Category Archives: Film Festivals

SXSW 2016: Additional Features Announced

sxsw film 2016Supplementing their main features announcement last week, SXSW has just revealed the remainder of their film programming here, bringing the doc count to 57 of a reported 139 features. Following is the list of newly announced nonfiction features per section:

Festival Favorites:
newtownSelections culled from other notable festivals.

CAMERAPERSON
Kirsten Johnson
Exposing her role behind the camera, Johnson reaches into the vast trove of footage she has shot over decades around the world. What emerges is a visually bold memoir and a revelatory interrogation of the power of the camera.

GLEASON
Clay Tweel
At the age of 34, Steve Gleason was handed a death sentence. When doctors diagnosed him with ALS, they gave the former NFL defensive back and New Orleans hero two to five years to live. So that is what Steve chose to do – live.

NEWTOWN (pictured)
Kim A Snyder
Documenting the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history. A cast of characters within Newtown and beyond interconnect to weave an intimate story of trauma, grief and community resilience.

PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW
Ido Haar
The true story of the incredible Princess Shaw and the enigmatic composer Kutiman, who discovers her from the other side of the world.

RICHARD LINKLATER – DREAM IS DESTINY
Louis Black and Karen Bernstein
A feature-length documentary on the filmmaker Richard Linklater and an unusual look at a fiercely independent film style that emerged from Austin, Texas in the 1990s.

TRAPPED
Dawn Porter
Following the clinic workers, women, and lawyers on the front lines of the battle as they fight to keep abortion safe and legal across the US for millions of poor and uninsured women caught in a political quagmire.

Special Events:
darkonUnique one-offs.

DARKON
Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel
10th Anniversary screening of the cult-hit documentary about American LARPers. The film covers an epic war raging through the fantasy realm of Darkon, investigating our complex relationship with fantasy and reality.

Additions to Already Announced Sections

24 Beats Per Second:
sidemen
ROBERT KLEIN CAN’T STOP HIS LEG
Robert Klein
A hilarious and heartfelt look at the career and influence of comedy legend Robert Klein.

SIDEMEN – LONG ROAD TO GLORY (pictured)
Scott Rosenbaum
An intimate look at the lives and legacies of piano player Pinetop Perkins, drummer Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith and guitarist Hubert Sumlin, all Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf sidemen.

Visions:
boone
BOONE
Christopher LaMarca
Haunting and deeply human, Boone tells the story of three young goat farmers as they transition with the seasons and come to terms with the physical and emotional grit required to live in deep relationship with the land. This experiential film is a visceral meditation on the sacrifice and struggle of a lifestyle born of self reliance, a sensual homage to the heart and soul of a farmer.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations

On DVD: WELCOME TO LEITH

welcome to leithComing to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, February 9: WELCOME TO LEITH

Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker’s immersive look at a town under siege made its bow at Sundance last year. The doc went on to screen at Nantucket, SXSW, Dallas, RiverRun, Sarasota, Montclair, Sydney, AFI Docs, New Zealand, Melbourne, and Sidewalk, among others.

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

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

On TV: JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY

jimComing to HBO tomorrow, Saturday, February 6: JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY

Brian Oakes’ personal look back at the life and death of James Foley just made its debut at Sundance last month. The doc now makes its broadcast premiere.

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

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

On TV: MICHAEL JACKSON’S JOURNEY FROM MOTOWN TO OFF THE WALL

michael jacksonComing to Showtime this Friday, February 5: MICHAEL JACKSON’S JOURNEY FROM MOTOWN TO OFF THE WALL

Spike Lee’s charting of the late icon’s evolution and maturation just debuted at Sundance. It now reaches broader audiences with its cable debut.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

SXSW 2016: Features Lineup Announced

sxsw film 2016After a sneak peek announcement of a selection of titles early last month, SXSW has just released their initial list of features, with additional announcements to come shortly. 47 of the 104 features and episodics announced so far are documentaries. Following is the list of documentary features, broken down by section: Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations

