Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens this coming Monday, January 13: AT BERKELEY
Frederick Wiseman’s singular exploration of the Northern Californian public university made its premiere at Venice last year. Its fest circuit has included Toronto, New York, London, Chicago, and Stockholm, and it enjoyed a limited theatrical release this Winter.
I previously wrote about the doc out of Toronto here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Next up in the World Cinema Documentary Competition: From Russia, Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin’s portrait of a convicted international arms smuggler, THE NOTORIOUS MR BOUT.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8: THE GREAT FLOOD
Bill Morrison’s elegiac reflection on the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 was commissioned by and debuted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011. Following revisions, it went on to screen at festivals including Cleveland, Vancouver, Adelaide, and Viennale, and has had special performances at Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Hall, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Los Angeles’ Royce Hall, among others.
The third collaboration between Morrison and acclaimed guitarist/composer Bill Frisell, the film chronicles the most destructive river flood in US history, which saw nearly 150 breaks in the Mississippi’s levees, flooding of 27,000 square miles, the deaths of 250 people in seven states, and damages estimated at over $400 million. As in his previous work, Morrison turned to decaying archival footage of the actual flood to convey the story of the flood, its deterioration lending a poignant, faraway, dreamlike quality to the project. Dialogue-free, with minimal text, the lovely monochromatic footage marries well with Frisell’s original score, inspired by the evolution of period music into various forms – blues, jazz, gospel, soul, rock, and r&b – that followed the forced migration north of sharecroppers displaced by the disaster. The result creates an almost hypnotic effect, more suited for an immersive theatrical or concert setting than home viewing. Still, this is decidedly esoteric arthouse territory, and will likely be an endurance experience for most audiences, even at a relatively brief 80 minute running time.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Launching into the second half of this year’s World Cinema Documentary Competition: From Canada, Chelsea McMullan’s MY PRAIRIE HOME, following a transgender performer through a tour of personal and geographical history.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
The first half of this year’s World Cinema Documentary Competition profiles wraps up with Tessa Louise-Salomé’s Mr leos caraX, from France, about the enigmatic director of such films as HOLY MOTORS and THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
The 23rd edition of the New York Jewish Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. A co-presentation of The Jewish Museum and the Film Society, the festival runs through Thursday, January 23, and presents more than 30 new and retrospective feature films, as well as shorts and special programs, such as symposium exploring film genres and identity-based programming, guest curation by Wim Wenders, a master class with Amos Gitai, and a celebration of the work of Otto Preminger and Saul Bass. Compared to last year’s edition, which saw about half the lineup focus on nonfiction programming, there are fewer documentaries screening, all noted below. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Today’s World Cinema Documentary Competition profiles wrap up with Sundance alum Valerie Veatch’s LOVE CHILD, a South Korean/US production, an in-depth look at the real life consequences of a young couple’s virtual reality.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Continuing my spotlight on this year’s World Cinema Documentary Competition with the first of three films that debuted at IDFA this past Fall: From France/Finland, HAPPINESS, Thomas Balmès’ illuminating look at the advent of modernity in a Bhutanese village.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7: LINSANITY
Evan Jackson Leong’s look at the celebrated basketball player made its debut at last year’s Sundance. It went on to screen at SXSW, Hawaii, Hong Kong, NY’s Asian American, LA Asian Pacific, and Pacific Rim, among others, and to enjoy a limited theatrical release.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Resuming my overview of this year’s World Cinema Documentary Competition: From Germany/Israel/UK, THE GREEN PRINCE, Nadav Schirman’s exploration of the unlikely relationship between would-be mortal enemies.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
