With support from the Nancy P. & Richard K. Robbins Family Foundation and Resonance Philanthropies, DocPitch 2024 has awarded five independent documentary filmmakers cash awards totaling $100,000 to help them complete their feature documentary film projects currently in development or post-production.
“With DocPitch 2024, we’re incredibly honored to again be in the position of supporting independent filmmakers in such a tangible way,” said DocLands Director of Programming Joni Cooper. “Thanks to our generous donors, we’re able to help move these passionate storytellers closer to the goal of seeing their projects reach the finish line — and into the public realm. Each project underscores the importance of DocPitch to bring a wide range of timely and significant topics to the public including the industry professional eye, and in turn enriches essential discussions through the process itself.”
DocPitch Award Recipients and their projects:
The Co-Op: The Kids of Dorie Miller – Audience Award $45,000
Director/Producer Paulina...
“With DocPitch 2024, we’re incredibly honored to again be in the position of supporting independent filmmakers in such a tangible way,” said DocLands Director of Programming Joni Cooper. “Thanks to our generous donors, we’re able to help move these passionate storytellers closer to the goal of seeing their projects reach the finish line — and into the public realm. Each project underscores the importance of DocPitch to bring a wide range of timely and significant topics to the public including the industry professional eye, and in turn enriches essential discussions through the process itself.”
DocPitch Award Recipients and their projects:
The Co-Op: The Kids of Dorie Miller – Audience Award $45,000
Director/Producer Paulina...
- 5/10/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Sure, HBO series “The Deuce” may have piqued some interest in the history of classic porn cinema, but now the outrageous true story of Times Square staple Chelly Wilson is getting the spotlight.
Documentary “Queen of the Deuce” centers on Wilson’s personal history before building a porn theater in the notorious Times Square vicinity known as the Deuce. Wilson’s reign ranged from the late ’60s to the mid-’80s as she earned a reputation as one of the savviest and most enigmatic figures on the scene.
Greek-born Wilson escaped the Holocaust in WWII, emigrated to the U.S., and married a slew of men while being openly gay. Her legacy in the world of adult cinema is examined by filmmaker Valerie Kontakos (“Mana”), who has written, directed, and produced the documentary.
“Queen of the Deuce” is further produced by Ed Barreveld and Despina Pavlaki, who also co-wrote the...
Documentary “Queen of the Deuce” centers on Wilson’s personal history before building a porn theater in the notorious Times Square vicinity known as the Deuce. Wilson’s reign ranged from the late ’60s to the mid-’80s as she earned a reputation as one of the savviest and most enigmatic figures on the scene.
Greek-born Wilson escaped the Holocaust in WWII, emigrated to the U.S., and married a slew of men while being openly gay. Her legacy in the world of adult cinema is examined by filmmaker Valerie Kontakos (“Mana”), who has written, directed, and produced the documentary.
“Queen of the Deuce” is further produced by Ed Barreveld and Despina Pavlaki, who also co-wrote the...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 2021 Oscars was the first time a front-facing ramp was an integrated element of the Academy Awards’ custom-built stage. Academy member Jim LeBrecht, who uses a wheelchair, initiated the effort and executed it alongside his Crip Camp co-director Nicole Newnham and executive producer Howard Gertler after an Oscar nomination for the Obama-produced Netflix doc seemed on the horizon.
The ramp, present for years at disability-focused ceremonies like the Media Access Awards, marked a visible shift for mainstream Hollywood’s focus in the diversity, equity and inclusion space. And it would spark similar efforts — sometimes piecemeal or sweeping, other times fumbled — at other major industry events such as the Emmys and Grammys.
Since then, the Oscars have expanded their accessibility efforts. The 2024 show, which takes place this Sunday, will include confidential accessibility requests for all nominees and guests; captioning services (live captions through in-house monitors, captions for video packages and...
The ramp, present for years at disability-focused ceremonies like the Media Access Awards, marked a visible shift for mainstream Hollywood’s focus in the diversity, equity and inclusion space. And it would spark similar efforts — sometimes piecemeal or sweeping, other times fumbled — at other major industry events such as the Emmys and Grammys.
Since then, the Oscars have expanded their accessibility efforts. The 2024 show, which takes place this Sunday, will include confidential accessibility requests for all nominees and guests; captioning services (live captions through in-house monitors, captions for video packages and...
- 3/7/2024
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Pope Francis, Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Un chief Ban Ki-Moon will be honored at the upcoming Cinema for Peace gala in Berlin on February 19.
The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.
The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 as an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.
Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will be shown receiving his award in a recorded video.
The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.
The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 as an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.
Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will be shown receiving his award in a recorded video.
- 2/12/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Film Festival 2024, beloved by independent film enthusiasts, opens the film festival circuit with a bustling calendar of parties, thought-provoking panels, and red-carpet premieres.
Celebrating its 40th milestone, the lineup boasts diversity across various categories, featuring 53 short films, 35 documentary features, and 83 feature films. The award-winning films for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival were announced today at The Ray Theatre in Park City during a ceremony.
The jury and audience-awarded prizes include Grand Jury Prizes awarded to In The Summers (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Porcelain War (U.S. Documentary Competition), Sujo (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and A New Kind of Wilderness (World Cinema Documentary Competition). The Next Innovator Award presented by Adobe was awarded to Little Death.
Related: Sundance Film Festival Awards: ‘In The Summers’, ‘Didi’, ‘Daughters’ Top Winners List
Audiences came together in person over the weekend in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance Resort with talent that included June Squibb,...
Celebrating its 40th milestone, the lineup boasts diversity across various categories, featuring 53 short films, 35 documentary features, and 83 feature films. The award-winning films for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival were announced today at The Ray Theatre in Park City during a ceremony.
The jury and audience-awarded prizes include Grand Jury Prizes awarded to In The Summers (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Porcelain War (U.S. Documentary Competition), Sujo (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and A New Kind of Wilderness (World Cinema Documentary Competition). The Next Innovator Award presented by Adobe was awarded to Little Death.
Related: Sundance Film Festival Awards: ‘In The Summers’, ‘Didi’, ‘Daughters’ Top Winners List
Audiences came together in person over the weekend in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance Resort with talent that included June Squibb,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Robert Lang
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has announced its winners, with In the Summers taking the Grand Jury prize for U.S. Dramatic Competition and Porcelain War landing the award for U.S. Documentary Competition.
Sujo won the jury prize for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section, and A New Kind of Wilderness won for World Cinema Documentary Competition.
Audience awards went to Sean Wang’s Dìdi (弟弟) in the U.S. Dramatic Competition and Daughters in the U.S. Documentary Competition, with the latter also earning the Festival Favorite Award selected by audiences across all new feature films presented at the fest. Girls Will Be Girls landed the audience award for World Cinema Dramatic Competition, and Ibelin won it in the World Cinema Documentary Competition.
Elsewhere, the Next innovator award went to Little Death, with Irish rap biopic Kneecap winning the audience award for the Next section.
Sundance CEO Joana Vicente said,...
Sujo won the jury prize for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section, and A New Kind of Wilderness won for World Cinema Documentary Competition.
Audience awards went to Sean Wang’s Dìdi (弟弟) in the U.S. Dramatic Competition and Daughters in the U.S. Documentary Competition, with the latter also earning the Festival Favorite Award selected by audiences across all new feature films presented at the fest. Girls Will Be Girls landed the audience award for World Cinema Dramatic Competition, and Ibelin won it in the World Cinema Documentary Competition.
Elsewhere, the Next innovator award went to Little Death, with Irish rap biopic Kneecap winning the audience award for the Next section.
Sundance CEO Joana Vicente said,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony revealed winners Friday honoring the best of this year’s lineup in Park City.
The U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury prize went to Alessandra Lacorazza’s In the Summers, about two sisters who navigate their loving but volatile father during their yearly summer visits to his home in Las Cruces, Nm. Lacorazza also won a special jury prize for directing.
