Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 13: BEING CANADIAN
Rob Cohen’s defense of the Great White North debuted at Hot Docs. Screenings followed at Nantucket, Traverse City, and Ottawa Indie.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Category Archives: Recommendations
On DVD: BEING CANADIAN
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Special Screening: A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES: PEACEKEEPERS
Coming to NYC’s Bronx Documentary Center as part of its Women’s Film Series this Saturday, September 10: A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES: PEACEKEEPERS
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Geeta Gandbhir’s profile of UN peacekeepers in Haiti made its debut at Toronto last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, Mumbai, RiverRun, Bentonville, Minneapolis-St Paul, Atlanta, and NYC’s African Diaspora tests, among other events.
In an effort to assist recovery in Haiti, a group of 160 women are recruited to join a Bangladeshi peacekeeping mission for the United Nations. Obaid Chinoy and Gandbhir follow several of these new recruits as they first contend with questions within their own traditional, and predominantly Muslim, culture, and then on the ground in a foreign land devastated by natural disaster. Leaving husbands, children, and other family members behind for a year, these policewomen arrive poorly prepared for their new status quo, but persevere to fulfill their mission, defying gender stereotypes. Once back home, they contend with the changes their time away has made not only within their families, but within themselves.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
In Theatres: CAMERAPERSON
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 9: CAMERAPERSON
Kirsten Johnson’s personal reflections on observing life through the camera lens had its world premiere at Sundance this year. The film went on to screen at Nantucket, True/False, Miami, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, Full Frame, Sarasota, RiverRun, Nashville, Hot Docs, DOXA, and San Francisco, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
In Theatres: AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY
Coming to theatres this Friday, September 9: AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY
Jeff Feuerzeig’s chronicle of the true story behind a literary sensation made its bow at Sundance this year. Screenings followed at Nantucket, True/False, Full Frame, San Francisco, DocAviv, Seattle, Sheffield, Sundance London, Provincetown, New Zealand, Sidewalk, and BAMcinemaFest, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
ON DVD/VOD: THE ROYAL ROAD
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, September 6: THE ROYAL ROAD
Jenni Olson’s essay on memory, history, and butch identity made its bow at Sundance last year. Screenings have also included Minneapolis St Paul, Art of the Real, BAFICI, Nashville, San Francisco, Seattle, Galway, Dokufest Kosovo, Vancouver, Wroclaw’s American, Napa Valley, Goteborg, and LGBT tests all over the world.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On VOD: THE SEVENTH FIRE
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, September 6: THE SEVENTH FIRE
Jack Pettibone Riccobono’s candid look at Native American gang life debuted at Berlin last year. Its fest circuit has included New Orleans, Palm Springs, Documenta Madrid, Mar del Plata, Stockholm, Minneapolis-St Paul, Big Sky, Hawaii, Iran’s Cinema Vérité, Ashland, and Hot Springs Doc.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Toronto 2016: Documentary Overview
This week will see the film industry descend on the Toronto International Film Festival, which begins its fifth decade this Thursday, September 8. Once again, the event will turn the spotlight on over 280 new and recent feature films, in addition to shorts, retrospectives, television, and panels. Nearly 60 documentary or hybrid feature films are on offer, including numerous world premieres as well as buzzed about titles just fresh from Venice or Telluride berths. The following offers some highlights of this year’s impressive roster: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: BROTHERS OF THE BLACK LIST
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 6: BROTHERS OF THE BLACK LIST
Sean Gallagher’s look at a campus civil rights abuse debuted on the campus of SUNY Oneonta in early 2014. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, Dallas, DocuWest, and at several universities around the country.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
In the fall of 1992, despite efforts to recruit minority students, SUNY Oneonta set off a firestorm of controversy that led to the longest litigated civil-rights case in US history. After an attempted rape of an elderly woman off-campus, school administrators released a list of its black male students to the police. Sean Gallagher’s affecting film chronicles how this act of institutionalized racial profiling left an indelible mark on the university, its students, and the larger community.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On VOD: NUTS!
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6: NUTS!
Penny Lane’s subversive look at an eccentric self-made man premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where it picked up an award. Its festival circuit also included Nantucket, Hot Docs, San Francisco, BAMcinemaFest, Rotterdam, Ashland, Durban, Sarasota, Ashland, Cleveland, BAFICI, Seattle, Jerusalem, Melbourne, Bucheon, New Zealand, and Deauville.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Special Screening: THE WOLFPACK
Coming to NYC’s Bronx Documentary Center Women’s Film Series tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6: THE WOLFPACK
Crystal Moselle’s look at a band of unconventional brothers debuted at Sundance last year, claiming the US Documentary Grand Jury Prize. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, Nantucket, Cleveland, Full Frame, Sarasota, Tribeca, San Francisco, and Seattle, among other events.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
what (not) to doc 