HBO has released a new trailer for the documentary DIANA, OUR MOTHER: HER LIFE AND LEGACY. The documentary debuts on Monday, July 24 (10:00-11:10 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO. to celebrate the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 20th year since her tragic death.
DIANA, OUR MOTHER features interviews with HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry, both of whom talk openly about their mother and pay tribute to the many ways her influence has shaped their lives. The film offers a fresh and revealing insight into Princess Diana through the personal and intimate reflections of her two sons and her friends and family, many of whom have never spoken publicly before, to bring together a unique portrait of an iconic person who touched the lives of millions.
The 65-minute film includes never-before-seen photographs of Diana, taken from an album that she had assembled. The brothers look through the private family album and recall some of the most joyful and touching moments from their childhood.
Studying a photo of The Princess holding him while pregnant with Prince Harry, Prince William says, “Believe it or not, you and I are both in this photograph, you’re in the tummy!”
Prince Harry says, “This is the first time that the two of us have ever spoken about her as a mother.”
Prince William says, “She was very informal and really enjoyed the laughter and the fun.”
Prince William and Prince Harry share some of their earliest memories of their mother, recall the final conversation they had with her before her tragic death in August 1997, and discuss their feelings in the aftermath of losing her. Prince William explains how he keeps her memory alive for his own children.
The documentary also celebrates the achievements of Diana’s work and her sons’ determination to continue the campaigns that were closest to her heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9AFcZgGCNwDocumentary
-
Watch Prince Harry and Prince William Talk About Their Mom in Trailer for DIANA, OUR MOTHER: HER LIFE AND LEGACY
HBO has released a new trailer for the documentary DIANA, OUR MOTHER: HER LIFE AND LEGACY. The documentary debuts on Monday, July 24 (10:00-11:10 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO. to celebrate the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 20th year since her tragic death.
DIANA, OUR MOTHER features interviews with HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry, both of whom talk openly about their mother and pay tribute to the many ways her influence has shaped their lives. The film offers a fresh and revealing insight into Princess Diana through the personal and intimate reflections of her two sons and her friends and family, many of whom have never spoken publicly before, to bring together a unique portrait of an iconic person who touched the lives of millions.
The 65-minute film includes never-before-seen photographs of Diana, taken from an album that she had assembled. The brothers look through the private family album and recall some of the most joyful and touching moments from their childhood.
Studying a photo of The Princess holding him while pregnant with Prince Harry, Prince William says, “Believe it or not, you and I are both in this photograph, you’re in the tummy!”
Prince Harry says, “This is the first time that the two of us have ever spoken about her as a mother.”
Prince William says, “She was very informal and really enjoyed the laughter and the fun.”
Prince William and Prince Harry share some of their earliest memories of their mother, recall the final conversation they had with her before her tragic death in August 1997, and discuss their feelings in the aftermath of losing her. Prince William explains how he keeps her memory alive for his own children.
The documentary also celebrates the achievements of Diana’s work and her sons’ determination to continue the campaigns that were closest to her heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9AFcZgGCNw
-
Watch: Kristen Bell Premieres Music Video for “Tell Me How Long” from CHASING CORAL
Kristen Bell today premiered the music video for “Tell Me How Long” from Netflix original documentary Chasing Coral. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Kristen commented, “I was moved and inspired by Chasing Coral and its message of hope for our planet’s future. I feel a responsibility to care for the Earth in whatever way I can and I was honored to lend my voice to the original song. As we strive to make a better world for our children, I hope this film will ignite real action in advancing climate solutions in our global communities.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7vOQ3M_FJY
Directed by Jeff Orlowski, Chasing Coral taps into the collective will and wisdom of an ad man, a self-proclaimed coral nerd, top-notch camera designers, and renowned marine biologists as they invent the first time-lapse camera to record bleaching events as they happen. Unfortunately, the effort is anything but simple, and the team doggedly battles technical malfunctions and the force of nature in pursuit of their golden fleece: documenting the indisputable and tragic transformation below the waves. With its breathtaking photography, nail-biting suspense, and startling emotion, Chasing Coral is a dramatic revelation that won’t have audiences sitting idle for long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6fHA9R2cKI
-
CHAVELA, Award-Winning Documentary about Legendary Lesbian Singer Sets Fall Release Date | Trailer
Chavela, directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi, is the captivating portrait of barrier-breaking Mexican ranchera singer Chavela Vargas whose international fame peaked after a triumphant return to the stage at the age of 71. The film will open at Film Forum in New York on Wednesday October 4th and at the Nuart in Los Angeles on October 6. A national release will follow.