See the full list of winners below.
Other Grand Jury winners unveiled today in the ceremony at the Ray Theatre included Porcelain War in the U.S. Documentary competition, A New Kind of Wilderness in the World Cinema Documentary competition, and Sujo in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
Angela Patton and Natalie Rae’s documentary Daughters received the Festival Favorite Award, which Park City audiences select across all new feature films presented at the festival, as well as the Audience Award for the U.
The U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury prize went to Alessandra Lacorazza’s In the Summers, about two sisters who navigate their loving but volatile father during their yearly summer visits to his home in Las Cruces, Nm. Lacorazza also won a special jury prize for directing.
See the full list of winners below.
Other Grand Jury winners unveiled today in the ceremony at the Ray Theatre included Porcelain War in the U.S. Documentary competition, A New Kind of Wilderness in the World Cinema Documentary competition, and Sujo in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
Angela Patton and Natalie Rae’s documentary Daughters received the Festival Favorite Award, which Park City audiences select across all new feature films presented at the festival, as well as the Audience Award for the U.
- 1/26/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival winners are in, with films like “In the Summers,” “Didi,” and “Daughters” dominating across the categories. “In the Summers” filmmaker Alessandra Lacorazza, whose film centers on a fractured family in New Mexico, also won the Directing prize in U.S. Dramatic.
On Friday, January 26, the winners of juried prizes were shared out of the competition sections, including the U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition, and the Next lineup.
The 2024 Sundance jury consisted of 16 filmmakers and artists across all sections, with the U.S. Dramatic Competition jury made up of “Winter’s Bone” director/co-writer Debra Granik, “Shortcomings” screenwriter Adrian Tomine, and “Master of None” producer Lena Waithe.
“Navalny” producer Shane Boris, “The Disappearance of Shere Hite” director Nicole Newnham, and “The Sentence” director Rudy Valdez serve on the U.S. Documentary Competition jury, with “The Babadook” director Jennifer Kent,...
On Friday, January 26, the winners of juried prizes were shared out of the competition sections, including the U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition, and the Next lineup.
The 2024 Sundance jury consisted of 16 filmmakers and artists across all sections, with the U.S. Dramatic Competition jury made up of “Winter’s Bone” director/co-writer Debra Granik, “Shortcomings” screenwriter Adrian Tomine, and “Master of None” producer Lena Waithe.
“Navalny” producer Shane Boris, “The Disappearance of Shere Hite” director Nicole Newnham, and “The Sentence” director Rudy Valdez serve on the U.S. Documentary Competition jury, with “The Babadook” director Jennifer Kent,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
And now, we wait. The bulk of precursor nominations have poured in, and Oscar voting is newly underway. Aside from the final BAFTA roster, most of what’s left is merely a swift march to January 23, nomination day. A couple of films in particular are making well-timed streaming premieres that function as end-of-the-road campaign strategies.
The contender to stream this week: “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project”
This Oscar-shortlisted documentary co-directed by spouses Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, who also made 2013’s “American Promise,” follows the eponymous poet and activist through years of civil-rights evolutions. If Black women can withstand the hardships of Earth, Giovanni posits, maybe they can survive in space, too. “Going to Mars” is more experimental than the average biography, which makes sense for such an elusive figure. The film won a jury prize at Sundance and has an Independent Spirit Award nomination. It’s newly streaming on Max.
The contender to stream this week: “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project”
This Oscar-shortlisted documentary co-directed by spouses Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, who also made 2013’s “American Promise,” follows the eponymous poet and activist through years of civil-rights evolutions. If Black women can withstand the hardships of Earth, Giovanni posits, maybe they can survive in space, too. “Going to Mars” is more experimental than the average biography, which makes sense for such an elusive figure. The film won a jury prize at Sundance and has an Independent Spirit Award nomination. It’s newly streaming on Max.
- 1/12/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
‘The Beekeeper’ starts a buzz for Sky Cinema; ‘The Boys In The Boat’ sets sail for Warner Bros.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things starts its run in 585 cinemas this weekend at the UK-Ireland box office – a wide opening for an 18-rated title.
The eighth feature from Greek director Lanthimos is his first 18-rated title since 2009’s Dogtooth, which opened to £26,149 from 16 sites and took a strong £189,815 in total.
Since that film, Lanthimos’ box office horizons have expanded significantly – first with 2015’s The Lobster , then especially with The Favourite his most recent film before Poor Things.
That film took a similar early...
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things starts its run in 585 cinemas this weekend at the UK-Ireland box office – a wide opening for an 18-rated title.
The eighth feature from Greek director Lanthimos is his first 18-rated title since 2009’s Dogtooth, which opened to £26,149 from 16 sites and took a strong £189,815 in total.
Since that film, Lanthimos’ box office horizons have expanded significantly – first with 2015’s The Lobster , then especially with The Favourite his most recent film before Poor Things.
That film took a similar early...
- 1/12/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Disappearance of Shere Hite review – fascinating portrait of the woman who lifted the lid on sex
Shere Hite was a trailblazing sex educator who was pilloried for her work in the 1970s. This vivid documentary gives her the recognition she deserves
Here’s a documentary about a vanished woman that is not true crime (unless crimes against feminism count). It is about trailblazing American sex researcher Shere Hite, exploring how she disappeared from the who’s who of 20th-century feminists. In 1976, Hite became famous almost overnight with the publication of her groundbreaking book The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality. Based on an anonymous survey of 3,000 women about their sex lives, it sold 48m copies. Hite’s big finding was that 70% of women didn’t orgasm from penetrative sex – breaking news in the late 1970s.
Hite had been working as a model to pay her way as a PhD student when she joined New York’s feminist movement. The tipping point came when she...
Here’s a documentary about a vanished woman that is not true crime (unless crimes against feminism count). It is about trailblazing American sex researcher Shere Hite, exploring how she disappeared from the who’s who of 20th-century feminists. In 1976, Hite became famous almost overnight with the publication of her groundbreaking book The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality. Based on an anonymous survey of 3,000 women about their sex lives, it sold 48m copies. Hite’s big finding was that 70% of women didn’t orgasm from penetrative sex – breaking news in the late 1970s.
Hite had been working as a model to pay her way as a PhD student when she joined New York’s feminist movement. The tipping point came when she...
- 1/10/2024
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival Jury (Photo Credit: Sundance)
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is welcoming back festival alumni to serve as members of the jury. All 16 members selected to serve on the competition jury have personal experience bringing films to the festival.
“For our 40th Festival, the jury members this year are all artists who have had films at prior Festivals. They know what it is to introduce new work to the Sundance community and we are so pleased to be able to welcome them back to Sundance to take in the films our programming team has curated. We can’t wait to see what resonates with them,” stated Kim Yutani, Director of Programming.
This year’s jury includes Debra Granik, Adrian Tomine, and Lena Waithe for U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham, and Rudy Valdez for U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Mira Nair, and Rui Poças for...
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is welcoming back festival alumni to serve as members of the jury. All 16 members selected to serve on the competition jury have personal experience bringing films to the festival.
“For our 40th Festival, the jury members this year are all artists who have had films at prior Festivals. They know what it is to introduce new work to the Sundance community and we are so pleased to be able to welcome them back to Sundance to take in the films our programming team has curated. We can’t wait to see what resonates with them,” stated Kim Yutani, Director of Programming.
This year’s jury includes Debra Granik, Adrian Tomine, and Lena Waithe for U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham, and Rudy Valdez for U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Mira Nair, and Rui Poças for...
- 1/3/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
To mark the festival’s fortieth anniversary all 16 of this year’s jurors are festival alumni.
Lena Waithe, Mira Nair and Shaunak Sen are among the 16 jurors who will choose award winners in six competitive sections at this month’s Sundance Film Festival.
