Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens this Thursday, June 7: WE WERE HERE
David Weissman’s brought his elegaic yet hopeful look back at AIDS to Sundance for its world premiere last year. After an extensive festival run and a limited theatrical release, the doc made the Oscar shortlist,
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Since 1998, the Brooklyn Film Festival has exposed a wide range of independent film each June and promoted NYC’s most populous borough as a cinema destination. This year’s edition, held today, June 1, through Sunday, June 10, is organized around the theme “Decoy,” encouraging audiences to explore multiple perspectives and meanings in the films in its lineup of features and shorts.
Among the festival’s more than twenty feature-length films are eight documentaries. I’ve seen and can recommend three of these already: Katie Dellamaggiore’s already acclaimed junior-high chess team film, BROOKLYN CASTLE, which I wrote about upon its world premiere at SXSW here; Mareike Wegener’s MARK LOMBARDI – DEATH-DEFYING ACTS OF ART AND CONSPIRACY (pictured), an involving consideration of the late artist whose obsessive work mapped surprising connections between money, power, and geopolitical events; and Sven Zellner’s PRICE OF GOLD, depicting the illegal and dangerous mining of gold by Mongolian nomads.
Two of the offerings present new work by notable Brooklyn filmmakers reflecting on the dramatic changes to their neighborhoods: Su Friedrich’s GUT RENOVATION (pictured), a personal film about the “revitalization” which forced the acclaimed filmmaker out of Williamsburg; and Kelly Anderson’s MY BROOKLYN, an exploration of the unholy union between corporate and political interests that led to the gentrification of Downtown Brooklyn and the Fulton Street Mall.
The final three feature docs also focus on individuals’ relationship to their homes: Dara Kell and Christopher Nizza’s DEAR MANDELA address the South African governments attempts to eliminate shantytowns and the resistance its residents put up to defend their homes; Raul Santos’ THE ROCK (pictured), the story of two communities being forcibly separated by the edict of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco; and Antonio Tibaldi’s [S]COMPARSE, in which a feature film crew disrupts the lives of the inhabitants of a small island between Sicily and Africa.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews
Coming to NYC’s Film Forum for a two-week engagement beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, May 30: 5 BROKEN CAMERAS
Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi’s visceral and personal chronicle of Arab/Israeli relations premiered at IDFA, picking up two awards. It came stateside at Sundance, where it claimed the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award. The doc has played extensively since, including festival appearances at New Directors/New Films, Thessaloniki Documentary, and Hot Docs.
I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD this coming Tuesday, May 29: SING YOUR SONG
Susanne Rostock’s brought the world premiere of her biography of Harry Belafonte to Sundance last year. Notable screenings followed at Berlin, SXSW, and Tribeca, among others. It made its broadcast premiere on HBO this past Fall, and also made the shortlist for Best Documentary Oscar.
I profiled the doc before Sundance
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens next Monday, May 28: HELL AND BACK AGAIN
Danfung Dennis look at a veteran’s harrowing struggle with post-war life made its premiere at Sundance last year, where it won two awards. Additional festival screenings included Full Frame, Hot Docs, Sheffield, Edinburgh, and Silverdocs. After a limited theatrical release, it made the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
The 38th edition of the Seattle International Film Festival – the US’ largest/longest film festival – kicks off this Thursday and runs for 25 days, closing on June 10. Presenting a staggering 273 features and 187 shorts, the festival boasts more than sixty documentary features in its line-up this year. More than half represent some of the best received films from Sundance, SXSW, and other notable fests, while the remaining include new US and international docs making their premiere here, including a number hailing from the Pacific Northwest. While I’ve never made it to the festival before, what follows are the films I’d be most interested in checking out if I were going this year (the intriguing, strictly hush-hush Secret Festival would definitely also be on my list). Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres this Friday, May 18: INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE
Lisanne Pajot and James Swirksy’s exploration of creativity and passion had its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance, where it picked up the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award. Additional festival screenings have included SXSW, RiverRun, and Hot Docs. After opening theatrically in Seattle April 27, the film expands to NYC, LA, SF, and Phoenix this week, with additional international engagements to come.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
This post wraps up my reactions to Hot Docs with a look at select titles from World Showcase and Rise Against, a thematic section looking at activism. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center today Friday, May 11: UNDER AFRICAN SKIES
Joe Berlinger’s look at the controversy around Paul Simon’s GRACELAND had its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance. It’s been on the festival circuit since, winning an award at Nashville.
I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
My thoughts on documentaries at this year’s Hot Docs continues with a look at selections from the International Spectrum, Special Presentations, and Nightvision sections. I was very intrigued by the latter, a new section this year devoted to films that stretch the idea of documentary filmmaking, and was only sorry to have missed what sounded like a really fun title, FINDING TRUELOVE. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
what (not) to doc 