Heading into the first title in this year’s Documentary Premieres section: Freida Mock’s ANITA, a reflection on Anita Hill’s testimony about Clarence Thomas upon his Supreme Court nomination and its lasting impact.
Category Archives: Film
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: ANITA
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?
Today’s first profile covers the final film in the 2013 World Cinema Documentary Competition: From the UK, Marc Silver’s WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?, powerful, humanistic look at the impact of US immigration south of the border.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD/VOD: DETROPIA
Coming to DVD and VOD next Tuesday, January 15: DETROPIA
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s ode to Detroit premiered a year ago at Sundance, where it won the jury award for best documentary editing. It went on to screen at True/False, Cleveland, Hot Docs, DocAviv, Silverdocs, and Traverse City, among others, before its theatrical release. The film is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary Feature. Its VOD release makes the film available via iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, and Vudu.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On DVD: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, January 15: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky’s exposé on the dark side of Brooklyn’s development made its world premiere at Hot Docs in 2011. Since then it has screened extensively at fests and series like the Brooklyn Film Festival, San Francisco Doc, Chicago Underground, Rooftop Films, and Stranger Than Fiction, as well as in theatres around the country, and also made the 2012 Oscar shortlist.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
In Theatres: HIGH TECH, LOW LIFE
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center tomorrow, Wednesday, January 9: HIGH TECH, LOW LIFE
Stephen Maing’s portrait of two of China’s courageous citizen reporters had its world premiere at Tribeca last year. Since then, the doc has screened at Hot Docs, Sydney, and Sheffield, and picked up awards at Woods Hole, Open City, Little Rock, and the IFF Boston.
I previously wrote about the film out of Tribeca here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On VOD: BETTING THE FARM
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, January 8: BETTING THE FARM
Cecily Pingree and Jason Mann’s portrait of Maine dairy farmer collective made its world premiere last Summer at Silverdocs. It has gone on to screen at Camden and DOC NYC, as well as a tour of engagements in Maine. FilmBuff is releasing the doc on iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Playstation, XBOX, CinemaNow, and Vudu.
I previously wrote about the film in my coverage of Silverdocs for Indiewire, saying:
The economic realities for small organic dairy producers are presented in an effective and dramatic manner in Cecily Pingree and Jason Mann’s look at the efforts of a consortium of milk producers striking out on their own as MOO – Maine’s Own Organic milk. Translating the pace of the region in the same way docs like DOWNEAST and THE WAY WE GET BY have done, Pingree and Mann are able to engender in the viewer an emotional investment in their characters, as well as a desire to see MOO succeed.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE SUMMIT
Closing out today’s Sundance doc profiles is the penultimate film in the World Cinema Documentary Competition: From Ireland/UK, Nick Ryan’s THE SUMMIT, about the most infamous day in the history of mountain climbing.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE STUART HALL PROJECT
The final Sundance alumni director in this year’s World Cinema Documentary Competition: From the UK, John Akomfrah’s THE STUART HALL PROJECT, a profile of the British cultural theorist in jazz and images.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2013 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE SQUARE (AL MIDAN)
Another Sundance alum is welcomed back for the World Cinema Documentary Competition: From Egypt/USA, Jehane Noujaim’s THE SQUARE (AL MIDAN), the continuing story of Egypt’s fight for democracy.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Indiewire @ Hulu Docs: Reel Resolutions
Recognizing that the most common New Year’s resolutions involve dieting or eating better, my latest curated selections for Hulu’s Documentaries page look at a number of films about our relationship to food. Watch these now for free, and be inspired to stick with your resolution.
For more information about the selections, see my Indiewire article.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Indiewire @ Hulu Docs, Recommendations
