Category Archives: Documentary

Coming to The WORLD Channel’s Doc World this Sunday, June 28:
UNSETTLED: SEEKING REFUGE IN AMERICA

Director:
Tom Shepard

World Premiere:
San Francisco 2019

Select Festivals:
GlobeDocs, Bent, UN Association, St Louis, Rocky Mountain Women’s, Cleveland, Mountainfilm, Outfest, Frameline, NewFest, LGBT fests in Tel Aviv, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Palm Springs, Stockholm, Atlanta, Memphis, Seattle, Madrid, London, and Sydney

About:
A profile of LGBT refugees seeking asylum in the US.

In their native countries of Angola, Syria, and Congo, Cheyenne, Mari, Subhi, and Junior faced death threats and violence, simply for being lesbian or gay. Seeking asylum in the US, they have each ended up in the San Francisco Bay Area, long a safe haven for the LGBT community, but their struggles continue, particularly as a new, anti-immigration presidential administration takes over. Cheyenne and Mari, possessing only temporary visas, are unable to work legally, and the odds are against their asylum petition; Junior, though possessing refugee status, faces unstable housing, unrealistic relationships, and an alcohol problem; while Subhi’s fortunes are surprisingly positive, for the most part. While each of their stories could have been explored more deeply, filmmaker Tom Shepard builds empathy for his subjects and succeeds in drawing attention to the plight of sexual minorities in nations with restrictive laws.

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, June 26:
NO SMALL MATTER

Directors:
Danny Alpert, Greg Jacobs, and Jon Siskel

World Premiere:
Community screenings (Summer 2018)

About:
An exploration of the vital importance of early childhood education.

Although studies have clearly shown that the first five years of a child’s life are critical for its brain development, our society still struggles to prioritize and make possible quality early education. Teachers and childcare professionals are paid substandard salaries, parents are not afforded sufficient maternity or paternity leave, and the cost of childcare puts it out of reach of lower- and middle-class families. Children who are given fewer educational opportunities as a result go on to underperform, failing in a failed system, and perpetuating class divisions and unfair stereotypes. Filmmakers Danny Alpert, Greg Jacobs, and Jon Siskel attempt to explore the challenges facing American parents as they try to make the best of it, while pointing to the consequences that could be avoided if our society better invested in early care and education for all. Unfortunately, the film takes on far too much, and takes a didactic approach that it tries, unsuccessfully, to soften with frankly cheesy elements, like several unnecessary would-be comedic bits that fall flat. At its best when profiling parents or teachers, the project works primarily as an educational call to action than as a well-crafted documentary.

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, June 22:
PIPE DREAMS

Director:
Stacey Tenenbaum

World Premiere:
Hot Docs 2019

Select Festivals:
Austin, Sound Unseen

About:
Young pipe organists vie for the top prize in a major competition.

Taking place in Montreal every three years, the Canadian International Organ Competition draws the best pipe organists to compete for prizes and acclaim in this particular part of the music world. Filmmaker Stacey Tenenbaum focuses on the 2017 edition, profiling several young musicians as they prepare for and compete in Montreal. In adapting her feature project for a broadcast hour slot, Tenenbaum cut one of her original five subjects, but she likely should have gone even further. Of the remaining organists, Yuan Shen and Alcee Chriss III are the most compelling, with more developed storylines and interesting backgrounds than the other two virtuosi, Nick Cappozoli or Sebastian Heindl. Excising one of the latter would have helped reduce the sometimes choppy feel of the film, which, while breaking no new ground in the competition doc sub-genre, is notably and appropriately cinematic on both a visual and audio level.

Coming to virtual theatrical today, Friday, June 19:
RUNNER

Director:
Bill Gallagher

World Premiere:
DocLands 2019

Select Festivals:
Margaret Mead, Big Sky Doc, Woods Hole, Heartland, Hot Springs Doc, Lone Star

About:
A profile in perseverance, following a Sudanese refugee with an Olympic dream.

As a teenager, Guor Mading Maker (formerly Marial) managed to escape the civil war in Sudan, which eventually claimed the lives of most of his siblings, becoming a refugee in the US. When he settled in Concord NH, he was encouraged to join his high school’s track team, and continued to run in college, ultimately qualifying for the 2012 Olympics. Unable to run for the still nascent South Sudan, and unwilling to betray his people by competing under the Sudanese flag, he instead was able to compete under the Olympic flag. When he returned to the Olympics four years later, he proudly represented South Sudan. Director Bill Gallagher benefits from an immensely likeable protagonist, but his film unfortunately suffers from structural issues that often undercut any surprise or drama. Still, Maker’s story is inspiring, and it has won over audiences at festivals over the past year.