Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to HBO this coming Monday, May 2: CLAUDE LANZMANN: SPECTRES OF THE SHOAH

Adam Benzine’s portrait of the celebrated filmmaker debuted at Hot Docs last year. Its extensive festival run also included DOC NYC, Sheffield, San Francisco Jewish, Camden, Hot Springs Doc, Viennale, IDFA, Hamptons, and Dokufest. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Short Documentary.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
In 1973, French journalist Claude Lanzmann set out to make a documentary about the Holocaust. After twelve long years, he finally released the nearly ten-hour-long SHOAH to critical acclaim. For the first time, the 89-year-old auteur reflects on the challenges he faced to realize his vision. Adam Benzine combines fascinating unused footage from the film with candid thoughts from Lanzmann to reveal the impact of this seminal project on his life.

Coming to VOD this Sunday, May 1: GAYBY BABY

Maya Newell’s profile of several children of same-sex parents had its world premiere at Hot Docs last year. Other festival appearances have included DOC NYC, London, Melbourne, Sydney, Documentary Edge, Warsaw, and DOK Leipzig. Its VOD release is timed to coincide with International Family Equality Day.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, April 27: EVA HESSE

Marcie Begleiter’s look back at the postminimalist pioneer had its world premiere at the Whitney Museum of American Art last May. The film has also screened at Denver’s Women + Film series, the Washington Jewish Film Festival, and the Wexner Center for the Arts.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, April 26: PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON

Michelle Boyaner’s rediscovery of a lost artist debuted at Palm Springs last year. it went on to screen at Provincetown, Frameline, and LGBT fests in Halifax, Kansas City, and Portland, before being broadcast on HBO last Summer.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to PBS’s America ReFramed tonight, Tuesday, April 26: IN AN IDEAL WORLD

Noel Schwerin’s look at racial divisions in prison debuted at the Washington DC Independent Film Festival last year. Additional screenings included San Luis Obispo, Ojai, Harlem, Hoboken, Breckenridge, San Francisco Black, and Chicago’s Social Change fests.

Filmed over seven years, Schwerin’s project looks at institutionalized racial segregation through the experiences of three men in northern California’s Soledad Prison: Warden Ben Curry and two prisoners – Sam Lewis, who is black, and John Piccirillo, who is white. While segregation has been encouraged as a means to maintain order in an often dangerous environment, separating African American, Latino, and white prisoners into self-policing subgroups with their own codes of conduct, it has also encouraged the spread of white supremacist ideology and racially motivated violence and tension. Facing federal pressure to reform prison segregation policies, Warden Curry begins an anti-violence program that affords inmates like Lewis and Piccirillo the opportunity to cross racial lines and share their experiences in the prison system, and hopes for its change. While presenting a sobering message on the systemic challenges facing America’s correctional institutions, Schwerin’s film ultimately offers a redemptive perspective.

Coming to NYC’s Metrograph tonight, Monday, April 25: THEORY OF OBSCURITY: A FILM ABOUT THE RESIDENTS

Don Hardy’s exploration of the legendary art/music collective debuted at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, BAFICI, Indielisboa, San Francisco, IFF Boston, DOXA, Melbourne, Revelation, Portland, Sydney Underground, and Cucalorus, among several others. This screening is in conjunction with a tour by The Residents, which includes NYC’s Gramercy Theater tomorrow evening.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to VOD today, Friday, April 22: CATCHING THE SUN

Shalini Kantayya’s look at initiatives to expand solar energy had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival last Summer. Screenings followed at Big Sky, Washington DC’s Environmental, San Francisco Green, Twin Cities, and Australia’s Transitions, among others. It now comes to Netflix, appropriately enough on Earth Day.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to Discovery Channel as part of its Elevation Weekend series tomorrow, Saturday, April 23: SHERPA

Jennifer Peedom’s look at the response to Mount Everest’s deadliest tragedy premiered at Sydney last year. It went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, Melbourne, Aspen, Palm Springs, Adelaide, Washington DC’s Environmental, New Zealand, Dubai, Rocky Mountain Women’s and London fests, among others.

I previously wrote about the doc here.