Documentary

The documentary RAISING RENEE will premiere on HBO 2 on February 22.  The documentary is a touching look at two sisters, Renee, who is is a mentally disabled 43-year old named Renee who functions at the level of a third grader and her sister Beverly, a painter who vows to their mother that she will care for Renee.   Filmed over the course of six years, the film takes a look at the lives of Renee and Beverly and how they change each other’s lives.

Artist Beverly McIver was enjoying a skyrocketing career as a painter when a casual yet life-changing promise made to her mother Ethel years before – to take care of her mentally disabled sister Renee – came due. RAISING RENEE follows the McIver family from the time when Ethel and Renee shared a home in Greensboro, NC, through Ethel’s illness and death, to the pivotal moment in 2004 when Beverly brought Renee to live with her in Phoenix, Arizona. The film chronicles Beverly’s promise to “raise” her sister, a 43-year-old woman who functions at the level of a third grader, and the way it transforms Beverly’s life at a time when she had hoped to focus on her burgeoning career and on finding a life partner. Raising Renee unfolds with humor, drama and unexpected twists, and provides a deeply intimate view of a unique family of women, the tenacity of family bonds, and the power of art to transform experience into something beyond words.

Academy Award® nominated husband and wife filmmaking team Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan have been making documentary and fiction films for over 20 years and RAISING RENEE is the third in their Family Trilogy, including “Troublesome Creek” and “So Much So Fast.”  “Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern,” won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance, the Prix Italia, Peabody and IDA awards, and an Academy Award® nomination. Previously, “So Much So Fast” premiered at Sundance and was broadcast worldwide, including a special presentation on PBS’ “Frontline.”

{youtube}Ibqpro4oPLs{/youtube}

Read more

‘A Life Ascending’, from director Stephen Grynberg will be available on DVD February 28.

More than 8 years after a tragic avalanche took the lives of 7 skiers exploring the Canadian Alps, Ptarmigan Films will release “A Life Ascending”,  a documentary following Ruedi Beglinger, the legendary mountain guide who led that fateful expedition.  Award-winning filmmaker Stephen Grynberg, himself a loyal, longtime client of Beglinger’s Selkirk Mountain Experience, intimately explores the unique lives of Beglinger and his family as they attempt to move past the tragedy that catapulted them into international headlines.

Featuring breathtaking scenery and personal interviews with Beglinger’s family members, guests and staff, “A Life Ascending”, allows viewers insight into a truly unique family living in an unknown world.  The tight-knit Beglingers live and work in the unforgiving wilderness of the Canadian Alps and embody the simple, adventurous ethos of a family living off the land.  Beglinger, along with his wife Nicoline and daughters, Charlotte and Florina, manages to exude tremendous warmth and familial joy in the coldest, most extreme of settings.  “A Life Ascending” is sure to appeal to mountaineers and skiers, but also to anyone interested in universal and human stories about struggle, triumph and redemption.

The film has already garnered critical acclaim and recognition following screenings at various film festivals, winning awards at the Banff Mountain, DocuWest, Kendal Mountain, BendFilm, Yosemite International, and Red Rock Film Festivals, as well as honorable mentions at several other festivals.

{youtube}gTwXGoolflk{/youtube}

Read more

Just before its premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Documentary Competition, HBO Documentary Films has acquired the feature documentary ME @THE ZOO. Directed by Chris Moukarbel and Valerie Veatch, ME @THE ZOO is an in-depth exploration of the new phenomenon of internet celebrity.

Focusing on the story of Chris Crocker, the video blogger who exploded into the international spotlight after his infamous “Leave Britney Alone” YouTube declaration, ME @THE ZOO explores how video sharing and social platforms have shaped the way people tell their stories and mediate their lives.

This film marks the directorial debut for both Moukarbel and Veatch.

Read more

Pink Ribbons, Inc., which had its world premiere in September 2011 at the Toronto International Film Festival and its European premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, opens theatrically on over 30 screens in cities across Canada, beginning February 3, 2012.

In the documentary film Pink Ribbons, Inc.  director Léa Pool talks to women with breast cancer, experts, authors, activists and medical researchers, as well as the leading players in breast cancer fundraising and cause-related marketing, to paint a shocking portrait of how the pink ribbon campaign benefits businesses more than women with breast cancer.

