Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction this Tuesday, February 7: UNFINISHED SPACES

Alysa Nahmias and Benjamin Murray premiered their doc on Cuba’s never-completed National Art Schools at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year. It has gone on to screen at numerous additional festivals, including Denver, Havana, and Palm Springs. Recently, they were awarded a special outreach award by Film Independent which will be presented during the Independent Spirit Awards later this month.

I previously wrote about the film during its run via DocuWeeks here.

Note: The directors will be present for a post-screening Q&A.

I’m interrupting what (not) to doc‘s Sundance hiatus since the Oscar nominations were announced this morning. While my congratulations go to all the nominees, this blog is, as always, focused on feature documentaries. I’m especially happy to see two Sundance alums receive the Academy’s nod.

I’ve previously written about four of the nominees and am linking to those posts below. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to see the fifth, UNDEFEATED, but will do so as soon as I can, post-Sundance.

HELL AND BACK AGAIN

IF A TREE FALLS

PARADISE LOST 3

PINA

Coming to NYC’s MoMA as part of its series “The Contenders” next Thursday, January 26: PINA

Wim Wenders’ ode to choreographer Pina Bausch premiered at Berlin last year and went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, and the New York Film Festival. It opened theatrically in select US markets last month. It has made the Oscar shortlist for both the Best Foreign Film and for the Best Documentary.

I wrote about the film before its release here.