CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Thursdays in March
With new technologies and audiences, the last decade allowed filmmakers to experiment and push the form of documentary in exciting new directions, and two years ago, New York City saw the debut of the Cinema Eye Honors: a new award given to nonfiction features that are both innovative and firmly dedicated to artistic craft -- not just those that are "good for you" or feature "an important cause," but ones that create a lasting resonance. Join the Cinefamily for three of this year's Cinema Eye nominees (each a visually dazzling tour de force,) and for a special salute to the groundbreaking work of the San Francisco-based documentary video collective TVTV. As well, each night also features an in-depth live discussion with the filmmakers after the screening!
3/4 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
A Night With TVTV
Before The Daily Show sent their "reporters" out into the world for satirical newscoverage, before Christopher Guest and This is Spinal Tap utilized cinema verité's natural deadpan to devastating comic effect, and before American Movie and Heavy Metal Parking Lot popularized the comic documentary form -- there was TVTV. Radical, hilarious and influential, "Top Value Television" was an ad hoc collective of documentarians whose pioneering use of portable, low-tech video gear allowed them unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to everything from presidential conventions to the Super Bowl. Their philosophy,articulated in co-founding member Michael Shamberg's 1971 manifesto "Guerrilla Television", was to "demonstrate the potential of decentralized video technology" as a means to break free from the ideological strangehold broadcast technology had on American culture -- forecasting the media free-for-all that's rapidly becoming our day-to-day lives. The Cinefamily celebrates the TVTV spirit, and the top notch documentary filmmaking they produced, with a panel discussion/reunion of TVTV members, a video "primer" of past works, and a screening of Lord Of The Universe, an expose on sixteen-year-old Guru Maharaj Ji and the national gathering of his followers at the Houston Astrodome. This evening marks the first time that all principal members of TVTV have been reunited at a retrospective event -- do not miss it!
Co-presented by Arthur Magazine and Cinespia
Tickets - $12
3/11 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
Working backwards through history, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo explores the mystery of the development of Japan's love affair with bugs. While people of many other countries fear all manner of creepy crawlies, the Japanese love and respect them: they're sold live in vending machines and department stores; they're the subject of the No. 1 videogame MushiKing; and a single beetle recently sold for $90,000. Insects have been an integral part of the centuries-old traditions of the country, once described as the "Isle of the Dragonflies." The film's gorgeous imagery links people with the strength of beetles, the music of crickets, the magic of fireflies and the endless colors of butterflies. Using bugs like an anthropologist's toolkit, the film uncovers Japanese philosophies that will shift Westerners' perspectives on nature, beauty, life, and even the seemingly mundane realities of their day-to-day routines. Director Jessica Oreck will appear in person for a Q&A after the screening!
Dir. Jessica Oreck, 2009, 90 min.
3/18 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
45365
"In an age where most docs are grafted over by pop narratives for greater suspense, drama or momentum, 45365 works specifically because of its wonderfully curated aimlessness." - GreenCine Daily
From the patrol car to the courtroom, the playground to the nursing home, the parade to the prayer service, 45365 explores the congruities of daily life in a small American town -- Sidney, Ohio, to be exact. The stories of a father and son, a young relationship, cops and criminals, officials and their electorate coalesce into a mosaic of faces, places, and events. First-time filmmakers Turner and Bill Ross not only do a fantastic job collecting engaging documentary subjects unfettered by the presence of their cameras, but also crafting a mood in which they trust you'll be persistent, that you'll let their quiet rhythm build -- that your enjoyment of the unforced cinematic whisper is not only OK, but desired in its own right.
Dirs. Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross, 2009, 90 min.
3/25 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Big River Man
Every once in a while, an amazing human feat that tests the boundaries of endurance actually makes you go "wow" -- and then your mind is blown again when you learn about who pulled it off. Big River Man (winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary award at Sundance '09) follows Martin Strel, four-time world record holding endurance swimmer, and his insane attempt to be the first person to swim the world's most hostile and dangerous river, the mighty Amazon. By the way, Strel is 53 years old, overweight, and a heavy drinker. Director John Maringouin captures the incredible journey and unusual man with equal amounts of respect and "what-the-fuck?!?" attitude, as we watch Martin down a bottle of wine and shots of whiskey per day -- while swimming. NOTE: This screening is a special double feature, capped by an incredibly stylish and captivating family portrait made by Maringouin of his own eccentric, excessive father!
Contact The Cinefamily / 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, 90036 / 323-655-2510
IDA will present its annual screening of the year's best documentary films, Oscar® nominated shorts and features and Independent Spirit Award winners at DocuDays™ Los Angeles 2010, Friday, March 5th and Saturday, March 6th at the Writers Guild of America Theater.
