The 2015 African Diaspora International Film Festival taking place from November 27 through December 13, in Manhattan, will showcase a selection of films coming from the Caribbean and about Caribbean people out of the Caribbean.
The Black British Film Program is comprised of a selection of four films about the presence of Black people in the UK with a very strong Caribbean flavor in front and behind the camera.
Let The Music Talk by Yvonne Deutchmann is a 1981 musical documentary never screened in the USA before. It tells the story of black music in Britain, from the calypso of Lord Kitchener arriving on the SS Windrush in 1948, gospel choirs, griots from Grenada, steel pans in schools and at the Notting Hill Carnival, jazz, Afro-rock, soul-funk with the Real Thing, reggae with Misty in Roots and Eddy Grant.
The Story of Lovers Rock by Menelik Shabazz – a favorite of ADIFF – tells the story of Lovers Rock as a musical genre and gives a voice to the Caribbean descendant people who created that music and culture in the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJof_zx2Uk
Honeytrap by Rebecca Johnson plays out as a tragedy. It tells a story of fifteen-year-old Layla (Jessica Sula – Skins), a beautiful and naive Trinidadian girl who, freshly arrived from her native land, quickly embarks on a journey of love, sex, hip hop and violence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTyYCB_OyL0
“Second Coming” by Debbie Tucker Green is an emotional and intimate drama about a woman in a London family who faces a dilemma with her husband (Idris Elba) and the tensions and communication issues associated with her situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LdB5mYbGz8
Other films in the festival have a Caribbean flavor including NY Premiere and festival Centerpiece “Cu-Bop: Cuba – New York Music Documentary” by Japanese filmmaker Shinishi Takahashi. Separated by an ocean, two Cuban jazz musicians continue to perform in spite of the difficulties they face. César López is recognized as Cuba’s premier saxophonist, having founded his landmark jazz band, the Havana Ensemble, in his native country. The gifted young pianist Axel Tosca lives in New York City, the leader of (U)NITY, a band which fuses Afro-Cuban culture with modern jazz and hip-hop. With this documentary for all music lovers, first-time filmmaker Shinichi Takahashi explores the African roots of Cuban jazz and documents what happens when expats return to the source of their inspiration. The screening will be followed by a concert with Axel Tosca and his band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOO4ag_4EU
Shot in Haiti and Bangladesh, “A Journey of a Thousand Miles” tells us a story of two countries that are embarked in a mutual discovery of sorts. A contingent of Muslim, Bangladeshi policewomen is deployed in Haiti to serve as UN Peacekeepers to maintain peace after the 2010 earthquake. We then learn, as the camera follows three of these Muslims women, about life in Haiti and Bangladesh and the challenges faced by the population in both countries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAR3SXSme6c
“Black / Nwa,” a “Hood” film set in Montreal, Canada that chronicles the lives of four people – including several youths of Haitian descent – living in a neighborhood plagued by poverty and violence, aspiring to freedom and happiness.
“Sand Dollars” (pictured in main image above) by Laura Amelia Guzman and Israel Cardenas is a film from the Dominican Republic submitted to the Oscar competition in the foreign film category. “Sand Dollars” is the story of Noeli (Yanet Mojica) whose love affair with Anne (Geraldine Chaplin) a woman double her age, is a rare subject in films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HeEPnn7ioEA Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers
-
“Sand Dollars” “Honeytrap” “Second Coming” Among Films with Caribbean Flavor at African Diaspora International Film Festival
The 2015 African Diaspora International Film Festival taking place from November 27 through December 13, in Manhattan, will showcase a selection of films coming from the Caribbean and about Caribbean people out of the Caribbean.
The Black British Film Program is comprised of a selection of four films about the presence of Black people in the UK with a very strong Caribbean flavor in front and behind the camera.
Let The Music Talk by Yvonne Deutchmann is a 1981 musical documentary never screened in the USA before. It tells the story of black music in Britain, from the calypso of Lord Kitchener arriving on the SS Windrush in 1948, gospel choirs, griots from Grenada, steel pans in schools and at the Notting Hill Carnival, jazz, Afro-rock, soul-funk with the Real Thing, reggae with Misty in Roots and Eddy Grant.
The Story of Lovers Rock by Menelik Shabazz – a favorite of ADIFF – tells the story of Lovers Rock as a musical genre and gives a voice to the Caribbean descendant people who created that music and culture in the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJof_zx2Uk
Honeytrap by Rebecca Johnson plays out as a tragedy. It tells a story of fifteen-year-old Layla (Jessica Sula – Skins), a beautiful and naive Trinidadian girl who, freshly arrived from her native land, quickly embarks on a journey of love, sex, hip hop and violence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTyYCB_OyL0
“Second Coming” by Debbie Tucker Green is an emotional and intimate drama about a woman in a London family who faces a dilemma with her husband (Idris Elba) and the tensions and communication issues associated with her situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LdB5mYbGz8
Other films in the festival have a Caribbean flavor including NY Premiere and festival Centerpiece “Cu-Bop: Cuba – New York Music Documentary” by Japanese filmmaker Shinishi Takahashi. Separated by an ocean, two Cuban jazz musicians continue to perform in spite of the difficulties they face. César López is recognized as Cuba’s premier saxophonist, having founded his landmark jazz band, the Havana Ensemble, in his native country. The gifted young pianist Axel Tosca lives in New York City, the leader of (U)NITY, a band which fuses Afro-Cuban culture with modern jazz and hip-hop. With this documentary for all music lovers, first-time filmmaker Shinichi Takahashi explores the African roots of Cuban jazz and documents what happens when expats return to the source of their inspiration. The screening will be followed by a concert with Axel Tosca and his band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOO4ag_4EU
Shot in Haiti and Bangladesh, “A Journey of a Thousand Miles” tells us a story of two countries that are embarked in a mutual discovery of sorts. A contingent of Muslim, Bangladeshi policewomen is deployed in Haiti to serve as UN Peacekeepers to maintain peace after the 2010 earthquake. We then learn, as the camera follows three of these Muslims women, about life in Haiti and Bangladesh and the challenges faced by the population in both countries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAR3SXSme6c
“Black / Nwa,” a “Hood” film set in Montreal, Canada that chronicles the lives of four people – including several youths of Haitian descent – living in a neighborhood plagued by poverty and violence, aspiring to freedom and happiness.
