IDA's News on the Doc

Doc News Shorts: March 15, 2010

tkrinsky — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:01:42 -0400

Attention animal lovers: National Geographic Ventures and Fox Cable Networks are launching the new US channel Nat Geo Wild on March 29th. The channel will replace Fox Reality Channel on some cable lineups, and is the first to move from overseas into the US market. John Fahey, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society, said in a statement, "Wildlife programming is core to our brand and with the urgent conservation challenges facing wildlife, this is the right time for us to focus on what is a favorite genre for many." The launch slate includes Africa's Lost Eden, which ...

Tribeca Rounds Out 2010 Slate

twhite — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 21 to May 2, has announced both the competition and non-competition films for its ninth edition. Among the 85 feature-length and 47 short films on the schedule, the fest has programmed 12 documentaries in the World Documentary Competition, two works-in-progress, six docs in the Encounters section, seven in the Discovery section and one in the Spotlight section.

In addition, the recently announced Tribeca Film Tribeca Film initiative, a comprehensive distribution and marketing platform for independent film, will release seven titles, including two documentaries, for day-and-date VOD during the festival, then expanding to theatrical, ...

Lipsky Gets Back Into Distribution Game

tkrinsky — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:00:10 -0400

Documentary filmmakers considering a theatrical release now have a new resource to add to the list of marketing and distribution gurus. Jeff Lipsky (co-founder, October Films) recently announced that he's getting back into the distribution business.

Theatrical business is flourishing – it wasn’t just Tim Burton’s film that broke global records this past weekend, the IFC Center in New York City also made history, and that’s generally the way things have been going for well over a year. Yet with more and more new distribution platforms on the rise revenues for independent producers and filmmakers continue to diminish. (Of course, that merely an educated guess since ...

Kino Lorber Acquires ‘David Holzman’s Diary,’ ‘Winnebago Man,’ Three Others

twhite — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

So sooner had the last Oscars been given out when a plethora of announcements from all over the distro globe came out about new theatrical acquisitions and releases. So, here's a recap:

Lorber Films has acquired the US rights to the all-time cinema classic David Holzman's Diary by Jim McBride. This landmark work from 1967 blends fiction and reality, and made a deep impression on an entire generation of filmmakers in the 1970s. This staged documentary chronicles the character David Holzman's efforts to make a film about himself. The film was one of the first to be selected for preservation in the United ...

'The Cove' Team's Sting Operation Revealed

IDA Editorial Staff — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:56:37 -0500

While attending the first evening of DocuDays LA 2010, The Cove director Louis Psihoyos more than hinted that while he and his Oceanic Preservation Society team were in town for Oscar-related events, they were also working on some covert operations with law officials to bust up an illegal ring of some sort. He even told us to keep an eye on the newspapers.

Now we know what he was talking about.

The Oscar-winning crew discovered that popular Santa Monica sushi restaurant Hump, was serving whale. A sting operation involving tiny cameras, surveillance equipment and the whole bit revealed that the restaurant ...

Roger Ross Williams (Finally) Delivers Acceptance Speech

IDA Editorial Staff — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:25:41 -0500

While appearing on Larry King Live, the now famously "Kanye'd" Academy Award-winner for Best Documentary Short Subject, Roger Ross Williams got another shot at delivering his acceptance speech. See it here:

Awards Roundup: March 2-8, 2010

twhite — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

OK, we've heard all about the Oscars and the Independent Spirit Awards, but the world did keep spinning last week, and a fairly significant number of kudos rolled in from outside of LA--from Ireland, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Switzerland and New Zealand. And from the Bay Area, where San Jose-based Cinequest had the temerity to program its 20th edition this past week. In addition, the San Francisco Film Society announced its Film Arts Foundation Documentary Grant Finalists, including Steve James (Hoop Dreams) and Nancy Buirski, founder and former artistic director of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

1) Awards

Czech Lions Awards Best Documentary: Forgotten ...

Academy Hosts DOCS! for Oscars Nominees

twhite — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Above Photo: Matt Petit/(c) AMPAS
Academy Award-winner Rob Epstein (The Times of Harvey Milk; Common Threads) opened the DOCS! event at the Academy's Goldwyn Theater Wednesday night by thanking the IDA for hosting the Oscar nominees in the doc categories for the past 27 years. And with that, the torch was passed to its rightful owner.

