In the midst of a busy programming season, I’ve been remiss in posting my thoughts on the documentaries of the Toronto International Film Festival, which I should have done several weeks ago. In this breather before DOC NYC begins, I now have the opportunity to play catch up. This post will look at some of the films in the TIFF Docs section, programmed by my colleague Thom Powers, and includes several titles that will be making their NYC bow at DOC NYC in the coming weeks, while following posts will roundoff this section and cover nonfiction programming from other festival strands. Continue reading
Category Archives: Film
Toronto 2013: Docs in Brief, Part One
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
2013 DOC NYC in Focus: Special Events
Continuing my section-by-section profile of DOC NYC 2013, coming November 14-21, here’s a closer look at the Special Events Artistic Director Thom Powers has curated. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
2013 DOC NYC in Focus: Galas
On Thursday, November 14, the 4th edition of DOC NYC opens, now the country’s largest nonfiction film festival. It’s my second year with the festival, and my first as Senior Programmer. Over the past several months, I’ve worked with Artistic Director Thom Powers and Executive Director Raphaela Neihausen to put together an expansive selection of some of the most compelling new documentary films for NYC audiences. Over the next two and half weeks leading up to our opening, I’ll be profiling different programming strands here, starting with our Gala presentations. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In the Works: MUDBLOODS
A sport escapes the imagination of JK Rowling to be played on the fields of college campuses across the world.
Few recent literary series have achieved the global popularity that met HARRY POTTER. Thanks in large part to the successful film adaptations, Rowling’s tales came to life for younger and older readers alike, allowing a glimpse into a secret world of wizards with their own schools of witchcraft, battles with dark forces, and even a popular competitive contact sport – Quidditch, a chaotic team game played on flying broomsticks. First-time feature director Farzad Nikbakht Sangari explores the Muggle (non-magic, for those unfamiliar with the series) version of the sport, which has quickly spread to hundreds of other campuses in just the past eight years. Sangari follows UCLA’s quidditch team as they make a run for the Quidditch World Cup against reigning champions Middlebury College, where the real-world version of the game was first developed by fans in 2005. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
DOK Leipzig 2013 Overview
One of the most senior doc events in the world, DOK Leipzig, founded in 1955 as East Germany’s first independent film festival, is set to kick off its 56th edition this coming Monday, October 28. Running through Sunday, November 3, the festival – which focuses on non-fiction and animation – will screen 187 documentaries, including over 100 new feature docs. With a reputation for German efficiency and a business-focused environment, the event draws a large national film and television industry to participate in its market and professional programs. Its expansive programming tends toward the more esoteric and rigorous, with far fewer films recognizable from elsewhere on the circuit than many other European doc fests. The following presents some of the more intriguing selections in the event’s various competitions and other sections: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On TV: THE GRADUATES – GIRLS
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens this coming Monday, October 28: THE GRADUATES/LOS GRADUADOS – GIRLS
Bernardo Ruiz’s exploration of the experiences of Latino/a youth in high school makes its debut on PBS over two consecutive weeks. The two films have been previewed at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival as well as at community screenings across the country. Critically, the series will be presented bilingually, making it accessible to wider audiences.
Produced as part of the AMERICAN GRADUATE initiative, which aims to assist local communities in addressing the dropout crisis, Ruiz’s films focus on the diverse and specific challenges faced by Latino/a students in America’s high schools. Noting studies that have found that one-third of Latino students don’t graduate from high school on time, Ruiz seeks to illuminate why through candid testimony from a small group of students. The first hour focuses on female students, with next week’s spotlighting young Latino males. The three young women represent different parts of the country, and different concerns – Darlene, from Tulsa OK, saw few options in school and set out to create her own family, becoming a teen mother; Stephanie views education as a way out of her dangerous Southside Chicago neighborhood, leading to her involvement in school activities; and Chastity, from the Bronx, has struggled with feeling responsible for taking care of her family, which has faced homeless more than once. Permitted to tell their own stories, these three subjects humanize common factors that contribute to the dropout rate – unsupportive or under-resourced schools, the lures and dangers of drugs and gangs, and familial pressures borne out of economic necessity – making what otherwise may seem to be amorphous excuses into something both concrete and sympathetic.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Jihlava 2013 Overview
The 17th edition of the Czech Republic’s Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, the largest doc event in Central and Eastern Europe, begins today, Thursday, October 24, and runs through next Tuesday, October 29th. Characterized by a youthful, anarchic, and eclectic edge that champions a large number of experimental work, the festival has drawn raves by North American programmers who’ve made the trek to the historic mining town. For the past few years, the event has made an effort to attract greater industry presence, hosting several concurrent programs for professionals, including a producers forum, filmmaker workshops, a film festivals conference, and a market for work from the region. Its public film program includes nearly 70 new feature documentaries in both competitive and non-competitive sections. Were I attending, the following new work is what I’d be most interested in checking out: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: THE SQUARE
Coming to NYC’s Film Forum tomorrow, Friday, October 25: THE SQUARE (AL MIDAN)
Jehane Noujaim’s immersive story of Egypt’s ongoing struggle for democracy had its world premiere in an early form at Sundance this year, winning an audience award. She continued to film and edit the film, bringing a revised version to premiere at Toronto last month, where it once again won an audience award. The doc will expand to Los Angeles theatres next week.
I previously profiled the earlier version of the doc prior to Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Doclisboa 2013 Overview
One of the largest film events in Portugal, Doclisboa, opens tonight, Thursday, October 24, and wraps up its eleventh edition next Sunday, November 3. In total, nearly 250 films from 40 countries contribute to its impressive line-up, including over 120 feature-length docs. Competition titles vie for €32,500 in cash and services, recognizing both international and Portuguese films, while several non-competition sidebars provide audiences with, among other categories, selections of retrospective, student, and experimental fare in this rigorously curated festival. What follows are some of the features that caught my eye from various sections. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres & Special Screening: WHEN I WALK
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, October 25 and to JCC in Manhattan’s CineMatters series this Sunday, October 27: WHEN I WALK
Jason DaSilva’s chronicle of experiencing the onset of multiple sclerosis made its debut at Sundance at the beginning of the year. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, where it won Best Canadian Feature, as well as at Sarasota, NY Asian American, Milwaukee, LA’s Arclight Doc Fest, Vancouver, Hot Springs, Heartland, Margaret Mead, and Poland’s New Horizons American Film Festival. The film expands to Los Angeles next week.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
what (not) to doc 