Category Archives: Recommendations

February 3, 2021 · 1:31 PM

On DVD/VOD: THE GO-GO’S

Coming to DVD and VOD this Friday, February 5:
THE GO-GO’S

Director:
Alison Ellwood

World Premiere:
Sundance 2020

Select Festivals:
Sheffield

About:
A look back at the history of the 1980s pop phenomenon band.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

February 3, 2021 · 10:30 AM

2021 Sundance Awards

The winners of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival were announced at an awards ceremony last night, which may be viewed in full here. A list of the feature awards follows:

US Documentary Competition Awards:

^{Grand Jury Prize: SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Mass Distraction Media}

^{Audience Award: SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Mass Distraction Media}

^{Directing Award: USERS | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Natalia Almada}

^{Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: HOMEROOM | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sean Havey}

^{Special Jury Award for Emerging Filmmaker: CUSP | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Special Jury Award for Nonfiction Experimentation: ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Corey Hughes.}

World Cinema Documentary Competition Awards:

^{Grand Jury Prize: FLEE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Audience Award: WRITING WITH FIRE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Black Ticket Films}

^{Directing Award: SABAYA | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Lolav Media/Ginestra Film}

^{Special Jury Award for Vérité Filmmaking: PRESIDENT | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Special Jury Award for Impact for Change: WRITING WITH FIRE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Black Ticket Films}

US Dramatic Competition Awards:

^{Grand Jury Prize:} ^{CODA | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Audience Award:} ^{CODA | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Directing Award:} ^{CODA | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

^{Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: ON THE COUNT OF THREE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Marshall Adams}

^{Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast: CODA | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

_{Special Jury Award for Best Actor: JOCKEY | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Adolpho Veloso}

World Cinema Dramatic Competition Awards:

^{Grand Jury Prize: HIVE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alexander Bloom}

^{Audience Award: HIVE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alexander Bloom}

^{Directing Award: HIVE | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alexander Bloom}

^{Special Jury Award for Acting: LUZZU | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Inigo Taylor}

^{Special Jury Award for Creative Vision: ONE FOR THE ROAD | Courtesy of Sundance Institute}

NEXT Awards:

^{NEXT Innovator Prize: CRYPTOZOO | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Johnny Dell’Angelo}

^{Audience Award: MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY | Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Lauren Guiteras}

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

February 2, 2021 · 1:31 PM

On VOD: TAHRIR: LIBERATION SQUARE

Coming to OVID.tv tomorrow, Wednesday, February 3:
TAHRIR: LIBERATION SQUARE

Director:
Stefano Savona

World Premiere:
Locarno 2011

Select Festivals:
New York, Santa Barbara, Docpoint, Dubai, DocLisboa, DOXA

About:
An immersion into the Egyptian uprising.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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February 1, 2021 · 12:01 PM

On TV: 9TO5: THE STORY OF A MOVEMENT

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, February 1:
9TO5: THE STORY OF A MOVEMENT

Director:
Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar

World Premiere:
SXSW 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, AFI Docs, IDFA, Full Frame, Hot Springs Doc, Philadelphia, RiverRun

About:
A look back at the 1970s movement by secretaries and female office workers to demand better working conditions.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
The latest film from Oscar-winners Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar explores a pivotal but little remembered intersection of women’s rights and labor rights. In the early 1970s, secretaries and other female office workers were underpaid, undervalued, unable to advance, and often subject to sexual harassment. In the wake of the Women’s Liberation Movement, a group of women in Boston finally had enough, joining together to begin 9to5, a movement that would sweep the nation with irreverent, attention-getting actions to demand meaningful change—and later inspire the eponymous hit film and song.

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January 29, 2021 · 3:02 PM

On VOD: LANCE

New to ESPN+ this week:
LANCE

Director:
Marina Zenovich

World Premiere:
Sundance 2020

About:
The rise and fall of Lance Armstrong.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

January 29, 2021 · 1:31 PM

On VOD: SOFTIE

Coming to OVID.tv today, Friday, January 29:
SOFTIE

Director:
Sam Soko

Premiere:
Sundance 2020

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, CPH:DOX, BlackStar, Durban, Encounters, Salem, Galway, DOXA, Thin Line

About:
A chronicle of the personal and professional challenges facing an idealistic Kenyan political activist as he decides to run for office.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

January 28, 2021 · 12:01 PM

2021 Sundance Docs in Focus (Recap)

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival begins today, Thursday, January 28, and runs through Sunday, February 3, screening online and at select in-person satellite venues throughout the US.

To catch up with the festival’s doc programming, here are links to my series of 2021 Sundance documentary profiles, divided by festival section:

US Documentary Competition