“Sand Dollars” (pictured in main image above) by Laura Amelia Guzman and Israel Cardenas is a film from the Dominican Republic submitted to the Oscar competition in the foreign film category. “Sand Dollars” is the story of Noeli (Yanet Mojica) whose love affair with Anne (Geraldine Chaplin) a woman double her age, is a rare subject in films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HeEPnn7ioE
-
Films Starring Idris Elba, Anthony Mackie, Jennifer Connelly Among Lineup for African Diaspora International Film Festival
Idris Elba, Anthony Mackie, Geraldine Chaplin, Epatha Merkerson, Jennifer Connelly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sonia Sanchez, Rusty Cundieff, Stanley Nelson, and Thierry Michel are some of the names that lead the 23rd African Diaspora International Film Festival.
ADIFF 2015 has selected a total of 57 films from 27 countries. The lineup is rich in topics and themes presenting from different perspectives the human experience of people of color. Chelsea Bow Tie Cinemas, Teachers College, Columbia University and Mist Harlem will host this event from November 27 through December 13. With a world premiere, 9 US premieres and 16 NY premieres, ADIFF is more independent than ever with its rich and eclectic selection of films that cover many parts of the world.
Making their world and US debut in ADIFF 2015 are Opening Night film “The Man Who Mends Women, The Wrath of Hippocrates” by Thierry Michel which tells the story of Dr. Denis Mukwege, a man who has dedicated his life to assist women subjected to rape in his native DRC and World Premiere “Julien’s Bed” by Kirk Shannon-Butts, a visually imaginative film with a poetic story line about an African-American in Paris trying to reconnect with his lover. “Julien’s Bed” will screen in the first ever ADIFF LGBT Evening program with the South-African film “While You Were Not Looking” by Catherine Stewart. This beautifully shot drama explores gay life in South Africa with courage and imagination as the issue of class and the building of the New South Africa are very much at the center of the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3v_E75-T2M
The Black British program highlight will be the NY Premiere presentation of TIFF’s official selection “Second Coming” by Debbie Tucker Green starring Idris Elba as a man who enjoys a peaceful life in a marriage that is about to change due to unexpected circumstances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp1_Ay41-A
The Talking about Chicago program will feature the two NY Premieres “70 Acres in Chicago: Cabrini Green” by Ronit Bezale and “Takin’ Place” by Cyrus Dowlatshahi, two documentaries about Chicago’s South Side and its inhabitants that expose an alternative reality to that traditionally presented in the media.
Among the films that explore historical themes will be the US Premiere of “If Only I Were That Warrior” by Valerio Ciriaci – ADIFF 2015 Gala Screening – which moves in and out of Ethiopia, Italy and the United States to tell us a story of unpunished war crimes, colonial wars and African history. “Invisible Heroes: African Americans In The Spanish Civil War,” by Alfonso Domingo and Jordi Torrent that introduces us to the remarkable story of African Americans who fought as volunteers in Spain for democracy and for civil rights that were denied to them in their own country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaNg8QnN2rY
Twenty one of the films in ADIFF 2015 are directed by women including “White Lies” by Dana Rotberg – New Zealand’s entry in the 2014 Oscar competition for best foreign-language- and “Asni: Courage & Glamour in Ethiopia” by Rachel Samuel to be presented in the Ethiopia: Past & Present program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prcx70v-H6w
Two films will explore the role of women in the armed forces: the drama “Stand Down Soldier” by Jeryl Prescott Sale, the story of Sergeant Stacy Armstrong who returns home from three deployments suffering with PTSD, which undermines her 20 year marriage and the stability of her family life. The documentary “A Journey Of A Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers” by Geeta Gandbhir and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy follows three women in an all female, predominantly Muslim unit of police officers sent to post-earthquake Haiti as UN Peacekeepers for one year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAR3SXSme6c
The Urban experience is global. “Fevers/Fièvres” by Hicham Ayouch – one of leading films in ADIFF’s Urban film selection and winner of the Golden Stallion of Yennenga, FESPACO 2015 – is a French drama with a strong social commentary that follows Benjamin , a young boy who is at war with the world and himself. Canadian thriller “Noir/Black /Nwa” by Yves Christian Fournier depicts stories of young people living in a Montreal ghetto fighting to survive like Dickens, a 16 year-old Haitian who wants to be part of the street gang controlled by his older brother. Other urban films are “Honeytrap” from the UK by Rebecca Johnson, “Impunity” from South Africa by Jyoti Mistry, “License to Operate” from the USA by James Lipetzky, and “Hear Me Move” from South Africa by Scottnes L. Smith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YUJsgnVOzI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tffnzrVga3U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIkzA4U7UbE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM9mLW7lv2c
Two North African films will have their US premiere in ADIFF: comedy-drama “The Blind Orchestra” by Mohamed Mouftakir, a humorous yet critical look at the life of a group of musicians in Morocco during the early years of the reign of Hassan II and “Private Revolutions” by Alexandra Schneider, a documentary that is a reflection on the life of young Egyptian women after the Spring revolution presented in the Egypt: Before & After the Spring Revolution program to be hosted by Egyptian journalist Barbara Nimri Aziz.
ADIFF 2015 has some delightful encores to offer including titles that had a very short theatrical release and keep audiences talking like “Shelter” – starring Anthony Mackie and Jennifer Connelly- by Paul Bettany, “Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango” by Dom Pedro, “The Pirogue” by Drissa Touré, “Sand Dollars” -Dominican Republic submission to the Oscars in the Foreign Language category- by Israel Cárdenas and Laura Amelia Guzmán and “Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution” -Oscar contender in the Best Documentary Feature category- by Stanley Nelson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwB0-YGivtc
Other important films that will premiere in the festival are “We, Strking” by Denis Gheerbrant about African women on strike against a hotel chain in Paris, Slamdance fest favorite “Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang In Pyongyang” by Colin Offland, and family friendly comedy-drama “White Water” by Rusty Cundieff about a black child obsessed with the idea of drinking water from the Whites Only fountain during the days of Segregation in the South.
