Norah Shapiro documentary “Time For Ilhan“, which will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 21, has released the first video clip. Ilhan Omar, a young, hijab-wearing mother of three, takes on two formidable opponents in a highly-contested race for a seat in the Minnesota State Legislature. If successful, she will become the first Muslim Somali- American woman lawmaker in the United States. Similar to the classic tale of David and Goliath, Omar, who is up against a 43-year incumbent, is the “outsider”- a Muslim, refugee, woman of color – who seeks to challenge the party’s status quo while simultaneously defying the gender norms within her own Muslim community.
Time For Ilhan shadows Ilhan and her scrappy group of dedicated campaign staffers throughout the entire campaign’s dramatic uphill battle. A fresh take on the old story of the American Dream, the film offers an inspiring, stereotype-busting portrait of a rising political star and a vision of what is truly possible for women and New Americans in politics today.
Norah Shapiro is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker who left a decade-long career as a public defender to pursue documentary filmmaking, and hasn’t looked back since. Her first feature film MISS TIBET: BEAUTY IN EXILE (2014) premiered at the 2014 DOC NYC Film Festival. Additional screenings include the 2015 Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival where it received the “Best Minnesota Made Feature Documentary” award; SF DOCFEST; the Asian American International Film Festival in New York City; and others around the globe. She received a McKnight Filmmaking Fellowship in 2012 and has received numerous production and completion funding awards from funders including the Jerome Foundation, and the Minnesota Filmmakers Legacy Fund. She is also currently producing a new documentary about the recently solved 27-year old abduction of Jacob Wetterling, a young Minnesota boy in rural Minnesota and its far reaching impact.
2018 Tribeca Film Festival Screening Schedule:
WORLD PREMIERE: Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 3:30 PM at CIN-08
Cinepolis Chelsea (CIN) 260 West 23 Street, between 7 and 8 Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 8:15PM at REGAL-06
Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 (RGL) 102 North End Ave, New York, NY 10281
Monday, April 23, 2018 at 3:45PM at CIN-02
Cinepolis Chelsea (CIN) 260 West 23 Street, between 7 and 8 Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Friday, April 27, 2018 at 8:15PM at REGAL-06
Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 (RGL) 102 North End Ave, New York, NY 10281Documentary
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Tribeca 2018: Watch Clip from TIME FOR ILHAN , Documentary on Muslim Somali-American Ilhan Omar’s Political Campaign [VIDEO]
Norah Shapiro documentary “Time For Ilhan“, which will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 21, has released the first video clip. Ilhan Omar, a young, hijab-wearing mother of three, takes on two formidable opponents in a highly-contested race for a seat in the Minnesota State Legislature. If successful, she will become the first Muslim Somali- American woman lawmaker in the United States. Similar to the classic tale of David and Goliath, Omar, who is up against a 43-year incumbent, is the “outsider”- a Muslim, refugee, woman of color – who seeks to challenge the party’s status quo while simultaneously defying the gender norms within her own Muslim community.
Time For Ilhan shadows Ilhan and her scrappy group of dedicated campaign staffers throughout the entire campaign’s dramatic uphill battle. A fresh take on the old story of the American Dream, the film offers an inspiring, stereotype-busting portrait of a rising political star and a vision of what is truly possible for women and New Americans in politics today.
Norah Shapiro is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker who left a decade-long career as a public defender to pursue documentary filmmaking, and hasn’t looked back since. Her first feature film MISS TIBET: BEAUTY IN EXILE (2014) premiered at the 2014 DOC NYC Film Festival. Additional screenings include the 2015 Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival where it received the “Best Minnesota Made Feature Documentary” award; SF DOCFEST; the Asian American International Film Festival in New York City; and others around the globe. She received a McKnight Filmmaking Fellowship in 2012 and has received numerous production and completion funding awards from funders including the Jerome Foundation, and the Minnesota Filmmakers Legacy Fund. She is also currently producing a new documentary about the recently solved 27-year old abduction of Jacob Wetterling, a young Minnesota boy in rural Minnesota and its far reaching impact.
