Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, July 20:
FAR FROM THE TREE

Director:
Rachel Dretzin

Premiere:
DOC NYC 2017

Select Festivals:
Montclair, RiverRun, GlobeDocs, Documentary Edge, IFF Boston, Hawaii

About:
A film essay and career retrospective examining society’s preoccupation with materialism.

The film premiered at DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Andrew Solomon’s bestselling book FAR FROM THE TREE examines how parents face their children’s extreme differences, influenced by the author’s own experiences growing up gay and later becoming a parent. Now filmmaker Rachel Dretzin adapts the book into a beautifully crafted documentary, produced by Participant Media, known for groundbreaking films such as WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN” and FOOD, INC. The film profiles families who offer intimate access to how they experience surprise, resilience, sorrow, courage, hope, and joy. They have a lot to teach us about the depths of love as they confront conditions such as Down syndrome, autism, and dwarfism. The film serves to challenge ideas of “normality” and dispel fear over what’s perceived as “abnormal.”

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, July 17:
44 PAGES

Director:
Tony Shaff

Premiere:
SXSW Edu 2017

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Dallas, Sarasota, Cleveland, RiverRun, Nashville, Sidewalk, Indie Memphis, St Louis,

About:
A behind the scenes look at the most popular children’s magazine in the world.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, July 10:
GETTING NAKED: A BURLESQUE STORY

Director:
James Lester

Premiere:
Venice 2017 (Venice Days)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Cleveland, Newport Beach, Berkshire, Greenwich, Florida, SF DocFest

About:
An inside look at the lives of several contemporary burlesque performers.

I previously wrote about the doc here.