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Doc News & Linkage | Cuban Films In Manila; Herzog Honored; Posh Doc?; Esther Goes Off on TONY!

[Mark Rabinowitz] Welcome to the last full week of the 2006-2008 election campaign. Whew! I don't know about you, but I am tired, but not too tired to keep my foot on the pedal and push on through to Tuesday night. But I digress.... I scoured the various doc sites and Google Alerts and picked out a few things I thought you, my faithful readers, might be interested in reading. They involve Werner Herzog, Cuba, Posh Spice and filmmaker Esther B. Robinson ("A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory"). How's that for a cross-section?

Another Career Honor For Werner
Werner Herzog, one of the world's greatest living filmmakers, will receive the International Documentary Association's Career Achievement Award at the annual IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony on December 5, 2008 at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles and I wish I could attend! Previous recipients have included Sheila Nevins, Michael Apted, Ken Burns, Albert Maysles, Haskell Wexler and Michael Moore and while I'd argue that Werner deserved his before Moore, I won't nit pick too much! I you still haven't seen Werner's "Encounters at the end of the World," please do. It's a beautiful film. On a tengential note, what is it, do you think, that makes people feel comfortable referring to him in print as Wener? Or is it just me?

» Continue reading "Doc News & Linkage | Cuban Films In Manila; Herzog Honored; Posh Doc?; Esther Goes Off on TONY!"


Doc Linkage | EFA Doc Winner; New Doc Club Films

[Mark Rabinowitz] Today's links bring you back to Europe for an award announcement and then to the Web for some hot and sweaty (not really) Doc Club action. Dig it, Cats and Kittens!

EFA Doc Award Winner
So...two days ago I posted the European Film Academy doc nominations (they were announced on Thursday, October 16th). The release noted that "the winner will be presented at the 21st European Film Awards Ceremony on Saturday, 6 December, in Copenhagen." Silly me, I took that to mean that the winners would also be announced then. However, today I checked my email and found this press release that announced the doc winner as being "René," by Czech director Helena Trestikova. Ok, then.

rene_01.jpg

» Continue reading "Doc Linkage | EFA Doc Winner; New Doc Club Films"


Doc Linkage | State Of Russian Indies; EFA Doc Nods; Vérité Fest Winds Up

[Mark Rabinowitz] I trolled hither and thither amongst all the myriad ones and zeros to bring you, my doc faithful, this three very special international edition of Doc Linkage. Included are a look at the current state of Russian independent cinema, the nominees for the EFA's doc award and the wrapping up of this year's Cinéma Vérité Festival in Tehran. I hope you like them!

A Look at the State of the Russian Indie Landscape
Albina Kovalyova, writing for Russia Profile presents a revealing look at the current state of Russian independent cinema, laying out some of the obstacles to indie filmmaking in a country with a rich cinematic history. It turns out that the modern film funding and distribution bodies are not exactly excited about indies or experimental films and this includes most of what we would call creative docs. Much of the article is comprised of descriptions of three festivals, the second of which is hosted by Kinoteatr Doc. Kovalyova describes the festival as focusing on "Russian documentaries that differ from the majority of television reportage often thought of as defining the genre. Unlike the narrator-driven television documentaries, here the emphasis is placed on telling a story from the perspective of the protagonists."

» Continue reading "Doc Linkage | State Of Russian Indies; EFA Doc Nods; Vérité Fest Winds Up"


Doc Alert: Flaherty NYC Series Kicks Off Tonight!!!

259.jpg [Mark Rabinowitz] Tonight, October 13th, marks the kick off of the new monthly screening series, Flaherty NYC at Anthology Film Archives. Created by The Robert Flaherty Seminar, the new series will feature works from the 2008 Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, The Age of Migration, according to the Flaherty website and the fall 2008 schedule will showcase films by Flaherty Seminar guest artists, Oliver Husain (left, Canada/Germany), Alison Kobayashi (Canada), and Lee Wang (USA). Each session will include post-screening discussions with the filmmakers.

