Just a quick pointer to the initial lineup announcement for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The US and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions are here. Check back tomorrow for part one of the non-Competition lineups (NEXT, Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, and New Frontier), Monday for part two (Premieres and Documentary Premieres), and Tuesday for Shorts.
Category Archives: Sundance
Sundance 2012: Competition Lineups Announced
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Sundance
On TV: ART & COPY
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens tomorrow, Thursday, December 1: ART & COPY
Doug Pray’s look at advertising and its influence had its world premiere in competition at Sundance in 2009. The film went on to screen extensively at other fests, picking up awards at Atlanta and Newport Beach, as well as an Emmy for Outstanding Arts & Culture programming.
The director of acclaimed festival favorites like SURFWISE and SCRATCH turns his attention to the world of advertising, examining the intersection of creativity, commerce, and culture. His film explores the origins of some of the most famous advertising campaigns in the US and how they left an impression on modern culture – from Reagan’s “It’s morning in America” ads to Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. Beyond running down these and other memorable sales pitches, the film is especially captivating in relating the seismic shift that took place within the industry in the mid-1960s when art directors began to collaborate directly with copywriters, which had never been done before. Interviewing real world Mad Men (and Mad Women), Pray brings to life the story of how the profession moved from the mediocre to became a dynamic, exciting, and creative endeavor – albeit one that hinges on the ethically questionable practice of persuading people they absolutely need to have what’s being pitched to them.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: BECOMING CHAZ
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 29: BECOMING CHAZ
The prolific Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s in-depth portrait of Chastity Bono’s FTM transition to Chaz Bono premiered at Sundance this year. It became the first film in Oprah’s Documentary Club this past May.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: THESE AMAZING SHADOWS
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22: THESE AMAZING SHADOWS
Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton premiered their doc on the National Film Registry at Sundance at the beginning of the year. Since then, it has screened at nearly two dozen additional festivals, picking up awards in Savannah and Louisville, and enjoyed theatrical engagements all over the country.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: LIFE IN A DAY
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, November 8: LIFE IN A DAY
Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald combed through YouTube user-generated footage from July 24, 2010 to create a portrait of life during a single day. The film had its simultaneous world premiere at Sundance and online this past January and also had a theatrical engagement during the Summer.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On Cable: CRIME AFTER CRIME
Premiering on OWN as part of Oprah’s Documentary Club this Thursday, November 3: CRIME AFTER CRIME
Yoav Potash premiered his film about battered woman Deborah Peagler’s case at Sundance this year, and went on to claim awards at San Francisco and Washington DC. It had a limited theatrical release this summer and now comes to cable via Oprah.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Support the OWN Documentary Club by tuning in Thursday at 9pm!
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: MAGIC TRIP
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 1: MAGIC TRIP
Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood’s doc on Ken Kesey’s LSD-fueled cross country bus trip doc premiered this year at Sundance. Magnolia brought the film out in theatres and on VOD this summer after additional festival appearances.
My pre-Sundance profile may be found
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: THE LAST MOUNTAIN
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, November 1: THE LAST MOUNTAIN
Bill Haney’s enraging exploration of the destructive impact of mountaintop coal removal in Appalachia had its world premiere back in January at Sundance. It had a limited theatrical run this past Summer.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: HOT COFFEE
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, November 1: HOT COFFEE
Attorney-turned-filmmaker Susan Saladoff brought her scathing exposé on how Americans have been misled into weakening their own ability to wage civil lawsuits to Sundance for its world premiere. It was picked up by HBO for broadcast this past Summer.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
On Cable: MISS REPRESENTATION
Premiering on OWN as part of Oprah’s Documentary Club this Thursday, October 20: MISS REPRESENTATION
Jennifer Siebel Newsom tackles media objectification of women in her documentary debut, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance and has gone on to a healthy festival run since. After an Oscar-qualifying run this summer via DocuWeeks, the film makes its cable bow with the endorsement of the queen of media, Oprah.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Support the OWN Documentary Club by tuning in Thursday at 9pm!
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
what (not) to doc 