Served Like a Girl, directed by Lysa Heslov, is a powerful and poignant look at a group of diverse female veterans as they transition from active duty to civilian life after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Struggling with PTSD, homelessness, broken families, serious illness, physical injuries, and military sexual abuse, these inspiring women find ways to adapt to the challenges they face through participation in the “Ms. Veteran America” competition. Guided by event founder and veteran Major Jas Boothe, the women work hard to prepare for the competition, and, in the process, recover parts of their identities they had lost on the battlefield. Filled with humor and heart in equal measures, Served Like a Girl premieres on Independent Lens on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2018, 10:00-11:30 PM ET on PBS.
Wounded U.S. female service personnel often return home to a stark reality; many face debilitating emotional, social and economic challenges. The Ms. Veteran America competition was established in 2012 to encourage women veterans to recognize and support their sisters as they return to civilian life. More than a vehicle for shared recovery, the competition’s main mission is to raise funds and awareness for America’s 55,000 homeless women veterans, a goal that resonates strongly with the women profiled in the film.
Served Like a Girl features:
Sergeant Nichole Alred served six years in the Army as a mechanic, including one tour in Kuwait and two in Iraq. Nichole joined the Army as a single mother in an effort to give her son a better life. Nichole and her mother share a special relationship; her mother was her biggest supporter during both her time in the military and in the Ms. Veteran America competition. Nichole lives in Alabama with her husband.
Major Jas Boothe is a Chicago native, disabled veteran, cancer survivor, and international speaker who served 17 years in the Army. She founded Final Salute in 2010 and the Ms. Veteran America competition in 2012, which have collectively raised over $2 million and assisted over 3600 women veterans and children in over 30 states and territories. In honor of her leadership and positive impact on the community, Boothe has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey, Toyota, People Magazine, CNN Heroes, and the Department of Defense. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Lieutenant Commander Rachel Engler is second-generation Navy on both her mother and father’s side. A former NFL cheerleader and a registered nurse, she received her officer’s commission straight out of college and deployed to Afghanistan. In 2011, she was diagnosed with a chronic neuromuscular illness called Myasthenia Gravis, a condition that still affects her life today, but which hasn’t slowed her volunteer work on behalf of her fellow veterans. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Master-at-Arms First Class Hope Garcia served ten years in the Navy before being placed on the Permanent Disability Retired list. She struggles with PTSD and the trauma resulting from military sexual assault. But Hope continues to work for a better life for herself and her sons. At the time of filming Hope was working her way through school while attempting to build a career as a pin-up model. Through participating in the Ms. Veteran America competition, Hope was reunited with her mother and the two were able to start rebuilding their relationship. She lives in Los Angeles.
Master Sergeant Denyse Gordon comes from a family with a long and proud history of military and civic service. Her maternal grandfather served during WWII, her stepfather was a Vietnam- era veteran and served in the U.S. Navy, her sister is a U.S. Army Reserve Captain who is a veteran of both the Gulf War and Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, her mother retired as an Executive Officer with the New York City Police Department Traffic Division, and Denyse, who is also an Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom combat veteran, is a 22-and-a-half-year U.S. Air Force Reserves Master Sergeant, having served 12 years on active duty. In 2012, she was crowned the first Ms. Veteran America and continues with the competition as its director. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Specialist Marissa Strock lost both lower legs in 2005, when an IED detonated beneath her Army Humvee outside Baghdad. Three of the five people on board were killed, and Marissa spent weeks in a medically induced coma. After competing in Ms. Veteran America 2013 and taking home three trophies, including one for significant military achievement, this self-proclaimed “glamputee” has served as the event’s master of ceremonies in subsequent years. She has an impressive collection of fabulous shoes and refuses to let the loss of her legs slow her down. She lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Sergeant Andrea Waterbury enlisted in the Army two days after 9/11 and was deployed in Iraq for two years starting in 2003. A dynamic, small-town woman and divorced mother of four, she works as the Cavalier Cadet Corp instructor at Chillicothe High School in Ohio and continues to serve proudly in the Army Reserves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLRDXIXm1HA
Image: Denyse Gordon, Joanne Makay, Hope Garcia, Rachel Engler, Jas Boothe, Nichole Alred and Andrea Waterbury – INDEPENDENT LENS “Served Like a Girl”Documentary
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SERVED LIKE A GIRL Chronicling Female Veterans Competing for Ms. Veteran America to Premiere on PBS on Memorial Day [Trailer]
Served Like a Girl, directed by Lysa Heslov, is a powerful and poignant look at a group of diverse female veterans as they transition from active duty to civilian life after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Struggling with PTSD, homelessness, broken families, serious illness, physical injuries, and military sexual abuse, these inspiring women find ways to adapt to the challenges they face through participation in the “Ms. Veteran America” competition. Guided by event founder and veteran Major Jas Boothe, the women work hard to prepare for the competition, and, in the process, recover parts of their identities they had lost on the battlefield. Filled with humor and heart in equal measures, Served Like a Girl premieres on Independent Lens on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2018, 10:00-11:30 PM ET on PBS.
