• SXSW 2018: This Is Her Fight – Watch Trailer for Olivia Newman’s FIRST MATCH

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    First Match Netflix today dropped the trailer for First Match, the first feature film from writer/director Olivia Newman, that is set to World Premiere at SXSW 2018. Following its debut, the film will launch on Netflix on March 30, 2018.
    Hardened by years in foster care, a teenage girl from Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood decides that joining the all-boys’ wrestling team is the only way back to her estranged father.
    First Match stars Elvire Emanuelle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Colman Domingo, Jharrel Jerome and Jared Kemp. From producers Chanelle Elaine, Veronica Nickel and Bryan Unkeless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xva2FWNdcD0

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  • Watch Trailer for NEW WAVE: DARE TO BE DIFFERENT – The Story of WLLR 92 “the Most Influential Radio Station”

    New Wave: Dare to Be Different New Wave: Dare To Be Different directed by Ellen Goldfard tells the story of the most influential radio station on Long Island, NY called WLLR 92.  U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Blondie, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Clash, The Cure – over half a billion records sold, but you might have never heard of them if not for the small suburban radio station on Long Island, NY called WLIR 92.7. The documentary film is a nostalgic look back at the rogue radio station on the cutting edge of music throughout the 1980s. Program director Denis McNamara, the station crew and the biggest artists of the era tell the story of how they battled the FCC, record labels, mega-radio and all the conventional rules to create a musical movement that brought New Wave to America. New Wave: Dare To Be Different features rare archival footage and candid interviews with artists including Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Dave Wakeling (The English Beat), Annabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow), Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, YAZ and Erasure), Curt Smith (Tears for Fears), Fred Schneider (The B-52s), Mike Score (A Flock of Seagulls), Mike Peters (The Alarm), Katrina Leskanich (Katrina and the Waves), Thomas Dolby, Howard Jones and Midge Ure (Ultravox, Live Aid founder), among others. WLIR helped introduce most of these bands to a U.S. audience while creating a community centered around the punk and New Wave scene. Now, 30 years after the station went off the air, the film tells the story of the unique rise and fall of this independent cultural institution. New Wave: Dare To Be Different premieres on Showtime on Friday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdmvLN_pZq8

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  • 7 Documentaries incl. “The Rape of Recy Taylor” Acquired by Starz

    [caption id="attachment_26582" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Rape of Recy Taylor The Rape of Recy Taylor[/caption] Seven exclusive, first-run documentaries including The Rape of Recy Taylor, a film that exposes a legacy of physical abuse of black women and reveals Rosa Parks’ intimate role in Recy Taylor’s story, have been acquired by Starz. The Rape of Recy Taylor will premiere on STARZ in July 2018. Recently mentioned as “a name I know and I think you should know, too” by Oprah Winfrey during her acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 75th Golden Globes on January 7, 2018, Mrs. Recy Taylor was abducted and gang raped by six white men in Alabama in 1944. An epic story of black women who spoke up when danger was greatest, it was their noble efforts to take back their bodies that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and movements that followed.

