Category Archives: Film

In Theatres: THIS IS CONGO

Coming to NYC’s Maysles Cinema tonight, Friday, June 29:
THIS IS CONGO

Director:
Daniel McCabe

Premiere:
Venice 2017

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Camden, DocPoint, Big Sky Doc, Palm Springs, Woodstock, Stockholm, Human Rights Watch, Glasgow, Docville

About:
An inside look at the complex forces behind the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ongoing conflicts.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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In Theatres: THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, June 29:
THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

Director:
Tim Wardle

Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, Miami, San Francisco, Sydney, Dallas, Montclair, Cleveland, Newport Beach

About:
The surprising, stranger than fiction tale of triplets separated at birth.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Karlovy Vary 2018: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Dates:
June 29-July 7

About:
Approximately 30 documentaries are included in over 130 new feature offerings by this A List Czech event. Continue reading

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Special Screening: BISBEE ’17

Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Friday, June 29:
BISBEE ’17

Director:
Robert Greene

Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, True/False, CPH:DOX, Visions du Reel, Hot Docs, AFI Docs, BAMcinemaFest, Sydney, Jeonju, Minneapolis/St Paul, Cleveland

About:
An old town on the Arizona-Mexico border collectively confronts the darkest episode in its history.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On DVD: STRANGER FRUIT

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, June 26:
STRANGER FRUIT

Director:
Jason Pollock

Premiere:
SXSW 2017

Select Festivals:
Traverse City

About:
A controversial re-examination of the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson MO.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On TV: SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD

Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, June 25:
SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD

Director:
Hyewon Jee

Premiere:
IDFA 2016

Select Festivals:
Sheffield, ZagrebDox, Tempo Docs

About:
A Korean opera singer forms a children’s choir in the slums of India.

Hyewon Jee’s film follows the efforts of opera singer Jae-Chang Kim – nicknamed “Angry Bird” by his students for his quick temper – to demonstrate the value of music to a community of underprivileged parents in Pune, India. Though the Banana’s Children Choir he created has won acclaim internationally, affording his young singers the opportunity to travel beyond their country and, more importantly, to aspire to a more hopeful future, Kim still experiences resistance from some of their parents, who don’t see any immediate financial gain from the activity. His solution: To bring the parents into the choir for a special performance for Pune’s mayor and Korean dignitaries. Jee profiles a few too many subjects, resulting in a more cursory survey rather than a deeper sense of any individual, but the overall impression is a hopeful one about the positive impact of culture.

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On TV: BELIEVER

Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, June 25:
BELIEVER

Director:
Don Argott

Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, Montclair, Miami, Outfest

About:
A Mormon rockstar advocates for inclusion and acceptance of LGBT people in the Church of Latter Day Saints.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On TV: THIS IS HOME

photo by Gidalya Pictures

Coming to EPIX today, Friday, June 22:
THIS IS HOME

Director:
Alexandra Shiva

Premiere:
Sundance 2018

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Cleveland, Full Frame, Florida, Salem

About:
A look at the experiences of newly arrived Syrian refugees in Baltimore.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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On TV: NOSSA CHAPE

Coming to FOX Sports tomorrow, Saturday, June 23:
NOSSA CHAPE

Directors:
Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist

Co-Director:
Julian Duque

Premiere:
SXSW 2018

Select Festivals:
Montclair, Kicking & Screening

About:
A Brazilian soccer club reckons with a devastating tragedy.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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In Theatres: THE KING

Coming to theatres today, Friday, June 22:
THE KING

Director:
Eugene Jarecki

Premiere:
Cannes 2017

Select Festivals:
Sundance, Nantucket, Nashville, Seattle, Martha’s Vineyard, London, Sarasota, Chicago DOC 10, Deauville, Zurich, Haifa

About:
A musical road trip across the US in Elvis Presley’s 1963 Rolls Royce explores the rise and fall of the American empire.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance