The documentary Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America directed by Melody Shere’a will screen at the 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF). The film which is executive produced by her talented sibling Monica Simmons, is the result of a year-long research study interviewing professional black women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City.
Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affects black women in the corporate workplace. In the film, several women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and compete against women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder.
The film will screen at the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Thursday, February 23rd at 2:15 p.m., hosted at the AMC Theater Marketplace 6 in Marina del Rey, CA.
“For the production of Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job,” said Shere’a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. “In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYztEMOuQ4Y
According to Simmons, “Black women continue to experience racism on the job. We must be open to talking about this distressing issue to move toward a resolution. Obstacles that my sister and I have faced working in Corporate America were the inspiration behind Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. Our film is meant to drive a movement for change in the workplace, especially the technology industry. ”
“No longer should we be silenced. We need to speak up and call it what it is,” commented Shere’a. Unlike “Hidden Figures,” we are no longer in the 1950’s-60’s era. This racial discrimination against smart, educated, and powerful black women is unacceptable. We deserve a seat at the table, and we are demanding our place to exist, no longer will we continue to remain Invisible Women.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUthH1rGhc&t=9sDocumentary
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Documentary INVISIBLE WOMEN: BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN CORPORATE AMERICA to Screen at Hollywood Black Film Festival | TRAILER
The documentary Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America directed by Melody Shere’a will screen at the 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF). The film which is executive produced by her talented sibling Monica Simmons, is the result of a year-long research study interviewing professional black women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City.
Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affects black women in the corporate workplace. In the film, several women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and compete against women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder.
The film will screen at the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Thursday, February 23rd at 2:15 p.m., hosted at the AMC Theater Marketplace 6 in Marina del Rey, CA.
“For the production of Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job,” said Shere’a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. “In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYztEMOuQ4Y
According to Simmons, “Black women continue to experience racism on the job. We must be open to talking about this distressing issue to move toward a resolution. Obstacles that my sister and I have faced working in Corporate America were the inspiration behind Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. Our film is meant to drive a movement for change in the workplace, especially the technology industry. ”
“No longer should we be silenced. We need to speak up and call it what it is,” commented Shere’a. Unlike “Hidden Figures,” we are no longer in the 1950’s-60’s era. This racial discrimination against smart, educated, and powerful black women is unacceptable. We deserve a seat at the table, and we are demanding our place to exist, no longer will we continue to remain Invisible Women.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUthH1rGhc&t=9s
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HBO to Air Documentary DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS
DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS, directed and produced by Francis Whately, spotlights two critically acclaimed albums and the stage musical “Lazarus,” offering new insights into his extraordinary creativity during the final five years of his life. HBO has acquired the documentary film with an expected air date later this year.
Featuring a wealth of rarely seen Bowie interviews, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators, the film is a tribute to one of the greatest rock icons of all time.
On Feb. 12, David Bowie posthumously swept the 2017 Grammy Awards with five wins for “Blackstar,” his final album, including: Best Rock Performance; Best Alternative Music Album; Best Recording Package; Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; and Best Rock Song.
“Looking at Bowie’s extraordinary creativity during the last five years of his life has allowed me to reexamine his life’s work and move beyond the simplistic view that his career was simply predicated on change,” says Whately. “HBO, whose global output the world admires, is a great channel to get this incredible documentary out to the U.S. fans.”
Perhaps no period of David Bowie’s extraordinary career has inspired more fascination, more surprise or more questions. DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS focuses on three major projects: the albums “The Next Day” and the jazz-infused “Blackstar” (released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, two days before his death), and the musical “Lazarus.” The film includes revealing interviews with, among others, Tony Visconti, Bowie’s longtime producer, musicians who contributed to “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” Jonathan Barnbrook, the graphic designer of both albums, and Robert Fox, producer of “Lazarus,” along with cast members from the show, providing a unique behind-the-scenes look at Bowie’s creative process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bL6ARhkUw
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ANDRE THE GIANT Documentary in the Works at HBO
WWE in partnership with HBO Sports and the Bill Simmons Media Group will produce ANDRE THE GIANT, a documentary film examining the life and career of one of the most beloved legends in WWE history. The ambitious and wide-ranging documentary film will explore Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE and his forays in the entertainment world.