To mark the fortieth edition of the US festival, which runs January 18-28 in Park City and Salt Lake City, all 16 jurors are festival alumni. In addition to serving on juries they will participate in talks, panels and other events to mark the festival milestone.
Awards for feature films in five competition sections of the festival will...
Lena Waithe, Mira Nair and Shaunak Sen are among the 16 jurors who will choose award winners in six competitive sections at this month’s Sundance Film Festival.
To mark the fortieth edition of the US festival, which runs January 18-28 in Park City and Salt Lake City, all 16 jurors are festival alumni. In addition to serving on juries they will participate in talks, panels and other events to mark the festival milestone.
Awards for feature films in five competition sections of the festival will...
- 1/3/2024
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
“Master of None” star Lena Waithe, directors Mira Nair and Debra Granik, and astrophysicist Dr. Nia Imara are among the jurors who will be bestowing awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
They will be making the trek to Park City for the 40th annual festival, which takes place from Jan. 18-28.
The 2024 jurors include Granik, Adrian Tomine and Waithe for U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham and Rudy Valdez for U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Nair and Rui Poças for World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Mandy Chang, Monica Hellström and Shaunak Sen for World Cinema Documentary Competition; Christina Oh, Danny Pudi and Charlotte Regan for Short Film Program Competition; and Zal Batmanglij for the Next competition section.
“For our 40th festival, the jury members this year are all artists who have had films at prior festivals,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance’s director of programming. “They know...
They will be making the trek to Park City for the 40th annual festival, which takes place from Jan. 18-28.
The 2024 jurors include Granik, Adrian Tomine and Waithe for U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham and Rudy Valdez for U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Nair and Rui Poças for World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Mandy Chang, Monica Hellström and Shaunak Sen for World Cinema Documentary Competition; Christina Oh, Danny Pudi and Charlotte Regan for Short Film Program Competition; and Zal Batmanglij for the Next competition section.
“For our 40th festival, the jury members this year are all artists who have had films at prior festivals,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance’s director of programming. “They know...
- 1/3/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival jury has officially been unveiled, with 16 filmmakers and artists on the juries across sections.
Multi-hyphenate producer Lena Waithe, actor Danny Pudi, and directors Debra Granik, Nicole Newnham, Jennifer Kent, Christina Oh, and Charlotte Regan are just a sampling of filmmakers who have had projects at prior Sundance festivals. All of this year’s jury members are Sundance alums to mark the festival’s 40th anniversary.
The 2024 Festival will take place January 18 through 28 in-person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah along with a selection of films available online across the country from January 25 through 28. Many of the jurors will participate in 2024 festival programming, including announcing the awards on January 26. Awards across five categories will be honored at an intimate award ceremony held at The Ray Theatre in Park City; the short film jury winners will be announced at the Shorts Awards & Party presented by Argo...
Multi-hyphenate producer Lena Waithe, actor Danny Pudi, and directors Debra Granik, Nicole Newnham, Jennifer Kent, Christina Oh, and Charlotte Regan are just a sampling of filmmakers who have had projects at prior Sundance festivals. All of this year’s jury members are Sundance alums to mark the festival’s 40th anniversary.
The 2024 Festival will take place January 18 through 28 in-person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah along with a selection of films available online across the country from January 25 through 28. Many of the jurors will participate in 2024 festival programming, including announcing the awards on January 26. Awards across five categories will be honored at an intimate award ceremony held at The Ray Theatre in Park City; the short film jury winners will be announced at the Shorts Awards & Party presented by Argo...
- 1/3/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has set 16 alums from past editions to serve on its Competition Jury, also announcing the set of five set as jurors for the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize.
The list includes Debra Granik, Adrian Tomine, and Lena Waithe in U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham, and Rudy Valdez in U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Mira Nair, and Rui Poças in World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Mandy Chang, Monica Hellström, and Shaunak Sen in World Cinema Documentary Competition; Christina Oh, Danny Pudi, and Charlotte Regan in Short Film Program Competition; and Zal Batmanglij in the Next competition section.
Members of the Alfred P. Sloan Jury, who deliberated ahead of the festival and settled on Sam and Andy Zuchero’s Love Me as the winner of their science and tech-focused award, included Dr. Mandë Holford, Dr. Nia Imara, Matt Johnson, Theresa Park, and Courtney Stephens.
The list includes Debra Granik, Adrian Tomine, and Lena Waithe in U.S. Dramatic Competition; Shane Boris, Nicole Newnham, and Rudy Valdez in U.S. Documentary Competition; Jennifer Kent, Mira Nair, and Rui Poças in World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Mandy Chang, Monica Hellström, and Shaunak Sen in World Cinema Documentary Competition; Christina Oh, Danny Pudi, and Charlotte Regan in Short Film Program Competition; and Zal Batmanglij in the Next competition section.
Members of the Alfred P. Sloan Jury, who deliberated ahead of the festival and settled on Sam and Andy Zuchero’s Love Me as the winner of their science and tech-focused award, included Dr. Mandë Holford, Dr. Nia Imara, Matt Johnson, Theresa Park, and Courtney Stephens.
- 1/3/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Clockwise from bottom left: The Mother Of All Lies (TIFF), Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic), The Eternal Memory (Screenshot: YouTube), and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)Graphic: The A.V. Club
In the age of the internet, the world has become smaller, more connected—and a lot messier.
In the age of the internet, the world has become smaller, more connected—and a lot messier.
- 12/27/2023
- by Brent Simon
- avclub.com
Ella Glendining is both the director and subject of documentary “Is There Anybody Out There?,” a global search for someone with a body that looks like hers.
The film debuted at Sundance this year and went on to achieve global acclaim, winning a slew of awards along the way. Recent accolades include winning the BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Award and being named as one of the U.K. talents in the BAFTA Breakthrough 2023 cohort.
“A big thing for me making a personal film was that I was insecure and worried that people would think that I was just the subject of a documentary, but to be recognized on this level is an incredible confidence boost in terms of me as a filmmaker, because that’s who I am. What I am first and foremost is a filmmaker and a storyteller,” Glendining, who was born with a rare leg disability, told Variety.
The film debuted at Sundance this year and went on to achieve global acclaim, winning a slew of awards along the way. Recent accolades include winning the BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Award and being named as one of the U.K. talents in the BAFTA Breakthrough 2023 cohort.
“A big thing for me making a personal film was that I was insecure and worried that people would think that I was just the subject of a documentary, but to be recognized on this level is an incredible confidence boost in terms of me as a filmmaker, because that’s who I am. What I am first and foremost is a filmmaker and a storyteller,” Glendining, who was born with a rare leg disability, told Variety.
- 12/22/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Updated 12/22/2023 with details on shortlisted A Still Small Voice. Updated with quotes, 1:37 Pm: American Symphony, the Obamas-executive produced documentary about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste, scored a remarkable hat trick today as the Oscar shortlists were revealed, but a couple of documentary icons were left on the bench.
In more headlines from the announcement, a beloved documentary filmmaker who died unexpectedly in August earned a place on the nonfiction feature shortlist. And the film about cherished actor Michael J. Fox, directed by Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim, made the list. Two films earned double recognition – making shortlists for doc feature and International Feature Film. [See full shortlists for doc feature and doc short below].
Suleika Jouad and Jon Batiste in ‘American Symphony’
The most eye-popping takeaway is the recognition for American Symphony, the Netflix film directed by Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman and produced by Higher Ground, the production company of former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. It made the...
In more headlines from the announcement, a beloved documentary filmmaker who died unexpectedly in August earned a place on the nonfiction feature shortlist. And the film about cherished actor Michael J. Fox, directed by Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim, made the list. Two films earned double recognition – making shortlists for doc feature and International Feature Film. [See full shortlists for doc feature and doc short below].
Suleika Jouad and Jon Batiste in ‘American Symphony’
The most eye-popping takeaway is the recognition for American Symphony, the Netflix film directed by Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman and produced by Higher Ground, the production company of former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. It made the...
