Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to PBS tonight, Wednesday, January 29: HAWKING

Stephen Finnigan’s portrait of the famed cosmologist and theoretical physicist made its debut at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at Edinburgh, CPH:DOX, Seattle, and Cambridge, among others. A shorter, broadcast version now makes its debut on PBS stations nationwide.

Though confined bodily to a wheelchair due to ALS, and able to speak only via a voice-synthesizer, Hawking for decades has been the most recognizable and popular scientist in the world. Finnigan trades on that celebrity, taking a more personal approach rather than foregrounding the thinker’s scientific discoveries in any great depth. Narrated by the University of Cambridge professor himself, the film traces Hawking’s early life, education, pursuit of science, diagnosis, and married life, and how he eventually wrote the bestselling popular science book, A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, which established him within the public’s consciousness, paving the way for his iconic status as one of the world’s greatest scientific geniuses. The approach taken may sideline the more heady thinking he’s done to expand our understanding of the universe, but it does make for an accessible, and often engaging, portrait of an uncommon mind who refused to let the failings of his body limit his potential.

Coming to WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed series tonight, Tuesday January 28: THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH: AN URBAN HISTORY

Chad Friedrichs’ exploration of an infamous St Louis urban renewal program debuted at True/False in 2011. It went on to screen at Silverdocs, Full Frame, Los Angeles, and Stranger Than Fiction, and to enjoy a limited theatrical release.

I included the film in my Silverdocs coverage here.

Coming to NYC’s IFC Center next Friday, January 24: AATSINKI: THE STORY OF ARCTIC COWBOYS

Jessica Oreck’s chronicle of a year in the life of reindeer herders had its world premiere at Tribeca last year. It went on to screen at Hot Docs, Vancouver, BFI London, New Orleans, and Abu Dhabi, among other events.

I previously wrote about the doc out of Tribeca here.

Coming to NYC’s Cinema Village next Friday, January 24: MERCEDES SOSA: THE VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA

Rodrigo H Vila’s portrait of the iconic performer made its debut at the IFF Panama last year. It also screened at DOC NYC, IDFA, Havana’s International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, and Sydney Latin American, among others.

A legend in Latin America, where her career spanned nearly half a century, Argentine Sosa reached beyond the confines of the region to build a fan base around the world, performing at thousands of concerts from Carnegie Hall to the Roman Colosseum. Recording forty albums that sold in the millions, the Grammy award winning performer popularized folk music from her native Argentina, as well as sounds from Brazil, Cuba, and elsewhere, simultaneously drawing attention to the political struggles in the region. Vila’s intimate portrait of the late singer explores her music and legacy through archival performances, interviews, and tributes from collaborators and admirers.

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Friday, January 17: THE SQUARE (AL MIDAN)

Jehane Noujaim’s riveting look at Egypt’s 2011 Revolution and what followed made its debut at Sundance last year, picking up an audience award. A retooled version of the film made its bow at Toronto, and repeated the audience award win, and went on to screen at the New York Film Festival, DOC NYC, and Dubai, among others. After its theatrical run this past Fall, the film was nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar, and now comes to Netflix as one of first original doc acquisitions.

I wrote about the film out of Toronto here.