Films

Check out the trailer for the new documentary called THE FINAL MEMBER that will be released in April 2014.  Paris has the Louvre. London has the Tate Modern, and New York the Metropolitan Museum. But Husavik, Iceland—a diminutive village on the fringe of the Arctic Circle—boasts the world’s only museum devoted exclusively to painstakingly preserved male genitalia. 

Founded and curated by Sigurður “Siggi” Hjartarson, the Icelandic Phallological Museum houses four decades worth of mammalian members, from a petite field mouse to the colossal sperm whale, and every “thing” in between. But, lamentably, Siggi’s collection lacks the holy grail of phallic phantasmagoria: a human specimen.

THE FINAL MEMBER centers on Siggi, whose world changes dramatically when he receives generous offers from an elderly Icelandic Casanova and an eccentric American. However, as the competition for eternal penile preservation heats up between the two men, Siggi soon discovers that this process is more complicated than it initially appeared. In their debut feature film, Jonah Bekhor and Zach Math follow Siggi on his dogged, often emotional quest to complete his exhibition in a peculiar, yet startlingly relatable, story of self-fulfillment and the value of personal legacies (both big and small).

THE FINAL MEMBER captures the uniquely bizarre Icelandic Phallogical Museum, whose quest for the human specimen leaves an indelible stamp on the lives of a few… to the intrigue of many. We would love to send you a screener for consideration so you can plunge into this strange world yourself. 

http://youtu.be/sZMaheZ_Iy0

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The trailer has been released for the ‘stunning visual journey, WATERMARK from co-directors Jennifer Baichwal and photographer Edward Burtynsky.  The film, an official selection at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival will open April 4th in NY and April 18th in Los Angeles. WATERMARK is a feature documentary film that brings together diverse stories from around the globe about our relationship with water: how we are drawn to it, what we learn from it, how we use it and the consequences of that use. 

We see massive floating abalone farms off China’s Fujian coast and the construction site of the biggest arch dam in the world – the Xiluodu, six times the size of the Hoover. We visit the barren desert delta where the mighty Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean, and the water-intensive leather tanneries of Dhaka. We witness how humans are drawn to water, from the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach to the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, where thirty million people gather for a sacred bath in the Ganges at the same time. We speak with scientists who drill ice cores two kilometers deep into the Greenland Ice Sheet, and roam the sublime pristine watersheds of Northern British Columbia.

Shot in stunning 5K ultra high-definition video and full of soaring aerial perspectives, this film shows water as a terraforming element and the scale of its reach, as well as the magnitude of our need and use. This is balanced by forays into the particular: a haunting memory of a stolen river, a mysterious figure roaming ancient rice terraces, the crucial data hidden in a million.

http://youtu.be/1IENWnZbvu4

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The official trailer has been released for Manny Pacquiao Movie, MANNY, the documentary film about Filipino boxer turned congressman Manny Pacquiao.  MANNY is scheduled to world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival and Conference taking place March 7 to 15, 2014, in Austin, Texas. 

“MANNY” is narrated by Academy Award Nominee Liam Neeson and directed by Ryan Moore and Academy Award winner Leon Gast (“When We Were Kings”). “Manny” features original music by Lorne Balfe (Inception, The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes) and ChadHugo (The Neptunes/NERD) and interviews by Mark Wahlberg, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeremy Piven, Oscar De La Hoya, and other notable celebrities.

From abject poverty to becoming a ten time boxing world champion, congressman, and international icon, Manny Pacquiao is the true definition of a Cinderella-man story.

In the Philippines, he first entered the ring as a sixteen year old weighing ninety-eight pounds with the goal of earning money to feed his family. Now, almost twenty-years later, when he fights, the country of 100 million people comes to a complete standstill to watch. The army and the rebels cease-fire. There are no cars in the street. There is zero crime. An entire country becomes united.