- 12/21/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Six directors of standout 2023 documentary features gathered at The Hollywood Reporter’s Los Angeles offices in mid-November for THR’s annual Documentary Roundtable.
Among them were two revered veterans with Oscars to their name: Davis Guggenheim (2006’s An Inconvenient Truth), who helmed Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, a film about the life and struggles of the beloved actor who was stricken at a young age with Parkinson’s disease; and Roger Ross Williams (2009’s Music by Prudence), director of Stamped From the Beginning, a film about the history of anti-Black racism in America. Meanwhile, a first-time filmmaker, twice-Grammy-nominated producer D. Smith, profiled four Black transgender women who have performed sex work in Kokomo City.
Oscar nominee Nicole Newnham (2020’s Crip Camp) made a documentary portrait of a person once famous but now largely forgotten: The Disappearance of Shere Hite, about the titular sex researcher and her landmark 1976 book about female sexuality.
Among them were two revered veterans with Oscars to their name: Davis Guggenheim (2006’s An Inconvenient Truth), who helmed Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, a film about the life and struggles of the beloved actor who was stricken at a young age with Parkinson’s disease; and Roger Ross Williams (2009’s Music by Prudence), director of Stamped From the Beginning, a film about the history of anti-Black racism in America. Meanwhile, a first-time filmmaker, twice-Grammy-nominated producer D. Smith, profiled four Black transgender women who have performed sex work in Kokomo City.
Oscar nominee Nicole Newnham (2020’s Crip Camp) made a documentary portrait of a person once famous but now largely forgotten: The Disappearance of Shere Hite, about the titular sex researcher and her landmark 1976 book about female sexuality.
- 12/13/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The groundwork was laid for Nicole Newnham’s Oscar-contending documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite back when the director was just a girl.
“I was 12 years old when I discovered The Hite Report in my mother’s nightstand drawer,” the filmmaker has written, “sneaking it to read for myself, to learn about the world of female sexuality, a world that remained cloaked in shame and mystery for me as for so many others.”
For a time, The Hite Report: A National Study of Female Sexuality could be found in nightstand drawers or displayed less surreptitiously on bookstore shelves and in library stacks across the country, its author a fixture on talk shows and top of mind in the zeitgeist. Interest in her work was by no means limited to the U.S.: Hite’s study was translated into more than a dozen languages.
‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’
Newnham...
“I was 12 years old when I discovered The Hite Report in my mother’s nightstand drawer,” the filmmaker has written, “sneaking it to read for myself, to learn about the world of female sexuality, a world that remained cloaked in shame and mystery for me as for so many others.”
For a time, The Hite Report: A National Study of Female Sexuality could be found in nightstand drawers or displayed less surreptitiously on bookstore shelves and in library stacks across the country, its author a fixture on talk shows and top of mind in the zeitgeist. Interest in her work was by no means limited to the U.S.: Hite’s study was translated into more than a dozen languages.
‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’
Newnham...
- 12/3/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar-contending documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite will be making an appearance in cinemas in the U.K. and Ireland within weeks, courtesy of Dogwoof.
The London-based documentary film company has announced a January 12 launch date in those territories for Nicole Newnham’s film about the famed American sex researcher who rocketed to fame in the 1970s but then faced a tremendous backlash that essentially drove her into exile.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite remembers the feminist sex researcher, Shere Hite, whose findings rocked the establishment, presaged current conversations about gender and sexuality, and made her a target of the patriarchy,” notes a release from Dogwoof. “1976’s The Hite Report aimed to liberate women and demystify female pleasure and the orgasm by revealing private experiences of thousands of anonymous survey respondents… Digging into exclusive archives, as well as Hite’s personal journals and the original survey responses, filmmaker Nicole Newnham…...
The London-based documentary film company has announced a January 12 launch date in those territories for Nicole Newnham’s film about the famed American sex researcher who rocketed to fame in the 1970s but then faced a tremendous backlash that essentially drove her into exile.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite remembers the feminist sex researcher, Shere Hite, whose findings rocked the establishment, presaged current conversations about gender and sexuality, and made her a target of the patriarchy,” notes a release from Dogwoof. “1976’s The Hite Report aimed to liberate women and demystify female pleasure and the orgasm by revealing private experiences of thousands of anonymous survey respondents… Digging into exclusive archives, as well as Hite’s personal journals and the original survey responses, filmmaker Nicole Newnham…...
- 12/2/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
IDFA – the largest documentary film festival in the world — has just wrapped its 36th edition, and it was a memorable one by every definition. Two hundred and fifty films screened in Amsterdam, representing work from across the globe –the Middle East to Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Europe.
In a special edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast, we report on the festival from Amsterdam, speaking on the ground with five notable filmmakers, including Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams, who came to IDFA for the European premiere of his new Netflix documentary Stamped From the Beginning, an examination of how racist ideas have permeated American culture.
Sex researcher Shere Hite
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham tells us how European audiences reacted to her award-winning documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite, about the titular American sex researcher who became a sensation after the publication of her book The Hite Report in the 1970s,...
In a special edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast, we report on the festival from Amsterdam, speaking on the ground with five notable filmmakers, including Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams, who came to IDFA for the European premiere of his new Netflix documentary Stamped From the Beginning, an examination of how racist ideas have permeated American culture.
Sex researcher Shere Hite
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham tells us how European audiences reacted to her award-winning documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite, about the titular American sex researcher who became a sensation after the publication of her book The Hite Report in the 1970s,...
- 11/21/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a cool indie weekend when the new album by André 3000, New Blue Sun, has morphed into a “cinematic listening experience.” Variance Films is putting the experience, directed by Terence Nance, into three theaters in NYC (IFC Center), LA (Cinepolis Inglewood) and Atlanta (Tara).
Right now, it’s just those locations but after this weekend, “We will see what happens, where the wind takes us,” said Variance CEO Dylan Marchetti. “I swear, I wanted to make a ‘visual album’ but this is literally the way the wind blew me this time,” André has said.
Asked what’s is on the screen, Marchetti said, “Vibes.”
New Blue Sun, out today, is André’s debut solo album, his first full-length LP since his group Outkast released its last record 17 years ago. He described it as “an entirely instrumental album centered around woodwinds; a celebratory piece of work in the form of a living,...
Right now, it’s just those locations but after this weekend, “We will see what happens, where the wind takes us,” said Variance CEO Dylan Marchetti. “I swear, I wanted to make a ‘visual album’ but this is literally the way the wind blew me this time,” André has said.
Asked what’s is on the screen, Marchetti said, “Vibes.”
New Blue Sun, out today, is André’s debut solo album, his first full-length LP since his group Outkast released its last record 17 years ago. He described it as “an entirely instrumental album centered around woodwinds; a celebratory piece of work in the form of a living,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, DC and R.J. Cutler’s production hub This Machine are developing a documentary about the iconic Mad magazine.
Oscar-and Emmy-winning director Jessica Yu will direct the untitled docu about the 71-year-old humor brand.
The feature-length doc will explore the origins of the magazine, as well as its irreverent, independent, and often incisive humor. Yu will also examine how Mad became a staple of American satire for generations and encouraged readers to question authority. Mad magazine, which is owned by DC, has authorized the doc and granted the filmmaking team exclusive access to its archives.
In April Al Jaffee, the cartoonist who gave Mad magazine its iconic back page by creating the publication’s fold-in feature, died at the age of 102. In 1964, Jaffee’s fold-in was featured for the first time in Mad magazine, marking the start of the methodic flip-through that Mad readers would do for decades.
Oscar-and Emmy-winning director Jessica Yu will direct the untitled docu about the 71-year-old humor brand.
The feature-length doc will explore the origins of the magazine, as well as its irreverent, independent, and often incisive humor. Yu will also examine how Mad became a staple of American satire for generations and encouraged readers to question authority. Mad magazine, which is owned by DC, has authorized the doc and granted the filmmaking team exclusive access to its archives.
