Festival:
The 11th DOC NYC
Dates:
November 11-19
About:
This year, DOC NYC will be available online and nationwide – including US territories – allowing us to reach more nonfiction lovers than ever before. As the Director of Programming of America’s largest documentary festival, I’ll be highlighting our lineup here, over a few posts to try to cover as many titles as possible. First up, a look at the various feature premieres, appearing in different sections throughout the festival.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Festival:
The 31st New Orleans Film Festival
Dates:
November 6-22
About:
This standout regional festival moves to a hybrid format this year, presenting films either online or in an open-air context, with more than two-thirds of the lineup represented by nonfiction features.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 3:
RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA
Director:
Stephen Nomura Schible
Premiere:
Venice 2017
Select Festivals:
IDFA, CPH:DOX, Tokyo, Tribeca, Belgrade, Singapore, Stockholm, Seattle, Dallas, Nashville, IFF Boston, Berkshire
About:
An intimate portrait of the Oscar-winning composer.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 3:
REPRESENT
Director:
Hillary Bachelder
World Premiere:
Cleveland 2020
Select Festivals:
Freep, Woods Hole, Maine
About:
Three female political candidates are followed in local elections in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3:
JIMMY CARTER: ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT
Director:
Mary Wharton
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, AFI Docs, Hot Springs Doc, Vancouver, Victoria
About:
A consideration of the importance of popular music in the life and political career of the former US president.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Revolt TV tonight, Monday, November 2:
THE BLOOD IS AT THE DOORSTEP
Director:
Erik Ljung
Premiere:
SXSW 2017
Select Festivals:
Human Rights Watch, Traverse, Indie Memphis, Maryland, Salem, Freep
About:
A family struggles in the aftermath of the police shooting of an unarmed African-American man diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to virtual cinemas today, Friday, October 30:
US KIDS
Director:
Kim A Snyder
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Sheffield, Doc Edge, Mountainfilm, Full Frame, Miami, Martha’s Vineyard, NewportFilm, Calgary, GlobeDocs, Bergen, Hamptons, Mill Valley
About:
The young survivors of the Parkland school shooting are followed over a transformative year and a half.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NatGeo tomorrow, Thursday, October 29 and then to Hulu on Friday, October 30:
CITY SO REAL
Director:
Steve James
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, AFI Docs, Denver, Chicago, St Louis, Full Frame
About:
An expansive five-part portrait of modern-day Chicago against the backdrop of a contentious mayoral race and police trial.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to HBO Max tonight, Tuesday, October 27:
JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE
Director:
Dawn Porter
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (cancelled)
About:
A wide-ranging look at the life, activism, and political career of the esteemed civil rights icon.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to The WORLD Channel tonight, Monday, October 26:
TIGHTROPE: AMERICANS REACHING FOR HOPE
Director:
Viva Van Loock
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020
About:
An investigation into America’s epidemics of opioid addiction, poverty, and incarceration.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
How did the idea of “rugged individualism” become a curse for everyday Americans? Distraught over the loss of too many childhood classmates, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn explore the causes and costs of opioid addiction, poverty, and incarceration plaguing America, from the inner city to small towns like Kristof’s hometown of Yamhill, Oregon. While pockets of empathy and aid exist, are they enough to rescue the thousands of Americans in despair, for whom the American Dream of self-reliance is impossibly out of reach?
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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