Category Archives: Overviews

The Berlin International Film Festival opens its 64th edition tomorrow, Thursday, February 6, unspooling approximately 400 films through Sunday, February 16 for audiences of over 300,000 in one of the best cities in the world. Just over 70 new feature documentaries appear in the lineup, while other nonfiction-related programming includes the Meet the Docs initiative in the concurrent European Film Market, featuring panels, consultations, meetings, and networking opportunities for accredited filmmakers and industry; and targeted mentorship sessions for ten international directors in the Berlinale Talents. While I’m once again not attending, the following offers highlights of the documentary film offerings that are most intriguing: Continue reading →

The 23rd edition of the New York Jewish Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. A co-presentation of The Jewish Museum and the Film Society, the festival runs through Thursday, January 23, and presents more than 30 new and retrospective feature films, as well as shorts and special programs, such as symposium exploring film genres and identity-based programming, guest curation by Wim Wenders, a master class with Amos Gitai, and a celebration of the work of Otto Preminger and Saul Bass. Compared to last year’s edition, which saw about half the lineup focus on nonfiction programming, there are fewer documentaries screening, all noted below. Continue reading →

New York’s African Diaspora International Film Festival, one of the oldest events focusing on filmmaking by and about the people of Africa and the African Diaspora, enters its third decade beginning this Friday, November 29 and continuing through Sunday, December 15. The 21st edition of the fest brings over 70 films to audiences, including more than thirty documentary features made up of both new films and little seen retrospective programming. Special programming strands explore Afro-Brazilian, Haitian, Jamaican, and other Caribbean themes, with films representing 35 countries on offer.

The Gala nonfiction presentations include: Pratibha Parmar’s ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY IN TRUTH, an insightful portrait of the acclaimed author/activist; Centerpiece YOUTHS OF SHASHA, Emanuele Cicconi’s look at the musically talented but unsupported youths in an Ethiopian village; Joel Zito Araújo and Megan Mylan’s RACE (RAÇA), showcasing three black Brazilians who make a stand for equal rights and representation; and Closing Night film SPIES OF MISSISSIPPI (pictured), Dawn Porter’s intriguing tale of a state-funded covert spy agency fighting integration during the height of the Civil Rights struggle.

Among the other recent documentary offerings are: Ada M Babino’s I DON’ BEEN THROUGH THE SNAKE’S SKIN & COME OUT CLEAN (pictured), about the perspective and knowledge passed down by a long-lived Louisiana couple to their children and grandchildren; Nevline Nnaji’s REFLECTIONS UNHEARD: BLACK WOMEN IN CIVIL RIGHTS, a reclamation of the unheralded influence of women within the black power and feminist movements; James Brown’s RED, WHITE, BLACK & BLUE, which follows a South Central Los Angeles rugby team to a competition in New Zealand; Tukufu Zuberi’s AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE, a wide-ranging look at the history and struggles of post-colonial governance in Africa; Jaime Otero’s A COMMON ENEMY, about the first free elections after Tunisia’s Arab Spring; Joseph Hillel’s AYITI TOMA, THE LAND OF THE LIVING, a complex consideration of Haiti’s demonized voudou culture and historical exploitation by outsiders; and Valerie Scoon’s GRENADA: COLONIALISM AND CONFLICT, on the dark legacy of the Caribbean island nation’s colonial past.

With IDFA kicking off tonight, this second of two posts wraps up my list of titles I’d be checking out if I were headed to the Netherlands. Yesterday’s post covered the competitions, while the following runs down the fest’s various non-competitive strands. Continue reading →

Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 20 sees the opening of the 26th edition of the largest documentary event in the world, The Netherlands’ IDFA. Screening approximately 150 new feature documentaries, plus additional retrospective programming, shorts, and transmedia projects through Sunday, December 1, Amsterdam’s fest will play host to hundreds of the nonfiction world’s top buyers, broadcasters, and programmers, not to mention its over 120,000 general attendees. While I’ve attended the event for the past four years, I’m very sadly missing this one. Still, I’ve diligently (and wistfully) scoured through the lineup to construct my wishlist, if I were attending, broken down by section. As in the past, the fest’s sheer size necessitates breaking this down into two posts – today’s looks at IDFA’s competitions, while tomorrow’s will look at the non-competitive line-up. Continue reading →

The sixth and last of this year’s DOC NYC shorts programs explores a yearning for the past, often wrapped up in places.

DOC NYC Program Description:

THEN & NOW:
Thursday, November 21 at 9:30pm
Nostalgia and changing times. THE PHOTO MAN (USA, 7 min., Ben Kitnick) trades in old photographs. An antique store owner welcomes visitors in NOT FOR SALE (USA, 10 min., Matthew C. Levy). THE FINAL NOTE (USA, 16 min., Mayeta Clark) profiles a South Bronx piano warehouse. A young couple takes over THE MERCANTILE (USA, 16 min., Brian Bolster), a general store in remote Montana. LAST DAYS OF THE VIDEO STORE (USA, 7 min., Quin O’Brien) shows the struggle of a once-thriving business. Remembrances of a swiftly changing Brooklyn come to animated life in OF MEMORY & LOS SURES (USA, 15 min., Laurie Sumiye & Andrew Parsons). CAMP STORY (USA, 26 min., David B. Levy) reveals the impact of getting away from the city as a kid. (97 min. total)

Why You Should Attend:
The pull of the past is strong in these shorts, from lost photos to vanishing businesses, summer memories to transforming neighborhoods.

More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the link from the program page by clicking on the program title above.

Argentina’s Mar del Plata International Film Festival begins this Saturday, November 16, and runs through Sunday, November 24. While this is the fest’s 28th edition, the event is technically Latin America’s oldest fest, having been founded in 1954. After more than a decade, it largely went dormant between 1967-1995, until it relaunched in its current incarnation in 1996. The only “A” class fest in South America, the seaside resort destination event annually draws over 100,000 attendees for its impressive 425-strong film lineup, consisting of approximately 250 feature-length films and 170 mid-lengths and shorts. Included are nearly 75 documentary features, largely representing new Argentine and Latin American filmmaking. The following offers a spotlight on some of these: Continue reading →

Doc-A-Thon wraps up on DOC NYC‘s closing day, next Thursday, November 21. Catch these essential panels at the IFC Center to help you connect with your audiences: Continue reading →