Special Note: what (not) to doc & 2012 Sundance

With the 2012 Sundance Film Festival opening tonight, I’ll be too busy in my role as Programming Associate for the festival to post regularly here. So, over the next eleven days, while I’m introducing film screenings and moderating Q&As, this blog will essentially be on hiatus, though I am planning on posting this coming Tuesday, January 24 when the nominees for Best Documentary Oscar are announced. Beyond that, normal, daily frequency won’t resume until after Sundance wraps on Sunday, January 29.

In the meantime, you can catch up on my film-by-film profiling of all 39 feature documentaries in this year’s line-up, beginning here, and get quicker and shorter updates and impressions from Park City by following me on Twitter.

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In Theatres: CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, January 20: CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE

Dori Berinstein brought her portrait of the effervescent star to Tribeca last year for its world premiere. Since then, the doc has screened extensively, including notable fests like Hot Docs, Vancouver, Outfest, NewFest, Chicago, and Palm Springs. It also picked up an audience award at the St Louis festival. Sadly, Channing’s husband – whose improbable late-in-life rekindled adolescent romance provided one of the most touching aspects of the film – recently passed away.

I wrote about the doc out of Tribeca here.

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Special Screening: PINA

Coming to NYC’s MoMA as part of its series “The Contenders” next Thursday, January 26: PINA

Wim Wenders’ ode to choreographer Pina Bausch premiered at Berlin last year and went on to screen at Telluride, Toronto, and the New York Film Festival. It opened theatrically in select US markets last month. It has made the Oscar shortlist for both the Best Foreign Film and for the Best Documentary.

I wrote about the film before its release here.

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In Theatres: THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH

Coming to NYC’s IFC Center starting tomorrow, Friday, January 20: THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH: AN URBAN HISTORY

Chad Friedrichs’ analysis of post-WWII urban renewal and its fate premiered at True/False last year. it went on to screen at Silverdocs and Stranger Than Fiction.

I wrote about the doc out of Silverdocs here.

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2012 Sundance Docs in Focus: ROOM 237

The second of two documentaries in New Frontier’s on-screen offerings brings this doc-by-doc look at the 2012 Sundance line-up to a close, just in time for the festival to begin tomorrow: ROOM 237, Rodney Ascher’s playful exploration of the supposed hidden meanings of a genre classic.

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2012 Sundance Docs in Focus: BESTIAIRE

Canadian filmmaker Denis Côté brings one of two documentaries to this year’s New Frontier on-screen offerings: BESTIAIRE, an experimental, observational study of animals and people.

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2012 Sundance Docs in Focus: SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS

This year’s Park City at Midnight section’s sole documentary: SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS, Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace’s look at the last two days in the life of LCD Soundsystem.

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On VOD: PAGE ONE

Available on VOD starting today, January 18: PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

Andrew Rossi’s year-long look at the workings of the paper of record premiered at Sundance last year. It had a healthy festival run, enjoyed a limited theatrical release, and was released on DVD last Fall. It now comes to iTUNES, Amazon Instant Video, and Netflix streaming.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On DVD: SHUT UP LITTLE MAN!

Coming to DVD next Tuesday, January 24: SHUT UP LITTLE MAN! AN AUDIO MISADVENTURE

Matthew Bate brought his excavation of an underground viral phenomenon to Sundance last year. It enjoyed a limited theatrical release as well as VOD release last Fall.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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2012 Sundance Docs in Focus: WEST OF MEMPHIS

Closing out this year’s Documentary Premieres: WEST OF MEMPHIS, Amy Berg’s investigation into the case of the West Memphis Three and their grassroots supporters.

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