Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18: K2: SIREN OF THE HIMALAYAS
Dave Ohlson’s mountaineering film debuted at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in 2012. It went on to screen at Mountainfilm in Telluride, as well as other mountain fests in New Zealand, Poland, Flagstaff, Slovakia, New York, and Mill Valley, and had a limited theatrical run this Summer.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, November 17: BANKSY DOES NEW YORK
Chris Moukarbel’s exploration of a month-long public art sensation debuted at the Hamptons last month. It went on to screen at DOC NYC this past weekend.
I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
Last October, when infamous street artist Banksy revealed his New York City residency, he set off a daily scavenger hunt among curious fans, would-be art collectors, and, of course, the police. With camera phones at the ready, everyone wanted a piece of his ephemeral works before they were destroyed – or removed for profit. Chris Moukarbel tracks the course of Banksy’s secretly created public works from the Lower East Side to Staten Island, Williamsburg to Willets Point, and explores the unprecedented speed of the public’s reaction.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to Audience DirecTV tomorrow, Saturday, November 15: LUCKY
Laura Checkoway’s portrait of an edgy aspiring model with a troubled past debuted at Hot Docs last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, BAFICI, Urbanworld, and Atlanta, among others.
I included the film in my Hot Docs coverage, which may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres and to VOD today, Friday, November 14: DRUG LORD: THE LEGEND OF SHORTY
Angus Macqueen and Guillermo Galdos’ attempt to find the head of a notorious drug cartel bowed at SXSW earlier this year. The doc went on to Biografilm and Guanajuato. In addition to a limited theatrical release beginning today, Gravitas Ventures makes the doc available day and date on VOD platforms.
Mexico’s Sineloa cartel is said to be responsible for a quarter of the illegal drugs entering the United States, making its head, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, a billionaire – and the heir to Capone’s title of “Public Enemy Number One.” Despite his notoriety, El Chapo seemed impossible to catch – but Macqueen and Galdos weren’t so sure about that, prompting them to head up their own investigation into the criminal’s whereabouts. Chronicling their search, set against a narcocorridos soundtrack, the film follows them as they make their way to Culiacan, Sineloa’s home base, witnessing major deals and clear corruption, and even arranging interviews with El Chapo’s own mother. While they seem close to gaining an audience with the man himself in his private sanctuary, he ends up backing out. Before they can regroup, the authorities finally move in, arresting the kingpin mere weeks before the film’s debut at SXSW, which necessitated a new ending to bring the story up to speed before its premiere. While the film demonstrates flashes of style in its untangling of the myths behind the man, it ultimately feels unsatisfying and rushed – an instance where real life developments undercut the filmmakers’ plan.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens this coming Monday, November 17: HAPPINESS
Thomas Balmès’ portrait of a rural Bhutanese boy’s confrontation with modern times had its world premiere at IDFA last year. It went on to screen at Sundance, where it claimed the World Cinema Cinematography Award; Nantucket; Camden; Margaret Mead; Cleveland; Melbourne; Thessaloniki Doc; and Sheffield, among others.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Five additional shorts are part of DOC NYC, screening before feature presentations: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
DOC NYC‘s sixth of six shorts programs turns the focus on young boys: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
New to DVD this week: WE COULD BE KING
Judd Ehrlich’s look at a high school football team debuted at Tribeca this Spring. It went on to be broadcast on ESPN.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to NYC’s Maysles Cinema as part of the DocWatchers series tonight, Thursday, February 13: ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY IN TRUTH
Pratibha Parmar’s profile of the acclaimed activist/author debuted at London’s Women of the World Festival last year. It went on to fests like Seattle, Frameline, Outfest, Chicago, Athena, St Louis, Vancouver, African Diaspora, Bronze Lens, Mill Valley, Inside Out, and Napa Valley, among others.
I previously wrote about the doc upon its broadcast debut here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
Doc-A-Thon, DOC NYC‘s panel series, wraps up with a series of panels on the critical topic of audience engagement. All of the following Day 6 panel sessions take place between 10:30am-5:00pm at the IFC Center on the closing day of the festival, Thursday, November 20: Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
