Festival:
The 75th Cannes Film Festival
Dates:
May 17-28
About:
Returning to its regular May berth after a delayed-then-cancelled 2020 edition and a July 2021 edition, the premier film event offers approximately 80 new features, with docs once again making up less than a quarter of the slate, while its parallel sidebars present just two works of nonfiction out of more than 30 features.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens today, Monday, May 16:
SCENES FROM THE GLITTERING WORLD
Director:
Jared Jakins
World Premiere:
Full Frame 2021
Select Festivals:
Trento, Washington DC Environmental
About:
In the furthest reaches of the Navajo Nation, at the most remote high school in the continental US, three Indigenous students maneuver through the vagaries of adolescence in hopes of realizing their dreams for the future.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17, and to HBO/HBO Max beginning this Friday, May 20:
GEORGE CARLIN’S AMERICAN DREAM
Director:
Judd Apatow, Michael Bonfiglio
World Premiere:
Pure Nonfiction (May 2022, part 1)
About:
A two-part chronicle of the life and work of the legendary counterculture comedian.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to MSNBC this coming Sunday, May 15 and to Peacock Monday, May 16:
DIAMOND HANDS: THE LEGEND OF WALLSTREETBETS
Director:
Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari
World Premiere:
SXSW 2022
About:
When the smart money was betting GameStop would go under, an army of irreverent traders tried to take Wall Street down instead
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, May 13:
MAU
Director:
Benji Bergmann, Jono Bergmann
World Premiere:
SXSW 2021
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Tallinn Black Nights
About:
The unlikely story of design visionary Bruce Mau and his ever-optimistic push for massive change.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Film Forum today, Friday, May 13:
IL BUCO
Director:
Michelangelo Frammartino
World Premiere:
D’A Film Festival 2021
Select Festivals:
Venice, New York, Busan, Beijing, Tokyo, BFI London, Thessaloniki, Mar del Plata, Vienna,
About:
A hybrid docufiction recreation of a 1961 speleological expedition to measure Europe’s deepest cave in Italy’s Calabria region.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to Netflix this week:
OUR FATHER
Director:
Lucie Jourdan
World Premiere:
Netflix release (May 2022)
About:
Genetics gave them blond hair, blue eyes, and a place on a fertility doctor’s family tree that was planted without their mothers’ knowledge or consent.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, May 13:
JONATHAN AGASSI SAVED MY LIFE
Director:
Tomer Heymann
World Premiere:
Jerusalem 2018
Select Festivals:
IDFA, CPH:DOX, Thessaloniki Doc, Vilnius, Docs Against Gravity, MIX Brasil, Biografilm
About:
An intimate look at the world of porn and escorting through the story of a gay Israeli porn star.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, May 13:
JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY
Director:
Frank Marshall, Ryan Suffern
World Premiere:
SXSW 2021
About:
A soulful and heartfelt celebration of 50 years of the funky and fabulous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the unique culture of the southern city.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, May 11:
BLACK GOLD
Director:
Gabrielle Schonder, Zach Heinzerling
World Premiere:
Theatrical release (May 2022)
About:
The story of the cover-up of the century, in which a boss atop the trillion-dollar oil industry discovered a shocking truth 40 years ago, created a black ops conspiracy to hide the evidence, and stopped at nothing to keep the money flowing as the world burned.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
what (not) to doc 