In April Al Jaffee, the cartoonist who gave Mad magazine its iconic back page by creating the publication’s fold-in feature, died at the age of 102. In 1964, Jaffee’s fold-in was featured for the first time in Mad magazine, marking the start of the methodic flip-through that Mad readers would do for decades.
- 11/15/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
“Equality doesn’t seem dangerous to me,” says Shere Hite in an archive clip at the start of this film, with a shy smile. She seems to believe it – to have no idea of the magnitude of what she has done, or of what awaits her. A babe in the woods, and simultaneously one of the shrewdest, most daring academic voices of her age.
If you were alive in the Seventies or Eighties and had even a passing interest in feminism, you could not help but be aware of Hite’s work – at least of her first book, the groundbreaking Hite Report, which, for the first time in Western society, opened up a conversation about what women wanted out of sex and how that compared with what they were actually getting. Nicole Newnham’s documentary begins before that, when she was just a student at Columbia University, noticed mostly for her flamboyant.
If you were alive in the Seventies or Eighties and had even a passing interest in feminism, you could not help but be aware of Hite’s work – at least of her first book, the groundbreaking Hite Report, which, for the first time in Western society, opened up a conversation about what women wanted out of sex and how that compared with what they were actually getting. Nicole Newnham’s documentary begins before that, when she was just a student at Columbia University, noticed mostly for her flamboyant.
- 11/15/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie was the top winner at the 2023 Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were handed out Sunday night.
Among the other prizes the film collected was the best narration award for Michael J. Fox. It also won best biographical documentary, best direction for Davis Guggenheim and best editing for Michael Harte for a total of five awards overall.
Elsewhere, Jon Batiste won best score for American Symphony on the heels of his five Grammy noms, including album of the year. American Symphony also was named best music doc.
20 Days in Mariupol won two awards, for best first documentary feature and best political doc.
The eighth annual edition of the awards show, hosted by Wyatt Cenac, took place at New York’s Edison Ballroom.
Winners were announced in 18 categories spanning theatrical film, TV and digital platforms. Also this year, the Critics Choice Association honored Ross McElwee with its Pennebaker Award,...
Among the other prizes the film collected was the best narration award for Michael J. Fox. It also won best biographical documentary, best direction for Davis Guggenheim and best editing for Michael Harte for a total of five awards overall.
Elsewhere, Jon Batiste won best score for American Symphony on the heels of his five Grammy noms, including album of the year. American Symphony also was named best music doc.
20 Days in Mariupol won two awards, for best first documentary feature and best political doc.
The eighth annual edition of the awards show, hosted by Wyatt Cenac, took place at New York’s Edison Ballroom.
Winners were announced in 18 categories spanning theatrical film, TV and digital platforms. Also this year, the Critics Choice Association honored Ross McElwee with its Pennebaker Award,...
- 11/13/2023
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie’ Sweeps the Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Complete Winners List)
One of the first big nights of the 2023 award season took place tonight at Manhattan’s Edison Ballroom when the best nonfiction filmmakers competed for the Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The show, which is hosted by Wyatt Cenac, honors the most acclaimed documentaries of the year in one of the biggest early contests before the Academy Awards.
Netflix’s Jon Batiste documentary “American Symphony” led the pack with six nominations, while “20 Days in Mariupol,” “Kokomo City,” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” were each honored with five nominations a piece. Other contenders for Best Documentary Feature include “Beyond Utopia,” “The Deepest Breath,” “The Mission,” “The Eternal Memory,” “Judy Blume Forever,” and “Stamped from the Beginning.”
“Still: A Michael J. Fox Story” had the strongest story of the night. In addition to taking home Best Documentary Feature, the film won Best Biographical Documentary, Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Narration for Fox himself.
Netflix’s Jon Batiste documentary “American Symphony” led the pack with six nominations, while “20 Days in Mariupol,” “Kokomo City,” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” were each honored with five nominations a piece. Other contenders for Best Documentary Feature include “Beyond Utopia,” “The Deepest Breath,” “The Mission,” “The Eternal Memory,” “Judy Blume Forever,” and “Stamped from the Beginning.”
“Still: A Michael J. Fox Story” had the strongest story of the night. In addition to taking home Best Documentary Feature, the film won Best Biographical Documentary, Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Narration for Fox himself.
- 11/13/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Nicole Newnham’s The Disappearance of Shere Hite is so packed with ideas, timelines, and input from various participants that a documentary twice as long would have been justified. Such is the significance of Shere Hite’s life and writings in the 1970s and ’80s on the subject of sex, particularly women’s bodies and how they typically achieve orgasm.
Hite’s 1976 book The Hite Report has become an all-time bestseller, in large part due to the controversy it sparked following its publication. While the film’s title initially suggests a mystery, Newnham’s remarkable use of archival footage, especially of Hite being ceaselessly berated on talk shows, composes such a clear and coherent portrait of her eventual exile from American culture that the film becomes a furious indictment of an openly repressive society.
While Newnham takes a mostly linear approach to explaining the trajectory of Hite’s research and fame,...
Hite’s 1976 book The Hite Report has become an all-time bestseller, in large part due to the controversy it sparked following its publication. While the film’s title initially suggests a mystery, Newnham’s remarkable use of archival footage, especially of Hite being ceaselessly berated on talk shows, composes such a clear and coherent portrait of her eventual exile from American culture that the film becomes a furious indictment of an openly repressive society.
While Newnham takes a mostly linear approach to explaining the trajectory of Hite’s research and fame,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Clayton Dillard
- Slant Magazine
Ava DuVernay’s Origin and Matthew Heineman’s American Symphony were among the top winners at the Virginia Film Festival, the four-day Charlottesville event that ran from October 25-29.
Origin, based on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, won the festival’s Audience Award for narrative feature. Heineman’s American Symphony, about musician Jon Batiste, was recognized for documentary feature.
Other Audience Award winners included Dreams of Home for narrative short and Black Godfather of Scuba for documentary short.
The winners of the Programmers’ Awards were American Fiction in the narrative category and No Ordinary Campaign in the documentary category. For the Moon was recognized in the narrative short category and 1-15-41 in the documentary short.
DuVernay also was recognized with the festival’s Visionary Award as she sat down for a post-screening Q&a with the Washington Post‘s Ann Hornaday.
Jon Batiste performs as...
Origin, based on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, won the festival’s Audience Award for narrative feature. Heineman’s American Symphony, about musician Jon Batiste, was recognized for documentary feature.
Other Audience Award winners included Dreams of Home for narrative short and Black Godfather of Scuba for documentary short.
The winners of the Programmers’ Awards were American Fiction in the narrative category and No Ordinary Campaign in the documentary category. For the Moon was recognized in the narrative short category and 1-15-41 in the documentary short.
DuVernay also was recognized with the festival’s Visionary Award as she sat down for a post-screening Q&a with the Washington Post‘s Ann Hornaday.
Jon Batiste performs as...
- 11/2/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Critics Choice Association just unveiled the nominees for its 8th annual documentary awards. Topping the list is “American Symphony” with six bids, including Best Documentary, Best Director for Matthew Heineman, and notices in Cinematography, Editing, and Music Documentary. Heineman is the Oscar nominated director of “Cartel Land” from 2015. The sixth nomination for “American Symphony” is for Best Score thanks to 2022’s Grammy Award recipient for Album of the Year, Jon Batiste. You may recognize another Aoty winner in the Ccda’s lineup — Taylor Swift‘s record breaking concert movie “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is also nominated for Music Documentary.
Just behind “American Symphony” are three films that received five nominations each: “20 Days in Mariupol” from Mstyslav Chernov, “Kokomo City” from D. Smith, and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” from Davis Guggenheim, who is also nominated for Director. The other directors that were heralded for their films...
