Following yesterday’s roundup of several of IDFA’s competition titles, today’s post wraps up my coverage of the 25th edition of the world’s largest documentary festival with a look at a number of films in IDFA’s non-competitive “Reflecting Images” sections. Continue reading
Category Archives: Film Festivals
IDFA 2012: Docs in Brief, Part Three
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IDFA 2012: Docs in Brief, Part Two
Last week, I pointed w(n)td readers to my Indiewire coverage of IDFA, including buzz titles and highlights from the Forum. With the festival now wrapped, having announced the winners of its 25th edition this weekend, its time to take a more indepth look at the titles in this year’s lineup I’ve had a chance to see. This post covers films from the various competitions, while the next will address non-competitive programming. Continue reading
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IDFA 2012 Awards
The world’s largest documentary festival announced the award-winners this past weekend, wrapping up its 25th anniversary edition. For a full list of IDFA winners, check out my Indiewire writeup here.
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IDFA 2012: The Forum in Brief
My Indiewire article on IDFA’s international co-production financing market, the Forum, is now up here, spotlighting several promising projects in development.
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IDFA 2012: Docs in Brief, Part One
Straight off of a hectic DOC NYC schedule, I’m in Amsterdam. My first dispatch for Indiewire was published on Monday, highlighting ten films that have been generating buzz in the first few days of the festival. The full article may be found here.
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2012 DOC NYC Awards
The 3rd annual DOC NYC came to a close last night with enthusiastically received screenings of THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE, preceded by an awards ceremony. Despite some not-so-minor setbacks – chiefly Superstorm Sandy shutting down half of Manhattan, including DOC NYC’s ability to sell tickets, for a week – this year continued the young event’s growth, with an increase in audiences, filmmaker attendance, and sold out shows. I was happy to come on board as the festival’s Shorts Programmer and Panel Producer, though my Twitter followers will probably be relieved that with DOC NYC’s wrap up, my daily panel live-tweeting marathon has come to an end. To put a pin in it, here is the list of films honored last evening:
Viewfinders Competition:
Grand Jury Prize:
INFORMANT by Jamie Meltzer (pictured)
Special Jury Prize:
RAFEA: SOLAR MAMA by Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief
Metropolis Competition:
Grand Jury Prize:
RADIOMAN by Mary Kerr (pictured)
Special Jury Prize:
ZIPPER by Amy Nicholson
SundanceNOW Audience Award:
RAFEA: SOLAR MAMA by Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief (pictured)
Shorts Competition:
Grand Jury Prize:
FLO by Riley Hooper (pictured)
Special Jury Prizes:
THE CHILDREN NEXT DOOR by Doug Block
JULIAN by Bao Nguyen
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2012 DOC NYC in Focus: PORTRAITS
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.
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IDFA 2012 Overview, Part Two
My overview of the world’s largest documentary festival, IDFA, continues in this second post, just in advance of the opening of the fest’s 25th anniversary edition tomorrow evening. Yesterday’s post looked at competition titles; today’s puts the focus on a number of the films in IDFA’s regular, non-competition programs. Continue reading
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2012 DOC NYC in Focus: Doc-A-Thon Day 5 – Reach Your Audience
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
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2012 DOC NYC in Focus: ODD JOBS
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.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations
