Category Archives: Releases

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, August 17:
THE SEER AND THE UNSEEN

Director:
Sara Dosa

World Premiere:
San Francisco 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, New Horizons, Reykjavík, Melbourne, Camden, RIDM, Leeds, Palm Springs, Available Light, Big Sky Doc, Seattle, Ashland, Thessaloniki Doc

About:
An eccentric Icelandic environmentalist is on a mission to protect the natural habitat of elves from development.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Iceland, famed for lush landscapes and stunning scenery, is a mystic country where many believe in magic, trolls, and elves. Among them is Ragga, a colorful environmentalist and respected seer, who whispers with elves, providing a conduit to these otherworldly neighbors. When economic development threatens sacred volcanic rocks where many elves live, Ragga and her friends unite to protect the sacred land. This delightful film invites viewers to appreciate the possibilities of our wondrous world.

Premiere:
New York Film Festival 1970

About:
A classic behind-the-scenes look at the album recording of a Sondheim musical.

As explained in its opening card, Pennebaker was approached to film the album recording as a pilot for an intended television series, but the larger project never took off after the lead producers left NYC to head MGM in Hollywood. What remains is this compelling hour-long film, one of Pennebaker’s most enjoyable projects. The Direct Cinema master films the marathon 14-hour recording session with the COMPANY cast, plus a notable pick up shot a few days later, distilling it into a compelling exploration of artists performing under intense pressure. Recorded just after COMPANY debuted on Broadway, the cast gamely belts out their songs as the session wears on, taking direction from the cocky young Stephen Sondheim and producer Thomas Shepard. It all culminates in the dramatic final scene, the recording of the final song, Elaine Stritch’s solo “The Ladies Who Lunch,” which doesn’t go according to plan despite take after take.

Coming to Discovery+ today, Monday, August 16:
THE SMARTEST KIDS IN THE WORLD

Director:
Tracy Droz Tragos

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2018

About:
American teens studying abroad offer a lens on contrasting educational systems.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Based on Amanda Ripley’s bestselling book, Tracy Droz Tragos’ film follows four American teenagers who go abroad to study in the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, and South Korea–nations that dramatically outperform the US in education. Following her acclaimed debut about three boys in an impoverished community, RICH HILL, the filmmaker now turns to those who are most impacted by the shortcomings of the US education system—students themselves—to find out what could improve our schools.