ADIFF’s New York Premiere Centerpiece screening of “Cu-Bop: Cuba – New York Music Documentary” by Shinichi Takahashi will be followed with a live concert performance with Afro-Cuban pianist Axel Tosca and his band (U)NITY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOO4ag_4EU
ADIFF will have the honor to host writer/poet/activist/professor Sonia Sanchez for ADIFF’s Closing Night screening of the new documentary celebrating her life and legacy: “BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez” (pictured above) by Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater and Schmidt Gordon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7cP6g6VBAY
-
New York Films to Shine at 2015 African Diaspora International Film Festival
The 2015 African Diaspora International Film Festival is to be held in Manhattan, New York City from November 27 to December 13 at MIST Harlem, Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas and Teachers College, Columbia University with the presentation of more than 50 films, including 26 US and NY Premieres. As part of its 23rd edition, the festival will screen a selection of films Made in New York and/or directed by New York based filmmakers.
ADIFF 2015 FILMS MADE IN NEW YORK
“The Bicycle” by James Richards is a Queens set family film that takes a child and an adult on a journey through the many worlds that make up their community thus connecting them in a way neither could have imagined.
“Cu-Bop: Cuba – New York Music Documentary” by Shinichi Takahashi follows the gifted young Cuban pianist Axel Tosca who lives in New York City, and performs as the leader of (U)NITY, a band which fuses Afro-Cuban culture with modern jazz and hip-hop.
“Shelter” by Paul Bettany and starring Jennifer Connelly and Anthony McKie tackles drug addiction and homelessness in the streets of Manhattan.
“The Challenger” by Kent Moran, featuring Michael Clarke Duncan in his last role, is a boxing drama set in the Bronx.
“Lift Every Voice” by Dallas Alexis is about a teacher who was able to get her students motivated and interested into the New York State/City High School Regents Exams by incorporating RAP and HIP-HOP into her lectures.
ADIFF 2015 FILMS MADE BY NEW YORK BASED FILMMAKERS
Stanley Nelson will present his latest documentary “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” (pictured above) about the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party during the 1960s and beyond
Sabrina Schmidt Gordon will present her documentary “BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez” about the legendary poet, playwright, activist and seminal figure in the 1960s Black Arts Movement
Carol Bash will present her documentary “Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings The Band” about the pianist and composer who helped shape the sound of 20th century America with her innovative style.
Jordi Torrens will present “Invisible Heroes: African American in the Spanish Civil War” which tells the remarkable story of African Americans who fought as volunteers in Spain for democracy and for civil rights that were denied to them in their own country
Melissa Lefkowitz and Dorian Carli-Jones will present their film “China Remix” a short documentary that explores the Chinese city Guangzhou’s burgeoning African entertainment industry.
Geeta Gandbhir will present her documentary ”A Journey Of A Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers” which follows three women in an all female, predominantly Muslim unit of police officers sent to post-earthquake Haiti as UN Peacekeepers for one year.
James Richards, director of “The Bicycle” and Dallas Alexis, director of “Lift Every Voice” are also New York based filmmakers.
-
2015 DOC NYC Complete Lineup; Secretary Hillary Clinton to Attend Closing Night World Premiere of ONCE AND FOR ALL
The 2015 DOC NYC documentary festival, running November 12 to 19, will include over 200 films and events. Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton will be in attendance for the Closing Night world premiere of AOL’s MAKERS’ Once and For All, directed by Michael Epstein and Dyllan McGee, about the 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference where then-First Lady Clinton gave a historic address on women’s rights.
Director Amy Berg will present her Janis Joplin portrait, Janis: Little Girl Blue, for the festival’s Centerpiece on November 15.
These two gala screenings join the previously announced Opening Night film Miss Sharon Jones!, directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple.
27 films world premiering at the festival include The Anthropologist, profiling Margaret Mead and Susie Crate; Bluespace, an exploration of water on Earth and Mars; The Sunshine Makers, on psychedelic drug makers; Thank You For Your Service, on veterans coping with PTSD; and the first two episodes of Making a Murderer, a 10-part Netflix series about a high-stakes criminal case in America’s heartland.
Among the 15 U.S. premieres are The Fear of 13, on a prisoner’s gripping story; Frackman, on an Australian activist; Lucha Mexico, on Mexican wrestlers; Noma: My Perfect Storm, on the acclaimed Nordic restaurant; and Speed Sisters, on Arab women race car drivers.
DOC NYC will welcome over 200 filmmakers and special guests in attendance for Q&As after most screenings. Among the notable visitors expected to appear in person are filmmaker Martin Scorsese for Hitchcock/Truffaut; comedian Gilbert Gottfried for Can We Take a Joke?; poet Sonia Sanchez for BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez; actress Mary Louise Wilson for She’s the Best Thing In It; actor Omar Epps for Daddy Don’t Go; former NSA technical director Bill Binney for A Good American; avant-garde filmmaker and choreographer Yvonne Rainer for Feelings Are Facts: The Life of Yvonne Rainer; and renowned chefs Georges Perrier and Nicholas Elmi for King Georges.
The following is a breakdown of programming by section:
GALAS
Opening Night – MISS SHARON JONES!
Dir: Barbara Kopple, US Premiere
Two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple follows soul queen Sharon Jones in a year of adversity. In person: Barbara Kopple, subjects Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings
Centerpiece – JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE
Dir: Amy Berg, NYC Premiere
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil) profiles the rock legend Janis Joplin. FilmRise. In person: Amy Berg
Closing Night – ONCE AND FOR ALL
Dirs: Michael Epstein, Dyllan McGee, World Premiere
The story of the 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference, a watershed event in the global struggle for women’s rights. AOL’s MAKERS. In person: Michael Epstein, Dyllan McGee, subject Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton
SPECIAL EVENTS
AN ART THAT NATURE MAKES: THE WORK OF ROSAMOND PURCELL
Dir: Molly Bernstein, World Premiere
Photographer Rosamond Purcell finds unexpected beauty in the overlooked, discarded and decayed. In person: Molly Bernstein, subject Rosamond Purcell. (Preceded by the short film A PASSION OF GOLD AND FIRE, dir: Sebastien Pins, on the retiring head of an apiary school.)
HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT
Dir: Kent Jones
Martin Scorsese, David Fincher and others discuss the influence of Hitchcock and Truffaut’s famous book. Cohen Media Group. In person: Kent Jones, subject Martin Scorsese
KEYNOTE: A CONVERSATION WITH JON ALPERT & SHEILA NEVINS
Filmmaker Jon Alpert and HBO Documentary Films head Sheila Nevins give a keynote conversation in conjunction with the world premiere of Alpert’s short film MARIELA CASTRO’S MARCH: CUBA’S LGBT REVOLUTION profiling the Cuban Congresswoman who is a tireless champion of LGBT rights in Cuba. HBO Documentary Films.
MAKING A MURDERER
Dirs: Laura Ricciardi, Moira Demos, World Premiere
A sneak peek at the first two episodes of a riveting ten-part true crime docu-series. Netflix. In person: Laura Ricciardi, Moira Demos
TROUBLEMAKERS: THE STORY OF LAND ART
Dir: James Crump
A group of NYC-based artists abandoned gallery spaces to embrace the expanse of the American Southwest. First Run Features. In person: James Crump, MOCA Director Philippe Vergne
+ A SURPRISE SCREENING OF A SOON-TO-BE-ANNOUNCED WORLD PREMIERE
VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION (distinct directorial visions)
THE ANTHROPOLOGIST
Dirs: Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger, World Premiere
Parallel stories of two female anthropologists: trailblazer Margaret Mead and contemporary Susie Crate. In person: Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger, subjects Mary Catherine Bateson, Susie Crate, Katie Yegorov-Crate
BARGE
Dir: Ben Powell, NYC Premiere
A portrait of characters working on a Mississippi barge headed to New Orleans. In person: Ben Powell
BLUESPACE
Dir: Ian Cheney, World Premiere
An expedition to two planets: Earth, with its rising seas, and Mars, with the promise of colonization. In person: Ian Cheney
A GOOD AMERICAN
Dir: Friedrich Moser, North American Premiere
A profile of Bill Binney, who went from a NSA insider to a critic of government surveillance. In person: Friedrich Moser, subjects Bill Binney, Kirk Wiebe, Tom Drake
I AM SUN MU
Dir: Adam Sjöberg, US Premiere
After defecting from North Korea, a former propaganda artist applies his craft to satirical political pop art. In person: Adam Sjöberg
A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES: PEACEKEEPERS
Dirs: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Geeta Gandbhir, US Premiere
Three Bangladeshi policewomen serve with the UN peacekeeping mission in post-earthquake Haiti. In person: Geeta Gandbhir
MOTLEY’S LAW
Dir: Nicole Horanyi, NYC Premiere
The only Western lawyer licensed to work in Afghanistan’s courts, Kimberley Motley finds herself at a crossroads. In person: Nicole Horanyi, subject Kimberley Motley
NEWMAN
Dir: Jon Fox, NYC Premiere
A maverick inventor battles against the scientific establishment over a miraculous energy-producing machine. In person: Jon Fox
P.S. JERUSALEM
Dir: Danae Elon, US Premiere
Chronicling three years in Jerusalem with her family, Danae Elon uncovers the city’s tensions. In person: Danae Elon
THE SUNSHINE MAKERS
Dir: Cosmo Feilding-Mellen, World Premiere
A real-life Breaking Bad for the psychedelic set about the unlikely duo at the heart of 1960s drug counterculture. In person: Cosmo Feilding Mellen
METROPOLIS COMPETITION (NYC stories)
CLASS DIVIDE
Dir: Marc Levin, NYC Premiere
A look at NYC’s gentrification and growing inequality at the Chelsea intersection of 10th Avenue and 26th Street. HBO Documentary Films. In person: Marc Levin
DADDY DON’T GO
Dir: Emily Abt, World Premiere
Four diverse, disadvantaged NYC fathers struggle to beat the odds and defy the deadbeat dad stereotype. In person: Emily Abt, all subjects
THE JAZZ LOFT ACCORDING TO W. EUGENE SMITH
Dir: Sara Fishko, NYC Premiere
In 1957-65, a former LIFE Magazine photojournalist captured legendary jazz musicians in a Sixth Avenue loft. In person: Sara Fishko
LEFT ON PURPOSE
Dir: Justin Schein, Co-Dir David Mehlman, NYC Premiere
What begins as a portrait of the life of an antiwar radical instead threatens to become an account of his suicide. In person: Justin Schein, David Mehlman
THE LOST ARCADE
Dir: Kurt Vincent, World Premiere
Gentrification threatens the last arcade in NYC, as well as the diverse community that calls it a second home. In person: Kurt Vincent
MIRIAM: HOME DELIVERY
Dir: Juliet Jordan, World Premiere
A profile of a NYC homebirth midwife and her diverse clientele. In person: Juliet Jordan, subject Miriam Schwarzschild
MISSING PEOPLE
Dir: David Shapiro, NYC Premiere
A NYC gallerist, haunted by the unsolved murder of her brother, becomes obsessed with a New Orleans painter. In person: David Shapiro
OXD: ONE EXTRAORDINARY DAY
Dir: Craig Lowy, World Premiere
Elizabeth Streb’s Brooklyn-based Extreme Action Company trains for a breathtaking spectacle in London. In person: Craig Lowy, subject Elizabeth Streb, dancers from the Streb Extreme Action Company
TESTED
Dir: Curtis Chin, World Premiere
Attending NYC’s elite public schools can set students up for the future, but first they have to get in. In person: Curtis Chin. (Preceded by the short film WHY WE STAY, dir: Crystal Kayiza, co-dirs: Pete Quandt, Leroy Farrell, on a South Bronx community fighting gentrification.)