“For more than 20 years, Andre the Giant’s larger than life personality and unique charisma captured the imagination of fans around the world,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “I will always value our friendship, and I am proud to tell the story of the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.”
Emmy-Award winning director and producer Jason Hehir will serve as the film’s director. HBO Sports and WWE are partnering for the first time ever on this full-length signature presentation, which will combine never-before-seen footage and revealing interviews for a comprehensive and intimate portrait of one of WWE’s most beloved, yet largely unknown figures. Interviews will include WWE Superstars, sports and entertainment executives, athletes, media, family, friends and associates.
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 ascension to the top of the ranks, Andre engaged in memorable matches with Killer Khan, Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy and compiled an undefeated streak that lasted for 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® III at the Silverdome in Michigan, and in one of the most memorable moments in 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™, “Macho Man” Randy Savage™ and The Ultimate Warrior® and participated in numerous marquee events until 1991. Andre became the first-ever 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 television sitcoms and films during the ‘70s and ‘80s, often playing himself or some variation of a human giant, and is 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-declared 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.
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Watch GENDER REVOLUTION: A JOURNEY WITH KATIE COURIC Online for Free
National Geographic will make the two-hour documentary GENDER REVOLUTION: A JOURNEY WITH KATIE COURIC available to stream for free, beginning today, Tuesday, February 14, for one week.
GENDER REVOLUTION: A JOURNEY WITH KATIE COURIC explores the rapidly evolving complexities of gender — from the moment we are born through our twilight years. To better understand this complex social and scientific issue, Couric crisscrossed the U.S. to talk with scientists, researchers, activists, authors and families to learn more about the role of genetics, brain chemistry and modern culture on gender fluidity. Her wide-ranging interviews included a conversation with Gavin Grimm, the transgender Virginia teen whose lawsuit seeking equal bathroom access is headed to the Supreme Court on March 28. With discussions that range from the scientifically enlightening to the deeply personal, Couric’s unflinching search for truth sheds light on countless untold stories of struggle, understanding, ignorance, hurt and love.
“I’ve always hoped this documentary would be a spark to ignite conversations in every corner of the country around the evolving landscape of gender,” said host and executive producer Katie Couric. “National Geographic is helping to push that goal forward by making it so broadly available to audiences.”
The stream will be available on National Geographic’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook page, Apple TV app and TV Everywhere mobile apps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y93MsRaC6Zw
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Documentary GINA’S JOURNEY: THE SEARCH FOR WILLIAM GRIMES to World Premiere At Pan African Film Festival | TRAILER
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Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes[/caption]
Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes, narrated by Keith David, follows the quest of one woman, Regina Mason, in tracing the steps of her ancestor, who traveled along the Underground Railroad to freedom and authored the first fugitive slave narrative in U.S. history. The film will world premiere at the 2017 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles February 17-18, 2017.
Produced by Your Media 2, the film is based on the Afterword of the authoritative edition of the book, Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave, written by Regina Mason and published in 2008 by Oxford University Press. The Afterword, “My Long Road Back to William Grimes” reveals Mason’s 15-year path to authenticate her ancestor’s story and the intense personal sacrifices that made editing and publishing a new edition of the Grimes narrative possible.
In making the film, Director and Producer Sean Durant sought to convey not only Mason’s long road to uncover her past, but also the unimaginable conditions that faced William Grimes as he struggled to free himself from slavery. To this end, Durant chose to use artfully-crafted re-enactments combined with current-day Mason reflecting on her own story and a masterful narration by Keith David. The result is a compelling and provocative documentary film from first time feature filmmaker Durant.
“Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes” is an Official Selection of the 2017 Pan African Film Festival, which runs February 9th through 20th.
https://vimeo.com/119890622
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THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE Wins a Grammy + Sets HBO Release Date | TRAILER
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The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble[/caption]
HBO has released the trailer for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, directed by Morgan Neville, that follows members of the international ensemble as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. On Sunday night, the Silk Road Ensemble won the Grammy award for Best World Music Album for the film’s companion album Sing Me Home. The film will debut March 6 on HBO.
Over the past 17 years, an extraordinary group of artists from around the world has come together to celebrate the universal power of music. Named for the ancient trade route linking Asia, Africa and Europe, the Silk Road Ensemble was conceived by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and consists of a diverse, rotating lineup of instrumentalists, vocalists, composers and storytellers. The collective exemplifies music’s ability to blur geographical boundaries, blend disparate cultures and inspire hope.
Directed by Morgan Neville (the Oscar(R)-winning “20 Feet from Stardom”), The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble follows members of the international ensemble as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. A vivid portrait of a bold musical experiment and a global search for the ties that bind, the Grammy-nominated film debuts Monday, March 6 (8:00-9:35 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.
Blending performance footage, interviews, behind-the-scenes film and archival clips, The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble focuses on a few of the ensemble’s mainstays, and their moving personal stories of passion, talent and sacrifice.
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded Silkroad in 1998. Since 2000, the Silk Road Ensemble has been at the center of the organization’s work, recording six albums and performing for nearly two million people in 33 countries. The Music of Strangers explores Ma’s storied life and career, and profiles some of the collective’s members, including: Kinan Azmeh, a Syrian clarinet player and composer; Wu Man, a pipa player and composer from China; Kayhan Kalhor, an Iranian kamancheh player and composer; and Cristina Pato, a bagpiper, pianist and composer from Spain.
A family of people from vastly different backgrounds who explore and celebrate their commonality, the Silk Road Ensemble has evolved into an organization of musicians and artists exploring themes of cultural connectivity, history and tradition. “In the process, they model for us a way to understanding the Other,” says director Morgan Neville. “If there’s anything we should be doing today, it’s that, because so many forces in our world want us to be scared of the Other.”
These accomplished artists tell stories of exile due to war or political revolution, of being silenced, marginalized or jailed, of being caught between their home cultures and life in the U.S. (where their instruments may not even be recognized) and of their transformative experiences in the Silk Road Ensemble. They explain the struggles that motivate them and the creative relationships that sustain them. The documentary highlights the musicians’ connections to their homes and their efforts to extend Ma’s vision of art connecting disparate people as they learn from others and share their own experience and expertise.
The Music of Strangers spotlights gatherings across the globe, and performances spanning more than a decade, both large and small, public and private. The film also includes extensive interviews with Yo-Yo Ma and his son, Nicholas, offering insights into Ma’s desire to create an ensemble that would bridge cultural divides and how that vision has come to life since its launch in Tanglewood, Mass. in 2000. Notes Ma, “We started as a group of musicians getting together and seeing what might happen when strangers meet.”
The viability of the group was challenged in the wake of 9/11, but the mission was more relevant than ever. It becomes clear that by forming and performing with the Silk Road Ensemble, Yo-Yo Ma has found himself. In addition, Ma says, “This is not just a story about what each of the musicians has done. It is also about the meaning behind what they do. It’s about our responsibility to one another. That’s a huge part of our story.”
The film was nominated for a 2017 Grammy Award in the category of Best Music Film; the film’s companion album, “Sing Me Home,” received the Grammy for Best World Music Album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvFjOw9K8eo&feature=youtu.be
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble was directed by Morgan Neville; executive producers, Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Laura Freid, Julie Goldman, William Ackman, Hyun-Sang Cho, Nancy Stephens, Rick Rosenthal; co-executive producer, Cristin Canterbury Bagnall; produced by Caitrin Rogers, Morgan Neville; associate producer, Caryn Capotosto; edited by Jason Zeldes, Helen Kearns. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
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SHOT! THE PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF ROCK Sets Release Date
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SHOT! THE PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF ROCK[/caption]
SHOT! THE PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF ROCK, an odyssey into the colorful and bohemian tales of rock ‘n’ roll’s history, will open April 7, 2017 at Metrograph in NY, in LA and on VOD.
