Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 20: FREE THE MIND
Phie Ambo’s look at the potential of meditation to rewire the brain made its debut at Denmark’s DOXBIO last year. Other fest stops included CPH:DOX, IDFA, Göteborg, Docville, Planete+ Doc, Hot Docs, Milwaukee, Martha’s Vineyard, and DOXA, among others.
I included the doc in my Hot Docs coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
NYC’s Urbanworld Film Festival launches tonight, Wednesday, September 18, screening two dozen features and more than thirty shorts through this Sunday, September 22. Focused on spotlighting the work of African American and multicultural filmmakers, the festival celebrates its 17th edition this year.
Among its lineup are nine documentary features. Screening as a Spotlight is Nelson George’s FINDING THE FUNK, a loving survey of the music genre that bridged soul and hip hop. Music is also at the core of Reuben Atlas’ BROTHERS HYPNOTIC, about the brass band made up of jazz legend Phil Cochran’s sons; Kerri Gawryn’s A LOVELY DAY (pictured), following Oakland youth as they work to express themselves through hip hop; and Manauvaskar Kublall’s AMERICAN BEATBOXER, a chronicle of the first-ever American Beatbox Championship in Brooklyn.
A different championship is at stake in Crystal McCrary’s LITTLE BALLERS, which follows four eleven-year-olds as they set out to win the Amateur Athletic Union’s National Basketball competition. Youth and sports figure in Daphne Schmon’s CHILDREN OF THE WIND (pictured), the story of Caribbean windsurfers; while kids and their education is the subject of Jyllian Gunther’s THE NEW PUBLIC. On the lighter side, Tamarat Makonnen’s IN SEARCH OF THE BLACK KNIGHT wonders where all the eligible black men are. Finally, Yoruba Richen’s THE NEW BLACK takes on the complex issue of the African-American community’s response to gay marriage.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to NYC’s JCC CineMatters series this Sunday, September 22: INEQUALITY FOR ALL
Jacob Kornbluth’s potent exploration of the income gap as explained by Robert Reich debuted at Sundance this year, where it claimed a special jury prize. Since then, it has screened at Traverse City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, AFI Docs, and Zurich, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Note: Kornbluth will participate in a post-screening Q&A.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to theatres this Friday, September 20: AFTER TILLER
Lana Wilson and Martha Shane’s complex portrait of late-term abortion physicians debuted at Sundance at the beginning of the year. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, Seattle, Sheffield, True/False, AFI Docs, and Full Frame, among many others.
I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 17: A GIRL AND A GUN
Cathryne Czubek’s exploration of women and weapons had its world premiere at DOC NYC last year. Additional fest exposure followed at Sarasota, Montclair, and Oneota, as well as a limited theatrical and VOD release this Summer.
I previously covered the film out of DOC NYC here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 17: TRIUMPH OF THE WALL
Bill Stone’s chronicle of art and life made its debut at RIDM in 2011. After additional festival play, it was released theatrically in Canada and the US.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction series tomorrow, Wednesday, September 18: MUSCLE SHOALS
Greg “Freddy” Camalier’s love letter to the Alabama sound made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. It went on to screen at SXSW, Maui, Martha’s Vineyard, Sidewalk, Melbourne, Revelation, Seattle, and Hot Docs, where it claimed the Audience Award.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Maysles Cinema today, Monday, September 16: PRICE OF GOLD
Sven Zellner’s look at the dangerous world of Mongolian gold miners made its world premiere at Hot Docs last year. It went on to screen at the Brooklyn Film Festival, Belgrade’s Beldocs, Filmfest München, and DocuWest, among others.
For the past decade, Mongolian gold-digging nomads – colloquially known as “ninjas” – have sidestepped laws and their personal beliefs to seek what little profit they can from the Gobi Desert. Mineral rights have long ago been sold to and exploited by foreign companies, and the work locally is viewed as taboo, but in a region with few other opportunities, these rough-and-ready men find no choice but to subject themselves to the degraded and dangerous work, which takes months and involves toxic mercury and dynamite. Resigned to their fate, these men – only one woman is present, a put-upon cook – are followed for months by Zellner as they risk their lives for negligible profits, his camera impressively allowing viewers to experience the claustrophobic conditions they face. While the ambivalence and shame the ninjas express about their activities is intriguing, this is never explored in much depth, leaving the film without a strong enough impact beyond its exposure of an unusual and desperate practice.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17: PUTIN’S KISS
Lise Birk Pederson’s eye-opening exploration of the ideological indoctrination of Russian youth debuted at IDFA in 2011. It made its North American premiere in 2012 at Sundance, winning a documentary jury prize for cinematography, before moving on to additional fests including Full Frame, Seattle, Athena, One World, Human Rights Watch, and Hong Kong. Sundance Artist Services now makes the film available via iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Entertainment Network, SundanceNOW, VUDU, and YouTube, among others.
I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17: GYPSY DAVY
Rachel Leah Jones’ portrait of her absent father made its debut at Israel’s Cinema South in 2011. It came stateside in 2012 at Sundance, with additional festival engagements at Jerusalem, True/False, Visions du Reel, DMZ Docs, Taiwan Doc, DOC NYC, BAFICI, SF Jewish, and Documentary Edge, among others. Sundance Artist Services now makes the film available via YouTube, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, SundanceNow, Hulu, Vudu, SnagFilms, Xbox, and Playstation.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