Tonight's session spotlights Mr. Husain and features the New York City premiere of six of his short docs and tickets can be purchased here.



Doc Linkage | Academy Names Short Doc Shortlist; AMPAS Doc Series Screens Gay Films

[Mark Rabinowitz] So, here's a couple of AMPAS-themed nuggets to get you through this unseasonably (in the Northeast at least) warm afternoon. Oh and a happy belated Birthday to indieWIRE's co-founder and editor in chief, Eugene Hernandez! He was 21, yesterday! Take a bow, young man!

Short Doc Shortlist Released
The Academy has announced the short list for the Short Documentary Oscar® to be awarded on February 22nd. Here's the list of the films in alphabetical order from the AMPAS press release: “The Conscience of Nhem En," “David McCullough: Painting with Words,” “Downstream,” “The Final Inch,” “Smile Pinki,” “Tongzhi in Love,” “Viva La Causa” and “The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306.” More details about the films, including directors and brief descriptions can be found in this Reuters piece.

AMPAS Doc Series Spotlights Recent Gay Films
The Envelope, the L.A. Times' awards blog, is reporting that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen two gay-themed films as part of their Contemporary Documentaries series on October 15th at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. 2007 Oscar® winner for doc short, "Freeheld" by Cynthia Wade will screen before Daniel Karslake's "For the Bible Tells Me So," with a Q&A with Karslake to follow.

For more information: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; (310) 247-3600
www.oscars.org/events



Vanity Fair Names Top 25 Docs-No Wiseman, Herzog, Morris. Do We Care?

[Mark Rabinowitz] So Vanity Fair has compiled their top 25 documentary films as decided by their editors. I have to say, it's a rather odd list. I mean, you have 25 slots and you used 4 for two Leni Riefenstahl and two Robert Flaherty films? I mean, who am I to say what belongs and what doesn't but really? They conveniently left off any info about what criteria they used to come up with the list, but clearly multiple films by he same director were ok, because in addition to Riefenstahl and Flaherty, Al Maysles is twice represented ("Gimmee Shelter" & "Grey Gardens") as is Michael Moore ("Bowling For Columbine" and "Farenheit 9/11"). 11 of the films are from the past 18 years and 4 are from before 1939, leaving 10 for the 50 years in between. I don't know if that matters, but I find it a little odd. I mean, nothing from the 40's or 50s, two from the 60's, 5 from the 70's, only 2 from the 80s, 7 from the 1990s and 5 from the 2000s.

» Continue reading "Vanity Fair Names Top 25 Docs-No Wiseman, Herzog, Morris. Do We Care?"


Academy Doc Rules Claim Another Victim

[Mark Rabinowitz] AJ Schnack reports on yet another highly-regarded doc getting the shaft due to the irrational, arbitrary and unfair qualifying rules applied to docs. It seems that since it was set to play the New York Film Festival, Ari Folman's "Waltz With Bashir" was unable to qualify before the end of the Oscar®-qualifying period on August 31st because the NYFF's organizers, the Film Society of Lincoln Center told the film's distributors, Sony Pictures Classics that even an "under the radar" run would disqualify it for taking part in the Festival. That's a fair call by the FSLC and one that wouldn't have to be made if the qualifying dates for docs was the same as for fiction films. What's wrong with December 31st for docs, hmmmmmm?

The fact is, these rules are unfair and need to be changed!



