Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2:
THE INFILTRATORS
Directors:
Alex Rivera and Cristina Ibarra
World Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
SXSW, Hot Docs, Miami, NY Latino, Montclair, Calgary, Hawaii
About:
A hybrid docufiction project detailing the mission of undocumented youth to be detained by Border Patrol.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to virtual theatrical today, Friday, May 29:
URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN
Director:
Daniel Traub
World Premiere:
Vancouver 2019
Select Festivals:
Berkshire, Architecture Design Art, Hamptons Doc
About:
A portrait of the noted sculptor.
Ursula von Rydingsvard is known for her monumental sculptures, composed of highly manipulated cedar, with work featured at MoMA, the Met, the Whitney, the Art Institute of Chicago, and numerous other notable institutions, as well as public art projects that encourage viewers’ tactile engagement. Filmmaker Daniel Traub offers audiences an intimate look at von Rydingsvard’s Brooklyn studio and the collaborative process that goes into her work, while also exploring her background as a Polish native born during WWII, who emigrated to a small working class Connecticut town as a child. Though soft-spoken, the artist speaks volumes as she relates the impact of her violent father and schizophrenic husband on her development as an artist, and how this background primed her to move to NYC in the 1970s to focus on art as a career. While somewhat limited by a too-brief running time, Traub’s film succeeds in paying von Rydingsvard her due, while enticing newcomers to her work to seek out more information.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to DVD this week:
RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS
Director:
Nicolas Jack Davies
World Premiere:
London 2018
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Doc’n’Roll, Glastonbury, Thessaloniki Doc
About:
The history of the pioneering label that popularized Jamaican music in the UK and beyond.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 27th Hot Docs
Dates:
May 28-June 6 (some selections until June 24) (online)
About:
North America’s largest documentary event goes online this year, presenting nearly 100 new features to Ontario audiences, including the world premieres noted below. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
New to DVD this week:
ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND
Director:
Daniel Roher
World Premiere:
Toronto 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Boulder, Miami Jewish, Calgary
About:
A candid recounting of the history of the legendary music group.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
photo by Martyna Starosta
Director:
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
About:
A groundbreaking investigation of sexual assault in the music industry.
My pre-Sundance doc profile may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 26:
MIDNIGHT FAMILY
Director:
Luke Lorentzen
World Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, Hot Docs, AFI Docs, New Directors/New Films, Sheffield DocFest, CPH:DOX, Hong Kong, Cartagena, Ambulante, Guadalajara, Docville, Full Frame, San Francisco, Freep, Doc10, Sydney, Krakow
Notable Recognition:
The doc was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
About:
A Mexico City family struggles to make a living as ragtag private paramedics, facing cut-throat competition to respond to patients in need of urgent help.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Season Two | photo by Ross McDonnell
Director:
Matthew Heineman
World Premiere:
Sundance 2018 (Season One) and Sundance 2020 (Season Two)
About:
A gripping docuseries examining complex illegal activities – America’s opioid epidemic (Season One) and human trafficking (Season Two).
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to The WORLD Channel’s Reel South tonight, Monday, May 25:
MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL
Director:
Alexander John Glustrom
World Premiere:
Full Frame 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, Hot Springs Doc, Washington DC Environmental, BendFilm, Raindance, Durban, Indie Grits, Montclair, Wild & Scenic, Planet in Focus
About:
An intimate profile of one man’s struggle against environmental racism.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to virtual theatrical this Sunday, May 24:
THE RABBI GOES WEST
Directors:
Gerald Peary and Amy Geller
World Premiere:
San Francisco Jewish 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Vancouver, Jewish fests in Boston, Birmingham, Jerusalem, and Miami
About:
A Brooklyn transplant to Montana attempts to evangelize his strand of Hasidic Judaism.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 