According to IDA Founder Linda Buzzell, in a piece she wrote for Documentary Magazine on the occasion of IDA's 20th anniversary, the Oscars Reception was one of IDA's first public events, spurred by the fact that Nigel Nobel, winner for the 1981 short Close Harmony, ...

Video: Oscar Winners at DocuDays

IDA Editorial Staff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:46:04 -0500

Regardless of the Kanye West-like activity when Music by Prudence producer Elinor Burkett grabbed the mic from director Roger Ross Williams during his acceptance speech for winning the award for Best Documentary Short Subject, the two played sorta nicely at the IDA's DocuDays 2010 Los Angeles event (even if Burkett was, shall we say, quicker, to answer questions--even when they were directed toward Williams).
See the full Music by Prudence post-screening Q&A which features Williams, Burkett, the film's subject Prudence Mabhena and others right there:

We had another Oscar-winner to-be in our company on Friday, March 5 when The Cove director Louie ...

'The Cove,' 'Music by Prudence' Take Doc Oscars

twhite — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Culminating an awards-laden year that began with the Audience Award at Sundance 2009, The Cove, directed by Louis Psihoyos and produced by Fisher Stevens and Paula DePre Pesman, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. Stevens accepted the honor we tried to make an entertaining film that also tried to enlighten everybody. Rick O'Barry whose not only a hero to this species but to all species. And just as Stevens introduced Psihoyos as "the man who came up with the idea," Rick O'Barry, the man devoted to saving the dolphins, held up a sign, "Text...Dolphin," and the Academy denied the ...

DocuDays LA, Day 1: Activism Takes Center Stage

IDA Editorial Staff — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:37:54 -0500

If there was a theme to 2010 DocuDays L.A.'s first night it was activism.
The two films which screened at the three-day, multi-city event focused on individuals who stood up for what they believed in, even if it meant facing off against a larger and seemingly-insurmountable foe. (See pictures from the night here and here on our Flickr pages.)
The first movie of the night, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, tells the story of former war planner Daniel Ellsberg and how his decision to leak 7,000 pages of a top secret Pentagon report to ...

'Anvil,' '45365' Take Nonfiction Honors at Spirit Awards

twhite — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In a journey that began at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival with lots of acclaim but no distribution offers, the story of Anvil! The Story of Anvil reached a rousing crescendo last night with an Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary, capping an Awards Season that garnered a bevy of kudos, including an IDA Award in December.

"I think we're both going on, having spent these incredible few years together on this amazing journey," director Sacha Gervasi exclaimed backstage. "I feel a sense of completion. I wanted to make a movie I was proud of, with people I liked-I did that. ...

Award Noms, IDA Members Meet at Mixer

IDA Editorial Staff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:46:48 -0500

The International Documentary Association held a special awards week mixer last night at The Standard Hotel, Hollywood. Independent Spirit Award and Oscar nominated filmmakers, IDA members and staff mixed and mingled in the swanky setting.
Enjoying the night were the filmmakers behind More Than a Game, Which Way Home, The Cove, Rabbit a la Berlin, Music by Prudence, Burma VJ (most docs which can be seen at DocuDays™ 2010) and IDA Board Members, Marjan Safinia, Senain Keshgi, Bob Niemack, Eddie Schmidt, Adam Chapnick, Steve Reich, Gilda Brasch and more!
See great pictures from the night below and then check ...

The Big Screen: March 2010

twhite — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

DocuWeeks 2009 alums Severe Clear (Dir.: Kristian Fraga) and Kimjongilia (Dir.: NC Heikin) open in theaters this month, as does IDA Fiscal Sponsoree See What I'm Saying (Dir.: Hilari Scarl). Also on tap for March are a couple of Hollywood-oriented docs: Peter Hanson's Tales from the Script, about the art and business-and travails-of the screenwriting trade; and Don Hahn's Waking Sleeping Beauty, a chronicle of golden age of animated blockbusters, from The Little Mermaid through The Lion King. New York's Film Forum brackets the month with Felix Moeller's Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Süss, about Third Reich era filmmaker Veit ...

Awards Roundup: February 22-March 1, 2010

twhite — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It was a relatively quiet week in Awards Nation, as the media arts world deferred to the final barnstorming days of the 2010 Winter Olympics. While that spectacle kept the world's attention, the filmmaking community enjoyed a spattering of kudos-including the International Digital Emmy Awards and the Streamy Awards, presented by the International Academy of Web Television. And basking in the Gold Medal glow of Team Canada glory, the Genie Awards brain trust recovered quickly from its Olympian hangover to announce nominees. The NAACP Image Awards honored Jeff Stinson and Chris Rock's Good Hair as Outstanding Documentary, while MIPDOC named ...