Berends Back Home, George Still In Custody

[Mark Rabinowitz] Word spread quickly yesterday that filmmaker Andrew Berends was released on Wednesday and according to the Help Andy blog, was escorted to the airport and basically kicked out of Nigeria with no explanation as to why. According to the blog, he was still in possession of a valid Nigerian work visa. He was never formally charged with a crime, but his translator Samuel George was required to return to State Security Services (SSS) offices on Friday, along with a third man. From the blog:

» Continue reading "Berends Back Home, George Still In Custody"


Berends Still In Custody-How To Help

BerendsNigeria02sep08.jpg[Mark Rabinowitz] A few days ago I wrote about filmmaker Andrew Berends and his detention, along with his interpreter Samuel George, in Nigeria. At the time, he had been arrested, temporarily released and ordered to return, which he did. Berends has now been in custody since August 31st, barring his 36 hour release. According to the blog set up to monitor the situation, Berends has not been visited by a US consular official, despite their knowledge of the situation and despite letters to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice from both of Berends' home state senators, Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer.

The State Security Service (SSS) has confiscated Berends' passport, telephone, equipment and film and continues to interrogate the filmmaker under charges of spying. Berends entered the country legally in April, 2008. Here's how you can take action including how to contact Senators Clinton and Schumer.



Doc Linkage | Filmmaker Detained; More TIFF Doc Picks

[Mark Rabinowitz] An emotionally mixed collection of links today, going from the heady stuff of local and international arrests to TFF previews and a DNC Doc from Schnack et. al.

Filmmaker Andrew Berends Arrested In Nigeria, Journalist Amy Goodman Arrested in St. Paul
AP and many other outlets are reporting that New York doc maker Andrew Berends has been arrested in Nigeria and "was held for 36 hours before being accused of spying and temporarily released." His passport was confiscated. According to the New York Times, Berends is hardly the first journalist to be arrested in Nigeria in recent times. "In April, four members of a Seattle-based film crew were arrested while filming in the Delta and held for six days on spying charges," reported the Times, continuing, "In May, a CNN journalist was detained while in the main Delta city of Port Harcourt and questioned by the S.S.S. for five days before being released." A blog has been set up to keep folks up to date on Berends' situation.

So as not to get on too high of an American free speaking horse, I'd like to point out (to paraphrase) It can happen here. Amy Goodman of Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now and two of her producers were arrested by riot police in Minneapolis, yesterday. They have since been released, but still face charges. Apparently other journos and filmmakers have received similar treatment. The videos of two of the arrests are below and they're pretty terrifying.

Nicole Salazar:

Amy Goodman:

» Continue reading "Doc Linkage | Filmmaker Detained; More TIFF Doc Picks"


"Gunner's Palace" Subject Runs For Congress

[Mark Rabinowitz] One of the subjects of Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker's "Gunner's Palace," Captain Jon Powers (US Army ret.) is running for congress in New York State's 26th Congressional District. According to a post on ActBlue, following the press tour for the film Captain Powers moved to Washington D.C. and started a non-government organization "benefiting the orphaned children of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The War Kids Relief Project was one of the only NGO's operating in Iraq and filled an enormous void in public services for the children left behind by the War on Terror."

While I am not going to tell you who to vote for *cough*Obama*cough* and most of you aren't living in Jon's district, but I thought this was a neat story.

*cough*Vote Democrat*cough*



Is ITV Doing Away With Political Docs? Not If Sean O'Grady Has His Way

[Mark Rabinowitz] Sean O'Grady of The Independent newspaper has a column in which he bemoans the death of "public service" programming on UK broadcaster ITV and issues a call to arms of sorts. "Television is an ephemeral medium," he writes, continuing, "but it is still possible to recall the superb programming that ITV used to offer in this field. "World In Action," "This Week," "Weekend World," "Walden" - all tremendous, long-running series that broke news, investigated crooks, threatened governments. They even had brilliant theme tunes."

