Festival:
The 29th Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Dates:
June 14-21
About:
This year’s edition of the long-running event explores vital human rights issues across 13 nonfiction and one fiction feature. Continue reading
Human Rights Watch 2018: Documentary Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD: THE CAGE FIGHTER
New to DVD this week:
THE CAGE FIGHTER
Director:
Jeff Unay
Premiere:
True/False 2017
Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Sheffield, AFI Docs, Camden, San Francisco, Seattle, Palm Springs, Milwaukee, Sidewalk
About:
A man risks his family and safety to return to the mixed martial arts arena.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On DVD/VOD: MY LETTER TO THE WORLD
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, June 12:
MY LETTER TO THE WORLD
Director:
Solon Papadopoulos
Premiere:
Bermuda 2017
About:
A consideration of the life and writing of Emily Dickinson.
Made as a companion piece to Terence Davies’ Dickinson biopic, A QUIET PASSION, Papadopoulos’ project is an informative but workmanlike project that aims to dig deeper into the historical record of the poet’s life and work. Decidedly better suited to the small screen, given its heavy usage of expert talking heads, the doc could have benefited from more generous and creative usage of clips from Davies’ well-received drama. Actress Cynthia Nixon, who portrayed the poet in the latter, here resumes the role, voicing Dickinson’s poems and letters; while helping to enliven the affair, the result nevertheless feels a bit old-fashioned and cements the project as decidedly niche and unlikely to attract those not already ardent admirers of the poet.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On DVD: THE GOOD POSTMAN
Being re-issued on DVD today, Tuesday, June 12:
THE GOOD POSTMAN
Director:
Tonislav Hristov
Premiere:
IDFA 2017
Select Festivals:
Sundance, Full Frame, Human Rights Watch, Docaviv, Zagrebdox, One World, Thessaloniki Doc, Encounters, Bergen, Dokufest, Flahertiana, Shanghai, Göteborg, Movies That Matter, Docs Against Gravity
About:
An exploration of Europe’s refugee crisis through the lens of a Bulgarian village’s mayoral election.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
AFI Docs 2018 Overview
Festival:
The 16th AFI Docs
Dates:
June 13-17
About:
This Washington DC event showcases approximately 50 documentary features. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
In Theatres: FIVE SEASONS: THE GARDENS OF PIET OUDOLF
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, June 13:
FIVE SEASONS: THE GARDENS OF PIET OUDOLF
Director:
Thomas Piper
Premiere:
Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam 2017
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Milano Design, Environmental fests in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Princeton, and Portland
About:
A portrait of the acclaimed garden designer and his work.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
Landscape designer Piet Oudolf has been called a visionary. He’s known for designing public works like New York City’s popular High Line and Chicago’s Millennium Park that redefine our conception of gardens from mere backdrops to works of art in themselves. Thomas Piper’s film offers viewers an immersion into this modern-day Dutch master’s creative process, as he revisits famed past projects around the world, seeks inspiration in nature, and plans a major new garden in England.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On VOD: GAMECHANGERS: DREAMS OF BLIZZCON
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 12:
GAMECHANGERS: DREAMS OF BLIZZCON
Director:
John Keating
Premiere:
DreamHack Austin 2018
About:
A look at the lives of two professional StarCraft II players as they prepare for an eSports grand championship.
In South Korea, the popularity of online strategy games like World of Warcraft reached a fever pitch with the release of the games StarCraft and its sequel, spawning a subculture of gaming in Internet cafes and the emergence of eSports. Skilled players like Jang Min-Chul – known as MC – were able to earn enough money playing to become professional gamers. Keating’s film follows MC and younger player Mun Seong Won – better known as MMA – as they contend with the ups and downs of their competitive sport, as well as personal drama behind the scenes, such as impending mandatory military service that threatens to derail a once-promising career. While the film provides basic information to clue in a non-gaming viewer about StarCraft II, the extensive game play shown on screen is virtually incomprehensible at the speed at which these champions play, making for long, repetitive, confusing, and frankly boring stretches of time that detract from the more compelling personal issues that the protagonists face.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
On DVD: MOTHERLAND
Being re-issued on DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 12:
MOTHERLAND
Director:
Ramona Diaz
Premiere:
Sundance 2017
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Berlin, Docville, San Francisco, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Montclair, Docaviv, Sheffield, Sydney, Melbourne, Moscow
About:
An immersion into the world’s busiest maternity ward.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Special Screening: ALL THAT PASSES BY THROUGH A WINDOW THAT DOESN’T OPEN
Coming to NYC’s DCTV Presents series tonight, Monday, June 11:
ALL THAT PASSES BY THROUGH A WINDOW THAT DOESN’T OPEN
Director:
Martin DiCicco
Premiere:
Visions du Réel 2017
Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, Camden, Dokufest, RIDM, Art of the Real, Taiwan Doc, Docaviv, DOK.fest Munich, Thessaloniki Doc, Cinema Verite,
About:
A meditative look at the construction of a Central Asian railway line doubles as a consideration of the impact of a long dispute between neighboring lands.
DiCicco’s artfully constructed, leisurely-paced film is split into three sections: the first and longest one focuses on railway construction workers in Azerbaijan, a makeshift family that toils, eats, and dances together, and bemoans the fact that while well-paid, they haven’t actually received their funds in months. The second and much shorter section brings the viewer to Armenia, and specifically to a long-shuttered train station, a victim of the 1993 Turkish/Armenian border closing that has economically devastated the town. Here, the stationmaster and his small crew keep showing up to work despite the lack of anything to do. Finally, the very short final section takes the perspective of a train passenger, simply watching the landscape go by, as reflected in the project’s evocative title.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
On DVD: ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS
Photo: Ron Pownall
ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS
Director:
Lili Fini Zanuck
Premiere:
Toronto 2017
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Camden, IDFA
About:
An intimate, revealing musical odyssey on the life and career of the guitar legend, told by those who have known him best.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
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