Wounded U.S. female service personnel often return home to a stark reality; many face debilitating emotional, social and economic challenges. The Ms. Veteran America competition was established in 2012 to encourage women veterans to recognize and support their sisters as they return to civilian life. More than a vehicle for shared recovery, the competition’s main mission is to raise funds and awareness for America’s 55,000 homeless women veterans, a goal that resonates strongly with the women profiled in the film.
Served Like a Girl features:
Sergeant Nichole Alred served six years in the Army as a mechanic, including one tour in Kuwait and two in Iraq. Nichole joined the Army as a single mother in an effort to give her son a better life. Nichole and her mother share a special relationship; her mother was her biggest supporter during both her time in the military and in the Ms. Veteran America competition. Nichole lives in Alabama with her husband.
Major Jas Boothe is a Chicago native, disabled veteran, cancer survivor, and international speaker who served 17 years in the Army. She founded Final Salute in 2010 and the Ms. Veteran America competition in 2012, which have collectively raised over $2 million and assisted over 3600 women veterans and children in over 30 states and territories. In honor of her leadership and positive impact on the community, Boothe has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey, Toyota, People Magazine, CNN Heroes, and the Department of Defense. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Lieutenant Commander Rachel Engler is second-generation Navy on both her mother and father’s side. A former NFL cheerleader and a registered nurse, she received her officer’s commission straight out of college and deployed to Afghanistan. In 2011, she was diagnosed with a chronic neuromuscular illness called Myasthenia Gravis, a condition that still affects her life today, but which hasn’t slowed her volunteer work on behalf of her fellow veterans. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Master-at-Arms First Class Hope Garcia served ten years in the Navy before being placed on the Permanent Disability Retired list. She struggles with PTSD and the trauma resulting from military sexual assault. But Hope continues to work for a better life for herself and her sons. At the time of filming Hope was working her way through school while attempting to build a career as a pin-up model. Through participating in the Ms. Veteran America competition, Hope was reunited with her mother and the two were able to start rebuilding their relationship. She lives in Los Angeles.