2018 Tribeca Film Festival Screening Schedule:
WORLD PREMIERE: Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 3:30 PM at CIN-08
Cinepolis Chelsea (CIN) 260 West 23 Street, between 7 and 8 Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 8:15PM at REGAL-06
Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 (RGL) 102 North End Ave, New York, NY 10281
Monday, April 23, 2018 at 3:45PM at CIN-02
Cinepolis Chelsea (CIN) 260 West 23 Street, between 7 and 8 Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Friday, April 27, 2018 at 8:15PM at REGAL-06
Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 (RGL) 102 North End Ave, New York, NY 10281
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Funk Queen Betty Davis Documentary BETTY – THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT to Premiere at Red Bull Music Festival New York [Trailer]
After a premiere in Europe at the 2017 Amsterdam IDFA film festival and pre-release screenings in Pittsburgh, Betty – They Say I’m Different will have its US premiere at the Billie Holiday Theatre in New York on Wednesday 23rd May as part of the Red Bull Music Festival New York. The film will run in selected independent cinemas across North America from June 2018.
Funk Queen Betty Davis changed the landscape for female artists in America. She “was the first…” as former husband Miles Davis said. “Madonna before Madonna, Prince before Prince”. An aspiring songwriter from a small steel town, Betty arrived on the 70’s scene to break boundaries for women with her daring personality, iconic fashion and outrageous funk music. She befriended Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, wrote songs for the Chambers Brothers and the Commodores, and married Miles – startlingly turning him from jazz to funk on the album she named “Bitches Brew”. She then, despite being banned and boycotted, went on to become the first black woman to perform, write and manage herself. Betty was a feminist pioneer, inspiring and intimidating in a manner like no woman before. Then suddenly – she vanished. Creatively blending documentary and animation this movie traces the path of Betty’s life, how she grew from humble upbringings to become a fully self-realized black female pioneer the world failed to understand or appreciate. After years of trying, the elusive Betty, forever the free-spirited Black Power Goddess, finally allowed the filmmakers to creatively tell her story based on their conversations.
Directed and written by British filmmaker Phil Cox (The Bengali Detective / Love Hotel), the documentary films for the first time with the infamously reclusive Funk Queen. Composed around Betty’s song lyrics, interviews, animations and a creative narrative, Betty finally shares her extraordinary story – including her short marriage to Miles Davis, befriending Jimi Hendrix and her 35-year disappearance. The documentary also includes stunning never before seen film archive of Betty Davis performing and a host of new and exclusive photos.
“It was an incredible experience to collaborate with Betty across four years. Her cultural and musical importance as a free thinking female pioneer, who paved the way for so many artists to follow, must now be recognized. Her fearless stand as an independent artist, years before anyone else was ‘doing it’ led to great hardship, but her blistering funk albums still stand strong alongside those of her contemporaries Sly Stone, Funkadelic and others. Betty is still unique – it was an honor to make this very personal film with her,” said director / writer Phil Cox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYCHRXpCz8c
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FOX Sports Soccer Documentary Mini-Series PHENOMS to World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival [Trailer]
FOX Sports will world premiere the action-packed soccer documentary mini-series, PHENOMS, at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, in its Tribeca TV section. The network will showcase the FOX Sports Films series’ third episode, “Goalkeepers,” introducing audiences to the behind-the-scenes journey with these future stars, who act as the true last line of defense for their countries on the global stage.
The premiere will take place on Wednesday, April 25 at 8:30pm ET at SVA Theatre (333 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011), followed by a panel discussion about the upcoming mini-series and road to the FIFA World Cup. The post-film panel, hosted by FOX Sports’ Rachel Bonnetta, includes guests Mario Melchiot (Executive Producer, PHENOMS; former professional player); David Worthen Brooks (Executive Producer, PHENOMS; EVP, ALL CITY); Arbi Pedrossian (Producer, PHENOMS); Chris Perkel (Series Creative Director, PHENOMS); Directors Jane Hicks, Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist; and Thomas Verette (editor, PHENOMS).
In its May network television premiere, PHENOMS will kick-off with back-to-back episodes, “Attackers” and “Defenders,” on Friday, May 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. Episode 3, “Goalkeepers,” will air on Friday, June 1, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, ahead of the finale on June 8, when Episodes 4 and 5, “Playmakers” and “Creators,” will air back-to-back at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT.
