Category Archives: Film Festivals

On VOD: SHUT UP LITTLE MAN!

Coming to Tribeca Films On Demand next Thursday, August 25: SHUT UP LITTLE MAN! AN AUDIO MISADVENTURE

Matthew Bate premiered his investigation into a bizarre pre-Internet viral phenomenon at this year’s Sundance, and went on to twenty additional fests, including True/False, New Directors/New Films, Seattle, Sheffield, Frameline, and Outfest. Tribeca Film is releasing the film on demand now, with simultaneous theatrical engagements in San Francisco and Berkeley, expanding out to NY, LA, and elsewhere in September.

My pre-Sundance profile may be found here.

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In Theatres: BEING ELMO

Coming to theatres (as part of the International Documentary Association’s Oscar-qualifying DocuWeeks) this Friday, August 19 (NYC’s IFC Center) and on Friday, September 2 (LA’s Laemmle Sunset 5): BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY

Constance Marks’ portrait of the man who brings everyone’s favorite Muppet to life debuted at Sundance this year, where it claimed a Special Jury Prize. It has transformed audiences back into five-year-olds at notable festivals since, including SXSW, Full Frame, Silverdocs, Dallas, Hot Docs, Nantucket, and Traverse City, picking up additional awards at the latter two.

I wrote about the doc before its world premiere here.

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In Theatres: HELL AND BACK AGAIN

Coming to theatres (as part of the International Documentary Association’s Oscar-qualifying DocuWeeks) this Friday, August 19 (NYC’s IFC Center) and on Friday, September 2 (LA’s Laemmle Sunset 5): HELL AND BACK AGAIN

Danfung Dennis’ harrowing documentary feature debut about a soldier’s return home from Afghanistan premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where it claimed both the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Award and the World Cinema Documentary Cinematography Award. Since January, it has screened at notable festivals including Full Frame, Hot Docs, Sheffield, Edinburgh, and Silverdocs.

My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.

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In Theatres: MISS REPRESENTATION

Coming to theatres (as part of the International Documentary Association’s Oscar-qualifying DocuWeeks) this Friday, August 12 (NYC’s IFC Center) and on Friday, August 26 (LA’s Laemmle Sunset 5): MISS REPRESENTATION

Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s look at how women and girls are objectified in mass media launched at Sundance this year and has swept through a number of other festivals in the intervening months, including San Francisco, Atlanta, Silverdocs, and Sonoma, where it won the audience award. The film has been picked up by OWN for Oprah’s Documentary Club.

I profiled the film before its world premiere here.

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In Theatres: SENNA

Coming to theatres next Friday, August 12: SENNA

Asif Kapadia’s doc debut charts the story of Ayrton Senna, the legendary Formula One world champion. It’s North American premiere at this year’s Sundance, where it took home the World Cinema Audience Award, showed that the beautifully constructed film can score with non-racing fans as well as its core sports fan base.

I profiled the doc before its Sundance debut here.

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In Theatres: MAGIC TRIP

Coming to theatres this Friday, August 5: MAGIC TRIP

Last month, Magnolia released Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood’s Ken Kesey LSD doc On Demand. They’re now bringing the Sundance alum to theatres.

I profiled the film before its world premiere

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In Theatres: THE INTERRUPTERS

Coming to NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, July 29: THE INTERRUPTERS

The Oscar-nominated Steve James premiered a longer version of this engrossing and inspirational look at violence prevention at this year’s Sundance before taking it to scores of festivals. It’s taken home jury or audience awards at Full Frame, Sheffield, Miami, Philadelphia, Minneapolis/St Paul, and Little Rock. Its IFC Center run will be followed by a one week run at NYC’s Maysles Cinema beginning August 5 (as part of a special Master Class with Steve James), as well as a two week run in Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center beginning August 12. After that it expands to more than two dozen additional cities.

My pre-Sundance preview of the film can be found here.

Note: Filmmakers and special guests will be in attendance at select screenings for Q&As.

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In Theatres: LIFE IN A DAY

Coming to theatres next Wednesday, July 27: LIFE IN A DAY

Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald artfully combined thousands of hours of YouTube user-generated footage from July 24, 2010 into a remarkable snapshot that premiered simultaneously at Sundance and online this past January. After a number of additional festival engagements, it comes to screens around the US beginning next week.

I profiled the film before Sundance here.

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NewFest 2011: Documentary Overview

The film festival I was involved with/ran from 1996-2008, NewFest: The New York LGBT Film Festival, begins its 23rd edition next Thursday, July 21, having moved from its traditional early June date and set up shop at the Film Society of Lincoln Center for its gala screenings. Having shepherded the festival for so long, it means a great deal to me, so if you’re in NYC between July 21-28, check out its offerings, whether you are LGBT or not. Among its 60 feature-length films – by, about, or of interest to LGBT audiences and their supporters – NewFest includes 28 documentaries.

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Karlovy Vary 2011: Docs in Brief, Part Two

I managed to see six other documentaries (or doc hybrids) during my time at Karlovy Vary, beyond the three I wrote about at the end of last week. Other obligations meant that I wasn’t able to focus on documentaries exclusively, so I missed quite a few that were intriguing or that I heard positive reports about, including ARAB ATTRACTION, DETROIT WILD CITY, RAW MATERIAL, and THE MEXICAN SUITCASE. Those I did see included:

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