Category Archives: Film Festivals

August 13, 2019 · 12:01 PM

On VOD: HALSTON

photo by Berry Berenson Perkins

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, August 13:
HALSTON

Director:
Frédéric Tcheng

Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Tribeca, Seattle, Montclair, Sarasota

About:
An exploration of the life and legacy of America’s first celebrity designer.

My pre-Sundance doc profile may be found here.

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August 12, 2019 · 12:01 PM

New York Latino 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 16th New York Latino Film Festival

Dates:
August 12-18

About:
Seven docs screen among more than 20 new features in this event highlighting the work of Latinx filmmakers and talent.

RAUL JULIA: THE WORLD’S A STAGE

These titles include Sundance award-winning hybrid THE INFILTRATORS, Alex Rivera and Cristina Ibarra’s story of undocumented youth intentionally seeking detention by Border Patrol; Chelsea Hernandez’s SXSW-debuting BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM, an exposé of dangerous practices and abuses of immigrant labor in construction; Ben DeJesus’ RAUL JULIA: THE WORLD’S A STAGE, an upcoming American Masters/Voces profile of the acclaimed actor; Pat McGee’s THE DEPORTED, which explores individuals caught up in deportation proceedings; Michael Dominic’s CLEAN HANDS, a longitudinal portrait of a Nicaraguan family living in extreme poverty; HBO Latino’s FARRUKO: EN LETRA DE OTRO, a concert doc on the Emmy-winning reggaeton performer; and Maceo Frost’s TOO BEAUTIFUL: OUR RIGHT TO FIGHT, about a female boxer in Cuba, where women are banned from the sport.

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August 9, 2019 · 1:31 PM

In Theatres: LOVE, ANTOSHA

Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 9:
LOVE, ANTOSHA

Director:
Garret Price

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
Biografilm, Newport Beach, Kansas City, IFF Boston, SF Jewish

About:
A heartfelt portrait of the late Anton Yelchin.

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

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August 8, 2019 · 12:01 PM

In Theatres: ONE CHILD NATION

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, August 9:
ONE CHILD NATION

Directors:
Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, True/False, Tribeca, Hot Docs, CPH:DOX, Sheffield, Full Frame, AFI Docs, DOXA, San Francisco, Seattle, Doc10, Docville, Florida, Sarasota, Sydney, New Zealand, Montclair, Biografilm, Human Rights Watch

About:
An expose of the unseen consequences of China’s one-child policy.

I profiled the film before Sundance here.

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August 6, 2019 · 3:02 PM

Locarno 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 72nd Locarno Film Festival

Dates:
August 7-17

About:
This long-running Swiss A-list fest presents 30 documentaries among its line-up of approximately 90 new and recent features. Continue reading →

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August 6, 2019 · 1:31 PM

On DVD: HALSTON

photo by Berry Berenson Perkins

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, August 6:
HALSTON

Director:
Frédéric Tcheng

Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Tribeca, Seattle, Montclair, Sarasota

About:
An exploration of the life and legacy of America’s first celebrity designer.

My pre-Sundance doc profile may be found here.

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

August 2, 2019 · 12:01 PM

DokuFest 2019 Overview

Festival:
The 18th DokuFest

Dates:
August 2-10

About:
Prizren, Kosovo hosts this respected nonfiction event, which annually showcases approximately 85 recent features in addition to several tributes and retrospectives.

CENTAR

As in the past, the fest curates a strong selection of international work that has debuted at other notable events, and also includes a number of projects highlighting nonfiction from the Balkans. Amng the latter is such work as: From Turkey, Rûken Tekeş’ AETHER, an exploration of an ancient conservation area abut to be submerged by a dam project, and Burak Çevik’s BELONGING, which looks back at a 15 year old murder case, and Aylin Kuryel’s HEADS AND TAILS, about the connection between Turkish hair providers and Israeli wig makers for Orthodox Jewish women; from Serbia and Germany, Ivan Marković’s CENTAR, an observational look at a building through its maintenance workers; from Greece, Ireland, and the United States, Paul Duane’s WHILE YOU LIVE, SHINE, about an American musicologist obsessed with the folk music of a Greek mountain region; from Romania, Nora Agapi’s TIMEBOX, in which the filmmaker’s portrait of her documentarian father goes in unanticipated directions; and, from Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia, Želimir Žilnik’s THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, which follows migrants navigating Austria’s bureaucracy to gain residence.

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July 31, 2019 · 12:01 PM

Melbourne 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 68th Melbourne International Film Festival

Dates:
August 1-4

About:
Nearly 80 feature documentaries screen at this long-running Australian festival.

IRON FISTS AND KUNG FU KICKS

As in the past, the majority of nonfiction appearing in the fest has previously debuted, but there are several Australian films making their world premiere: Daniel Gordon’s THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM, which explores the controversy around race and Australian soccer champion Adam Goodes; Serge Ou’s IRON FISTS AND KUNG FU KICKS, a look at the popularity of martial arts films; Justin Krook’s MACHINE, which considers the growing influence of technology and AI in our lives; Hylton Shaw and Samantha Dinning’s NO TIME FOR QUIET, on a rock camp for girls and gender-fluid youth; Liam Firmager’s SUZI Q, about the pioneering female rock musician; and Isabel Peppard and Josie Hess’ MORGANA, about a housewife-turned-feminist pornographer.

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July 29, 2019 · 1:31 PM

Blackstar 2019: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 8th Blackstar Film Festival

Dates:
August 1-4

About:
This acclaimed Philadelphia event, focused on work by people of the African diaspora and other communities of color, presents 22 features this year, 14 of those nonfiction. Continue reading →

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July 29, 2019 · 12:01 PM

On TV: INVENTING TOMORROW

Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, July 29:
INVENTING TOMORROW

Director:
Laura Nix

Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, CPH:DOX, Seattle, Sydney, Melbourne, San Francisco, Full Frame, AFI Docs, Woods Hole, Greenwich, Montclair, Dokufest

About:
A profile of several international students pursuing answers to environmental issues in their science fair projects.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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