Category Archives: Overviews

Festival:
DOC NYC

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
DOC NYC PRO, our 8-day conference for nonfiction professionals, organized by Deborah Rudolph and Eric Johnson. Each day features two distinct, subject-themed programming tracks of panels, doubling 2017’s offerings:

THURSDAY, NOV 8: THE STATE OF DOCUMENTARY
Filmmakers, distributors and industry executives lead conversations examining the documentary world from artistic, business and financial perspectives and discuss how to succeed in today’s landscape.

THURSDAY, NOV 8: FIRST-TIME FILMMAKER
Immerse yourself in panel discussions providing specific, in-depth and enlightening studies for emerging documentary filmmakers.

FRIDAY, NOV 9: THE SHORT LIST
Listen in on a special day of conversations with the filmmakers featured in the DOC NYC Short List section that highlights 15 of the year’s standout documentaries.

FRIDAY, NOV 9: SERIES FOCUS
Find out what you need to know about how to construct, pitch, develop and create your series idea and delve into the details with a case study of one of 2018’s most acclaimed series, BOBBY KENNEDY FOR PRESIDENT.

SATURDAY, NOV 10: MASTERING YOUR CRAFT: EDITING
The first of two days focusing on the craft of nonfiction filmmaking. Saturday’s sessions will break down and delve into all aspects of documentary editing.

SATURDAY, NOV 10: SHOWCASES
Hear directly from distributors on the content they are producing and the types of projects they look for, plus a get a glimpse of content they have in their pipelines.

SUNDAY, NOV 11: MASTERING YOUR CRAFT: CINEMATOGRAPHY
In the second of two days focusing on the craft of nonfiction filmmaking, we dive deep into all aspects of documentary cinematography.

SUNDAY, NOV 11: AMERICAN SNAPSHOTS
Dive into discussions of prominent themes in the current American discourse, including race, gender, politics, religion and free speech, and how documentary films can offer a window into America in 2018.

MONDAY, NOV 12: PITCH PERFECT & IF/THEN AMERICAN SHORTS NORTHEAST
Twelve projects give their pitches to industry experts at this special daylong event.

MONDAY, NOV 12: SHORT FORM STYLINGS
Join conversations focused on how opportunities for short form content have exploded in recent years, and discover what’s next for shorts.

TUESDAY, NOV 13: SMART PRODUCING
Learn how to roll with the punches, address various challenges and be an effective producer in a competitive and complex landscape.

TUESDAY, NOV 13: POST-PRODUCTION SECRETS
Engage with a series of panel discussions with artists and industry professionals in the fields of composing, animation, graphics, post-sound and more.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 14: SHOW ME THE MONEY
Spend the day devoted to the fundamental issue of funding, addressing practical skills, sustainability, legal concerns and learning from others experiences.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 14: EVERYTHING ARCHIVAL
Join a day of in depth discussions ranging from the introductory to the expert use of archival materials, including a look at how RBG, one of the year’s most successful docs, used archival to great effect.

THURSDAY, NOV 15: MAKE YOUR CAREER
Explore ways to create a lasting, sustainable career in documentary film in this series of conversations with filmmakers and industry veterans.

THURSDAY, NOV 15: DOC LAW SCHOOL
Come to law school, with a full day devoted to legal issues and questions about making documentaries today.

More Info:
For full descriptions of individual panels, expected panelists, and updates, click on the different dat themes above. To access DOC NYC PRO programming, purchase one of DOC NYC’s several Pass options.

TAKE BACK THE HARBOR & ZION

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Short List: Shorts, highlighting some of the top doc shorts of the year:

’63 BOYCOTT
Director: Gordon Quinn
In 1963, more than 250,000 students boycotted Chicago’s public schools to protest racial segregation. Combining period footage with reflections from participants, ‘63 BOYCOTT links the past with present-day concerns around inequality in the education system.

EARTHRISE
Director: Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
In 1968, the first image of the Earth was captured from space, an iconic photograph that had an immediate and transformative impact around the globe. EARTHRISE explores the memories of the Apollo 8 astronauts responsible for the image, and their experience of awe in viewing the Earth framed against the void of space.

END GAME
Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
A moving film about the passage from life to death, END GAME is a portrait of the last days of those in palliative care in two San Francisco Bay Area medical facilities pioneering new paradigms for end-of-life decisions.

THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE
Director: Vanessa Roth
80 years ago, Xia Shuqin witnessed the murder of her family during the Nanjing Massacre. THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE uncovers how an American missionary’s camera serendipitously captured Xia and her sister, binding his family and theirs forever.

THE HEAD & THE HAND
Director: Marc Serpa Francoeur
A meditative portrait of two women who confronted great adversity with a profound bond and remarkable positivity, THE HEAD & THE HAND presents a rich exploration of disability, independence and sisterhood.

LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL: NOTES FROM DUNBLANE
Director: Kim A Snyder
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting, local priest Father Bob Weiss connects with Father Basil O’Sullivan of Dunblane, Scotland, from a community which could uniquely relate to Newtown’s trauma. Kim A Snyder’s film explores the power of resilience through the bond forged between these two priests.

MY DEAD DAD’S PORNO TAPES
Director: Charlie Tyrell
Following the death of his emotionally distant father, filmmaker Charlie Tyrell seeks to better understand him through the personal belongings he left behind… including a stack of dirty VHS tapes.

RX: EARLY DETECTION, A CANCER JOURNEY WITH SANDRA LEE
Director: Cathy Chermol Schrijver
After an annual mammogram results in a diagnosis of breast cancer, Emmy-winning TV host and lifestyle expert Sandra Lee sets out to discover the best options for treatment and recovery, opening up her private journey to share the importance of early detection with other women.

SIDELINED
Director: Galen Summer
In 1978, inspired by the popularity of NFL cheerleaders, Playboy organized a pictorial feature approved by team management happy for the media exposure. But when the resulting pictures set off a critical backlash, cheerleaders were fired, exposing society’s hypocrisy around female sexuality.

TAKE BACK THE HARBOR
Directors: Kristi Jacobson, Roger Ross Williams
On Governor’s Island, an ambitious program works to restore once-bountiful oysters and the environmental benefits they bring to New York Harbor. TAKE BACK THE HARBOR highlights students at a remarkable public high school where environmental stewardship is part of the curriculum.

WE ARE NOT DONE YET
Director: Sareen Hairabedian
US veterans and active-duty service members come together through a workshop led by poet Seema Reza to combat their traumatic military pasts via the written word. Sharing fears, vulnerabilities and victories, their writing becomes a tool for empowerment and healing culminating in the live performance of a collaborative poem under the direction of Jeffrey Wright.

ZION
Director: Floyd Russ
Born without legs and growing up in the foster care system, Zion Clark moved from one home to another as he grew up. Floyd Russ’ inspiring portrait reveals how his discovery of wrestling in the second grade provided not only a therapeutic outlet, but a sense of family.

More Info:
For full descriptions, a list of expected guests, screening details, and to purchase tickets, click on the individual titles above, and follow links for ticketing, where still available. Note that anything indicating Rush Only may still have tickets available day-of at the venue. Or consider purchasing one of DOC NYC’s several Pass options for access to a variety of programming.

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? | photo by Jim Judkis

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Short List: Features, our picks for the most accomplished docs of the year, and potential awards contenders: Continue reading →

A HYMN FOR ALVIN AILEY

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Docs Redux, revisiting a classic doc:

A HYMN FOR ALVIN AILEY (1999)
Director: Orlando Bagwell
Made for PBS’s Great Performances series, Orlando Bagwell’s Emmy Award-winning film is an homage to Alvin Ailey, the pioneering African-American choreographer and founder of New York City’s renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Following Ailey’s death, the Theater’s artistic director, Judith Jamison, choreographed “Hymn,” a celebration of his influence featuring Anna Deavere Smith. Bagwell uses this piece as a departure point for a broader look at Ailey, his work, and its legacy. Featuring archival interviews with Ailey and his collaborators and striking performance footage, A HYMN FOR ALVIN AILEY serves as a welcome introduction to Ailey’s work for newcomers and a fitting reminder of his artistry for those already familiar with his work.

Orlando Bagwell will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at DOC NYC’s Visionaries Tribute.

Visionaries Tribute
DOC NYC’s fifth annual Visionaries Tribute will take place on Thursday, November 8 at Manhattan’s Edison Ballroom. Veteran filmmakers Wim Wenders and Orlando Bagwell will receive Lifetime Achievement recognition. The Robert and Anne Drew Award for Documentary Excellence will go to Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin and the Leading Light Award will go to Tabitha Jackson, Director of the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program

More Info:
For full descriptions, a list of expected guests, screening details, and to purchase tickets, click on the individual titles above, and follow links for ticketing, where still available. Note that anything indicating Rush Only may still have tickets available day-of at the venue. Or consider purchasing one of DOC NYC’s several Pass options for access to a variety of programming.

THE SHOW’S THE THING | Janis and Tina at Madison Square Garden, November 27, 1969. Photograph by & © Amalie R. Rothschild

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Sonic Cinema, films on music and musicians: Continue reading →

I AM THE REVOLUTION

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Fight the Power, films on activism: Continue reading →

THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS

Dates:
November 8-15

Section:
Behind the Scenes, films about film and television: Continue reading →