Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6: FRESH DRESSED
Sacha Jenkins’ look at the aspiration through fashion made its debut at Sundance this year. Other fest screenings have included Dallas, RiverRun, Sarasota, Nashville, and Hawaii, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD today, Friday, October 2: FINDERS KEEPERS
Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel’s chronicle of a strange property battle had its world premiere at Sundance this year. It has gone on to SXSW, Hot Docs, RiverRun, Sarasota, Traverse City, IFF Boston, New Zealand, Melbourne, and Sundance NextFest, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
The Hudson Valley’s Woodstock Film Festival kicks off its 16th edition tonight, Wednesday, September 30. Before the fest wraps this Sunday, October 4, it will present just over 50 features – among them, two dozen documentaries.
Included in this number are a few world premieres: Justin Schein and David Mehlman’s LEFT ON PURPOSE, in which a biography about an activist threatens to become about his suicide; Jon Bowermaster’s AFTER THE SPILL, an examination of the impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill on Louisiana; and Ben Selkow’s BURIED ABOVE GROUND, a profile of three individuals facing PTSD.
Other nonfiction offerings include: Sam Pressman’s FITZCARRALDO inspired RECONQUEST OF THE USELESS; Ron Nyswaner’s portrait of a character actor, SHE’S THE BEST THING IN IT; Leon Gast’s look at aspiration through athletics, SPORTING DREAMS; Hillevi Loven’s coming of age portrait of a religious young FTM in the deep south, DEEP RUN; Noa Roth’s personal exploration of divorce on an ultra-orthodox Jewish clan, FAMILY MATTERS; and Holly Morris and Anne Bogart’s portrait of a community of elderly women living in a notoriously contaminated area, THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL (pictured).
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, September 29: CARTEL LAND
Matthew Heineman’s immersive exploration into the response to Mexico’s cartel violence debuted at Sundance this year, winning two awards. Other fests have includes Nantucket, True/False, Martha’s Vineyard, Full Frame, Dallas, Sarasota, Tribeca, IFF Boston, Documenta, Docville, Seattle, Sydney, Human Rights Watch, AFI Docs, and Sheffield, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 25: WESTERN
Bill Ross and Turner Ross’ portrait of a pair of border towns debuted this year at Sundance, where the brothers picked up a special award. The film has gone on to screen at Nantucket, Hot Docs, IFF Boston, San Francisco, Full Frame, Sarasota, Dallas, Ashland, Maryland, Montclair, and Little Rock, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 25: FINDERS KEEPERS
Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel’s stranger-than-fiction story about two men, a grill, and a leg debuted at Sundance this year. Screenings followed at SXSW, Hot Docs, RiverRun, Sarasota, Traverse City, IFF Boston, New Zealand, Melbourne, and Sundance NextFest, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and VOD this Friday, September 25: DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON
Douglas Tirola’s exploration of the history of the irreverent satire magazine had its world premiere at Sundance this year. Its extensive festival run has also included Nantucket, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Full Frame, AFI Docs, Traverse City, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Sarasota, Montclair, and Sydney.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
This Friday, September 25, sees the kick-off of the 53rd annual New York Film Festival. Long geared toward art house audiences but in recent years opening up programming to include some mainstream offerings, the festival has also embraced nonfiction far more than it ever did in the past. Documentaries or hybrid projects have a presence in virtually every section of the event, with over 20 feature projects claiming coveted spots in the well-respected Fall event, which runs through Sunday, October 11. The following offers a selected overview: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Returning for its 19th edition beginning this Wednesday, September 23 and continuing through Sunday, September 27, NYC’s Urbanworld Film Festival will once again provide a platform for the films of African American and multicultural filmmakers. This year’s edition shows an uptick in the number of documentaries among its offerings – nearly half at twelve of 28 features, including both its opening and closing night slots: Respectively, Clarence “Coodie” Simmons & Chike Ozah’s MUHAMMAD ALI: THE PEOPLE’S CHAMP, which highlight’s the boxing legend’s legacy; and Nelson George’s A BALLERINA’S TALE, about African Americans in ballet, as revealed through the story of Misty Copeland.
Among the other nonfiction presentations this year are: Nick Quested’s DRAMATIC ESCAPE, about a prison’s theatrical production/rehabilitation program; Dean Hargrove’s TAP WORLD (pictured), a survey of the American dance form; Flora Pérez-Garay’s ANATOMY OF A DRESS, a look at Puetro Rican fashion designers; Mathew Ramirez Warren’s WE LIKE IT LIKE THAT, which explores the NYC roots of Latin boogaloo; and Bobbito Garcia’s STRETCH AND BOBBITO: RADIO THAT CHANGED LIVES, about the legendary hip hop radio program.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 18: RACING EXTINCTION
Louie Psihoyos’ exploration of potential global catastrophe debuted at Sundance this year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, Telluride Mountainfilm, DC’s Environmental fest, Seattle, Maui, SF Green, and Boulder, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
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