Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to OVID this Sunday, May 19:
HOW TO LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY

Director:
Therese Shechter

Premiere:
Jihlava 2013

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Cucalorus, St John’s International Women

About:
A personal exploration of the elusive concept of purity.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, May 17:
WALKING ON WATER

Director:
Andrey Paounov

Premiere:
Locarno 2018

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Toronto, Docudays UA

About:
A behind the scenes look at Christo’s long-gestating Floating Piers project.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
For decades Christo and Jeanne-Claude dazzled art lovers with their epic installation projects, such as The Gates in Central Park. Seven years after the death of Jeanne-Claude, the larger-than-life Christo finally realizes a long-planned project, The Floating Piers. Mounted in 2016 on Italy’s Lake Iseo, the mammoth undertaking allows visitors to walk across a great stretch of water. Once again, witnessing the realization of Christo’s vision feels like watching a real-life miracle.

Coming to Fuse this Saturday, May 18:
I USED TO BE NORMAL: A BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY

Director:
Jessica Leski

Premiere:
Hot Docs 2018

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Sydney, Revelation Perth, Melbourne, Fantastic Fest, Adelaide, London, Hawaii, Göteborg, Rotterdam, Miami, Santa Barbara, Cleveland, Istanbul

About:
A look at boyband superfans.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
New Kids on the Block, N*Sync, One Direction, and, of course, The Beatles: Bands with big hair, bigger personalities and the ubiquitous screaming fangirls. Jessica Leski’s entertaining film profiles these ardent fans, charming groupies who find joy in their devotion. Whimsical and lustrous, the film explores the complexity of social media relationships and the gray line between passion and obsession. At its core the story is a celebration of music as a universal language, one that unites frantic fans and provides a sense of belonging.

Coming to OVID this Sunday, May 19:
THE GRACE LEE PROJECT

Director:
Grace Lee

Premiere:
SF Asian American 2005

Select Festivals:
SXSW, Los Angeles, Pusan, St Louis, Hawaii, New York Asian American, Toronto Reel Asian

About:
A personal consideration of names, culture, and identity.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

New to DVD this week:
EVERY ACT OF LIFE

Director:
Jeff Kaufman

Premiere:
Tribeca 2018

Select Festivals:
Seattle, Tel Aviv, Nashville, Provincetown, Inside Out, Frameline, Outfest, LGBT fests in Miami, Portland, San Diego, Hartford, Vancouver, and Austin

About:
A look at the life and work of acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, May 13:
HARVEST SEASON

Director:
Bernardo Ruiz

Premiere:
Mill Valley 2018

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Full Frame, Freep, San Diego Latino, Riverrun, Newport Beach, Sebastopol Doc, Cine Las Americas, Minneapolis-St Paul, Kansas City, Houston Latino, Washington DC Environmental

About:
A profile of the unheralded Latinx individuals involved in all facets of California wine production.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Lush and luxurious, California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys are known for their top-notch wine making. The unsung heroes of the industry are the Latinx vineyard workers and small producers, who lovingly oversee all aspects of the wine-making process, from vine to vintage. Unfolding over the course of one of the most dramatic harvests in history, Bernardo Ruiz’s film follows three people whose lives are rooted in wine making, immersing the audience in the challenging and unpredictable process.