Festival:
The 78th Venice International Film Festival
Dates:
September 1-11
About:
The A list Italian festival returns with approximately 80 features, among them just 14 documentaries, while the autonomous sidebars present 17 docs among their 38 feature presentations, including the following.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Saturday, August 28:
SEARCHERS
Director:
Pacho Velez
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
Docaviv, Visions du Reel, Minneapolis-St Paul, AFI Docs
About:
An exploration of online dating apps and the need for human connection during a time of enforced isolation.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 27:
UNAPOLOGETIC
Director:
Ashley O’Shay
World Premiere:
BlackStar 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, Black Harvest, St Louis, Cucalorus, Big Sky Doc, Athena, Cleveland, Human Rights Watch, Outfest Fusion
About:
Two fierce abolitionist leaders offer a deep look into the movement for Black Lives.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Fed up with misdeeds committed by Chicago law enforcement and a political system unwilling to hold anyone accountable, two millennial Black women take action. Spoken-word artist Bella and PhD candidate Janaé work tirelessly rallying the community and challenging a power structure that historically turns a deaf ear to young, Black, female voices. Over the course of a year, filmmaker Ashley O’Shay documents these courageous activists in their quest for political liberation and social justice.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Discovery+ today, Thursday, August 26, and to theatres tomorrow, Friday, August 27:
LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD
Director:
Jeremy Workman
World Premiere:
BlackStar 2020
Select Festivals:
Cleveland, Florida, Ashland, Minneapolis-St Paul, San Francisco, Maryland, RiverRun, Sarasota
About:
20-year-old Lily Hevesh—the world’s greatest domino toppler and the only woman in her field—in a coming-of-age story of artistry, passion, and unlikely triumph.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Festival:
The 38th Jerusalem Film Festival
Dates:
August 24-September 4
About:
This respected Israeli event presents more than 100 features, including approximately 30 documentaries.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to Discovery+ today, Monday, August 23:
GENERATION GROWTH
Director:
Mu Sun
World Premiere:
Heartland 2020
Select Festivals:
Hot Springs Doc
About:
A Bronx educator who has developed an indoor gardening curriculum to bring hope, health, and opportunity to low-income students works to expand the program across the country.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to VOD this week:
UNDER THE VOLCANO
Director:
Gracie Otto
World Premiere:
SXSW 2021
About:
The story of George Martin’s AIR Studios Montserrat and the island that changed music forever.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 20:
MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
Director:
Lisa Molomot, Jeff Bemiss
World Premiere:
Dallas Docufest 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Double Exposure, United Nations Association, Hot Springs Doc, Rocky Mountain Women’s, Fargo, Salem, Sonoma, Thin Line, Cleveland, Annapolis, Ashland, Sarasota, RiverRun, Mountainfilm
About:
The deadly consequences of America’s immigration policy are revealed in a Texan border town.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Just 70 miles north of the Mexican-US border is a land haunted by ghosts. Brooks County, Texas is a barren landscape designed as a deterrent to illegal crossings, but people continue to attempt to cross, and many die trying. The municipality lacks the resources to properly deal with this sad reality, and the numbers keep rising. Multiple locals proffer contrasting opinions as two families search for their loved ones, and the toll of an unsustainable immigration policy is laid bare.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to HBO Max this Sunday, August 22:
MR SOUL!
Director:
Melissa Haizlip
Co-Director:
Sam Pollard
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2018
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, True/False, AFI Docs, New Orleans, Rotterdam, Durban, BlackStar, Urbanworld, Pan African, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, London, Indie Memphis, Woodstock, Heartland
About:
A portrait of the pioneer behind SOUL!, the acclaimed African-American public television cultural variety show.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Friday, August 20:
ON BROADWAY
Director:
Oren Jacoby
World Premiere:
Hamptons 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New York Jewish, RiverRun, Atlanta Jewish, Miami Jewish, Sedona, Boulder Jewish
About:
A history of and love letter to Broadway.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
For anyone who loves theater, this contemporary history of Broadway is a joy, packed with legendary stars and performances. Key players—Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, James Corden, Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow, Viola Davis, Hugh Jackman, and Ian McKellen—take us behind the scenes of Broadway’s most groundbreaking shows, from A Chorus Line to Hamilton. The film includes performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patti Lupone, Bernadette Peters, James Earl Jones, and Mandy Patinkin.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 