Inspired by the book Pink Ribbons, Inc.: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy by Samantha King, Pink Ribbons, Inc. shows how some companies use breast cancer cause-marketing to boost sales, while often contributing only a tiny fraction of proceeds to the cause. It also explores how companies that pollute or sell products containing dangerous chemicals are in on the action, too, using “pink washing” to polish their images, and even shaping the direction of cancer research. The end result is that the environmental causes of breast cancer have been largely ignored, with only a minuscule fraction of the funds going to prevention research.

Pink Ribbons, Inc. also takes us back to the questionable origins of the ubiquitous ribbon. Charlotte Haley was a 68-year-old American woman using peach-coloured ribbons to specifically call attention to the lack of funding for breast cancer prevention. When a cosmetics giant wanted in, Haley refused, because she believed that the company was out to boost profits rather than help women. But she couldn’t stop them when they changed the colour of the ribbon to pink.

Most heartbreaking are the sick and dying women who’ve been pushed to the margins because they don’t suit the triumphal upbeat image of the pink ribbon narrative, what author Samantha King calls “the tyranny of cheerfulness.”

Pink Ribbons, Inc. makes a powerful case that the pink ribbon campaign is failing to achieve the most crucial goal of all: it isn’t helping women live longer, healthier lives. Breast cancer rates are rising. We’ve only seen incremental improvements in chemotherapy and surgery treatments, over decades. Prevention is being vastly underfunded. Something has to change.

But as Pink Ribbons, Inc. argues, until we force a change in the business model for cancer research, that’s not going to happen.

Most of us have had our lives affected by breast cancer, in one way or another. If you have, you owe it to yourself to see this film.

{youtube}wc96Vp6Dux4{/youtube}

Read more

Re:Generation Music Project, a new documentary directed by award-winning documentarian, Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story, My Kid Could Paint That), follows five electronic DJs/producers as they re-imagine music collaborating with influential artists from each genre. In the film, The Crystal Method, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson, and Skrillex use technology to mix musical styles and generations for the creation of five original tracks. Re:Generation Music Project will enjoy a unique nationwide, one-night only theatrical release in select cities and venues on Feb. 16, 2012.  Encore screenings to be scheduled for Feb 23rd.

In the film, current GRAMMY®-nominated artist Skrillex heads into a Los Angeles studio with members of the iconic rock band, The Doors, to collaborate on a new song, “Breakn’ A Sweat.” Meanwhile, The Crystal Method touched down in Detroit to work with Martha Reeves of The Vandellas and The Funk Brothers on the R&B number, “I’m Not Leaving.” Mark Ronson created a southern brew of New Orleans jazz in “A La Modeliste” that boasts a veritable all-star cast of Erykah Badu, Trombone Shorty, Mos Def, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Members of The Dap Kings. DJ Premier tapped NAS and Boston’s very own Berklee Symphony Orchestra for his “Regeneration,” and the documentary culminates in Nashville on the dusty intergalactic twang of Pretty Lights’ “Wayfaring Stranger” featuring vocals from LeAnn Rimes and Dr. Ralph Stanley.

{youtube}iLlxvrXURoo{/youtube}

Read more

“Putin’s Kiss” a film by Lise Birk Pedersen, was acquired by Kino Lorber at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), where it had its world premiere in the IDFA Feature Documentary competition.  It will be released theatrically after its North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (in the World Cinema Documentary competition).

“Putin’s Kiss” portrays contemporary life in Russia through the coming-of-age story of Masha, a middle-class, 19-year-old Russian girl and a member of Nashi, a political youth organization that is connected with the Kremlin. Extremely ambitious, the young Masha quickly ascends to the top of Nashi, which allows her to become the protégé of the Minister of Youth. She is rewarded for her loyalty with an apartment while attending Moscow State University.

She begins to question her involvement with Nashi when she learns that a radical faction within the organization is supposedly responsible for attacks against anyone who criticizes Putin. This leads her to question the organization, and she meets a journalist, Oleg Khasin, with whom she becomes close friends despite their strongly opposing views. However, when Oleg is attacked, Masha finds herself at odds with Nashi, and realizes she must take a stand.

“‘Putin’s Kiss’ exposes a ruling elite that places no value on a free press or free elections. Masha’s story is universal, she is intelligent, ambitious and proud of her country and does not want to see the dark side of Russia’s leadership, which has ostensibly brought security to a country wracked by political, economic and social upheaval.

