The fourth edition of BAMcinemaFEST begins next Wednesday, June 20 and runs through Sunday, July 1. An outgrowth of Sundance at BAM, a popular program that brought highlights from the premier American independent festival to Brooklyn in the Summer, the BAM Rose Cinemas expanded their focus to offer a showcase of films largely handpicked from other major festivals like Cannes, SXSW, and Berlin, in addition to other special programming. The result is a smartly curated program that is almost guaranteed to include only the best recent filmmaking currently on the circuit. Continue reading
Category Archives: Film Festivals
BAMcinemaFest 2012: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Silverdocs 2012 Overview
The 10th anniversary edition of Silverdocs begins next Monday, June 18 and runs through Sunday, June 24 just outside of Washington DC in Silver Spring MD. In addition to screenings of over one hundred feature and short documentaries, the festival holds a corresponding Conference presenting over 35 panels and workshops, as well as networking opportunities, for attending filmmakers and industry representatives. I’m serving as one of the guest curators for the Conference for a second year – the five panels I’ve organized are noted below – in addition to serving on the festival’s shorts jury and covering the event for Indiewire, so I’m looking forward to attending again. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Frameline 2012: Documentary Overview
The oldest LGBT film festival in the world, Frameline, begins its 36th edition tomorrow, June 14 and runs through the end of San Francisco’s gay pride, Sunday, June 24. Affectionately described by many attendees as “the Cannes of gay film festivals,” Frameline’s annual presentation of the newest US and international queer work essentially takes over San Francisco, drawing locals as well as filmmakers, fans, and industry from all over the world. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews
Los Angeles Film Festival 2012: Documentary Overview
Beginning this Thursday, June 14 and running through Sunday, June 24, the Los Angeles Film Festival is expected to reach more than 92,000 attendees in the heart of the film industry. A program of Film Independent, LAFF showcases independent film while also serving as a popular launching pad for high-profile studio productions. I’ve never had the opportunity to attend the event but always look forward to checking out their lineup. Among the more than 70 feature-length films screening during the fest’s 18th edition are 25 documentaries, presented in a juried competition section as well as a few other strands. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2012: Documentary Overview
The New York edition of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival returns to the Film Society of Lincoln Center for its 23rd year this Thursday, June 14 and runs through Thursday, June 28. Sixteen films will expose audiences to pressing human rights issues around the world, providing audiences with an opportunity to engage with important issues through personal stories. Thirteen of the selections are documentary features, with programming focused around five key themes: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP
Coming to theatres this Friday, June 15: SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP
Ice-T (with co-director Andy Baybutt)’s exploration of hip hop creativity made its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance. Indomina picked up the doc out of the festival for a release this Summer.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On VOD: INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE
Coming to VOD next Tuesday, June 12: INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE
Lisanne Pajot and James Swirksy had the world premiere of their doc on independent video game creators at Sundance, claiming a jury award. Their festival circuit has included SXSW and Hot Docs, among others. Following on the heels of a theatrical release the past couple of months, they are making the film available worldwide via iTunes, Steam, and their website.
I wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Special Panel: Brooklyn Film Festival Exchange
If you’re based in the NYC area or planning on being in town this Saturday, June 9 at Noon, I’m taking part in a new initiative for the Brooklyn Film Festival. The BFF Exchange presents free panels and networking events to bring together filmmakers and industry representatives.
I’m one of the panelists for the Documentary Pitch Session, in which four groups of filmmakers will present footage and a brief pitch for their works-in-progress. Representatives from POV, Chicken and Egg Pictures, and more will provide constructive feedback.
Later in the afternoon, BFF Exchange hosts a panel on distribution, featuring representatives from Zeitgeist Films, SnagFilms, and FilmBuff. A happy hour brings the event to a close after a presentation by Funave. All events take place at Williamsburg’s indieScreen – for more info click on the link in the first paragraph.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations
In Theatres: MARINA ABRAMOVIC THE ARTIST IS PRESENT
Coming to NYC’s Film Forum for a two-week run beginning next Wednesday, June 13: MARINA ABRAMOVIC THE ARTIST IS PRESENT
Matthew Akers’ portrait of the famed performance artist had its world premiere in competition at Sundance, where Abramovic famously hosted a silent party. It went on to win an audience award the next month at the Berlinale.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2012 Overview
One of the summer’s most anticipated documentary events, Sheffield Doc/Fest, opens in less than a week, running June 13-17. I was hoping to be able to make it there for the first time this year, but it sadly hasn’t worked out.
Last year saw the fest’s first edition in its new June berth, just seven months after its last edition was held the previous Fall. With a whole year to plan 2012’s edition, Festival Director Heather Croall, Programmer Hussain Currimbhoy, and the rest of their team have assembled a wide-ranging lineup of more than eighty documentary features, including nearly a dozen world premieres. Taking a look at a number of the fest’s different programming strands, here are some highlights (omitting titles I’ve previously written about out of other festivals): Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews
what (not) to doc 