Master Sergeant Denyse Gordon comes from a family with a long and proud history of military and civic service. Her maternal grandfather served during WWII, her stepfather was a Vietnam- era veteran and served in the U.S. Navy, her sister is a U.S. Army Reserve Captain who is a veteran of both the Gulf War and Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, her mother retired as an Executive Officer with the New York City Police Department Traffic Division, and Denyse, who is also an Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom combat veteran, is a 22-and-a-half-year U.S. Air Force Reserves Master Sergeant, having served 12 years on active duty. In 2012, she was crowned the first Ms. Veteran America and continues with the competition as its director. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Specialist Marissa Strock lost both lower legs in 2005, when an IED detonated beneath her Army Humvee outside Baghdad. Three of the five people on board were killed, and Marissa spent weeks in a medically induced coma. After competing in Ms. Veteran America 2013 and taking home three trophies, including one for significant military achievement, this self-proclaimed “glamputee” has served as the event’s master of ceremonies in subsequent years. She has an impressive collection of fabulous shoes and refuses to let the loss of her legs slow her down. She lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Sergeant Andrea Waterbury enlisted in the Army two days after 9/11 and was deployed in Iraq for two years starting in 2003. A dynamic, small-town woman and divorced mother of four, she works as the Cavalier Cadet Corp instructor at Chillicothe High School in Ohio and continues to serve proudly in the Army Reserves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLRDXIXm1HA
Image: Denyse Gordon, Joanne Makay, Hope Garcia, Rachel Engler, Jas Boothe, Nichole Alred and Andrea Waterbury – INDEPENDENT LENS “Served Like a Girl”
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BIPOLAR ROCK ‘N ROLLER, Documentary on Sportscaster Mauro Ranallo Battle with Mental Illness to Debut on Showtime [Trailer]
Prolific combat sports broadcaster Mauro Ranallo and his lifelong battle with mental illness are the subject of a new documentary film from Showtime Sports. Bipolar Rock N Roller – named for the moniker Ranallo gave himself as a broadcast personality and DJ in the early 90’s – will premiere on Showtime during Mental Health Awareness Month on Friday, May 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ranallo has Bipolar Affective Disorder, a condition afflicting nearly five percent of the U.S. population according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI.org). As a national sportscaster for preeminent boxing, mixed martial arts and WWE events, Ranallo has long been an advocate for ending the stigma of mental illness. Now, for the first time, he exposes the true extent of his daily struggle. Through extensive behind-the-scenes video footage, candid personal interviews and detailed accounts from his loved ones and doctors, Bipolar Rock N Roller takes an unflinching look at mental illness and its effects.
The film explores Ranallo’s career, including his work on the two biggest pay-per-view events in television history, and his relentless pursuit of a childhood dream despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Through this deeply personal portrait, Ranallo hopes that the film might inspire others to persevere in pursuing their dreams despite the challenges of a mental health condition.
“I have always tried to do my part to bring awareness to mental health issues,” said Ranallo. “Over the last several years, I allowed my best friend, Haris (Usanovic), to film me at my lowest points as well as at my highest. The idea is simply to show others who suffer that they are not alone and that, even when the outlook is bleak, you can overcome and achieve success. Mental illness is a life sentence – there is no cure – but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence.”
“Through Bipolar Rock N Roller, Mauro Ranallo has chosen to share not only his life’s dreams, but his nightmares as well,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for Showtime Networks Inc. “Having reached the pinnacle of his profession, Mauro bravely turns his keen observational skills inward to examine his own life-long battle. The result is a raw, poignant and ultimately inspirational film that personifies Mauro’s courage and selflessness.”
Ranallo is a popular fixture on today’s combat sports scenes. In a career that has spanned more than 30 years, he has called everything from “All-Star Wrestling,” a Canadian professional wrestling outfit, to historic MMA events for Pride Fighting Championships out of Japan, to WWE SmackDown Live on USA Network, to many of the biggest boxing events in the world for Showtime Sports. Ranallo was the first broadcaster to call play-by-play on boxing, kickboxing, MMA and professional wrestling events on national television.
Today, Ranallo is the voice of three prominent nationally televised series: Showtime Championship Boxing (R), WWE’s weekly show NXT on WWE Network, and Bellator MMA on Paramount Network. Perhaps best known for his dramatic, excitable style, Ranallo is a student of the English language. He has already made a lasting mark on the industry having called the two biggest pay-per-view events in television history: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao (May 2015, international telecast); and Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor (Aug. 2017, Showtime PPV(R)).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NAkbSIXxVc
Bipolar Rock N Roller is produced by Brian Dailey, the network’s Vice President, Sports Digital Content and Strategy, and MALKA MEDIA GROUP. Directed by first-time filmmaker Haris Usanovic, the film is executive produced by Stephen Espinoza and Showtime Sports.
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Netflix Debuts Trailer for Documentary EVIL GENIUS on 2003 Pennsylvania ‘Pizza Bomber Heist’
Netflix today dropped the trailer for the documentary Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist.
2:28 PM. August 28, 2003. A man walks into a bank with a bomb locked around his neck. This is a true story.
