In Theatres: THE WOBBLIES

Coming to theatres in a new restoration this Friday, April 29:
THE WOBBLIES

Director:
Stewart Bird, Deborah Shaffer

World Premiere:
New York Film Festival 1979

About:
The story of radical labor union the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), better known as the Wobblies, which championed the formation of “one big union” for all unskilled laborers, regardless of their race and gender.

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Streaming: DEAR MR BRODY

Coming to Discovery+ tomorrow, Thursday, April 28:
DEAR MR BRODY

Director:
Keith Maitland

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Telluride, SXSW, San Francisco Doc, Provincetown, Miami

About:
In 1970, eccentric hippie millionaire Michael Brody, Jr decided to give $25 million away to anyone who needed it, sparking a media frenzy and thousands of letters from strangers all requesting his help.

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Special Screening: BROTHER’S KEEPER

brothers-keeper

Coming to NYC’s Paris Theater on 35mm for a 30th anniversary screening this Saturday, April 30:
BROTHER’S KEEPER

Directors:
Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofksy

World Premiere:
Sundance 1992

Select Festivals:
Toronto, Chicago

About:
The lives of the aging Ward brothers are upended when one is accused of murder.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Hot Docs 2022 Overview

Festival:
The 29th Hot Docs

Dates:
April 28-May 8

About:
Making its return to an in-person event, along with online offerings throughout Canada, North America’s largest nonfiction event showcases approximately 145 new and recent doc features.

Continue reading

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Streaming: THE MYSTERY OF MARILYN MONROE: THE UNHEARD TAPES

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Wednesday, April 27:
THE MYSTERY OF MARILYN MONROE: THE UNHEARD TAPES

Director:
Emma Cooper

World Premiere:
Netflix (April 2022)

About:
An exploration of the mystery surrounding the death of the movie icon, focused on previously unheard interviews conducted with her inner circle.

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On DVD: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY

Courtesy of Sundance Institute

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 26:
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY

Director:
W Kamau Bell

World Premiere:
Sundance 2022

About:
Can you separate the art from the artist? Should you even try? While there are many people about whom we could ask those questions, none poses a tougher challenge than Bill Cosby.

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On DVD: WRITING WITH FIRE

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, April 26:
WRITING WITH FIRE

Director:
Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, RIDM, BlackStar, Guadalajara, DocsMX, Double Exposure, Sydney, Yamagata Doc, Ambulante, Denver, San Diego Asian, Hawaii, Bergen, San Francisco, Krakow, Seattle, Thessaloniki Doc, One World, Shanghai

Notable Recognition:
The doc was nominated for the Academy Awards.

About:
A chronicle of the trailblazing work of India’s only news outlet run by Dalit women–once known as “untouchable.”

I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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Special Screening: GRANDPA WAS AN EMPEROR

Coming to NYC’s Pure Nonfiction series tonight, Tuesday, April 26:
GRANDPA WAS AN EMPEROR

Director:
Constance Marks

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021

Select Festivals:
Doclands, Los Angeles Pan African

About:
The great-granddaughter of famed Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie investigates what happened to her beloved father after the 1974 coup that landed most of her family in prison.

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On TV: RESTITUTION? AFRICA’S FIGHT FOR ITS ART

Coming to The WORLD Channel’s AfroPoP today, Monday, April 25:
RESTITUTION? AFRICA’S FIGHT FOR ITS ART

Director:
Nora Philippe

World Premiere:
French TV broadcast (Oct 2021)

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX

About:
Should Western museums return works of art and cultural artifacts to Africa?

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On TV: BIG SONIA

Coming to PBS today, Monday, April 25:
BIG SONIA

Directors:
Leah Warshawski, Todd Soliday

Premiere:
Napa Valley 2016

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Seattle, Cleveland, Sun Valley, Big Sky Doc, Milwaukee, Durban, Jewish fests in San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Palm beach, Charlotte, Kansas City, Southampton, and Miami

About:
An intimate and at times humorous portrait of an unstoppable Holocaust survivor.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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