TREE MAN
Dirs: Jon Reiner, Brad Rothschild, NYC Premiere
A Quebecois family man spends five weeks on the streets of NYC selling Christmas trees. In person: Jon Reiner, Brad Rothschild
AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES (a spectrum of domestic topics)
ABOVE AND BELOW
Dir: Nicolas Steiner, NYC Premiere
An exploration of outsiders who live in abandoned military bunkers and storm drains in the American West. Oscilloscope Laboratories. In person: Nicolas Steiner
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MICHELLE MAREN
Dirs: Michel Negroponte, Michelle Maren, US Premiere
An acclaimed filmmaker and his troubled subject craft a captivating portrait of a woman enslaved by past traumas. In person: Michel Negroponte, Michelle Maren
DEEP RUN
Dir: Hillevi Loven, NYC Premiere
Can an affable young transgender man live openly with his true love in the Bible Belt?
In person: Hillevi Loven, subject Cole Ray Davis
THE FEAR OF 13
Dir: David Sington, North American Premiere
A death row prisoner behind bars for more then 20 years reveals the shocking truth behind his case. In person: David Sington
LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS
Dir: Laurie Kahn, NYC Premiere
A look at the vast community around romance fiction, demonstrating why love stories are no trivial matter. In person: Laurie Kahn
A NEW HIGH
Dirs: Samuel Miron, Stephen Scott Scarpulla, NYC Premiere
A group of Seattle addicts attempt to climb Mount Rainier to conquer their demons. In person: Samuel Miron, Stephen Scott Scarpulla
SKY LINE
Dirs: Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Jonny Leahan, World Premiere
Egos collide as a group of scientists and entrepreneurs attempt to realize a science-fiction fantasy. FilmBuff. In person: Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Jonny Leahan
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Dir: Tom Donahue, World Premiere
The stories of several struggling veterans reveal the mental health crisis in the military. In person: Tom Donahue, subjects Kenneth Toone, Dr. Mark Russell, William Rodriguez, Phil Straub, General Loree Sutton, Jake Clark
WILHEMINA’S WAR
Dir: June Cross, World Premiere
An African-American grandmother in the deep South cares for her HIV+ family members. In person: June Cross. (Preceded by the short film OPEN YOUR EYES, dir: Irene Taylor Brodsky, on a blind elderly couple in Nepal.)
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES (a spectrum of global topics)
ALL RISE
Dirs: Jay Shapiro, Jeffrey Saunders, World Premiere
International law students face off in the world’s most prestigious simulated court competition, the Jessup. In person: Jay Shapiro, Jeffrey Saunders, subjects Areej Alragabi, Tomer Tregor
THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL
Dirs: Holly Morris, Anne Bogart, NYC Premiere
A profile of elderly women who subsist on their beloved but toxic land in Chernobyl’s radioactive exclusion zone. In person: Holly Morris
BOLSHOI BABYLON
Dirs: Nick Read, co-dir. Mark Franchetti, NYC Premiere
Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet weathers the fallout from the notorious 2013 acid attack on the company’s director Sergei Filin. HBO Documentary Films. In person: Nick Read, Mark Franchetti
KINGDOM OF SHADOWS
Dir: Bernardo Ruiz
A compelling investigation into the human costs of the Mexican drug war on both sides of the border. Participant Media. In person: Bernardo Ruiz
ON THE RIM OF THE SKY
Dir: Hongjie Xu, US Premiere
An isolated Chinese village school becomes a battleground between generations, ideologies and egos.
TOCANDO LA LUZ
Dir: Jennifer Redfearn, NYC Premiere
Three women, united by blindness and a desire for independence, pursue their dreams in modern Cuba. In person: Jennifer Redfearn. (Preceded by the short film THE 100 YEARS SHOW, dir: Alison Klayman, on Cuban-born NYC artist Carmen Herrera.)
BEHIND THE SCENES (on films and filmmaking)
CLAUDE LANZMANN: SPECTRES OF THE SHOAH
Dir: Adam Benzine, NYC Premiere
For the first time on camera, the 89-year-old auteur behind Shoah reflects on the challenges he faced to realize his vision. HBO Documentary Films. In person: Adam Benzine, subjects Richard Brody, Stuart Liebman. (Preceded by the short film DREAMING AGAINST THE WORLD, dirs: Timothy Sternberg, Francisco Bello, on Chinese artist Mu Xin.)
THE DYING OF THE LIGHT
Dir: Peter Flynn, World Premiere
A bittersweet ode to the vanishing craft of film projection and a celebration of the men and women in the booth. In person: Peter Flynn
HAROLD AND LILLIAN: A HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY
Dir: Daniel Raim, North American Premiere
A love story and tribute to the unsung talents behind a staggering number of cinema classics. In person: Daniel Raim
RAIDERS!: THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE
Dirs: Jeremy Coon, Tim Skousen, NYC Premiere
Three pre-teens set out to pay tribute to their favorite film; it become an obsession lasting three decades. Drafthouse Films. In person: Jeremy Coon,Tim Skousen
REEL IN THE CLOSET
Dir: Stu Maddux, NYC Premiere
An excavation of the hidden history of LGBT lives through a treasure trove of rare home movies. In person: Stu Maddux. (Preceded by the short film ED & PAULINE, dirs: Christian Bruno, Natalija Vekic, on Pauline Kael and Ed Landberg’s art house cinema.)
WOMEN HE’S UNDRESSED
Dir: Gillian Armstrong, NYC Premiere
In Hollywood’s golden age, costume designer Orry-Kelly thrived, but also kept secrets as a gay man. In person: subject Ann Roth
CENTERSTAGE (on performers)
CAN WE TAKE A JOKE?
Dir: Ted Balaker, World Premiere
A thought-provoking exploration of outrage culture through the lens of stand-up comedy.