In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI. The Netflix Original Documentary Series From the Executive Producers of Wild Wild Country will launch globally on the streaming platform on May 11.
From the executive producers of Wild Wild Country, the truth behind an extraordinary criminal case, known as the “pizza bomber heist,” is brought to light in the four-part Netflix original documentary series Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI. Eventually, a middle-aged mastermind named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong – once a town beauty, now a woman grappling with mental illness – is arrested. But 15 years later, Evil Genius proves there’s more to the conspiracy and murders than was ever thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpdb9zo_1t8
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Showtime to Debut Docu-Comedy Series JUST ANOTHER IMMIGRANT Starring UK Comedian Romesh Ranganathan
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Romesh Ranganathan[/caption]
Showtime will premiere a new docu-comedy unscripted series centered around popular UK comedian Romesh Ranganathan called Just Another Immigrant. The 10-episode, half-hour series will air two episodes on Fridays beginning June 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Just Another Immigrant is a comedic docuseries that follows Romesh Ranganathan, one of the most popular stand-ups in the UK, as he uproots his entire family – his supportive wife, their three kids, his Sri Lankan mother and his eccentric uncle – and immigrates to the U.S. Displaced in Los Angeles, Ranganathan attempts to find success and happiness, while rebuilding a life from scratch. In addition to his efforts to adapt, he has committed himself to booking a U.S. gig – the 6,000-seat Greek Theater – with only three months to sell it out. The series chronicles the true-life adventures of this modern immigrant family and the obstacles of making it in today’s America.
Ranganathan debuted on the British comedy circuit in 2010 and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Since then Ranganathan has appeared on multiple television shows and is well-known for his performances on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Royal Variety Show and A League Of Their Own, among others. Ranganathan’s hit series Asian Provocateur followed his escapades after being sent by his mother to his parents’ homeland of Sri Lanka in an attempt to connect him with his roots. The series earned the comedian his first BAFTA nomination. In 2016 Ranganathan embarked on his solo tour ‘Irrational’ and was awarded Ents24 Hardest Working Comedian of the Year.
Just Another Immigrant is a co-production of Rangabee Productions, JSA Olive Oil and Renegade. Eric Pankowski (Carpool Karaoke), Benjamin Green (Asian Provocateur) and Ranganathan are executive producers, with Green directing. David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe (Naked and Afraid) also serve as executive producers.
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Watch Trailer for ‘TROLL, INC.’ Expose on World’s Most Famous Internet Troll, Andrew ‘Weev’ Auernheimer
Troll Inc., director George Russell‘s spellbinding expose on Andrew ‘Weev’ Auernheimer, described as the world’s most famous internet troll, has released the official trailer and poster. The film will be available on VOD May 22.
From innocent meme culture to malicious propaganda, the avant-garde has moved online and they have an agenda. Emerging from deep within underground computer programming culture, internet trolls are disenfranchised and using the click-bait obsessed mass media to propel their performance art into the mainstream. Whether mischievously entertaining the masses, influencing presidential elections, or manipulating journalists and corporations, trolls are either saving us or driving our culture off of a cliff. Prosecuted as a whistleblower by the Federal Government, Troll Inc. follows the world’s most famous Internet troll, Andrew Auernheimer, and his merry band of provocateurs as they take on corporate America, the media, and political-correctness.
Hung on a meticulously framed, no-holds-barred interview with Auernheimer that took three, six-hour days, and at which the only sustenance served was plenty of high-definition rope, TROLLS INC. features case studies of his most notorious, just-barely illegal actions, like that time he revealed a gaping security hole in the iPad’s partnership with AT&T and when he erased all books with gay content from Amazon dot anything-but-calm.