    DOCUMENTARY FILMS

    The Rape of Recy Taylor – Premiere Date: July 2, 2018 Mrs. Recy Taylor was abducted and gang raped by six white men in Alabama in 1944. Unbroken, she spoke up and fought for justice with help from the NAACP, Rosa Parks and legions of women. An epic story of sexual violence in the Jim Crow South, when courageous black women fight to take back their bodies and their dignity. McLaren – Premiere Date: March 12, 2018 A fearless sportsman and a brilliant visionary engineer, Bruce McLaren became a superstar during the glamorous jet-set world of 1960s Formula One motor racing. McLaren recounts the New Zealander’s life, from his humble beginnings at his father’s auto shop in Auckland, to revolutionizing Formula One Racing by becoming the youngest driver ever to win a Grand Prix, to his death at 32. Featuring interviews from his closest friends and family members, the documentary is an unprecedented window into the life of a true genius. Pecking Order – Premiere Date: March 26, 2018 Fierce rivalries, club infighting, problematic birds and irregular judging are just some of the challenges faced by a group of zealous Kiwi chicken breeders hell bent on victory at the 2015 National Poultry Show. Sled Dogs – Premiere Date: April 9, 2018 Winner of the World Documentary Award and Best Female-Directed Documentary at the Whistler Film Festival, Sled Dogs is the first documentary to look at the sometimes gruesome reality of what happens at sled dog operations and the Iditarod once the tourists go home. This film weaves together various characters and narratives to explore a truth about the dog sledding industry while posing the question: “Is the abuse seen against “man’s best friend” disguised as entertainment? Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction – Premiere Date: April 23, 2018 Emmy(R) award winner and Academy Award(R)-nominated director Joe Berlinger (STARZ Original Docuseries “Wrong Man”) embeds himself on the epic film set of Terry George’s The Promise (2016) to take an unwavering look at the Armenian Genocide. Historians, scholars and filmmakers come together in Berlinger’s cinematic exploration of the tangled web of responsibility that has driven a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. Intent to Destroy (2017) is a timely reckoning with the large-scale suppression of a historical tragedy. Berlinger confronts the fraught task of shedding light on the Armenian Genocide – whose witnesses and descendants are still fighting to be officially acknowledged as such by the international community – how it was carried out during World War I as the reign of the Ottoman Empire drew to a close, and how it laid the groundwork for the genocides that followed. What Haunts Us – Premiere Date: May 14, 2018 The 1979 class of Porter Gaud School in Charleston, South Carolina graduated 49 boys. Within the last 35 years, six of them have committed suicide. When Paige Goldberg Tolmach gets word that another former student from her beloved high school has killed himself, she decides to take a deep dive into her past in order to uncover the surprising truth and finally release the ghosts that haunt her hometown to this day. Stranger Fruit – Premiere Date: June 18, 2018 Stranger Fruit is a documentary about what happened to Mike Brown, told through the eyes of those closest to him, including his father, Michael Brown Sr. Pollock delivers an in-depth look at the facts of Mike Brown’s case in an effort to unravel the full story of what happened on Aug. 9, 2014, when then-Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown. Love & Bananas – Premiere Date: July 30, 2018 Ashley Bell and a team of elephant rescuers led by world renowned Asian elephant conservationist Lek Chailert, embark on a daring 48-hour mission across Thailand to rescue a 70-year old captive blind Asian elephant and bring her to freedom.

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  • WHEN GOD SLEEPS, Profile of Exiled Iranian Musician Shahin Najafji, Debuts on PBS Independent Lens | Trailer

    When God Sleeps Directed by Till Schauder, When God Sleeps is a rap-punk-rock documentary about Iranian musician Shahin Najafi, who is forced into hiding after hardline clerics issue a fatwa for his death, incensed by a rap song that focuses on the oppression of women and human rights abuses.  Shahin’s frantic escape leads to an impossible romance with Leili Bazargan, granddaughter of the first prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who was handpicked for the job by none other than the late Ayatollah Khomeini. Risking his life every time he steps on a stage, Shahin refuses to stop performing as an act of resistance while living a modern day Romeo and Juliet romance. When God Sleeps premieres on Independent Lens on Monday, April 2, 2018, 10:00-11:30 PM ET (check local listings) on PBS. In 2012, Najafi released a satirical rap song that triggered thousands to rally in a campaign for his assassination. Incensed by the song’s irreverent remarks about Ali al-Naghi, one of twelve imams revered by Shia Muslims, hardline clerics placed a $100,000 bounty on his head. “My songs didn’t make me famous,” said Shahin. “The fatwa did.” German journalist Günter Wallraff, who gave refuge to Salman Rushdie after his death fatwa, offers shelter to Shahin too. Despite the threats against his life, Shahin insists on total freedom of expression. His stubborn refusal to back down in spite of death threats is reminiscent of a suicide mission, complicating long-term planning for his new romantic relationship. Ironically, his uncompromising stance is not unlike that of the religious hardliners who want him dead. Shahin sees it as his mission, indeed his life’s purpose, to stand up to oppressive religious leaders — even if he has to pay the ultimate price for it. “Touching on hot topics like Islam, terrorism, protest, and the global refugee crisis, When God Sleeps checks off just about every newsworthy box as we immerse ourselves in the life of the ‘Salman Rushdie of Rap,’” said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer. “The human cost of resistance is at the core of this film, which explores nationalism and the growing hostility toward immigrants through the lens of a rebellious musician who occupies the complex role of both political activist and cultural bridge-builder.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbk9nhUqmvs

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  • Interactive Web Documentary “LIFE UNDERGROUND” to Premiere at SXSW 2018 | Trailer

