Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction series today, Tuesday, April 12:
THE FIRST STEP
Director:
Brandon Kramer
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021
Select Festivals:
AFI Docs, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Woods Hole, Hot Springs Doc, Heartland, Virginia
About:
Black progressive activist and political commentator Van Jones navigates increasingly tense and isolating political and racial divides in his attempt to become a “bridge builder” during the Trump administration.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Coming to theatres for a limited engagement today, Monday, April 11 and tomorrow, Tuesday, April 12:
NAVALNY
Director:
Daniel Roher
World Premiere:
Sundance 2022
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Docville, Cleveland, Hot Docs, San Francisco, Seattle, Sun Valley, Full Frame
About:
After Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent implicated in attacks on other opponents of the Russian government, he partners with journalists and international news organizations to investigate his attempted assassination and find proof of the Kremlin’s involvement.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres and to VOD today, Friday, April 8:
COW
Director:
Andrea Arnold
World Premiere:
Cannes 2021
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Telluride, IDFA, Busan, BFI London, Melbourne, Jerusalem, Beijing, Hamburg, Hamptons, Reykjavik, Mill Valley, Chicago, Jihlava, AFI Fest, Tokyo, Rio
About:
A close-up portrait of the daily lives of two cows.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Netflix today, Thursday, April 7:
RETURN TO SPACE
Director:
E Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin
World Premiere:
Netflix release (April 2022)
About:
Elon Musk and SpaceX engineers embark on a historic mission to return NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and revolutionize space travel.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to OVID.tv today, Thursday, April 7:
UNCLE HOWARD
Director:
Aaron Brookner
World Premiere:
Sundance 2016
Select Festivals:
Berlin, New York, Seattle, BAFICI, Jerusalem, Warsaw, San Sebastian, Biografilm, Cleveland
About:
The filmmaker sets out to rediscover his uncle’s pioneering films.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 5:
A NEW HIGH
Director:
Samuel Miron, Stephen Scott Scarpulla
World Premiere:
Los Angeles 2015
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Seattle, Salem, Twin Cities, Illuminate
About:
A group of Seattle addicts attempt to climb Mt Rainier to conquer their demons.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 5:
THE MEANING OF HITLER
Director:
Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
Select Festivals:
Docaviv, Atlanta Jewish, Sofia, Philadelphia
About:
A provocative consideration of the lasting influence and draw of Hitler.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction series tomorrow, Tuesday, April 5:
LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA
Director:
Raquel Cepeda
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
Select Festivals:
Tribeca, Philadelphia Latino, Hot Docs
About:
The “first lady” of the Savage Skulls reflects on the pivotal role of women in the 1970s New York City gang and her later shift to community activism.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Lorine Padilla rose to prominence as the “first lady” of the Savage Skulls gang in 1970s New York City. As the wife of one of its founders, Padilla’s position as surrogate mother led her to push her penchant for organizing into a life of community activism. After settling into her elder years, a tragic incident in the Bronx forces Padilla back into action to take on a new cause.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Netflix today, Wednesday, March 30:
TRUST NO ONE: THE HUNT FOR THE CRYPTO KING
Director:
Luke Sewell
World Premiere:
Netflix (March 2022)
About:
When the young founder of a collapsing cryptocurrency exchange dies unexpectedly, irate investors suspect there’s more to his death than meets the eye.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to HBO and HBO Max tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29:
HOW TO SURVIVE A PANDEMIC
Director:
David France
World Premiere:
CPH:DOX 2022
About:
The incredible story of the world’s biggest health science project: the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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