The five-part documentary chronicles the journey of the next great soccer players on their quests to represent their respective countries in the 2018 FIFA World Cup(TM). The series allows fans and viewers to experience the personal lives of players through unprecedented behind-the-scenes access. Some of the players featured include young stars from the world’s top clubs and countries such as Dele Alli, Davinson Sanchez, Marco Asensio, Paulo Dybala, Gabriel Jesus, Ousmane Dembele, Adrien Rabiot, Leon Goretzka, Corentin Tolisso, Hirving Lozano and Marquinhos.
This captivating global sports documentary series has been created by the world’s top sports documentarians and award-winning storytellers — filmmakers who’ve won Emmys, Peabodys and Academy Awards, including Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, Kevin Klauber, Chris Perkel, Leo Pearlman, Jane Preston, Alastair Uhlig, Lovinsa Kavuma, Bart van den Aardweg, Mirko Dreiling, Marco Schillaci, Gilles Rof, Joan Lloret and Sofia Geveyler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1TeBHXgquI
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FIVE SEASONS: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf, Documentary on Inspirational Designer and Plantsman, Sets Release Date [ Trailer ]
[caption id="attachment_28200" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Piet Oudolf photographing wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country.[/caption]
After completing a feature documentary on New York’s High Line, award-winning filmmaker Thomas Piper met the inspirational designer and plantsman, Piet Oudolf, and the idea for a new project was born – FIVE SEASONS: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf. The documentary immerses viewers in Oudolf’s work and takes us inside his creative process, from his beautifully abstract sketches, to theories on beauty, to the ecological implications of his ideas.
This award-winning film will open at IFC Center in New York on Wednesday, June 13, and at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on Friday, June 29; Other cities will follow.
Intimate discussions take place through all four seasons in Piet’s own gardens at Hummelo, and on visits to his signature public works in New York, Chicago, and the Netherlands, as well as to the far-flung locations that inspire his genius, including desert wildflowers in West Texas and post-industrial forests in Pennsylvania.
As a narrative thread, the film also follows Oudolf as he designs and installs a major new garden at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, a gallery and arts center in Southwest England, a garden he considers his best work yet. Piet Oudolf has radically redefined what gardens can be. As Rick Darke, the famous botanist, says to Piet in the film, “your work teaches us to see what we have been unable to see.” Through poetic cinematography and unique access, FIVE SEASONS will reveal all that Piet sees, and celebrate all that we as viewers have been unable to see.
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9 Documentaries Win Peabody Awards, ‘America ReFramed: Deej’ ‘Chasing Coral’ ‘Indivisible’
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America ReFramed: Deej[/caption]
The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected nine winners in the Documentary category for programs released in 2017. The honorees, part of the annual Peabody 30, include stories that give insight to the lingering grief of communities after mass shootings, the impact of climate change on Earth’s oceans, and young activists fighting for a path to citizenship. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
Peabody Award winners, including Carol Burnett, recipient of the first-ever Peabody Career Achievement Award presented by Mercedes-Benz, will be celebrated on Saturday, May 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Hasan Minhaj, comedian, writer and senior correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” will serve as host. The presenting sponsor is Mercedes-Benz, the official automobile of the 77th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony. Supporting sponsor is The Coca-Cola Co. Variety is the exclusive media partner.
2017 Documentary Winners
America ReFramed: Deej A bold step forward in inclusive filmmaking that allows David James (Deej) Savarese, a nonspeaking young man with autism, to tell his own story, focusing on accomplishment and possibility, not limits and barriers. Chasing Coral This surprisingly emotional film expertly documents, through time-lapse underwater photographs, the effects of climate change on the rapid decimation of the world’s coral reefs, events known as coral bleaching that affected 29 percent of the shallow-water coral in the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 alone. Indivisible An urgent, intimate portrait of heartbreak and determination, disappointment and victory as three young Dreamers navigate confusing immigration policy, bad faith on the part of politicians, and the emotional trauma of family separation. Last Men in Aleppo Masterful storytelling by civilian filmmakers at the heart of the Syrian crisis as they follow the volunteer group the White Helmets, who provide emergency services to traumatized residents in the rebel-occupied areas of the city of Aleppo. Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise A vivid portrait of Maya Angelou, who, while best known as one of America’s leading writers, also blazed a brave and original life as a performer, actress, and activist integral to the civil rights movement and the celebration of African-American experience. Newtown Testimonials from survivors of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history document a traumatized community fractured by grief but driven toward a sense of purpose. Oklahoma City Essential viewing that draws a line from armed standoffs at Ruby Ridge and Waco to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, to tell the story of both the worst act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history and the rise of anti-government hatred and white militancy. The Islands and the Whales An exquisitely photographed documentary that explores the inextricable links between oceans poisoned by coal burning power plants and the direct impact they have on people of the remote Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, who struggle between maintaining their traditional way of life and the long-term health repercussions of mercury poisoning. TIME: The Kalief Browder Story Powerful miniseries illuminating the greatest flaws of our criminal justice system through the tragic events and death of a young African-American who spent three years on Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime.