2016 Sundance Awards

sundance 2016While the 2016 edition of the Sundance Film Festival officially still has a full day of screenings ahead, tonight saw the essential end of the event with the annual awards ceremony. w(n)td will resume regular posting starting Monday, but until then, a summary of the awards announcement follows: Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

Special Note: w(n)td & 2016 Sundance

sundance 2016Tonight, Thursday, January 21, sees the kickoff for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, for which I’m a Documentary Programming Associate. For that reason, w(n)td will be on hiatus for the duration of the festival, which runs through Sunday, January 31, with normal daily weekday posting to resume on Monday, February 1.

Follow me on Twitter, to keep up with Sundance, and also follow my Sundance filmmaker class of 2016 Twitter list to experience the festival through the eyes of this year’s filmmakers.

To catch up with Sundance doc programming, here are links to my series of 2016 Sundance documentary profiles, divided by festival section:

US Documentary Competition
kate plays christineAUDRIE & DAISY

AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY

THE BAD KIDS

GLEASON

HOLY HELL

HOW TO LET GO OF THE WORLD (AND LOVE ALL THE THINGS CLIMATE CAN’T CHANGE)

JIM

KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE (pictured)

KIKI

LIFE, ANIMATED

NEWTOWN

NUTS!

SUITED

TRAPPED

UNCLE HOWARD

WEINER

World Cinema Documentary Competition
lovers and the despotALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

A FLAG WITHOUT A COUNTRY

HOOLIGAN SPARROW

THE LAND OF THE ENLIGHTENED

THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT (pictured)

PLAZA DE LA SOLEDAD

THE SETTLERS

SKY LADDER: THE ART OF CAI GUO-QIANG

SONITA

TICKLED

WE ARE X

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

Documentary Premieres
nothing left unsaidBECOMING MIKE NICHOLS

EAT THAT QUESTION – FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS

FILM HAWK

LO AND BEHOLD, REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD

MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES

MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE

MICHAEL JACKSON’S JOURNEY FROM MOTOWN TO OFF THE WALL

NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU

NOTHING LEFT UNSAID: GLORIA VANDERBILT & ANDERSON COOPER (pictured)

RESILIENCE

RICHARD LINKLATER: DREAM IS DESTINY

UNDER THE GUN

UNLOCKING THE CAGE

New Frontier
camerapersonCAMERAPERSON (pictured)

THE ILLINOIS PARABLES

NOTES ON BLINDNESS

 

 

Special Events
ojAMERICAN EPIC

CHELSEA DOES

OJ: MADE IN AMERICA (pictured)

 

 

Park City at Midnight
blackoutTHE BLACKOUT EXPERIMENTS

 

 

 

 

Sundance Kids
eagle huntressTHE EAGLE HUNTRESS

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

On TV: DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD

drunk stonedComing to Showtime this Friday, January 22 and to the History Channel this Saturday, January 23: DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON

Douglas Tirola’s look back at the popularity and influence of the satiric humor magazine debuted at Sundance last year. The doc went on to screen at Nantucket, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Full Frame, AFI Docs, Traverse City, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Sarasota, Montclair, and Sydney, among others.

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

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

On TV: IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST

in football we trustComing to PBS’s Independent Lens next Monday, January 25: IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST

Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn’s look at Polynesian teenagers’ dreams of success through sports made its bow at Sundance last year. The doc has gone on to screen at Los Angeles, DocUtah, CAAMFest, Hawaii, Twin Cities, and the San Diego Asian film fests, among others.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

eagle huntressAnd finally, I’ve reached the final doc of this year’s fest lineup, from Sundance Kids: THE EAGLE HUNTRESS, Otto Bell’s look at a Mongolian teenager determined to cross a millennia-old gender barrier.

Festival Section:
Sundance Kids
Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance