Category Archives: Film Festivals

Special Screening & In Theatres: MIDNIGHT TRAVELER

Coming to NYC’s DCTVscreening series tonight, Monday, September 16 and to theatres this Wednesday, September 18:
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.

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

In Theatres: THE GAME CHANGERS

Coming to theatres via Fathom for a special one-night only event tonight, Monday, September 16 before opening in New York/Los Angeles this Friday, September 20:
THE GAME CHANGERS

Director:
Louie Psihoyos

World Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Berlin, Hot Docs, Thessaloniki Doc, Mountainfilm, Boulder, Washington DC Environmental, EarthxFilm

About:
An exploration of the misconceptions and truths about plant-based diets.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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In Theatres: MOONLIGHT SONATA: DEAFNESS IN THREE MOVEMENTS

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 13:
MOONLIGHT SONATA: DEAFNESS IN THREE MOVEMENTS

Director:
Irene Taylor Brodsky

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, Portland, AFI Docs, Mountainfilm, Martha’s Vineyard, Provincetown

About:
A personal meditation on deafness through the experiences of the filmmaker’s son, her parents, and Beethoven.

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

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Camden 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 15th Camden International Film Festival

Dates:
September 12-15

About:
This well-liked Maine nonfiction event presents more than 30 features, in addition to shorts, new media, and the Points North Forum, which features panels, workshops, masterclasses, industry meetings, and pitch sessions.

NARROWSBURG

While the bulk of the feature lineup consists of a well-curated selection of standout titles that have debuted elsewhere on the circuit over the past year, this year’s edition also presents several world premieres. Among these are: Martha Shane’s NARROWSBURG, an entertaining but cautionary tale about a late 1990s attempt to turn a small upstate New York town into the “Sundance of the East;” Ian Cheney’s THIRTEEN WAYS, which explores the different ways a range of individuals respond to the same patch of land; Michel Negroponte’s MY AUTONOMOUS NEIGHBOR, a collage-like portrait of an eccentric artist and philosopher; Vytautas Puidokas’ EL PADRE MÉDICO, a dark tale of a Lithuanian priest turned Amazon miracle worker; Daniel Vernon’s THE CHANGIN’ TIMES OF IKE WHITE, which explores what happened to a California prisoner who recorded an influential music album in 1974; and Andrea Kalin’s SCATTERING CJ, detailing how a mother’s attempts to deal with the suicide of her son became a viral phenomenon.

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Special Screening: THE GAME CHANGERS

Coming to NYC’s Cinematters series at the JCC Manhattan tomorrow, Tuesday, September 10:
THE GAME CHANGERS

Director:
Louie Psihoyos

World Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Berlin, Hot Docs, Thessaloniki Doc, Mountainfilm, Boulder, Washington DC Environmental, EarthxFilm

About:
An exploration of the misconceptions and truths about plant-based diets.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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

In Theatres: RAISE HELL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS

photo by Robert Bedell

Coming to theatres this Friday, September 6:
RAISE HELL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS

Director:
Janice Engel

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
SXSW, San Francisco, AFi Docs, Seattle, Full Frame, Minneapolis-St Paul, 51 Fest

About:
An appreciation of the late liberal Texas journalist and personality.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Toronto 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival

Dates:
September 5-15

About:
Once again, approximately 40 new works of nonfiction appear out of the nearly 250 features on offer at this powerhouse North American event. Continue reading

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On VOD: UNTOUCHABLE (2019)

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | Barbara Alper/Getty Images

Coming to Hulu this coming Monday, September 2:
UNTOUCHABLE

Director:
Ursula Macfarlane

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
51 Fest, Melbourne, Sydney. Traverse City, Sheffield, Seoul Women’s

About:
A candid, insider’s look at Harvey Weinstein’s alleged history of abuse.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Telluride 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 46th Telluride Film Festival

Dates:
August 30-September 2

About:
This year’s festival unspools 18 documentaries among its 39 offerings of new features. Continue reading

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Venice 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 76th Venice International Film Festival

Dates:
August 28-September 7

About:
Between its official selection and two autonomous sidebars, the world’s oldest film festival showcases just over 30 documentaries among its 100+ offerings. Continue reading

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