The 14th edition of Vancouver’s documentary festival, DOXA, begins today, Thursday, April 30, and runs through Sunday, May 10, presenting more than fifty new and retrospective features in its program, including opener HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, the Sundance award winning history of Greenpeace; and closer IRIS, the late Al Maysles portrait of style doyen Iris Apfel. Other notable program selections follow: Continue reading
Category Archives: Recommendations
DOXA 2015 Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Nantucket 2015: Features Lineup Announced
Earlier today, we announced the Special Presentations and Features line-up for Nantucket Film Festival, where I serve as Film Program Director. I’m excited to share the program finally – its curation has been a labor of love these past few months. This year’s festival, taking place June 24-29, is our 20th anniversary! We’ll follow up with announcements about our Shorts programming and live Signature Programs in the coming weeks.
Following is the list of the films announced today. For descriptions, visit our website: Continue reading
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In Theatres: IRIS
Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, April 29: IRIS
The late Al Maysles’ portrait of a NYC style maven made its debut at the New York Film Festival last Fall. It has since screened at the Hamptons, San Francisco, Tallinn Black Nights, Palm Springs, Portland, Miami, Ashland, Full Frame, Sarasota, Belfast, and IFF Boston, among others.
Documentary legend Maysles crafts a buoyant celebration of individuality and inspiration in his portrait of flamboyant nonagenarian fashion doyenne Iris Apfel. Together with her husband Carl, Iris ran the artisanal textile company Old World Weavers from 1950 until 1992, which established her as a mainstay within New York’s fashion industry. Known for her personal style, as reflected by her trademark oversized glasses, bold prints, and chunky costume jewelry, she became an unlikely senior fashion sensation when she was recognized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute with an unexpectedly popular exhibition in 2005. Maysles charming film is less concerned with her past, however, and instead follows the charismatic woman as she attends to her surprisingly active public schedule and hunt for inspiration, with quieter moments revealing a warm companionship with Carl, who becomes a centenarian during the course of the shoot.
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In Theatres & On VOD: SOUL BOYS OF THE WESTERN WORLD
Coming to theatres and VOD today, Wednesday, April 29: SOUL BOYS OF THE WESTERN WORLD
George Hencken’s look back at one of the seminal bands of the 1980s debuted at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, Rome, Sheffield, CPH:DOX, BAFICI, and In-Edit, among others.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
In George Hencken’s impressively constructed portrait, Spandau Ballet, one of the bands that defined the 1980s, tell their own story, set against a backdrop of evocative period footage, including never-before-seen home movies. Bandmates reveal how a group of working-class Brits came to conquer music and influence fashion around the world, only to break up at the end of the decade. In the wake of the acrimonious legal battle that followed, all hope for reconciliation seemed lost, but nearly two decades later, fans finally got their wish.
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On VOD: ABOVE AND BEYOND
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, April 28: ABOVE AND BEYOND
Roberta Grossman’s exploration of the origins of the Israeli Air Force premiered at Jerusalem last year. Other fest berths have included DOC NYC, Palm Springs, Heartland, and Jewish fests in San Francisco, Toronto, Boston, Nashville, Hong Kong, and Vancouver. The Orchard now makes the film available on iTunes and other VOD platforms.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
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On VOD: IN COUNTRY
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, April 28: IN COUNTRY
Mike Attie and Meghan O’Hara’s portrait of Vietnam War re-enactors made its world premiere at Full Frame last year. Other fest screenings included DOC NYC, Hot Docs, CPH:DOX, and Camden before its theatrical release earlier this month. Bond/360 now makes the film available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, and VUDU, as well as from the film’s website.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
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Special Screening: PATROLMAN P
Coming to the JCC in Manhattan’s CineMatters series tonight, Tuesday, April 28: PATROLMAN P
Ido Mizrahy’s investigation into 1970s NYPD corruption had its world premiere at DOC NYC in 2013. It went on to screen at the Jerusalem Film Festival and on DIRECTV.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
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Special Screening: AFTER THE DANCE
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction series tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28: AFTER THE DANCE
Daisy Asquith’s personal investigation into family secrets debuted last month at Dublin. It previously screened as a work-in-progress at last year’s Sheffield.
Asquith’s mother, Pat, was conceived out of wedlock after a local dance in County Clare, Ireland, and, to prevent family embarrassment, was adopted by an English couple with the help of local nuns. Pat’s biological mother kept the episode a secret for decades. Even after Pat tracked her down, and met her half-siblings, she found herself shunned because of the stigma her very existence would bring to the family. Twenty years later, with Pat’s mother now dead, she sets out to County Clare with her daughter to reconnect with the more receptive siblings and, most importantly, to track down information on her mysterious father, Tom Browne. Despite all the time that’s passed, Asquith finds that the shame and fear that forced her grandmother’s desperate actions six decades ago still maintains its grip, rooted in Irish Catholicism. Still, resolute to find answers, the mother and daughter continue their quest over the objections of family members, lay claim to their heritage, and manage to track down a link to the Browne family that leads them on a journey across the ocean. While embracing the personal, Asquith has still managed to craft an engaging story about family and guilt that rings universally true.
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On TV/DVD: LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM
Coming to PBS’s American Experience and to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28: LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM
Rory Kennedy’s chronicle of the US withdrawal from Saigon had its world premiere at Sundance last year. It went on to screen at Nantucket, DOC NYC, Sarasota, deadCENTER, Los Angeles, Martha’s Vineyard, and Ashland, among others, and was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Oscar.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On Cable: TALES OF THE GRIM SLEEPER
Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, April 27: TALES OF THE GRIM SLEEPER
Nick Broomfield’s examination of a case of serial killing in South Central Los Angeles debuted at Telluride last year. It went on to screen at Toronto, DOC NYC, NYFF, CPH:DOX, AFI Fest, and Zurich, among others, and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
