Coming to VOD today, Friday, December 24:
TRY HARDER!
Director:
Debbie Lum
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, AFI Docs, Full Frame, CAAMFest, Milwaukee, Provincetown, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Philadelphia, Virginia
About:
The graduating class of a competitive San Francisco High School is followed through its harrowing college application process.
I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to HBO Max today, Thursday, December 23:
BEANIE MANIA
Director:
Yemisi Brookes
World Premiere:
HBO Max (December 2021)
About:
An exploration of the popularity of Beanie Babies, the stuffed toys created by Ty Warner that inspired a collecting craze in the late 1990s.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Discovery+ tomorrow, Thursday, December 23:
DEAD MAN’S SWITCH: A CRYPTO MYSTERY
Director:
Sheona McDonald
World Premiere:
Hot Docs 2021
Select Festivals:
DOXA, Melbourne Doc, Calgary, Rocky Mountain Women’s
About:
A riveting cryptocurrency thriller unraveling the story of a Canadian blockchain wizard who mysteriously died on his honeymoon in India and the fate of his investors’ $200 million.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, December 22:
THE VELVET QUEEN
Director:
Marie Amiguet
World Premiere:
Cannes 2021
Select Festivals:
IDFA, Camden, Zurich, Vancouver
About:
In the heart of the Tibetan highlands, photographer Vincent Munier brings writer Sylvain Tesson on his quest to find the snow leopard.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, December 21:
AMY TAN: UNINTENDED MEMOIR
Director:
James Redford
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
Cleveland, CAAMFest, DocLands, Seattle
About:
A profile of the life and career of the noted author.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to theatres today, Friday, December 17:
PRESIDENT
Director:
Camilla Nielsson
World Premiere:
Sundance 2021
Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, AFI Docs, Docaviv, Thessaloniki Doc, Dokufest, Encounters, DMZ Docs, Melbourne, Docville, Zurich, Montclair, Philadelphia
About:
The leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition party seeks a free and fair election.
I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
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.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
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.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
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.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
what (not) to doc 