    LIFE UNDERGROUND Virginie Powerful interactive web documentary, “LIFE UNDERGROUND,” created and directed by award winning filmmaker Hervé Cohen, in collaboration with installation artist and media designer Tonian Irving, will debut online March 13th as part of the 2018 SXSW Festival Arts Program.  The innovative experience will be available for viewing at life-underground.com in conjunction with a full-scale immersive installation on four large screens that will run daily from March 9 through 15 in room 306 at the JW Marriott. Life Underground is a constantly evolving, ever-growing testament to the power of personal stories to transcend barriers of race, gender, culture and religion. Filmed in 14 thriving subways around the world, including Los Angeles, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin and Santiago, Life Underground asks viewers to stop and listen as passengers speak candidly of their hopes, dreams, triumphs and defeats. Online, Life Underground can be easily navigated using a personal electronic device, allowing viewers to experience as many stories as they desire, as well as to travel inside various train cabins and explore the landscapes of subways on an interactive map. “This interactive documentary, where metros of the world join to form a unique worldwide underground line, is a platform to explore and instigate a conversation beyond language and cultural difference, while breaking the boundaries that divide us,” said Cohen. The art installation, which made its world premiere at Los Angeles’ Union Station last January 30th through February 5th, is composed of a series of screens mounted at various angles in order to create the illusion of a staggered, illuminated passageway. Each screen runs a 35-minute loop of original footage, with audio tracks split and distributed separately to dedicated speakers throughout the space. Its sonic companion is an experimental score of music, from composer Brian Rodvien, created using raw sounds of multiple subways, which can be accessed individually on Soundcloud. The installation allows for different levels of engagement with multiple screens, and will expand with time as Hervé continues to explore the subterranean passageways of the planet in search of the stories that make it move. To date, 40 intimate stories can be accessed by clicking on the image of a silent individual as they ride a train. Viewers never see the person speak since their vocals were recorded separately. Instead, audiences are invited to watch, as if they were observing a fellow passenger with the added gift of hearing a thoughtful inner monologue. Pilar in Madrid talks about the challenges of going blind later in life; while Stefanella in Berlin opens up about wanting to become a transgender performer; and Ibra in Brussels reveals the pain of being treated cruelly as an immigrant from Senegal and his dream of one day returning to his native land. These stories serve as the connective tissue of a global journey composed of the rich sights and sounds of the world’s subways, filmed using a deeply human gaze that captures the depth of quiet moments as readily as it does the excitement of urban bustle. The full installation serves as a time capsule of life in the world’s great cities, speaking to salient themes of diversity, inclusion, classism, urbanization and social welfare.

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  • SXSW 2018: See New Poster + Trailer for AI Documentary “More Human Than Human”

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    More Human Than Human Check out the new poster and trailer for More Human Than Human, the fascinating new documentary directed by Tommy Pallotta and Femke Wolting that delves into the increasing presence of Artificial Intelligence in our daily lives, and the existential questions it raises for humanity. More Human Than Human premieres this Saturday March 10th, in the VISIONS section at SXSW 2018. More Human Than Human poster In this personal, playful and at times dramatic quest, filmmaker Tommy Pallota explores how much of his creativity and human values are at stake as he builds his own robot to replace himself as a filmmaker.  The complexity of tasks that smart machines can perform is increasing at an exponential rate. Where will this ultimately take us? If a robot can learn to fold a towel on its own, will it someday be able to cook you dinner, perform surgery, and even conduct a war? This film instigates this debate between futurists and skeptics, about the potential of Artificial Intelligence. The filmmakers take us on a quest of understanding these innovations, opposing views and challenging our aspirations for the future of man and machine.
    OFFICIAL SELECTION- SXSW 2018- VISIONS MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN Directed By Tommy Pallotta & Femke Wolting TRT: 78 min in English Screening Times Saturday, March 10 – 1:45 PM – Vimeo Theater Monday, March 12 – 4:00 PM – Alamo Lamar D Thursday, March 15 – 6:00 PM – Alamo Lamar A

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  • French Filmmaker Bertrand Bonello to Chair Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury for Cannes Film Festival

