Coming to NYC’s Cinema Village today, Friday, April 26: AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY
Terence Nance’s meditation on the relationship between a man and a woman debuted at Sundance last year. The hybrid project – neither strictly fiction nor nonfiction – went on to screen at Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, Urbanworld, Sundance London, Cleveland, Traverse City, and New Orleans, among many others.
I previously wrote about the film here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD (in a double-disc release with ONLY THE YOUNG) next Tuesday, April 30: TCHOUPITOULAS
The Ross Brothers’ exploration of nocturnal New Orleans made its world premiere at SXSW last year. Its fest circuit included Silverdocs, BAMcinemaFest, CPH: DOX, Hot Docs, and Dallas, among others.
I included the doc in my SXSW roundup here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD (in a double-disc release with TCHOUPITOULAS) next Tuesday, April 30: ONLY THE YOUNG
Elizabeth Mims and Jason Tippet’s study of friendship in adolescence debuted at True/False last year. Its festival circuit included stops at San Francisco, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, and AFI Fest, picking up awards at the latter two fests.
I included the doc in my Hot Docs roundup here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, April 30: HISTORY OF THE EAGLES
Alison Ellwood’s premiered the first part of her chronicle of the seminal American band at Sundance earlier this year, with the second part debuting on Showtime in February. This DVD/Blu-ray release includes both parts plus EAGLES LIVE AT THE CAPITAL CENTER – MARCH 1977, featuring performances from the band’s legendary Hotel California tour.
I wrote about part one before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres via Cinedigm’s Docurama initiative next Tuesday, April 30: ¡VIVAN LAS ANTIPODAS!
Victor Kossakovsky’s stunning exploration of global opposites made its debut as one of the opening night films for Venice in 2011. It has had an extensive festival run, including Message to Man, DOK Leipzig, Doha Tribeca, IDFA, Docpoint, Ambulante, Documentary Fortnight, True/False, It’s All True, San Francisco, and Hot Docs, among many others. The film is part of Cinedigm’s new seven-film program bringing feature documentaries to theatres weekly in up to fifteen US markets, including NYC, LA, Pasadena, Encino, San Diego, Palm Desert, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Hartford, New Haven, Ithaca, Richmond, and Helena. The films are also available for additional theatrical-on-demand screenings via Tugg. In NYC, the film will screen on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction next Tuesday, April 30: STORIES WE TELL
Sarah Polley’s exploration of family secrets made its premiere last year at Venice. It went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, Sundance, True/False, and New Directors/New Films, among other fests.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Note: A Q&A is expected following the screening. Check the STF link above for updates about the participant.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
After a particularly challenging week, some normalcy returns to the Hub city with the start of the Independent Film Festival Boston tomorrow, Wednesday, April 24. Running through next Tuesday, April 30, this year marks the eleventh edition of what has been called the city’s premier film event, and the largest film festival in the whole of New England. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 23: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
Sarah Burns, David McMahon, and Ken Burns’ exploration of the miscarriage of justice around a horrific crime had its world premiere at Cannes last year. The film’s festival circuit also included Telluride, Toronto, and DOC NYC, among others. In addition to a theatrical and VOD release, the doc was broadcast on PBS last week.
I previously wrote about the film out of Toronto here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
The longest-running film festival in both North and South America, San Francisco International Film Festival, kicks off its 56th edition this Thursday evening and runs through Thursday, May 9. This is the first festival with new Executive Director Ted Hope at the helm, bringing a welcome and familiar leadership to the organization after the tragic back-to-back deaths of his respected predecessors Graham Leggat and Bingham Ray. He’s brought with him Colin Stanfield as Managing Director, with longtime Director of Programming Rachel Rosen providing continuity and her regular keen curatorial eye. This year’s lineup includes over 150 films, including nearly thirty documentary features. I’ll be in town for the festival’s first weekend and may try to catch a few titles I haven’t already seen, time and schedule permitting. Regardless, here’s a quick look at some of the selections to consider checking out if you’re in the Bay Area: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres via Cinedigm’s Docurama initiative and to DVD and VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23: G-DOG
Freida Mock’s portrait of a changemaking Jesuit priest made its world premiere at Hot Docs last year. It went on to screen at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Aspen, and toured US embassies around the world via the US State Department’s cultural diplomacy program. The film is part of Cinedigm’s new seven-film program bringing feature documentaries to theatres weekly in up to fifteen US markets, including NYC, LA, Pasadena, Encino, San Diego, Palm Desert, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Hartford, New Haven, Ithaca, Richmond, and Helena. The films are also available for additional theatrical-on-demand screenings via Tugg. In NYC, Cinema Village will screen the doc this Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Jesuit priest Father Greg Boyle, respectfully referred to by his titular nickname, is the focus of Mock’s inspirational film, which follows the efforts of his LA-based Homeboy Industries to provide an alternative to gang life. Led by Boyle’s practical philosophy that “nothing stops a bullet like a job,” Homeboy combines educational and vocational opportunities with counseling, tattoo removal, and the fostering of self-worth to interrupt the cycle of gang membership and violence and to end the demonization of gang members in favor of humanizing and genuinely rehabilitating them into society. While it has proven itself to be the most successful gang intervention program in the country, the Recession threatens to put an end to the good work Boyle and his surrogate family of colleagues have done. Mock spends a year at Homeboy, telling not only Boyle’s story, but also those of many of the former gang members who have taken on leadership positions, and the impact on them of Homeboy’s uncertain future. Though the film explores Boyle and Homeboy’s once-controversial past, it’s in broad strokes – a bit more depth here would have helped to balance the present day focus which at times nears dangerously close to an institutional show and tell. That said, Mock successfully captures her main subject’s determination, his knack for disarmingly funny storytelling, and the clear love and respect he has for his charges that has literally saved their lives.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