In person: Ted Balaker, subjects Greg Lukianoff, Karith Foster, Gilbert Gottfried
FEELINGS ARE FACTS: THE LIFE OF YVONNE RAINER
Dir: Jack Walsh, NYC Premiere
A long-overdue portrait of iconoclast dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Yvonne Rainer. In person: Jack Walsh, subject Yvonne Rainer
THE RED UMBRELLA DIARIES
Dir: David Kornfield, NYC Premiere
Seven diverse sex workers tell their tales at NYC’s Joe’s Pub. In person: producer Audacia Ray
SHE’S THE BEST THING IN IT
Dir: Ron Nyswaner, NYC Premiere
Tony-winning character actor Mary Louise Wilson finds few opportunities on the stage, so turns to teaching. In person: Ron Nyswaner, subject Mary Louise Wilson
DOC EAT DOC (on food)
CITY OF GOLD
Dir: Laura Gabbert, NYC Premiere
This portrait of Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold reveals hidden culinary gems of Los Angeles. Sundance Selects. In person: Laura Gabbert, subject Jonathan Gold
FOR GRACE
Dirs: Kevin Pang, Mark Helenowski, NYC Premiere
Recognized with two Michelin stars, chef Curtis Duffy sets grand plans for his new Chicago restaurant, Grace. FilmBuff. In person: Kevin Pang
KING GEORGES
Dir: Erika Frankel
At Philadelphia’s famed French restaurant Le Bec Fin, chef Georges Perrier struggles to stay in business. In person: Erika Frankel, subjects Georges Perrier, Nicholas Elmi
THE MISSING INGREDIENT
Dir: Michael Sparaga, World Premiere
A portrait of two NY restaurants, exploring what it means to be an institution. In person: Michael Sparaga, subjects Charles Devigne, Michael Miele, Salvatore Doria
NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM
Dir: Pierre Deschamps, North American Premiere
When the Nordic restaurant Noma loses the title of the world’s best restaurant, its talented chef seeks redemption. Magnolia Pictures.
DOCS REDUX (a showcase of classic revivals)
GIMME SHELTER (1970)
Dirs: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
45th anniversary screening, in memory of Al Maysles. A portrait of the Rolling Stones becomes a disturbing record of a notorious concert.
HIGH ON CRACK STREET: LOST LIVES IN LOWELL (1995)
Dirs: Jon Alpert, Maryann DeLeo, Richard Farrell
20th anniversary screening. The documentary that inspired The Fighter focuses on three addicts. In person: Jon Alpert
SISTERS IN LAW (2005)
Dir: Kim Longinotto
10th anniversary screening. Two fierce and feisty women challenge tradition in Cameroon through their legal work. In person: Kim Longinotto
FIGHT THE POWER (on activists)
BADDDDD SONIA SANCHEZ
Dirs: Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, NYC Premiere
A crucial figure in the Black Arts Movement harnesses her gift for words to fuse art and activism over six decades. California Newsreel. In person: Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, subject Sonia Sanchez
THE C WORD
Dir: Meghan O’Hara, NYC Premiere
Oscar-nominated producer Megan O’Hara (Sicko) questions the establishment wisdom around cancer. In person: Meghan O’Hara
CIRCLE OF POISON
Dirs: Evan Mascagni, Shannon Post, World Premiere
A pointed exposé on the global trade in banned pesticides and their impact on health. In person: Evan Mascagni, Shannon Post
FRACKMAN
Dir: Richard Todd, Co-Dir Jonathon Stack, US Premiere
Funny and outspoken Aussie everyman Dayne Pratzky becomes an accidental activist against fracking. In person: Richard Todd, Jonathon Stack, subject Dayne Pratzky
THE INVADERS
Dir: Prichard Smith, World Premiere
Filling in a lost chapter of civil rights history, a look at the generation of radicals that emerged in Memphis in 1967. In person: Prichard Smith (Preceded by the short film EMORY DOUGLAS: THE ART OF THE BLACK PANTHERS, dirs: Dan Covert, Andre Andreev aka “Dress Code,” on art used as a revolutionary weapon.)
NO MÁS BÉBES
Dir: Renee Tajima-Peña, NYC Premiere
A young lawyer fights the medical establishment on behalf of Latina immigrants sterilized without their consent. In person: Renee Tajima-Peña
JOCK DOCS (on sports)
BOUNCE: HOW THE BALL TAUGHT THE WORLD TO PLAY
Dir: Jerome Thelia, NYC Premiere
A far-ranging exploration of the universal appeal of play as realized in the ubiquity and versatility of the ball. In person: Jerome Thélia. (Preceded by the short film THE BAD BOY OF BOWLING, dir: Bryan Storkel, on bowling sensation Peter Weber.)
GAME FACE
Dir: Michiel Thomas, NYC Premiere
A transgender Mixed Martial Artist and a gay college basketball player struggle with living openly in the public eye. In person: Michiel Thomas
THE GREAT ALONE
Dir: Greg Kohs, NYC Premiere
Lance Mackey braves the Arctic wilderness for another chance at glory through the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In person: Greg Kohs, subjects Lance Mackey, sled dog Amp
THE LEGEND OF SWEE’ PEA
Dir: Benjamin May, World Premiere
NYC playground basketball legend Lloyd “Swee’ Pea” Daniels was a top college recruit until a drug bust. In person: Benjamin May
LUCHA MEXICO
Dirs: Alex Hammond, Ian Markiewicz, US Premiere
An entertaining look at Mexico’s Lucha Libre, where masked wrestlers wage a battle between good and evil. In person: Alex Hammond, Ian Markiewicz, subjects Shocker, Jon Strongman
SPEED SISTERS
Dir: Amber Fares, US Premiere
The Middle East’s first all-female Arab race car team overcomes checkpoints and expectations to become role models. In person: Amber Fares, subject Noor Daoud
MODERN FAMILY (on diverse relations)
ALWAYS TOGETHER
Dir: Eva Tomanová, US Premiere
A former computer scientist raises his family in the Czech countryside with no modern conveniences or schooling.
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD
Dir: Sharon Shattuck, NYC Premiere
The filmmaker seeks to understand how her parents remained together after her father transitioned to a woman. In person: Sharon Shattuck
GAYBY BABY
Dir: Maya Newell, NYC Premiere
This touching film reveals both the challenges of same-sex parenting and its commonalities with every family. In person: producer Charlotte Mars
THE MELTING FAMILY
Dir: Nicole Groton, World Premiere
This candidly personal film chronicles how one nuclear family grew through seven divorces and remarriages. In person: Nicole Groton
OLD FRIENDS
Dir: Peter Odabashian, World Premiere
An intimate reflection on friendship demonstrates the power of an intentional community. In person: Peter Odabashian, subjects Esther Cohen, Bruce Kitzmeyer, Anne Newman Bacal, Betty Odabashian
WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
Dir: Hyuckjee Park, North American Premiere
Long-widowed from the husband they shared, two women continue to live together decades later.