After viewing Troll. Inc., its hard not to wonder if the grand scale of these invasions into our privacy and passions, by virtue of their regularity and overwhelming scope, didn’t somehow numb us to the very notion of privacy and normalizing this new Internet “fake news” attack culture, paving the way for the Kremlin to master the art of the troll and undermining our democracy right under our noses and in our own virtual backyards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ajiyxkIG-4
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Documentary THE FINAL YEAR Following President Obama’s Foreign-Policy Team During His Last Year in Office Sets HBO Debut Date [Trailer]
During his last year in office, President Obama’s foreign-policy team worked to solidify the administration’s policies amidst immense challenges. The Final Year offers an insider’s look at key figures, including Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Ambassador Samantha Power, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes and National Security Advisor Susan Rice, as they sought to promote diplomacy and redefine how the U.S. confronts questions of war and peace, all while preparing to hand over the machinery of American power to a new administration.
Directed by Greg Barker (HBO’s Emmy(R)-winning “Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden”), the revealing behind-the-scenes documentary debuts Monday, May 21 (8:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO.
The film will also be available on HBO On Demand, HBO NOW, HBO GO and partners’ streaming platforms.
Shooting from late 2015 until 3:00 a.m. on the morning of Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2017, director Greg Barker and his crew filmed extensively in the White House, the State Department and the United Nations, following their subjects to 21 countries, among them Austria, Cameroon, Chad, Cuba, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Nigeria, the UK and Vietnam.
Among the events chronicled in The Final Year:
Secretary of State Kerry is in Vienna for the Iran Nuclear Deal, which he calls “as serious a moment in diplomacy as you can get.” Meanwhile, the president is in Vietnam, where he holds a forum for young people. Advisor Ben Rhodes is focused on writing President Obama’s unprecedented upcoming speech in Japan to mark the 71st anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.
In Vienna, Secretary Kerry attends more than 30 meetings on the situation in Syria over two days, while UN Ambassador Power sits down with Syrian refugees to hear their heartrending stories. While Kerry and Power try to broker peace for Syria, Advisor Rhodes is in Havana, where he reflects on the newly open relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, saying, “If these two countries can try to put the past behind them, maybe we all can do that.”
In Laos prior to a presidential visit, Advisor Rhodes notes that the rhetoric of the presidential campaign is worrying people around the world. In the U.S., Ambassador Power speaks at the citizenship ceremony for her babysitter, Maria, noting emotionally that she is an immigrant herself. Next, she visits high security-risk areas in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria to help bring attention to the hundreds of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram, who have not been found after two years.
After becoming the first U.S. president to visit Laos, site of the 1964-1973 “secret war” that still claims victims from unexploded bombs, President Obama and his team prepare for UN General Assembly meetings in New York. With the situation in Syria front and center, there are heated arguments for and against military intervention, but National Security Advisor Rice points out that disagreement is important, noting, “You don’t want groupthink around a table.”
On election night 2016, Ambassador Power hosts a gathering with Madeleine Albright, Gloria Steinem and female UN ambassadors, but the mood is dampened when it becomes clear Hillary Clinton won’t be the next president. Although his successor will likely reverse his policies, President Obama, visiting Athens on his final trip as head of state, is hopeful. “History doesn’t follow a straight line,” he says. “It zigs and zags.” In the days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, Kerry, Rhodes and Power pack up their offices. Vowing to continue their work, Power says, “We’re in this for the long haul.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFlb1sAqvO0
The Final Year, which had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, was hailed as “compelling… irresistible… deeply moving” by the Hollywood Reporter, while the Wrap called it “immense and intimate.”
In addition to the Emmy(R)-winning “Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden,” director Greg Barker’s HBO credits include “Homegrown: The Counter-Terror Dilemma,” “Koran by Heart” and the Emmy(R)-nominated “Sergio.”
The Final Year is directed by Greg Barker; produced by Julie Goldman, John Battsek, Greg Barker; co-executive producers, Kerstin Emhoff, Andrew Ruhemann. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
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ANDY IRONS: KISSED BY GOD, Surfer Andy Irons’ Story of Opioid Addiction and Bipolar Disorder Comes to U.S. Cinemas [Trailer]
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Andy Irons: Kissed by God[/caption]
“Andy Irons: Kissed by God,” the heart-wrenching story of three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons will open in U.S. movie theaters this spring. As the opioid crisis rises to a national emergency in the United States and bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans (National Institute of Mental Health), the untold story of Irons’ life serves to tear down the myths associated with these two ferocious diseases. The documentary features in-depth interviews with Andy’s brother Bruce Irons, his wife Lyndie Irons, and fellow surfers Joel Parkinson, Nathan Fletcher, Sunny Garcia and Kelly Slater. In addition to the feature content, audiences will also view a Q&A with top experts in the field of opioid addiction and bipolar disorder, directors Steve and Todd Jones, as well as Andy’s friends and family.
