Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to virtual cinemas today, Friday, March 26 and to Discovery+ this Sunday, March 28:
FRANCESCO

Director:
Evgeny Afineevsky

World Premiere:
Rome 2020

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Savannah, Mar del Plata

About:
Pope Francis explores the challenges of the modern world.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky looks at the pressing challenges of the 21st century through the eyes of Pope Francis. Born in Argentina, Francis is the first leader of the Catholic Church to come from the Americas and the Jesuit order. His teachings bring a progressive take on issues like the climate crisis, immigration, LGBTQ support, economic equality, and religious tolerance. Afineevsky’s film showcases a voice of morality that serves as a powerful counterbalance to the rise of reactionary politics around the world.

Coming to Discovery+ tomorrow, Thursday, March 25:
MIRACLE FISHING: KIDNAPPED ABROAD

Director:
Miles Hargrove

Co-Director:
Christopher Birge

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, AFI Docs, Sidewalk, Dallas, Brisbane, Trinidad & Tobago

About:
A kidnapped man’s family and friends are forced to negotiate for his release.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
On September 23, 1994, a group of Colombian separatist guerillas went “miracle fishing,” abducting American journalist Tom Hargrove to hold for ransom. Finding no support from either the US government or the local corrupt authorities, Hargrove’s family were forced to negotiate directly for his release, working with a tight circle of friends—with Hargrove’s 20-year-old son Miles filming everything on Video8. Returning to this footage 25 years later, he constructs a riveting, immersive chronicle of this ordinary family’s extraordinary experience.

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, March 23:
OLYMPIA

Director:
Harry Mavromichalis

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2018

Select Festivals:
Sidewalk, Lemesos Doc, Edmonton, Los Angeles and San Francisco Greek fests

About:
An intimate portrait of acclaimed actress Olympia Dukakis.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, March 23:
HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE

Director:
Yoruba Richen

World Premiere:
American Masters (January 2020)

About:
An exploration of the political activism and impact of six legendary Black female actresses and musicians.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to virtual cinemas today, Friday, March 19:
WOJNAROWICZ

Director:
Chris McKim

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened) / DOC NYC 2020

About:
A powerful elegy to the late New York artist, writer, and filmmaker.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Emerging as a distinctive voice in the East Village art scene of the 1980s, David Wojnarowicz combined a variety of disciplines, from painting and photography to music and writing, in his artistic practice. Fiercely and unapologetically embracing his queer identity, he rebelled against the growing conservatism of the times, epitomized by the establishment’s callous indifference to the AIDS epidemic, which would claim him in 1992 at the age of 37. Filmmaker Chris McKim has constructed a powerful elegy that recaptures the urgency and passion of Wojnarowicz’s life and art.

New to VOD this week:
MARTHA: A PICTURE STORY

Director:
Selina Miles

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019

Select Festivals:
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Vancouver, Tallinn Black Nights, New Zealand, Savannah, Napa Valley

About:
A profile of Martha Cooper, who documented the emergence of graffiti and influenced its spread globally.

Martha Cooper pushed back against sexist attitudes to pursue work as a newspaper photographer in 1970s New York, developing an eye for atmospheric portraits of everyday people. This led to an interest in street culture, and led to her documentation of graffiti as artistic expression during a time of economic and cultural depression in the city. Eventually partnering with a fellow chronicler of street art, Henry Chalfant, they tried to publish a book on the subject but were unable to attract interest in the US, and finally released SUBWAY ART in 1984 via a German publisher. While not a commercial success, the book would end up highly influential, unbeknownst to Cooper, spreading around the world and helping to introduce others to street art and hip hop culture. When she learned of her work’s impact, Cooper jumped back into the scene and began to travel the world to continue its documentation. Filmmaker Selina Miles crafts an enjoyable project offering a unique perspective on the early days of graffiti and, by extension, hip hop culture, and, almost more importantly, the underground history of its dissemination.