Directed by Barnaby Clay, the documentary is described as ‘a cinematic adventure that delves deep into the mind of one of rock’s greatest living photographers: Mick Rock.’
Through the poignant lens of rock ‘n’ roll mythology; icon-maker, psychedelic explorer, poet, and custodian of dreams Mick Rock navigates his story from the glam rock shimmer of London to the snarl of NYC punk, and deep into the new millennium. Mick turns inward to face himself and the experiences as the visual record-keeper of myths and legends that propelled him into a living icon in this rock n’ roll comeback story. Mick’s now infamous images of the likes of David Bowie, Queen, Syd Barrett (Founding member of Pink Floyd), Blondie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop are now imprinted on our collective psyche forever and generations to come.
Presented in his own words, juxtaposed with spellbinding images and exclusive never-seen or heard archival film footage, audio recordings and original material, this film reveals an enigmatic Rock and his adventurous life both behind the camera and as an integral member of the artist’s entourage working with and shaping some of the most outrageous, recognized and accomplished musicians and personalities of the past forty years. An icon-maker, and icon in his own right, Rock is among a very few photographers who himself is photographed walking red carpets in Los Angeles, London, New York and around the globe.
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ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS Documentary Heads to Theaters in Fall
Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars, a new documentary featuring legendary 18-time Grammy(R) winner Eric Clapton, will be released theatrically in the U.S. this Fall followed by a television premiere on Showtime in 2018.
Showtime Documentary Films will release the new documentary ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS, an unflinching and deeply personal journey into the life of the legendary musician. The documentary will screen at domestic and international film festivals later this year, followed by a theatrical run in the U.S. and Canada, before airing nationally on SHOWTIME in 2018. The film will be directed by Oscar(R)-winner Lili Fini Zanuck (Rush, Driving Miss Daisy), with John Battsek (One Day In September, Searching for Sugar Man) producing for Passion Pictures. BAFTA winner Chris King (Amy, Senna) will serve as editor.
Told through his own words and songs, ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS is a moving and surprising film about one of the great artists of the modern era – an 18-time Grammy Award winner, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the only artist ever to be inducted three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Spanning more than half a century of legendary popular musical innovation, the film will contextualize Eric Clapton’s role in contemporary music and cultural history. No other artist has continually intersected across a broad stratum of musical genres with so many other great musicians – many of whom have inspired and informed his body of work. The documentary features extensive interviews with Clapton himself, along with his family, friends, musical collaborators, contemporaries and heroes – including late music icons B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison.
Stretching from his traumatic childhood living in a “house of secrets,” through his long and difficult struggle with drugs and alcohol and the tragic loss of his son in a devastating accident, Clapton always found an inner strength and healing in music. The insatiable search to grow his artistic voice surprised fans as he constantly quit successful bands, from the groundbreaking Yardbirds to 60’s super-group Cream. His isolated pursuit of his craft – and fear of selling out – served as a catalyst for his evolution as an artist.
“Clapton’s music is the foundation of our film – his commitment to the Blues, its traditions and originators is absolute from his earliest days,” says director Lili Fini Zanuck. “His personal life conveys the emotional spine of the film – his damaged emotional psyche threads throughout his life, informing his art, and causing many abrupt and surprising shifts along the way. The film traces all the key junctures: his prodigious talent, obsessive impatience, perfectionism and musical ‘mission.’ Mining inner strength and spiritual resolve, he somehow maintains sobriety, finding healing in music. He reflects on his newfound domestic happiness and a magical, meteoric journey which has secured his place in the rock pantheon. Despite the fact that his path is strewn with tragedies, addiction and loss, he never fails to regain his bearings and continue to serve what he holds dearest: his music.”
“We have unique access to Clapton’s extensive personal archive of classic performance clips, on- and off-stage footage, iconic photos, concert posters, handwritten letters, drawings and personal diary entries – elements with the power to transport audiences to each era, from obsessive student, to peer, to transcendent figure in musical history and one of the greatest guitarists of all time,” said Battsek.
