Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, September 20: LIFE, ANIMATED
Roger Ross Williams’ portrait of communication via animated films debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it picked up an award. It went on to screen at Nantucket, True/False, Hot Docs, Tribeca, Full Frame, Montclair, San Francisco, DocAviv, Transilvania, Sundance London, Los Angeles, Sheffield, and Sydney, among other events.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 20: THE BLACKOUT EXPERIMENTS
Rich Fox’s immersive look at a popular horror experience premiered at Sundance earlier this year. It went on to screen at horror and other genre events, as well as the Sydney Underground Film Festival.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 20: MITT
Greg Whiteley’s candid portrait of the Presidential hopeful had its world premiere at Sundance in 2014. It also screened at Traverse City and Sun Valley following its Netflix debut directly after Sundance wrapped.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 9: CAMERAPERSON
Kirsten Johnson’s personal reflections on observing life through the camera lens had its world premiere at Sundance this year. The film went on to screen at Nantucket, True/False, Miami, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, Full Frame, Sarasota, RiverRun, Nashville, Hot Docs, DOXA, and San Francisco, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres this Friday, September 9: AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY
Jeff Feuerzeig’s chronicle of the true story behind a literary sensation made its bow at Sundance this year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, True/False, Full Frame, San Francisco, DocAviv, Seattle, Sheffield, Sundance London, Provincetown, New Zealand, Sidewalk, and BAMcinemaFest, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, September 6: THE ROYAL ROAD
Jenni Olson’s essay on memory, history, and butch identity made its bow at Sundance last year. Screenings have also included Minneapolis St Paul, Art of the Real, BAFICI, Nashville, San Francisco, Seattle, Galway, Dokufest Kosovo, Vancouver, Wroclaw’s American, Napa Valley, Goteborg, and LGBT tests all over the world.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
This week will see the film industry descend on the Toronto International Film Festival, which begins its fifth decade this Thursday, September 8. Once again, the event will turn the spotlight on over 280 new and recent feature films, in addition to shorts, retrospectives, television, and panels. Nearly 60 documentary or hybrid feature films are on offer, including numerous world premieres as well as buzzed about titles just fresh from Venice or Telluride berths. The following offers some highlights of this year’s impressive roster: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6: NUTS!
Penny Lane’s subversive look at an eccentric self-made man premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where it picked up an award. Its festival circuit also included Nantucket, Hot Docs, San Francisco, BAMcinemaFest, Rotterdam, Ashland, Durban, Sarasota, Ashland, Cleveland, BAFICI, Seattle, Jerusalem, Melbourne, Bucheon, New Zealand, and Deauville.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Bronx Documentary Center Women’s Film Series tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6: THE WOLFPACK
Crystal Moselle’s look at a band of unconventional brothers debuted at Sundance last year, claiming the US Documentary Grand Jury Prize. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, Nantucket, Cleveland, Full Frame, Sarasota, Tribeca, San Francisco, and Seattle, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Serving as a bellweather for the upcoming awards season and a celebration of the love of film, the annual Telluride Film Festival kicks off today, Friday, September 2. Keeping with tradition, the beloved event’s lineup was just revealed yesterday, and is now available online via its program guide. Through its wrap on Monday, September 5, the 43rd edition will showcase nearly 40 new and recent features, with nonfiction representing more than half its offerings. Among these are the following:
Twelve documentary programs are included in the main slate, Show. These include: Errol Morris’ THE B-SIDE: ELSA DORFMAN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY, about the celebrated oversized Polaroid photographer and her work; Werner Herzog’s INTO THE INFERNO, which follows the work of a leading volcanologist; Angus Macqueen’s THE END OF EDEN, about the impact of modern civilization on a hitherto undisturbed remote Brazilian tribe; Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani’s THE IVORY GAME, on attempts to protect African elephants from poachers; Ryan Suffern’s FINDING OSCAR, which follows the forensic detective work to discover what happened to the survivors of a brutal Guatemalan massacre; Doug Nichol’s CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER, a love letter to a typewriter repair store and to those who still cherish the not-quite obsolete writing implement; and John Scheinfeld’s CHASING TRANE (pictured), on the legendary John Coltrane.
Additional nonfiction appears in sections devoted to films about films and tributes to filmmakers and performers, Backlot and Frontlot/Backlot. Among these are María José Cuevas’ BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (pictured), a portrait of aging Mexican showgirls; Janus Køster-Rasmussen’s COOL CATS, a portrait of American jazz musicians in Denmark after jazz fell from favor in America; and Steven Okazaki’s MIFUNE: THE LAST SAMURAI, a celebration of the Japanese actor best known for his classic collaborations with Akira Kurosawa.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