Just behind “American Symphony” are three films that received five nominations each: “20 Days in Mariupol” from Mstyslav Chernov, “Kokomo City” from D. Smith, and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” from Davis Guggenheim, who is also nominated for Director. The other directors that were heralded for their films...
- 10/24/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Returning to Sundance Film Festival earlier this after her Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, Nicole Newnham’s latest film explores the strange tale of Shere Hite and her 1976 bestseller The Hite Report as narrated by Dakota Johnson. The book famously liberated the female orgasm by revealing the most private experiences of thousands of anonymous survey respondents. Her findings rocked the American establishment and presaged current conversations about gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy. Then, she disappeared. Ahead of a release next month from IFC Films, the first trailer has now arrived.
“It was a bombshell when it was published,” Newnham told Deadline. “The whole American public is sitting there thinking that if women were not having an orgasm through intercourse, there was something wrong with them. And Shere Hite is the one who finally comes out and says that’s not true… It really was such a profound thing in that it...
“It was a bombshell when it was published,” Newnham told Deadline. “The whole American public is sitting there thinking that if women were not having an orgasm through intercourse, there was something wrong with them. And Shere Hite is the one who finally comes out and says that’s not true… It really was such a profound thing in that it...
- 10/18/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
The documentary festival Doc NYC has unveiled the full lineup for its 14th edition. It will be a total of 114 features and 129 short films. The festival runs in-person November 8-16 at IFC Center, Sva Theatre and Village East by Angelika and continues online through November 26 with films available to viewers across the U.S.
The Short Lists sections showcase a selection of nonfiction features and shorts that the festival’s programming team considers to be among the year’s strongest contenders for Oscars and other awards. The Winner’s Circle are films already feted at major international film events while Come As You Are section highlights films about people striving to find their place in the world, or in their communities.
Short List: Features
20 Days In Mariupol
Director: Mstyslav Chernov
Producers: Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath, Derl McCrudden
An AP team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the...
The Short Lists sections showcase a selection of nonfiction features and shorts that the festival’s programming team considers to be among the year’s strongest contenders for Oscars and other awards. The Winner’s Circle are films already feted at major international film events while Come As You Are section highlights films about people striving to find their place in the world, or in their communities.
Short List: Features
20 Days In Mariupol
Director: Mstyslav Chernov
Producers: Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath, Derl McCrudden
An AP team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the...
- 10/18/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS’ “20 Days in Mariupol,” IFC’s “The Disappearance of Shere Hite” and MTV’s “The Eternal Memory” are among Doc NYC’s 14th edition featuring 114 features and 129 short films.
The shortlist for Doc NYC, the largest documentary festival in the U.S., was launched in 2012 and has become a key indicator and predictor for the Academy Awards’ best documentary feature category. Ten out of the last 11 winners for documentary feature were screened at the festival. In addition, 12 of the 15 shortlisted docs from 2022 were among its lineup.
Some other notable inclusions are Julie Cohen’s moving “Every Body” about the generation of intersex people living among us, Lisa Cortés’ “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” an intimate look at the queer rock ‘n’ roll legend, and Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony,” an emotional look into the life of singer Jon Batiste as he prepares for his performance at Carnegie Hall.
The festival runs from Nov.
The shortlist for Doc NYC, the largest documentary festival in the U.S., was launched in 2012 and has become a key indicator and predictor for the Academy Awards’ best documentary feature category. Ten out of the last 11 winners for documentary feature were screened at the festival. In addition, 12 of the 15 shortlisted docs from 2022 were among its lineup.
Some other notable inclusions are Julie Cohen’s moving “Every Body” about the generation of intersex people living among us, Lisa Cortés’ “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” an intimate look at the queer rock ‘n’ roll legend, and Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony,” an emotional look into the life of singer Jon Batiste as he prepares for his performance at Carnegie Hall.
The festival runs from Nov.
- 10/17/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Thirteen-year-old Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has revealed its influential 15-film Short List. The festival will run its main lineup of 114 features and 129 short films in-person November 8-16 in New York City’s IFC Center, Sva Theatre and Village East by Angelika and continue online until November 26 with films available to viewers across the U.S. All the films will have theatrical screenings at the festival, often with the directors in person.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC shortlist titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Shortlist. With the notable exception of Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for 11 years the festival has screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.” The festival has also screened 49 of the last 55 Oscar-nominated documentary features.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC shortlist titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Shortlist. With the notable exception of Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for 11 years the festival has screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.” The festival has also screened 49 of the last 55 Oscar-nominated documentary features.
- 10/17/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, on Tuesday announced its lineup in the short and feature categories, as well as for its Winner’s Circle category and its new section for 2023 titled Come As You Are.
All shortlisted films will have theatrical screenings at the festival. With Tuesday’s announcement, Doc NYC will present a total of 114 features and 129 short films in its 14th year, including 33 world premieres and 29 U.S. premieres.
The festival will run this year Nov. 8-16 at IFC Center, Sva Theatre and Village East Angelika in New York, and will run online through Nov. 26.
The festival’s new Come As You Are section features films about “people striving to find their place in the world, or in their communities,” according to the festival. The Doc NYC Short List for documentary features was launched in 2012. For 10 of the last 11 years, the festival has screened doc features...
All shortlisted films will have theatrical screenings at the festival. With Tuesday’s announcement, Doc NYC will present a total of 114 features and 129 short films in its 14th year, including 33 world premieres and 29 U.S. premieres.
The festival will run this year Nov. 8-16 at IFC Center, Sva Theatre and Village East Angelika in New York, and will run online through Nov. 26.
The festival’s new Come As You Are section features films about “people striving to find their place in the world, or in their communities,” according to the festival. The Doc NYC Short List for documentary features was launched in 2012. For 10 of the last 11 years, the festival has screened doc features...
- 10/17/2023
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"This is going to lead to real changes in sex between men and women." "Is there any danger in that...?" Yes indeed there is... IFC Films has revealed the first official trailer for an outstanding documentary film called The Disappearance of Shere Hite, from the award-winning doc filmmaker Nicole Newnham. This first premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it was one of my favorite discoveries of the fest. A thrilling portrait of groundbreaking sex researcher Shere Hite, her explosive rise to fame and notoriety, and her mysterious retreat from the public eye. It is executive produced by Dakota Johnson, who also stars as the voice of Shere in the film. Her findings in her infamous 1976 book rocked the American establishment & presaged current conversations about gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy. So how did Shere Hite disappear? Digging into exclusive archives, as well as Hite’s personal journals and the original survey responses,...
- 10/17/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’ Trailer: Dakota Johnson Narrates an Elusive Sex Reseacher’s Legacy
After publishing “The Hite Report” in 1976, sex researcher Shere Hite all but vanished from the public eye. Now, thanks to documentarian Nicole Newnham and narrator/executive producer Dakota Johnson, Hite’s legacy is on full display.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” which premiered at Sundance 2023, is written and directed by Oscar-nominated “Crip Cramp” filmmaker Newnham.
The bestselling 1976 book “The Hite Report” liberated the female orgasm by revealing the private experiences of 3,000 anonymous survey respondents. Shere Hite’s findings rocked the establishment, presaged current conversations about gender and sexuality, and made her a target of the patriarchy. Actress Johnson narrates the documentary, which charts Hite’s explosive rise to fame and then mysterious retreat, executive produces through her TeaTime Pictures banner. The film was also just nominated for three Critics Choice Documentary Awards: Best Archival Documentary, Best Biographical Documentary, and Best Narration.
As Hite herself says in the trailer, “Equality isn’t so dangerous to me.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” which premiered at Sundance 2023, is written and directed by Oscar-nominated “Crip Cramp” filmmaker Newnham.
The bestselling 1976 book “The Hite Report” liberated the female orgasm by revealing the private experiences of 3,000 anonymous survey respondents. Shere Hite’s findings rocked the establishment, presaged current conversations about gender and sexuality, and made her a target of the patriarchy. Actress Johnson narrates the documentary, which charts Hite’s explosive rise to fame and then mysterious retreat, executive produces through her TeaTime Pictures banner. The film was also just nominated for three Critics Choice Documentary Awards: Best Archival Documentary, Best Biographical Documentary, and Best Narration.
