Ecuador’s largest nonfiction event, EDOC – Encuentros del Otro Cine – celebrates its 15th edition starting today, Wednesday, May 18, with screenings through Sunday, May 29 in Quito, and through Thursday, June 2 in Guayaquil. This year’s lineup includes over 100 features and shorts, organized thematically, with some highlights noted below: Continue reading
EDOC 2016 Overview
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
On DVD/VOD: THE WINDING STREAM
New to DVD/VOD this week: THE WINDING STREAM
Beth Harrington’s exploration of the musical Carter and Cash families made its bow at SXSW in 2014. Its festival circuit also included Cleveland, Nashville, Atlanta, the Southern Circuit, Woods Hole, Sound + Vision, DokuFest, Hot Springs Doc, New Orleans’ filmOrama, Galway, and St Louis.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On DVD/VOD: TROUBLEMAKERS: THE STORY OF LAND ART
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, May 17: TROUBLEMAKERS: THE STORY OF LAND ART
James Crump’s chronicle of the expansion of art out of the gallery premiered at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art last Fall. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, New York Film Festival, St Louis, Milan’s Fondazione Prada, and Art Basel Miami, among others.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Special Screening: FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction this Thursday, May 19: FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET
David Sigal’s look at the end of a NYC institution debuted at NewFest in 2009, where it won an audience award. Other screenings included Outfest, Seattle LGBT, and the NYC Food Film Festival.
For nearly a quarter of a century, the legendary Florent diner served the colorful denizens of New York City – from drag queens to blue-haired doyens, A-list celebrities to club kids, tourists to late-night partiers. The all-night eatery, based in the heart of the once-feared and now-chic Meatpacking District, was the brainchild of beloved French transplant, Florent Morellet, an HIV-positive gay activist who early on saw how his establishment could thrive not by cultivating exclusivity, but by embracing diversity. The restaurant could survive seemingly anything – except for a radical increase in rent, forcing Morellet to close on Gay Pride Day in June, 2008. Sigal’s entertaining film chronicles not only the story of the man and his restaurant, but of the radical changes that have impacted the culture and society of New York City since the diner’s opening in the mid-1980s – from the LGBT community’s struggle with the AIDS epidemic and homophobia, to the economic development of formerly seedy neighborhoods often at the expense of long-standing institutions like Florent itself.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Special Screening & In Theatres: WEINER
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Wednesday, May 18 and to theatres this Friday, May 20: WEINER
Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s surprisingly candid look at a once-disgraced politician’s ill-fated comeback attempt had its world premiere at Sundance this year, where it won the US Documentary Grand Jury Prize. Additional fest berths have included True/False, New Directors/NewFilms, Hot Docs, Full Frame, Sarasota, RiverRun, Nashville, IFF Boston, San Francisco, Montclair, and Sydney.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
On TV: OPERATION POPCORN
Coming to PBS’s America ReFramed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17: OPERATION POPCORN
David Grabias’ investigation of conspiracy and arms dealing among a refugee community had its world premiere at Minneapolis-St Paul last year. Screenings have followed at Big Sky, Kansas City, CAAMfest, Hawaii, and San Diego Asian fests, among others. Its broadcast now is tied to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Recruited by the CIA to assist the United States against North Vietnam, the Hmong people of Laos found themselves escaping communist persecution by becoming refugees in America in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Decades later, the close-knit community learns about continued human rights abuses against their people back in Laos, inspiring Hmong-Americans such as Locha Thao to become activists. Grabias focuses on a strange episode in which Thao works with mysterious American partners to procure arms in the hopes of overthrowing the communist Lao government – despite the apparent objections of venerated American-based Hmong leaders like General Vang Pao. Unfortunately, Grabias fails to bring much clarity or a compelling sense of storytelling to the proceedings – overcomplicating an already fuzzy story by fleetingly introducing distracting, unrelated elements that cast further doubt upon his main subject’s trustworthiness – resulting in an unsatisfying project as a whole.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Special Screening: THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL
Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17: THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL
Holly Morris’ look at life in a so-called Dead Zone had its world premiere at Los Angeles last year. Other fests included DOC NYC, Sidewalk, Woodstock, Sun Valley, One World, DC’s Environmental, Florida, San Francisco Green, DOXA, and Documenta Madrid.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
For the past three decades a community of wise, elderly women enjoy a simple life in Chernobyl’s radioactive exclusion zone, subsisting on their beloved but toxic land, while radiation experts and soldiers marvel at their resilience. The three protagonists, more fearful of starvation than radiation, defied Ukrainian authorities to join a sisterhood of 200 women and return to their remote homes. Morris’ film is a cinematic ode to thriving against all odds and the love for one’s own land.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
On TV: DOGTOWN REDEMPTION
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, May 16: DOGTOWN REDEMPTION
Amir Soltani and Chihiro Wimbush’s look at the intersection of recycling and homelessness made its world premiere at Mill Valley last year, where it won an audience award. The doc has also appeared at fests in Salem and Santa Monica, and at local screenings in San Francisco and Oakland.
Set in the titular West Oakland neighborhood, Soltani and Wimbush’s film profiles individuals subsisting on the fringes through regular scavenging for recyclables. Their base of operation is Alliance Metals, a recycling center which prides itself on helping the homeless by offering them some means of earning an honest living. But as the film soon reveals, the situation isn’t quite so rosy: Alliance Metals has its detractors, some who claim the business is exploitative, using a vulnerable population to keep it in operation while paying them very little, and others, representative of gentrification in the area, who take issue with the consequences of the homeless in the area, such as litter. While this debate figures throughout this somewhat rough-hewn but engaging project, with the fate of Alliance Metals determined by its end, the filmmakers are more focused on several resilient subjects – though they don’t all have happy endings.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On DVD: NO CONTROL
Coming to DVD this coming Tuesday, May 17: NO CONTROL
Jessica Solce’s examination of the gun control debate had its world premiere at DOC NYC in 2014. Other screenings have included the Denver Film Society, and the film previously has been released on VOD.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
On VOD: I AM THALENTE
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, May 13: I AM THALENTE
Natalie Johns’ portrait of a homeless street kid turned skateboarder debuted at Los Angeles last year, where it won an audience award. Other fest berths have included Bahamas, TIFF Next Wave, and Portland. The film now comes to VOD platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, Sony Playstation, Xbox, and various cable VOD providers.
Thalente Biyela escaped an abusive home to live on the streets of Durban, South Africa as a young boy. Seeking refuge from the stark realities of his situation, he spent time in skateparks, finding escape through skateboarding. Finding support there, Thalente’s skills eventually drew the attention of star skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Kenny Anderson, and, eventually, paved the way for his relocation to Los Angeles. Johns includes some captivating footage of Thalente within his South African community – particularly his mentor/best friend, Tammy – but largely follows his adjustment to life in America, including studying for his driver’s license and preparing to become an instructor in a kids’ skate camp. While she has found a likeable young subject with an ingratiating, ultimately uplifting story, the filmmaker could have given the doc much more heft and contrast by focusing more on Thalente’s time in South Africa. Still, it’s clear that the heartfelt project has resonated with audiences.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
