Coming to OWN this Sunday, June 23: DARK GIRLS
Bill Duke and D Channsin Berry’s look at skin color prejudice within the African American community had its premiere at Toronto in 2011. It went on to screen at Los Angeles’ Pan African fest, Miami’s Black Film fest, and Nashville’s International Black Film fest, among others.
I included the doc in my Toronto coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19 and running through Sunday, June 30, the Edinburgh International Film Festival takes over Scotland’s capital city for its 67th edition. It’s the event’s second year under the stewardship of Artistic Director Chris Fujiwara. After the departure of the popular Hannah McGill in 2010, who had led the festival since 2006, Edinburgh suffered a critical lashing for a couple of editions presented without an artistic director until Fujiwara took over last year to set the ship aright. Out of the nearly 150 films screening this year, approximately 40 are documentary features or hybrids. Some highlights are included below: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to NYC’s Village East Cinemas this Friday, June 21: DOWNLOADED
Alex Winter’s chronicle of the Napster story debuted at SXSW this past March. It’s since gone on to Cleveland, Hot Docs, Maryland, Martha’s Vineyard, IFF Boston, and Sydney, among others. The film expands to Los Angeles next Friday, June 28.
I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, June 18: THE SOURCE FAMILY
Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille’s look at the 1970s Los Angeles spiritual commune debuted at SXSW last year. Its fest circuit included Hot Docs, San Francisco, Seattle, and Silverdocs, among others, before going on to limited theatrical engagements around the country.
I previously wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Turning 37 this year, San Francisco’s Frameline is the undisputed daddy of US LGBT film festivals, annually offering the newest crop of US and international queer films for its large and loyal local audience, as well as for the scores of fest programmers and film fans that come from far afield to sample the “gay Cannes.” Beginning this Thursday, June 20, and running through Sunday, June 24 – always coinciding with the end of SF’s gay pride celebration – the festival will present more than 35 feature documentaries among its more than hundred selections, including the gala Centerpiece slot, Sundance alum VALENTINE ROAD. Among the other docs that Frameline’s expected 60,000 attendees can check out are the following: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18: HIGH TECH, LOW LIFE
Stephen Maing’s profile of Chinese citizen journalists debuted at last year’s Tribeca. It went on to Hot Docs, Sydney, EBS, DocAviv, One World, CPH:DOX, and Sheffield, and picked up awards at Woods Hole, Little Rock, and the IFF Boston, among others. After a limited theatrical release, the film is now available via iTunes and other platforms via Sundance Artist Services and Cinedigm.
I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Rooftop Films tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
Sarah Burns, David McMahon, and Ken Burns’ revisitation of an infamous NYC rape case debuted at Cannes last year. It went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, DOC NYC, and numerous other festivals before a limited theatrical run, DVD/VOD release, and PBS broadcast.
I included the doc in my Toronto coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
An inside look at the New Yorker‘s signature cartoons, the artists who create them, and the editorial team who bring them to readers.
Inspired by the magazine’s weekly Caption Contest, director/producer Leah Wolchok, working with producer Davina Pardo, set out to learn more about the cartoonists who played such a vital role in distinguishing the New Yorker on the stands. Gaining access not only to a core group of illustrators, but also to cartoon editor Bob Mankoff and his staff, the filmmakers go behind the panel to explore the history of this feature, which used to be a staple in magazine publishing, and to gain insight into the process artists go through to try to get their sometimes clever, sometimes quizzical gags into print. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
For a decade, Silver Spring MD has played host to Silverdocs, one of the country’s signature nonfiction festivals. Back in April, organizers revealed that the event, formerly a co-presentation of AFI and Discovery, would be rebranded as AFI Docs, gaining a new presenting sponsor in Audi, and shifting its focus to DC proper (though still maintaining the AFI Silver Theatre in its original location as a secondary venue). While the move means a leaner festival – two fewer days, about half the number of films, and the reduction of its multi-day Conference to one day of Catalyst Sessions – it’s a welcome change, positioning the event in the heart of the nation’s government, with the potential of making direct connections between policymakers, films, and their issues. The eleventh edition of the fest showcases 45 features and two shorts programs, beginning this coming Wednesday, June 19, and running through Sunday, June 23. The following offers a rundown of selected offerings: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD this Tuesday, June 18: HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING DRUGS
Matthew Cooke’s provocative exploration of the ins and outs of the global drug trade had its world premiere at Toronto last year. It went on to screen at Tribeca, Calgary Underground, Tromso, and Newport Beach, where it picked up an audience award. It now comes to iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Playstation, XBOX, Vudu, Time Warner, Dish Network, Blockbuster on Demand, and Cablevision.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Toronto here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
