The International Documentary Association is proud to annouce the following information about the IDA Documentary Awards 2009.

The event will take place on Friday, December 4, 2009 at the Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. Purchase your tickets now!

On that evening, the IDA will award its prestigious 2009 Career Achievement Award to legendary and innovative filmmaker Errol Morris. Given to a filmmaker who has made a major impact on the documentary genre through a long and distinguished body of work, the IDA Career Achievement Award has previously been awarded to Sheila Nevins, Michael Apted, Ken Burns, Albert Maysles, Haskell Wexler, Michael Moore, and last year’s recipient, Werner Herzog. Part detective, part philosopher, part poet, part iconoclast, Errol Morris is one of the most important and influential non-fiction filmmakers of his generation. His movies have achieved great critical success, and he has received a Guggenheim fellowship and a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant. His artistic journey has resulted in such landmark works as The Thin Blue Line, Standard Operating Procedure and Academy Award Winner The Fog of War.

Host, More Honorees, and Nominees will be announced soon.

Listen up, the IDA is proud to host a screening of Neil Young Trunk Show, the next great concert film that dares to capture rocker Neil Young on and off stage. The Wed. Nov 4, 10:30 pm screening takes place at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood as part of the AFI FEST 2009. The screening (as are all AFI FEST 2009 screenings) is free.

After months of battling, Dole Food Company, Inc. has announced that it is dismissing its defamation lawsuit against filmmakers Fredrik Gertten, Margarete Jangard and WG Film AB in the Los Angeles Superior Court, relating to the film "Bananas!*." Read about some of the drama here. Dole stated that it made its decision “in light of the free speech concerns being expressed in Sweden, although it continues to believe in the merits of its case.” (from indieWIRE)

B-Side Entertainment announced that it has acquired Alex Vlack and Damani Baker's portrait of soul legend Bill Withers Still Bill, which will be released via the distributor's Theatrical-on-Demand program where individuals and organizations can host a screening of any size, in any location, at any time. Still Bill's website will allow audiences to sign up to host their own screening of the film. (via indieWIRE)

Can we pick 'em or what? A Walk To Beautiful, which won the 2007 IDA Award for Feature Documentary also walked away with an Emmy last month for Outstanding Informational Programming -- Long Form thanks to an airing on NOVA. The filmmakers said thanks with the following release: "Thanks to many of you for watching the film at its initial small screenings, and then at the film festivals - first one then two then 30 and growing - then in theaters during our feature release, additional requested screenings across the country and internationally, and then on television when it was broadcast (in shorter form) on NOVA, and to those of you who supported our efforts in other important ways behind the scenes. Winning the Emmy Award is a huge achievement particularly considering this was produced without major broadcaster support until late in the process and took four years to produce." Missed the movie? Pick up a DVD at http://www.walktobeautiful.com.

Well, if you are Marina Zenovich, director of Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, and a panelist on The Digital Documentarian at the Digital Hollywood Fall conference (presented by the IDA), you hit film festival pay dirt and get the distribution deal of a lifetime at Sundance Film Festival. Marina has international distribution with The Weinstein Company, a limited domestic theatrical release by THINKfilms and cable distribution on HBO. Other documentary filmmakers also screening at Sundance that year, including fellow panelist Rebecca Yeldham, producer of Anvil! The Story of Anvil were green with envy at the time as they waited for their own lucrative distribution deals that never materialized. But what I learned sitting and listening to the panel, which also included Matt Tyrnauer (director, Valentino: The Last Emperor), Courtney Sexton (Participant Media) and Scott Hamilton Kennedy (director, The Garden) and moderated by IDA President Eddie Schmidt, is that what seems like pay dirt at the time can actually come with a huge down side: Marina no longer owns the rights to her film. She has no “say so” how the film is marketed or distributed nor can she profit from its future sales.

All of the panelists agreed, including Marina, a filmmaker should never, when at all possible, give up that much control of their film. Rebecca Yeldham, Anvil’s producer, finally did get calls about distributing her film but she felt that the offers were too low and decided go with her gut instinct not to sell the film. She instead decided to self distribute, using social media networks and some very famous fans of the film to promote Anvil which led to screenings with live performances from the band around the country and a band appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Eventually, she sold the DVD and television rights to VH1. Scott Hamilton Kennedy got a distribution deal through Oscilloscope Pictures, which is partly owned by Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys. Scott was able to maintain some of the rights to his film to The Garden and can sell DVDs of his film from his website and at screenings and yes…pocketing those profits!

Besides talk of money, rights and ups and downs of the business, we attendees got to watch clips of their completed films and works in progress in addition to hearing some great stories about how these films got made. The best stories came from Matt Tyrnauer, director of Valentino, who was advised early on that his crew must all look like male models because the fashion designer, Valentino, must always be surrounded by beautiful things! Furthermore, the crew had a strict dress code, I believe he the mentioned both blazers and slacks. Can you imagine?

More importantly, Matt discussed the equipment and format he shot on and how digital media has revolutionized the art of documentary filmmaking something which all of the panelists agreed on. Can you imagine trying to shoot intimate discussions between a designer and his lover with a 35mm camera? How many cameras would you need for coverage? What could you miss while changing the mag? I could go on but the idea is that digital technology and the web is revolutionizing how we are conceptualizing, executing, promoting and distributing our films and making the once overwhelming task of documentary filmmaking and distribution accessible to all.

For more on Digital Hollywood, go here.

Federal Judge Dale Fischer on Monday denied a request for an injunction to block the release of the documentary, which is going wide this week, The Wrap reported. Plaintiff Regina Kimbell is seeking to block the film's release as part of a $5 million lawsuit she filed on Oct. 5.