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Coming Soon: Sen. John McCain Documentary in the Works at HBO
Production has begun on an HBO documentary about Sen. John Sidney McCain, III, described as “an illuminating, exclusive profile of one of the most influential forces in modern American politics.” The film will be produced and directed by six-time Emmy(R) winner Peter Kunhardt (HBO’s “Jim: The James Foley Story,” “King in the Wilderness”), along with Emmy(R) winners George Kunhardt and Teddy Kunhardt of Kunhardt Films.
Serving 31 years, the six-term senior Arizona senator agreed to participate in the film shortly after being diagnosed with brain cancer, providing unprecedented access to his daily life in Washington, D.C. and Sedona, Ariz. The film also features interviews with family, friends, colleagues and leading political figures.
This sweeping account combines the senator’s own voice, culled from original interviews, commentary and speeches, with archival newsreel and television footage and previously unseen home movies and photographs. What emerges is a portrait of an American maverick who has kept his eye on on the most important American goals.
“Through the years, John has rightly earned the reputation as an American hero,” says Peter Kunhardt. “In the final chapter of his life, he is reminding this generation of what government can and should look like.”
John McCain’s recent battle with brain cancer underscores the fighting spirit and resilience of this remarkable man, who continues to crusade for the causes he believes in, despite advancing health issues and daunting odds.
Kunhardt Films’ previous HBO credits include the recent “King in the Wilderness,” the Emmy(R) winner “Jim: The James Foley Story,” the PGA nominee “The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee,” “Becoming Warren Buffett,” the Emmy(R) nominee “Nixon by Nixon: In His Own Words,” the Emmy(R) nominee “Gloria: In Her Own Words” and the Emmy(R) winner “Teddy: In His Own Words.”
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GENERAL MAGIC, Documentary on Most Influential Silicon Valley Company You’ve Never Heard Of to Premiere, at Tribeca Film Fest
The documentary film General Magic, looks at the rise and fall of the most influential Silicon Valley company you have never heard of, General Magic.
In the early 1990’s, a team of former Apple employees formed the company and took Silicon Valley by storm with their new project, the first handheld, wireless personal computer – the first smartphone. The company and the product were so ahead of their time, that it ultimately failed, and the company closed down. However, General Magic’s former employees have gone on to found eBay, Linkedin and Android, develop the technology that has lead to the iPhone and have become the tech innovators that now lead companies like Samsung, Apple and Facebook. Matthew Maude and Sarah Kerruish’s film show how this team has created a lasting impact of the on the world around us.
[caption id="attachment_28051" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
In 1992, Marc Porat holds up the design of what is now the IPhone in a scene from GENERAL MAGIC[/caption]
General Magic, directed by Matthew Maude and Sarah Kerruish, will World Premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in the Spotlight Documentary section.
In 1990, a new company called General Magic, a spinoff from Apple, took Silicon Valley by storm. Rumors spread of its innovative new prototype destined to be the “next big thing.” Four years later, the company shipped its first product: a handheld, personal computer—which was essentially a smartphone, even down to the emojis, all the way back in 1994. However, the mid-’90s tech landscape wasn’t ready for an innovation so far ahead of its time—after all, the average consumer didn’t even have email and certainly was not prepared for 21st-century, anytime-anywhere communication. The product flopped, and General Magic shuttered.
General Magic – the documentary feature directed by Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude tells the story about how great vision and epic failure changed the world as we now know it – from the smartphones that sit in our pockets to an array of technologies we now take for granted today.
