Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, May 10:
THROUGH THE NIGHT

Director:
Loira Limbal

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New Orleans, Nantucket, AFI Docs, Double Exposure, Philadelphia Latino, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Hawai’i, Hot Springs Doc

About:
A 24-hour childcare center proves indispensable for night-shift workers and single parents in this exploration of the personal cost of our modern economy.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, May 7:
THE HUMAN FACTOR

Director:
Dror Moreh

World Premiere:
Telluride 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hamptons, Chicago, AFI Fest, Philadelphia, Cork, Jerusalem, Woodstock, Savannah

About:
A look back at peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine in 2000 through the memories of American diplomats.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Filmmaker Dror Moreh proved himself an expert navigator of powerful figures in his Oscar-nominated film The Gatekeepers, about the leaders of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency. Now he employs his talents to probe the American-led negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians in 2000. The main insiders on camera are six top American diplomats who testify to the human factor—the personal contact between the lead politicians Ehud Barak, Yasser Arafat and Bill Clinton—for a revelatory look at a lost opportunity.

New to DVD this week:
BLACK HOLES: THE EDGE OF ALL WE KNOW

Director:
Peter Galison

World Premiere:
CPH:DOX 2020

Select Festivals:
Bergen, Jackson Wild

About:
An international assemblage of scientists work together to capture the first image of a black hole.

In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope – a worldwide network of synchronized radio observatories – made history by revealing a photograph of a supermassive black hole in the M87 galaxy, 55 million light-years from Earth. Filmmaker Peter Galison goes behind the scenes to profile members of the team that made this groundbreaking event possible, individuals operating on the titular edge of human knowledge. Despite this, the film offers very clear explanations of basic scientific concepts at the core of their work, particularly how the EHT is set up to work as a de facto Earth-sized instrument, deftly using animation and graphics. Recognizing that the larger issues being addressed are both dry and far too advanced for the typical viewer, Galison wisely leans in on the human side of the equation, and if it’s not always riveting, the resulting project is a respectful and worthwhile attempt to acknowledge the importance of advanced scientific exploration.

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 4:
FTA

Director:
Francine Parker

World Premiere:
Theatrical release (July 1972)

About:
A chronicle of the controversial anti-Vietnam War political vaudeville tour of American military bases, fronted by Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Currently in virtual cinemas:
IN SILICO

Director:
Noah Hutton

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX

About:
The filmmaker traces a project to build a brain simulation over a decade.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Director Noah Hutton embarks on a 10-year project following a visionary neuroscientist’s quest to build a computer simulation of a brain. With unprecedented access to the inner workings of a multimillion-dollar scientific project led by Henry Markram and a roster of characters that involves the who’s who of neuroscience, the audience is led on a journey that poses provocative philosophical, ethical, and scientific questions.

Coming to virtual cinemas today, Friday, April 30:
DOPE IS DEATH

Director:
Mia Donovan

World Premiere:
True/False 2020

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Hot Docs, Denver

About:
The story of a pioneering acupuncture detoxification program led by the Black Panthers and the young Lords in 1970s South Bronx.

I previously wrote about the doc here.