For more information on DocuDays™ Los Angeles and to purchase tickets visit:
http://www.documentary.org/docudays2010
On Friday nights in January, February and March, UnionDocs will screen six excellent films, all of which have been named named Pare Lorentz Award Winners by the International Documentary Association (IDA). It is no surprise, then, that the selections in this traveling festival resound with influence from the socially conscious documentary films of Pare Lorentz, who, during the depression, produced and directed the first government sponsored feature documentary and was named head of the United States Film Service by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. We are very fortunate to also have the opportunity to conclude the festival by showing four important works by this pioneer. All of these are documentaries that inspire the best in all of us – films that address issues of social justice, political strife, and survival in a world with declining natural resources. Each screening will be followed by a discussion, with filmmakers and special guests in attendance.
The Pare Lorentz Film Festival is supported by the New York Community Trust. We are very grateful and excited to bring these filmmakers from across the country and beyond together with scholars, experts and our local audiences in Brooklyn.
When?
Fridays, January 22 - March 12, 2010, at 7:30pm, followed by post-screening discussion.
Tickets
$7 suggested donation
Reservations
www.uniondocs.org
Venue
UnionDocs, 322 Union Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Directions
L train to Lorimer Street / G to Metropolitan Ave
Exit subway and walk south on Union Ave (away from the BQE)
322 Union is on the east side of Union Ave after you cross Maujer St.
THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS (1936)
Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
25 minutes
With The Plow That Broke the Plains, his first film and the first US Government-sponsored documentary, Pare Lorentz won praise and wide recognition for using sensitive photography, dramatic editing and a beautiful score by composer Virgil Thomson to illuminate a local problem of national importance the challenges faced by wheat farmers and cattle ranchers in the Great Plains. As the film climaxes in a vivid portrait of the record drought that produced the dust bowl and the plight of the “blown out, baked and broke” people who felt its impact, it becomes clear that a new master of the documentary form has found his voice.
The Pare Lorentz Film Festival is proudly presented at UnionDocs through a collaboration with the International Documentary Association (IDA). This program is supported by the New York Community Trust.
IDA will present its annual screening of the year's best documentary films, Oscar® nominated shorts and features and Independent Spirit Award winners at DocuDays™ Los Angeles 2010, Friday, March 5th and Saturday, March 6th at the Writers Guild of America Theater.
For more information on DocuDays™ Los Angeles and to purchase tickets visit:
http://www.documentary.org/docudays2010
725 Park Ave
New York
CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Thursdays in March
With new technologies and audiences, the last decade allowed filmmakers to experiment and push the form of documentary in exciting new directions, and two years ago, New York City saw the debut of the Cinema Eye Honors: a new award given to nonfiction features that are both innovative and firmly dedicated to artistic craft -- not just those that are "good for you" or feature "an important cause," but ones that create a lasting resonance. Join the Cinefamily for three of this year's Cinema Eye nominees (each a visually dazzling tour de force,) and for a special salute to the groundbreaking work of the San Francisco-based documentary video collective TVTV. As well, each night also features an in-depth live discussion with the filmmakers after the screening!
3/11 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
Working backwards through history, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo explores the mystery of the development of Japan's love affair with bugs. While people of many other countries fear all manner of creepy crawlies, the Japanese love and respect them: they're sold live in vending machines and department stores; they're the subject of the No. 1 videogame MushiKing; and a single beetle recently sold for $90,000. Insects have been an integral part of the centuries-old traditions of the country, once described as the "Isle of the Dragonflies." The film's gorgeous imagery links people with the strength of beetles, the music of crickets, the magic of fireflies and the endless colors of butterflies. Using bugs like an anthropologist's toolkit, the film uncovers Japanese philosophies that will shift Westerners' perspectives on nature, beauty, life, and even the seemingly mundane realities of their day-to-day routines. Director Jessica Oreck will appear in person for a Q&A after the screening!
Dir. Jessica Oreck, 2009, 90 min.
3/18 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
45365
"In an age where most docs are grafted over by pop narratives for greater suspense, drama or momentum, 45365 works specifically because of its wonderfully curated aimlessness." - GreenCine Daily
From the patrol car to the courtroom, the playground to the nursing home, the parade to the prayer service, 45365 explores the congruities of daily life in a small American town -- Sidney, Ohio, to be exact. The stories of a father and son, a young relationship, cops and criminals, officials and their electorate coalesce into a mosaic of faces, places, and events. First-time filmmakers Turner and Bill Ross not only do a fantastic job collecting engaging documentary subjects unfettered by the presence of their cameras, but also crafting a mood in which they trust you'll be persistent, that you'll let their quiet rhythm build -- that your enjoyment of the unforced cinematic whisper is not only OK, but desired in its own right.
