PHILLY DA
Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, and Nicole Salazar follow an outspoken district attorney as he attempts to reform a broken criminal justice system, in this preview of the first two episodes of their new docuseries for Independent Lens.
Festival Section:
Premieres
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY
Betsy West and Julie Cohen profile a long unheralded legal pioneer.
Festival Section:
Premieres
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Thursday, January 21:
WELCOME TO CHECHNYA
Director:
David France
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Berlin, True/False, One World, Miami, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Thessaloniki Doc, Sheffield, Human Rights Watch
About:
An exposé of Chechnya’s state-sanctioned policy to rid Chechnya of LGBTQ+ individuals.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
IN THE SAME BREATH
Nanfu Wang investigates the dual forces of propaganda and patriotism in the response to the coronavirus outbreaks in both China and the US.
Festival Section:
Premieres (Day One film)
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
BRING YOUR OWN BRIGADE
Lucy Walker offers a compelling and comprehensive essay exploring the history and causes of wildfires.
Festival Section:
Premieres
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
AMY TAN: UNINTENDED MEMOIR
The late James Redford profiles the life and career of the noted author.
Festival Section:
Premieres
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, January 19:
ASSASSINS
Director:
Ryan White
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Zurich, Warsaw, Stockholm, Full Frame, Double Exposure, Hot Docs, Brisbane, Hawai’i
About:
An investigation of the bizarre story behind the brazen assassination of the half-brother of Kim Jong-un.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
WRITING WITH FIRE
Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh chronicle the trailblazing work of India’s only news outlet run by Dalit women – once known as “untouchable.”
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
India
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
TAMING THE GARDEN
Salomé Jashi artfully captures the unusual disruption caused by the removal and transport of several massive trees from small Georgian villages.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Switzerland/Germany/Georgia
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
SABAYA
Hogir Hirori reveals efforts to rescue Yazidi women and girls from their horrific fate as ISIS sex slaves.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Sweden
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
what (not) to doc 