Coming to theatres this Friday, October 11: THE INSTITUTE
Spencer McCall’s intriguing look at a labyrinthine citywide game had its world premiere at Slamdance this year. It’s gone on to screen at True/False, Arclight Doc, Atlanta, St Louis, Wisconsin, and San Francisco Doc.
I included the doc in my T/F coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Now available on VOD: HERMAN’S HOUSE
Angad Singh Bhalla’s exploration of the relationship between and artist and a prisoner held in solitary confinement debuted at True/False last year. It went on to Full Frame, Hot Docs, Camden, Hamptons, Antenna, New Orleans, RIDM, and SF Doc, among others. Just days after his release from prison after 41 years, the film’s subject, Herman Wallace, passed away last Friday morning.
I wrote about the doc out of Hot Docs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, October 8: THE NETWORK
Eva Orner’s exploration of Afghanistan’s post-Taliban television industry had its world premiere at SXSW earlier this year. It went on to screen at Antenna, Bermuda, Festival do Rio, and Sheffield. After a limited theatrical release last month, FilmBuff now releases the film on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Xbox Video, Sony Playstation, and Vudu.
I wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, October 8: PING PONG
Hugh Hartford’s profile of the World Over 80s Table Tennis Championships debuted at Hot Docs last year. Its festival circuit also included DOC NYC, Sheffield, Miami, Palm Springs, and Vancouver.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed series tomorrow, Tuesday October 8: CODE OF THE WEST
Rebecca Richman Cohen’s exploration of medical marijuana made its debut at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at Camden, DOC NYC, Traverse City, and the IFF Boston, among others.
I previously wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 8: MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD
Alex Gibney’s indictment of clergy sexual abuse debuted last year at Toronto. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, London, Chicago, Woodstock, and the Hamptons.
I included the doc in my Toronto coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center today, Friday, October 4: WALTER: LESSONS FROM THE WORLD’S OLDEST PEOPLE
Hunter Weeks’ quest for insight from people born over a century ago made its debut at Oregon’s Bend Film Festival last month. In addition to its NYC bow this weekend, the film expands to Los Angeles next week, with special screenings in select other cities planned.
Inspired by meeting Walter Breuning, at that point the world’s oldest man at 114, Weeks set out to spend more time with him and to meet other supercentenarians – individuals who have lived to the age 110 or later – to gain some insight about longevity and how life looks from their rather unique perspectives. Usually accompanying him on his visits, or otherwise processing the experiences, is his fianceé, Sarah. Some of the seniors are active and very communicative, others less so, speaking more through caretaking relatives, but all embody some basic concept – purpose, patience, kindness, family, happiness, and love – that might be seen as a factor in their long-livedness. While the supers share an occasional memory revealing what life was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the film isn’t meant as a biography, but instead as more of an inspirational instructive, as signaled by its subtitle. The real subjects are Hunter and Sarah, who appear very often on camera discussing the project together or with friends, at the relative beginning of their lives in contrast to these individuals at the very end of theirs. As a whole, they devote too much of the film to themselves, but it’s based on good intentions. Functioning in the place of their audience, they reflect on the lessons learned from Walter and the others, suggesting how they – and their viewers – might put them in practice as they grow older.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to POV as part of the PBS Indies Showcase this coming Monday, October 7: BROOKLYN CASTLE
Katie Dellamaggiore’s profile of inner-city junior high school chess champions debuted at SXSW last year, where it picked up an audience award. The film went on to screen at Cleveland, Hot Docs, Brooklyn, Nantucket, Dallas, and Silverdocs, among others, before a limited theatrical and DVD release.
I previously wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to HBO for its Docs Fall series this coming Monday, October 7: VALENTINE ROAD
Marta Cunningham’s nuanced exploration of a school shooting had its world premiere at Sundance this year. It went on to screen at Miami, Hot Docs, Seattle, Big Sky, Melbourne, Inside Out, NewFest, and Provincetown, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 4: LINSANITY
Evan Jackson Leong’s exploration of the man behind the phenomenon premiered at Sundance earlier this year. Its fest circuit has included SXSW, Hawaii, Hong Kong, NY’s Asian American, LA Asian Pacific, and Pacific Rim, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
