Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, March 5:
FREE SOLO
Directors:
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Premiere:
Telluride 2018
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Toronto, Los Angeles
Notable Recognition:
The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
About:
The chronicle of a man’s attempt to be the first person to scale a notorious cliff wall without ropes or safety gear.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction screening series tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5:
THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI
Director:
Bill Siegel
Premiere:
Tribeca 2013
Select Festivals:
Seattle, Traverse City, San Francisco Jewish, Melbourne, Montclair
About:
A chronicle of the legendary fighter’s conscientious objection over Vietnam.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Festival:
The 20th Tempo Documentary Festival
Dates:
March 4-10
About:
Over 40 new and recent features are presented in Sweden’s largest nonfiction event, including a large representation of Swedish productions, like the following. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Director:
Dan Reed
Premiere:
Sundance 2019
About:
An intimate profile of two of Michael Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse victims.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 36th Miami Film Festival
Dates:
March 1-10
About:
The Florida event plays host to nearly 100 features, with nonfiction making up almost a third of the lineup, which often focuses on Ibero-American work. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming exclusively to IMAX theatres beginning today, Friday, March 1, and expanding to other theatres next Friday, March 8:
APOLLO 11
Director:
Todd Douglas Miller
Premiere:
Sundance 2019
Select Festivals:
SXSW, True/False, Miami
About:
A revisitation of the historic manned space mission to the Moon through exclusive, immersive footage.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 21st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
Dates:
March 1-10
About:
More than 160 new documentary features, plus shorts and additional retrospective work, are showcased at this respected Greek event. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
New to DVD this week:
GAME FACE
Director:
Michiel Thomas
Premiere:
Miami LGBT 2015
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Frameline, QDoc, Inside Out, FilmOut San Diego, Vancouver LGBT, Real Affirmations, Mix Copenhagen, and Austin LGBT
About:
A look at the coming out process of two LGBT athletes.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 16th True/False Film Fest
Dates:
February 28-March 3
About:
The beloved Columbia MO nonfiction event showcases approximately 35 new and recent documentary features. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, February 26:
TO END A WAR
Director:
Marc Silver
Premiere:
Colombia (September 2017)
Select Festivals:
Colombian Film Festival NY
About:
The Colombian government tries to broker peace with guerrilla forces to end a 50+ year conflict.
For 52 years, a Marxist guerrilla group, FARC, waged a civil war within Colombia, adding to instability in the nation. Since 2011, Colombian liberal progressive President Juan Manuel Santos engaged in peace talk negotiations with Timeleon Timochenko, the leader of FARC, a self-described ordinary man, on neutral ground in Havana, Cuba. The two camps agree that peace is the goal, and, in 2015, set a deadline of March 23, 2016 to come to an agreement, which is predicated on several controversial points, including the transition of FARC from its rebel structure into a political party. In trying to sell the peace plan to the nation, Santos finds expected resistance, as FARC has been positioned as the enemy for decades, with rightwing former president Álvaro Uribe, Santos’ predecessor, becoming something of a rallying symbol for Colombians angry at the idea of welcoming terrorists into the political process. Silver does an admirable job of condensing this background for viewers likely not familiar with the situation, and follows the process as Santos urges his citizens to vote for a peace agreement despite mounting opposition, achieving impressive access to both FARC and the government.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