    Bertrand Bonello French filmmaker Bertrand Bonello will chair the Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury of the 71st edition of the Festival de Cannes taking place May 8 to 19, 2018.  Bonello will succeed Romanian director Cristian Mungiu. From his very first film (Something Organic, 1998) to Nocturama (2016), Bertrand Bonello has occupied a unique place in the cinematographic landscape. His filmography includes seven feature films and eight short films, all of them highly distinctive. Since 2003, his films have been screened in Competition at the Festival de Cannes: Tiresia (2003), House of Tolerance (2011) and Saint Laurent (2014). Whether in his portrait of a Brazilian transsexual, the refined but frosty everyday life of a brothel at the close of the nineteenth century, or a virtuoso biopic about creation and the pain it causes, sexual identity and the relationship to the body haunt his work. In his exploration of the troubled margins of our thoughts and desires, Bertrand Bonello ceaselessly questions the boundaries of reality. Trained as a classical musician, this self-taught artisan works in music and cinema, sound and images, writes the script and composes the music for all his films. His critically acclaimed works reveal an acute mastery of audacity and aesthetics. Preferring perception over traditional narrative, long shots that emphasise the sensoriality of imagery, his worlds conjure up visual and sound experiences that break free of all limits. An admirer of Bresson, Pasolini and Jarmusch, fan of the Godfather and eXistenZ, Bonello seems to gravitate instinctively towards recurrent obsessions. Bertrand Bonello: “What do we expect from young people, unknown filmmakers and early films? Let them shake us up, let them make us look at what we’re unable to see, let them enjoy the freedom, the sharpness, the recklessness and the daring that we sometimes no longer possess. The Cinéfondation has been working for 20 years to make these voices heard and I’m extremely proud this year to be able to accompany them.” For his part, Gilles Jacob says of Bonello: “This year will be presided by one of the greatest contemporary directors, an iconoclastic and unique artist. And besides his art, his genuine humanity continues to shine to this day.”

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  • SXSW 2018: Kino Lorber to Release New 4K Restoration of “The Atomic Cafe”

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    The Atomic Cafe The new 4K IndieCollect restoration of The Atomic Cafe, supervised by filmmakers Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader and Pierce Rafferty that is set to premiere at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX, on Saturday, March 10, 2018, has been acquired by Kino Lorber Repertory for release in the U.S.  The newly-restored The Atomic Cafe will open in theaters nationwide during the summer––and receive a home media release during fall 2018. Composed entirely of civil defense and propaganda films created by the U.S. military and other agencies, The Atomic Cafe exploded myths about nuclear weapons and landed the filmmakers on Late Night with David Letterman: see video below. It created a sensation when it opened at the Film Forum in March 1982 and played around the country to capacity audiences, garnering extraordinary reviews, including from the New York Times, whose critic Vincent Canby called it “A stunner! Has one howling with laughter, horror and disbelief.” With the White House hurling threats to use nuclear weapons, The Atomic Cafe is the perfect movie for our time––a darkly funny meditation on Armageddon. Using our government’s own films, it pulls back the curtain to expose how Americans were taught to “stop worrying and love the bomb.” A cute cartoon assures children that ducking under their desks will protect them from radiation. A U.S. Army officer asserts the atomic bomb is a beautiful sight “when viewed at a safe distance,” as we watch young soldiers running towards a mushroom cloud. With Cold War memes re-emerging in our public discourse, audiences will weep with laughter and pained recognition as they contemplate the deployment of “alternate facts,” then and now, to achieve a desired end. “Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader and Pierce Rafferty have made a landmark film about the nuclear age that remains just as relevant and darkly comical today as it’s ever been,” wrote Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber. “We wish times were different. But at least we have The Atomic Cafe to expose the horrific prospect of the Armageddon with humor, style and historical perspective.” “We’re delighted to be rereleasing the 4K digital restoration of The Atomic Cafe with Kino Lorber,” said filmmakers Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader and Pierce Rafferty. “Kino Lorber did an outstanding job distributing Kevin’s film Harvard Beats Yale 29 – 29 and we’re all looking forward to working with their dynamic team.” The Atomic Cafe was deemed of such historic importance that it was named to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2016. This 4K digital restoration was created by IndieCollect, a New York-based non-profit organization that saves and restores American independent films so that they can be seen in state-of-the-art digital formats. Funding was provided by the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, administered through a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).

