Young Men and Fire[/caption]
The award-winning PBS series Independent Lens opens its new season on Monday, October 29 with Young Men and Fire, a richly personal look at the lives of a western firefighting crew during one challenging season. Also on the fall schedule is Dawnland, which explores the devastating impact of the forced removal of Native American children from their families; The Judge, a look at the first woman appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts; The Cleaners, an eye-opening investigation into how Silicon Valley monitors online content; and Man on Fire, the story of an elderly Texas minister driven to a shocking act of protest.
Highlights of the soon-to-be-announced Winter/Spring 2019 season include two of the most acclaimed documentaries of this summer: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s moving portrait of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers, and Eugene Jarecki’s unique meditation on Elvis and America, The King. Also premiering in 2019 is RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World (January 28), a celebration of the Native American musicians who transformed blues, jazz and rock.
“Documentary film is soaring right now because it’s doing the deep work of telling stories about ordinary and extraordinary people from across the country—all kinds of people who hold different beliefs,” said Lois Vossen, Executive Producer of Independent Lens. “The news has become divisive, and we’re not the news. We’re newsworthy, character-driven stories. And because we’re public media we have exceptional reach with 394 stations across the United States — that gives us the ability to be both local and national every time we work with a film.”
Independent Lens will also present a new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, a national series of free public events that bring community leaders, local residents and organizations together for discussions and screenings. Selections this year include Dawnland, RUMBLE, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?; additional titles to be announced.
The Fall broadcast schedule follows; additional Winter/Spring titles and broadcast dates will be announced late fall.
Young Men and Fire by Kahlil Hudson and Alex Jablonski (Monday, October 29, 10-11 pm ET)
Forest and wildland fires are growing larger, more frequent, and deadlier every year, threatening millions of acres and thousands of lives. Meet a firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, love and defeat over the course of a single wildfire season. What emerges is a quietly powerful story of a small group of men – their exterior world, their interior lives, and the fire that lies between.
Dawnland by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip (Monday, November 5, 10-11 pm ET)
Follow the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission in the U.S., which investigates the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the U.S.
The Judge by Erika Cohn (Monday, November 12, 10:30 pm- 12 am ET)
When Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench, he laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts. The Judge offers a unique portrait of Kholoud’s brave journey and her tireless fight for justice for women while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a.
The Cleaners by Moritz Riesewieck and Hans Block (Monday, November 19, 10-11:30 pm ET)
Meet some of the people hired by Silicon Valley leaders like Facebook and Google to do “digital cleaning.” Mostly located in the Philippines, these “content moderators” delete “inappropriate” content on the net, thereby influencing what people around the world see and think. The film charts social media’s evolution from a shared vision of a global village to a dangerous web of fake news, extremism and radicalization.
Man on Fire by Joel Fendelman (Monday, December 17, 10-11 pm ET)
On June 23, 2014, a 79-year-old white Methodist minister named Charles Moore drove to an empty parking lot in his old home town of Grand Saline, Texas, and set himself on fire. He left a note explaining that his act was his final protest against the virulent racism of the community and his country at large. Man on Fire goes back to Grand Saline — population 3,266 — to try to uncover the truth about the town’s ugly past and the fervor for God and justice that drove Moore to his shocking final act.
RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World by Catherine Bainbridge (Monday, January 28)
The acclaimed documentary explores how Native American musicians transformed American blues, jazz and rock — despite frequent attempts to ban, censor, and erase Indian culture. This eye-opening musical celebration features Robbie Robertson, Taj Mahal, George Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Slash, Jackson Browne, Taboo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Steve Van Zandt, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler, and many more.Documentary
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PBS’ Independent Lens Fall Season to Open with YOUNG MEN AND FIRE
[caption id="attachment_30940" align="aligncenter" width="1205"] Young Men and Fire[/caption]
The award-winning PBS series Independent Lens opens its new season on Monday, October 29 with Young Men and Fire, a richly personal look at the lives of a western firefighting crew during one challenging season. Also on the fall schedule is Dawnland, which explores the devastating impact of the forced removal of Native American children from their families; The Judge, a look at the first woman appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts; The Cleaners, an eye-opening investigation into how Silicon Valley monitors online content; and Man on Fire, the story of an elderly Texas minister driven to a shocking act of protest.