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DISGRACED, Documentary on Basketball Star Patrick Dennehy to World Premiere at SXSW 2017
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DISGRACED – Former Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss. | Credit: M. Andrew Barrera[/caption]
The documentary DISGRACED, which recounts the shocking murder of Baylor University men’s basketball star Patrick Dennehy as well as an attempted cover-up of NCAA rule violations, will world premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival, followed by its debut on SHOWTIME on March 31.
DISGRACED examines the tragic events surrounding the 2003 murder of Dennehy, to which fellow teammate and friend Carlton Dotson pled guilty in the only known instance in the history of the NCAA where one student-athlete was convicted of murdering another. Through first-hand accounts from students, investigators, family and friends, DISGRACED calls into question the plea and conviction of Dotson.
The film also includes exclusive and revealing interviews with former head coach Dave Bliss, who directly addresses the attempted cover-up and secretly recorded statements he made in 2003 that implicated him in NCAA rule violations. The violations, revealed in part by whistle blower and then assistant coach Abar Rouse, ultimately led to Bliss’ resignation and a partial ban on NCAA play for the Baylor Bears basketball team.
“This is a complex story, told through powerful first-person accounts, about both a senseless murder and an attempted cover-up of NCAA rule violations that still reverberate within Baylor University and collegiate athletics to this day,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “DISGRACED is yet another provocative, compelling and culturally relevant documentary delivered with the inside perspective that has become the hallmark of unscripted programming from SHOWTIME Sports.”
Recruited by Coach Bliss, Dennehy was a standout player with a bright future until the 6-foot-10 forward went missing under a set of bizarre circumstances. The murder and then the attempted cover-up of improper payments to players rocked the Baptist university in Waco, Texas. Ultimately, Dotson pled guilty and the university and Bliss were cited for multiple NCAA rule violations. Bliss essentially was ousted from NCAA basketball for 10 years.
In contemplating his involvement in the attempted cover-up, his 2003 resignation and his religious faith, Bliss said, “A question that a man always has to ask himself when he goes through something like I went through, are you in a better spot than you were before? Was it worth it? And the answer to me is yes.”
Bliss recently returned to coaching at Southwestern Christian University in Oklahoma competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
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Next American Masters Season to Kick Off with Exclusive U.S. Broadcast Premiere of BY SIDNEY LUMET
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By Sidney Lumet[/caption]
Prolific and versatile filmmaker Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) made 44 films in 50 years, earning the Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement after four Oscar nominations. Considered a quintessential New York filmmaker, Lumet frequently used New York City’s urban mettle to infuse his films with a realism and intensity that kept audiences in suspense while prodding them to consider their own morality.
In American Masters: By Sidney Lumet, he tells his own story in a never-before-seen interview shot in 2008 by late filmmaker Daniel Anker and producer Thane Rosenbaum. With candor, humor and grace, Lumet reveals what matters to him as an artist and as a human being. Launching Season 31, American Masters: By Sidney Lumet premieres nationwide Tuesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and features a new, exclusive interview with Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-nominated actor Treat Williams, who starred in Lumet’s Prince of the City, afterward.
Peabody and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Nancy Buirski (Afternoon of a Faun, The Loving Story, Loving) weaves Lumet’s personal stories and commentary with scenes from his films to create a portrait of one of the most accomplished, influential and socially conscious directors in the history of cinema. Clips spanning his canon, from 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Prince of the City, The Verdict, and many more, reveal the spiritual and ethical lessons at the core of his work.
Looking back over his career, Lumet speaks intimately about the experiences that informed his work, which he loved. His Depression-era, working-class Lower East Side beginnings as a child actor with his father in Yiddish theater, on Broadway, and his gradual transition to directing live TV, informed the stories he chose and his ability to translate important stage works into film, such as The Sea Gull, The Fugitive Kind and Long Day’s Journey into Night. In clips from these films, American Masters: By Sidney Lumet underscores Lumet’s own journey: his relationship with his father mirrored in Long Day’s Journey into Night, Daniel, Running on Empty and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.
