Coming to Rooftop Films this Friday, August 16: FUCK FOR FOREST
Michał Marczak’s exploration of a ragtag group of hedonistic environmentalists made its debut at the Warsaw Film Festival last Fall, where it won the best documentary award. It has gone on to screen at Rotterdam, SXSW, Guadalajara, Cinéma du Réel, Hot Docs, and Sheffield, among others.
I previously wrote about the film out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, August 13: TV JUNKIE
Michael Cain and Matt Radecki’s harrowing exploration of one man’s self-documented self-destruction made its world premiere at Sundance in 2006, where it was awarded a special jury prize. It went on to screen at SXSW, Locarno, Biografa, Stockholm, Seattle, and Melbourne, among others, and also was broadcast on HBO. Sundance Artist Services now brings the doc to iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, XBOX, Sony Entertainment Network, SundanceNOW, VUDU, and YouTube.
Rick Kirkham began videotaping himself at the age of 14, a precursor to today’s self-obsessed, self-broadcasting, technology-symbiotic YouTube generation, capturing a dizzying amount of footage as he pursued a career in television. Working his way from AMERICAN BANDSTAND to local TV news and eventually the tabloid news series INSIDE EDITION, Kirkham seemed to have achieved his dream, but his private footage reveals the dark side to celebrity. Enabled by Kirkham’s fanatical diaristic impulse, directors Cain and Radecki’s film, culled from more than 3000 hours of footage, as well as 5000 photos, traces the man’s descent into crack addiction, and its impact on his family and career. His raw, almost unmediated, taped confessions are revelatory and contradictory, at once a seeming cry for help and a defiant challenge, except his original audience was solely himself. There’s an immersive quality to the footage, drawing the viewer into Kirkham’s egocentric sphere, and if it’s decidedly not easy to watch, that’s entirely the point.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres this Friday, August 16: CUTIE AND THE BOXER
Zachary Heinzerling’s warm exploration of the challenges of a long marriage between artists made its debut at Sundance earlier this year, where it picked up a directing award. Its fest circuit has also included True/False, San Francisco, Tribeca, and Karlovy Vary, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 13: AN AFRICAN ELECTION
Jarreth and Kevin Merz’s engrossing examination of Ghana’s presidential election made its debut at IDFA in 2010. It went on to screen at Sundance, Atlanta, and Visions Du Reel, among others. Sundance Artist Services now makes the doc available via iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, XBOX, Sony, SundanceNOW, Vudu, and YouTube.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Returning to PBS’ POV for an encore broadcast tonight, Monday, August 12 (and available online between September 3 and October 9): THE CITY DARK
Ian Cheney’s rumination on light pollution and the disappearance of darkness debuted at
SXSW in 2011. It went on to screen at Independent Film Festival Boston, Woods Hole, Yale’s Environmental fest, and Maui among others.
I wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film
Coming to Pivot for its cable broadcast premiere this Sunday, August 11: TERMS AND CONDITIONS MAY APPLY
Cullen Hoback’s exploration of the end of online privacy had its world premiere at Slamdance. Since then, the doc has screened at Hot Docs, Dallas, Newport Beach, SF DocFest, and Seattle, among others, and has enjoyed a limited theatrical release.
I previously wrote about the film out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Saturday, August 10: ELENA
Petra Costa’s meditation on her lost sister made its debut at the Festival de Brasília last year, where it swept the documentary awards. It went on to screen at IDFA, SXSW, Hot Docs, and Guadalajara, among other fests.
I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, August 9: HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE
Michael Stevens’ tribute to the eponymous editorial cartoonist had its world premiere at Tribeca this Spring. It went on to screen at AFI Docs and Martha’s Vineyard.
I previously wrote about the film out of AFI Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to WORLD Channel’s Global Voices series this Sunday, August 11: IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
Harry Freeland’s exploration of the plight of Tanzanian albinos debuted at IDFA last year. Its festival circuit has included Hot Docs, Cleveland, Human Rights Watch, and Bermuda. After its broadcast, the doc will be available for a limited time on WORLD’s website.
I included the film in my IDFA coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, August 9: ZIPPER
Amy Nicholson’s look at the changing face of Coney Island debuted at DOC NYC last year, where it took home a special jury prize. It went to screen at Big Sky, Atlanta, and Montclair, among others. The doc comes to iTunes simultaneous with its NYC theatrical release, and expands to LA theatres at the end of the month.
I included the film in my DOC NYC coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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