Now screening at NYC’s Quad Cinema as part of the African Diaspora International Film Festival: AN AFRICAN ELECTION
Director Jarreth Merz and co-director Kevin Merz’s engaging behind-the-scenes view of Ghana’s 2008 presidential election premiered at IDFA and came stateside for Sundance at the beginning of the year. Since then it won at the Atlanta Film Festival and at Visions Du Reel.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD next Friday, December 9: WE WERE HERE
David Weissman and Bill Weber premiered this look at San Francisco’s early response to AIDS at Sundance at the beginning of the year. The film is on the shortlist for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film is here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Here’s pointer #2 to an additional lineup announcement for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Up today, the first of two releases on non-competition sections of the festival, including NEXT, Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, and New Frontier, found here.
The remaining non-competition sections (Premieres and Documentary Premieres) will be unveiled on Monday, while Shorts will be announced on Tuesday.
If you missed yesterday’s announcement, US and World Cinema Documentary and Dramatic Competitions, click here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Sundance
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, December 6: BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD
Liz Garbus premiered her biography of the chess wunderkind at this year’s Sundance. After screening at numerous additional festivals, it was broadcast on HBO this summer.
I profiled the film pre-Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Just a quick pointer to the initial lineup announcement for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The US and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions are here. Check back tomorrow for part one of the non-Competition lineups (NEXT, Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, and New Frontier), Monday for part two (Premieres and Documentary Premieres), and Tuesday for Shorts.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Sundance
Yesterday’s IDFA round-up looked at selected titles from the First Appearance competition for which I was a juror. Today’s wraps up my brief thoughts on films from other competitions, as well as a handful of films from the festival’s non-competing “Reflecting Images” sections. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens tomorrow, Thursday, December 1: ART & COPY
Doug Pray’s look at advertising and its influence had its world premiere in competition at Sundance in 2009. The film went on to screen extensively at other fests, picking up awards at Atlanta and Newport Beach, as well as an Emmy for Outstanding Arts & Culture programming.
The director of acclaimed festival favorites like SURFWISE and SCRATCH turns his attention to the world of advertising, examining the intersection of creativity, commerce, and culture. His film explores the origins of some of the most famous advertising campaigns in the US and how they left an impression on modern culture – from Reagan’s “It’s morning in America” ads to Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. Beyond running down these and other memorable sales pitches, the film is especially captivating in relating the seismic shift that took place within the industry in the mid-1960s when art directors began to collaborate directly with copywriters, which had never been done before. Interviewing real world Mad Men (and Mad Women), Pray brings to life the story of how the profession moved from the mediocre to became a dynamic, exciting, and creative endeavor – albeit one that hinges on the ethically questionable practice of persuading people they absolutely need to have what’s being pitched to them.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
The 24th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam wrapped up this past weekend, announcing awards on Friday. I was fortunate to have a chance to view the winners of the Best Feature-Length (PLANET OF SNAIL) and Best Mid-Length (MONTENEGRO) competitions, and served on the jury for First Appearance (THE VANISHING SPRING LIGHT) (pictured). Jury responsibilities meant that I wasn’t able to catch a number of films in other categories, including winners 5 BROKEN CAMERAS, 900 DAYS, THE BETRAYAL, THE LAST DAYS OF WINTER, and BITTER SEEDS. Beyond these, I would have liked to have seen PUTIN’S KISS and BAD WEATHER in the Feature-Length competition, JEROME JEROME and MEET THE FOKKENS in the Dutch competition, and DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL and THE WILL in Reflecting Images: Panorama – but I’m certain that most of these will be making the festival rounds. This post offers my thoughts on some of the films in my competition, while a follow up tomorrow will include a selection of films from other competitions that I did manage to view. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 29: BECOMING CHAZ
The prolific Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s in-depth portrait of Chastity Bono’s FTM transition to Chaz Bono premiered at Sundance this year. It became the first film in Oprah’s Documentary Club this past May.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
My Indiewire article on IDFA’s international co-production financing market, the FORUM, is now up here. Beyond spotlighting some notable new projects, it hopefully offers some useful information to filmmakers about the qualities of an effective and engaging pitch.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
what (not) to doc 