Executive produced by Michael Stern, Reynold D’Silva and John Giannandrea, General Magic features members of the original Mac team and the creators of the iPhone, Android and eBay; designers, engineers and entrepreneurs who saw the future twenty years before it happened and help create the future we use today.
Described by Forbes as “the most important dead company in Silicon Valley” and combining rare archive footage with contemporary stories of the General Magicians today, this documentary tracks the progress of anytime, anywhere communication from a thing of sci-fi fiction to our modern day reality.
General Magic TRIBECA SCREENINGS
Fri. 4/20, 5:45 p.m., Cinepolis Chelsea 7- World Premiere
Sat. 4/21, 4 p.m., Cinepolis Chelsea 9
Sun. 4/22, 4 p.m., Cinepolis Chelsea 9
Thurs. 4/26, 5:45 p.m., Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-3
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ROLL RED ROLL, Nancy Scwartzman’s Docu on Stubenville Sexual Assault Case, to World Premiere at 2018 Tribeca Film Fest [Trailer]
Nancy Schwartzman’s debut documentary feature Roll Red Roll, following a notorious high school sexual assault case in Steubenville, Ohio, will world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
Roll Red Roll unpacks toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, sports culture, and the larger systems of complicity at play. With a fast-paced narrative, the storytelling unfolds like a true-crime mystery.
Go behind the headlines of notorious high school sexual assault to witness the social media-fueled “boys will be boys” culture that let it happen. In small-town Ohio, at a pre-season football party, a horrible incident took place. What transpired would garner national attention and result in the sentencing of two key offenders. As amateur crime blogger Alex Goddard uncovers disturbing evidence on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, documenting the assault of a teenage girl by members of the beloved high school football team, questions linger around the collusion of teen and adult bystanders. Roll Red Roll explores the complex motivations of both perpetrators and bystanders in this story, to unearth the attitudes at the core of their behavior. It is a cautionary tale of what can happen when adults look the other way and deny that rape culture exists. With unprecedented access to police documents, exhibits and evidence, the documentary feature unflinchingly asks: “why didn’t anyone stop it?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJze9-ZNIeU
TRIBECA SCREENINGS
Sun. 4/22, 8 p.m., Cinepolis Chelsea 7 – World Premiere Mon. 4/23, 8:30 p.m., Cinepolis Chelsea 3 Tues. 4/24, 6:15 p.m., Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-1 Sat. 4/28, 5:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-4 Sun. 4/29, 5:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-4
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HBO Developing DocuSeries Based on Michelle McNamara’s Bestselling True-Crime Book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”
HBO Documentary Films has acquired the rights to the true-crime bestseller “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer,” by Michelle McNamara, and will develop a documentary series based on the book, it was announced today by Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, executive vice presidents, HBO Documentary Films.
“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” is a meticulous exploration of the case of an elusive, violent predator who terrorized California in the late ’70s and early ’80s by journalist Michelle McNamara, who died tragically while investigating the unsolved crimes. Framed by an introduction by Gillian Flynn and afterword by McNamara’s husband, Patton Oswalt, the book was completed by McNamara’s lead researcher, Paul Haynes, and a close colleague, Billy Jenkins.
A chilling investigation of the mysterious serial killer and the wreckage he left behind, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” is also a compelling self-portrait of the author that reveals her obsession with solving crimes, and her unflagging search for the truth and for justice for the victims and their families.
“HBO taking on this story will advance the passionate pursuit that Michelle shared with dozens of men and women in law enforcement? – ?to solve the mystery of one of California’s most notorious serial killers,” commented Oswalt.
Creator of the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, McNamara was determined to find the violent psychopath she dubbed “The Golden State Killer,” who committed 50 home-invasion sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten murders. Then he disappeared, eluding multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area. Obsessed with the case three decades later, McNamara pored over police reports, interviewed victims and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was. “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” also explores her own past, including her years growing up in Oak Park, Ill. in a large family, and the reverberations of the unsolved murder that haunted her youth.
Published earlier this year, the book debuted at #1 on the New York Times combined print and e-book bestseller list. “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer” was hailed by the New York Times as “a vivid and meticulous investigation” and “a wrenching personal account from a writer who became consumed by her subject.”
