New to DVD this week:
TICKLED
Directors:
David Farrier and Dylan Reeve
Premiere:
Sundance 2016
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, True/False, Cleveland, Sarasota, San Francisco, Hot Docs, Montclair, Seattle, Sydney, Auckland
About:
Journalists embark on a wild investigation into an online fetish subculture.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
New to DVD this week:
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRÉ
Director:
Kate Novack
Premiere:
Toronto 2017
Select Festivals:
IDFA, Tribeca, Palm Springs, CPH:DOX, RiverRun, Montclair, IFF Boston, Seattle, Melbourne Queer,
About:
A portrait of influential fashion editor André Leon Talley.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 26th Hot Docs
Dates:
April 25-May 5
About:
Approximately 150 new features, in addition to several retrospective presentations, make up the lineup of North America’s largest documentary festival. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to NYC’s Town Hall tomorrow, Thursday, April 25:
A THOUSAND THOUGHTS
Directors:
Sam Green and Joe Bini
Premiere:
Sundance 2018
Select Festivals:
San Francisco
About:
A live documentary telling the story of acclaimed contemporary classical music ensemble Kronos Quartet.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 23:
HAL
Director:
Amy Scott
Premiere:
Sundance 2018
Select Festivals:
Telluride, AFI Docs, Full Frame, San Francisco, Seattle, Traverse City, Edinburgh, Jerusalem, Lunenberg, Revelation, deadCenter, Nashville, Cleveland, Montclair
About:
A celebration of maverick director Hal Ashby.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, April 23:
PATRIMONIO
Directors:
Lisa F Jackson and Sarah Teale
Premiere:
Berlin 2018
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Full Frame, Hot Springs Doc, Tallgrass, SF Green, St Louis
About:
Mexican fishermen fight back against development plans that will destroy their way of life.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
In Baja, Mexico, a multinational developer plans to build an extensive wellness oasis, which will include nearly 4500 homes and create a footprint that will engulf the local fishing community of Todos Santos. Faced with the encroachment of their natural resources, depletion of the local ecology, and severe pollution, the fishermen band together to fight the developer and government agencies that enable these extreme resorts. Led by an inspiring young attorney, can this humble group succeed in stopping this unsustainable development and preserve their way of life?
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images
Director:
Hannah Berryman
Premiere:
BBC (September 2018)
About:
A two-part docuseries exploring the rebellious life of Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister, Princess Margaret.
I previously wrote about the series here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 18th Tribeca Film Festival
Dates:
April 24-May 5
About:
Approximately 65 feature-length documentary films or docuseries – nearly half the festival’s lineup – are included in this popular NYC event, spread out in various sections noted below. Included are two of its three Galas: Opening night presentation THE APOLLO, Roger Ross Williams’ exploration of the history and cultural significance of the legendary Harlem performance space; and THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE HUNGRY, Nicole Lucas Haimes’ look at the fierce rivalry between the frontrunners of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, which kicks off the sidebar Tribeca Sports Film Festival. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to PBS and to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23:
BOSS: THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS
Director:
Stanley Nelson
Premiere:
Pan African 2019
Select Festivals:
African Disapora
About:
An exploration of the history of African American entrepreneurship and business.
The spirit of enterprise is a defining characteristic of the American Dream, but, with few exceptions, popular historical examples of successful entrepreneurs are generally white males. Stanley Nelson offers a corrective in this historical survey that stretches from slavery to the present. In addition to briefly profiling several individuals who may have been known within African American circles but largely were ignored outside, like Madam CJ Walker, who became the wealthiest woman in America, black or white, through her hair care empire, the film offers fascinating insight into systemic efforts to exclude African Americans from financial self-reliance and success, from the mishandling of the Freedman’s Savings Bank to the economic roots of lynching.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction at IFC Center tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23:
KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE
Director:
Rachel Lears
Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
SXSW, Hot Docs, True/False, Full Frame, Athena, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago Doc 10
About:
Four progressive political newcomers – including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – seek to unseat entrenched incumbents.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
what (not) to doc 