For its second day, Friday, November 11, DOC NYC‘s programming for industry professionals, DOC NYC PRO, turns to our popular section predicting awards contenders, Short List Day. Continue reading
Category Archives: Recommendations
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: DOC NYC PRO – Short List Day
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
DOK Leipzig 2016 Overview
DOK Leipzig, Germany’s longest-running nonfiction festival, holds its 59th edition beginning tonight, Monday, October 31. Between now and Sunday, November 6, more than 80 new documentary features will screen in a program that also celebrates animation while also offering several retrospective selections. The following puts the spotlight on the event’s eclectic nonfiction: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: International Perspectives
My DOC NYC preview wraps for the week with the globetrotting films of International Perspectives: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: American Perspectives
Today’s DOC NYC preview continues with a look at one of our perennial sections: American Perspectives, a panorama of stories from around the country: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: DOC NYC PRO – First-Time Doc Maker Day
In addition to an expansive offering of films, DOC NYC, also presents DOC NYC PRO, a concurrent panel and masterclass series intended for working documentarians. The first day of DOC NYC PRO programming, Thursday, November 10, First-Time Doc Maker Day, serves as a crash course for newcomers to nonfiction filmmaking. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Metropolis
The second of DOC NYC‘s two feature competition sections wraps up today’s festival preview. Metropolis turns the spotlight on New York stories: Continue reading
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In Theatres: BY SIDNEY LUMET
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 28: BY SIDNEY LUMET
Nancy Buirski’s tribute to the acclaimed director debuted at Cannes last year. Screenings followed at Tribeca, Jerusalem, Deauville, Full Frame, Traverse City, Austin, Mumbai, the Hamptons, and at Jewish fests in Atlanta, Toronto, and Philadelphia, among other events.
Filmed before Lumet’s death, the prolific director serves as the only voice in Biurski’s portrait, save, of course, for those of his various characters, presented here via numerous clips. Eschewing a dry chronological review, the film instead is more organically organized by the themes that re-emerge across Lumet’s oeuvre. While the director himself denies a conscious seeking out of these connections, their presentation here is thoughtful and well-executed, presenting audiences with the scope of Lumet’s work but still teasing out the commonalities. For his part, Lumet offers a matter-of-fact appraisal of his films, peppered with the occasional anecdote and biographical history, such as the harrowing memory experienced in India which bookends the doc, and, in many ways, informs the key moral concerns evinced in his movies. Buirski’s admirable project will no doubt direct several viewers to reacquaint themselves with films like 12 ANGRY MEN, RUNNING ON EMPTY, and LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT to witness the master in action.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Viewfinders
Today’s look at DOC NYC‘s programming covers the festival’s two feature competition sections. First up, Viewfinders, our showcase of work demonstrating distinct directorial visions: Continue reading
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On VOD: GLEASON
New to VOD this week: GLEASON
Clay Tweel’s portrait of life after ALS debuted at Sundance this year. It went on to screen at Nantucket, Hot DocsSXSW, AFI Docs, Seattle, Montclair, IFF Boston, Full Frame, and the upcoming DOC NYC as part of the Short List. It is now available on VOD via Amazon and iTunes.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Galas & Special Events
On Thursday, November 10, in just over two weeks, DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, kicks off its seventh edition. As the fest’s Director of Programming, I’ve led the film selection, and, as in years past, will briefly profile programming here in the lead-up to opening night, beginning with two of our highest profile sections: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
what (not) to doc 