Highlights of the soon-to-be-announced Winter/Spring 2019 season include two of the most acclaimed documentaries of this summer: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s moving portrait of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers, and Eugene Jarecki’s unique meditation on Elvis and America, The King. Also premiering in 2019 is RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World (January 28), a celebration of the Native American musicians who transformed blues, jazz and rock.
“Documentary film is soaring right now because it’s doing the deep work of telling stories about ordinary and extraordinary people from across the country—all kinds of people who hold different beliefs,” said Lois Vossen, Executive Producer of Independent Lens. “The news has become divisive, and we’re not the news. We’re newsworthy, character-driven stories. And because we’re public media we have exceptional reach with 394 stations across the United States — that gives us the ability to be both local and national every time we work with a film.”
Independent Lens will also present a new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, a national series of free public events that bring community leaders, local residents and organizations together for discussions and screenings. Selections this year include Dawnland, RUMBLE, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?; additional titles to be announced.
The Fall broadcast schedule follows; additional Winter/Spring titles and broadcast dates will be announced late fall.
Young Men and Fire by Kahlil Hudson and Alex Jablonski (Monday, October 29, 10-11 pm ET)
Forest and wildland fires are growing larger, more frequent, and deadlier every year, threatening millions of acres and thousands of lives. Meet a firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, love and defeat over the course of a single wildfire season. What emerges is a quietly powerful story of a small group of men – their exterior world, their interior lives, and the fire that lies between.
Dawnland by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip (Monday, November 5, 10-11 pm ET)
Follow the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission in the U.S., which investigates the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the U.S.
The Judge by Erika Cohn (Monday, November 12, 10:30 pm- 12 am ET)
When Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench, he laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts. The Judge offers a unique portrait of Kholoud’s brave journey and her tireless fight for justice for women while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a.
The Cleaners by Moritz Riesewieck and Hans Block (Monday, November 19, 10-11:30 pm ET)
Meet some of the people hired by Silicon Valley leaders like Facebook and Google to do “digital cleaning.” Mostly located in the Philippines, these “content moderators” delete “inappropriate” content on the net, thereby influencing what people around the world see and think. The film charts social media’s evolution from a shared vision of a global village to a dangerous web of fake news, extremism and radicalization.
Man on Fire by Joel Fendelman (Monday, December 17, 10-11 pm ET)
On June 23, 2014, a 79-year-old white Methodist minister named Charles Moore drove to an empty parking lot in his old home town of Grand Saline, Texas, and set himself on fire. He left a note explaining that his act was his final protest against the virulent racism of the community and his country at large. Man on Fire goes back to Grand Saline — population 3,266 — to try to uncover the truth about the town’s ugly past and the fervor for God and justice that drove Moore to his shocking final act.
RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World by Catherine Bainbridge (Monday, January 28)
The acclaimed documentary explores how Native American musicians transformed American blues, jazz and rock — despite frequent attempts to ban, censor, and erase Indian culture. This eye-opening musical celebration features Robbie Robertson, Taj Mahal, George Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Slash, Jackson Browne, Taboo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Steve Van Zandt, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler, and many more.
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LYNYRD SKYNYRD: IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW Documentary To Premiere on Showtime [Trailer]
The documentary Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow, directed by Stephen Kijak takes viewers on a trip through the history, myth and legend of one of the most iconic American rock bands. Featuring Rare And Never-Before-Seen Interviews With Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson, Bob Burns, Billy Powell, Ed King, Artimus Pyle And Steve Gaines, the documentary will premiere on Saturday, August 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
ising from the swamps of the Deep South, these good ol’ boys from Jacksonville, Florida came to define an era with their hard-rocking boogie-woogie sound, soulful lyrics, drunken and dangerous antics and their controversial use of the rebel flag. The film also serves as a portrait of late band leader Ronnie Van Zant whose life was cut tragically short, but whose legacy endures to this day in songs like the “Simple Man,” “Country Boy,” and “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller.”