SONIC CINEMA (on music)
13 MILLION VOICES
Dir: Janelle Gueits, NYC Premiere
Young Cubans and Cuban Americans forge ties against backdrop of Havana’s Peace Without Borders concert. In person: Janelle Gueits
HUSTLERS CONVENTION
Dir: Mike Todd
A rap cousin of Searching for Sugar Man, the film seeks the artist behind the 1973 album Hustlers Convention. In person: Mike Todd
I GO BACK HOME – JIMMY SCOTT
Dir: Yoon-ha Chang, World Premiere
The angelic-voiced jazz singer Jimmy Scott lived in obscurity for decades before making a comeback. In person: Yoon-ha Chang, subject Ralf Kemper
MAD TIGER
Dirs: Jonathan Yi, Michael Haertlein, World Premiere
Meet Peelander-Z and you might just start to believe the Japanese art-punk band’s claims of interstellar origins. In person: Jonathan Yi, Michael Haertlein, subjects Kengo Hioki (Yellow), Kotaro Tsukada (Red)
SYL JOHNSON: ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS
Dir: Rob Hatch-Miller, NYC Premiere
Soul singer Syl Johnson never achieved the success he longed for until hip hop opened up new opportunities. In person: Rob Hatch-Miller
THEORY OF OBSCURITY: A FILM ABOUT THE RESIDENTS
Dir: Don Hardy, NYC Premiere
A profile of the band the Residents, who have maintained anonymity for 40 years behind giant eyeball masks. Film Movement. In person: Don Hardy
THE WILD LIFE (on animals)
THE CHAMPIONS
Dir: Darcy Dennett, NYC Premiere
An inspiring chronicle of the efforts to rescue and rehabilitate Michael Vick’s pit bulls. In person: Darcy Dennett
HARRY & SNOWMAN
Dir: Ron Davis, NYC Premiere
Dutch immigrant Harry deLeyer saves a horse from the glue factory and finds a show-jumping champion. In person: Ron Davis
HUNTWATCH
Dir: Brant Backlund, World Premiere
An activist crusades against the cruelty of seal hunting while bringing us closer to the delightful creatures. In person: Brant Backlund
TIGER TIGER
Dir: George Butler, NYC Premiere
One of the world’s top big cat biologists tracks tigers on the dangerous border of India and Bangladesh. In person: George Butler
SHORTS PROGRAMS (thematic collections of short documentaries)
SHORTS: CONCRETE KINGDOM
City life. Lenny and the Rat (dir: Jason Hutt); S – The Musical Shuttle (dirs: Alina Abouelenin, Benjamin Bergmann); Man Under (dir: Paul Stone); Mac Premo – stuffmaker (dir: Bas Berkhout); Super-Unit(s) (dir: Teresa Czepiec). In person: Paul Stone, Jason Hutt, Bas Berkhout, Alina Abouelenin, Benjamin Bergmann
SHORTS: EXPRESSIONS
Artists and their art. Sideshow of the Absurd (dirs: Tina DiFeliciantonio, Jane C. Wagner); Cindy Sherman: “Untitled Film Stills” (dir: Douglas Sloan); Colors of Life (dir: Goro Ushijima); Artspeak (dir: Bill Claps); Bernice (dir: Kristina Sorge). In person: Tina DiFeliciantonio, Jane C. Wagner, Douglas Sloan, Bill Claps
SHORTS: A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
Stories for the whole family. Cone Phones (dir: Heidi Gelover); Little Hero (dirs: Marcus McDougald, Jennifer Medvin); Made of Clay (dir: Fayssal Bin Sahli); AlieNation (dir: Laura Lehmus); Curt (dir: Brendan Hearne); Teen Press (dir: T.C. Johnstone). In person: Heidi Gelover, Jennifer Medvin, Brendan Hearne, T.C. Johnstone
SHORTS: FROM THERE TO HERE
Experiences in the melting pot. Satellite Baby (dir: Jenny Schweitzer); Resident
Alien (dir: Naiara Eizaguirre-Paulos); The Absentees (dir: Tanya Daud); Not So Namaste (dirs: Rita Baghdadi, Jeremiah Hammerling); Marathon (dirs: Theo Rigby, Kate McLean); Going Back Home (dir: Tim O’Donnell); Looking at Time (dir: Brandon Lavoie). In person: Jenny Schweitzer, Rita Baghdadi, Jeremiah Hammerling, Theo Rigby, Kate McLean, Tim O’Donnell, Brandon Lavoie
SHORTS: LARGER THAN LIFE
Portraits of everyday characters. Tiger Hood (dir: Christopher André Marks); Pink Boy (dir: Eric Rockey); The Reinvention of Normal (dir: Liam Saint-Pierre); Dunk Tank Clowns (dir: Daniel McGuire); Rothman (dir: Nader Sadre); Heavy Fog Tonight (dir: Nathan Reich). In person: Christopher André Marks, Eric Rockey, Liam Saint-Pierre, Daniel McGuire, Nader Sadre, Nathan Reich
SHORTS: PASSPORT
Take a trip around the world. Boxeadora (dir: Meg Smaker); Worlds on Edge (dirs: Thiago B. Mendonça, Renata Jardim); End of the World (dir: Monika Pawluczuk); Hyena Boys (dir: Tarryn Crossman). In person: Meg Smaker, Thiago B. Mendonça, Monika Pawluczuk, Tarryn Crossman
SHORTS: POINTS OF VIEW
Tales of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Clock of the Long Now (dirs: Jimmy Goldblum, Adam Weber); The Typist (dir: Kristine Stolakis); German Shepherd (dir: Nils Bergendal); The 414s (dir: Michael T. Vollmann); Back (dirs: Jenna Belhumeur,
Elena Boffetta); I Was Here First (dirs: Katherin Machalek, Adam Golub); The Surrender (dir: Stephen Maing). In person: Jimmy Goldblum, Adam Weber, Kristine Stolakis, Jenna Belhumeur, Elena Boffetta, Katherin Machalek, Adam Golub, Stephen Maing
SHORT: PUSHING THE BOUNDS
True innovation. What Lies Beneath the Sky (dir: Vladimir de Fontenay); Morgan Green Shaves Her Head Backwards (dir: Morgan Green); María 95 (dir: Josh Polon); Zone Blanche (dir: Gaëlle Cintré); Confessions (dir: Paul Erskine); Le Mur et l’Eau (dir: Alice Fargier). In person: Vladimir de Fontenay, Morgan Green, Josh Polon, Gaëlle Cintré, Paul Erskine
-
Yo-Yo Ma, Janis Joplin and Ukraine Among Toronto International Film Festival 2015 Documentary Program
The Toronto International Film Festival 2015 documentary program presents a diverse mix of international works featuring a wide array of award-winning directors. The TIFF Docs line-up includes revelatory looks at celebrated performers like Yo-Yo Ma, Arcade Fire and Sharon Jones; fresh global perspectives on Ukraine, Haiti, China, and the Middle East; films about film; and loving attention to horses and dogs.
