
photo by Lynn Goldsmith
THE GO-GO’S
Director:
Alison Ellwood
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Sheffield
About:
A look back at the history of the 1980s pop phenomenon band.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

photo by Lynn Goldsmith
Director:
Alison Ellwood
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Sheffield
About:
A look back at the history of the 1980s pop phenomenon band.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to select theatres, virtual cinema, and VOD today, Friday, July 31:
REBUILDING PARADISE
Director:
Ron Howard
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Tribeca, AFI Docs
About:
A chronicle of the fate of a town caught in the November 2018 Camp Fire.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to select theatres tomorrow, Friday, July 31:
BOYS STATE
Directors:
Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
SXSW, New Directors/New Films, AFI Docs, Nantucket, Full Frame, San Francisco
About:
A group of high school boys create a mock government at an annual civics program hosted by the American Legion in Austin.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, July 31:
THE FIGHT
Directors:
Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, and Eli Despres
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
AFI Docs, CPH:DOX, Miami, Full Frame, Cleveland
About:
A profile of several ACLU attorneys as they challenge the Trump administration’s assault on civil liberties.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, July 27:
ADVOCATE
Directors:
Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaïche
World Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Docaviv, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Sheffield, Thessaloniki Doc, Krakow, Human Rights Watch, Doc Edge, Philadelphia, Other Israel, United Nations Association, Antenna, UK Jewish, San Francisco Jewish
Notable Recognition:
The doc was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
About:
An exploration of the Israeli justice system through a passionate Israeli attorney working for Palestinian defendants.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to Rooftop Films drive-in tomorrow, Thursday, July 23:
THE FIGHT
Directors:
Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, and Eli Despres
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
AFI Docs, CPH:DOX, Miami, Full Frame, Cleveland
About:
A profile of several ACLU attorneys as they challenge the Trump administration’s assault on civil liberties.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

photo by Bryant Fisher
Director:
Andrew Fried
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
About:
A chronicle of the development of the improv hip-hop performance group.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

photo by Giovan Cordero
Directors:
Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
True/False, Hot Docs, SXSW, Full Frame, Miami
About:
A loving profile of long-missing and once world-famous Latinx television personality Walter Mercado.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to virtual release, first as a special one-day only benefit, today, Tuesday, July 7, and then expanding this Friday, July 10:
BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS
Directors:
Bill Ross, Turner Ross
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Berlin, CPH:DOX, True/False, Big Sky Doc, Calgary Underground
About:
A chronicle of the patrons and staff of a dive bar on what is meant to be its final day.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to HBO tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30:
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