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Watch Trailer for MERCURY 13 – Remarkable Story of 13 Women Tested for Spaceflight in 1961
The Netflix documentary “Mercury 13” directed by David Sington and Heather Walsh is a remarkable story of the women who were tested for spaceflight in 1961 before their dreams were dashed in being the first to make the trip beyond Earth. An Official Selection of the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival and the 2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Mercury 13 will premiere on Netflix on April 20, 2018.
On April 9, 1959, NASA introduced their first astronaut class of all men, Mercury 7, to the world.
This is the story of the 13 women who were just as deserving of their place in space.
Mercury 13 is a remarkable story of the women who were tested for spaceflight in 1961 before their dreams were dashed in being the first to make the trip beyond Earth. NASA’s ‘man in space’ program, dubbed ‘Project Mercury’ began in 1958. The men chosen – all military test pilots – became known as The Mercury 7. But away from the glare of the media, behind firmly closed doors, female pilots were also screened. Thirteen of them passed and, in some cases, performed better than the men. They were called the Mercury 13 and had the ‘right stuff’ but were, unfortunately, the wrong gender. Underneath the obsession of the space race that gripped America, the women were aviation pioneers who emerged thirsty for a new frontier, but whose time would have to wait. The film tells the definitive story of thirteen truly remarkable women who reached for the stars but were ahead of their time. A Netflix original documentary directed by David Sington (The Fear of 13) and Heather Walsh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpiVx2mQhKI
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7 Documentaries incl. the World Premiere of James Keach’s TURNING POINT on Tap for Nashville Film Festival
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One Vote[/caption]
Seven documentary Special Presentations including the World Premiere of James Keach’s Turning Point will screen at the upcoming 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival. Music journeys will also be depicted in The King, starring Alec Baldwin, Tony Brown, Chuck D, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke and Radney Foster, It All Begins with a Song and Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Got To Be Me, starring Sammy Davis Jr., Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Billy Crystal and Quincy Jones.
The 2018 Documentary Special Presentations will also include the Tennessee Premiere of Hal, starring Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Jon Voight, Judd Apatow and Rosanna Arquette and the Southeast US Premiere of One Vote starring Warren Buffett.
“The selection of these seven films represents the impact of music in documentaries and the collective storytelling prowess of both entertainment genres as well as the enormous talent featured in documentaries,” said Artistic Director Brian Owen. “For seven films to include the incredible music talent as well as such icons as Warren Buffett, Dan Rather, Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Rosanna Arquette and Quincy Jones is an absolute dream for the festival, particularly in bringing them to Tennessee for the first time.”
Below are the 2018 selections in the category:
Documentary Special Presentations
Fail State (Southeast US Premiere) – In an expansive political exposé, FAIL STATE uncovers the dark story behind the rise of predatory for-profit colleges and how a cabal of politicians and unscrupulous business tycoons sold out the dream of American higher education. Director: Alexander Shebanow, Producers: Julia Glausi, Terrence Crawford, Tyler Comes, Dan Rather (USA) Hal (Tennessee Premiere) – Hal Ashby’s obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude, Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Coppola, Scorsese and Spielberg rose to blockbuster stardom in the 1980s, Ashby’s uncompromising nature played out as a cautionary tale of art versus commerce. Cast: Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Jon Voight, Judd Apatow, Rosanna Arquette, Director: Amy Scott, Producer: Christine Beebe, Lisa Janssen, Jonathan Lynch, Brian Morrow (USA). It All Begins with a Song: The Story of the Nashville Songwriter (World Premiere) – Their melodies stick in your head. Their words hook into your soul. And while their work deeply affects millions, few know their names. This is a celebration of one of music’s most important forces: the Nashville songwriter. Director: Chusy, P roducer: Butch Spyridon, John Godsey, Deana Ivey, Kellie Shannon (USA) The King (Tennessee Premiere) – Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki takes a musical road trip across the U.S. in Elvis Presley’s 1963 Rolls Royce during the 2016 presidential election, comparing Elvis’s transition from country boy to “The King” to America’s