Festival:
The 74th Locarno Film Festival
Dates:
August 4-14
About:
This influential Swiss event returns after a reimagined edition last year, presenting 20 documentaries among its approximately 80 new features.
Category Archives: Film
Locarno 2021: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: THE PHANTOM
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3:
THE PHANTOM
Director:
Patrick Forbes
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021
About:
A searching examination of a Texas murder to determine whether or not an innocent man was put to death, exploring the prejudice and discrimination that persists today in America’s Hispanic community.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On TV/VOD: OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION
Coming to HBO and HBO Max beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3:
OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION
Director:
Peter Kunhardt
World Premiere:
HBO/HBO Max (August 2021)
About:
A three-part docuseries chronicling the personal and political journey of President Barack Obama as the US grapples with its racial history.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Special Screening: MISHA AND THE WOLVES
Coming to NYC’s JCC Manhattan tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3:
MISHA AND THE WOLVES
Director:
Sam Hobkinson
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Docaviv, Thessaloniki Doc, RiverRun
About:
The fascinating tale of a woman’s self-mythologizing Holocaust survival story.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On TV: PIER KIDS
Coming to PBS’s POV today, Monday, August 2:
PIER KIDS
Director:
Elegance Bratton
World Premiere:
Outfest 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, True/False, BlackStar, Wicked Queer, Frameline, Virginia
About:
A portrait of several homeless queer youth of color in NYC.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Caught up in the precariousness of survival and self-preservation, homeless queer and trans youth of color hang out at Christopher Street Pier, forging their own chosen family. Genuine and charming, these eloquent youth must contend with overwhelming amounts of homophobia and abuse. As real as it gets, and with intimate, immersive access to the hazardous life of its vulnerable but fearless protagonists, director Elegance Bratton’s still-hopeful portrait exposes a raw side of New York City many often choose to ignore.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On TV: ROAD RUNNERS
Coming to The WORLD Channel’s Doc World this Sunday, August 1:
ROAD RUNNERS
Director:
Mike Todd
World Premiere:
Doc World broadcast (August 2021)
About:
Young Montego Bay athletes prepare to compete in Jamaica’s greatest sporting event.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
In Theatres & On VOD: SABAYA
Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, July 30:
SABAYA
Director:
Hogir Hirori
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, CPH:DOX, True/False, Docaviv, Hong Kong, Moscow, Melbourne
About:
An immersion into dangerous efforts to rescue Yazidi women and girls from their horrific fate as ISIS sex slaves.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
In Theatres: PRAY AWAY
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, July 30:
PRAY AWAY
Director:
Kristine Stolakis
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)
Select Festivals:
Telluride, Hot Docs, Florida, Doc10, AFI Docs
About:
A powerful exposé on gay conversion programs, revealing the damage inflicted by shame and repression through intimate testimonies from current members and former leaders of the pray the gay away movement.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
In Theatres & On DVD/VOD: FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON
Coming to theatres and to DVD/VOD tomorrow, Friday, July 30:
FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON
Director:
Jason Pollock
World Premiere:
DVD/VOD release (July 2021)
About:
An investigation of an apparent coverup in the death of a Black high school student in Georgia, whose body was found rolled up in a gym mattress.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
In Theatres & On VOD: ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Coming to theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, July 30:
ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Director:
Sonia Kennebeck
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Toronto, CPH:DOX, Calgary, Glasgow
About:
Everything is not as it seems for an American family that flees to Canada to protect their hacker son from US government persecution.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Director Sonia Kennebeck investigates the strange case of Anonymous hacktivist Matt DeHart and his claims of persecution by the US government. He and his parents fled the US seeking asylum in Canada after law enforcement brought charges against him for child pornography. DeHart counters that he’s being framed, targeted for his support of Wikileaks, and that he was tortured in a US prison. Unfolding like an espionage mystery, the film follows a multiyear quest for truth, with unexpected twists and turns until the very end.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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