In the first of three postings today about NYC festivals all starting this week, we’ll start with BAMcinemaFEST. Now in its third year, this BAM Rose Cinemas based event begins tomorrow and runs through June 26. More or less a successor to Sundance at BAM, which ran for three editions, this popular Brooklyn event features a great selection of strong films culled from top fests, including but no longer limited to Sundance – many films this year made their debuts at Berlin and SXSW. In addition, the fest features special retro and outdoor screenings.
Category Archives: Recommendations
BAMcinemaFEST 2011: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
DocPoint NYC 2011 in Brief
In celebration of its tenth anniversary, DocPoint: Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, the largest non-fiction event in the Nordic region, has organized DocPoint NYC, a weeklong program of Finnish docs from the past decade from June 8-13, with screenings at MoMA, 92Y Tribeca, Scandinavia House, and Union Docs. In addition, Scandinavia House will host two panels: Digital Distribution on Thursday, June 9 and Doc Power on Friday, June 10.
The Helsinkini festival’s regular dates – during the second half of Sundance – have meant that I’ve never been able to attend. Unfortunately and coincidentally, the NYC event takes place the exact dates that I’m out of the country attending the Transilvania International Film Festival. Despite that, between festival appearances elsewhere and some handy screeners, I’ve been able to see quite a few of the dozens of films that are being offered up to New York audiences, many for the first time.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, In Brief, Recommendations
indieWIRE @ Hulu Docs: The British Invasion
Hulu’s documentaries page has once again been updated with my curated selections for indieWIRE. Since Sheffield Doc/Fest starts this week, what better excuse to take a look at a range of non-fiction work from the British Isles?
For more information about the selections, see my iW article.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Indiewire @ Hulu Docs, Recommendations
Special Screening: GRAB
Making its NYC premiere at the National Museum of the American Indian on Thursday, June 16 and Saturday, June 18: GRAB
Billy Luther premiered his doc at this year’s Sundance. It offers a striking, impressionistic look at a unique Native American celebration involving the throwing of food and other items from rooftops.
I wrote about the film before its Sundance premiere here.
Luther’s previous film, MISS NAVAJO, which also screened at Sundance and documents a Native American beauty and culture pageant, is also part of the Museum’s programming.
Note: Admission is free, but reservations are recommended – see Facebook page for details. A Q&A will follow the screening. Also, free GRAB bags will be distributed to select attendees at both screenings.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Special Screening: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
Coming to NYC’s Brooklyn Film Festival tomorrow, Friday, June 3 and Rooftop Films next Thursday, June 9: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley’s doc had its world premiere in Hot Docs and comes stateside (and back home) for the first time for BIFF and Rooftop. I included the film in my coverage for indieWIRE last month, saying:
Daniel Goldstein’s Brooklyn condo is the point of contention in Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley’s BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN, which makes its world premiere at Hot Docs. Goldstein’s building is in the footprint of Mayor Bloomberg’s ambitious Atlantic Yards’ economic development plan for the borough. While there are many uncertainties about the benefits promised by the project, developers and the city government are determined to move forward, making questionable use of eminent domain laws to essentially force people out. Not willing to go without a fight, Goldstein becomes an activist, little realizing that his battle will take seven years and cost him a relationship. Galinsky and Hawley found a great underdog in Goldstein and have constructed a thoroughly engaging look at the infuriating erosion of individual rights in the interest of corporate concerns and political maneuvering.
Notes: A Q&A is scheduled following the WIFF screening, while the Rooftop screening is free.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations
Silverdocs 2011 Overview
The US’s largest documentary event, Silverdocs, has announced the lineup for its ninth edition, running June 20-26 in Silver Spring MD. I’ve never been able to attend the event in the past due to scheduling conflicts, but I’m excited to be going this year as one of several guest curators of a handful of panels at the Conference that runs concurrent with the film screenings.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On TV: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA
Returning to POV for an encore broadcast on Tuesday, June 7: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS
This broadcast commemorates the 40th anniversary of the release of the Pentagon Papers and serves as a pre-season special before POV’s 24th season debuts on June 21. I wrote about Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith’s Oscar-nominated film prior to its POV premiere last fall here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2011 Overview
I’ve been meaning to post on Sheffield Doc/Fest for about a week or so now, but have kept on being distracted. Sadly, I won’t be attending, so perhaps that’s added to the delay. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to go to my first Doc/Fest next year – we’ll see.
In any case, I’ve been jealous of those who have been able to partake in this festival for many years. Until this year, the event has been firmly placed in the Fall’s doc fest cluster, together with CPH:Dox and IDFA, as well as newcomer DOC NYC, making it pretty difficult for me to attend given that it’s prime Sundance screening time. With this edition, Sheffield has made the move to June, holding this year’s festival a remarkable scant seven months since the last edition. Kudos to the festival’s team, especially Festival Director Heather Croall and Programmer Hussain Currimbhoy, on putting together a comprehensive program in such a tight time frame.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Special Screening: BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD
Kicking off NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction’s first Summer Season with a special pre-season screening next Thursday, June 2: BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD
Acclaimed director Liz Garbus premiered her biography of chess wunderkind Fischer at the beginning of the year at Sundance. The film has gone on to screen at numerous festivals, with Garbus picking up an award at Newport Beach recently, and will be kicking off the HBO Documentary Films Summer Series on June 6.
See my pre-Sundance profile of the film here.
Note: Director Liz Garbus will be present for a post-screening Q&A.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Special Screening: BUCK
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction next Tuesday, May 31: BUCK
Cindy Meehl’s portrait of a horse whisperer has been charming audiences and critics alike since its premiere at Sundance, where it picked up the Documentary Audience Award. It picked up the same prize at Full Frame a couple of months later. I wrote about the film before Sundance here.
Note: Director Cindy Meehl will be present for a post-screening Q&A at STF.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