The film is primarily narrated by Gary Rossington, the last of the Street Survivors and founding member along with Van Zant and Allen “Freebird” Collins. Rossington remains the only original member still in the band today. His recollections, from the beginning to the very end, mingle with the tales of drummer Artimus Pyle and “Sweet Home Alabama” co-writer Ed King, interviews with the late drummer Bob Burns, “Honkette” JoJo Billingsley, producer Al Kooper, and recently discovered radio interviews with the late founding members, Leon “Mad Hatter” Wilkeson, Collins and Van Zant. Capturing the band through their own words, stories and memories, Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow vividly explores the makings of this quintessential Southern rock band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loo320c79aI
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Jonathan Berman’s Documentary CALLING ALL EARTHLINGS Explores One of the First UFO Cults [Trailer]
Calling All Earthlings, a documentary by Jonathan Berman, explores one of the first UFO cults, led by George Van Tassel, a one-time Howard Hughes confidante. Van Tassel combines alien technology with Tesla science to build a rejuvenation machine and mid-century dome called The Integratron. Van Tassel claimed to have combined extraterrestrial guidance with the work of inventor/physicist Nikola Tesla and other alternative scientists, to build an electromagnetic time machine he dubbed “The Integratron.” Was he deluded? Or could the dome actually break through the boundaries of space, time, and energy? FBI agents try to halt the growing army of outliers who gather in the desert to create a threatening reality on the edge of the midcentury American Dream. An empathetic enquiry into an archetypical countercultural movement, the story is told by relatives, neighbors, skeptics, believers, scientists, healers, artists, and historians, including Dr. Kevin Starr, the preeminent historian of California; Eric Burdon, musician and area resident, and futurists JJ and Desiree Hurtak.
Jonathan Berman’s documentaries explore third places, those beyond home or work. Previous work includes The Shvitz (The Steambath) and Commune.
Calling All Earthlings will open in New York at Maysles Cinema on August 1 and available on VOD on August 28.
Calling All Earthlings is the true story of Howard Hughes, the Postwar avant-garde, and a mad genius named George who took off from the California desert in a flying saucer.
In 1947, George Van Tassel, a Hughes employee and confidante, suddenly quits working for his mentor and ditches the straight life, moving deep into the Mojave Desert where he and his family sleep under a rock. He leaves behind a tattered Los Angeles in the grips of postwar paranoia, opting for the quietude of the Joshua Tree area. It is during an August 1953 full moon that Van Tassel has an encounter with extraterrestrials, who give him the information to build a rejuvenation machine he dubs “The Integratron.”
Van Tassel believes he has been chosen by these extraterrestrial visitors, led by Solganda (who “speaks” to him with a voice not unlike that of actor Ronald Coleman) to build a massive experimental dome that will open a hole in time and space. The groovy iconoclast and charismatic leader’s received blueprints from Solganda are soon combined with the work of Nikolai Tesla and other alternative scientists.
Long before the ‘X-Files,’ and the internet, it was the threat of nuclear bombs and stifling social conformity that drew artists, inventors, eccentrics and postwar seekers to the desert to experiment with alternate lifestyles and futures. They join other do-it-yourself inhabitants of the “jack-rabbit shacks,” the five acres that the government gave to citizens through the Small Tract Act of 1938.
Van Tassel, a pilot and self-taught inventor, becomes a local, and lands as one of the first gurus of alien contact culture. Using ‘outsider science” and rugged charm, Van Tassel pursues his dream of combining science and spirit to create a new utopia. The Integratron would not only solve the issue of aging and the attendant loss of seasoned wisdom but would also act as a source of unlimited power for the planet
In the 1950’s, George Van Tassel devises the Interplanetary Spacecraft Conventions as a way to fund the dome and bring attention to his transformative and rabidly anti-militaristic stance. Is he crazy or could The Integratron really work?