Fathom Events and Teton Gravity Research bring “Andy Irons: Kissed by God” to nearly 500 U.S. cinemas for one night on Thursday, May 31 at 7:00 p.m. local time, through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).
“Andy Irons: Kissed by God” chronicles the struggles of bipolar disorder and opioid addiction as seen through the life of three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons. Irons struggled with the same demons that millions of people worldwide battle with daily. He was an incredible presence on the surfing world stage as the “People’s Champion,” the pride of Hawaii and revered around the world for his blue-collar rise to fame and success. However, many were unaware of his internal battles that led to his demise.
“‘Andy Irons: Kissed by God’ is both a moving documentary and an opportunity to shine a light on the country’s opioid crisis and mental health systems,” said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt. “It’s events such as these that turn local cinemas into a place to both entertain and educate communities.”
“The time to tell Andy’s story is now, not because we want to glorify his life or accomplishments, but because Andy wanted to share the truth of his struggles to educate future generations,” said his brother, Bruce Irons. “We wanted to shine an honest light on the truth – both the struggles and the triumphs – and tell an accurate story of who Andy truly was.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJWIPRvtAHk
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Berlinale Award Winning THE SILENCE OF OTHERS Acquired by Blue Ice Docs + Premieres at Hot Docs
After world premiering at the Berlinale in February, where it won both the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary and the Berlinale Peace Prize, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar’s new documentary, The Silence of Others, will have its North American premiere at the 2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival.
The Silence of Others reveals the epic struggle of victims of Spain’s 40-year dictatorship under General Franco, who continue to seek justice to this day. Filmed with intimate access over six years, the film follows a courageous band of survivors as they organize the groundbreaking “Argentine Lawsuit” and challenge a decades long “pact of forgetting” around the crimes that they suffered.
Through this dramatic, contemporary story, The Silence of Others speaks to universal questions of how societies transition from dictatorship to democracy, how individuals confront silence and fight for justice, and how societies should deal with perpetrators of crimes against humanity in their midst. What happens when a country is forced to reckon with its past after decades of silence? Can justice be done after so long?
Pedro Almodóvar and his brother and producer Agustín, whose cinema careers began in the heady days after the death of Franco and Spain’s return to democracy, along with their partner Esther García, are executive producers.
As Agustín Almodóvar affirms, “The Silence of Others is a profoundly human and poetic documentary that treats difficult themes with tenderness, respect and care. With cinematographic style and a story that grabs you from the first second, the directors, Almudena and Robert, transport us on a journey of 6 years and thousands of kilometers, to explore forgetting and its consequences. We are moved by the great humanity of this work and are thrilled to be supporting its North American Premiere in Toronto.
Philippa Kowarsky of Cinephil, who handles world sales, comments: “The Silence of Others is a perfect fit for our slate of powerful, politically aware documentaries. Robert and Almudena’s film lets you experience the loss, but also the dignity and the tenacity of those victimized by dictatorship – a topic that reaches far beyond Spain.”[RB3]
Robin Smith of Blue Ice Docs, who is handling the Canadian rights, says, “We are incredibly proud to be working with Almudena and Robert on bringing their powerfully important and beautiful film The Silence of Others to Canadian audiences.”
From Picasso’s “Guernica” to Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, the Spanish Civil War holds a special place in the Western imagination, as a heroic and tragic early front against fascism. Yet outside Spain, little is known about the 40-years of dictatorship that followed, or the complex choices that were made during Spain’s transition from dictatorship to democracy. As revealed in The Silence of Others, due to an amnesty law passed shortly after Franco’s death and still in force today, no crimes linked to the regime or its officials (many of whom went on to successful careers in democratic Spain) can be prosecuted. As a result, José María “Chato” Galante passes by his torturer’s window every day, Maria Martín can’t retrieve her mother’s remains from a mass grave to finally lay her to rest, and cases of stolen children remain uninvestigated.
