Coming to MUBI this Friday, May 21:
THE EVENT
Director:
Sergei Loznitsa
World Premiere:
Venice 2015
Select Festivals:
Toronto, IDFA, Cinema du Reel, San Francisco, Traverse City, Docs Against Gravity, Transilvania, Jerusalem, New Zealand, Melbourne, Ann Arbor
About:
A critical re-examination of August 1991: the end of Soviet rule and the supposed birth of Russian democracy.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Netflix in a remastered re-release today, Wednesday, May 19:
THE LAST DAYS
Director:
James Moll
World Premiere:
theatrical release (October 1998)
Notable Recognition:
The film won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 1999.
About:
Five Hungarian Jews travel from their homes in the US back to Europe to recount how they survived Auschwitz during the final days of WWII.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, May 18:
INFLUENCE
Director:
Diana Neille, Richard Poplak
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Double Exposure, Sheffield, DOXA, Durban, DMZ Docs, Dokufest, Encounters, Cleveland
About:
A deep dive into the rise and fall of disgraced PR/reputation management firm Bell Pottinger.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to OVID.tv today, Tuesday, May 18:
SEADRIFT
Director:
Tim Tsai
World Premiere:
Slamdance 2019
Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, CAAMFest, Dallas, Hot Springs Doc, Indie Grits
About:
An investigation into the hostility experienced by Vietnamese refugees along the US Gulf Coast.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 18:
WOJNAROWICZ
Director:
Chris McKim
World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened) / DOC NYC 2020
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs
About:
A powerful elegy to the late New York artist, writer, and filmmaker.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to PBS’s American Experience tonight, Monday, May 17:
BILLY GRAHAM
Director:
Sarah Colt
World Premiere:
American Experience (May 2021)
About:
An exploration of the life and career of the popular evangelist and his influence on American politics and culture.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
New to VOD via Hulu last week:
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
Coming to theatres and to VOD today, Friday, May 14:
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 theatres and to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, May 14:
LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS
Director:
Marcia Jarmel, Ken Schneider
World Premiere:
Woodstock 2020
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Miami, Havana, GlobeDocs, BendFilm, Mill Valley, Ashland
About:
During the thaw in US/Cuban relations, two brothers, both gifted musicians, long separated by borders, reunite for a joint tour through both countries.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Brothers and gifted musicians, pianist Aldo and violinist Ilmar were separated during childhood after Ilmar left their native Cuba to study abroad, beginning a lifetime of being physically apart, yet alway connected by music. Brief windows of open US/Cuban relations allow the brothers’ joyous reunions where they revel in each others’ company and create beautiful classical, jazz, and Latin music together. Filmmakers Ken Schneider and Marcia Jarmel take the viewer on a delightful musical tour through Cuba and the US, with appearances from acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to DVD/VOD this week:
BASTARDS’ ROAD
Director:
Brian Morrison
World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020
Select Festivals:
RiverRun, deadCENTER, Tallgrass, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Newport Beach
About:
A Marine copes with his PTSD by walking across the country, visiting fellow veterans.
Jon Hancock joined the US Marine Corps straight out of high school, completed boot camp just days before September 11, 2001, and joined an infantry battalion nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, which would suffer 25% fatalities. Like many veterans, after he returned to civilian life, Hancock suffered from PTSD, which resulted in self-destructive behavior, excessive drinking, fighting, and a suicide attempt. Filmmaker Brian Morrison follows the wounded warrior as he sets out on a cross country walk to reconnect with his former brothers-in-arms or their surviving family, having discovered that walking helped him manage his PTSD. Accompanying these reunions are surprisingly candid, vulnerable discussions about the impact of war on soldiers, highlighting the lack of proper counseling and preparedness they are given as they transition away from service and back into society. While the film is worthwhile for this honesty and earnestness, it is also excessively long, with too many unnecessary music interludes that mainly serve as padding and diminish the doc’s overall affect.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