Rich Los Angeles playboys help fund the work (seeking rejuvenation, of course) and they fly into his airfield nearby, including his old boss, one Mr. Howard Robard Hughes. Beyond any vanities, Hughes’ concern for contamination bonds him to the anti-nuclear Van Tassel and he adds money to the project.
With his can-do neighbors, including an early disciple of Yogananda, Van Tassel actually builds his dome and prepares to turn it on. People flock to the desert to join in what quickly becomes an alien-guided, peace-loving, revolutionary movement. Questionable science, secret agents, and an army of eccentrics collide on the edge of the American Dream to try to further – or halt – this new reality.
It looks promising but there is a hiccup: the Integratron stands on the border of one of the largest military bases in the world, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, commonly known as Twentynine Palms. It is balanced by its other neighbor, an enigmatic boulder, Giant Rock, that was once revered by American Indians and has had its own embattled history.
Meanwhile, the dome’s workings are mysterious – some of the electro-magnetic processes actually bear merit, however they must be “phased” by the Venusians, as one subject suggests: “otherwise Southern California could be blown off the map.” Nearing completion, Van Tassel’s tale and the Integratron meets an unexpected, twisted end.
The magical ‘workings’ of the dome emerge in an unexpected way: for some participants in the film it is a simple opportunity for friendship and mentorship, for another it’s a global plan to colonize space, for others it’s a site-specific zone for art and culture. ‘Calling All Earthlings’ tells the story through their eyes –the current and past residents of the Joshua Tree area — including singer Eric Burdon, medicine woman Valerie Brightheart, Ernest Siva, historian and elder of the Morongo Indians, L.A. Free Press publisher Art Kunkin, and the current “Stewards of the Dome, the Karl sisters, who now own the property. Rounding out the story are esteemed California historian Dr. Kevin Starr, skeptical astronomer Bob Berman, and legendary “Stargate” participant Dr. J.J. Hurtak.
Featuring a celestial score by Knitting Factory stalwart Elliott Sharp, desert ambient wizard Clive Wright, and other co-conspirators including the legendary Harmonia and Queens of the Stone Age’s Dave Catching, the project is an enigmatic look at the boundary-breaking culture of Joshua Tree and its eccentric residents, still waiting for their spaceship.
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Watch Trailer + Poster for A WHALE OF A TALE on Controversial Debate over Whale and Dolphin Hunting Traditions
The new trailer and poster dropped today for the documentary A Whale of a Tale from director/producer Megumi Sasaki of Herb & Dorothy. Following THE COVE documentary, A Whale of a Tale reveals the complex story behind the ongoing debate – can a proud 400-year-old whaling tradition survive a tsunami of modern animal-rights activism and colliding forces of globalism vs. localism? The film will open theatrically in New York on Friday, August 17 (The Quad) and Los Angeles on Friday, August 24 (Laemmle Music Hall) with a nationwide release to follow.
In 2010, Taiji, a sleepy fishing town in Japan, suddenly found itself in the worldwide media spotlight. THE COVE, a documentary denouncing the town’s longstanding whale and dolphin hunting traditions, won an Academy Award and almost overnight, Taiji became the go-to destination and battleground for activists from around the world.
Told through a wide range of characters including local fishermen, international activists and anAmerican journalist (and long time Japanese resident), this powerful documentary unearths a deep divide in eastern and western thought about nature and wildlife and cultural sensitivity in the face of global activism.
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Watch Movie Maverick Larry Cohen Discuss Special Effects in “Q : The Winged Serpent” in Clip from KING COHEN [Video]
A brand-new video clip debuted today from the highly anticipated King Cohen, the story of Movie Maverick Larry Cohen, before its release July 20. In this fun new clip, Cohen, as well as Joe Dante (“Gremlins”) and Michael Moriarty (“The Stuff”), discuss the filmmaker’s use of special effects in the 1982 classic “Q : The Winged Serpent”.
The highly anticipated King Cohen, the true story of writer, producer, director, creator and all-around maverick, Larry Cohen, will receive a full theatrical run across the U.S beginning July 20 in L.A (with other cities in the weeks to follow), courtesy Dark Star Pictures.