To challenge this amnesty before time runs out, a small band of survivors launch the “Argentine Lawsuit”, based in international human rights laws and filed in Buenos Aires. The Silence of Others follows their six-year journey and reveals how a movement that began in someone’s kitchen can go where the Spanish legal system fears to tread, achieving thefirst-ever arrest warrants for perpetrators from Franco’s regime and bringing this nearly forgotten cause to world attention.
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See First Trailer for Official WHITNEY Documentary, set to World Premiere at Cannes Film Festival
The first trailer was released today for the documentary WHITNEY which will have its world premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2018. The film directed by Kevin Macdonald, is probably one of the rare ones featuring her family in front of and behind the scenes, with sister-in-law, Pat Houston, as one of the Executive Producers. Miramax and Roadside Attractions will release WHITNEY in theaters July 6, 2018.
Whitney Houston broke more music industry records than any other female singer in history. With over 200 million album sales worldwide, she was the only artist to chart seven consecutive U.S. No. 1 singles. She also starred in several blockbuster movies before her brilliant career gave way to erratic behavior, scandals and death at age 48. The documentary feature Whitney is an intimate, unflinching portrait of Houston and her family that probes beyond familiar tabloid headlines and sheds new light on the spellbinding trajectory of Houston’s life. Using never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive demo recordings, rare performances, audio archives and original interviews with the people who knew her best, Oscar®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald unravels the mystery behind “The Voice,” who thrilled millions even as she struggled to make peace with her own troubled past.
WHITNEY Trailer
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A&E Network to Premiere Biography Special “Mary Kay Letourneau: Autobiography”
A&E Network will premiere the Biography special “Mary Kay Letourneau: Autobiography,” a raw two-hour documentary following former teacher Mary Kay Letourneau as she recounts her tumultuous past in her most in-depth confessional to date. Mary, a Seattle grade school teacher, stunned the world when she fell in love with her 13-year-old former sixth grade student Vili Fualaau. Their subsequent relationship ultimately sent her to prison for more than seven years, isolating her from her children and altering the course of her life forever. Mary reveals key never-before-heard details as she shares her deeply emotional story of forbidden love, her legal troubles and the media firestorm that followed. “Mary Kay Letourneau: Autobiography” premieres on Tuesday, May 29th at 8pm ET/PT.
“This documentary gives viewers an unfiltered look at the story of Mary Kay Letourneau through her words as she expresses her side to a story that stunned the nation,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E Network. “Honest storytelling is at the heart of the Biography brand and we hope viewers will see her story with a new understanding.”
Throughout the engrossing two hour special, Mary and Villi detail their early years, how their relationship came to be and how it intrigued and disturbed the country. Delving further, Mary shares her feelings of injustice and betrayal when she lost contact with her children and the effect her choices have had on both her and her family. Mary’s lawyers, friends and a fellow prison inmate help tell this complex story. Currently working as a paralegal, Mary talks about her future and what it may hold for her and her family.
“Mary Kay Letourneau: Autobiography” is produced by Asylum Entertainment in association with Marwar Junction Productions. Executive producers for Asylum Entertainment are Steve Michaels and Jonathan Koch along with David Michaels and executive producers for Marwar Junction are Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed. Executive producers for A&E are Elaine Frontain Bryant, Amy Savitsky and Brad Abramson. A+E Network holds worldwide distribution rights to “Biography Presents: Mary Kay Letourneau: Autobiography.”
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‘ACORN and the Firestorm’ Documentary To Debut on PBS Independent Lens This May [Trailer]
For 40 years, the controversial community organizing group ACORN sought to empower marginalized communities. Its critics, though, believed ACORN exemplified everything wrong with liberal ideals, promoting government waste and ineffective activism. These competing perceptions exploded on the national stage in 2009, just as Barack Obama became president. Fueled by a YouTube video made by undercover journalists, ACORN’s very existence would be challenged. Produced and directed by Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard, ACORN and the Firestorm goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and cuts to the heart of the great political divide. The film premieres on Independent Lens Monday, May 21, 2018, 10:00-11:30 PM (check local listings) on PBS. Online streaming beings May 22.
