Category Archives: Film Festivals

December 31, 2019 · 12:46 PM

2019 Top Ten

As 2019 comes to a close, I’ve compiled below my list of top titles for the year.

I’ve restricted my list exclusively to nonfiction as usual, in contrast to virtually every other best of the year list out there which generally ignores documentary filmmaking. My selections are also limited to official releases in 2019.

Below are pointers to what I’ve written about my top ten feature nonfiction of 2019 on what (not) to doc previously. These are unranked and in alphabetical order, followed by a list of additional notable film and episodic titles.

Top Ten:

AMERICAN FACTORY

APOLLO 11

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

FOR SAMA

HAIL SATAN?

HONEYLAND

LOS REYES

MAIDEN

MIDNIGHT FAMILY

ONE CHILD NATION

+ Ten More:

17 BLOCKS

AMÉRICA

COLLEGE BEHIND BARS

COMMUNION

FOR THE BIRDS

JAY MYSELF

THE RAFT

SEA OF SHADOWS

WALKING ON WATER

WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

December 31, 2019 · 12:01 PM

2020 Sundance Docs in Focus: BE WATER

BE WATER | Courtesy of Sundance Institute

BE WATER
Bao Nguyen details the brief but impactful career of legendary actor Bruce Lee.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

December 30, 2019 · 12:01 PM

2020 Sundance Docs in Focus

The 36th Sundance Film Festival takes place next month, running January 23-February 2, with a lineup consisting of 130 features, 74 shorts, 12 episodics, and 28 exhibitions, performances, and VR experiences.

Once again, as I’ve done since 2011’s festival, I’ll profile each of the nearly 60 feature and long-form episodic documentaries in advance of the festival, beginning tomorrow.

Please note: These are not reviews. As a Documentary Programming Associate for Sundance, I recommend every film in the 2020 lineup. These profiles instead provide background about the teams behind this year’s docs in anticipation of the festival and the films’ later release. For a sample, check out last year’s series, which began here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

December 27, 2019 · 12:01 PM

On TV: MIDNIGHT TRAVELER

Coming to PBS’s POV this coming Monday, December 30:
MIDNIGHT TRAVELER

Director:
Hassan Fazili

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
Berlin, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Docaviv, DocumentaMadrid, DOXA, Sheffield, Thessaloniki, True/False, Doc Edge, RiverRun, Seattle, Montclair, Biografilm, San Francisco, Salem, Sydney

About:
The filmmaker, his wife, and their two daughters face an uncertain road to asylum when they are forced to flee Afghanistan.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

December 18, 2019 · 5:19 PM

Sundance 2020: Additional Feature Programming Announced

This post is a pointer to the fourth lineup announcement for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Additional selections in the Documentary Premieres and From the Collection sections have just been announced and may be found here.

Previous lineup announcements include the US and World Cinema Documentary and Dramatic Competitions, NEXT, Documentary Premieres, Premieres, Midnight, Spotlight, and Kids sections, as well as the Indie Episodic, Special Events, and Shorts lineups, and New Frontier.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations, Sundance

December 17, 2019 · 12:01 PM

On DVD: WHERE’S MY ROY COHN?

photo by Ap/REX/Shutterstock

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, December 17:
WHERE’S MY ROY COHN?

Director:
Matt Tyrnauer

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
Zurich, Atlantic, New Zealand

About:
An exploration of the dark influence of Machiavellian attorney Roy Cohn on today’s polarized political landscape.

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

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

December 16, 2019 · 6:15 PM

92nd Oscars: Best Documentary Shortlist Announced

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced the Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short Subject shortlists today. In addition, one documentary feature is included on the International Feature Film shortlist. Congratulations to all the filmmakers – especially the Sundance, DOC NYC, and Nantucket Film Festival alumni represented.

The official lists are below, with links to my previous coverage, where applicable. The final nominees will be announced on January 13.

Documentary Feature:

ADVOCATE

AMERICAN FACTORY

THE APOLLO

APOLLO 11

AQUARELA

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

THE CAVE

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY

FOR SAMA

THE GREAT HACK

HONEYLAND

KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE

MAIDEN

MIDNIGHT FAMILY

ONE CHILD NATION

Documentary Short Subject:
After Maria
Fire in Paradise
Ghosts of Sugar Land
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
The Nightcrawlers
St. Louis Superman
Stay Close
Walk Run Cha-Cha

International Feature Film

North Macedonia, HONEYLAND

Czech Republic, THE PAINTED BIRD
Estonia, TRUTH AND JUSTICE
France, LES MISERABLES
Hungary, THOSE WHO REMAINED
North Macedonia, HONEYLAND
Poland, CORPUS CHRISTI
Russia, BEANPOLE
Senegal, ATLANTICS
South Korea, PARASITE
Spain, PAIN AND GLORY

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

December 12, 2019 · 4:01 PM

Sundance 2020: New Frontier Announced

This post is a pointer to the third lineup announcement for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. This year’s selections in the New Frontier section may be found here.

Already announced are the films in the US and World Cinema Documentary and Dramatic Competitions, NEXT, Documentary Premieres, Premieres, Midnight, Spotlight, and Kids sections, as well as the Indie Episodic, Special Events, and Shorts lineups.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations, Sundance

December 10, 2019 · 4:01 PM

Sundance 2020: Indie Episodic, Special Events, & Shorts Announced

This post is a pointer to the second lineup announcement for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, revealing Indie Episodic, Special Events, and Shorts programming, which may be found here.

Earlier lineup announcements include the US and World Cinema Documentary and Dramatic Competitions, NEXT, Documentary Premieres, Premieres, Midnight, Spotlight, and Kids sections.

Still to come is information on the New Frontier section.