Dirs. Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross, 2009, 90 min.
3/25 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Big River Man
Every once in a while, an amazing human feat that tests the boundaries of endurance actually makes you go "wow" -- and then your mind is blown again when you learn about who pulled it off. Big River Man (winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary award at Sundance '09) follows Martin Strel, four-time world record holding endurance swimmer, and his insane attempt to be the first person to swim the world's most hostile and dangerous river, the mighty Amazon. By the way, Strel is 53 years old, overweight, and a heavy drinker. Director John Maringouin captures the incredible journey and unusual man with equal amounts of respect and "what-the-fuck?!?" attitude, as we watch Martin down a bottle of wine and shots of whiskey per day -- while swimming. NOTE: This screening is a special double feature, capped by an incredibly stylish and captivating family portrait made by Maringouin of his own eccentric, excessive father!
Contact The Cinefamily / 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, 90036 / 323-655-2510
Address: 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angelels, CA 90036
Web: http://www.cinefamily.org/calendar/thursday.html#docs
March 11-13, 2010 at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood
March 11-12: Access LA | March 13: Screenings & Gala
Tickets: outfest.org/fusion or 213-480-7088
3:30pm
FUSION SHORTS 1
In the struggle between expectation and desire, a girl is caught between a boy and a girl, two boys get an impromptu safe-sex lesson, and trans youth speak out. There are no easy answers in these humorous, moving and enlightening shorts.
BOY MEETS BOY, Dir. Kim-Jho Gwangsoo;
HOLY WATER (Agua Bendita), Dir.Tatiana Lamela-Rabell;
SAY MY NAME, Dir. Adaora Nwandu;
UNHEARD VOICES OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH, Dir. Ivana Horvat and Hannah Fox; ORGANISM, Dir. Nina Reyes Rosenberg;
COLOR ME BAD, Dir. Hesdy Lonwijk
4:00pm
OUTFEST LEGACY PROJECT SCREENING
PORTRAIT OF JASON
Dir. Shirley Clarke, 1967, USA, 99 min.
Shot in New York's Chelsea Hotel, Shirley Clarke's explosive PORTRAIT OF JASON is a landmark of nonfiction film - the combination of a visionary director, a complex and enigmatic subject and a moment of new cinematic and social possibilities. PORTRAIT OF JASON is the disturbing and raw record of a confessional conversation with Jason Holliday, an African- American gay hustler recounting his life and times. Shirley Clarke was a key figure in the American avant-garde and has been an influence on filmmakers and video artists over the last 40 years.
Introduction: Cheryl Dunye;
Special thanks: Wendy Clarke
The Outfest Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation, a partnership between Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, is the only program in the world devoted to saving and protecting LGBT film and video. For more information, visit outfest.org/legacy
6:00pm
FUSION SHORTS 2
A beautiful woman with a secret, a conflicted jazz musician, a butch girl with a crush on a married woman, and an influential community gay bar- -from New York to Los Angeles to Wales,
these are complex stories of the heart and mind.
BILLY AND AARON, Dir. Rodney Evans;
DAMELO TODO: GIVE ME EVERYTHING, Dir. Wu Ingrid Tsang;
SARA, Dir. Stan;
SCENT, Dir. Edward Gunawan and David Maurice Gil;
CECILIA, Dir. Emily Reese;
COLONIAL GODS, Dir. Dee Rees
WILSON CRUZ
Wilson Cruz made television history as an openly gay teenager on the acclaimed "My So-Called Life." His other credits include TV's "Noah's Arc", ‘'Rick & Steve: the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World'', "ER" and feature films ALL OVER ME, PARTY MONSTER, COFFEE DATE, BAM BAM AND CELESTE, HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, and most recently, he co-stars in the Fusion Gala film, THE PEOPLE I'VE SLEPT WITH. Through his activism and art, Cruz is a role model of courage and honesty who inspires those within and outside the LGBT community.
The Fusion Achievement Award will be presented to Wilson Cruz at the Fusion Gala.
8:30pm
GALA
THE PEOPLE I'VE SLEPT WITH
Dir. Quentin Lee, 2009, USA, 89 min.
Angela (Karin Anna Cheung) is unapologetic about her love for sex and her many lovers. When she discovers she's pregnant, she encounters one small problem- she's not quite sure who the father is. In her quest to find the mystery dad, everybody has advice: her gay best friend (Wilson Cruz), her conservative sister (Lynn Chen), and a handsome conquest (Archie Kao). Quentin Lee (SHOPPING FOR FANGS, DRIFT) directs this romantic and sexually precocious romp that takes a comic and delightfully askew look at family, relationships, and finding happiness.