Marching for workers’ rights in the 1930s, standing up to McCarthy-era blacklist interrogation and finding ways to employ his blacklisted friends, Lumet developed an appreciation for people who question authority. His movies often featured characters fighting for justice, standing up to the crowd and questioning personal responsibility. First and foremost a storyteller, Lumet’s strongly moral tales captured the dilemmas and concerns of a society struggling with essentials: how does one behave to others and to oneself?
“Sidney Lumet started in theater, learned about directing in television and made a career in film,” said Michael Kantor, American Masters series executive producer. “His work is legendary, and Nancy Buirski and her team were able to pull insights from the 14-hour goldmine of an interview and couple them with Lumet’s remarkable work to create a deeply insightful master class for the ages.”
“It was my job to distill what I felt were the crucial threads, the story Lumet most wanted to tell,” said Buirski. “What our film reveals is a man whose life experiences infused his movies with a sense of fairness and conscience, and whose strong moral code, conscious or not, found expression in his art.”
By Sidney Lumet had its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival and was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film will be available on digital video on demand and DVD/Blu-ray from FilmRise on January 9.
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Interview: Paul Hildebrandt Talks About His Documentary FIGHT FOR SPACE
“If you have ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what is out there, this is the film for you.” Director Paul Hildebrandt puts into perspective the danger and detachment of America’s growing apathy for astronomy in his documentary Fight for Space. Though the Space Race inspired several generations to chase space and seek careers in science and technology, we’ve seen a steady decline in educational pursuit of space exploration in recent years. Fight for Space urges viewers to reawaken the sense of wonder and discovery and includes interviews with big names such as Bill Nye and Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell who share Hildebrandt’s vision for the future of the final frontier. We sat down with Paul, who’s love for astronomy, fascination with science fiction and concern for future generations galvanized this push to reinvest money and minds into space education.
What was your main motivation for making the documentary?
As an aspiring science fiction writer and soon-to-be father in 2012, I began to think of both how little the future seemed to be offering the next generation in terms of space flight. With the Space Shuttle just having been retired, and the Constellation program canceled, things were not looking up. I dropped the pen on trying to write a science fiction movie, believing that the Star Trek future would never exist until we figure out how to get out of low earth orbit. I had the idea to do a documentary on these issues as a way of bringing attention to them, and off we went.
Have you always been interested in Astronomy or is it something you came to later in life?
For as long as I can remember I’ve always been interested in space. Through both practical astronomy and science fiction. I’ve always wondered what could be out there.
Why do you think we lost interest in space education?
Interest in space education and space flight in general has had a bumpy road. In the 60s we were in a cold war with the Soviet Union and this spurred science education further than it had ever been before. Ever since then the focus has been mostly on earth bound problems which seem to resurface and repeat themselves constantly. Today space gets a few headlines and tv specials when NASA or SpaceX announces something, but we haven’t seen any of this come to be yet. To reignite interest in space we need to actually do something, not just talk about. Pulling back from the Moon and ending that program was I believe, a huge mistake and the ultimate answer to your question.
How long did it take to shoot? Did you run into any challenges while making it?
The film took about 4 years and change to make and it was incredibly challenging for me, both personally and professionally. NASA for example, did not want any part of the project because the question of “Why haven’t we gone back to the Moon?” Was too negative for their PR. I was given great help in finding footage and acquiring information but completely restricted from visiting any NASA facility or interviewing any NASA personnel officially. So a film that was originally going to be a film looking at how NASA was going to do all these great things in the future turned into more of a tragedy about why we stopped going and how messed up things are today. I learned a lot making this film and I’m excited to take these lessons into my next film, producing it quicker and more efficiently.
Can you tell our readers why they should see Fight for Space and what you want the audience to take away from the film?
Fight for Space is a film about the great things that we have done, and what we can do if we put our heads together and just do it. I’d like the audience to take away from this film all of the benefits that can be gained by doing space exploration and to see how badly it’s been messed up over the years. If you have ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what is out there, this is the film for you.
Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary film makers and what did you learn while making Fight for Space?
First, film making is collaborative, you can’t do everything yourself as much as you want to try. With that said it’s also important to follow your heart and make the film how you want to make it. Be expressive with your style of film making.
I learned more making Fight for Space than I ever did in any film class or formal training. Trial and error in both film making, dealing with people both close and far, public relations, technical requirements, archival research, the list is endless. I think the greatest way to learn how to make a movie is to make one. You can’t be told how to do it.
What’s next step for both you and the doc?
For the doc, I hope to continue showing it around the country and various festivals and then finally get it on some streaming services so everyone can see it as soon as possible.
As for me, after I wind down from this it’s off to make more documentaries, maybe about space, maybe not. Taking what I’ve learned and doing it better than I did last time, that’s what it’s about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e58zMy9kvuU
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Julie Sokolow Talks WOMAN ON FIRE, Her Documentary on NYC’s First Openly Transgendered Firefighter
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Woman On Fire[/caption]
In addition to the grueling physical and emotional strength it takes to be a firefighter, Brooke Guinan bore the weight of judgment and the weight of hormonal changes to carry out both her desire to be a firefighter and her destiny to transition from male to female. Woman On Fire documents the life and struggles Guinan went through to fulfill both sides of who she was meant to be. The documentary takes a powerful look at the path of transitioning your gender in an overwhelmingly macho profession. We interviewed the director Julie Sokolow to discuss the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of making the film and the message it gets across.
This is such an important and moving topic, can you briefly describe what Women on Fire is about?
Woman on Fire tells the story of Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender firefighter in NYC. She’s also a third generation firefighter whose father and grandfather served in the FDNY. We follow Brooke as she emerges as a national role model – working against all odds to come out as transgender in an old-school, conservative workplace all while recruiting and training women and LGBTQ people for one of the most traditional jobs in the world.
What was your main motivation for making the documentary?
In 2014, an empowering photograph of Brooke went viral. She’s standing tall with her hands on her hips in a shirt that reads, “So Trans So What”. I thought, wow, she is the future. Her story sparked my imagination of a society in which we work peacefully alongside trans individuals in all sorts of professions. Brooke’s father George is a respected lieutenant with 35 years on the job. He’s also Republican, devoutly Christian, and very accepting of Brooke. To me, their relationship embodied the polarized political forces in America today. I wanted to explore that and celebrate Brooke’s unique life and family.
How long did it take to shoot? Did you run into any challenges while making it?
The film took about a year and a half to shoot. I was simultaneously editing while shooting towards the end. Brooke’s life was so dynamic, I didn’t want to leave anything out of the edit. She was busy working at FDNY headquarters and volunteering with the United Women Firefighters, all while buying a house with her partner Jim and considering marriage. So the film is all of these things – part family history, part love story, part expose.
Can you tell our readers why they should see Woman on Fire and what you want the audience to take away from the film?
You should see Woman on Fire because it is authentic, funny, sweet, and inspiring – just like Brooke. Brooke and I became great friends through the making of this film. I hope our friendship is contagious to audiences and people leave the theater with a sense of kindness for the trans people they encounter in their own lives.
Can you give tips to any prospective Documentary filmmakers?/What did you learn while making Woman on Fire?
One of the coolest parts of making this film was getting really close with Brooke and her family. I would stay at their house for weeks at a time while filming. I know that’s not possible for every documentary, but I really liked the intimacy. It wasn’t just me filming for a couple of hours and then running back home to my own life. Brooke became part of my life and I became part of hers. I think that helped me tell a better story. So I guess the advice is to be immersed and invested in the stories you tell as best you can.
What’s the next step for both you and the doc?
Woman on Fire premieres at DOC NYC on November 15th, followed by an encore screening on November 17th. After that, we’ll play more festivals, tour around, and try to share Brooke’s story as much as we can. The story is a beacon of hope in these tough times so I can’t wait for people to be able to see it and get inspired by Brooke the way she inspired me.