SUGIHARA Conspiracy of KindnessProducer: Diane Estelle VicariDirector/Writer: Robert Kirk This documentary tells the remarkable story of Chiune Sugihara, who, in the face of the Nazi onslaught in Europe, and at great risk to his career and life, single-handedly saved more than 2,000 lives, using his power as a diplomat to rescue fleeing Jewish refugees. The Tree WomanExecutive Producers: Susanne Becker & Guenter MyrellProducer: Christian BauerDirector/Writer: Ziri RideauxTangram Film/ZDF The Tree Woman tells the story of 24-year-old Julia Butterfly Hill, who risked her life to save a 1,500
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Editor’s note—This issue, we introduce a pilot feature, “Tales from the Trenches,” in which we invite an IDA member to share with fellow filmmakers a cautionary tale or a lesson learned on the long road from conception to delivery. This month, Jilann Spitzmiller, who made Homeland with her husband, Hank Rogerson, writes about fundraising, the film vs. video conundrum, and heeding the hawk. Homeland airs November 16 on PBS and will also be featured at the Native American Film and Video Festival in New York City November 13-19. It was a rainy February in Los Angeles. Hank—my husband and
Dear IDA Members: With this issue of International Documentary we celebrate the first IDA Awards of a new century. So it is fitting that at this moment IDA recognize the rich heritage of the documentary and look ahead to its future. This year IDA presents the Career Achievement Award to Charles Guggenheim in his 50th year as a filmmaker. During those five decades, he has produced more than 80 documentaries on subjects as diverse as American architecture, the Johnstown flood, D-Day, the civil rights movement and the First Amendment. Three of his films are on permanent display at the Harry S
In the months ahead, jazz will receive unprecedented television exposure through the landmark, nineteen-hour series by Ken Burns, simply called Jazz. Burns’ new series is the final part of his trilogy on the American Experience that began with The Civil War and continued with Baseball. The Jazz series is scheduled to air nationally on PBS in January 2001. Jazz, however, has long caught the interest of documentary filmmakers and audiences alike. This vital American art form has helped inspire dozens, even hundreds, of documentaries over the years. Perhaps it is the ever-recurring motif of jazz
Feature Documentaries Bach in Auschwitz Executive Producer: Sheila Nevins Producers/Directors: Sege Lalou and Michel Daëron Cinemax Reel Life They were called “the ladies of the orchestra”: forty women whose musical talents spelled the difference between life and death at Auschwitz. In Bach in Auschwitz, twelve surviving orchestra members remember what it was like to “play for time,” serenading their Nazi captors—and fellow prisoners—during the darkest chapter of modern history. Face to Face: The Schappell Twins Producers/Directors: Katherine Drew, Ellen Weissbrod and Amy Briamonte Face to
Editor’s note: Every so often, one happens upon an artifact that both reveals something about the tenor of the times and hints at the times to come. In my research, I stumbled on an interview with Allen Funt, the man behind Candid Camera—arguably a progenitor of many of the reality television shows that proliferate the airwaves. The article appeared in the Fall 1965 edition of Film Comment magazine. Filmmaker Harrison Engle, one of founding presidents of IDA, wrote the article, excerpts of which we present to you below. Allen Funt is know variously as the folksy creator of Candid Camera, as a
Editor’s note: I had a chance to talk with Harrison Engle about that article and the long strange trip from “Smile, you’re on Candid Camera” to “The tribe has spoken.” Following are excerpts from our conversation. You’ve read the article that you wrote 35 years ago. What can you assess about the trajectory that television has or hasn’t taken, from Candid Camera to Big Brother and Survivor, which one could argue are the offspring of Candid Camera? ENGLE: They are kind of the offspring. The trajectory, I’m sorry to say, has been a downward spiral since those days. It’s interesting to see that
The two events could not be more different. Visions du Réel was a small relaxed Swiss lakeside festival, showing a selection of some 100 documentary films from 25 countries in four theatres. Sunny Side, which is purely a market, took place in the bustling French city of Marseille, and ressembled a mini Cannes MIP, with filmmakers roaming the corridors in search of co-producers and commissioning editors. A good festival needs to be efficient, friendly and have good meeting areas, and in all of these Visions du Réel scored high marks. The centre was in a chalet-like building which housed both
Dear IDA Members: In this issue, you will read the announcement of nominees for IDA's 16th annual awards fur Distinguished Achievement in Documentary. Congratulations to all of this year's films and filmmakers! This was another record-breaking year for entries. Behind the scenes making the awards process work was a huge volunteer corps. As in previous years, a few IDA veterans volunteered to chair our pre-screening committees. Special thanks to Lynne Littman, Marilyn Engle, Barbara Leigh Gregson, Sven Berkemeier and John Mason for their leadership of the 16th annual awards juries. Our thanks
The year 2000 saw Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival truly come of age. The success of the screenings, coupled with an auspicious debut for the Toronto Documentary Forum (TDF), made this first week in May a new staple of the documentary calendar year. Credit goes to the festival and forum organizers, especially Chris McDonald, Rudy Buttignol. Michaelle MacLean Amy Briamonte and the Amsterdam Forum’s Jolanda Klorenbeek who worked very hard to create a positive atmosphere for screenings and discussion. The Canadian Independent Film Caucus, a national association of Canadian documentary filmmakers