This Gala doesn't end when the lights go up - Fusion kicks in to high-gear when you enter the courtyard of the historic Egyptian Theatre. Grab a SKYY cocktail, light hors d'oeuvers, and your favorite dance partner. There is nothing like the Fusion after-party!
Are you an aspiring screenwriter? A director with a couple of shorts films in the can? A producer on the search for the next big thing? Or are you simply looking for a way to break in to the entertainment industry? Access LA forges connections between emerging filmmakers and established entertainment industry professionals in Los Angeles to nurture talent and skills. Fusion, in partnership with NBCUniversal, is thrilled to be offering incredible programs that will help you move closer to your goals and dreams.
Thursday, March 11
7:00 - 9:00pm
Want to work in the entertainment industry?
Think off the set!
Executives, programmers, and marketing experts share their "outside the set" career journeys. Join us and mingle over cocktails with other industry folks.
This event is open to the public. Reservation is required. Email your name to FusionThursday@outfest.org to receive location and parking information.
Friday, March 12
9:30 - 10:00am - Registration
10:00 - 10:30am - Introduction to Fusion Access LA Day
10:30 - 12:00pm - Networking: In a town that runs on who knows who, how well do you know everyone in the room? Learn how to develop your networking skills and make connections that will work for you.
12:00 - 1:00pm - Hosted Lunch
1:00 - 2:30pm - How to Get Work in Television: Television writers, producers, directors, and executives discuss how to get work in television and how (and to whom) to pitch concepts for television series.
2:30 - 4:00pm - New Media: From news to webisodes content is finding a home on the web. How is content determined for the internet and what does this mean for the future of how we watch and what we make?
Fusion Access LA is designed for people of color filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers. Registration is required.
Register online at outfest.org/fusion. Space is limited for this exciting day.
March 11-13, 2010 at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood
March 11-12: Access LA | March 13: Screenings & Gala
Tickets: outfest.org/fusion or 213-480-7088
3:30pm
FUSION SHORTS 1
In the struggle between expectation and desire, a girl is caught between a boy and a girl, two boys get an impromptu safe-sex lesson, and trans youth speak out. There are no easy answers in these humorous, moving and enlightening shorts.
BOY MEETS BOY, Dir. Kim-Jho Gwangsoo;
HOLY WATER (Agua Bendita), Dir.Tatiana Lamela-Rabell;
SAY MY NAME, Dir. Adaora Nwandu;
UNHEARD VOICES OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH, Dir. Ivana Horvat and Hannah Fox; ORGANISM, Dir. Nina Reyes Rosenberg;
COLOR ME BAD, Dir. Hesdy Lonwijk
4:00pm
OUTFEST LEGACY PROJECT SCREENING
PORTRAIT OF JASON
Dir. Shirley Clarke, 1967, USA, 99 min.
Shot in New York's Chelsea Hotel, Shirley Clarke's explosive PORTRAIT OF JASON is a landmark of nonfiction film - the combination of a visionary director, a complex and enigmatic subject and a moment of new cinematic and social possibilities. PORTRAIT OF JASON is the disturbing and raw record of a confessional conversation with Jason Holliday, an African- American gay hustler recounting his life and times. Shirley Clarke was a key figure in the American avant-garde and has been an influence on filmmakers and video artists over the last 40 years.
Introduction: Cheryl Dunye;
Special thanks: Wendy Clarke
The Outfest Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation, a partnership between Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, is the only program in the world devoted to saving and protecting LGBT film and video. For more information, visit outfest.org/legacy
6:00pm
FUSION SHORTS 2
A beautiful woman with a secret, a conflicted jazz musician, a butch girl with a crush on a married woman, and an influential community gay bar- -from New York to Los Angeles to Wales,
these are complex stories of the heart and mind.
BILLY AND AARON, Dir. Rodney Evans;
DAMELO TODO: GIVE ME EVERYTHING, Dir. Wu Ingrid Tsang;
SARA, Dir. Stan;
SCENT, Dir. Edward Gunawan and David Maurice Gil;
CECILIA, Dir. Emily Reese;
COLONIAL GODS, Dir. Dee Rees
WILSON CRUZ
Wilson Cruz made television history as an openly gay teenager on the acclaimed "My So-Called Life." His other credits include TV's "Noah's Arc", ‘'Rick & Steve: the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World'', "ER" and feature films ALL OVER ME, PARTY MONSTER, COFFEE DATE, BAM BAM AND CELESTE, HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, and most recently, he co-stars in the Fusion Gala film, THE PEOPLE I'VE SLEPT WITH. Through his activism and art, Cruz is a role model of courage and honesty who inspires those within and outside the LGBT community.
