
Peter D. Richardson’s new feature documentary, “How to Die in Oregon”, will premiere in competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and will have its broadcast premiere on HBO in 2011.

After applying her Midas touch to the book publishing world with her book club, talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey is looking to do the same to the film world with a documentary club. OWN:Oprah Winfrey Network has announced it has acquired three films, “One Lucky Elephant,” “65_RedRoses” and “Most Valuable Players,” that will join the upcoming monthly documentary film club lineup

Documentary film “The Human Experience” produced by Grassroots Films of Brooklyn, New York, is getting some marketing help from some local Catholic organizations in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Six screenings of the film are planned for next week in Kalamazoo as part of a “Welcome Home for Christmas” campaign aimed at lapsed , said Steve Goffeney, executive director of the organization planning it, Newman’s Bookshoppe: The Catholic Information Center of Southwestern Michigan.

Audience members participating in a panel discussion about Shlomi Eldar’s documentary “Precious Life,” the closing night film of the 25th Annual Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, received a surprise when the subjects of the film video-conferenced in from Gaza to participate in the talk. Palestinian mother Ra’ida Abu Mustaffa, her husband Faozi and son Muhammad, who is now three, participated in a discussion with Israeli television correspondent Shlomi Eldar, film producer Ehud Bleiberg and moderator Sharon Waxman to talk about their reactions to the film. Ra’ida did note that her son’s health was “not good,” but she had hope for the future.

Eliot Spitzer recently spoke with CNN about why he participated in the new documentary, “Client No. 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer” opening Friday in limited release. The film is directed by Alex Gibney, whose work has included acclaimed documentaries “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”and the anti-war documentary “Taxi to the Dark Side.”

IFC Films has acquired rights to “Shoah.” Directed by Claude Lanzmann, the nine-and-a-half hour documentary received almost universal critical acclaim for its look at Holocaust survivors when it premiered in 1985.

The documentary Reel Injun, by Canadian filmmaker Neil Diamond, won the Canada Award for best documentary at the first of two 2010 Gemini Awards Industry Galas.

Select programming from the PBS Emmy® Award-winning weekly documentary series “Independent Lens” are nowl be available for purchase on iTunes. “The Parking Lot Movie,” directed by Meghan Eckman, will be the first film available from the 2010 Fall season of Independent Lens for purchase.

Ripple Effect Films and Argot Pictures present the US Theatrical release of SAINT MISBEHAVIN’: THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE, a documentary by Michelle Esrick. Official selection at SXSW, Mill Valley, Maui and numerous other festivals, SAINT MISBEHAVIN’ will open in San Francisco and Bay Area on Friday, December 3, and at the IFC Center in New York on Wednesday, December 8. Other cities will follow.
World renowned sports production and distribution company Jalbert Productions International (www.jalbertfilm.com) today debuted “Focused On Excellence” a special television documentary (click on link to view http://tinyb.it/743C58FE750). Director Jay Jalbert and his globe trekking team chronicled the pride, focus and determination of eight inspirational and influential South Korean athletes and their quest to become the best. “Focused on Excellence” subtly and effectively weaves visual and artistic cinematography to tell the story of each athlete’s struggles and triumphs while capturing South Korea’s culture, its people, and their inherent will to win.
Profiled in the “Focused on Excellence” documentary are South Korean and Manchester United football star Ji Sung Park and South Korea’s next generation of international footballers Chung-Yong Lee, South Korea’s first Major League Baseball player Chan Ho Park (Pittsburgh Pirates), future and fast rising MLB star Shin-Soo Choo (Cleveland Indians), legendary LPGA golf professional Se-Ri Pak, 2009 PGA Championship winner,Y E Yang, 19-year old Olympic figure skater and super star Yu Na Kim and short track turned long track speed skating Olympic gold and silver medalist Seung-Hoon Lee.

“Marwenco”, a documentary film by Jeff Malmberg, and winner of the Grand Jury Award at SXSW, Seattle International Film Festival and Cleveland International Film Festival, as well as winner of Best Documentary at Comic-Con and winner of multiple other awards at festivals, will have its New York theatrical release on Friday, October 8 at the IFC Center. The film will open in Los Angeles at the Nuart on Friday, November 12. Other cities will follow.