ICARUS
Bryan Fogel exposes a complex doping operation at the heart of Russia’s Olympics program.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Category Archives: Recommendations
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: ICARUS
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE FORCE
THE FORCE
Peter Nicks immerses viewers in the beleaguered Oakland Police Department as it attempts to reform its scandal-ridden image.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: HEY BARTENDER
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, December 28: HEY BARTENDER
Douglas Tirola’s insider’s look at cocktail culture made its world premiere at SXSW in 2013. Screenings followed at Montclair, Napa Valley, and New Orleans, among other events.
I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: DOLORES
DOLORES
Peter Bratt celebrates an unheralded pioneer of the modern labor rights movement.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: DINA
DINA
Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini profile an unforgettable woman as she seeks to realize her desires.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: CITY OF GHOSTS
CITY OF GHOSTS
Matthew Heineman captures a courageous group of citizen journalists and their struggle to expose the truth behind ISIS.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: CHASING CORAL
CHASING CORAL
Jeff Orlowski races to capture the climate change-driven destruction of the planet’s lifegiving coral reefs.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
Special Program:
The New Climate
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus: CASTING JONBENET
CASTING JONBENET
Kitty Green’s hybrid explores the 1996 murder of the child beauty pageant winner from the perspectives of the local community.
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On TV: EVERY BRILLIANT THING
Coming to HBO tonight Monday, December 26: EVERY BRILLIANT THING
Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey’s filmed version of Jonny Donahoe and Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed and life-affirming fictional stage show made its debut at DOC NYC last month.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC, saying:
When he is only seven years old, a young boy’s mother attempts suicide for the first time. He responds the only way he knows how: he begins an enumerated list of “brilliant things” worth living for, from “things with stripes” to “water fights.” As he grows, so does the list, following him through subsequent suicide attempts by his mother as well as pivotal moments in his own life, and culminating in its development into a poignant and very funny one-man show featuring creative audience participation.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2017 Sundance Docs in Focus
The Sundance Film Festival’s 33rd edition takes place next month, running January 19-29, with a lineup consisting of 118 features, 68 shorts, 11 installations/performances, and 16 VR experiences. Since the 2011 festival, I’ve profiled the feature documentary programming in advance of the festival, offering background about the exciting new crop of films. The 2017 lineup focus commences tomorrow, beginning with the US Documentary Competition, and will continue film-by-film, section-by-section, until I’ve covered the approximately 50 nonfiction titles, concluding right before the festival begins.
Given my role as Documentary Programming Associate for Sundance, please note that these profiles are not reviews – instead, they simply include select background, noting past Sundance projects where applicable, and reasons why readers should seek the films out, either in Park City during the festival or later in the year at other upcoming festivals and/or ijn release. For a sample, check out last year’s series, which began here.
I’ve also prepared a new Twitter list to give readers a look at the festival through the eyes of the Sundance 2017 films.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations, Sundance
what (not) to doc 