Category Archives: Releases

In Virtual Release: UPHEAVAL: THE JOURNEY OF MENACHEM BEGIN

Coming to virtual cinema today, Wednesday, June 9:
Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin

Director:
Jonathan Gruber

World Premiere:
Heartland 2020

Select Festivals:
Jewish fests in Las Vegas, Miami, Atlanta, Denver, and Pittsburgh

About:
A portrait of the Nobel Prize-winning former Israeli Prime Minister.

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On DVD: ALI & CAVETT: THE TALE OF THE TAPES

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, June 8:
ALI & CAVETT: THE TALE OF THE TAPES

Director:
Robert S Bader

World Premiere:
SXSW 2018

Select Festivals:
Traverse City, Milwaukee, Black Harvest

About:
Tracing the development of Muhammad Ali through his appearances on THE DICK CAVETT SHOW.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On DVD: THE LAND OF AZABA

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8:
THE LAND OF AZABA

Director:
Greta Schiller

World Premiere:
Valladolid 2020

About:
A portrait of ecological restoration, set in Western Spain’s Campanarios de Azaba Nature Reserve.

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On DVD: AMERICAN OZ

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8:
AMERICAN OZ

Director:
Randall MacLowry, Tracy Heather Strain

World Premiere:
American Experience (April 2021)

About:
A portrait of L Frank Baum, best known for his popular series of children’s books that began with THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On TV: BALLERINA BOYS

Coming to PBS’s American Masters tonight, Friday, June 4:
BALLERINA BOYS

Director:
Chana Gazit, Martie Barylick

World Premiere:
American Masters PBS broadcast (June 2021)

About:
A portrait of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, also known as the Trocks, an all-male company that for 45 years has offered audiences their passion for ballet classics mixed with exuberant comedy, poking fun at their strictly gendered art form.

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On VOD: BREAKING BOUNDARIES: THE SCIENCE OF OUR PLANET

Coming to Netflix today, Friday June 4:
BREAKING BOUNDARIES: THE SCIENCE OF OUR PLANET

Director:
Jon Clay

World Premiere:
Netflix (June 2021)

About:
David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockström examine Earth’s biodiversity collapse and how this crisis can still be averted.

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In Theatres: THE ANCIENT WOODS

Coming to theatres today, Friday, June 4:
THE ANCIENT WOODS

Director:
Mindaugas Survila

World Premiere:
IDFA 2017

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Sydney, Vilnius, DocPoint, CPH:DOX, Docs Against Gravity, BelDocs, Docaviv, MakeDox, New Zealand, Camden, Bergen, DocsBarcelona, Washington DC Environmental

About:
A wordless immersion into the biodiversity of the Baltic forests.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Through immersive cinematography and exquisite sound design, one of Europe’s last remaining old-growth forests comes alive in a poetic documentary about the quotidian rituals, survival, and non-anthropocentric harmony of the varied inhabitants of a Lithuanian woodland. Biologist-turned-filmmaker Mindaugas Survila spent a decade making this extraordinary project, patiently infusing its panoply of nonhuman characters with drama, humor, and transcendence.

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Special Screening & In Theatres: ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE

Coming to Rooftop Films tonight, Thursday, June 3 and to theatres tomorrow, Friday, June 4:
ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE

Director:
Theo Anthony

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Jeonju, True/False, New Directors/New Films

About:
An interrogation of the idea of objectivity through the shared histories of cameras, weapons, policing, and justice.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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On VOD: CHANGING THE GAME

New to Hulu this week:
CHANGING THE GAME

Director:
Michael Barnett

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019

Select Festivals:
Palm Springs, Mountainfilm, Watch Docs, Sidewalk, Virginia, Nashville, Flyway, Guth Gafa, Salem, Frameline, Outfest, BFI Flare

About:
A profile of several trans high school athletes.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On DVD: THE BLINDING OF ISAAC WOODARD

New to DVD this week:
THE BLINDING OF ISAAC WOODARD

Director:
Jamila Ephron

World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (March 2021)

About:
A violent instance of white supremacist police brutality serves as a spark to undo Jim Crow.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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