IDA Hosts Mixer on Tuesday, March 2

IDA Editorial Staff — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:03:40 -0500

The International Documentary Association is proud to announce a special awards week mixer, Tuesday, March 2 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the The Standard Hotel, Hollywood, 8300 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA.
Join other IDA members as well as documentary filmmakers nominated for this year's Spirit and Academy Awards as the 2010 awards season comes to a dramatic close. IDA staff and board members will help you get connected to the documentary community, share your projects, meet new friends and build your professional network.
No Host Bar. Event parking is valet only. IDA Mixer participants will receive a special sticker upon check-in ...

Keri Putman Named as Sundance Institute's Executive Director

twhite — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Keri Putnam, who recently served as president of production for Miramax Films, has been named executive director of the Sundance Institute. Ken Brecher, her predecessor, stepped down last April. Putnam is scheduled to start her new position in mid-April.

"In the spirit of moving forward with new ideas and a fresh approach in the environment that surrounds us, Keri's appointment reflects the new direction in which Sundance Institute is headed," Robert Redford, the institute's founder and president, said in a statement. "Keri Putnam has a passion for the arts, a leading profile in the film community, and a stellar reputation for ...

Doc News Shorts: February 24, 2010

IDA Editorial Staff — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:40:43 -0500

Today's theme: Hello and Goodbye...
Austin-based distributor, marketing and festival scheduler B-Side is closing effective March 1. CEO and founder Chris Hyams announced the news in a post on the B-Side blog, citing economic pressures and the ongoing upheaval in the film business as the reasons behind the decision of their investors to stop funding the company. He writes, "The timing is especially disappointing, as the past year has been our best ever. In 2009, we opened our New York office and launched a new distribution business, successfully releasing 8 films. We grew to 220 film festival partners worldwide and started ...

Awards Roundup: February 16-21, 2010

twhite — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Amid the hoopla of the Winter Olympics, Awards Season continues, and Festival Circuit 2010 is chugging through Month Two. After splitting the critics awards with Anvil! The Story of Anvil, The Cove has continued its dominance of the guild awards, with Mark Monroe taking home the Writers Guild Award for Documentary Screenplay. Among other recently concluded festivals, Lucy Walker's Waste Land followed up its Audience Award win at Sundance with an Audience Prize at the Berlinale, as well as an Amnesty International Prize there. Among the winners at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana included Lixin Fan's Last Train ...

Doc News Shorts: Feb. 19, 2010

IDA Editorial Staff — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:13:59 -0500

The Cove director Louie Psihoyos blogs about the adventure in getting his Oscar-nominated doc out to the world at The Wrap. Find out about the film's comparisons to Avatar (yes, that Avatar), how it's inspired Quentin Tarrantino to think about making a doc and more.
Strand Releasing has acquired all U.S. rights to Picture Me, a documentary by Ole Schell and Sara Ziff about the glitzy world of high fashion modeling, from photo shoots with celebrated photographers to runway shows in New York, Milan, and Paris. New York-based Paladin acquired Angela Ismailos' doc Great Directors, which celebrates films and filmmaking ...

Doc News Shorts: Feb. 15, 2010

IDA Editorial Staff — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Lots of acquisitions recently! Here they are, in alphabetical order:

As reported in indieWire, former Warner Independent Pictures colleagues Paul Federbush and Laura Kim, along with investor Ron Stein, announced a newly launched distribution company, Red Flag Releasing, along with their first acquisition, Reed Cowan's 8: The Mormon Proposition, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Red Flag will handle theatrical and VOD releases for the film, which is slated to premiere this spring.

Magnolia Pictures acquired the North American theatrical rights to Lucy Walker's Countdown to Zero, about nuclear proliferation in the 21st century. Countdown to Zero is produced by ...

Awards Roundup: February 4-15, 2010

twhite — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

1)   Awards

American Cinema Editors ACE Eddie Awards Best Edited Documentary: The Cove (Editor: Geoffrey Richman)

American Women in Radio & Television Southern California (AWRT SoCal)--Genii Awards Excellence in Documentary Award: Alana Stewart (Farrah's Story)

2) Festivals

BaKA Forum 2010 City of Basel Prize for the best educational, societal or science television programme for schools and/or for young people (up to 18 years max.).: Troubled Minds (Teachers TV; United Kingdom) SRG SSR idée suisse PRIZE for the best educational, societal or science television programme for a large audience: The Woman with the 5 Elephants (Mirafilm; Switzerland) City of Karlsruhe Prize for the best educational, societal or science multimedia ...

