Documentary

Documentary GLEN CAMPBELL…I’LL BE ME to Premiere on CNN

The critically-acclaimed feature documentary GLEN CAMPBELL…I’LL BE ME from PCH Films is headed to CNN, and will premiere on the network in June, and then encore in November of 2015.

Featuring the Grammy Award®-winning and Academy Award®-nominated song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” sung by Glen Campbell himself, the heartbreakingly beautiful, funny, inspiring film directed by James Keach and produced by Trevor Albert and Keach follows the long goodbye that is Alzheimer’s disease as Campbell, and his family, struggle with the diagnosis and progression of the illness through his poignant “Goodbye Tour” in 2011 to 2012.

Director/producer James Keach said, “Here’s a guy, an iconic musician, who was faced with having to hang up his guitar, his career over, but instead, he says, ‘I ain’t done yet. I’m going out to show what this disease is,’ because he wants to change the conversation. If that ain’t a hero, I don’t know what is.”

In 2011, Campbell set out on an unprecedented tour across America. Having just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Glen Campbell went public about his diagnosis, and together with his wife Kim, launched the Goodbye Tour. Originally planned for a five week run, his health – and popular demand – enabled the tour to expand to 151 spectacular sold out shows over the next year and a half. The Campbell family also together lobbied Congress for more funding for a cure. The film documents this amazing journey as Campbell and his family and friends attempt to navigate the wildly unpredictable nature of Campbell’s progressing disease using love, laughter, and music.

The five-time Grammy Award®-winning artist sold more than 50 million albums in a singular career that includes extraordinary vocals and music like “Gentle on My Mind,” “Southern Nights,” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.” Campbell also artistically collaborated with Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, and so many others, using his renowned perfect pitch and flawless guitar skills to help usher country music into the mainstream. Artists including Bruce Springsteen, Blake Shelton, Paul McCartney, The Edge, Kathy Mattea, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and many others including President Bill Clinton, contribute their memories of Campbell to the film.

Recent CNN Films broadcast premieres include WHITEY: United States of America v James J. Bulger, directed by Joe Berlinger; IVORY TOWER, an exploration of the value of a traditional college education, directed by Andrew Rossi; DINOSAUR 13, about paleontologist Peter Larson’s multi-year odyssey to bring his history-making find of the Tyrannosaurus rex “Sue” to the world, directed by Todd Miller; and LIFE ITSELF, a biographical profile of renowned, Pulitzer prize-winning film critic, Roger Ebert, directed by Steve James.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAtgraWN5-I
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Watch TRAILER for A BRAVE HEART: The Lizzie Velasquez Story

A BRAVE HEART: The Lizzie Velasquez Story, the documentary following the inspiring journey of 25 year old, 58 pound Lizzie from cyber-bullying victim to anti-bullying activist, has released the official trailer.

Directed by first-time filmmaker Sara Hirsh Bordo, A BRAVE HEART: The Lizzie Velasquez Story is set to premiere at the upcoming SXSW Film Festival.

Born with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Velasquez was first bullied as a child in school for looking different and, later online, as a teenager when she discovered a YouTube video labeling her “The World’s Ugliest Woman.” The film chronicles unheard stories and details of Lizzie’s physical and emotional journey up to her multi-million viewed TEDx talk, and follows her pursuit from a motivational speaker to Capitol Hill as she lobbies for the first federal anti-bullying bill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQXPFURgcfw
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Alex Gibney’s Controversial Scientology Doc to Debut on HBO

GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF, directed by Oscar^® winner Alex Gibney which premiered at Sundance Film Festival, will debut in prime time Sunday, March 29, exclusively on HBO.

The film can also be seen the next night, Monday, March 30 at 9:00 p.m.

Based on the book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lawrence Wright, GOING CLEAR,profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, detailing their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion.

One of the most talked about films at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, this powerful documentary highlights the Church’s origins, from its roots in the mind of founder L. Ron Hubbard to its rise in popularity in Hollywood and beyond. The heart of GOING CLEAR is a series of shocking revelations by former insiders, including high-ranking and recognizable members such as acclaimed screenwriter Paul Haggis (“Crash”), who describe the systematic history of abuse and betrayal by Church officials, including the current leadership of the Church. GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF is a provocative tale of ego, exploitation and lust for power.

GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF was written and directed by Alex Gibney; based on the book by Lawrence Wright; producers, Alex Gibney, Kristen Vaurio and Lawrence Wright; editor, Andy Grieve; director of photography, Samuel Painter. For HBO; supervising producer, Sara Bernstein; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zllYkNu1sl4
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Watch TRAILER for MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN

Radius-TWC has released the trailer for the documentary My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn , directed and shot by Refn’s wife Liv Corfixen. The film follows Refn as he works on ‘Only God Forgives’, the follow-up to the successful ‘Drive’ starring Ryan Gosling.

The film opens in limited theaters and VOD on February 27th.

My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn is directed and shot by the titular filmmaker’s wife Liv Corfixen and captures private and intimate moments to which a traditional documentary crew simply wouldn’t have access. The film follows Refn’s own deep conflict as we witness him wrestle with the particularly challenging production of Only God Forgives. The result is a fascinating, detailed look at a creative genius at work and also a portrait of a director torn between the public’s desire for a sequel to Drive and his own mission to explore more challenging narrative territory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devdfefm1VY

via firstshowing
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Sundance Award Winning Doc CARTEL LAND Set for 2015 Release

Matthew Heineman’s CARTEL LAND, which world premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where Heineman won the Directing Award and Special Jury Award for Cinematography in U.S. Documentary Competition, is set for release later this year by The Orchard.

With unprecedented access, CARTEL LAND is a harrowing look at the journeys of two modern-day vigilante groups and their shared enemy – the murderous Mexican drug cartels.

Filmmaker Matthew Heineman embeds himself in the heart of darkness as Nailer, El Doctor, and the cartel each vie to bring their own brand of justice to a society where institutions have failed. CARTEL LAND is a chilling meditation on the breakdown of order and the blurry line between good and evil.

In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as “El Doctor,” leads the Autodefensas, a citizen uprising against the violent Knights Templar drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona’s Altar Valley – a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley – Tim “Nailer” Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to stop Mexico’s drug wars from seeping across our border.
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College Sexual Assault Doc IT HAPPENED HERE Set For Release

Cinedigm will release It Happened Here, the compelling new documentary from director Lisa F. Jackson and producer Marjorie Schwartz Nielsen that explores sexual assault on campuses through the personal testimonials of five survivors who transform their experiences into a springboard for change.

Cinedigm will roll out the film across all platforms including physical, VOD and its OTT channel, Docurama.

In raw and intimate interviews, the students describe surviving sexual assault only to be met with apathy, disbelief, blame and retaliation from the authorities when they tried to report the crime. When they tried to get justice, they were ignored, belittled and shamed, while their attackers remained on campus with impunity. But instead of hiding away in shame, they chose to speak out, and found a way to force institutional change.

Award-winning documentary director Lisa F. Jackson’s resume for the last 10 years has reflected a singular focus: violence against women. From such subjects as war time rape (The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo); the connection between rape and violence in Colombia’s civil war (Tres Mujeres), and a portrait of prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office dedicated to rape and sexual violence cases (Sex Crimes Unit), Jackson’s films have taken an unflinching look at this most disturbing crime.

The film had its broadcast debut on PIVOT January 21, 2015. And, in February, as part of the It’s On Us campaign launched by the White House to educate college students about sexual assault, the documentary will be screened at college campuses across the country.

“When producer Marjorie Nielsen approached me to direct a film that exposed the epidemic of sexual assault on American college campuses, I knew immediately that I was all in,” commented Jackson.

“I’ve been working in film production and screenwriting for over 30 years,” says producer Marjorie Nielsen. “But nothing comes close to the humility, pride and gratitude I felt working with these five remarkable young women who let us into their lives and shared their harrowing stories.”

“This is a profoundly important subject,” says Susan Margolin, President of Cinedigm’s Docurama brand. “The film exposes an outrageous and prevalent attitude among many college administrators that assigns guilt to the victim, not the perpetrator. It is our hope that this film will provoke discussion and lead to policy changes so that more young women don’t have to endure the agony of the students in this film.”
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The Young Turks Online News Doc for February Release

Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired MAD AS HELL, with plans to digitally release the documentary film on February 6th with theatrical screenings in New York and Los Angeles and a DVD/Blu-ray release to follow.