    About the filmmakers:

    Kevin Rafferty: Kevin Rafferty began making movies as an undergraduate at Harvard in the late 1960s. His feature documentaries include Hurry Tomorrow, The Atomic Cafe, Blood in the Face, Feed, The Last Cigarette and Harvard Beats Yale 29-29. He has done commissioned films for television and contributed his camera work to such filmmakers as Michael Moore (Roger and Me) and Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker (The War Room). He wrote a book for Overlook Press based on his movie also entitled “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.” Jayne Loader: Jayne Loader is the author of the novel “Between Pictures” and the short story collection “Wild America,” both published by Grove Press. She created the CD-ROM and website Public Shelter and WWWench, one of the first blogs, in 1995. In the 2000s, she and her husband, the astronomer Robert Kirshner, were the Masters of Quincy House at Harvard College. She lives in Portola Valley, California and Friendship, Maine. Pierce Rafferty: Following the release of The Atomic Cafe in 1982, Pierce Rafferty co-founded Petrified Films, an independent stock footage library located in the Meat Market District, New York City. From 1984 to 1994, Petrified’s holdings grew exponentially to include the stock footage libraries of Warner Bros. (pre-1951) and Columbia Pictures (pre-1965). In 1994, Petrified Films sold its collection of archival stock footage to Image Bank, a company later purchased by Getty Images. In 2002, Pierce moved to Fishers Island, NY, where he works as the director of the Henry L. Ferguson Museum.

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  • 2018 Chattanooga Film Festival to Open with ROCK STEADY ROW and SUMMER OF ’84 | Trailers

    [caption id="attachment_27466" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Caleb Emery, Cory Grüter-Andrew, Judah Lewis and Graham Verchere appear in Summer of '84 by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann Whissell Caleb Emery, Cory Grüter-Andrew, Judah Lewis and Graham Verchere appear in Summer of ’84 by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann Whissell[/caption] ROCK STEADY ROW and SUMMER OF ’84, have been selected as the opening night films of the 2018  Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF) slated for April 5 to 8, 2018.  The festival will also screen the world premiere of the highly anticipated documentary LIFE AFTER FLASH. LIFE AFTER FLASH is an inspiring and moving feature documentary that celebrates what makes that Mike Hodges enduring classic FLASH GORDON so iconic with audiences to this day. This film takes a looks at the real man behind the heroic mask, Sam J. Jones, including his successes, his battles, and his ultimate struggle for redemption. Director Lisa Downs, along with star Sam J. Jones and producer Ashley Pugh, will be in attendance for this once in a lifetime screening. “The Chattanooga Film Festival has quickly grown over the last four years,” says festival executive director Chris Dortch. “Last year was our biggest, and for our fifth anniversary we weren’t going to settle for anything less than our best, most insane year yet.” ROCK STEADY ROW | Director Trevor Stevens Rock Steady Row centers around a young college freshman who, after his bike is stolen, lands on a college campus and is compelled to take action against the reigning fraternities and ultimately the dean.| Q&A with Trevor Stevens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJAEbawJZzg SUMMER OF ’84 | Directors François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence in, but as they get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous. | Q&A with François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B46J7fY4PY LIFE AFTER FLASH | Director Lisa Downs *WORLD PREMIERE LIFE AFTER FLASH explores the life of Sam J Jones since his iconic performance as ‘Flash Gordon’ in the 1980 classic of the same name, and the aftermath of the young stars’ clash with one of Hollywood’s biggest legends, producer Dino De Laurentiis. Q&A with star Sam J. Jones, Lisa Downs, and producer Ashley Pugh

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  • 4 Netflix Films incl. “The Rachel Divide” to Premiere at 2018 Tribeca Film Festival | Trailer

    [caption id="attachment_27460" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]THE RACHEL DIVIDE THE RACHEL DIVIDE[/caption] Netflix has dropped the trailer for the “The Rachel Divide” – the documentary on delf-described “trans racial” activist Rachel Dolezal, which along with three other films will premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. The films include the North American debuts of Cargo and Sunday’s Illness (aka La Enfermedad Del Domingo); and world premieres of documentaries The Rachel Divide and The Bleeding Edge. Cargo (Netflix Launch: May 18, 2018) Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father desperately seeks a new home for his infant child, and a means to protect her from his own changing nature. Directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke and written by Yolanda Ramke, Cargo boasts a top-line international cast including Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade, Natasha Wanganeen and David Gulpilil. Cargo is produced by Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films (The Babadook). Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder and Mark Patterson also serve as producers. Sunday’s Illness (aka La Enfermedad Del Domingo) (Netflix Launch: June 15, 2018) In Sunday’s Illness (aka La Enfermedad Del Domingo), Anabel abandoned her daughter Chiara when she was barely eight years old. Thirty-five years later Chiara returns with a strange request for her mother; she asks to spend ten days together. Anabel sees this trip as a chance to get her daughter back, but she doesn’t know that Chiara has a hidden purpose and she’ll have to face the most important decision of her life. Written and Directed by Ramón Salazar, the film stars Bárbara Lennie and Susi Sánchez. Sunday’s Illness is produced by Francisco Ramos and executive produced by Rafael López Manzanara.

