I managed to see six other documentaries (or doc hybrids) during my time at Karlovy Vary, beyond the three I wrote about at the end of last week. Other obligations meant that I wasn’t able to focus on documentaries exclusively, so I missed quite a few that were intriguing or that I heard positive reports about, including ARAB ATTRACTION, DETROIT WILD CITY, RAW MATERIAL, and THE MEXICAN SUITCASE. Those I did see included:
Category Archives: Film
Karlovy Vary 2011: Docs in Brief, Part Two
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
In Theatres: TABLOID
Coming to theatres this Friday, July 15: TABLOID
Errol Morris’ latest project debuted at Telluride and Toronto last Fall and has since screened at a number of events leading up to its theatrical release via IFC Films. The doc opens in NY, LA, SF, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Chicago, and DC this Friday, and expands nationwide next week. It opens “Errol Morris’ America,” a month-long retrospective of Morris’ work at NYC’s Museum of the Moving Image, tonight at 7pm.
In 1977, Kirk Anderson, a Mormon missionary, went missing in the UK, allegedly abducted by a former beauty pageant winner, Joyce McKinney. When the tabloids got ahold of the story, they ran with it, printing salacious stories about the “Mormon sex in chains case,” and jubilantly painting McKinney as a sex-crazed predator. In her defense, McKinney denied the accusations, claiming that they were involved romantically, and that Anderson joined her of his own free will, but later fabricated the abduction story out of religious guilt. Morris delves into this sensationalistic story, but also specifically focuses on how that sensationalism was actually concocted in the UK tabloids, providing a fascinating look into the mechanics of celebrity, infamy, and scandal. Morris’ films and essays have long engendered stimulating conversation and careful consideration. Along with only a handful of other directors, he has often successfully crossed over from a core of self-selecting cinephiles to reach more general movie-goers, helping to expose broader audiences to the possibilities and diversity of documentary film. With its unusual and salacious background story, his latest has the potential to strike a chord with a younger audience reared on reality TV and celebrity scandal – but, at the same time, to show those viewers how such a story can also be well-told. It’s also just a lot of fun – the twists and turns of McKinney’s life make for a tale that truly is stranger than fiction. The protag has had the tendency to show up at past screenings and debate certain aspects of how she has been represented, so audiences might be in for a show not only on screen but also offscreen…
Note: Errol Morris will be present for the screening tonight at MoMI.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Special Screening: CONVENTO
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films this Saturday, July 16: CONVENTO
I offered my thoughts on Jarred Alterman’s featurette about the 400 year old Sao Francisco monastery, and, more importantly, the eccentric family who call it home, out of SXSW earlier this year here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations
Karlovy Vary 2011: Docs in Brief
I may post again next week on the handful of additional non-fiction I saw at Karlovy Vary, but for now, I wrote about three docs in this article for indieWIRE looking at women-focused films.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief
On TV: ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
Coming to POV next Tuesday, July 12: ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath took home the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize at Sundance last year for this penetrating exploration of the crimes of the Khmer Rouge.
My thoughts on this powerful film can be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On Cable: LOVE CRIMES OF KABUL
Coming to HBO next Monday, July 11: LOVE CRIMES OF KABUL
Tanaz Eshaghian goes into a women’s prison in Afghanistan to reveal the perpetrators of “moral crimes” in her latest film, which had its world premiere at Hot Docs. It joins a select number of projects to share the spotlight of the HBO Documentary Films Summer Series.
I previously included my thoughts on the film out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
In Theatres: PROJECT NIM
Coming to theatres this Friday, July 8: PROJECT NIM
MAN ON WIRE Oscar winner James Marsh returned to Sundance this year with this critical and audience favorite. His exploration of scientific ethics through the poignant story of a young ape has continued to resonate with audiences on the festival circuit since January.
My pre-Sundance profile may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On TV: SWEETGRASS
Coming to POV tonight: SWEETGRASS
Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s stunning study of cowboys and their sheep remains one of my favorite observational films of recent years. I’m curious to see what the PBS audience will think as it comes to the always excellent POV this week.
I wrote about the film upon its DVD release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
In the Works: HOW TO START A REVOLUTION
Ruaridh Arrow’s HOW TO START A REVOLUTION profiles an octogenerian whose writings have helped inspire individuals to topple dictators around the world.
That eightysomething-year-old is Gene Sharp, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee whose books on nonviolent resistance, such as FROM DICATORSHIP TO DEMOCRACY and WAGING NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE, have proven influential from the Balkans to Tunisia. The film combines interviews with Sharp with testimony from nonviolent revolutionaries all over the world who have used his methods to try to secure freedom from repression. In our age of ubiquitous cell-phone cameras, illustrations of these techniques are provided through user-generated content on the streets during major protests for freedom.
Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works
On VOD: MAGIC TRIP
Coming to Magnolia Pictures On Demand today, July 1: MAGIC TRIP
Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood brought their archival-rich exploration of Ken Kesey’s 1964 LSD (road)trip to Sundance for its world premiere. After additional festivals, including Hot Docs and BAMcinemaFEST, Magnolia is releasing the film on demand now, with theatrical coming next month.
I wrote about the film prior to its premiere
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