MAD AS HELL world premiered at the 2014 Hot Docs Film Festival where it won the Gaiam TV Conscious Media Award and will next screen as an Official Selection at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The Young Turks, one of the most popular online news shows in the world, has amassed a YouTube network consisting of millions of subscribers and billions of views. But that wasn’t always the case. MAD AS HELL documents the tumultuous, at times hilarious and altogether astonishing trajectory of Cenk Uygur, The Young Turks’ main host and founder, as he traverses from unknown public access TV host to Internet sensation by way of YouTube. When he ventures into national television by landing the 6 PM time slot on MSNBC, Cenk’s uncensored brand of journalism is compromised as he becomes a thorn in the side of traditional news media; his unwavering dedication to speaking the truth puts him at the very nexus of the battle between new and old media.

About the acquisition, Oscilloscope’s Dan Berger and David Laub said, “MAD AS HELL is an intelligent and engaging portrait that introduces audiences to an incredible group of people that have become a dominant force in news. The Young Turks are as important, if not more so than any jackass on Fox News and we’re excited to do our small part in letting their story into your home.”

Filmmaker Andrew Napier said, “This film is about a man who says and does things that are often deemed unpopular with the traditional media, and I’m thankful that there is a badass company like Oscilloscope willing to distribute and share this story.”

MAD AS HELL is currently playing select theaters across the country via Gathr Films’ Theatrical On Demand model.

MAD AS HELL is directed and produced by Andrew Napier. Andrew was born and raised in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Andrew was a producer of the 2013 Academy Award®-winning short film CURFEW, and later edited its feature adaptation BEFORE I DISAPPEAR (SXSW 2014 Audience Award Winner). His screenplay for DOGTOOTH, a remake of the Academy Award®-nominated Greek foreign film, is currently in development at Mandalay Pictures. In addition to MAD AS HELL, he also directed the narrative short GRANDMA’S NOT A TOASTER (Tribeca 2013) and the feature documentary MARY AND BILL (Wisconsin Film Festival 2011 Best Documentary). Andrew produced and edited the documentaries THE PAST IS A GROTESQUE ANIMAL (2014), about the band “of Montreal,” released by Oscilloscope Laboratories, and the upcoming BOUNCE: HOW THE BALL TAUGHT THE WORLD TO PLAY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh1cLEGmDrA
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PBS Goes Nuclear With Two New Documentaries

Atomic Test – Dominic Bluestone, Christmas Island.

PBS will debut two new documentaries: THE BOMB, and URANIUM – TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL, timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the first explosion of an atomic bomb, and the bombing of Hiroshima.

THE BOMB, a history of nuclear weapons and how they shaped our world, and URANIUM – TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL, an in-depth look at the chemical element used in nuclear weaponry, will be hosted by physicist and YouTube star Dr. Derek Muller. The documentaries are timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the first explosion of an atomic bomb, and the bombing of Hiroshima, essentially the dawn of the nuclear age. Both programs premiere in July 2015.

Using state-of-the-art transfer techniques to turn recently declassified images into vivid, jaw-dropping footage, THE BOMB tells a powerful story of the most destructive invention in human history. From the earliest testing stages to its use as the ultimate chess piece in global politics, the program outlines how America developed the bomb, how it changed the world and how it continues to loom large in our lives.

Viewers witness the raw power and strangely compelling beauty of rare and pristine images of above-ground nuclear tests. The documentary includes interviews with historians Richard Rhodes, Martin Sherwin, Robert Norris, Sergei Khrushchev and others, along with men and women who helped build the weapon piece by piece. Audiences also hear from former Secretary of State George Shultz and Secretary of Defense William Perry, who reveal how the bomb was viewed inside government circles, as well as those who hold firsthand memories of seeing the first mushroom clouds fill the skies.

This groundbreaking film provides captivating insights through its masterfully restored footage and its assemblage of voices who were there when the atomic age began.

In URANIUM – TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL, host and physicist Dr. Derek Muller unlocks the mysteries of uranium, one of the Earth’s most controversial elements. Dr. Muller embarks on an epic journey across the globe to explain the fascinating details of uranium’s birth and life. Born from the collapse of a star, uranium has brought hope, progress and destruction. It has revolutionized society, from medicine to warfare. It is an element that has profoundly shaped the past, will change the future and will exist long after humans have left the Earth. Filmed on five continents, the two-hour program, produced by Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Sonya Pemberton, delivers a gripping story of an ancient element’s footprint on the world.

