Category Archives: Film Festivals

2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE LAND OF THE ENLIGHTENED

enlightenedNext up in the world competition: From Belgium, THE LAND OF THE ENLIGHTENED, Pieter-Jan De Pue’s hybrid expedition into the child-controlled badlands of Afghanistan.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: HOOLIGAN SPARROW

hooliganThe first of today’s three Sundance doc profiles: From China/USA, HOOLIGAN SPARROW, Nanfu Wang’s portrait of Chinese human rights activism.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: A FLAG WITHOUT A COUNTRY

flag without a countryTuesday’s Sundance doc preview closes out: From Iraq, A FLAG WITHOUT A COUNTRY, Bahman Ghobadi’s dual, hopeful portrait of modern day Kurdistan.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

all these sleeplessMoving over to the World Cinema competition: From Poland, ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, Michał Marczak’s snapshot of twentysomethings living life to the fullest.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: WEINER

weinerBringing this year’s Sundance US Documentary Competition preview to a close: WEINER, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s in-the-moment chronicle of a politician’s ill-fated return.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: UNCLE HOWARD

uncle howardToday’s Sundance preview wraps with the penultimate film of the US Documentary Competition: Aaron Brookner’s UNCLE HOWARD, a nephew’s revival of his filmmaking inspiration.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On TV: CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM

chuck norrisComing to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, January 4: CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM

Ilinca Calugareanu’s exploration of the subversive role played by VCRs in the Cold War made its debut at Sundance last year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, Hot Docs, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, Denver, Stockholm, Leeds, Hamptons, and Seattle, among other fests.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: TRAPPED

trappedContinuing my look at this year’s Sundance doc features: TRAPPED, Dawn Porter’s investigation of the war against reproductive health clinics.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On TV: CARTEL LAND

cartel landComing to A&E tonight, Monday, January 4: CARTEL LAND

Matthew Heineman’s visceral exploration of Mexican cartel violence had its world premiere at Sundance last year, where it won two awards. It went on to screen at Nantucket, DOC NYC, True/False, Full Frame, Dallas, Sarasota, Tribeca, IFF Boston, Documenta, Docville, Seattle, Sydney, Human Rights Watch, AFI Docs, and Sheffield, among others. The film has been shortlisted for the Documentary Feature Academy Award.

My pre-Sundance doc profile may be found here.

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2016 Sundance Docs in Focus: SUITED

suitedWeek two of my Sundance doc preview begins: SUITED, Jason Benjamin’s profile of custom tailors serving gender non-conforming clients.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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