Born in Costa Rica in 1919, Chavela Vargas ran away to Mexico City as a teenager to sing in the streets. By the 1950s she had become a darling of the city’s thriving bohemian club scene, delivering her performances with a raw passion and unique voice. Challenging mainstream Mexican morals by dressing in pants, drinking tequila, and smoking cigars while singing love songs intended for men to woo women and refusing to change the pronouns, Chavela was a bold, rebellious, sexual pioneer who defied gender and sexuality stereotypes at a time when being “out” was often dangerous.
Chavela, winner of the Documentary Grand Jury Prize and the Best Documentary Feature Audience Award at Outfest, and winner of the Audience Award at Frameline (San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival), and Official Selection at 2017 Berlin International Film Festival, HotDocs and Seattle International Film Festival, centers around a 1991 interview–the singer’s first public appearance after 12 hard years lost to alcoholism and heartbreak. Her amazing comeback began when Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who had featured her music in many of his films, played an instrumental role in elevating her career to international acclaim. Whenever he introduced her to the public, he would kneel down to kiss the stage before she performed at renowned venues like New York’s Carnegie Hall, Paris’ L’Olympia Theatre, and Madrid’s Plaza de España.
In her lifetime, Chavela was credited with recording 80 albums, received a Latin Grammy for Lifetime Achievement, and was the second woman to win Spain’s most prestigious artistic award, the Grand Cross of Isabel, the Catholic. She was close to many prominent artists and intellectuals including Juan Rulfo, Agustín Lara, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Dolores Olmedo, José Alfredo Jiménez, Lila Downs, and Joaquin Sabina. Chavela also appeared in the 1967 movie La Soldadera, Werner Herzog’s Scream of the Stone and Julie Taymor’s Frida, and sang “Tú Me Acostumbraste” (“Because of You, I Got Accustomed”) in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel. Chavela passed away in 2012 at the age of 93.
-
Sundance-Winning RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD Gets Summer Release Date | Trailer
RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World, a powerful movie about the role of Native Americans in contemporary music, featuring some of the greatest music stars of our time, will be released in theaters this Summer via Kino Lorber.
The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the festival’s World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Masterful Storytelling.
Following its world premiere, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World received the Best Music Documentary Film Award at the Boulder International Film Festival and will play at several key film festivals nationwide.
A New York theatrical premiere is set for July 26, 2017, at New York’s Film Forum – before a national expansion during the summer, including a full awards-qualifying release at Landmark’s NUART Theatre in Los Angeles starting August 25, 2017.
Written and directed by Catherine Bainbridge (Reel Injun), written and co-directed by Alfonso Maiorana, and Executive Produced by Stevie Salas and Tim Johnson, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World exposes a critical missing chapter of Rock history, revealing how Indigenous musicians helped shape the soundtracks of many generations.
The film stars Link Wray, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Jesse Ed Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Randy Castillo, Taboo, Martin Scorsese, Quincy Jones, Steven Tyler, Steven Van Zandt, Iggy Pop, Tony Bennett, George Clinton, Slash, Taylor Hawkins, Robert Trujillo, and many more.
-
SPIELBERG, New Documentary on Famous Director to Debut on HBO
Steven Spielberg, one of the most famous filmmakers in the world, will be the subject of a new documentary SPIELBERG that will debut exclusively on HBO on Saturday, October 7, 2017. Directed and produced by award-winning documentarian Susan Lacy, the feature-length documentary examines Spielberg’s filmography in depth, revealing how his experiences fed his work and changed it over time.
Steven Spielberg has built an unrivaled catalogue of groundbreaking films over the course of his nearly 50-year career. Charting the evolution of this iconic figure, Lacy draws on nearly 30 hours of exclusive interviews with the director, who opens up about his bittersweet childhood and lifelong obsession with moviemaking, his precocious early work as a TV “wunderkind,” his rise to fame through an incredible string of blockbusters, his later forays into more serious dramatic films, and the personal and professional relationships he’s cultivated through the years.