transformation into an empire. Cast: Alec Baldwin, Tony Brown, Chuck D, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke, Radney Foster, Director: Eugene Jarecki, Producers: Christophe r Frierson, Georgina Hill, Eugene Jarecki, David Kuhn (USA). One Vote (Southeast US Premiere) – Filmed in five locations on a single day, ONE VOTE captures the compelling stories of diverse American voters on Election Day 2016. Cast: Warren Buffett, Brenda Williams, Michael Hiser, Jennifer Bondy, Claude Bondy, James Higgins, Director: Christine Woodhouse, Producer: Emily Wachtel (USA) Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Got to Be Me (Tennessee Premiere) – SAMMY DAVIS JR.: I’VE GOT TO BE ME is the first major film documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America. Cast: Sammy Davis Jr., Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Billy Crystal, Quincy Jones, Director: Samuel D. Pollard, Producer: Sally Rosenthal (USA) Turning Point (World Premiere) – It’s been called the final frontier of medicine, the real health care moonshot, the holy grail of science. Alzheimer’s disease — the most feared of all maladies, with no way to cure, stop or even slow its insidious progression. But now, after decades of perseverance in the lab, researchers are on the cusp of a scientific breakthrough that could be the first step toward making Alzheimer’s itself a distant memory. Director: James Keach, Producer: James Keach (USA)
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“ANDRE THE GIANT” Documentary Exploring His Extraordinary Life and Career, to Premiere on HBO on Tuesday April 10 [ Trailer]
Andre the Giant, a documentary examining the life and career of one of the most beloved legends in WWE history will premiere on Tuesday, April 10 exclusively on HBO. Emmy(R)-winning director and producer Jason Hehir (JMH FILMS) is the director.
HBO Sports and WWE are partnering for the first time ever on this feature-length presentation, which combines never-before-seen footage and revealing interviews for a comprehensive and intimate portrait of one of WWE’s most beloved, yet largely unknown, figures. The wide-ranging documentary explores Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE and forays in the entertainment world, and includes interviews with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner, family members and more.
André René Roussimoff was born in 1946 in Grenoble, France. Early in his teenage years, he exhibited signs of gigantism, rapidly growing to more than seven feet, though he was not diagnosed with acromegaly until his twenties. He began his training in Paris at 17 and eventually became known in wrestling circuits around the world, including Europe, Australia and Africa. In 1970, Roussimoff made his Japanese debut, which put him on the radar of Vince McMahon Sr., founder of what is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment.
In 1973, Andre joined the organization, where McMahon Sr. famously billed him as Andre the Giant. Andre’s unique voice and athletic prowess, coupled with his more than 500-pound, seven-foot, four-inch frame, made him an unforgettable attraction.
During his ascent to the top of the ranks, Andre engaged in memorable matches with Killer Khan, Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy, compiling an undefeated streak that lasted the better part of a decade. In 1987, Andre hit the pinnacle of his career during his rivalry with Hulk Hogan, one of the biggest stars in WWE and pop culture history. As a new villain, Andre squared off with Hogan at “WrestleMania(R) III” at the Silverdome in Michigan, and in one of the most memorable moments in pro wrestling history, Hogan body-slammed Andre to retain the championship in front of 93,173 fans.
While wrestling’s fan base continued to grow, Roussimoff’s health began to decline. Despite his health issues, the “Eighth Wonder of the World” remained at the forefront during the company’s golden era. Following “WrestleMania III,” Andre took on other WWE legends such as Jake “The Snake” Roberts(TM), “Macho Man” Randy Savage(TM) and The Ultimate Warrior(R), participating in numerous marquee events until 1991. Andre became the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1993.
Roussimoff’s larger-than-life personality also allowed him to pursue a career in acting. He appeared in TV sitcoms and films during the ’70s and ’80s, often playing himself or some variation of a human giant, and is best-remembered for his role as Fezzik in Rob Reiner’s classic “The Princess Bride.”
Outside the ring, Andre Roussimoff was a gentle giant. The subject of stares and ridicule for his size throughout his life, he was a self-described introvert. On Jan. 27, 1993, Andre Roussimoff succumbed to his gigantism and died of congestive heart failure. And while WWE has had a memorable cast of larger-than-life stars during the two decades since his passing, Andre the Giant is still remembered as one of the greatest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_jTeuajas0