“We are who we are because of uranium,” Muller says. “It unlocks the secrets of the universe and reveals the nature of reality. It’s both a dream of clean limitless power and a nightmare of a silent, poisoned Earth.”

“PBS is the place to untangle complicated issues like harnessing nuclear power and the use of destructive forces,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS. “These two documentaries offer a chance to contemplate the indelible impact America’s nuclear age has had on our parents, grandparents and ourselves, and they will surely spark conversations in homes across the country.”

Credits:
THE BOMB is written and directed by Rushmore DeNooyer. Executive producer is Kirk Wolfinger. A Lone Wolf production for PBS. Bill Margol, Senior Director, Programming & Development, developed and oversees the project for PBS.

URANIUM – TWISTING THE DRAGON’S TAIL is written and directed by Wain Fimeri and developed and produced with support from SBS Australia, Film Victoria and Screen Australia. A Genepool production for PBS. Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming & Development, oversees the project for PBS.
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Sundance Doc, HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, to Debut on HBO

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO documentary, which is scheduled to premiere at the upcoming 2015 Sundance FilmFestival, will debut on HBO later this year.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired U.S. television rights to HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO. Directed by Alexandra Shiva (Stagedoor, Bombay Eunuch), the film will have its world premiere Sunday, January 25 at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Documentary Competition, and will debut on HBO later this year.

A first kiss, a first dance. These are the rites of passage of American youth that hold the promise of magic, romance and initiation into adulthood. For kids from all walks of life, these first steps toward intimacy are at once exciting and terrifying. For some teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum, the transition can be nothing less than paralyzing. In HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, director Alexandra Shiva follows a group of young people in Columbus, Ohio, with an array of developmental challenges as they prepare for an iconic event – a spring formal dance. They spend 12 weeks confronting and practicing their social skills as they prepare for the big event, to be hosted at a local disco. Working with their trusted psychologist, they deconstruct fear and larger-than-life social anxiety one step at a time by picking dates, dresses, and, ultimately, a King and Queen of the Prom. HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO is a story of the universal human need to grow, connect and belong as uniquely dramatized by individuals facing the deepest struggle toward social survival.

Shiva states, “A domestic broadcast on HBO will ensure that this film reaches the widest possible audience throughout the country and I am excited to be working with them to do that. This is a film not only for the many whose lives are touched in some way by autism, but also for anyone who can relate to the fraught experience of growing up and trying to understand adulthood.”

In 2001, Shiva directed & produced her first feature documentary BOMBAY EUNUCH, awarded Best Documentary at NewFest and the Special Jury Award at Florida Film Festival, followed by a 6-week theatrical run. Her second documentary STAGEDOOR premiered at SXSW in 2005, and in 2006 screened at New York’s Film Forum and on the Sundance Channel. HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO is her third feature documentary.
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Controversial Doc FAREWELL TO HOLLYWOOD Sets US Release Date

FAREWELL TO HOLLYWOOD, a documentary film by Henry Corra and Reggie Nicholson is set to open in the US in February 2015.

This award-winning documentary has screened at numerous international film festivals including IDFA, Hot Springs Doc Fest and Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The film will open in New York at Cinema Village on Wednesday, February 25 (the day of Reggie Nicholson’s birthday), and at the Noho 7 in Los Angeles on Friday, March 13. A national release will follow.

In a recurring poetic image, 17-year-old Regina Diane Nicholson swings between heaven and earth on a breathtakingly high cliff by the sea. Reggie is a tomboy struggling with a terminal illness, her parents, and her dream of making a film before she dies. She impresses us with her loving, strong personality and wisdom beyond her years, as well as her morbid sense of humor.

When director Henry Corra met 17-year-old filmmaker Regina Nicholson at a film festival, he agreed to help her make a feature film. What developed over nearly two years is a powerful friendship and poignant relationship between Reggie and Henry. He became her collaborator, friend and defender in her fight to find artistic and personal freedom. When Reggie turns 18 and can make decisions legally on her own, things become even more intense.

FAREWELL TO HOLLYWOOD is a poetic fairytale about love and death, holding on and letting go, one that invites us to discuss the relationship between filmmaker, subject and family. An eclectic mix of images with the intimacy of a video diary or home movie, it is filmed both by Henry and by Reggie and supplemented by their text message exchanges, images from her favorite movies, and fairytale-like scenes with songs that together form a heartwarming, but also heartbreaking and controversial ode to Reggie’s life.