SPIELBERG also includes insights from members of Spielberg’s family, as well as friends and colleagues, plus clips and behind-the-scenes footage from many of his milestone films, including “Jaws,” “Raiders of the Lost Arc,” “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park,” “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Bridge of Spies” and many more.
Lacy interviewed more than 80 subjects for the film, ranging from A-list celebrities, to directors and producers, to industry insiders, including J.J. Abrams, Christian Bale, Drew Barrymore, Cate Blanchett, Francis Ford Coppola, Daniel Craig, Daniel Day-Lewis, Brian de Palma, Laura Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Dreyfuss, Ralph Fiennes, Harrison Ford, David Geffen, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Holly Hunter, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ben Kingsley, Kathleen Kennedy, George Lucas, Liam Neeson, Martin Scorsese, Oprah Winfrey and Robert Zemeckis.
The result is a remarkably intimate portrait that combines Spielberg’s compelling first-person narrative with an in-depth exploration of the creative process and craftsmanship that have set him apart, highlighting themes such as separation, reconciliation, patriotism, humanity and wonder, which recur throughout his work.
Susan Lacy is the creator and former executive producer of the celebrated WNET series “American Masters,” which is shown on PBS nationwide. She has won countless awards, including ten Primetime Emmys(R) for Outstanding Documentary Series and 12 Peabody Awards. As executive producer of “American Masters,” Lacy produced a library of 250 films exploring the lives of America’s most enduring cultural icons, from Charlie Chaplin to James Baldwin to Bob Dylan. She has also directed films on subjects as diverse as Leonard Bernstein, David Geffen, Joni Mitchell, Judy Garland, Paul Simon, Rod Serling and Lena Horne.
-
Human Trafficking Documentary Thriller THE WRONG LIGHT In Theaters July 14th | Trailer
The Wrong Light, a documentary thriller set in Northern Thailand on harrowing tales of girls rescued by hero that fall apart, will open in theaters on Friday, July 14th, 2017.in New York at Cinema Village, and on Friday, July 21, 2017 in Los Angeles at Laemmle’s Monica Film Center.
The film directed by Josie Swantek Heitz and Dave Adams won the Grand Jury Prize – NJ Films at the Montclair Film Festival.
Amidst growing international concern about human trafficking, a nonprofit organization named COSA was founded in 2005 by Mickey Choothesa with the stated mission of serving as a refuge for at-risk and trafficked girls in Northern Thailand. Mickey, a self-described war photographer-turned-activist with an “upstream” prevention approach to trafficking, promoted COSA as a sanctuary providing educational opportunities for young girls. His work drew international donors, a steady stream of western visitors, and global press attention.
Filmmakers Josie Swantek Heitz and Dave Adams were fascinated by the story of two young girls who had been sold into the sex trade by their parents and were later rescued by COSA. They believed they had found a harrowing and uplifting story of heroism worthy of a feature-length documentary. With this in mind, they traveled to Thailand where they interviewed many of the rescued girls at COSA and travelled to their villages to speak with their families.
Unexpectedly, their conversations with both the girls and their families contradicted Mickey’s version of their stories, making the truth that much more elusive. Reluctantly, they became subjects in the film, revealing the story as it unfolded for them. THE WRONG LIGHT is the fascinating and troubling account of their quest to find answers and tell the real story of COSA, its work, and its impact on the young girls.
Who is Mickey Choothesa? Who are these girls? And who is responsible for their representation and exploitation?
-
30 for 30 Documentary GEORGE BEST: ALL BY HIMSELF Sets ESPN Air Date | Trailer
The 30 for 30 documentary, “George Best: All by Himself,” directed by BAFTA award-winning director Daniel Gordon (Hillsborough), recounts the tale of the beloved but bedeviled soccer superstar George Best.
The film will debut on Tuesday, July 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN leading into the Manchester United vs Manchester City game.
He was one of the best soccer players of all time; a handsome, charismatic lad from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who worked wonders with the ball and thrilled Great Britain. But George Best was also the lead in a Shakespearean tragedy fueled by drink and excess and depression. This 30 for 30 film tells his story through evocative footage and testimony by those who knew him at his best – and at his worst.
