Trailer: Born and Bred

Whether it's Rocky, The Fighter, Million Dollar Baby or any number of other similar films, it's hard to deny the power of a good boxing flick. Sure the actual boxing industry has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, but that doesn't stop American audiences from enjoying the story of a fighter (both in and out of the ring).

Justin Frimmer makes his directorial debut with his own boxing film: Born and Bred. His documentary takes a unique twist on the old fighters tale by following children as they learn the ropes. And if you think it's going to be all light and fluffy, think again, I doubt I've seen more broken noses in a film trailer since... well... you don't see many broken noses, except in Frimmer's film.

So if you are looking to glimpse at the future of boxing or you just want another great boxing film to enjoy, head over to Born and Bred's official site: http://www.bornandbredmovie.com. Catch the trailer and see when it will be available at a theater near you.

Trailer: Square Grouper

Billy Corben has made some fine documentaries about the drug trade and he's clearly decided to keep to this specific genre of films with his latest release Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja. The story centers on Everglades City, a small Florida town that turned from fishing to drug smuggling in the 70s and 80s. Corben manages to find unbelievable characters for his films and Square Grouper looks to have those in bunches. But if you need any more reasons to see this documentary, definitely check out the film's website. Square Grouper will release nationwide on DVD next week (including Netflix and other Video On Demand services).

Documentary filmmaker Richard Leacock passes away

Richard Leacock, one of the forefathers of cinema verite, passed away Wednesday at the age of 89.

Leacock was known for his cinematography work on Primary, a documentary following John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. But probably more importantly, he figured out a way to sync recorded audio and video - a key limitation to capturing quality audio outside studios. As a result, filmmakers were able to capture real life with all the wondrous sounds we are now so accustomed to in the documentary world.

Leacock may not be a household name, but he certainly influenced all the household names that came after him. Documentary film fans owe him a great deal of respect and this site in particular mourns the loss.

South by Southwest spotlights great documentaries

Yesterday we shed light on a few of the many documentaries airing at the South By Southwest film festival the past several days. Well today, Austin360.com is taking a more general look at the awesome documentaries unveiled at this year's event. And while we hate to tell you to head to another site, we must say, the article is a good one (especially if you love documentaries).

Head on over to austin360.com to read why the SXSW film festival is proving our beloved documentary genre is hitting its stride.

South by Southwest Films

So most people know 'South by Southwest' as one of the great American music festivals in the country (especially if you are a fan of more independent artists). But you may not know SXSW also has a pretty expansive film festival as well.

Now again, the number of films (especially documentaries) screening are almost too numerous to discuss here, however, to wet your appetite we'll list the 8 selections chosen for the Documentary Feature Competition. Each of the following films are a world premier (they were also chosen out of a field of over 800 submissions!).

Definitely head to the SWSW website to learn more about these films and countless others.

Better This World
Directors: Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega
Two boyhood friends from Midland, Texas cross a line that radically changes their lives. The result: eight homemade bombs, multiple domestic terrorism charges and a high stakes entrapment defense hinging on a controversial FBI informant. (World Premiere)

The City Dark
Director: Ian Cheney
The film chronicles the disappearance of darkness, following astronomers, cancer researchers, ecologists and philosophers in a quest to understand what is lost in the glare of city lights. (World Premiere)

DRAGONSLAYER
Director: Tristan Patterson
Killer Films presents the transmissions of a lost kid, falling in love, in the suburbs of Fullerton, California. Featuring skateboarding, the usual drugs, and stray glimpses of unusual beauty. (World Premiere)

FIGHTVILLE
Directors: Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein
A documentary about the art and sport of fighting: a microcosm of life, a physical manifestation of that other brutal contest called the American Dream. (World Premiere)

Kumaré (U.S.A/India)
Director: Vikram Gandhi
A documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. (World Premiere)

LAST DAYS HERE
Directors: Don Argott & Demian Fenton
The film follows middle-aged rocker Bobby Liebling, lead singer of the cult hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he leaves his parents' basement in search of the life he never lived. (World Premiere)

A Matter of Taste
Director: Sally Rowe
Considered a rising star of haute cuisine, Paul Liebrandt found his career stalled in New York’s austere environment post 9/11. Paul struggles over the next decade as he tries to make his way back to the top. (World Premiere)

Where Soldiers Come From
Director: Heather Courtney
From a snowy small town in Northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan and back, the film follows the four-year journey of childhood friends and their town, forever changed by a faraway war. (World Premiere)

Tony Blair's Faith Shorts Film Festival

According to CNN, Tony Blair is continuing last year's "Faith Shorts" film contest, after the former UK Prime Minister was impressed with the response from youth all over the world.

Though it's not entirely a documentary related story, it's great to see how his foundation (http://www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/) is encouraging people to get into film even if they don't have the 'proper equipment' most competitions demand.

Again, according to CNN, "The foundation will accept not only movies made with professional equipment, but even ones shot with cell phones, judging each film based on the equipment available to the filmmaker. And young people who have an idea but no equipment at all can apply to the foundation to win a portable video camera to make their film."

Only 14-to-18-year olds can submit films, but there are three categories to choose from: family, action, or musical movie. The deadline is July 1st, so head on over to the foundations website to learn more, because it could mean winning a trip to London to see your film premiered at BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and the chance to make a film with a professional crew!

Best of True/False Film Fest?

The year has barely begun and I already have a major regret: not going to the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri. The non-competitive festival has quickly become one of the more prominent documentary festivals in the United States- serving as a nice relaxing arena for viewing excellent/quirky documentaries.

With over 40 films (some of which premiered at Sundance, IDFA, or other prominent festivals), it's impossible to go into any depth about all these films (head to truefalse.org if you feel the need to explore though), but Indiewire has opted to write a list of their favorites.

The South by Southwest film/music festival begins this Friday, but in the meantime, you might want to see what Indiewire is saying about the films from True/False, as they will inevitably make their way to a festival (or theater) near you.

Trailer: Circo

Who doesn't love the circus? For kids it's full of wonder and excitement, for adults it's witnessing nostalgia and creativity. Sure, it's slightly creepy, but the truth is even the negative aspects of a circus draw us to it. So it's no surprise I was instantly hooked when Aaron Schock announced he was directing a documentary about a century old traveling circus in Mexico.

The trailer for Circo is even more impressive then I'd expect and this appears to have a chance to win over the hearts of audiences worldwide. The story of a family torn between carrying on the father's dream of continuing in his parent's footsteps or protecting their kids from working long hours in a failing business is captivating enough. Combine this with the stunning visuals and you have a documentary worth praising.

Circo will begin hitting U.S. theaters this spring, so head on over to their website to learn more about the film and to catch the trailer for this excellent looking film.