Cohen, best known for resourceful low-budget horror and thriller films that combine social commentary with prerequisite scares and welcome humor, is responsible for celluloid classics including Black Caesar, It’s Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent, and The Stuff. He was also a major player in the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, as well as a prominent Hollywood screenwriter (Phone Booth).
The acclaimed film features interviews with such industry luminaries as Martin Scorsese, J.J Abrams, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, John Landis, Fred Williamson as well as Cohen himself. Cohen’s remarkable one-of-a-kind career, from 60’s TV series creator (Branded, The Invaders), to 70’s and 80’s independent film icon and beyond, is chronicled with freewheeling and insightful verve.
Winner of the 2017 Fantasia Fest Best Documentary Feature Audience Award, King Cohen hails from Rondo Award-winning writer/director Steve Mitchell, whose film and television credits include co-writing the beloved cult horror/comedy Chopping Mall. King Cohen is a La-La Land Entertainment production, in association with Big And Tall Pictures and Off The Cliff Productions. It is directed and produced by Steve Mitchell and produced by Matt Verboys and Dan McKeon.
King Cohen begins its theatrical run July 20 in LA, with other cities to follow.
Synopsis: Buckle up for King Cohen, the true story of writer, producer, director, creator and all-around maverick, Larry Cohen. Told through compelling live interviews, stills and film/TV clips, the people who helped fulfill his vision, and industry icons such as Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams, John Landis, Michael Moriarty, Fred Williamson, Yaphet Kotto and many more, including Larry himself, bring one-of-a-kind insight into the work, process and legacy of a true American film auteur. Few can boast of a career as remarkable or prolific, spanning more than 50 years of entertaining audiences worldwide.
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Documentary 40 YEARS IN THE MAKING: THE MAGIC MUSIC MOVIE Opens in Theaters on August 3 [Trailer]
[caption id="attachment_30705" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie[/caption]
Magic Music is one of the most fondly remembered bands of the Boulder Revolution of the late 60s and early 70s. Living in a makeshift camp up in the mountains, they would delight local residents and university students with their original songs, acoustic instruments, and light harmonies; their growing popularity brought them to the brink of success more than once. Unfortunately, they never signed a record deal and eventually broke up in 1975.
40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie chronicles how one of their greatest fans, acclaimed director (and UC Boulder alumnus) Lee Aronsohn, tracked down the original band members four decades later to tell their story. More importantly, he makes a dream come true for himself, fellow fans, and the band, by bringing them all back to Boulder for a sold-out reunion concert that preserves their legacy for posterity.
40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie opens in theaters on August 3 with additional markets to follow. The Orchard will release the film digitally on September 4.
The film is written and directed by Emmy-nominated writer-producer Lee Aronsohn (Two and a Half Men, Big Bang Theory) and produced by Fleur Saville. Executive Producers are Aronsohn and Lisa Haisha and Producer is Jeff Jampol. Cinematography is by Dean Cornish with editing by Kyle Vorbach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N87NMTsr4So
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Documentary THE FUN’S NOT OVER on South African Musician James Phillips to Premiere at Durban International Film Festival
Durban filmmaker Michael Cross’ award-winning documentary film, “The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story” will have its local premiere at the Durban International Film Festival on Saturday July 21, 2018.
The film, which recently won the Audience Award when it premiered at this years 20th Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival, tells the story of the life and untimely death of James Phillips who died aged 36 in July 1995.
He was a composer, musician, bandleader and the voice and conscience of a generation of white South Africans. Cross’ film examines his extraordinary journey and his multiple musical incarnations.
Phillips’ Afrikaans alter ego Bernoldus Niemand’s 1983 single, “Hou My Vas Korporaal” (“Hold Me Tightly, Corporal”) became an anthem of the End Conscription Campaign and spawned “alternative” Afrikaans rock music and the Voëlvry movement.
In 1985, with his beloved Cherry Faced Lurchers, he recorded the gut-wrenching “Shot Down” that addressed both white privilege and the violence of the apartheid state.
