest, San Diego Asian, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Vancouver Asian, Philadelphia Asian American, DisOrient, NY International Children’s
About:
Elementary school students from NYC’s Chinatown-based PS 124 stage a production of FROZEN KIDS.
PS 124, also known as Yung Wing Elementary, is selected as one of the few schools permitted to present the kids version of the hit Disney musical FROZEN. Notably, the school’s theatre club is the only predominantly Asian American group to participate in the Junior Theater Festival, which allows filmmakers Hui Tong and Kelly Ng to open up a conversation between students, parents, and teachers about Asian cultural and academic stereotypes as they relate to the arts. Their modest film follows the familiar path of behind-the-scenes performance chronicles – auditions, casting, disappointments, joy, rehearsals, countdown to opening night, doubts, and, ultimately, a successful debut – with the welcome twist of focusing on a charismatic group of kids from cultural backgrounds who almost never see themselves on stage or screen.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
what (not) to doc 