Friday, November 21, 2014

Documentary releases

Every Friday we highlight a documentaries that are releasing in theaters. Now, documentaries don't have the financial backing that Hollywood blockbusters enjoy so release dates tend to be limited to a few cities or are based on a rolling system. For this reason, this article won't always be accurate to your specific city but it should give you an idea of what's out there. Now with that formality out of the way, onto the releases!


  • Summary: "Though culminating with the farewell concert the ban d played to thousands of adoring fans in their hometown of Sheffield, England, PULP is by no means a traditional concert film or rock doc. As much a testament to the band as it is to the city and inhabitants of Sheffield, PULP weaves exclusive concert footage with man-on-the-street interviews and dreamy staged sequences to paint a picture much larger, funnier, moving, and life-affirming than any music film of recent memory." (From official site)
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  • Summary: "Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary HAPPY VALLEY takes an unflinching look at an iconic American institution in the wake of unthinkable scandal. Nestled in the idyllic area known as Happy Valley lies the town of State College and the home of Penn State University. For over 40 years, Joe Paterno was the celebrated head coach of the school's storied football team. Lauded not only for his program's success on the field, but also for students’ achievements in the classroom, Paterno was a revered figure in a town where team loyalty approached nationalistic fervor. Then in November 2011 everything changed when longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse, setting off a firestorm of accusations about who failed to protect the children of Happy Valley. Filmed over the course of the year after Sandusky’s arrest as key players agreed to share their stories, HAPPY VALLEY deconstructs the story we think we know to uncover a much more complicated and tragic tale. Director Bar-Lev creates an indelible portrait of a wounded community and an engrossing investigation into the role big time college football played in both the crimes and their aftermath." (From official site)
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  • Summary: "There is more interest in food these days than ever, yet there is very little interest in the hands that pick it. Farmworkers who form the foundation of our fresh food industry are routinely abused and robbed of wages. In extreme cases they can be beaten, sexually harassed or even enslaved - all within the borders of the United States. Food Chains exposes the human cost in our food supply and the complicity of the supermarket industry. Supermarkets earn $4 trillion globally and have tremendous power over the agricultural system. Over the past 3 decades they have drained revenue from their supply chain leaving farmworkers in poverty and forced to work under subhuman conditions. Yet supermarkets take no responsibility for this." (From official site) 
  • Trailer: 

  • Summary: "MONK WITH A CAMERA chronicles the life and spiritual quest of Nicholas (Nicky) Vreeland, who for the past twenty-eight years has been a Tibetan Buddhist monk.  The son of a United States Ambassador, grandson of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, and a photographer by trade, Nicky left his privileged life behind to follow his true calling. He moved to India, cutting his ties with society, photography, and his pleasure-filled world, to live in a monastery with no running water or electricity. There he would spend the next 14 years studying to become a monk. Then in one of life’s beautiful twists, Nicky went back to the worldly pursuit of photography in order to help his fellow monks rebuild their monastery, one of the most important of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.  His journey from being a photographer to becoming a monk and, most recently, to being appointed as the abbot of the monastery he helped to rebuild, are the core of the story." (From official site)
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  • Summary: "January 2010: In the buckle of the Bible Belt, 10 churches burn to the ground in just over a month igniting the largest criminal investigation in East Texas history. No stone is left unturned and even Satan himself is considered a suspect in this gripping investigation of a community terrorized from the inside-out. Families are torn apart and communities of faith struggle with forgiveness and justice in this incredible true story." (From official site)
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  • Summary: "The Homestretch follows three homeless teens as they fight to stay in school, graduate, and build a future. Each of these smart, ambitious teenagers - Kasey, Anthony and Roque - will surprise, inspire, and challenge audiences to rethink stereotypes of homelessness as they work to complete their education while facing the trauma of being alone and abandoned at an early age. Through haunting images, intimate scenes, and first-person narratives, these teens take us on their journeys of struggle and triumph. As their stories unfold, the film connects us deeply with larger policy issues of juvenile justice, immigration, foster care, and LGBTQIA rights." (From official site)
  • Trailer:  The Homestretch (trailer) from spargel productions on Vimeo.




Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Become a documentary sponsor, help fund film on the first African American in the NBA

How often do you get to say you helped fund a movie? Admit it, the idea sounds appealing. Well, there are numerous project you could probably choose from but I want to highlight one project that just started accepting funding.

"The First to Do It" is a documentary about Earl Lloyd, who has agreed to let Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah make a movie about his life. And what a life! According to their funding page at FanBacked.com, Mr Lloyd became "the first African American to ever play in the NBA. [He also went] on to become the NBA’s first full time head coach, the NBA’s first African American to ever receive an equipment sponsorship and the first African American to win an NBA national title."

As an NBA fan, I'm honestly disappointed in myself for not really knowing much about Earl Lloyd and the legacy he has left. I guess I'll be one of the first people in line to see this film. Of course, I should probably make a donation first.

Directors Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah's last documentary ("Benji") focused on Chicago high school sports legend Ben Wilson which ended up on ESPN's popular '30 for 30' series. So if you are worried this is a good idea that might be placed in the wrong hands, think again. These are two guys who are relatively new, but can definitely hold their own.

But don't take my word for, check out their funding page and learn more about them, their project and how to get involved.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

"The Homestretch" Trailer

The trailer for "The Homestretch" has been out for awhile but the film is just now getting into the thick of it's limited theatrical run, so I figure now is as good a time as any to highlight this potentially excellent documentary.

Watching the trailer for Anne De Mare and Kirsten Kelly's film immediately brings to mind one of many Steve James' documentaries. Besides it being set in Chicago and produced by Kartemquin Films, the similarity that really jumps out is using personal stories to reflect on larger themes. "The Homestretch" (much like "Hoop Dreams" or "Life Itself") really settles in with its subjects, letting their lives play out over time.

The Homestretch (trailer) from spargel productions on Vimeo.

According to their film's website: "'The Homestretch' follows three homeless teens as they fight to stay in school, graduate, and build a future. Each of these smart, ambitious teenagers - Roque, Kasey and Anthony - will surprise, inspire, and challenge audiences to rethink stereotypes of homelessness as they work to complete their education while facing the trauma of being alone and abandoned at an early age."

I've got to admit, I'm kind of excited about this documentary and while it's not planning to play in my city at this time, it looks like they are offering numerous options for audiences around the world to take part. So it won't be difficult to see the stories De Mare and Kelly have fleshed out.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Documentary short shows the joy of being a "stuffmaker"

Documentary shorts never get the attention they deserve. There are, frankly, just too many of them out there that it's too hard to keep up with them all. But, every once in a while, it's important to highlight some interesting work.

Bas Berkout's short on the artist Mac Premo popped up on Huffington Post today, and while it's not necessarily life changing, it's certainly a worthy testament to quality film making. The movie is only three and a half minutes but introduces audiences to two cool artists: director Bas Berkout and "stuffmaker" Mac Premo.

If you're a budding documentarian, or just a lover of quality film production, trust me, you won't be disappointed by what you see.

Mac Premo from Bas Berkhout on Vimeo.