what (not) to doc

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, November 3:
NO DRESS CODE REQUIRED

Director:
Cristina Herrera Borquez

Premiere:
Havana 2016

Select Festivals:
Palm Springs, Human Rights Watch, Guanajuato, Kashish Mumbai LGBT, Ambulante, DocsMX, Outfest, Seattle, Warsaw

About:
A gay Mexican couple fights local government to get married.

After the Supreme Court of Mexico ruled that same sex marriage was legal, longtime couple Victor and Fernandez decide to wed. It ends up being far from easy, as their small-minded local government officials in Mexicali defy the federal ruling and set up a seemingly endless, and increasingly absurd, series of obstacles. From claims of discrepancies in paperwork to utterly unfounded accusations that the would-be grooms have dementia, wedding date after wedding date is postponed, straining the couple’s emotional and mental well-being, as well as that of their legal counsel. Herrera Borquez follows them over the two year ordeal as the men take a stand on their home turf, rather than marry in the more liberal Mexico City as other couples opt to do. Although a less familiar case than the US’s own Proposition 8, this oddly-titled documentary covers a well-trod topic, and, filmmaking-wise, is decidedly roughly constructed – its only saving grace is the strength of its appealing, genuine main subjects.

Coming to theatres tonight, Wednesday, November 1 and to VOD this Friday, November 3:
11/8/16

Curator:
Jeff Deutchman

Directors:
Duane Andersen, Don Argott, Yung Chang, Garth Donovan, Petra Epperlein, Vikram Gandhi, Raul Gasteazoro, Jamie Gonçalves, Andrew Beck Grace, Alma Har’el, Sheena M. Joyce, Daniel Junge, Alison Klayman, Ciara Lacy, Martha Shane, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Bassam Tariq, and Michael Tucker

Premiere:
Hamptons 2017

About:
Election Day 2016, around the country.

A spiritual sequel to Deutchman’s 11/4/08, chronicling the historic election day which saw America elect its first African-American president, this new film similarly offers a mosaic of experiences of our most recent presidential election. Eighteen directors followed 16 subjects from morning through late night on that notorious date, with political opinions varying between staunch Clinton and Trump supporters, conflicted voters, apathetic abstainers, journalists covering the results, and even an Evan McMullin acolyte. As with any survey project, there’s the danger of presenting an individual as representative of a type – the rural coal miner, or the privileged university student – and the sheer number of subjects makes it hard to individuate them to any great extent. Still, taken as a whole, the doc does serve to humanize, no matter one’s political affiliations – though it remains a difficult watch for those who are in no hurry to revisit the outcome of that infamous night.

Coming to theatres tonight, Wednesday, November 1:
DEFINING HOPE

Director:
Carolyn Jones

Premiere:
Heartland 2017

About:
A look at palliative care in America.

Jones’ film profiles several individuals facing terminal or potentially life-threatening illnesses, as well as nurses like Diane Ryan, who work in palliative care. Patients like Carol and Barbara reckon with the impact of cancer, while the elderly Berthold and Rudy express the desire to die on their own terms. When focused on the human, complex issues around palliative care, the film showcases some strong moments, but, unfortunately, Jones keeps adding more and more cases to the proceedings, unnecessarily broadening the project’s scope beyond just hospice care, and losing opportunities to provide a deeper dive into its fewer, more compelling, subjects.