As Hite herself says in the trailer, “Equality isn’t so dangerous to me.
- 10/17/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Jon Batiste in ‘American Symphony’
American Symphony earned six nominations, topping the list of 2023 Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda) nominees. American Symphony, which focuses on Jon Batiste and his wife, Suleika Jaouad, picked up nominations in categories including Best Documentary Feature, Best Director (Matthew Heineman), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score (Jon Batiste), and Best Music Documentary.
Three documentaries – 20 Days in Mariupol, Kokomo City, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – followed with five nominations each. Documentarian Ross McElwee has been chosen to receive The Pennebaker Award (the Ccda’s lifetime achievement honor).
Winners will be announced during the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards to be held at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan on Sunday, November 12, 2023. Actor and standup comedian Wyatt Cenac (Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas) will host the awards for the second consecutive year.
The Ccda will live-stream on Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter...
American Symphony earned six nominations, topping the list of 2023 Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda) nominees. American Symphony, which focuses on Jon Batiste and his wife, Suleika Jaouad, picked up nominations in categories including Best Documentary Feature, Best Director (Matthew Heineman), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score (Jon Batiste), and Best Music Documentary.
Three documentaries – 20 Days in Mariupol, Kokomo City, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – followed with five nominations each. Documentarian Ross McElwee has been chosen to receive The Pennebaker Award (the Ccda’s lifetime achievement honor).
Winners will be announced during the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards to be held at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan on Sunday, November 12, 2023. Actor and standup comedian Wyatt Cenac (Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas) will host the awards for the second consecutive year.
The Ccda will live-stream on Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter...
- 10/16/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The eighth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations are often an early bellwether for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar race, mainly because they signal to Oscar voters many of the key films they should not miss. Last year’s winner, “Good Night Oppy,” did not make it to the documentary Oscar shortlist, but the year before, “Summer of Soul” went on to win the Oscar.
This year’s nominations were led by fall festival favorite “American Symphony,” Matthew Heineman’s moving portrait of musician Jon Batiste as he juggles work demands and his wife’s recurring leukemia, with six nods. It was followed by Mstyslav Chernov’s Ukraine international Oscar submission “20 Days in Mariupol,” D. Smith’s black-and-white portrait of Black trans sex workers “Kokomo City,” and Davis Guggenheim’s editing feat “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” with five each.
The gala to honor the winners, hosted by comedian Wyatt Cenac,...
This year’s nominations were led by fall festival favorite “American Symphony,” Matthew Heineman’s moving portrait of musician Jon Batiste as he juggles work demands and his wife’s recurring leukemia, with six nods. It was followed by Mstyslav Chernov’s Ukraine international Oscar submission “20 Days in Mariupol,” D. Smith’s black-and-white portrait of Black trans sex workers “Kokomo City,” and Davis Guggenheim’s editing feat “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” with five each.
The gala to honor the winners, hosted by comedian Wyatt Cenac,...
- 10/16/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam is beginning to fill out its lineup leading up to IDFA’s 36th edition next month. The largest all-documentary festival in the world today announced selections for the Competition for Short Documentary and the IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary, along with the films selected for the Best of Fests section and the “Signed” section, a new addition to the IDFA program.
One hundred films so far have now announced as part of the 2023 festival, which runs from Nov. 8-19 in the Dutch capital. “In addition, IDFA Forum, the festival’s iconic co-production and co-financing market has expanded to a total of 64 projects, including seven by Ukrainian filmmakers,” the festival announced. Full details on all the announced films are below.
The newly created “Signed” section is described as inviting audiences “to discover the new cinematic adventures of the most interesting contemporary filmmakers. The first selection...
One hundred films so far have now announced as part of the 2023 festival, which runs from Nov. 8-19 in the Dutch capital. “In addition, IDFA Forum, the festival’s iconic co-production and co-financing market has expanded to a total of 64 projects, including seven by Ukrainian filmmakers,” the festival announced. Full details on all the announced films are below.
The newly created “Signed” section is described as inviting audiences “to discover the new cinematic adventures of the most interesting contemporary filmmakers. The first selection...
- 10/5/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The Virginia Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 36th year, which will take place in Charlottesville from Oct. 25-29. Netflix’s Maestro — written, produced and directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as legendary composer Leonard Bernstein — will be the festival’s opening night film. Makeup effects artist Kazu Hiro, a two-time Academy Award winner for Bombshell and Darkest Hour, will receive the Vaff Craft Award at the screening.
The festival’s centerpiece film will be Focus Features’ The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sessa. Giamatti stars as a curmudgeonly teacher at a New England prep school who forms an unexpected bond with one of his unruly students (Sessa) during Christmas break. The film’s Academy Award-winning producer Mark Johnson (Rain Man), also the Vaff’s advisory board chair, will appear for a post-screening discussion.
Netflix’s American Symphony,...
The festival’s centerpiece film will be Focus Features’ The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sessa. Giamatti stars as a curmudgeonly teacher at a New England prep school who forms an unexpected bond with one of his unruly students (Sessa) during Christmas break. The film’s Academy Award-winning producer Mark Johnson (Rain Man), also the Vaff’s advisory board chair, will appear for a post-screening discussion.
Netflix’s American Symphony,...
- 9/26/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated with the addition of The Holly and American Symphony to the FallDocs lineup.
The Holly, Julian Rubinstein’s documentary about conflict over a gentrifying neighborhood near Denver, and Matthew Heineman’s film American Symphony, about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste, have been added to the IDA’s FallDocs screening series.
American Symphony will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Culver Theater in Los Angeles, followed by a live Q&a with Heineman.
The Holly will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Culver Theater, followed by a live Q&a with Rubinstein, main participant Terrance Roberts, and Aqeela Sherrills, anti-violence activist and co-founder of Community Based Public Safety Collective.
Earlier: Exclusive: The International Documentary Association announced the lineup for its prestigious FallDocs 2023 program, featuring a slew of Oscar contending nonfiction films as well as more than two dozen films that haven’t yet nailed down distribution.
The Holly, Julian Rubinstein’s documentary about conflict over a gentrifying neighborhood near Denver, and Matthew Heineman’s film American Symphony, about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste, have been added to the IDA’s FallDocs screening series.
American Symphony will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Culver Theater in Los Angeles, followed by a live Q&a with Heineman.
The Holly will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Culver Theater, followed by a live Q&a with Rubinstein, main participant Terrance Roberts, and Aqeela Sherrills, anti-violence activist and co-founder of Community Based Public Safety Collective.
Earlier: Exclusive: The International Documentary Association announced the lineup for its prestigious FallDocs 2023 program, featuring a slew of Oscar contending nonfiction films as well as more than two dozen films that haven’t yet nailed down distribution.
- 8/31/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
In The Art of Documentary, host and Oscar-nominee Jim LeBrecht takes listeners — and potential documentarians — on a journey with six filmmakers, who reveal not just what drew them to the medium but how they’re helping to reshape it.
The executive producer and sound engineer, best known for co-directing the Oscar-nominated disability rights doc Crip Camp with Nicole Newnham, kicks off each of the six episodes of the Film Academy original podcast by asking his guests about the incident that lit their fuse as documentarians. In the conversations that ensue, the filmmakers — Danny Cohen (Anonymous Club), Bing Liu (All These Sons), Chase Joynt and Aisling Chin-Yee (No Ordindary Man), Kirsten Johnson (Cameraperson), Garrett Bradley (Time) and Roger Ross Williams (Life, Animated) —unpack how their unique perspectives and identities shape their creative narratives and careers.
The discussions yield insights into how far documentary has come from its often exploitative cinéma vérité roots.