{youtube}-Mu3jqfyAdY{/youtube}

Read more

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s fanboy documentary COMIC-CON EPISODE IV – A FAN’S HOPE will be released theatrically in Spring 2012 in conjunction with a multi-city tour of the film by a partnership bewteen Wrekin Hill Entertainment and National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), a movie merchandising company.

COMIC-CON EPISODE IV – A FAN’S HOPE takes a behind-the-scenes look at this amazing cultural phenomenon where fans gather by the tens of thousands annually to attend the ultimate geek mecca in San Diego — a fringe comic book convention that has grown into the pop culture event of the year.

Read more

[caption id="attachment_1911" align="alignnone"]CANNON FILMS release Enter the Ninja (1981)[/caption]

Drafthouse Films will release Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story Of Cannon Films in the U.S. From acclaimed cult film documentarian Mark Hartley (Not Quite Hollywood, Machete Maidens Unleashed), the film centers on the story of two Israeli-born, movie-obsessed cousins, Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, who in pursuit of the “American dream” launched an indie studio that would produce over 120 exploitation films from 1979-1989 turning a renegade outfit into the proclaimed “seventh Hollywood major.” The film is currently in pre-production in Australia. A theatrical release is being planned for late 2012 to coincide with a traveling roadshow retrospective of Cannon’s seminal films.

While best known for their explosive ’80s action fare (Missing In Action, Death Wish sequels, Academy Award® Nominated Runaway Train), Cannon Films’ diverse and ambitious production output also included body-count slashers (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), musicals and comedies (The Apple, Breakin’), science fiction and fantasy epics (Masters of The Universe, LifeForce), martial arts classics (American Ninja series, Kickboxer), neo-noir crime thrillers (52 Pick-Up, 10 To Midnight), art-house dramas (Barfly, John Cassavetes’ Love Streams, Jean-Luc Godard’s King Lear), in addition to launching the careers of many future genre superstars like Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. “No other production organization in the world today,” proclaimed Roger Ebert in 1987, “has taken more chances with serious, marginal films than Cannon.”

Read more

The new documentary, Pipe Dreams from Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated director Leslie Iwerks is playing at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater in LA, through November 24 at 7:30 pm daily.

Narrated by actress/activist Daryl Hannah, the documentary tells the story of the Keystone XL Pipeline and the company TransCanada’s efforts to build a transportation system for tar sands through some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the region (with a route crossing the Sandhills and the Ogallala aquifer) and through the family lands of hundreds of farmers and ranchers.

{youtube}Cvmzk-goUWs{/youtube}

Read more

The award-winning documentary Man on a Mission: Richard Garriott’s Road to the Stars, a riveting account of Richard Garriott’s lifelong quest to become the first son of an astronaut to blast into space opens January 13, 2012, in theaters and VOD platforms nationwide. Man on a Mission is directed by Mike Woolf, produced by Brady Dial and released by First Run Features.

Best known as the father of early computer games like Ultima and Ultima Online, Richard Garriott always wanted to follow in his astronaut father’s footsteps. But when eye problems made a career at NASA impossible, he turned to private space travel to make his dream come true. Man On A Mission captures everything from Garriott’s training in Russia to his launch aboard the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, as well as life aboard the International Space Station, resplendent views of the earth from space, and a never-before-seen view from inside the capsule during the fiery re-entry to Earth.

Already a legend in the PC gaming world, Richard Garriott is known to millions of followers as “Lord British.” His Ultima series was one of the first fantasy game sensations and he became a godfather of today’s massive multiplayer industry with Ultima Online. But most people don’t know that his father, Owen Garriott, flew NASA missions on Skylab in the early 70’s and the Space Shuttle in 1983 – and that Richard always hoped to follow his father into space.

The trouble is, in order go into orbit from the U.S., you have to be a NASA astronaut. Being nearsighted, Richard knew at an early age that NASA was never option. But that didn’t stop him from dreaming. As he earned a fortune in the video game industry he worked tirelessly at making his dream a reality by investing in private space travel.

The only way for a private citizen to get to space is onboard a Soyuz rocket through the Russian space program – for a hefty $30 million. But the commitment is more than financial; the rigorous training takes upwards of a year and in Richard’s case, demanded extra physical sacrifice.