The Fusion Achievement Award will be presented to Wilson Cruz at the Fusion Gala.
8:30pm
GALA
THE PEOPLE I'VE SLEPT WITH
Dir. Quentin Lee, 2009, USA, 89 min.
Angela (Karin Anna Cheung) is unapologetic about her love for sex and her many lovers. When she discovers she's pregnant, she encounters one small problem- she's not quite sure who the father is. In her quest to find the mystery dad, everybody has advice: her gay best friend (Wilson Cruz), her conservative sister (Lynn Chen), and a handsome conquest (Archie Kao). Quentin Lee (SHOPPING FOR FANGS, DRIFT) directs this romantic and sexually precocious romp that takes a comic and delightfully askew look at family, relationships, and finding happiness.
This Gala doesn't end when the lights go up - Fusion kicks in to high-gear when you enter the courtyard of the historic Egyptian Theatre. Grab a SKYY cocktail, light hors d'oeuvers, and your favorite dance partner. There is nothing like the Fusion after-party!
Are you an aspiring screenwriter? A director with a couple of shorts films in the can? A producer on the search for the next big thing? Or are you simply looking for a way to break in to the entertainment industry? Access LA forges connections between emerging filmmakers and established entertainment industry professionals in Los Angeles to nurture talent and skills. Fusion, in partnership with NBCUniversal, is thrilled to be offering incredible programs that will help you move closer to your goals and dreams.
Thursday, March 11
7:00 - 9:00pm
Want to work in the entertainment industry?
Think off the set!
Executives, programmers, and marketing experts share their "outside the set" career journeys. Join us and mingle over cocktails with other industry folks.
This event is open to the public. Reservation is required. Email your name to FusionThursday@outfest.org to receive location and parking information.
Friday, March 12
9:30 - 10:00am - Registration
10:00 - 10:30am - Introduction to Fusion Access LA Day
10:30 - 12:00pm - Networking: In a town that runs on who knows who, how well do you know everyone in the room? Learn how to develop your networking skills and make connections that will work for you.
12:00 - 1:00pm - Hosted Lunch
1:00 - 2:30pm - How to Get Work in Television: Television writers, producers, directors, and executives discuss how to get work in television and how (and to whom) to pitch concepts for television series.
2:30 - 4:00pm - New Media: From news to webisodes content is finding a home on the web. How is content determined for the internet and what does this mean for the future of how we watch and what we make?
Fusion Access LA is designed for people of color filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers. Registration is required.
Register online at outfest.org/fusion. Space is limited for this exciting day.
On Friday nights in January, February and March, UnionDocs will screen six excellent films, all of which have been named named Pare Lorentz Award Winners by the International Documentary Association (IDA). It is no surprise, then, that the selections in this traveling festival resound with influence from the socially conscious documentary films of Pare Lorentz, who, during the depression, produced and directed the first government sponsored feature documentary and was named head of the United States Film Service by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. We are very fortunate to also have the opportunity to conclude the festival by showing four important works by this pioneer. All of these are documentaries that inspire the best in all of us – films that address issues of social justice, political strife, and survival in a world with declining natural resources. Each screening will be followed by a discussion, with filmmakers and special guests in attendance.
The Pare Lorentz Film Festival is supported by the New York Community Trust. We are very grateful and excited to bring these filmmakers from across the country and beyond together with scholars, experts and our local audiences in Brooklyn.
When?
Fridays, January 22 - March 12, 2010, at 7:30pm, followed by post-screening discussion.
Tickets
$7 suggested donation
Reservations
www.uniondocs.org
Venue
UnionDocs, 322 Union Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Directions
L train to Lorimer Street / G to Metropolitan Ave
Exit subway and walk south on Union Ave (away from the BQE)
322 Union is on the east side of Union Ave after you cross Maujer St.
MANDELA: SON OF AFRICA, FATHER OF A NATION
Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
THE RIVER
In The River, Pare Lorentz deploys powerful images, a poetic Pulitzer Prize-nominated script and another score by Virgil Thomson to illustrate the problems of flood control on the Mississippi River and the efforts to correct it. While arguing that the building of dams would put an end to the destruction of crops and property brought about by the havoc of annual floods, Lorentz reveals the ways the river has been misused, and presents a stirring paen to America's natural landscape, and the proud history with which it is imbued.