"Millions watched and were moved by Jonathan Dimbleby's "This Week" 1973 documentary "the [sic] Unknown Famine" about starvation in Ethiopia, a decade before Michael Buerk did the same for the BBC. "This Week"'s "Death on the Rock" documentary investigated the shooting by the SAS of three IRA terrorists in Gibraltar in 1989, the sort of trouble-making by broadcast journalists that is almost impossible to imagine now."
» Continue reading "Is ITV Doing Away With Political Docs? Not If Sean O'Grady Has His Way"


Thoughts On Doc Box Office Health, "Beautiful Losers" Finds A New Alternative

[Mark Rabinowitz] While I am not yet ready to proclaim "Docs are back!" even though my friend AJ Schnack would like me to, I am also not ready to agree with my friend Agnes Varnum's recent indieWIRE column. The thing is, both pieces have a lot to say about the hope for docs in today's theatrical landscape and, to be honest, I don't think either author is entirely on base. I don't think Agnes' piece proves to be as depressing as its title implies and I don't think AJ's piece really has the evidence to counter her title.

» Continue reading "Thoughts On Doc Box Office Health, "Beautiful Losers" Finds A New Alternative"


UK Flap Over Scope Of Publicly-Funded Docs...Say What, Now?

[Mark Rabinowitz] UK newspaper The Guardian is reporting on its website that a number of publicly funded documentaries are somewhat less objective than some think they ought to be. Ofcom, the UK regulator of matters such as this are planning on investigating claims that one of the docs, "Beat: Life on the Street" about police community support officers, broke sponsorship rules when it aired on UK broadcaster ITV.

The newspaper reports that critics of the film "which was commissioned by the Home Office and received £800,000 in government funding, portrayed the officers as helpful and effective, despite criticism of the scheme [that’s "plan" in UK-ese. -Ed.] from opposition MPs and the police."

Er....say what, now? £800,000? That's about a million six in our increasingly worthless currency. Claims of non-objectivity aside, the government of the UK is paying out $1.6 million for TV docs? Where do I sign up? This reminds me of the old joke about the screenwriter who, after returning home from a meeting finds his street blocked off and crowded with police and emergency service personnel. Approaching a cop, he identifies himself. "What's the problem, officer?" "Mr. Jones," the officer replies, "I am sorry to tell you this, but earlier today your agent came to your house, killed your wife and children, butchered your dog and burned down your house." Stunned, the writer wobbles back against a police car, his hand on his head, his eyes wide. "My agent actually came to my house?"

» Continue reading "UK Flap Over Scope Of Publicly-Funded Docs...Say What, Now?"


Doc-Linkage: HBO Doc Series Continues; BritDoc Wraps; New NZ Doc Society

[Mark Rabinowitz] One of our periodic selections of doc-related stories from around the globe. And I do mean GLOBAL, today.

The Recruiter Airs Tonight
Tonight marks the 8th (out of 12) screening in the HBO Documentary Film Series with Edet Belzberg's "The Recruiter." In a nice change of pace, the film focuses on an aspect of the War in Iraq that takes place here at home. The Washington Post has a nice write up here. Upcoming films in the series include: Ivan O'Mahoney and Laura Winter's excellent "Baghdad High," Paul Taylor's "We Are Together: The Children of Agape Choir," Rory Kennedy's "Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House" and "The Black List, Vol. 1" by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell. Of the five remaining, I've only seen "Baghdad High" (hence my one word of praise) but look forward to seeing the others. Maybe I can get screeners from HBO so I can praise them in advance....*cough...hint....cough*

2008 BritDoc Festival Wraps
Over at indieWIRE, Cinetic Rights Management head of programming and marketing Matt Dentler wraps up this year's edition of BritDoc Festival, including a look into how this year's themes of comedy and music played out at the fest. Well, at least the comedy part. There wasn't a whole lot about the music side. I am damn sorry I missed it, but next year...oh YES, next year! Look Out Oxford, the Rabbi's a-comin' to getcha!

Hoops, There It Is!
The Documentary New Zealand Trust are starting a bi-monthly doc film society and kicking off the series with Steve James' acclaimed "Hoop Dreams." Called DOCNZ Focus, the series tips off on Tuesday, July 29th with a screening and an appearance by the NZ Breakers, a team in Australia's National Basketball League. Other films scheduled in the series are Joshua Tickell's "Fields of Fuel" as well as Costa Botes and Peter Jackson's mocumentary "Forgotten Silver," The latter programmed, apparently, to provoke "the question ‘should we believe everything that documentaries show us?’" The final three films yet to be announced. Each screening will be followed by a discussion.



