Category Archives: Overviews

Today’s look at DOC NYC‘s programming covers the festival’s two feature competition sections. First up, Viewfinders, our showcase of work demonstrating distinct directorial visions: Continue reading →

On Thursday, November 10, in just over two weeks, DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, kicks off its seventh edition. As the fest’s Director of Programming, I’ve led the film selection, and, as in years past, will briefly profile programming here in the lead-up to opening night, beginning with two of our highest profile sections: Continue reading →

Jihlava, the Czech Republic’s noted nonfiction fest, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, kicking off tomorrow, Tuesday, October 25 and running through Sunday, October 30. Approximately 90 new documentary features will unspool during the event, in addition to several screenings of retrospective programming, shorts, and talks. The following offers a number of highlights: Continue reading →

This Thursday, October 20 sees the launch of the 14th Doclisboa, Portugal’s premier documentary film festival. The event closes on Sunday, October 30, with the debut of closing night film IN THE INTERSTICES OF REALITY OR THE FILMS OF ANTÓNIO DE MACEDO, João Monteiro’s portrait of a prolific and eclectic New Portuguese Cinema director. Approximately 70 other new documentary features will unspool in the ten days between, with some highlights noted below: Continue reading →

The 17th edition of the Woodstock Film Festival opens tonight, Wednesday, October 13, and runs through Sunday, October 16. The Hudson Valley-based event presents over 50 feature films, including just under two dozen documentaries.

Debuts and less familiar titles appearing at the fest include: Rob Nelson’s MAGNIFICENT BURDEN, about a socialite turned crusading activist; Lorenzo Pisoni’s CIRCUS KID (pictured), a man’s reflections on growing up in a family circus; David Wachsmann’s FREEDOM RUNNERS, which profiles an Israeli running group for African refugees; Kathleen Dowdey’s GET IN THE WAY: THE JOURNEY OF JOHN LEWIS, a portrait of the notable civil rights leader turned US congressman; Olha Onyshko’s WOMEN OF MAIDAN, on the role women played in the Ukrainian revolution; Matthew Millan’s STRONGER THAN BULLETS, which chronicles the music of the Libyan revolution; Jen Heck’s THE PROMISED BAND, which unites Israelis and Palestinians through a fake music group; and Mickey Lemle’s THE LAST DALAI LAMA?, an intimate portrait of the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.

As it enters its second decade, DocsDF, the International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City takes on a new name, DocsMX, reflecting a broader view that encompasses the country beyond its capital. The event, which launches tomorrow, Thursday, October 13, will present more than 90 films at its 11th edition through its wrap on Saturday, October 22. Highlights from its programming follow: Continue reading →

The Margaret Mead Film Festival turns 40 this year, opening tomorrow, Thursday, October 13 with Jessie Deeter’s A REVOLUTION IN FOUR SEASONS, which follows the paths of two notable women in the aftermath of Tunisia’s Arab Spring. The event, a program of the American Museum of Natural History, will showcase approximately 30 nonfiction features before it wraps on Sunday, October 16. The following offers additional highlights. Continue reading →

The 27th annual New Orleans Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, Wednesday, October 12. More than 60 new feature films will screen over the course of the event before it wraps on Thursday, October 20, including more than 30 documentaries. This year’s edition is notable as the swansong of Executive Director Jolene Pinder, who (together with Director of Programming Clint Bowie) grew the event substantially since coming on board in 2011. Among the doc highlights are: Continue reading →

The 60th BFI London Film Festival launches tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5, and runs through Sunday, October 16. The event offers audiences nearly 250 new and retrospective features, among them ore than 50 documentaries and hybrids. While many have been covered here previously, the following offers a selective spotlight: Continue reading →

The 54th annual New York Film Festival opens this Friday, September 30, and runs through Sunday, October 16. As has been the case in recent years, nonfiction has been embraced by the event’s programmers in contrast to its historical neglect, with documentaries making up nearly half of the more than fifty offered new feature films. Particularly notable is the selection of Ava DuVernay’s exploration of mass incarceration in America, 13TH, as NYFF’s Opening Night Film – the first time a documentary has claimed that coveted slot, and one of two docs in the program’s Main Slate. A sampling of other nonfiction follows below. Continue reading →