THE FIGHT FOR LIFE
In this short feature, based on a book by Paul De Kruit, Lorentz presents a staged re-enactment of an emergency childbirth in an urban hospital. As the story of the mother's difficult delivery and death in spite of valiant efforts by the doctors to save her unfolds, The Fight For Life reveals the crisis of health and pre-natal care among the urban poor of the period, and explores the impoverished lives of the working people of the cities, who live in slums and tenements where they are forced to suffer from the disabling diseases endemic in such environments.
The Pare Lorentz Film Festival is proudly presented at UnionDocs through a collaboration with the International Documentary Association (IDA). This program is supported by the New York Community Trust.
Sirk Productions is proud to announce that it will be theatrically releasing SEVERE CLEAR nationwide:
MARCH 12TH: New York City: Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston Street, (212) 995-2000 Buy Tickets at Fandango.com
(Join Sirk Productions for an afterparty at Nolita House, 47 East Houston Street. Friday and Saturday Night 9PM. Bring your movie ticket to SEVERE CLEAR and get a free drink!)
MARCH 12TH: San Diego: Gaslamp Theater, 701 Fifth Avenue, (619) 232-0401 Buy Tickets at Fandango.com
MARCH 19TH: Los Angeles, Laemmle Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd.,Beverly Hills, (310) 478-3836
MARCH 24TH: Dallas, TX, Studio Movie Grill Royal, 11170 N. Central Expy, (214) 361-2966
MARCH 25TH: Houston, TX, Studio Movie Grill City Center, 805 Town and Country Lane, (713) 461-4449
Looking to see SEVERE CLEAR in your city? Click here and demand it now!
SEVERE CLEAR is based on the memoir by First Lieutenant Mike Scotti as well as video footage shot by him and other members of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines on the outset of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Through their cameras we see the raw sounds of war, capturing the harrowing three hundred mile charge to Baghdad through hostile enemy territory. The footage used to create SEVERE CLEAR was never shot for the purpose of making a movie. In this digital age of embedded reporters, the film truly strips the barriers between audience and soldier, personalizing the fear, moral conundrum and adrenaline rush of life on the battlefield. SEVERE CLEAR offers an unflinching look at the uncertainty, disorder and chaos of war from the remarkable perspective of one Marine.
CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Thursdays in March
With new technologies and audiences, the last decade allowed filmmakers to experiment and push the form of documentary in exciting new directions, and two years ago, New York City saw the debut of the Cinema Eye Honors: a new award given to nonfiction features that are both innovative and firmly dedicated to artistic craft -- not just those that are "good for you" or feature "an important cause," but ones that create a lasting resonance. Join the Cinefamily for three of this year's Cinema Eye nominees (each a visually dazzling tour de force,) and for a special salute to the groundbreaking work of the San Francisco-based documentary video collective TVTV. As well, each night also features an in-depth live discussion with the filmmakers after the screening!
3/18 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
45365
"In an age where most docs are grafted over by pop narratives for greater suspense, drama or momentum, 45365 works specifically because of its wonderfully curated aimlessness." - GreenCine Daily
From the patrol car to the courtroom, the playground to the nursing home, the parade to the prayer service, 45365 explores the congruities of daily life in a small American town -- Sidney, Ohio, to be exact. The stories of a father and son, a young relationship, cops and criminals, officials and their electorate coalesce into a mosaic of faces, places, and events. First-time filmmakers Turner and Bill Ross not only do a fantastic job collecting engaging documentary subjects unfettered by the presence of their cameras, but also crafting a mood in which they trust you'll be persistent, that you'll let their quiet rhythm build -- that your enjoyment of the unforced cinematic whisper is not only OK, but desired in its own right.
Dirs. Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross, 2009, 90 min.
3/25 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Big River Man
Every once in a while, an amazing human feat that tests the boundaries of endurance actually makes you go "wow" -- and then your mind is blown again when you learn about who pulled it off. Big River Man (winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary award at Sundance '09) follows Martin Strel, four-time world record holding endurance swimmer, and his insane attempt to be the first person to swim the world's most hostile and dangerous river, the mighty Amazon. By the way, Strel is 53 years old, overweight, and a heavy drinker. Director John Maringouin captures the incredible journey and unusual man with equal amounts of respect and "what-the-fuck?!?" attitude, as we watch Martin down a bottle of wine and shots of whiskey per day -- while swimming. NOTE: This screening is a special double feature, capped by an incredibly stylish and captivating family portrait made by Maringouin of his own eccentric, excessive father!
