Category Archives: Film Festivals

The sixth and final of this year’s DOC NYC shorts program also proved to be one of the first programs to sell out, even after we moved it to a larger theatre. As noted by its straightforward title, I programmed this collection as a spotlight on compelling documentary subjects – from a blind photographer to a lightbulb fanatic to an underground Puerto Rican Botox purveyor.

DOC NYC Program Description:

PORTRAITS:
Thursday, November 15 at 9:45pm
Profiles of unique individuals. New Yorker FLO (10 min, Riley Hooper) hasn’t let multiple sclerosis, lung cancer, or even blindness stop her from taking photos. BLACK CHEROKEE (22 min, Sam Cullman, Benjamin Rosen) performs his singular art for commuters on the FDR, even as he must care for his ailing father. THE GLOBE COLLECTOR (7 min, Summer DeRoche) is an electronics savant whose passion for lightbulbs is infectious.CROOKED LINES (19 min, Lucy Walker) reunites part of the team behind WASTE LAND to tell the story of a young man who might have been Brazil’s best hope for Olympic gold in rowing. A gay Puerto Rican man dispenses advice and injections from his clandestine home clinic in THE NEEDLE (40 min, Carmen Oquendo-Villar, Jose Correa Vigier).

Why You Should Attend:
A strong character can make a documentary indelible – this collection introduces you to five such non-fiction subjects. It’s also notable that this program features new work by two Oscar nominees – Lucy Walker (WASTE LAND and THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM) and Sam Cullman (IF A TREE FALLS).

More Info:
While this program is sold out, a limited number of tickets may be released 15 minutes before showtime on a first come, first served basis. Get to the IFC Center early if you want to take a chance.

Doc-A-Thon, DOC NYC‘s panel series, wraps up at the IFC Center this Thursday, November 15. On Day 5, distributors – theatrical, alternative, and digital – help documentary filmmakers “Reach Your Audience,” while filmmakers discuss how their work has helped create public policy change. Continue reading →

The fifth DOC NYC shorts program that I programmed this year focuses on people and their vocations – whether it’s championing artisanal craftsmanship or heralding the coming Apocalypse.

DOC NYC Program Description:

ODD JOBS:
Thursday, November 15 at 7:15pm
Love what you do. THE BIRDMAN (11 min, Jessie Auritt) rules the roost at his East Village record store despite the economy, gentrification, and the rise of online music. WE WILL FORGET (14 min, Garret Harkawik) follows an infamous doomsday author as the clock counts down to the apocalypse. A woman makes eerily life-like dolls in REBORNING (8 min, Helen Hood Scheer, Yael Bridge). SHOKUNIN (3 min, Jesse Flower-Ambroch) offers a glimpse at the vanishing art of Japanese knife-sharpening. MADE BY ME (15 min, Jess Dang) visits three artisans working wood, metal, and glass by hand. KISS THE PAPER (20 min, Fiona Otway) celebrates the revival of letterpress printing. BETWEEN LAND AND SEA (9 min, J. Christian Jensen, Sarah Berkovich) follows a couple as they oversee a San Francisco Bay lighthouse. THE LOOKOUT (16 min, Brian Bolster) explores a solitary but vital role in the prevention of wildfires.

Why You Should Attend:
If you miss a feature-length documentary at a festival, there’s at least a chance that you might be able to find it on Netflix or iTunes within a year or so, but that’s not at all likely with the overwhelming majority of shorts. This is among one of your few chances to see some exceptional shortform work by the next generation of talented documentary filmmakers.

More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the link from the program page by clicking on the program title above.

DOC NYC‘s fourth day of panels at the IFC Center next Wednesday, November 14, aims to “Protect Your Rights,” offering documentary filmmakers access to discussions exploring critical legal issues involving documentary, as well as practical sales advice. Continue reading →

This fourth post about my DOC NYC shorts programs spotlights a collection of films that look at memories and the past, and their influence on the present.

DOC NYC Program Description:

HOME MOVIES & OTHER MEMORIES:
Wednesday, November 14 at 9:30pm
This program is about the pull of the past, what’s been lost, and what we hold on to. STORYWOODS (8 min, Mary Horan) is a miniature world of dioramas recapturing the magic of the artist’s childhood. BOOMTOWN (12 min, Torben Bernhard, Travis Low) contrasts audio reflections of a once thriving Utah frontier town with its current ghostly state. MOEDER (13 min, Roma D’Arrietta) poignantly reveals the tumultuous life of the director’s mother.THINGS WE KEEP (20 min, David Moore) reflects on the loss of a mother through her old diaries, scrapbooks, photos, and home movies. Video diaries reveal how JULIAN (40 min, Bao Nguyen) was motivated to join the Marines by the example of his grandfather, a WWII hero, and how this decision affected his family.

Why You Should Attend:
There’s a haunting quality to many of the films in this program that gives them a particular resonance for anyone who’s ever lost someone or something of significance. The program is also anchored by Bao Nguyen’s standout film, recently nominated for an IDA Award.

More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the link from the program page by clicking on the program title above.