In riveting detail, Man on a Mission tracks Richard’s training, beginning at Star City, the mysterious headquarters for Russia’s space agency. As he learns about their previously secret history, Richard serves as a guide to the inner workings of Moscow’s mission control. He also works with NASA, and his father, to create a series of experiments aboard the space station. Richard doesn’t forget to pack his HD movie camera, and creates a dreamlike cache of home movie images from space.

The excitement is palpable as the countdown enters its final days, hours, and then minutes, until finally it’s time for lift off.

{youtube}qPRvqt3NKFs{/youtube}

Read more

[caption id="attachment_1746" align="alignnone" width="550"]The Education of Dee Dee Ricks[/caption]

Two award winning documentaries will premiere on tv/cable this week.  The Education Of Dee Dee Ricks debuts October 27, exclusively on HBO, in conjunction with national breast cancer awareness month; and Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s Miss Representation premieres on OWN on October 20th.

A self-made millionaire living on New York City’s Upper East Side, 39-year-old Dee Dee Ricks seemed to have it all – until she was diagnosed with aggressive stage II breast cancer. Insured and affluent, she could afford the best treatment money could buy, but was shocked to realize how difficult it is for uninsured women in the same situation, and determined to do something about it.

Marking National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the candid documentary The Education Of Dee Dee Ricks chronicles her transformation from successful businesswoman to determined advocate for poor breast-cancer patients and takes a no-holds-barred look at her own battle with the disease. This moving film by award-winning newswoman Perri Peltz debuts THURSDAY, OCT. 27 (8:30-9:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: Oct. 27 (5:30 a.m.), and 30 (5:30 p.m.), and Nov. 2 (8:30 a.m.), 5 (10:45 a.m.), 8 (12:15 p.m.), 18 (4:00 p.m.) and 21 (10:00 p.m.)

In a recent interview with Diane Davis of Examiner.com, Jennifer Siebel Newsom revealed that her directorial debut Miss Representation that premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival is headed to OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

JSN: We are gearing up Oprah Winfrey’s premiere on October 20th at 9pm Eastern/Pacific and and 8pm Central.

DD: Will there be anything surrounding the showing of the film?

JSN: Yes, there’s going to be a special with Rosie O’Donnell directly following the premiere of the film. That Gloria Steinem, myself, Gena Davis and others are going to be a part of. It will be an hour long special with Rosie O’Donnell.

Written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. The film challenges the media’s limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman to feel powerful herself.

Stories from teenage girls and provocative interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers, activists and academics, like Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson and Gloria Steinem build momentum as Miss Representation accumulates startling facts and statistics that will leave the audience shaken and armed with a new perspective.

Read more

The documentary EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE, which had its World Premiere at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, and went on to screen at Mill Valley and SXSW film festivals, among many others, will open on October 21 at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Los Angeles, CA.  Many other cities (including Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, DC) will follow.

Directed by Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler, EVERYDAY SUNSHINE is a documentary about the band Fishbone, musical pioneers who have been rocking on the margins of pop culture for the past 25 years.  From the streets of South Central-Los Angeles and the competitive Hollywood music scene of the 1980’s, the band rose to prominence, only to fall apart when on the verge of “making it.”   Laurence Fishburne narrates EVERYDAY SUNSHINE, an entertaining cinematic journey into the personal lives of this unique Black rock band, an untold story of fiercely individual artists in their quest to reclaim their musical legacy while debunking the myths of young Black men from urban America.  Highlighting the parallel journeys of a band and their city, EVERYDAY SUNSHINE explores the personal and cultural forces that gave rise to California’s legendary Black punk sons that continue to defy categories and expectations.

At the heart of Fishbone’s story is lead singer Angelo Moore and bassist Norwood Fisher who show how they keep the band rolling, out of pride, desperation and love for their art.  To overcome money woes, family strife, and the strain of being aging Punk rockers on the road, Norwood and Angelo are challenged to re-invent themselves in the face of dysfunction and ghosts from a painful past.

The documentary includes interviews with: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Ice-T (rapper), Branford Marsalis (saxophonist), Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction, Porno For Pyros).

Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, the band has just released their much-anticipated album Crazy Glue on October 11, 2011.

{youtube}ChXk4R0mGNw{/youtube}

Read more