Regarded for his ability to bring people together, Pacquiao entered the political arena in 2010. As history’s first boxing congressman, Pacquiao now fights for his people both inside and outside of the ring. Now at the height of his career, he is faced with maneuvering an unscrupulous sport and maintaining his political duties, while still supporting his family and sustaining a personal life. The question now is, what bridge is too far for Manny Pacquiao to cross?  SXSW | Facebook

http://youtu.be/Qqi_DVcSMPY

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Check out the official poster and trailer for the documentary STRIPPED, directed by Dave Kellett and Frederick Schroeder, and scheduled for release on iTunes and DVD on April 1st.  STRIPPED is described as a love-letter to comic strips. It brings together the world’s best cartoonists to talk about the art form they love, and what happens to it as newspapers die. Over 90 interviews were conducted, including the first-ever audio interview with Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes), as well as Jim Davis (Garfield), Cathy Guisewite(Cathy), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Mike & Jerry (Penny Arcade), Matt Inman (The Oatmeal), Jeff Keane (The Family Circus), Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics), Lynn Johnston (FBOFW), Zach Weiner (SMBC), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Scott McCloud(Understanding Comics), Richard Thompson (Cul de Sac), Jeph Jacques(Questionable Content), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), Bill Amend (Foxtrot), Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant) and more. STRIPPED sits down with these creators to talk about how cartooning works, why it’s so loved, and how they’re navigating this dicey period between print and digital options…when neither path works perfectly.

http://youtu.be/avxHfJAUtCk

via First Showing

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The first official trailer for the upcoming documentary “SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER” from Canadian filmmakers Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen of Banger Films was released this week.  “SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER” is described as the twisted tale of a teenage Dr. Jekyll whose rock and roll Mr. Hyde almost kills him. It is the story of Vincent Furnier, preacher’s son, who struck fear into the hearts of parents as Alice Cooper, the ultimate rock star of the bizarre. From the advent of Alice as frontman for a group of Phoenix freaks in the ’60s to the hazy decadence of celebrity in the ’70s to his triumphant comeback as ’80s glam metal godfather, we will watch as Alice and Vincent battle for each other’s souls. The film is the first-ever “doc opera” — a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation and rock opera that will cement forever the legend of Alice Cooper.

http://youtu.be/65LiL6R9L3I

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Director Steve James with Chaz Ebert

One week after its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, close to 200 people braved the inclement weather to attend the Rooftop Films and Piper-Heidsieck hosted  sneak preview of the new Roger Ebert documentary, “LIFE ITSELF” at The Paley Center for Media in New York City. On hand to see the screening were the late critic’s wife Chaz Ebert, Director Steve James, Actress Yael Stone (Orange Is The New Black), Director Alex Ross Perry, and indie actress Kate Lyn Shiel along with noted film critic A.O. Scott (The New York Times) who conducted a Q&A with Chaz, Steve and filmmaker Rahmin Bahrani.

Roger Ebert documentary LIFE ITSELF

In 2013, we lost Roger Ebert—arguably the nation’s best-known and most influential movie critic. Based on his memoir of the same name, Life Itself recounts Ebert’s fascinating and flawed journey—from politicized school newspaperman, to Chicago Sun-Times movie critic, to Pulitzer Prize winner, to television household name, to the miracle of finding love at 50, and finally his “third act” as a major voice on the Internet when he could no longer physically speak. 

Filmmaker Steve James masterfully uncovers the snags and strains hidden under Ebert’s prominence, including his battle with alcohol; his ongoing, sometimes ruthless, conflict with fellow critic Gene Siskel; and scorching debates among film critics about whether their television show reduced criticism to “consumer advice.” Ebert bridged high and low culture, defending film as a populist medium even as he championed films that challenged mainstream aesthetics and expectations. Insisting on bare honesty, Life Itself is as much a love letter to Ebert as it is an expression of Ebert’s own love—for his family, humanity in general, and, of course, the movies.  [ Sundance Film Festival ]

At the Q&A conducted after the Rooftop Films and Piper-Heidsieck-sponsored NYC premiere of LIFE ITSELF, Steve James shared that he originally thought “he’d just rip off the memoir,“ but that ultimately, the film isn’t really an adaption of the memoir – it’s more of a companion piece. While James leaned very heavily on Roger’s book, he also wanted to be sure to get things that weren’t focused on in the book, particularly his relationship to Gene Siskel which, as the film shows, was often competitive, contentious and challenging.

Chaz Ebert

When asked if she hesitated about allowing the cameras into this very intimate time in her life, Chaz explained, “I think that Steve did a beautiful job with the movie. I’m really glad it exists as a maintenance of Roger’s legacy…We are not reality TV people and didn’t want someone following us around all day every day but we trusted Steve.”

indie actress Kate Lyn Shiel

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The Mitt Romney documentary, “MITT,” from director Greg Whiteley, which provides an intimate, rarely seen, behind-the-scenes look at a candidate running for the presidency, will premiere exclusively on Netflix on Friday, January 24th. 

