Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to HBO this Wednesday, September 29: WAR DON DON

After premiering in competition at SXSW, where it claimed a Special Jury Award, Rebecca Richman Cohen’s debut feature went on to a successful festival run, claiming additional awards at the Independent Film Festival of Boston (Karen Schmeer Documentary Editing Award) and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival (Cinereach Award).

Set in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the film focuses on the special trial of the controversial Issa Sesay, for some a war criminal, for others a hero who was instrumental in bringing peace to the war-torn African nation. Granted incredible access into the workings of a unique international court, Cohen is able to present a comprehensive and at times contradictory view of the accused and of the underlying issues that kept the civil war raging for years. There are no simple answers, and the film doesn’t aim for them – instead it accepts the conflicting nature of its subject, and lays it bare for audiences to debate.

Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction next Tuesday, September 28: MARWENCOL

Jeff Malmberg’s critical and audience favorite debuted at SXSW earlier this year, where it won the Documentary Competition. Since then, it’s gone on to win additional awards at the numerous festivals it’s screened, and also been picked up for theatrical distribution by Cinema Guild, opening next month. Before that happens, New York’s signature documentary series, STF, officially kicks off its Fall season with the film next Tuesday.

I’ve been a fan of and champion for this film since before its world premiere. There’s a pure joy to discovering the surprises in this story of a man who turns to his unique form of art therapy to deal with the lasting effects from a brutal beating. The film’s subject, Mark Hogencamp, constructs a 1/6th scale World War II-set Belgian village, the titular “Marwencol,” populated by GI Joes and Barbies representing avatars of himself and people in his life. He documents an elaborate, creative, continuing adventure through a series of shockingly intimate photographs, working through his own traumas through this fictional space. To say much more wouldn’t ruin the film, but it would take a lot of the surprise out of it – suffice it to say, if you like documentaries, you will love this film, and you must see it. Easily my favorite doc of the year – it was secretly my favorite of last year!

Just a quick note that Raindance NY‘s Documentary Production Certificate workshops, scheduled to begin next week and go through October, have been postponed, and will be rescheduled for early 2011. I’ll still be leading the workshop on “Documentaries & Film Festivals: What You Should Know” at that time and will post here then as a reminder.

Next Thursday, September 23, Raindance New York presents a workshop focusing on the legal needs of documentary producers, the second part of their five-part Documentary Production Certificate. Workshop leader Innes Smolansky, a veteran entertainment attorney, will cover legal information relevant to deals with funders, production partners, broadcasters, and sales agents, among others.

Sign up for Basic Legal Contracts for Documentaries.

Raindance New York’s Documentary Production Certificate begins next Wednesday, September 22, with Cinereach‘s Reva Goldberg providing “an overview of the landscape for funding documentaries, a sense of what to expect from the process, and practical advice for starting and sustaining your efforts.”

Sign up for Funding Fundamentals: Intro to Raising Money For Your Documentary.