Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Joshua Rofé investigates the notorious case of Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt.
Festival Section:
Special Events
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2019 Sundance Docs in Focus: LORENA
Joshua Rofé investigates the notorious case of Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
In Theatres: THE 5 BROWNS: DIGGING THROUGH THE DARKNESS
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, January 23:
THE 5 BROWNS: DIGGING THROUGH THE DARKNESS
Director:
Ben Niles
Premiere:
Montclair 2018
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, SF DocFest, Sedona
About:
A unique family musical group reckons with the revelation of past trauma.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Five close-knit siblings, all piano virtuosos trained at Juilliard, form The 5 Browns, a musical group that takes the world by storm, touring and recording best-selling albums. The facade of their happy, all-American family is shattered, however, with the revelation of a dark secret. Laced with brilliant musical performances, this is the compelling story of how the gifted siblings struggle to save themselves and their music while confronting their disturbing past.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
2019 Sundance Docs in Focus: LEAVING NEVERLAND
Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Dan Reed presents an intimate profile of two of Michael Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse victims.
Festival Section:
Special Events
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On TV: THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS
Coming to CNN this Sunday, January 27:
THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS
Director:
Tim Wardle
Premiere:
Sundance 2018
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Miami, San Francisco, Sydney, Dallas, Montclair, Cleveland, Newport Beach
Notable Recognition:
The doc was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
About:
The surprising, stranger than fiction tale of triplets separated at birth.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
2019 Sundance Docs in Focus: MAIDEN
Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Tracy Edwards
Alex Holmes tells the story of a pioneering all-female yacht racing team.
Festival Section:
Spotlight
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
91st Oscars: Best Documentary Nominees
The Best Documentary Oscar finalists were announced this morning, together with all the other categories – the entire list of nominees has been posted by the Academy here. The documentaries are listed below. Congratulations to all the nominees – of which 4 were on the DOC NYC Short List, and the fifth part of the fest’s larger lineup – and good luck on Sunday, February 24!
FREE SOLO
HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING
MINDING THE GAP
OF FATHERS & SONS
RBG
Congrats also to the Documentary Shorts nominees, which includes two DOC NYC alumni:
BLACK SHEEP
END GAME
LIFEBOAT
A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN
PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
2019 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM
Courtesy of Sundance Institute
John Chester charts the ups and downs of starting a farm over eight years.
Festival Section:
Spotlight
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On TV: MAMA AFRICA: MIRIAM MAKEBA!
Coming to PBS’s AfroPop tonight, Monday, January 21:
MAMA AFRICA
Director:
Mika Kaurismäki
Premiere:
Berlin 2011
Select Festivals:
Tribeca, Hot Docs, Sheffield, Biografilm, Edinburgh, Jerusalem, Seattle, Midnight Sun, Vancouver, Athens, Milan
About:
A portrait of the celebrated South African musician and human rights activist.
Miriam Makeba emerged in the late 1950s as a singer with international crossover appeal, mentored by Harry Belafonte. She used her success as a platform to speak out against apartheid, forcing her into exile from South Africa for three decades. When she became involved with the American civil rights movement, marrying one of its high-profile leaders, Stokely Carmichael, US support waned for a time, but her career continued internationally and found a resurgence after the end of apartheid. Kaurismäki’s doc, which debuted a few years after Makeba’s death in 2008, is a conventional profile that feels too truncated to fully pay the icon her due, but is a respectable primer to encourage viewers to seek out more on their own.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
2019 Sundance Docs in Focus: ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH
Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Edward Burtynsky
Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky present a striking visual chronicle of human impact on the planet.
Festival Section:
Spotlight
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
On DVD: ROBIN WILLIAMS: COME INSIDE MY MIND
photo by Mark Sennet
ROBIN WILLIAMS: COME INSIDE MY MIND
Director:
Marina Zenovich
Premiere:
Sundance 2018
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Karlovy Vary, San Francisco, Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard
About:
A revealing look at the life and career of the late comedian/actor.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
