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
Category Archives: Film Festivals
Seattle International Film Festival 2012: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE
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
Hot Docs 2012 in Brief, Part Three: World Showcase & Rise Against
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
In Theatres: UNDER AFRICAN SKIES
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
Hot Docs 2012 in Brief, Part Two: International Spectrum, Special Presentations & Nightvision
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
On DVD: MY PERESTROIKA
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, May 15: MY PERESTROIKA
Robin Hessman’s look at last generation of Soviet Russians made its premiere at Sundance in 2010. It has screened extensively at festivals all around the world since, including New Directors/New Films, Full Frame, Hot Docs, Doha tribeca, Pusan, Camden, RIDM, Sheffield, and Rotterdam. The film screened on POV and also enjoyed a limited theatrical release last year.
I wrote about the film before its release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Hot Docs 2012 in Brief, Part One: Canadian Spectrum & Next
Though I had a shorter visit in Toronto for Hot Docs than I usually do, and had to balance covering the Forum with fulfilling my duties as a juror for the Canadian Spectrum, I managed to find enough time to watch quite a lot of films – enough to warrant at least three separate posts. Today’s will cover a selection of films from my competition section as well as a few from the music- and art-focused Next section. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
On DVD: WE WERE HERE
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, May 15: WE WERE HERE
David Weissman’s moving look at the early days of AIDS in San Francisco made its world premiere at Sundance last year. Well received on the festival circuit, it enjoyed a theatrical release and made Oscar’s documentary shortlist.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Hot Docs Forum 2012 in Brief
A major non-public side of Hot Docs is the accompanying Hot Docs Forum, a gathering of international commissioning editors and funders, and the filmmakers who are eager to get their support. My article about the best pitches presented at this year’s event is up at Indiewire here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
Tribeca 2012: Docs in Brief, Part Three
This post wraps up my coverage of Tribeca documentaries, covering a number of titles from the festival’s Spotlight and Viewpoints sections. Combined with the previous roundups, and films covered at other festivals, I managed to write about thirty-one of the thirty-nine feature docs in this year’s lineup. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
