Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, June 27: THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY: THE STORY OF AARON SWARTZ
Brian Knappenberger’s elegy to the too-soon-departed Internet wunderkind premiered at this year’s Sundance. It went on to screen at SXSW, Hot Docs, Atlanta, IFF Boston, and Seattle, and will screen at the Nantucket Film Festival this week in advance of its release.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and VOD this Friday, June 27: WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V JAMES J BULGER
Joe Berlinger’s investigation into the notorious mobster debuted at Sundance this year. It has also screened at Hot Docs, Sarasota, Nashville, Montclair, and Dallas.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, June 24 and already available on iTunes: PANDORA’S PROMISE
Robert Stone’s re-analysis of the potential of nuclear power debuted at Sundance last year. It went on to screen at True/False, Full Frame, Camden, Traverse City, DocPoint, IDFA, and Stranger Than Fiction, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow Tuesday, June 24 and already available on iTunes: ANITA
Freida Mock’s exploration of the lasting impact of Anita Hill debuted at Sundance last year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, Seattle, Human Rights Watch, Pan African, Cleveland, Hot Docs, Napa Valley, and AFI Docs, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to HBO today, Monday, June 23: THE CASE AGAINST 8
Ben Cotner and Ryan White’s in-depth look at the Supreme Court fight for marriage equality had its world premiere at the beginning of the year at Sundance, where they won the US Documentary Competition Directing Award. The film went on to win an audience award at SXSW, and to screen at Cleveland, RiverRun, DOXA, Hot Docs, Sarasota, Dallas, Ashland, Vail and the upcoming Nantucket Film Festival, among several others, and to screen in limited theatrical release earlier this month.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Saturday, June 21: LIVING STARS
Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat’s glee-inducing look at Argentines dancing debuted at Sundance earlier this year. The film also screened at Hot Docs, Little Rock, and BAFICI.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to PBS’s American Experience and to DVD this coming Tuesday, June 24: FREEDOM SUMMER
Stanley Nelson’s latest Civil Rights era chronicle debuted at Sundance earlier this year. It’s gone on to screen at Mountainfilm, Chicago’s African Diaspora fest, Maryland, Montclair, IFF Boston, Full Frame, Nashville, and the Pan African fest, among several other special screenings.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Gay film fest season officially kicks off tonight with the opening night of Frameline, celebrating its 38th edition this year. San Francisco is home to the world’s longest-running queer film festival, drawing an estimated 65,000 attendees to experience the newest in LGBT cinema. More than 30 feature length documentaries are included in this year’s lineup, including the fest’s coveted Opening Night slot, which goes to Sundance winners Ben Cotner and Ryan White’s excellent THE CASE AGAINST 8, with fellow Sundance alum Jennifer Kroot and Bill Weber’s TO BE TAKEI taking one of the Centerpiece spots. The following spotlights additional documentary programming SF audiences should be sure to check out: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to PBS’s POV this coming Monday, June 23: WHEN I WALK
Jason DaSilva’s account of the onset of his multiple sclerosis made its debut at Sundance last year. Other fest appearances have included Hot Docs, Sarasota, LA’s Arclight Doc Fest, Vancouver, Hot Springs, Margaret Mead, ReelAbilities, San Diego Asian, Heartland, Hot Springs, and Poland’s New Horizons American Film Festival, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Recently relocated to New York City from its former base in Miami, the American Black Film Festival celebrates its 18th edition beginning tomorrow, Thursday, June 19, and running through Sunday, June 22. This makes Manhattan the home to two higher-profile African American festivals, with mainstay Urbanworld also heading into year 18 this coming September. ABFF makes a notable splash, closing out this year’s event with the world premiere of Spike Lee’s latest film, the Kickstarter-funded DA SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS.
In total, more then two dozen films, masterclasses, and special events make up the event’s lineup, with five doc features included. Two appear in the Spotlight Screenings section: Muta’Ali Muhammad’s sadly timely tribute to his grandparents, LIFE’S ESSENTIALS WITH RUBY DEE (pictured), given the actress’ recent passing; and Barion Grant’s profile of a hip-hop mogul, A GENIUS LEAVES THE HOOD: THE UNAUTHORIZED STORY OF JAY-Z. The remaining nonfiction titles vie for the CNN sponsored Best Documentary Award, including two world premieres: Mike L Brown’s 25 TO LIFE, about an HIV-positive man reckoning with his promiscuous past; and Sam Hampton’s TRANSCENDING SURGEON, a consideration of African Americans in medicine through a portrait of an acclaimed surgeon; as well as the North American premiere of Khalo Matabane’s NELSON MANDELA: THE MYTH & ME, an exploration of freedom and reconciliation set against the continuing inequality faced by South Africans.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
