Two new doc stories published this morning:

Alex Gibney is seeking more than $1 million in damages from ThinkFilm, distributor of "Taxi to the Dark Side," charging that the company fradulently hid the fact that it could not properly release the film in theaters. And Mark Urman responds.
Full story at indieWIRE.com.

Also, as it prepares to celebrates its 20th anniversary with a retrospective at MoMA this week, Zeitgeist Films has announced a deal for U.S. theatrical and home video rights to Gonzalo Arijon's "Stranded: I've Come From a Plane the Crashed in the Mountains." An October release is planned.
More at indieWIRE.com.

Sunday morning reading... Yesterday in Los Angeles, Mark Gill declared provocatively, "Yes, The Sky Really Is Falling." Speaking at the L.A. Film Festival's Financing Conference, the CEO of The Film Department (and former President of Miramax Films) detailed a litany of challenges currently facing independent film, yet offered his audience a happy ending. His complete prepared remarks have been published by indieWIRE.

Read the full speech at indieWIRE.com.

The fiscal crisis has created an acrimonious relationship between ThinkFilm and some of its filmmakers, who are feeling a high level of rancor over money flow issues," writes Anthony Kaufman, in a new article just posted at indieWIRE.com. "Now, all eyes are on a number of independent producers and filmmakers who are threatening legal action. While no specific court proceedings have yet been undertaken and each film's case is unique, several producers believe litigation is their last best option to receive portions of their minimum guarantees not yet paid."

Read the full story at indieWIRE.com.

Christian Gaines is leaving his post as director of festivals at the American Film Institute (AFI) and will join The Internet Movie Database's (IMDb) Withoutabox team as film festival director. In the position, Gaines will oversee Withoutabox's film festival business, including relations and business development on the festival circuit worldwide. [Brian Brooks]

More at indieWIRE.com.

Canadian filmmaker Paul Gross' "Passchendaele" will open the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival with its world premiere on September 4, 2008. Set during World War I, the film follows a wounded Canadian solider who falls in love on the homefront and then returns to the battlefield for the third battle of Ypres, also knows as "Passchendaele." Co-produced by Niv Fichman, Frank Siracusa and Francis Damberger, the film stars filmmaker Gross, Caroline Dhavernas, Gil Bellows and Joe Dinicol.

Get the full story now at indieWIRE.com.