Category Archives: Film Festivals

The International Documentary Association’s 16th annual DocuWeeks begins this Friday, August 3 in NYC and next Friday, August 10 in Los Angeles. The event has served to qualify over 200 films for Academy Award consideration since its inception, and while recent rule changes by the Academy to feature documentary qualification have thrown some wrinkles into the process – for one thing, features must be reviewed by either the New York Times or the Los Angeles Times – the bicoastal showcase continues. It should be noted that since the LA Times has indicated their intent to review all of the features screening through DocuWeeks, the event retains its Oscar-qualifying aspect.

I’m planning to post a roundup on some of the selections later this month. Among the titles I haven’t yet seen but am hoping to are four that focus on women and girls: Mai Iskander’s WORDS OF WITNESS (pictured), a profile of a young Egyptian journalist and her political awakening; Eugene Martin’s THE ANDERSON MONARCHS, about an African-American girls soccer club team; Nicole Karsin’s WE WOMEN WARRIORS, a focus on the nonviolent resistance led by Colombian indigenous women to combat drug trade violence; and Thomas Riedelsheimer’s GARDEN IN THE SEA, following a Spanish artist as she creates an underwater environmentally-friendly sculpture.

Additional films I’d like to catch include Jane Weiner’s RICKY ON LEACOCK (pictured), a four-decades-in-the-making appreciation of the non-fiction filmmaking legend; Doug Blush and Lisa Klein’s OF TWO MINDS, an exploration of bipolar disorder; and Danielle Gardner’s OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY, a chronicle of what happened to Cantor Fitzgerald after the World Trade Center attacks.

Beginning this Friday July 27 and running through the end of the month, NewFest: The New York LGBT Film Festival returns for its 24th edition. It’s a bit of a different year for the event which I ran from 1996-2008 – a significantly leaner affair, with fewer days and significantly fewer films than usual, but, notably, the first in partnership with the just wrapped Outfest in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, the two orgs announced a strategic partnership that promises to revitalize the East Coast LGBT fest – expect bigger changes for next year’s big 25th anniversary.

This year’s event is more of a curated showcase, presenting just 19 feature length films and two programs of shorts, and providing continuity between NewFest-past and NewFest-future. Last year, the fest left its traditional early June berth for the end of July, and picked up the Film Society of Lincoln Center as a venue for its gala screenings. This year, the relationship with the Film Society expands, with the venerable spot hosting all but one of the screenings.

With a more limited line-up, there’s only room for five doc features. These include Sundance alums ABOUT FACE: SUPERMODELS THEN AND NOW (pictured), Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ interviews about beauty and aging; and special jury winner LOVE FREE OR DIE, Macky Alston’s portrait of gay bishop Gene Robinson.

The remaining docs include Kieran Turner’s JOBRIATH AD, about the influential gay glam rock performer who never managed to achieve stardom; Michiel van Erp’s I AM A WOMAN NOW (pictured), a smart portrait of five older transwomen, and the winner of an award at Outfest; and Andrea Esteban’s BORN NAKED (MLB), a multi-city profile of young lesbian and trans artists and organizers in Europe.