James Phillips’ legacy is that of one of this country’s most aware, articulate and passionate artists. He was a genius, a satirist, a poet and probably one of the most accomplished songwriters that South Africa has ever produced.
“The Fun’s Not Over” tells James’ story in his own words and through the voices of journalists like Max du Preez, satirists Zapiro and Pieter Dirk Uys, his musical collaborators and label-mates like Koos Kombuis and Vusi Mahlasela, contemporary artists like Jack Parow and his friends and family.
[caption id="attachment_30690" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Filmmaker Michael Cross of “The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story”[/caption]
“The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story” will screen in competition, for Best South African Documentary Feature at the 39th Durban International Film Festival on Saturday July 21, 2018 at Musgrave 3 at 20:00 and Wednesday July 25, 2018 at Musgrave 3 at 18:00.
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RIP: Claude Lanzmann Director of Holocaust Documentary SHOAH Dead at 92
French film-maker and journalist Claude Lanzmann, best known for directing the Holocaust documentary Shoah, died today in Paris, he was 92.
His first documentary Pourquoi Israel? (Why Israel?) was released in 1973, and he began filming Shoah, a year later in 1974, conducting a series of filmed interview with death camp survivors all over the world. Lanzmann was reportedly attacked while attempting a covert interview, and was hospitalized for a month.
Over nine hours long and 11 years in the making, Shoah presents Lanzmann’s interviews with survivors, witnesses and perpetrators during visits to German Holocaust sites across Poland, including extermination camps.
Released in Paris in April 1985, Shoah won critical acclaim and many prestigous awards, including the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Non-Fiction Film in 1985, a special citation at the 1985 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, and the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary in 1986. That year it also won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Non-Fiction Film and Best Documentary at the International Documentary Association.
Lanzmann has released four feature-length films based on unused material shot for Shoah.
A Visitor from the Living (fr) (1997) about a Red Cross representative, Maurice Rossel, who in 1944 wrote a favourable report about the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Sobibor, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m. (2001) about Yehuda Lerner, who participated in an uprising against the camp guards and managed to escape.
The Karski Report (fr) (2010) about Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski’s visit to Franklin Roosevelt in 1943.
The Last of the Unjust (2013) about Benjamin Murmelstein, a controversial Jewish rabbi in the Theresienstadt ghetto during World War II.
Previously unseen Shoah outtakes have also been featured in Adam Benzine’s HBO documentary Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah (2015), which examines Lanzmann’s life during 1973–1985, the years he spent making Shoah.
Lanzmann’s final film, Napalm, which premiered at Cannes in 2017, drew on his earlier visits to North Korea as a young journalist, in which he revealed his brief affair with a North Korean nurse.
Claude Lanzmann received a Honorary Golden Bear at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival, and was made Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor on July 14, 2011.
Update: Berlinale issued a statement
French director and author Claude Lanzmann has passed away.
“Claude Lanzmann was one of the great documentarists. With his depictions of inhumanity and violence, of anti-Semitism and its consequences, he created a new kind of cinematic and ethical exploration. We mourn the loss of an important personality of the political-intellectual life of our time,” says Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick.
Claude Lanzmann’s film Shoah (1985) made cinematic history as an unparalleled masterpiece of commemorative culture. The nine-and-a-halfhour documentary on the genocide of European Jews was screened in the Berlinale Forum in 1986 and received numerous international awards.
Born in Paris in 1925 to Jewish parents, Claude Lanzmann fought in the Résistance, studied philosophy in France and Germany, and held a lectureship at the then newly founded Freie Universität Berlin in 1948/49. His exploration of the Shoah, anti-Semitism and political struggles for freedom infuse both his cinematic and journalistic work.
His first film was made in 1972, the documentary Pourquoi Israël (Israel, Why; France 1973), in which he illustrates the necessity of Israel’s founding from the Jewish perspective. In the film Tsahal, which screened in the 1995 Berlinale Forum, he focuses on women and men who serve in the Israeli Army. Sobibor, 14 octobre 1943, 16 heures (France 2001), about the 1943 revolt in the Sobibor extermination camp in Poland, was also screened in the Berlinale Forum, in 2002.
