PRESIDENT
Camilla Nielsson follows the leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition party as he seeks a free and fair election.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Denmark/USA/Norway
Category Archives: Recommendations
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: PRESIDENT
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: PLAYING WITH SHARKS
PLAYING WITH SHARKS
Sally Aitken pays tribute to a pioneering shark conservationist and underwater cinematographer.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Australia
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD
Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri reveal the lasting impact of fame and objectification on a young male actor.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Sweden
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
In Theatres/Virtual Release: ACASA, MY HOME
Coming to select theatres and to virtual cinemas today, Friday, January 15:
ACASA, MY HOME
Director:
Radu Ciorniciuc
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Docaviv, DOK.fest Munich, Thessaloniki Doc, Doc Edge, One World, Moscow Doc, Sarajevo, Cartagena, Krakow, Transilvania, Zurich, Cologne, El Gouna
About:
A Roma family is forced to leave their self-sufficient life off the grid for the city.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
In Virtual Release: SOME KIND OF HEAVEN
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, January 15:
SOME KIND OF HEAVEN
Director:
Lance Oppenheim
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Rotterdam, Doc Fortnight, Visions du Reel, New Zealand, Florida, Atlanta, Philadelphia
About:
A profile of several residents of America’s largest retirement community.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
In Theatres & On VOD: MLK/FBI
Coming to select theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, January 15:
MLK/FBI
Director:
Sam Pollard
World Premiere:
Toronto 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, New York, Chicago, IDFA
About:
An exposé of the FBI’s adversarial relationship to the Civil Rights leader.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Sam Pollard’s latest film performs the vital task of examining FBI director J Edgar Hoover’s relentless campaign of surveillance and harassment against Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, when King is celebrated across political spectrums as a moral hero, it’s jolting to confront the years when federal agents targeted him as a villain. Inspired by the work of historian David Garrow, the film uses recently declassified files to study the FBI’s motives and methods.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: MISHA AND THE WOLVES
MISHA AND THE WOLVES
Sam Hobkinson reveals the fascinating tale of a woman’s self-mythologizing Holocaust survival story.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
UK/Belgium
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: FLEE
FLEE
Jonas Poher Rasmussen tells the affecting story of a former refugee who must confront the traumas of his past to move forward with his life.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition (Day One film)
Country:
Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On VOD: ASSASSINS
Coming to VOD this Friday, January 15:
ASSASSINS
Director:
Ryan White
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Zurich, Warsaw, Stockholm, Full Frame, Double Exposure, Hot Docs, Brisbane, Hawai’i
About:
An investigation of the bizarre story behind the brazen assassination of the half-brother of Kim Jong-un.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
2021 Sundance Docs in Focus: FAYA DAYI
FAYA DAYI
Jessica Beshir crafts a poetic, sensorial journey into the highlands of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, the birthplace of khat.
Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Country:
Ethiopia/USA/Qatar
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
what (not) to doc 