Coming to select theatres and to virtual cinemas today, Friday, December 11:
ASSASSINS
Director:
Ryan White
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Zurich, Warsaw, Stockholm, Full Frame, Double Exposure, Hot Docs, Brisbane, Hawai’i
About:
An investigation of the bizarre story behind the brazen assassination of the half-brother of Kim Jong-un.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to Netflix this Friday, December 11:
GIVING VOICE
Director:
James D Stern and Fernando Villena
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
About:
An exploration of the impact of playwright August Wilson through an annual monologue competition for high school students.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 37th Jerusalem Film Festival
Dates:
December 10-20
About:
Rescheduled from its usual Summer dates, this Israeli event goes online and showcases approximately 70 new features, with documentaries making up a third of the lineup.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Festival:
The 49th New Directors/New Films
Dates:
December 9-20
About:
This notable series co-curated by the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, rescheduled from its usual Spring dates and now online, offers six works of nonfiction among its 27 feature film lineup.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to select theatres and to VOD today, November 20:
COLLECTIVE
Director:
Alexander Nanau
World Premiere:
Venice 2019
Select Festivals:
Sundance, DOC NYC, Toronto, IDFA, Zurich, Goteborg, Thessaloniki Doc, Docaviv, Docs Against Gravity, Docville, Moscow, Hamptons, Montclair
About:
An investigation reveals disturbing corruption in Romanian state agencies following a fatal nightclub fire in Bucharest.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD via Shudder today, Thursday, November 19:
LEAP OF FAITH: WILLIAM FRIEDKIN ON THE EXORCIST
Director:
Alexandre O Philippe
World Premiere:
Venice 2019
Select Festivals:
Sundance, London, Sitges, Docs Against Gravity
About:
A dissection of the 1973 horror classic through an extensive conversation with its director.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 33rd IDFA
Dates:
November 18-December 6
About:
Yesterday’s post covered the Dutch event’s competitive sections, while today’s looks at non-competitive programming strands.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 17:
AGGIE
Director:
Catherine Gund
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, MoMA Documentary Fortnight, Cleveland, San Francisco, Ashland, Salem
About:
The filmmaker profiles her mother, the influential art collector, philanthropist, and social justice advocate, Agnes Gund.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 33rd IDFA
Dates:
November 18-December 6
About:
Approximately 150 new and recent documentary features, plus a wide range of shorts and interactive projects, make up the online lineup of the world’s largest nonfiction event. Today’s post covers a selection of films within the competition sections, while tomorrow’s will spotlight non-competitive strands.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Festival:
The 23rd RIDM
Dates:
November 12-December 2
About:
Montreal’s well-regarded nonfiction event takes a creative approach to presenting its online lineup, highlighting a different collection of thematic sections in each of its three weeks, including a total of approx 50 feature docs – a sampling noted below.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
what (not) to doc 