Category Archives: Releases

On DVD: NEVER TOO LATE: THE DOC SEVERINSEN STORY

New to DVD this week:
NEVER TOO LATE: THE DOC SEVERINSEN STORY

Director:
Kevin S Bright, Jeff Consiglio

World Premiere:
Cleveland 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Full Frame, Nashville, Milwaukee, Virginia, Guanajuato, Mill Valley, BendFilm, Tallgrass, Portland, Sound Unseen

About:
A portrait of the legendary TONIGHT SHOW bandleader.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On TV & Streaming: JUICE WRLD: INTO THE ABYSS

Coming to HBO & HBO Max today, Thursday, December 16:
JUICE WRLD: INTO THE ABYSS

Director:
Tommy Oliver

World Premiere:
AFI Fest 2021

About:
An exploration of the life and legacy of the wunderkind rapper, following his quick rise to success and untimely passing soon after.

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Streaming: A FIERCE GREEN FIRE

fierce green fire

New to OVID.tv this week:
A FIERCE GREEN FIRE

Director:
Mark Kitchell

World Premiere:
Sundance 2012

Select Festivals:
Sheffield, Palm Springs, Wild & Scenic, Margaret Mead, Washington DC’s Environmental, San Francisco Green, Boulder

About:
A look back at pivotal episodes in environmental activism.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On DVD/VOD: MAKING SWEET TEA

Coming to DVD/VOD today, Tuesday, December 14:
MAKING SWEET TEA

Director:
John L Jackson Jr, Nora Gross

World Premiere:
Chicago Reeling 2019

Select Festivals:
BlackStar, NewFest, Out on Film, San Diego Black, Kansas City

About:
Southern-born, Black gay researcher and performer E Patrick Johnson comes to terms with his past.

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On TV: BROOKLYN INSHALLAH

Coming to The WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed today, Tuesday, December 14:
BROOKLYN INSHALLAH

Director:
Ahmed Mansour

World Premiere:
Telluride Mountainfilm 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Chicago Palestine, Toronto Palestine

About:
A Palestinian American Lutheran pastor campaigns for political office in NYC.

The film previously screened at DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Khader El-Yateem is a Palestinian American, a practicing Lutheran pastor and, he hopes, the first Arab American on the New York City Council. Having grown up amidst conflict before emigrating to the US, Father K works to alleviate the mounting fears of the diverse but marginalized Arab-American community of Bay Ridge following the 2016 presidential election. With the support of political activist Linda Sarsour, he mounts the campaign of a lifetime, taking viewers into the heart of identity politics.

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On TV/Streaming: STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET

Coming to HBO and HBO Max today, Monday, December 13:
STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET

Director:
Marilyn Agrelo

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, Seattle, San Francisco

About:
A look back at the origins of the pioneering children’s television powerhouse.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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On TV: THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Coming to Showtime tomorrow, Saturday, December 11:
THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Director:
James Spinney, Peter Middleton

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
BFI London, Camden, Zurich, Hamptons, AFI Fest

About:
The definitive story of cinema’s most iconic figure, from an impoverished childhood in London through a spectacular rise to fame, and onto the Hollywood limelight and a self-imposed exile. 

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In Theatres: BEIJING SPRING

Coming to theatres today, Friday, December 10:
BEIJING SPRING

Director:
Andy Cohen, Gaylen Ross

World Premiere:
FIFDH 2021 (International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights)

Select Festivals:
Leeds, St Louis, Montreal FIFA, Heartland

About:
An exploration of a brief period of greater freedom of expression in China following Mao’s death, between 1978-1980.

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On DVD: LOVE IT WAS NOT

New to DVD this week:
LOVE IT WAS NOT

Director:
Maya Sarfaty

World Premiere:
Docaviv 2020

Select Festivals:
IDFA, Hot Docs

About:
The unbelievable and tragic love story of Helena, a young Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz, and Austrian SS officer Franz Wunsch.

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On DVD: FILM ABOUT A FATHER WHO

New to DVD this week:
FILM ABOUT A FATHER WHO

Director:
Lynne Sachs

World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020

Select Festivals:
Doc Fortnight, Sheffield, Docaviv, Doclisboa, RIDM, Indie Memphis, Sarasota

About:
The filmmaker attempts to make sense of her wayward father.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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