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
Category Archives: Recommendations
Miami 2019: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: APOLLO 11
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
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2019 Overview
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
On DVD: GAME FACE
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
True/False 2019 Overview
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
On VOD: TO END A WAR
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
On VOD: LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE
New to VOD this week:
LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE
Director:
Gustavo Salmerón
Premiere:
Karlovy Vary 2017
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Toronto, IDFA, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Hamptons, Camden, San Sebastian, San Francisco, Docaviv, Encounters
About:
A film about the director’s eccentric mother as she reacts to the loss of one of her dreams.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Special Screening: TO KID OR NOT TO KID
Coming to NYC’s DCTV screening series tonight, Monday, February 25:
TO KID OR NOT TO KID
Director:
Maxine Trump
Premiere:
DOC NYC 2018
About:
A personal look at women’s decision not to have kids.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Filmmaker Maxine Trump turns the camera on herself and her close circle of family and friends as she confronts the idea of not having kids. While exploring the cultural pressures and harsh criticism child-free women regularly experience, as well as the personal impact this decision may have on her own relationship, Maxine meets other women reckoning with their choice: Megan, who struggles to get medical permission to undergo elective sterilization, and Victoria, who lives with the backlash of publicly acknowledging that she made a mistake when she had a child.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
On TV: PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, February 25:
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
Director:
Hao Wu
Premiere:
SXSW 2018
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc Edge, Seattle, CAAMFest, Melbourne, Fantasia, Documenta
About:
A look at a disturbing online world of popularity and fandom in China.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
ZagrebDox 2019 Overview
Festival:
The 15th ZagrebDox
Dates:
February 24-March 3
About:
Approximately 75 new and recent features are presented in Croatia’s notable nonfiction event. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
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