Contact The Cinefamily / 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, 90036 / 323-655-2510
Address: 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angelels, CA 90036
Web: http://www.cinefamily.org/calendar/thursday.html#docs
Purchase Tickets
World Premiere
SEE WHAT I'M SAYING
March 18, 2010
EGYPTIAN THEATER - HOLLYWOOD
6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Followed by a theatrical run opening in Los Angeles
March 19 - April 1
Laemmle Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
And a theatrical run in New York
April 9 - April 22
Village East Cinema
181 - 189 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary directed by Hilari Scarl, follows four deaf entertainers - a comic, a drummer, an actor and a singer as they overcome personal obstacles and celebrate professional landmarks.
3/25 @ 8:00pm / SERIES: CINEMA EYE HONORS PRESENTS: WHAT'S UP, DOCS?
Big River Man
Every once in a while, an amazing human feat that tests the boundaries of endurance actually makes you go "wow" -- and then your mind is blown again when you learn about who pulled it off. Big River Man (winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary award at Sundance '09) follows Martin Strel, four-time world record holding endurance swimmer, and his insane attempt to be the first person to swim the world's most hostile and dangerous river, the mighty Amazon. By the way, Strel is 53 years old, overweight, and a heavy drinker. Director John Maringouin captures the incredible journey and unusual man with equal amounts of respect and "what-the-fuck?!?" attitude, as we watch Martin down a bottle of wine and shots of whiskey per day -- while swimming. NOTE: This screening is a special double feature, capped by an incredibly stylish and captivating family portrait made by Maringouin of his own eccentric, excessive father!
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Address: 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angelels, CA 90036
Web: http://www.cinefamily.org/calendar/thursday.html#docs
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Address: 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angelels, CA 90036
Web: http://www.cinefamily.org/calendar/thursday.html#docs
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The Tiger Next Door tells the story of a man named Dennis Hill who has been breeding and selling tigers out of his backyard in Flat Rock, Indiana for over fifteen years. When the film begins Hill has 24 tigers, 3 bears, 6 leopards, and one cougar, and he faces an inspection by the local Department of Natural Resources that may shut him down for good. As Hill fights to hold on to his tigers over the days and months that follow, The Tiger Next Door follows him - exploring his motives, his past, and the curious, ethically-murky world he's created in his backyard. The film also travels far beyond Hill's animal compound, introducing a shocking array of news stories about tiger situations gone wrong around the country, and revealing the alarming statistic that there are more tigers in private captivity in the U.S. than there are in the wild in the world.
All of which raises the question - What do we want our relationship with wild animals to be, as the wild disappears? Under what circumstances is it okay to keep large wild animals captive?
This film and the topic of wild animals in captivity are highly relevant and timely, in light of recent news stories about:
-- a trainer killed by a 12,300lb whale at SeaWorld (Feb, 2010)
-- a man killed by his "pet" tiger in Ontario, Canada (Jan, 2010)
-- a woman killed by her "pet" bear in Pennsylvania (Oct, 2009)
-- the story from last winter (Feb 2009) of the Connecticut woman who was brutally mauled by her neighbor's 200 pound "pet" chimpanzee,
-- and the story of the tiger escape and mauling of a teenager at the San Francisco Zoo (Dec 2007).
These are only the latest in a long list of problematic stories of captive bred wild animals gone "bad." Incidents like these raise difficult ethical questions and important sociological issues for people and animals that are addressed in The Tiger Next Door.
THE FIRST HUNGARIAN DOCUMENTARY &
SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
OF LOS ANGELES
ALL SCREENINGS ARE FREE!
United Hungarian House of Los Angeles
1975 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018
www.magyarhazla.com
March 25-31, 2010
MARCH 25, 2010, Thursday
6:30 PM Opening
- Welcoming words by Mr. Miklós Pereházy, President of the United Hungarian House
- Opening remarks by Ambassador Balázs Bokor, Consul General of Hungary
- Greetings by Dr. Robert Gyori, President of the William Fox Hungarian Film Club
- Greetings by Mr. Béla Bunyik, President of Bunyik Entertainment
6:45 - 8:25 PM Screening
"Hunky Blues - The American Dream" (Az amerikai álom)
2009 / 100 min / English / Director Péter Forgács, Producer Gábor Kovács
Péter Forgács created a documentary exploring the fate of hundred thousands of Hungarian men and women who arrived to the United States between 1890 and 1921. To tell their sagas Forgács weaved this grand epic from the early American cinema, found footage, photographs and interviews. The film reveals the difficult moments of arrival, integration and assimilation, which eventually fed the happiness of the later generations and their fulfillment of the American dream.
http://www.hunkyblues.com
8:25-8:40 Short break
8:40 - 9:40 PM Screenings
"Born Dead - Children on the Edge of Survival" (Néma bölcsők - Gyermekek a túlélés szélén)
2009 / 32 minutes / English with Hungarian subtitles / Director Hesna Al Ghaoui, Producer Balázs Frida
Born Dead, a documentary by Hesna Al Ghaoui about the causes and prevention of child mortality.