'Babies' Doc Building Buzz

IDA Editorial Staff — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:24:37 -0500

This just in: babies are adorable.
The buzz around the nearly dialogue-free documentary Babies, which follows four newborns in four corners of the world for the first few months of their cute lives is building louder than, well, a baby's hungry cry.
The trailer was first seen last fall, and even had cranky bloggers like Andy Dehnart of Reality Blurred stating: "I’m not that fond of babies, especially the way some adults respond to them, especially if they’re sitting one row behind me on a five-hour flight, but this documentary looks fascinating."
A recent piece in USA Today proclaimed "Parents, movie fans are ...

'The Cove' Will Be Screened in Japan

IDA Editorial Staff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:25:25 -0500

Japanese distributor Medallion Media has acquired Oscar-nominated documentary The Cove for a planned April release in Japan, The Wrap reports.
It's been tough to get Japanese distributors for the film because of the controversy it generated in the country. The doc, directed by Louie Psihoyos, is about the international dolphin capture trade practiced in Taiji, Japan.
The movie was previously screened at the 2009 Tokyo Film Festival to a sold-out audience.
This is a big win for Psihoyos and his team who has been focusing on the film's impact over the award recognition it's been getting. When Psihoyos heard about his ...

Photoshop 20th Anniversary Event

IDA Editorial Staff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:11:10 -0500

Oh Photoshop, you don't look a day over 19.
Yet, February 19, 2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of Adobe Photoshop® and Adobe is getting together with the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) to celebrate the anniversary of the software that changed the face of photography and design forever.
The Photoshop 20th anniversary celebration on February, 18 at 7:30 p.m. PST will be streamed live and feature Photoshop luminaries including NAPP's Scott Kelby, John Loiacono, Adobe Senior Vice President and General Manager, Creative Solutions Business Unit, NAPP Photoshop gurus Dave Cross and Matt Kloskowski, Adobe Photoshop star Russell Brown, and other key ...

The Big Screen: February 2010

twhite — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Opening:                    January 31 Venue:                       Camp Hill, PA (opening of national tour) Film:                          Takedowns and Falls Dir./Prod:                   Todd Hickey Distributor:                Self-distributed http://www.takedownsandfalls.com/

Every autumn thousands of wrestlers throughout Pennsylvania begin their seasons with the dream of making it to the PIAA State Championships. Few ever make it and even fewer win. But, for all who try, the journey to obtain the most elusive titles in high school wrestling is one of dedication, pain, sacrifice, failure and triumph.

Takedowns and Falls tells the story of a group of Pennsylvania teens and their relationships within a high school wrestling team on a journey to attain a state championship. It chronicles ...

Doc News Shorts: Feb. 5, 2010

IDA Editorial Staff — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:26:49 -0500

Captain Jack Sparrow is going behind the camera. Johnny Depp will direct a documentary about the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, who served as an inspiration for Depp's Sparrow character in Pirates of the Caribbean and played his father in At World's End. A rep for Depp confirmed a recent report in a Serbian magazine. Work on the project will begin next week.
After making a splash at Sundance, Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg's documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work has been acquired by IFC Films. The reported mid-six-figure deal gives IFC Films North American rights, who is eyeing a summer ...

Awards Roundup: January 26-February 3, 2010

twhite — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

1)   Awards

Previously reported: Academy Awards

California Council for the Humanities' 2010 California Documentary Project

Production Grants Everyday Sunshine, $40,000 (Producers: Lev Anderson and Christopher Metzler) A Fierce Green Fire, $30,000 (Producer: Mark Kitchell) Forty Winters, $50,000 (Director: Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan) Heartbreak and Heroism: Stories from the Plague Years in San Francisco, $40,000 (Director: David Weissman) The History of the Universe as Told by Wonder Woman, $40,000 (Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Producer: Kelcey Edwards) Mobile Hi Fi, $10,000 (Directors: Mike Blockstein and Reanne Estrada) Seeking Asian Female, $30,000 (Director: Debbie Lum, Producer: Cianna Stewart) The Waiting Room, $20,000 (Producer: Peter Nicks)

Research & Development Grants Adios Amor-The Search for Maria Moreno, ...