It’s a raw and unexpected love story about the commitment of two people to art, poetry, care, and the potential beauty of every moment together, to the very end.

http://youtu.be/pWIohJHlhO0
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Award-Winning Documentary “ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL” Sets February 2015 Release Date

The award-winning documentary “ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL” (Sur le chemin de l’école) directed by Pascal Plisson, will open in Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in New York on February 6, 2015. ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL immerses us in the extraordinary routines of four different children who live in the four corners of the earth but all share the same thirst for learning. They understand that only education will allow them a better future and that is why, every day, they must set out on the long and perilous journey that will lead them to knowledge. Their sheer will to accomplish their dream leads them onto a path we have all walked – but never like this.

ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL, winner of the 2014 Cesar Award for Best Documentary, is the story of: Jackson, 11, who lives in Kenya and twice a day he and his younger sister walk 10 miles through a savannah populated by wild animals; Carlito, 11, rides more than 11 miles twice a day with his younger sister, across the plains of Argentina, regardless of the weather; Zahira, 12, lives in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains and takes an exhausting walk on foot along punishing mountain paths awaits her before she and her two girlfriends can reach their boarding school; Samuel, 13, lives in India and the 2.5 miles he has to travel each day are an ordeal, as he doesn’t have the use of his legs so his two younger brothers have to push him all the way to school in a makeshift wheelchair.

http://youtu.be/eIsQ0B43Q9Y
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World Champion Boxer Johnny Tapia Documentary to Debut on HBO

TAPIA, the documentary about the talented but tormented world champion boxer Johnny Tapia will debut Tuesday, December 16 (11:00 p.m.-midnight ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. TAPIA uses first-person narration and archival footage to explore the achievements, personal demons and ultimate redemption of the popular fighter, who died in 2012 at age 45. The film is executive produced by multiplatinum award-winning musician, entrepreneur and actor Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and sports promoter, producer and entertainment executive Lou DiBella.

“Johnny Tapia’s life story was an incredible journey, and we are eager to celebrate his biggest accomplishments and chronicle the toughest and most difficult moments of his turbulent life,” says Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “Tapia was so much more than just a world champion, and we want to share this gripping account with our subscribers, many of whom may have seen Johnny in his five fights on HBO, but may not know the amazing story behind the fighter.”

“This is not a boxing film, but a film about tragedy, triumph, demons and redemption,” says DiBella. “Johnny gives us an honest assessment of his strengths and frailties; he reminds us of the power and resiliency of the human spirit.”

“Johnny’s is a story that needed to be told,” says Jackson. “Everyone can relate to some aspect of it, which makes it that much more powerful. Personally, his journey is one that has touched me greatly.”

http://youtu.be/tllXLOQ2vWU

Born Feb. 13, 1967, Johnny Tapia used boxing as way out of his impoverished life in Albuquerque, NM, becoming a five-time world champion in three different weight classes. Tormented as an adult by thebrutal kidnapping and murder of his mother, which occurred when he was eight years old, Tapia suffered repeated episodes of drug addiction and mental illness. His nickname, Mi Vida Loca (“My Crazy Life”), reflected not only Tapia’s intensity in the ring, but also a tumultuous personal life, which involved jail time and several drug overdoses. In 1994, he married his wife, Teresa, who helped Tapia regain control of his life in retirement before he succumbed to a heart attack in 2012.

HBO has a rich and distinguished history of developing and presenting boxing documentaries, among them: “Legendary Nights: The Tale of Gatti-Ward”; “Klitschko”; the Emmy®-winning “Assault in the Ring”; the Peabody Award-winning “Thrilla in Manila”; “Joe Louis: America’s Hero…Betrayed”; the Peabody Award-winning “Ali-Frazier: One Nation Divisible”; and the Emmy®-winning “Sugar Ray Robinson: The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion.”

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 18 (4:45 p.m., 1:50 a.m.), 20 (11:30 a.m.), 22 (11:00 a.m.), 28 (10:30 a.m.) and 29 (12:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m.), and Jan. 8 (8:00 p.m., 3:50 a.m.) and 13 (4:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Dec. 19 (3:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.), 24 (7:00 p.m.) and 27 (4:00 p.m.), and Jan. 4 (7:40 a.m.) and 6 (9:00 a.m., 2:40 a.m.)

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