In 2013, the Berlinale honoured him with an Homage and awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIV7SYk9mWk
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Logo Unveils 2018 Documentary Slate – LIGHT IN THE WATER, WHEN THE BEAT DROPS and QUIET HEROES
[caption id="attachment_30605" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Light in the Water[/caption]
Logo Documentary Films today announced its 2018 slate which includes Light in the Water, When the Beat Drops and Quiet Heroes. The first film, Light in the Water, premiering Thursday, July 19th on Logo, details the humble beginnings of one of the first openly gay masters swim and water polo club in 1982. When the Beat Drops, premiering August 9th, follows a crew of gay African-American men as they pioneer the Southern-rooted underground dance scene known as “bucking.” The Sundance Film Festival favorite, Quiet Heroes, which tells the story of one female doctor fighting to save the denigrated and largely male AIDS population in the socially conservative Salt Lake City area, premieres August 23rd. Logo Documentary Films division recently received the 2018 Television Academy Honor for Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America as well as its third Daytime Emmy for KEVYN AUCOIN Beauty & The Beast in Me.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative for us to tell the stories of our community’s ability to triumph over adversity,” said Taj Paxton, VP of Logo Documentary Films. “These documentaries represent our bravery and our continued fight against stigma and the sting of hatred and intolerance.”
The 2018 slate includes:
LIGHT IN THE WATER / Premieres Thursday, July 19th at 8PM ET/PT on Logo
Light in the Water reveals the untold story of a group of gay men and women who found one another through their love of competitive swimming, ultimately becoming a family and a force for the LGBTQ sports movement.
The West Hollywood Aquatics Team were pioneers in gay sports, from registering as one of the first openly gay Masters swim teams in 1982, to pushing through the devastation of the AIDS crisis. This documentary reveals the inside story of a group of trailblazers who personified the change they wanted to see and created a legacy for equality in sports that lives on in the team today.
Light in The Water is produced by Patty Ivins Specht and Lis Bartlett and directed by Bartlett. Executive Producers from Logo Documentary Films are Pamela Post and Taj Paxton.
WHEN THE BEAT DROPS / Premieres Thursday, August 9th at 8PM ET/PT on Logo As Voguing exploded out of the ballroom scene of NYC, “bucking,” an electric and subversive underground dance scene, was boldly pioneered in the clubs of the Deep South as a new form of self-expression and education. Together with his crew of fellow gay African-American men, Anthony Davis, a heavy-set, Atlanta-born kid with a love of dance, helped grow bucking into a national movement, complete with fierce competitions. In the process, Davis created a haven for a generation of displaced black gay men. When the Beat Drops had its premiere at the 2018 Miami Film Festival where is won the “Knight Documentary Achievement Award” and recently received the “Outstanding Documentary Jury Award” at Frameline42: San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival. The film will also serve as the Documentary Centerpiece at Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles on July 19th. It is a World of Wonder (WOW) production and is the directorial debut of internationally acclaimed choreographer Jamal Sims, who brings a sensitive intimacy to the subject’s brilliant artistry and their inspiring lives. When the Beat Drops is produced by WOW’s Emmy Award-winning Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, along with Jordan Finnegan. Pamela Post and Taj Paxton serve as executive producers from Logo Documentary Films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc3292–FL4 QUIET HEROES / Premieres Thursday, August 23rd at 8PM ET/PT on Logo In Salt Lake City, Utah, the socially conservative religious monoculture complicated the AIDS crisis, where patients in the entire state and intermountain region relied on only one doctor, Dr. Kristen Ries. Quiet Heroes is the story of her fight – against stigma, shame and ignorance – to save a maligned population everyone else seemed willing to just let die. Quiet Heroes had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It is directed and produced by Jenny Mackenzie, Jared Ruga and Amanda Stoddard. Pamela Post and Taj Paxton serve as executive producers from Logo Documentary Films.
