Category Archives: Sundance

On DVD/VOD: PAYBACK

Coming to DVD and VOD this Tuesday, August 21: PAYBACK

Jennifer Baichwal’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s essay on the concept of debt made its premiere at Sundance this year. It has also screened at Newport Beach, Traverse City, Nashville, and Seattle, among other festivals.

My pre-Sundance profile may be found here.

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

Special Screening: 5 BROKEN CAMERAS

Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films for a free screening next Tuesday, August 14: 5 BROKEN CAMERAS

Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi’s document of nonviolent opposition against the Israeli army had its world premiere at last year’s IDFA, where it won two awards. Another award came from its North American debut at Sundance this year, which launched the doc to further exposure on the festival circuit, including New Directors/New Films, Thessaloniki Documentary, and Hot Docs, among others, as well as a limited theatrical release.

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

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Special Screening: DETROPIA

Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Saturday, August 11: DETROPIA

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s lyrical view of Detroit made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year, where editor Enat Sidi picked up the jury award for best documentary editing. The film has gone on to screen at True/False, Cleveland, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, BAMcinemaFest and Traverse City, among others, as the filmmakers gear up for a DIY theatrical release starting next month.

I wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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In Theatres: THE GREEN WAVE

Coming to NYC’s Cinema Village this Friday, August 10: THE GREEN WAVE

Ali Samadi Ahadi’s exploration of Iran’s 2009 Green Revolution made its world premiere at Hamburg in 2010. Additional festival exposure included IDFA, Sundance, San Francisco, Planete Doc Review, Human Rights Watch, Edinburgh, Jerusalem, and Vancouver, among others.

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

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On VOD: THE AMBASSADOR

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Saturday, August 4: THE AMBASSADOR

Mads Brügger premiered his provocation on international corruption and Africa at IDFA last year. He brought the film to Sundance for its North American premiere. It’s gone on to screen at other notable fests including Thessaloniki Documentary, Tempo, New Directors/New Films, Planete Doc, and Karlovy Vary. It will be available on Demand via Dish, DirecTV, Comcast, Cox, Brighthouse, Charter, Time Warner, ATT, and Verizon.

I wrote about the film before Sundance here.

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In Theatres: LOVE FREE OR DIE

Coming to theatres (as part of the International Documentary Association’s Oscar-qualifying DocuWeeks) at NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, August 3 and at LA’s Laemmle NoHo 7 on Friday, August 24: LOVE FREE OR DIE

Macky Alston premiered his portrait of gay bishop Gene Robinson at Sundance earlier this year, where he picked up a special jury prize. Since then, the film has had numerous community and festival screenings, including Cleveland, Full Frame, RiverRun, Nashville, QDoc, Seattle, Outfest, and Inside Out, among others.

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

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On Cable: ABOUT FACE

Coming to HBO next Monday, July 30: ABOUT FACE: SUPERMODELS, THEN & NOW

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ profile of beauty, aging, and the first supermodels made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. Since then, it has screened at Hot Docs, Montclair, Provincetown, and Los Angeles, among others.

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

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In Theatres: BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*

Coming to NYC’s Quad this Friday, July 27 and to LA’s Laemmle Noho 7 next Friday, August 3: BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*

Fredrik Gertten’s behind-the-scenes chronicle of the controversy of his previous doc BANANAS!* made its world premiere at IDFA. It came stateside at Sundance and continued on to screen at numerous festivals including DocPoint, Tempo, Hot Docs, Planete, and Sheffield.

I wrote about the film before Sundance here.

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In Theatres: SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Coming to theatres this Friday, July 27: SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Malik Bendjelloul’s search for an obscure ’70s rock performer with an unlikely impact on apartheid made its world premiere at Sundance this year, where it scored both a special jury prize and an audience award, and made headlines as the first sale at the festival. The doc has gone on to screen at numerous notable fests including SXSW, Tribeca, Los Angeles, and Karlovy Vary, among others.

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

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In Theatres: AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY

Coming to theatres this Friday, July 27: AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY

Alison Klayman’s insider look at the internationally famous dissident Chinese artist made its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance, where the film picked up a special jury prize. It went on to screen at more than twenty fests since, including Berlin, True/False, Miami, Full Frame, Silverdocs, Hot Docs, and Human Rights Watch, opening the latter two.

I wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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