My latest Indiewire curation for Hulu documentaries is inspired by the upcoming broadcast premiere on HBO next week of VITO, about beloved LGBT activist Vito Russo. The curated submissions highlight others passionately committed to their own causes, from women’s rights in Iran to the radical dismantling of US imperialism. Watch these now for free!
For more information about the selections, see my Indiewire article.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Indiewire @ Hulu Docs
Coming to NYC’s Film Society of Lincoln Center as part of its “Art of the Real” documentary series this Thursday, July 19: WAGNER’S DREAM
Susan Froemke’s behind-the-scenes look at the Metropolitan Opera’s elaborate and innovative staging of the epic Ring Cycle made its premiere earlier this year at Tribeca. Since then, the Met has presented theatrical screenings around the world of the documentary as a companion to screenings of recordings of the four-part opera.
I wrote about the film out of Tribeca here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Coming to theatres this Friday, July 20: THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES
Lauren Greenfield’s portrait of privilege facing the Recession made its premiere at this year’s Sundance, where it won the US Documentary Directing Award. Its gone on to screen at a number of other fests, including Los Angeles, RiverRun, Provincetown, and Karlovy Vary.
I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, July 17: PATAGONIA RISING
Brian Lilla’s exploration of the environmental and societal impact of a proposed hydroelectric plan made its premiere at Newport Beach last year. After a festival circuit that included multiple Chilean fests as well as the Hot Springs and San Francisco doc fests, the film enjoyed a limited release earlier this Summer.
I wrote about the film upon its theatrical return here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Saturday, July 21: BROOKLYN CASTLE
Katie Dellamaggiore’s profile of the winningest junior high school chess team made its world premiere at SXSW this year, where it picked up an audience award. Since then, its festival circuit has included Cleveland, Dallas, Hot Docs, Montclair, Silverdocs, and Brooklyn, among others.
I included the film in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
With a body of documentary work that explores his and other African-American lives, the creator of the Digital Diaspora Family Reunion is finishing his newest doc and multimedia outreach project about the history of African American photography.
Thomas Allen Harris, whose past films like THAT’S MY FACE/E MINHA CARA and TWELVE DISCIPLES OF NELSON MANDELA have often blended the autobiographical with cogent social and historical analysis of race and identity, has been at the forefront in recent years in encouraging other African-Americans to explore their own past through the DDFR project. Simultaneously, he’s been working on this expansive, multi-faceted exploration of the historical intersection of African Americans and photography, from the birth of the medium to the present. The film, which will screen on PBS and will include a transmedia component, will document how African Americans have employed the power of the photographic medium to counter mainstream depictions and distortions of their lives, empowering them to control their own representations, and, importantly, to change consciousness and prejudices. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
Coming to VOD next Tuesday, July 17: MANSOME
Morgan Spurlock brought his look at 21st century masculinity to Tribeca this spring for its world premiere before releasing theatrically via Paladin the next month. The doc now becomes available on iTunes, Amazon, and Movies On Demand.
I wrote about the film out of Tribeca here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, July 17: BROWNSTONES TO RED DIRT
Dave LaMattina and Chad N Walker’s documentation of cross-cultural exchange between Brooklyn and Sierra Leone made its world premiere in Sarasota in 2010. Its festival circuit has included spots in San Francisco, Seattle, Brooklyn, Aspen, Tallinn Black Nights, and Toronto’s TIFF Kids fest.
On the surface, it wouldn’t seem there’s much in common between a bunch of 11- and 12-year-old kids from Bed-Stuy and slightly older ones in Freetown, Sierra Leone, a country still recovering from a decade-long civil war – but, at one point in time, both places were basically given up as lost to violence and poverty. A pen pal program between two schools more than 4000 miles apart serves as a bridge for its students to learn about each other, providing insight and fostering inspiration. LaMattina and Walker profile a number of engaging students on both sides of the Atlantic, but the film is most affecting when detailing how the Brooklyn kids, their eyes opened to the conditions their new friends face due to lack of basic resources, come together to raise funds for the Freetown school. It’s the simple, but profound, lesson that they can make a difference that makes this doc worth checking out, especially for parents to share with their kids – and suggests it should have a strong life in educational markets.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Premiering on HBO next Monday, July 16: BIRDERS: THE CENTRAL PARK EFFECT
Jeffrey Kimball’s doc on NYC’s birds and those who devote themselves to spotting them had its world premiere at SXSW earlier this year. It went on to screen at IFF Boston and Seattle before it makes its broadcast debut as part of HBO’s celebrated documentary summer series.
I included the film in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
DOC NYC returns for its third edition this November, and I just recently came on board to program the festival’s shorts and panels. If you want a shot at screening your film in Manhattan to an audience of dedicated non-fiction fans and industry representatives, I encourage you to submit ASAP – the late deadline for both shorts and features is July 23, while the Withoutabox extended deadline is July 30.
For more information, click here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Submission Deadlines
what (not) to doc 