There’s a lot of ground to cover – from his electric debut with Manchester United at the age of 17, through the glory years that brought ManU the 1968 European Cup, to his adventures in the North American Soccer League. “George Best: All by Himself” will make viewers understand why an estimated quarter million people lined the route of his funeral cortege in 2005.
“I wanted to make a film that dug beneath the surface of the caricature of ‘Britain’s First Pop Star Soccer Player’ and tell a tale of emotional depth that takes us on George’s rollercoaster journey of a life,” said director Daniel Gordon. “This is a cautionary tale. It is a story of addiction and what can happen to someone who has so much at such a young age, who reaches unimaginable heights – and then hits the ‘self-destruct’ button throughout the rest of his descent to rock bottom.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvU3xW1QjCY
-
Poster + Watch Trailer for Award Winning Documentary ICARUS
Netflix has released the trailer and poster for Bryan Fogel’s award winning documentary Icarus, set to launch globally on Netflix on August 4, 2017.
In the audacious documentary Icarus, director Bryan Fogel’s bold gambit was this: to investigate doping in sports, Fogel (an amateur bike racer) would dope himself, observe the changes in his performance, and see if he could evade detection. In doing so, he was connected to a renegade Russian scientist, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, a pillar of his country’s “anti-doping” program. Over dozens of Skype calls, urine samples, and badly administered hormone injections, Fogel and Rodchenkov grow closer despite shocking allegations that place Rodchenkov at the center of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program.
When the truth is more complex than imagined, and accusations of illegalities run to Russia’s highest chains of command, the two realize they hold the power to reveal the biggest international sports scandal in living memory. Exemplifying the special bond between filmmaker and subject, this is a vital portrait of the sacrifice some people will make to stand up for truth. Icarus places you at the heart of an international game of cat and mouse, where a miscalculation can cost you your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXoRdSTrR-4
-
Actress Kristen Bell Records New Song “Tell Me How Long” for CHASING CORAL
Actress and singer Kristen Bell has recorded a new song “Tell Me How Long” for the upcoming original documentary Chasing Coral, directed by Jeff Orlowski. Written by Dan Romer and Teddy Geiger, the song is a rousing plea about the climate crisis and the devastating phenomenon silently raging underwater – the global bleaching of coral reefs.
“I was moved and inspired by Chasing Coral and its message of hope for our planet’s future,” said Kristen Bell. “I feel a responsibility to care for the Earth in whatever way I can and I was honored to lend my voice to the original song. As we strive to make a better world for our children, I hope this film will ignite real action in advancing climate solutions in our global communities.”
Romer’s previous film scores include the Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild, Gleason, Finders Keepers, and the Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story. “Tell Me How Long” co-writer Teddy Geiger is a singer-songwriter and producer, known for his compositions “Stitches”, “Treat You Better”, “Mercy”, and “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”.
Orlowski’s previous film, Chasing Ice, received an Academy Award-nomination for Best Original Song for “Before My Time”, written by J. Ralph and performed by Scarlett Johansson and Joshua Bell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6fHA9R2cKI
-
VIDEO: Watch Trailer for Netflix Docu Series DAUGHTERS OF DESTINY
Netflix has released the trailer for the documentary series Daughters of Destiny directed by Oscar(R) winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth, set to launch globally on July 28, 2017.
Daughters of Destiny is a 4-part Netflix original documentary series that chronicles the lives of five girls from Indian families who are among the so-called “Dalit” caste and most impoverished communities in the world. The series witnesses the girls grow up (ranging in age from 7 to 23 over the course of the 4 episodes) while they are raised at Shanti Bhavan, a unique co-ed residential school in Tamil Nadu. The expectation for these girls and all the children who attend Shanti Bhavan is that they must grow up to support themselves, lift their families and communities out of poverty and contribute to the larger world.
Directed by Academy Award(R) winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (Freeheld, Best Documentary Short, 2007), the series highlights the struggle of students as they strive to define themselves, re-define gender and class and create a new future for the generations that will come after them. The strength and power of the girls’ own storytelling and dramatic experiences over the 7 years of filming from the gates of Shanti Bhav, into their homes brings viewers through their stories of family, love, loss, hard work and courage. An original music score by Academy Award(R) and Emmy winning composer A.R Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008), punctuates this emotional journey.