The executive producer and sound engineer, best known for co-directing the Oscar-nominated disability rights doc Crip Camp with Nicole Newnham, kicks off each of the six episodes of the Film Academy original podcast by asking his guests about the incident that lit their fuse as documentarians. In the conversations that ensue, the filmmakers — Danny Cohen (Anonymous Club), Bing Liu (All These Sons), Chase Joynt and Aisling Chin-Yee (No Ordindary Man), Kirsten Johnson (Cameraperson), Garrett Bradley (Time) and Roger Ross Williams (Life, Animated) —unpack how their unique perspectives and identities shape their creative narratives and careers.
The discussions yield insights into how far documentary has come from its often exploitative cinéma vérité roots.
- 7/6/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In early summer, the still-slim Oscar conversation around documentary contenders got an unexpected bump: from an Emmy contender.
When the team behind AppleTV+’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” realized that the field of Oscar contenders was thinner than usual, the Davis Guggenheim-directed doc entered the fray. Right now, the film about the hugely popular TV and film star fighting off the vicissitudes of Parkinson’s and reflecting on his past looks good not only for an Emmy nomination, but Oscar rules make it possible to double dip and also pick up an Oscar nod.
But it doesn’t work the other way. Only if a movie does not land an Oscar nomination can it then submit for the Emmy race, as Brett Morgen’s “Jane” did in 2017. But given the weak Oscar competition this year, “Still,” with superb reviews for its innovative filmmaking — which elevates it beyond...
When the team behind AppleTV+’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” realized that the field of Oscar contenders was thinner than usual, the Davis Guggenheim-directed doc entered the fray. Right now, the film about the hugely popular TV and film star fighting off the vicissitudes of Parkinson’s and reflecting on his past looks good not only for an Emmy nomination, but Oscar rules make it possible to double dip and also pick up an Oscar nod.
But it doesn’t work the other way. Only if a movie does not land an Oscar nomination can it then submit for the Emmy race, as Brett Morgen’s “Jane” did in 2017. But given the weak Oscar competition this year, “Still,” with superb reviews for its innovative filmmaking — which elevates it beyond...
- 6/14/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ventured into the realm of audio storytelling with “The Art of Documentary,” a six-episode podcast hosted by Jim LeBrecht, who co-directed and co-produced Crip Camp with Nicole Newnham. Each episode will feature LeBrecht engaging in a discussion with a different documentarian about their individual experiences while crafting their films. “I was approached by Randy Haberkamp and Dina Michelle at the Academy if I’d be interested in hosting and developing this podcast,” LeBrecht told Filmmaker. “To be honest, I was honored. I’ve been an Academy member for a few years but my […]
The post The Academy Releases “The Art of Documentary” Podcast Hosted by Crip Camp Co-Director Jim LeBrecht first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post The Academy Releases “The Art of Documentary” Podcast Hosted by Crip Camp Co-Director Jim LeBrecht first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/17/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ventured into the realm of audio storytelling with “The Art of Documentary,” a six-episode podcast hosted by Jim LeBrecht, who co-directed and co-produced Crip Camp with Nicole Newnham. Each episode will feature LeBrecht engaging in a discussion with a different documentarian about their individual experiences while crafting their films. “I was approached by Randy Haberkamp and Dina Michelle at the Academy if I’d be interested in hosting and developing this podcast,” LeBrecht told Filmmaker. “To be honest, I was honored. I’ve been an Academy member for a few years but my […]
The post The Academy Releases “The Art of Documentary” Podcast Hosted by Crip Camp Co-Director Jim LeBrecht first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post The Academy Releases “The Art of Documentary” Podcast Hosted by Crip Camp Co-Director Jim LeBrecht first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/17/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched an Academy Originals podcast, “The Art of Documentary.”
The new podcast is hosted by Oscar-nominee and “Crip Camp” documentarian Jim LeBrecht. The six-episode season will include LeBrecht sitting down with documentary filmmakers, as they reveal to the host and the audience their filmmaking processes.
“The Art of Documentary,” will chronicle “how a filmmaker approaches their subject and how they engage with it,” according to the press release. The podcast will highlight how the various documentarians work to find new filmmaking approaches, all in an effort to tell their stories in innovative ways. LeBrecht and guests will discuss how they achieve special access and how far they’ll go to get their story — even if that means taking dangerous risks.
The first episode features an interview with “Anonymous Club” documentarian Danny Cohen. The remaining five episodes will include interviews with filmmakers including Bing Liu,...
The new podcast is hosted by Oscar-nominee and “Crip Camp” documentarian Jim LeBrecht. The six-episode season will include LeBrecht sitting down with documentary filmmakers, as they reveal to the host and the audience their filmmaking processes.
“The Art of Documentary,” will chronicle “how a filmmaker approaches their subject and how they engage with it,” according to the press release. The podcast will highlight how the various documentarians work to find new filmmaking approaches, all in an effort to tell their stories in innovative ways. LeBrecht and guests will discuss how they achieve special access and how far they’ll go to get their story — even if that means taking dangerous risks.
The first episode features an interview with “Anonymous Club” documentarian Danny Cohen. The remaining five episodes will include interviews with filmmakers including Bing Liu,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar nominated director Nicole Newnham (“Crip Camp”) was at Hot Docs with her latest film “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” a portrait of a feminist pioneer. The helmer was also in Toronto to participate in a Hot Docs Industry storytelling masterclass. During the hour-long talk Newnham revealed how she tackles three of the trickiest aspects of documentary filmmaking.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite”
How to make a subject feel comfortable:
“Geeky curiosity is my authentic M.O. and that also is disarming to people. It puts them at ease. If you genuinely are fascinated by (a subject) and you aren’t after a soundbite, but just exploring, people realize that about you. I will say that in terms of embarking on complicated, long, multi-year documentaries with people, that’s a little different. In that case, I will usually try to get to know the person pretty well before filming or interviewing starts.
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite”
How to make a subject feel comfortable:
“Geeky curiosity is my authentic M.O. and that also is disarming to people. It puts them at ease. If you genuinely are fascinated by (a subject) and you aren’t after a soundbite, but just exploring, people realize that about you. I will say that in terms of embarking on complicated, long, multi-year documentaries with people, that’s a little different. In that case, I will usually try to get to know the person pretty well before filming or interviewing starts.
- 5/7/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix executive Lisa Nishimura backed some of the streamer’s biggest successes – Tiger King, The Tinder Swindler, The Power of the Dog, Making a Murderer, and American Factory – but in an era of corporate cost-cutting, it wasn’t enough to save her job.
Related Story Netflix Vets Lisa Nishimura & Ian Bricke Depart In Film Group Reorg Related Story Omar Epps Boards Netflix's Limited Series 'The Perfect Couple' Related Story IFC Center's John Vanco Joins Netflix To Oversee Programming For Streamer's Theaters
Her imminent departure as VP of independent film and documentary features, after a 16-year stint at Netflix, has come as a particular shock to the nonfiction film community, which saw her build Netflix into a dominant force in documentary and become, in the process, one of Netflix’s most visible execs.
(L-r) Lisa Nishimura, Taylor Swift and Ted Sarandos attend the Netflix 2019 Golden Globes After Party
“Lisa...
Related Story Netflix Vets Lisa Nishimura & Ian Bricke Depart In Film Group Reorg Related Story Omar Epps Boards Netflix's Limited Series 'The Perfect Couple' Related Story IFC Center's John Vanco Joins Netflix To Oversee Programming For Streamer's Theaters
Her imminent departure as VP of independent film and documentary features, after a 16-year stint at Netflix, has come as a particular shock to the nonfiction film community, which saw her build Netflix into a dominant force in documentary and become, in the process, one of Netflix’s most visible execs.
(L-r) Lisa Nishimura, Taylor Swift and Ted Sarandos attend the Netflix 2019 Golden Globes After Party
“Lisa...
- 3/31/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
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