New to DVD this week: SHOWRUNNERS: THE ART OF RUNNING A TV SHOW
Des Doyle’s exploration of the television creative process made its premiere at Dublin’s Stranger Than Fiction doc festival. Screenings followed in Zurich, Austin, New York and Los Angeles.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Turning 40 this year, the Toronto International Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, September 10, screening well over 275 new feature films in addition to retrospectives, shorts, and industry programming before it wraps on Sunday, September 20. This year sees a notable increase in nonfiction programming, with just over 50 new docs or hybrid projects by my count compared to approximately 35 last year. I’ll be in attendance for the first half of the festival, especially hoping to have a chance to catch up with the following highlights: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres across the US tonight, Wednesday, September 9: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Jerry Rothwell’s rousing history of Greenpeace made its world premiere at Sundance, where it picked up the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award. It has since screened at Nantucket, Hot Docs, True/False, DOXA, San Francisco Green, Sebastopol Doc, Sydney, and Telluride Mountainfilm, among others. More information on tonight’s screening may be found at Fathom Events.
I previously profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 8: BLACKOUT
Callie T Wiser’s revisitation of an infamous citywide power outage debuted as part of PBS’ American Experience series this Summer.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9: WELCOME TO LEITH
Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker’s in-the-moment investigation of an attempted community takeover debuted at Sundance earlier this year. Other festival appearances have included Nantucket, SXSW, Dallas, Ashland, RiverRun, Sarasota, Montclair, Telluride Mountainfilm, Sydney, AFI Docs, New Zealand, Melbourne, and Sidewalk, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8: THE LAST IMPRESARIO
Gracie Otto’s profile of an unsung creative made its bow at BFI London in 2013. Other screenings have included DOC NYC, Hamptons, Dubai, Glasgow, Biografilm, and Sydney.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8: MISERY LOVES COMEDY
Kevin Pollak’s candid exploration of stand-up debuted at Sundance earlier this year. It went on to screen at Tribeca and to be released on VOD platforms.
I previously wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Today, Friday, September 4, sees the opening of the 42nd annual Telluride Film Festival, which will give North American audiences their first look at some of the most anticipated films of the Fall in advance of key September fests like Toronto and New York. The event, which wraps on Monday, September 6, just released its lineup yesterday, available now via the fest’s program guide. The following presents highlights from the nineteen documentary features on offer this year: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 4: STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE
Alex Gibney’s exploration of the pioneering Apple co-founder made its debut at SXSW earlier this year. Other fests have included Nantucket, San Francisco, Seattle, AFI Docs, and Melbourne, among others.
I previously wrote about the film for Nantucket’s program, saying:
When Steve Jobs died in 2011, he left behind not only the Apple empire, with all of its MacBooks, iPhones, iPods, and iPads, but millions of devoted – if not rabid – followers of his cult of better living through technology. An iPhone devotee himself, Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney sets out to understand the world-shaping genius and why he continues to engender such reverence. In the process, Gibney offers not only a candid look at the iconoclast’s many successes, but a critical examination of his failings, both professional and personal. Drawing from a wealth of archival interviews with Jobs, as well as new footage of former colleagues, the film crafts an engrossing portrait of a complex, influential, and flawed figure.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to PBS’s American Masters tomorrow, Friday, September 4: ALTHEA
Rex Miller’s portrait of a sports pioneer had its premiere at DOC NYC last year. Since then, it has screened at Full Frame, AFI Docs, Palm Beach, Athena, and the American Black Film Festival, among other events.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
In the 1940s and 50s, long before Arthur Ashe or Venus and Serena Williams, Althea Gibson was the first African-American tennis player to become World Champion. Her singles wins at Wimbledon and Forest Hills drew worldwide attention and was celebrated with a ticker-tape parade along Broadway. Reintroducing the pioneering athlete to a new generation, Rex Miller’s bittersweet tribute reveals how a street kid from Harlem reached the pinnacle of an unlikely sport during the height of racial segregation.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 