Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the Margaret Mead Film Festival has the distinction of being the longest-running doc festival in the US. Named for the noted cultural anthropologist, who died two years after the festival’s founding in commemoration of her 75th birthday, and hosted by the American Museum of Natural History where Mead worked, the festival is acclaimed as a showcase for international ethnographic and experimental non-fiction. This year’s event, which runs November 10-13, includes 25 feature length works, and more than a dozen shorts, panels, and other special presentations. Continue reading
Category Archives: Film Festivals
Margaret Mead 2011 Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: MAGIC TRIP
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 1: MAGIC TRIP
Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood’s doc on Ken Kesey’s LSD-fueled cross country bus trip doc premiered this year at Sundance. Magnolia brought the film out in theatres and on VOD this summer after additional festival appearances.
My pre-Sundance profile may be found
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: THE LAST MOUNTAIN
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, November 1: THE LAST MOUNTAIN
Bill Haney’s enraging exploration of the destructive impact of mountaintop coal removal in Appalachia had its world premiere back in January at Sundance. It had a limited theatrical run this past Summer.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
DOC NYC 2011 Overview
After a successful inaugural event last year, Thom Powers and Raphaela Neihausen’s DOC NYC returns for 2011 with additional days and an expanded line-up which includes over 50 feature-length documentaries. Running November 2-10, the festival pulls from Powers’ Toronto line-up (where he serves as documentary programmer) while also presenting a number of US and international films to make their NYC debut. Taking a section-by-section look at this year’s events, here are the titles I’m most interested in trying to see: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: HOT COFFEE
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, November 1: HOT COFFEE
Attorney-turned-filmmaker Susan Saladoff brought her scathing exposé on how Americans have been misled into weakening their own ability to wage civil lawsuits to Sundance for its world premiere. It was picked up by HBO for broadcast this past Summer.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
Hamptons 2011: Docs in Brief
The Hamptons International Film Festival wrapped up its 19th edition yesterday, with awards announced at a ceremony the previous evening. Because of scheduling issues, it had been quite a few years since I’d been able to attend the festival, but I was happy to make it this year for a couple of nights. The fest has an easy-going feel while still remaining true to its upscale setting, especially with regard to its party locations. Even if the weather in October doesn’t match that of the summer season, just being in East Hampton feels like a welcome getaway from the city. While in town, I managed to see most of the docs I had hoped to, though I sadly had to leave PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY early to catch the jitney back into the city – for that reason, I’ll hold off writing about it until I see the epilogue. That said, my thoughts on seven other films: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
On Cable: MISS REPRESENTATION
Premiering on OWN as part of Oprah’s Documentary Club this Thursday, October 20: MISS REPRESENTATION
Jennifer Siebel Newsom tackles media objectification of women in her documentary debut, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance and has gone on to a healthy festival run since. After an Oscar-qualifying run this summer via DocuWeeks, the film makes its cable bow with the endorsement of the queen of media, Oprah.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Support the OWN Documentary Club by tuning in Thursday at 9pm!
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
In Theatres: BEING ELMO
Coming to theatres this Friday, October 21: BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY
Constance Marks brought her portrait of the man behind Elmo to Sundance for its world premiere, picking up a Special Jury Prize in the process. Additional awards have followed at other fests since then.
My pre-Sundance profile may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On Cable: SING YOUR SONG
Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, October 17: SING YOUR SONG
Susanne Rostock’s biography on performer/activist Harry Belafonte premiered at the beginning of the year at Sundance. Since then, it has screened at numerous additional festivals, and makes its cable premiere with HBO.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 18: BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Michael Rapaport brought his documentary directorial debut to Sundance for its world premiere. It was released theatrically this summer by Sony Pictures Classics.
I profiled the film before Sundance
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