"Alterego"
2007 / 25 min / Hungarian with English Subtitles / Director Ferenc Sebő, Producers Csanád Darvas and Miklós Havas
Young lovers move into a new apartment, and they find themselves living next door too - only 20 years later.
MARCH 26, 2010, Friday
6:30 PM Screening
"The Danube Exodus: The Rippling Currents of the River"
(Dunai Exodus: A folyó beszédes áramlatai)
1998 / 60 min / English / Director Péter Forgács, Producer Cesar Messemaker
In the travelogue The Danube Exodus, Péter Forgács documents the Jewish exodus from Slovakia just before the beginning of World War II. In two boats, a group of nine hundred Slovak, Austrian Jews tried to reach the Black Sea via the river Danube, in order to get to Palestine from there. Forgács based his film on the amateur films of Captain Nándor Andrásovits, the captain of one of the boats. He filmed his passengers while they prayed, slept, and even got married. At the end of this journey, it is clear that the boat will not return empty: a reverse exodus takes place, this time of repatriating Bessarabian Germans, fleeing to the Third Reich because of the Soviet invasion of Bessarabia...
7:30 - 7:45 PM Short break
7:45 - 8:40 PM Screening
"Gypsy Dreams" (Roma Álom)
2009 / 52 min / English & Hungarian / Director and Producer Eszter Nordin
A Hungarian Gypsy family comes to the conclusion that they can no longer survive in their native country. Racial discrimination and unemployment are the major factors in their decision to uproot themselves and migrate to England. Their chosen destination is Bolton where there is already a sizable Hungarian Gypsy population. The documentary follows the Lazi family's struggle to establish themselves in England for nearly two years. An initially promising start has taken a tough turn in the harsh winter of 2009, as recession began to bite hard and British factories closed their doors to foreign workers. Nevertheless, the Lazis hang on in hope, expecting their fourth child.
8:40 - 9:00 PM Short break
9:00 - 9:32 PM Screening
"Borderline Case" (Határeset)
2006 / 32 min/ Hungarian, German with English Subtitles / Director Péter Szalay
In August 1989, having lived in Weimar in the German Democratic Republic, Kurt-Werner Schulz and Gundula Schafitel and their 6-year-old son were crossing Hungary on their way to the Western world. As so many of their East German fellow compatriots, they were planning to cross the border illegally. However, they had no hope of succeeding if all three of them stayed together. The story is told in the manner of a criminal investigation, spiced with some humor.
MARCH 27, 2010, Saturday
App. 7:00 - 9:30 PM Screening
"Journey Home" (Hazatérés)
2008 / 88 min / Hungarian with English subtitles
Director Réka Pigniczky
A journey by two American women to bury their father's ashes in Hungary turns into a quest to find out exactly what he did as a freedom fighter there during the revolution of 1956...
„Nomad Market - Three Wanderers"
2009 / 52 min/ Hungarian, English Subtitles / Director Péter Szalay
Once upon a time there was a recorder maker with starry eyes, a dream-maker travelling from village to village, and a travelleing photographer looking for light. A true fairy tale in the hectic 21st century.
41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers - SCREENINGS
March 26 - April 1, 2010
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival Presents...
"41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers"
In a Limited Engagement
Culver Plaza Theatres
9919 Washington Boulevard Los Angeles, CA
Showtimes:
Friday-Sunday
12 p.m. | 3 p.m. | 6 p.m. | 9 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
12 p.m. | 2:45 p.m. | 5:45 p.m.* | 8 p.m.
*No Q&A
Tickets: $10 Click here to purchase
Group Sales (20+): $8:50
For group sales, please email groupsales@paff.org
From March 22 - April 11, Doc Alliance Films offers a free worldwide stream of three selected films from The Restored Films by the master of Czech documentary filmmaking, Jan Spata. The Restored Films was awarded by the Czech Film and Television Academy for The Best Audiovisual Enterprise of the year. Each of the films will be available for one week at www.docalliancefilms.com
St. Patrick's Land (1967), a travel essay on Ireland; at the time it was considered the best film made about the country. From March 22 - 28
Between Light and Darkness (1990), the photographs of Jindrich Streit and the lives of his subjects in the border region. From March 29 - April 4
The Greatest Wish (1964), a sociological probe into the actual values of young people under socialism. From April 5 - 11
Eighteen films by Jan Spata were digitally restored and transferred into HD format and are now available on four DVDs. A selection of five digitally restored films is also in theatrical distribution. For more information about Jan Spata and the project, visit www.janspata.cz