Kimbell claims there are similarities between Good Hair and her film, My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage, which she also claims Chris Rock screened on the set of his TV show Everyboody Hates Chris in 2007. Rock co-produced, co-wrote, narrates and appears in Good Hair, which focuses on African-American hair culture.

“We always knew that it would be tough getting the judge to grant a request for a preliminary injunction," said Kimbell's attorney, Reginald K. Brown. "We are looking forward to going to trial."

As alternative delivery methods continue to evolve, new challenges accompany them. Those on the DEAF WORLD AS EYE SEE IT blog/vlog are furious at Netflix because the company is streaming the documentary Through Deaf Eyes, directed by Diane Garey, without captions. The two-hour documentary explores 200 years of deaf life in America.

Efron writes on her blog, "I cannot imagine that Netflix would post this documentary as an online streaming option which Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals are unable to watch because there is no captions available!"

Netflix is currently exploring solutions for subtitling and captioning streaming video, which involves several technological hurdles. More details can be found on the Netflix blog, which states that the company hopes to deliver closed captioning and subtitles in 2010.

This is not soon enough for those who have posted on the Deaf World blog, many of whom feel that this documentary in particular should only be streamed with captions. There is also a push to get Congress to pass HR 3101, designed to increase closed or open captioning on the Internet. Otherwise known as Caption Action 2, the bill picks up where Caption Action left off. From their Facebook Cause page: 

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a movement called Caption Action to get closed captions on home video. That movement was successful. Now we have the Internet, and television is moving to the Internet. But, many networks and channels do not caption on the Internet. This is Caption Action 2: Internet Captioning.

Also, we have also become aware that some deaf and hearing people think mistakenly that the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 will require everyone to caption on YouTube. That is not true. Only commercial and government broadcasters will likely be required to caption on YouTube. Grandma won't have to caption her video of her grandbaby learning how to walk.

Polanski, 76, and who holds French and Polish citizenship, was arrested in relation to a 30-year-old U.S. case involving sex with an underage girl, when he arrived in Switzerland in September to collect a lifetime achievement award at a Swiss film festival.

"All I know is that he has been taken from prison for medical attention. I don't know where he is or when he will be returned to prison," French lawyer Herve Temime told Reuters.

The Oscar Award-winning director pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977 and spent 42 days in prison. But, Polanski fled the United States before the case was concluded because he believed a judge would pass a tough sentence.

U.S. authorities have up to 60 days to make a firm extradition request. U.S. judicial sources have said the complex extradition process could take years if Polanski challenges it.

Related Articles:

The Roman Report: Polanski Wrapping Up 'Ghost' in Prison
The Roman Report: More on The Sequel
The Roman Report: A Statement from Director Marina Zenovich

Photo: Los Angeles Times/UCLA Library Department of Special Collections

2009 DocuWeeks participant Severe Clear will make its international premiere at the 2009 Rome International Film Festival. This film will also play Nov. 21 at the St. Louis International Film Festival. The film is also coming back to Texas for the 3rd Annual Lone Star International Film Festival in Fort Worth, Nov. 11-15.

WorldScreen.com reports that Lorber Films has scored the North American rights to another 2009 DocuWeeks participant Kimjongilia, along with picking up the feature-length documentary Nobody’s Perfect.

Another DocuWeeks alum, Debra Anderson's Split Estate, premieres on Planet Green this week. The film, which documents the struggle between a community in Colorado and an energy company bent on drilling on private property, has inspired debates in other towns across the country, including upstate New York, Pennsylvania and New Mexico, where State Representative Brian Egolf commented in a press release, "It is impossible to over-estimate the impact Split Estate had in the greater Santa Fe Community when it was threatened with wildcatting oil development. The film made a difference; we now have an educated community and the best natural resource ordinance in the United States."

Michael Jackson's This Is It has soldout more than 1,600 screenings--two weeks ahead of its opening, the New York Daily News reports. Let the eBay madness commence! Also, MovieTickets.com reports that the King of Pop's music doc is now No. 23 on its list of the Top-25 Advance Ticket Sellers of All-Time, moving ahead of both Quantum of Solace and The Departed. Didn't get a ticket? Well, here's the trailer at least:

Polanski is fighting extradition to the United States after being arrested in Zurich on September 26 in connection with a three-decade old charge of unlawful sex with a minor.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature festival, Harris, who co-wrote the screenplay from his novel of the same name, said the Oscar-winning director was able to make his wishes known despite being locked up in Switzerland. "I don't think he can make phone calls," said the author. "But he can communicate."

The Ghost is a political thriller starring Pierce Brosnan as a British prime minister loosely based on Tony Blair, with Ewan McGregor as his ghostwriter, who begins to expect that foul play was involved in his predecessor's recent death.

Read the full article here.

Related Articles:
The Roman Report: More on The Sequel
The Roman Report: A Statement from Director Marina Zenovich

Photo: Los Angeles Times/UCLA Library Department of Special Collections

Two classes taught in Santa Monica, CA will touch on various elements to needed to get a documentary made.

The first day's class on Saturday, Oct. 31 will focus on getting public and private sector funding. Then, on Sunday Nov. 1, a daylong workshop will help you decide if that dream doc is worth pursuing and if it's not selling, how to fix it.

The cost of seminar includes numerous handouts. Specific case studies will be covered and ideas or projects at any stage of development are welcome.

Get the full information for the Oct. 31 Financing and Producing Documentary Programs with Mitchell Block workshop here.

Get the full information for the Nov. 1 Documentary Tune-Up with Mitchell Block and Eva Orner workshop here.