As we watch them grow up, they travel between home and school, and are forced to navigate the stark contrasts between family traditions and their modern and global views and knowledge. Daughters of Destiny highlights the journey of a generation of children on the precipice of a new life that is inconceivable to their ancestors, and brings into question the notions of fate, free will and the human longing for opportunity, purpose and meaning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49QEQsNUj0
-
LeBron James is Producing NBA Documentary Film Series for Showtime
LeBron James along with Maverick Carter and award-winning filmmaker Gotham Chopra have begun production on a three-part documentary film series on the NBA that is slated to premiere on SHOWTIME in 2018.
The project will examine the modern history of the National Basketball Association and the league’s impact on global popular culture.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with LeBron, Maverick and Gotham on what will be a comprehensive look at one of the most influential sports institutions in the world,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “This series of films will join a growing list of must-see documentaries on SHOWTIME, films that reveal the myriad ways sports and culture intersect and influence each other.”
“We developed the idea for these films because of the incredible, generational impact some of the NBA’s most successful players have had on every aspect of American culture,” said Maverick Carter, CEO of SpringHill Entertainment. “Gotham is the perfect filmmaker to bring these stories to life, and SHOWTIME is the right platform to showcase how they were able to transcend the game and shape the culture in an unprecedented way.”
“Despite the fact that I am a Boston Celtics fan to the bone, collaborating with Maverick and LeBron was an inspired opportunity,” added Chopra (“Kobe Bryant’s Muse”, “Religion of Sports”). “Sports in general and specifically the NBA provide a great backdrop for storytelling. But these films offer us a chance to go beyond that; to weave a broader cultural narrative in our current social climate. With the support of David Nevins and the progressive SHOWTIME team, we have a chance to say something truly resonant. That’s the goal.”
The documentary film series is a presentation of SHOWTIME Documentary Films and SHOWTIME Sports. The film project is directed by Gotham Chopra with executive producers LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Rich Paul, Gotham Chopra, Martin Desmond Roe, Chris Uetwiller and Datari Turner.
-
Documentary SWIM TEAM on Competitive Swim Team of Teens on Autism Spectrum Sets Release Date | Trailer
The award-winning feature documentary Swim Team, directed by Lara Stolman, chronicles the rise of a competitive swim team in New Jersey made up of diverse teenagers on the autism spectrum.
The film will be released in theaters this July, opening in New York on July 7th, 2017 and in Los Angeless on July 21, 2017; and will have its national TV debut during PBS POV’s 30th season on Monday, October 2, 2017.
Swim Team is a feature documentary chronicling the rise of a competitive swim team made up of teenagers on the autism spectrum. Based in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the cast of Swim Team is largely Latino and Asian, minorities that are underrepresented in competitive swimming and underserved in autism intervention and education.
The film follows three of the team’s star athletes, boys on the cusp of adulthood as they face a future of exclusion and dependence. But everything changes when they come together as a team with parent coaches who train them with high expectations and zero pity. As the team vies for state and national Special Olympics championships, Swim Team captures a moving quest for inclusion, independence and a life that feels winning.
“When people ask me how I found the story of Swim Team, I say it found me. Children with developmental disabilities are routinely excluded from community activities, often as early as preschool. Being told “no,” – your child can’t be in the regular class, your child wont keep up in little league, your child isn’t going to college – is something families caring for children with disabilities hear often.
Since children on the spectrum are particularly prone to drowning, swimming is a crucial skill but it’s not easy to find appropriate teachers and programs willing to take on a child on the autism spectrum. While exploring swim lessons for my own children, I stumbled upon the Jersey Hammerheads team in formation recruiting children on the autism spectrum and I was immediately struck by the energy and optimism of the families that were coming together to form the team. Some of the kids were teenagers and had never been on a sports team before. And some couldn’t yet swim.
With the Hammerheads families, I had found a group of parents who refused to take no for an answer. They were saying YES and as a community, it was galvanizing for them. As a mother, I was so personally inspired by what they hoped to accomplish, I knew I had to share their story. I hope my film provides inspiration for families everywhere raising children with unanticipated challenges.”