In 2008, with a 400,000 strong, grassroots membership in 38 states, ACORN stood at the height of its power, having won a lobbying campaign that led to an increase in the national minimum wage, saved thousands of people from foreclosure, and fought against predatory lending. ACORN also operated on a local level, helping clean up parks, put stoplights at dangerous intersections, and working to improve neighborhood schools.
Leading up to the 2008 election, ACORN helped to register 1.3 million voters, mostly low-income minorities in swing states. When some of those registration cards appeared fraudulent, conservative activists and politicians singled out ACORN as a conspiratorial criminal organization and strategists and pundits joined the chorus. Bertha Lewis, who became CEO just before Obama’s election, was confident that they could weather the attacks, and with an ally in the White House, she believed that actual systemic change might be possible. But nothing could have prepared her for what was to come.
When twenty-year-old journalism student Hannah Giles heard about ACORN in the news, she and James O’Keefe, a conservative political activist, orchestrated an investigation into the organization. Using a hidden camera and a fake prostitute, they created a series of YouTube videos which suggested that ACORN staffers were encouraging criminal activity. The videos and Giles became a media sensation.
ACORN and the Firestorm unfolds through the stories of Giles and Lewis, two women on opposite sides of the political spectrum, as well as through the eyes of ACORN staff, including founder Wade Rathke, members Travis Munnerlyn and Maude Hurd, and ACORN’s opposition, including Republican Congressman Steve King.
“Our constant thirst for new news in the age of the 24-hour news cycle leaves no time for the nuanced stories behind the headlines. Reuben and Sam lay out how one video smear campaign can lead to death by media,” said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer. “This film sheds relevant light on how we got to this age of alternative facts and fake news.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmyiU4_bpw0
About the Filmmakers
Reuben Atlas (Producer/Director) is an award-winning New York based producer, director, and former lawyer. His first film, the feature music documentary, Brothers Hypnotic, premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. A co-production with ITVS and NTR, the film broadcast internationally, premiered on Independent Lens on PBS, and is distributed by Factory 25. He recently co-directed with Jerry Rothwell the Netflix and Arte-funded wine fraud documentary, Sour Grapes, which premiered at Hotdocs and is distributed by Dogwoof and Gravitas. Previously, he worked at a maximum-security prison, a music law firm, and at Legal Aid. Sam Pollard (Producer/Director) has made over 50 films, including the Academy Award®-nominated documentary Four Little Girls, with Spike Lee, as well as HBO’s When the Levees Broke. He recently edited Alex Gibney’s Sinatra: All or Nothing for HBO and directed Slavery by Another Name for PBS. His 40 years of filmmaking credits as a producer, director, and editor also include the seminal civil rights series Eyes on the Prize.
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Viola Davis’s Documentary Series THE LAST DEFENSE to World Premiere at Tribeca + Debut June 12, on ABC
The powerful, new seven-episode documentary series, “The Last Defense,” from Executive producers Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, explores and exposes flaws in the American justice system through emotional, in-depth examinations of the death row cases of Darlie Routier and Julius Jones. The series will seek to trace the path that led both Routier and Jones to their places on death row, while taking a deep look into their personal stories.
In 1997, Darlie Routier, wife and mother, was sentenced to death for the brutal stabbing murder of her two young sons, a crime she insists she did not commit. Now 20 years on death row in Texas, the contentious debate over the fairness of her trial is more polarized than ever.
In 2001, Julius Jones, a 21-year-old African-American college student with an academic scholarship, was sentenced to death for the carjacking murder of a white father of two, in Edmond, Oklahoma. Twenty years later and having exhausted his appeals, Jones maintains his innocence.
The world premiere of “The Last Defense” will screen at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, on Friday, April 27, with the first hour of the Julius Jones case followed by a panel discussion with executive producers Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Christine Connor and attorney Dale Baich; and premier Tuesday, June12 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network.