Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday October 1: A FIERCE GREEN FIRE
Mark Kitchell’s look back at pivotal episodes in environmental activism had its world premiere at Sundance last year. It went on to screen at Sheffield, Palm Springs, Wild & Scenic, Margaret Mead, Washington DC’s Environmental Film Festival, San Francisco Green, and Boulder before enjoying a limited theatrical release earlier this year.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres this Wednesday, October 2: LET THE FIRE BURN
Jason Osder’s gripping reckoning with a devastating piece of recent history premiered at Tribeca earlier this year, where it picked up two awards. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, Vancouver, London, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and AFI Docs, among others.
I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 1: THERE IS NO SEXUAL RAPPORT
Raphaël Siboni’s behind-the-scenes deconstruction of pornography and its players made its debut at La Roche-sur-Yon. Other festivals include CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Milan, Guangzhou, Jihlava, BAFICI, and Indielisboa.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Against the stunning backdrop of Antarctica, a scientist continues his thirty-year mission to track climate change through penguin populations.
Ron Naveen is the chief investigator for the Antarctic Site Inventory, gathering data in the region that has benefitted the work of polar scientists from around the world. While that project is entering its second decade, Naveen has been traveling to Antarctica even longer, conducting a census of the continent’s penguins, noting how different colonies adapt – or don’t – to climate change, and what lessons these can provide for the rest of the world as we face similar environmentally challenges. The Emmy-nominated production company Getzels Gordon follows Naveen and his team of intrepid researchers as they brave the harsh weather and unforgiving terrain to decode the critical signals the birds are providing in response to their dramatically changing environment. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
Coming to Independent Lens as part of the firest PBS Indies Showcase this coming Monday, September 30: DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’: EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY
Ramona S Diaz’s story of an unlikely rockstar debuted at Tribeca last year. Its festival circuit has included San Francisco, Seattle, Silverdocs, Dubai, Traverse City, Philadelphia, and Palm Springs, among others.
I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 27: THE NETWORK
Eva Orner’s behind-the-scenes look at Afghanistan’s first independent television network made its debut at SXSW this year. It has also screened at Sheffield, Antenna, Festival do Rio, and Bermuda, among other events.
Marking Orner’s directorial debut, the producer of the Academy Award winning TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE returns to Afghanistan to witness the rebirth of culture in a society in which it brutally had been oppressed under Taliban rule. Her focus is the Mohseni family, expatriates who saw the need to bring information and entertainment to their homeland. Despite having no previous experience in broadcasting, they successfully launched a radio station, and followed up with Tolo TV, which quickly became the nation’s most popular channel. Recruiting Westerners in key creative and managerial roles, Tolo lays the groundwork to mentor and train the first modern generation of Afghan media professionals – a vital step, noted here, as coalition forces prepare to withdraw from the country. While showing the infectious pleasures of young Afghans learning the ropes, and telling their country’s own stories in diverting soap operas and the like, Orner’s film also offers an intriguing look at the promise of television to affect social change in a still-volatile region, as she highlights US government funded dramas that are intended to foster public confidence in the Afghan police and security forces, or programs that are incrementally combatting restrictive attitudes to women and their rights.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 27: A RIVER CHANGES COURSE
Kalyanee Mam’s intimate look at the cost of Cambodia’s rapid development had its world premiere at Sundance at the beginning of the year, where it claimed the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize. It picked up additional awards at Full Frame, San Francisco, and Atlanta, RiverRun, and Docville, among others in its extensive festival run so far.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 27: MUSCLE SHOALS
Greg “Freddy” Camalier’s exploration of the influence of the Alabama sound debuted at Sundance this year. Its festival circuit has included, among others, SXSW, Martha’s Vineyard, Sidewalk, Melbourne, Seattle, and Hot Docs, where it claimed the Audience Award.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Maine’s Camden International Film Festival begins its ninth edition tomorrow, Thursday, September 26, and runs through the weekend. In addition to the event’s Points North Documentary Film Forum, connecting emerging filmmakers with industry professionals, thirty new feature documentaries, as well as four retrospective films and a number of shorts, will screen during the festival, primarily curated from the offerings of some of the best festivals taking place earlier in the year, including Sundance, SXSW, Hot Docs, Full Frame, and Tribeca.
Among some of the less familiar or newer titles screening in Camden are: Estephan Wagner’s LAST DREAMS (pictured), about three women facing imminent death; Bo Bartlett, Betsy Eby, and Glenn Holsten’s SEE, which follows two artists exploring the act of seeing; and Daniel Dencik’s MOON RIDER, a portrait of a young man striving to become a championship cycler. Other titles which I’ve not yet had the chance to see include: James N Kienitz Wilkins’ PUBLIC HEARING, a verbatim restaging of a town hall meeting; Jane Gillooly’s SUITCASE OF LOVE AND SHAME, which explores an illicit affair as revealed through found audiotapes; and David Redmon and Ashley Sabin’s NIGHT LABOR, which follows a worker on his factory night shift.
Retrospective screenings at Camden this year include Peter Davis’ 1974 Vietnam film, HEARTS AND MINDS (pictured); Barbara Kopple’s 1977 miners’ strike doc, HARLAN COUNTY, USA; Nathaniel Kahn’s 2003 portrait of his father, MY ARCHITECT: A SON’S JOURNEY; and Hubert Sauper’s 2004 cautionary environmental film, DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres this Friday, September 27: INEQUALITY FOR ALL
Jacob Kornbluth’s look at widening economic disparity made its world premiere at Sundance at the beginning of the year, winning a special jury prize. Its gone on to screen at Seattle, Traverse City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, AFI Docs, Zurich, and Deuville, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
what (not) to doc 