Category Archives: Film Festivals

Full Frame 2016 Overview

full_frame_logo-520x390The 19th annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival takes place this Thursday, April 7 through Sunday, April 10, offering NC’s Research Triangle audiences the chance to sample nearly 60 new and recent feature docs, in addition to retrospective programming, shorts, and panels. As usual, the fest’s programming team has handpicked an impressive assortment of films that have previously debuted at IDFA, Sundance, and elsewhere on the circuit, in addition to selecting several brand new films to have their debuts at the event. The following turns the spotlight on the latter: Continue reading

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On DVD: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD

how to change the worldComing to DVD today, Tuesday, April 5: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Jerry Rothwell’s look at the early days of Greenpeace made its bow at Sundance last year, where it picked up the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award. Its fest circuit has also included Nantucket, Hot Docs, True/False, DOXA, San Francisco Green, Sebastopol Doc, Sydney, and Telluride Mountainfilm, among others.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On TV & In Theatres: MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES

mapplethorpeComing to HBO tonight, Monday, February 4 and to theatres this Friday, April 8: MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES

Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey’s look back at the impact of the controversial photographer’s work had its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. The doc went on to screen at Berlin, BFI Flare, and Miami.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On TV: WELCOME TO LEITH

welcome to leithComing to Independent Lens tonight, Monday, February 4: WELCOME TO LEITH

Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker’s exploration of a white supremacist’s plan to takeover a community debuted at Sundance last year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, New Orleans, SXSW, IDFA, Hot Docs, Dallas, Cucalorus, Montclair, Sydney, AFI Docs, New Zealand, Melbourne, Docville, RIDM, and DMZ Docs, among many other events.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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On DVD: CARTEL LAND

cartel landComing to DVD today, Tuesday, March 29: CARTEL LAND

Matthew Heineman’s investigation of Mexican cartel violence had its world premiere at Sundance last year, winning two awards. Screenings followed at Nantucket, DOC NYC, True/False, Full Frame, Dallas, Sarasota, Tribeca, IFF Boston, Docville, Seattle, Sydney, Human Rights Watch, AFI Docs, and Sheffield, among many others. The film went on to be nominated for the Documentary Feature Academy Award.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Cleveland 2016: Documentary Overview

CIFF 2016_1457119237174_764749_ver1.0This year’s edition marks the 40th anniversary of the Cleveland International Film Festival. Between this Wednesday, March 30 and Sunday, April 10, the event will showcase nearly 200 feature films, including approximately 70 documentaries, a mix of highlights from other notable festivals and several brand new works, many vying for recognition in the fest’s several competitions, noted below: Continue reading

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On DVD: SAM KLEMKE’S TIME MACHINE

sam klemkeComing to DVD this coming, Monday, March 28: SAM KLEMKE’S TIME MACHINE

Matthew Bate’s portrait of a man’s four decades of documenting his life premiered at Sundance last year. Other fest berths included Rotterdam, Cleveland, Hot Docs, Open City Docs, Docville, and Doc Aviv.

My pre-Sundance doc profile may be found here.

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In Theatres: BEAVER TRILOGY IV

beaver trilogyComing to Brooklyn’s Videology tomorrow, Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20: BEAVER TRILOGY IV

Brad Besser’s exploration of a cult classic film debuted at Sundance last year. Other screenings have included Hot Docs, St Louis, and Oak Cliff. Videology’s exclusive three-day run has been billed Trent Harris Weekend, and includes special midnight screenings of the original BEAVER TRILOGY and RUBIN & ED.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Cinéma du Reél 2016 Overview

cinema du reelTomorrow, Friday, March 18 sees the opening of Paris’ Cinéma du Reél. Running through Sunday, March 27, the event’s 38th edition includes just under 50 new or recent feature-length selections, joining additional retrospective and tribute sections. Highlights from the former are noted below: Continue reading

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New Directors/New Films 2016: Documentary Overview

NDNF1600x900-1600x900-c-defaultCelebrating its 45th edition, New Directors/New Films, a collaboration between the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, begins tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16, and runs through Sunday, March 27. After a disappointing reduction in the number of nonfiction offerings in 2015, this year’s series shows an improvement, with six of its 27 features representing documentary and hybrid work:

weinerTwo titles come to NYC after recent, acclaimed debuts at Sundance: US Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner WEINER (pictured), Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s surprisingly candid look inside Anthony Weiner’s ill-fated mayoral run; and CAMERAPERSON, noted cinematographer Kirsten Johnson’s meditation on capturing images.

eldorado-xxiA deep sense of place links the remaining nonfiction works in this year’s ND/NF: Salomé Lamas’ ELDORADO XXI (pictured) looks at the lives of miners in the remote Peruvian Andes; Zhao Liang’s BEHEMOTH offers a startling view of the impact of industrialization on China’s Inner Mongolia; Tony Stone’s PETER AND THE FARM profiles a man’s self-destruction against the background of his Vermont farm; and Pietro Marcello’s hybrid LOST AND BEAUTIFUL, which is set in the world of a southern Italian shepherd.

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