MITT, which World Premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival follows Romney’s presidential aspirations beginning Christmas 2006 to his initial run to become the Republican nominee in 2008 and through his Presidential concession speech in 2012. Given unprecedented access by Mitt and his family, director Greg Whiteley travels alongside the campaign through interactions with potential voters, preparations for the debates, personal moments with his family, and concluding with final presidential election night results.

“It feels like a full circle moment to premiere this movie at Sundance,” said filmmaker, Greg Whiteley. “I first met and filmed the Romney family in Park City in 2006 as they gathered to discuss whether Mitt should run for President. Over the next 7 years I couldn’t believe I was filming inside rooms and situations I had no business being in. Now that I’ve finished I couldn’t be more pleased to share this experience with audiences around the world through Netflix.”

 http://youtu.be/rLHxbemvpxY

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The Indian documentary ALGORITHMS, directed by Ian McDonald has been snapped up by New York based First Run Features for release in the U.S. The documentary which has screened at over twelve international film festivals and won four awards, including Best Film at Film SouthAsia in Kathmandu, follows three boys and a champion player turned pioneer over three years and uncovers the fascinating but largely unknown world of Blind Chess.

http://youtu.be/pHVZD2yrb7k

via dearcinema

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Check out the new trailer for the documentary film “THE UNKNOWN KNOWN,” directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Errol Morris which opens April 2, 2014. The film offers a mesmerizing portrait of Donald Rumsfeld, the former Secretary of Defense whose career will cast a long shadow over the 21st century. 

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris (The Fog of War, Standard Operating Procedure) continues his exploration of post-9/11 American imperialism with this riveting, feature-length interview with notorious former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.Donald Rumsfeld has never been at a loss for words. As the US Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006, Rumsfeld wielded words both to charm and to bully. His press conferences were lopsided battles where he controlled the flow of information and rarely left time for follow-up questions. In The Unknown Known, he gives in to a different kind of interview with the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris. Whether you think Rumsfeld is a patriot or a liar, he’s never less than mesmerizing. His dialogue with Morris is like a verbal duel, retracing controversial flashpoints such as the invasion of Iraq, accusations of torture, and the revelations of Abu Ghraib.

“The unknown known” is a phrase that Rumsfeld defined in a memo as “things you think you know that it turns out you did not.” As a self-avowed “obsessive,” Morris has carefully studied Rumsfeld’s blizzard of memos (which he calls “snowflakes”) to ask: what did he know and when did he know it? He traces Rumsfeld’s career path from Illinois congressman to the youngest Secretary of Defense under Gerald Ford to the oldest Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush — a background critical to understanding the shaping of his alliances and ideology. Morris has the support of a first rate crew, including cinematographer Bob Chappell and composer Danny Elfman.

Rumsfeld will go down in US history as one of the dominant figures of the twenty first century’s first decade. Now that we’re into the second decade, it’s incumbent upon us to reflect on what that period meant, and how it’s shaped us. In the words of Rumsfeld, “Everything seems amazing in retrospect.”  [ via Toronto International Film Festival ]

http://youtu.be/qbz9I-x00RY

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Wayne Wang’s documentary film SOUL OF A BANQUET, is not yet completely finished but it has already been snapped up by Oscilloscope Laboratories for a late 2014 release. Wayne Wang is the director of more than 20 films that include THE JOY LUCK CLUB, MAID IN MANHATTAN and A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS.

In SOUL OF A BANQUET, Director Wayne Wang (THE JOY LUCK CLUB) takes us into the world of Cecilia Chiang, the woman who introduced America to authentic Chinese food. Chiang opened her internationally renowned restaurant The Mandarin in 1961 in San Francisco and went on to change the course of cuisine in America. The film is equal parts a delectable showcase of gastronomy and a touching portrait of Chiang’s journey from a childhood in Beijing before the Cultural Revolution to accidental restaurateur on the west coast of the United States. SOUL OF A BANQUET features interviews with Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl, and Cecilia Chiang herself.

Filmmaker Wayne Wang said, “Cecilia not only changed the face of American cuisine when she opened the Mandarin, she also made the very best potstickers when I arrived in San Francisco from Hong Kong. I’m looking forward to partnering with Oscilloscope to introduce Cecilia’s story and her sumptuous cooking to a new generation of foodies.”

image l to r: Cecilia Chiang, Alice Waters in Soul of a Banquet via San Francisco Film Society

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