Coming to DVD next Tuesday, October 16: THE AMBASSADOR
Mads Brügger’s provocative look at high level international governmental corruption made its world premiere at IDFA last November. Its festival circuit included Sundance, Thessaloniki Doc, New Directors/New Films, and Karlovy Vary, among others, before coming to VOD and theatres.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres this Friday, October 12: ETHEL
Rory Kennedy brought Sundance audiences the world premiere of her intimate biography of her mother earlier this year. It’s gone on to screen at San Francisco, RiverRun, Sarasota, Nantucket, Provincetown, Deauville, and Ashland, where it picked up an audience award.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
The New Orleans Film Festival presents its 23rd edition beginning this Thursday, October 11 and running for the next eight days. The event is clearly on the rise, witnessing a dramatic increase in submissions, and drawing higher profile films, industry attendance, and sponsors. I’ve only attended once, bringing THE CANAL STREET MADAM there for a hometown screening in 2010, but I echo MovieMaker Magazine in recommending NOFF as a “festival worth the entry fee” for its fantastic staff and amazing setting. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
With the tagline “fiercely independent,” the Woodstock Film Festival annually draws from the countercultural spirit and storied musical and artistic history of Woodstock and the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York to present a cross-section of over one hundred films for local area residents and city dwellers looking for a getaway. This year’s event, which begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday, October 14, marks its 13th edition. Close to 60 feature length films will screen, as well as scores of shorts, panels, musical performances, and other special events.
Twenty-five feature docs are part of the lineup, including both the opening film, DEAR GOVERNOR CUOMO…, Jon Bowermaster’s documentation of a musical event/demonstration by New Yorkers against hydrofracking that took place this past May; and the closing night film, CASTING BY (pictured), Tom Donahue’s appreciation and exploration of the craft of the casting director.
Among the festival’s world premieres are a number of docs, including Marco Antonio Orsini’s DINNER AT THE NO-GOS (pictured), detailing what happens when the director and his Muslim producer host dinner parties to talk politics and religion in a number of countries on the US State Department’s Travel Advisory List; Barbara Kopple’s FIGHT TO LIVE, an exploration of the FDA’s drug approval process and the efforts of some to acquire non-FDA approved drugs to manage their incurable conditions; Dan Habib’s WHO CARES ABOUT KELSEY, following a troubled teen as she struggles to graduate from high school; and Rasmus Dinesen’s THE WORLD’S FINEST CHEF, a look at the preparation a renowned chef makes for one of the world’s most prestigious cooking competitions.
Other documentaries screening at Woodstock include Jamie Meltzer’s INFORMANT (pictured), a fascinating insider’s perspective on Katrina activist turned federal informant Brandon Darby; Anton Verstakov’s ROLAN MAKES MOVIES, a portrait of a zero-budget amateur filmmaker in Siberia; Walter Matteson’s PRETTY OLD, profiling the annual MS Senior Sweetheart Pageant and a number of its spry contestants; and Francis Hanly’s MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR REVISITED, about the circumstances behind the production and controversial reception of the Beatles’ film.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews
Coming to POV for an encore presentation this Thursday, October 11: IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT
Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman’s investigation into the radical environmental group ELF won the Best Documentary Editing jury prize at its world premiere at Sundance last year. Its extensive festival tour included Traverse City, Nashville, Dallas, Silverdocs, Full Frame, Sheffield, and Hot Docs, and it also was one of the docs shortlisted for the Oscar.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, October 9: SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS
Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace’s look at the end of LCD Soundsystem made its world premiere at Sundance. Its festival circuit took it to Sundance London, SXSW, Ambulante, and Hot Docs, among others, and it played around the country in special one or two night engagements this July.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and VOD this Friday, October 5: ESCAPE FIRE: THE FIGHT TO RESCUE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE
Matthew Heineman and Susan Froemke’s look at the broken US healthcare system premiered at Sundance at the beginning of the year. Its festival run has included Full Frame, Newport Beach, and Silverdocs, where it’s claimed awards.
I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, October 9: THE IMPOSTER
Bart Layton’s gripping exploration of an audacious teen impersonator premiered at Sundance. It went on to screen at Seattle, BAMcinemafest, Edinburgh, and Miami, and has become one of the highest grossing docs in the history of the UK.
My pre-Sundance profile may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival is bigger than usual, drawing audiences to the storied Long Island townships that are home to some of the wealthiest people in the country. Among these are members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, which the festival has capitalized on – among its many offerings one can usually find some of the eventual frontrunners for the Oscars, viewed by Academy members at the five-day event, which begins this Thursday and runs through next Monday, October 8. Sadly, my schedule prevents me from attending this year, but I wanted to point out some of the highlights below. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres this Friday, October 5: THE HOUSE I LIVE IN
Eugene Jarecki’s look at the failure of the war on drugs had its world premiere at Sundance this year, where it claimed a grand jury prize. Since then it has screened at Los Angeles, Melbourne, among others, and begins a theatrical rollout this weekend that continues into next month.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
what (not) to doc 