IDA DocuWeek Comes To NYC, AJ Schnack Weighs In On Early Reviews

[Mark Rabinowitz] Over at All These Wonderful Things, AJ Schnack has been busy, despite attending BritDoc and, I would wager, enduring a substantial hangover today. He's got two interesting posts, one of which (I'll get to the other in another post) outlines the lineup for the first IDA DocuWeek NYC, set to play at the Village East Cinemas and IFC Center. Schnack notes that the screenings will likely get this films a review in the New York Times, potentially costing them a review if and when the films receive a proper theatrical roll out later in the year. AJ laid out the potential scenarios in a post back in April and if indeed the DocuWeek screenings are reviewed by the Times, this could seriously alter the documentary distribution landscape.

As for the films, I hope to see them all, although it'll take a lot to get me to see Glass. Nothing against the film or the filmmaker, of course. Philip Glass' music just makes my teeth hurt, is all.

At a time when the documentary distribution landscape is already being rearranged almost daily, how concerned should we be about early NY Times reviews? Let me know your thoughts, people!



In The "You Forgot To Knock Wood" Department....

[Mark Rabinowitz] Over at his excellent blog All These Wonderful Things, filmmaker and blogger AJ Schnack ("Kurt Cobain: About a Son") has a piece about the new IndiePix Studios launch that includes a mention of Cinetic Media's new multi-million dollar film fund and a conclusion that reads: "Both moves signal that indie film companies are increasingly looking to become full service entities, rather than focus on just one element of the production or distribution process."

Flash forward a whole, oh, 6 hours and you get the following headline in indieWIRE: "Netflix Folds Red Envelope; Exits Theatrical Acquisition and Production Biz." Well, so much for the whole "full service entities" idea. Well, maybe not, but it's certainly a case of two steps forward, one step back. While I welcomed the IndiePix and Cinetic news, the Red Envelope Entertainment demise is somewhat disheartening. Then again, not every company can be all things to all people. The industry is changing faster than ever, with specialty distributors struggling to keep their heads above water while staying abreast of all the technological changes.

In Anthony Kaufman's indieWIRE piece, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos (unintentionally?) echoes Mark Gill, when he says:

» Continue reading "In The "You Forgot To Knock Wood" Department...."


CINELAN Announces New Distribution Partnership; Films To Screen At BritDoc

[Mark Rabinowitz] So, over at my other job I am in acquisitions for CINELAN, a motion picture publishing and syndication company focused on professionally created, three-minute non-fiction films. Turns out we have something pretty cool to announce and since it's doc related, I guess I should mention it. That said, it's legitimate news and I am not just pimping out one of my gigs in another, I promise. It's been written up in indieWIRE (oh, right. No relation there!) and Screen Daily (subscription only) and will, I am sure, appear in other places in the coming days.

At any rate, CINELAN has announced a new UK-based distribution partnership with telegraph.co.uk, the online arm of the Telegraph Media Group and I, for one, am very excited about this. It's the launch of CINELAN's contextual delivery system, whereby films will be embedded next to relevant text content. It's pretty cool, actually. This should kick off within the next ten days and new films will be added over the next three months. CINELAN is also in talks with with UK broadcaster Channel 4 involving their 3 Minute Wonder series and films will soon be distributed through CINELAN theatrical partner Picturehouse Cinemas.

» Continue reading "CINELAN Announces New Distribution Partnership; Films To Screen At BritDoc"


Doc-Linkage: IndiePix Studios; Kanye West; German Genetic Doping Doc; Schnack Ponders

[Mark Rabinowitz] A "here a doc, there a doc, everywhere a doc doc" survey of what's going on today in the world of documentaries and to be honest, we're all over the place!

IndiePix announces new Studios, Harrington In Charge
indieWIRE reports on the launch of IndiePix Studios and industry vet Ryan Harrington's move from Tribeca's Gucci Fund to the new venture. IndiePIx is the founding sponsor of the Cinema Eye Honors and a shining light in the doc world. For those of you who like documentaries (and face it, if you're here, you like) this is great news. IndiePix has been a staunch advocate for non-fiction cinema and has been at the forefront of exploring new ways to get docs into theaters, homes and online.
DISCLAIMER: IndiePix is a supplier of films to SnagFilms, parent of indieWIRE.
NOTE: According to the indieWIRE story, Harrington will "maintain some role" at the Gucci Fund.

Kanye Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is
According to UK music mag NME (New Music Express), the outspoken star will be visiting "homes of the returned veterans to discuss stories about the war and how they are adjusting to life back home," along with MTV VJ Sway Calloway for a documentary entitled "Choose Or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming." Apparently, West will leave each veteran with a financial gift, be that college tuition, rent money or paying off their debt. Dude. That's seriously cool. I wonder what you would call a larger agency with trillions of dollars whose responsibility it is to take care of America's returning veterans....? Oh right! The U.S. government! Kanye shows up W again.

» Continue reading "Doc-Linkage: IndiePix Studios; Kanye West; German Genetic Doping Doc; Schnack Ponders"


Loooooouuuuuuuu! Reed To Do Q&A At Film Forum

[Mark Rabinowitz] The Legendary Lou Reed will do a Q&A at Film Forum in New York City on Monday, July 28th, following the 8:15pm show of Julian Schnabel's film "Lou Reed's Berlin." The film's been getting terrific reviews and topped the Dox Office this past weekend.

Get yer tickets here!



P.O.V. Nabs Six Emmy Nods; PBS Tops List Of Nominees

[Mark Rabinowitz]P.O.V., one of the standard bearers for quality non-fiction film has received six nominations for the 29th Annual News and Documentary Emmy® Awards and I for one say "Huzzah!" The nominations were for Michael Apted's 49 Up (Outstanding Interview) Ralph Arlyck's Following Sean (Best Documentary and for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Writing), Drury Gunn Carr and Doug Hawes-Davis' Libby, Montana, Made in L.A. by Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar and Rain in a Dry Land by Anne Makepeace (all nominated for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story).

Hearty congratulations to the filmmakers and execs behind these and other P.O.V. programming. The series, now in its 21st season continues to showcase excellence in documentary filmmaking, as do its PBS stable mates, including Independent Lens and Frontline. PBS received 38 nods for the News and Documentary Emmys®, 21 more than runner up, ABC and CBS.

Now while this may be old news to some of you (the nominations were announced last week, two days before this blog launched) it brings to mind something that's been a hot topic in the documentary community for years and is the subject of my next an upcoming post: What can be done about the continued marginalization of so much of the documentary world? I'm going to want to hear from all of you out there, so stay tuned!



Doc Linkage-"Teen" Marketing, "Carnivalesque," Another Grizzly, BritDoc

[Mark Rabinowitz]Here's a first of a periodic round up of some of the doc-related stories around the Internets. Some of them will, of course, have a little added Rabbi flavor for your reading pleasure!

Marketing American Teen: Paramount Vantage's Plan
The L.A. Times weighs in on Paramount Vantage's marketing plan for Nanette Burstein's upcoming release, American Teen.


Carnivalesque Launches DVD Label
Like something out of a Busby Berkeley/Mickey Rooney film, those wacky kids David Redmon and Ashley Sabin (Kamp Katrina, Intimidad) from Carnivalesque Films have launched a new DVD distribution label out of their new home base (and home of True/False Film Festival) Columbia, MO. Read more about it here on indieWIRE.com. (Incestuous, ain't we?)

» Continue reading "Doc Linkage-"Teen" Marketing, "Carnivalesque," Another Grizzly, BritDoc"