Oscar Nominees React to Good News

IDA Editorial Staff — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:13:40 -0500

The Oscar nominations have been announced. And the reactions to the good news are already coming in.
After hearing the news this morning, The Cove director Louie Psihoyos said the following about his film which exposes the dark reality of a dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan (and has inspired many to take action):
"The reason the Oscar nomination is so important for me is because it's the most watched program in Japanese television. I didn't get into movies to win awards. I got into making this movie to start a movement to save the ocean. I've been trying to give ...

Oscar Nods Announced!

twhite — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, the Awards Season has shifted into full throttle!

Tune in for our regular Oscars coverage right here...And check out our DocuDays 2010 page too!
For now, here are the nominees in the documentary categories; Rabbit a la Berlin qualified under IDA's DocuWeeks:

Documentary Feature
Burma VJ (Dir.: Anders Ostergaard; Prod.: Lise Lense-Moller) For article from Summer 2009 Documentary Magazine, click here.

The Cove (Dir.; Louis Psihoyos) For article from July 2009 Documentary online, click here.

Food, Inc. (Dir.: Robert Kenner; Prod.: Elise Pearlstein) For article from June 2009 Documentary online, click here.

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (Dirs./Prods.: ...

Video DOC SHOT: Rachel Grady & Heidi Ewing at Sundance 2010

tkrinsky — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:59:25 -0500

Another experiment with video Doc Shots! I sat down with Rachel Grady & Heidi Ewing, co-directors of HBO Documentary Films "12th & Delaware," at the Bing Bar. It was quieter than some other locations - a plus - but not the greatest lighting. Luckily, Heidi and Rachel's energy is enough to cut through any sort of technical challenges!
In Part 1, the vivacious duo talks about the making of their film. Check out Part 2 for their personal take on their lives & their work. Click play for our conversation about cranes, clinics, new music and the need for occasional silence...
THE DOC SHOTHeidi Ewing ...

Karen Schmeer, Documentary Editor, Is Killed in Hit-and-Run

twhite — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As reported in The New York Times, Karen Schmeer, a documentary editor whose credits included several of Errol Morris's films, was killed Friday night in a hit-and-run incident in Manhattan. The driver, along with two cohorts, had been evading police after shoplifting from a drug store; the vehicle hit Ms. Schmeer as she was crossing the street at Broadway and 90th.

Schmeer was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Boston University with a degree in anthropology. It was there where she met Errol Morris and worked for him as a researcher. She edited his 1996 film Fast, Cheap and Out ...

'Restrepo,' 'Red Chapel' among Doc Winners at Sundance

twhite — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Red Chapel and Restrepo won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema and US Documentary Competitions, respectively, as the 2010 Sundance Film Festival came to a resounding close. The Red Chapel, directed by Mads Brügger follows "a journalist with no scruples and two Danish-Korean comedians as they travel to North Korea under the guise of a cultural exchange visit to challenge one of the world's most notorious regimes." Restropo follows directors Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington's yearlong tour of duty with the Second Platoon in one of Afghanistan's most strategically crucial-and dangerous-valleys. In presenting the award, juror Ondi Timoner ...

Krinsky at Sundance: 1/27 - 'Cane Toads: The Conquest'

tkrinsky — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:03:44 -0500

Spent my last morning at Sundance clad in 3D glasses at the Eccles theater watching Mark Lewis's delightful Cane Toads: The Conquest. Nothin' like a toad hopping directly off the screen first thing in the a.m. to wake you up! In his intro, Lewis was in good spirits. He riffed on the current popularity of 3D films, informing us that his film would now be known by its new title: Ava-Toad. He also reminded audience members to return their Dolby glasses at the end of the movie, as there was no point in taking them home, "Because they don't make ...

White at Sundance: I'm a Celebrity; Shoot Me!

twhite — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The big-screen screen-saver that unspools prior to the trailer that precedes each film at Sundance includes a stream of messages to complement the header for its catalogue: ‘This is your guide to Cinematic Rebellion"..."This is the recharged fight against the establishment of the unexpected"..."This is the rebirth of the battle for brave new ideas"..."This is the renewed rebellion."..

Over the years, the Sundance Film Festival had taken some knocks for its celebro-swag atmosphere that pervaded in Park City, and now, in the post-Gilmore era, the Sundance cognoscenti has proclaimed its reclamation of its raw, revolutionary roots. Celebrities ...