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    The Rachel Divide (Netflix Launch: April 27, 2018) Self-described “trans racial” activist Rachel Dolezal ignited an unprecedented media storm when a local news station in Spokane, WA outed her as a white woman who had been living as the black president of the NAACP. Since the controversy erupted, director Laura Brownson and team exclusively filmed with Rachel, her sons and her adopted sister Esther, capturing the intimate, vérité life story of a damaged character who lands squarely in the cross-hairs of race and identity politics in America – and exploring how that character still provokes negative reactions from millions who see her as the ultimate example of white privilege. A Netflix original documentary, The Rachel Divide, is executive produced by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyhOTvC1v-A The Bleeding Edge (Netflix Launch: 2018) America has the most technologically advanced health care system in the world, yet medical interventions have become the third leading cause of death, and the overwhelming majority of high-risk implanted devices never require a single clinical trial. In The Bleeding Edge, Academy Award nominated filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Invisible War, The Hunting Ground) turn their sights on the $400 billion medical device industry, examining lax regulations, corporate cover-ups, and profit driven incentives that put patients at risk daily. Weaving emotionally powerful stories of people whose lives have been irrevocably harmed, the film asks: what life-saving technologies may actually be killing us?

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  • SXSW 2018: Watch Trailer for “TAKE YOUR PILLS” Documentary on Rise in Adderall Prescriptions

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    Take Your Pills Take Your Pills, directed by acclaimed documentarian Alison Klayman (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry) and executive produced by Maria Shriver and Christina Schwarzenegger, explores the rise in popularity of prescription stimulants such as Adderall in today’s do-more-better-faster world. Take Your Pills will premiere at SXSW on Friday, March 9, and will launch globally on Netflix on Friday, March 16. The pressure to achieve more, do more, and be more is part of being human – and in the age of Adderall and Ritalin, achieving that can be as close as the local pharmacy. No longer just “a cure for excitable kids,” prescription stimulants are in college classrooms, on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley…any place “the need to succeed” slams into “not enough hours in the day.” But there are costs. In the insightful Netflix documentary Take Your Pills, award-winning documentarian Alison Klayman (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry) focuses on the history, the facts, and the pervasiveness of cognitive-enhancement drugs in our amped-up era of late-stage-capitalism. Executive produced by Maria Shriver and Christina Schwarzenegger, Take Your Pills examines what some view as a brave new world of limitless possibilities, and others see as a sped-up ride down a synaptic slippery slope, as these pills have become the defining drug of a generation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Xebo1pngM

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  • Showtime Documentary Series “THE FOURTH ESTATE” to World Premiere as Closing Night Film of Tribeca Film Festival

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    [caption id="attachment_27371" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Fourth Estate The Fourth Estate[/caption] The new Showtime original documentary series, The Fourth Estate, directed by award-winning filmmaker Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), will have its world premiere as the closing night film of the prestigious 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.   In these times when journalism is being questioned and attacked as “fake news,” Garbus turns her lens on The New York Times in The Fourth Estate, revealing the challenges, triumphs and pitfalls of covering a president who has declared the majority of the nation’s major news outlets “the enemy of the people.” Embedded for the past year with The Times and granted unprecedented access and interviews with editors and reporters on the front lines, the docuseries presents a groundbreaking portrait of the men and women who are fighting for freedom of the press. Viewers will witness the inner workings of journalism and investigative reporting during this administration’s first history-making year. Following the screening on Saturday, April 28, Tribeca Film Festival will host a panel discussion with some of the subjects of the documentary including The New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet, Washington bureau chief Elisabeth Bumiller, White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, Washington investigative correspondent Mark Mazzetti and Garbus. The Fourth Estate will premiere on Showtime, on Sunday, May 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

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