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Watch Official Trailer for Documentary Series AMERICA TO ME Set to Debut August 26 on Starz
The new unscripted 10-part documentary series “America To Me” which provides a first look into an academic year at Chicagoland’s elite Oak Park and River Forest High School, released the official trailer. The insightful documentary series created by Emmy Award(R)-winning and Oscar(R)-nominated filmmaker Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail) will premiere on Starz on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 9 PM ET/PT.
“America To Me” follows students, TEACHERS and administrators in suburban Chicago’s Oak Park and River Forest High School, one of the country’s highest performing and diverse public schools, over the course of a year, as they grapple with decades-long racial and educational inequities – in addition to the challenges that today’s teenagers face. Digging deep into the experiences of a racially diverse student population, “America To Me” sparks candid conversations about what has succeeded and what has failed in the quest to achieve racial equity and overcome obstacles in our education system. In this part observational character story and part high-school confessional, James captures critical moments within this vibrant high-school ecosystem.
“America to Me” made its world premiere with the first five episodes at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in the new “Indie Episodic” category. Episodes were also previewed at Full Frame and AFI DOCS.
To inspire action on the educational equity issues highlighted in “America To Me,” Participant Media and Starz are partnering to launch a social impact campaign. The campaign is designed to encourage candid conversations about racism through a downloadable Community Conversation Toolkit and elevate student voices through a national spoken-word poetry contest. Alongside the release of each new episode, the campaign will host a high-profile screening event in one city across the country. Over the course of the ten weeks, these ten events will SEED a timely national dialogue anchored by the series, and kick off activities across the country to inspire students, teachers, parents and community leaders to develop local initiatives that address inequities in their own communities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uNhmWJ4l5k
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Influential Rock Doc KILL YOUR IDOLS to be Re-Released in October 2018
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Kill Your Idols – Yeah Yeah Yeahs[/caption]
Scott Crary’s influential rock documentary, Kill Your Idols will be re-released with special event theatrical screenings and 2xDVD set by Submarine Deluxe. The roc doc will be available on VOD for the first time ever with a rollout across multiple platforms planned for October 2018.
A chronicle of New York City’s diverse art punk and no wave music scenes across three decades, the documentary includes original interviews and performances with bands and artists like Suicide, Lydia Lunch, the late Glenn Branca, Sonic Youth, Swans, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The 2xDVD expanded edition will include over 90 minutes of bonus content, including 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage from the original production, commentaries and two brand new featurettes, produced exclusively for the reissue.
Produced by Crary and executive produced by Submarine’s own Dan Braun and Josh Braun, Kill Your Idols was distributed in 2006 by Palm Pictures and Showtime/Sundance Channel. The film won the award for Best Documentary at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival and also screened at SXSW, the BFI London Times Film Festival, among others. The doc has been called “iconic” by Black Book, “still shocking” by Uncut and, in 2013, was included in the permanent archives of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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SHOWTIME Sets Premiere Date for Concert Documentary JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: WEMBLEY OR BUST [Trailer]
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JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: WEMBLEY OR BUST[/caption]
The concert documentary, JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: WEMBLEY OR BUST, will make its U.S. television premiere on SHOWTIME on Friday, July 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on-air, on demand and over the internet. Celebrating Lynne’s enduring and ongoing musical legacy, director Paul Dugdale documents Lynne’s ELO performance in England’s famed Wembley Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd of 60,000 fans.
JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: WEMBLEY OR BUST gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the concert of recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Lynne – one of the most successful recording artists, songwriters and producers of all-time. The film is complete with bells, whistles and spaceships, and most importantly, many of the most beloved songs of all time, from vintage ELO classics like “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Livin’ Thing” and “Evil Woman” to “Do Ya” from his days with The Move, “Handle With Care” which he recorded with the Traveling Wilburys, right through “When I Was A Boy” from his latest ELO album, Alone In The Universe. “I love it,” says Lynne. “This might be my favorite gig ever, so it’s a very good one to get to share.”
JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: WEMBLEY OR BUST is directed by Paul Dugdale and produced by Simon Fisher. Julie Jakobek and Craig Fruin serve as executive producers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDL54-Euqg8
image via screengrab