“Emotions run high in this year’s documentaries from passionate performers to angry protestors,” said TIFF Docs programmer Thom Powers. “These films truly command the big screen with their artistry across many forms of documentary — observational, essayistic, historical and investigative.”
Several films focus on music: Miss Sharon Jones! follows R&B queen Sharon Jones during her battle with cancer; The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble profiles the legendary cellist and his international musical collective; Amazing Grace captures the recording of Aretha Franklin’s best-selling album of the same name; The Reflektor Tapes provides insight into the making of the Arcade Fire international #1 album Reflektor and Janis: Little Girl Blue delves into the life of late rock legend Janis Joplin.
The worlds of art, dance, and performance are explored in films such as Bolshoi Babylon which looks at upheavals in Russia’s world-famous company; Our Last Tango chronicles the stormy career of Argentine tango legends Juan Carlos Copes and María Nieves; Horizon is a portrait of influential Icelandic landscape painter Georg Gudni; and Thru You Princess documents the composer Kutiman creating a viral sensation on YouTube.
The lineup includes a trio of films in which animals feature, including Heart of a Dog, a personal essay film by Laurie Anderson that explores themes of love, death, and language; Being AP, a portrait of legendary British horse-racing jockey AP McCoy; and Dark Horse, about a small town group of friends who take on the elite ‘sport of kings’ and breed themselves a racehorse.
Global current events make hot topics in several films. In P.S. Jerusalem, filmmaker Danae Elon confronts the tensions of living in Jerusalem after the death of her father, the writer Amos Elon. A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers, focuses on three Muslim women who join a UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti. Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom takes a closer look at the Ukrainian Revolution and the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. Je Suis Charlie offers an account of the brutal attacks on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, while He Named Me Malala profiles Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who survived a Taliban assassination attempt to become an outspoken, globally recognized advocate for girls’ rights.
The program’s global outlook can also be seen in Sherpa, exploring the uneasy relationship on Mount Everest between foreign expeditions and their local guides; Nasser, providing an in-depth history of Egypt’s pivotal and controversial leader Gamal Abdel Nasser; A Young Patriot, examining modern China through the eyes of a nationalistic university student; In Jackson Heights, offering a closer look at the diverse immigrant neighborhood of Jackson Heights in Queens, New York; and Return of the Atom, taking a closer look at the remote ‘nuclear town’ in Finland.
Four films intersect with the art and legacy of filmmaking. Hitchcock/Truffaut examines the importance of the epochal book that transcribed the 1962 interview between Alfred Hitchcock and François Truffaut. A Flickering Truth follows a group of dedicated Afghan cinephiles who are literally excavating their country’s cinematic past. Women He’s Undressed pays tribute to legendary Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly. It All Started At The End recounts the history of El Grupo de Cali, the prolific bohemian artistic collective that revolutionized Colombian film and literature in the 1970s and ’80s.
Films screening as part of the TIFF Docs programme include:
Amazing Grace
Sydney Pollack, USA International Premiere
Sydney Pollack’s film of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Amazing Grace.’ Filmed during church services in Los Angeles on January 13 and 14, 1972, the footage was never seen until now. Featuring Reverend James Cleveland, the Southern California Community Choir and the Atlantic Records rhythm section.
A Flickering Truth
Pietra Brettkelly, New Zealand/Afghanistan North American Premiere
As Afghanistan teeters on an unpredictable future, A Flickering Truth uncovers the world of three dreamers and cinephiles, the dust of 100 years of war and the restoration of 8,000 hours of film archive that they risked their lives to conceal. What surprises will emerge from the cloak of time?
A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers
Geeta Gandbhir and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, USA/Pakistan World Premiere
A unit of Bangladeshi female police officers leave their families to join a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti and challenge stereotypes about the capabilities of Muslim women. The film focuses on three of the women as they grapple with the harsh realities of becoming foot soldiers in a UN Peacekeeping Mission, and the pressures on their families left behind.
A Young Patriot
(Shao Nian * Xiao Zhao) Du Haibin, China/USA/France Canadian Premiere
This intimate documentary chronicles five years in the life of a young Chinese student, whose fervent idealism and dedication to Mao’s legacy stands in stark contrast to contemporary China’s turn towards state capitalism.
Being AP
Anthony Wonke, United Kingdom/Ireland World Premiere
Being AP is an intimate documentary portrait of AP McCoy – the greatest jump jockey of all time. As he passes his 40th birthday, an age beyond which most jockeys are unable to continue, AP contemplates his obsession with winning, the years of sacrifice that he has endured to become a champion, the chase for a 20th successive title, and then a future without racing.
Bolshoi Babylon
Nick Read, United Kingdom World Premiere
For the first time, Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre allows filmmakers full and uncensored access backstage. After a brutal acid attack on the ballet company’s director Sergei Filin in January 2013, Bolshoi Babylon follows the dancers and managers through a new season as they try to regain their status as the world’s leading dance company.
Dark Horse
Louise Osmond, United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
Set in a former mining village in Wales, Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of Jan Vokes and her group of local friends who decide to take on the elite ‘sport of kings’ and breed themselves a racehorse. Raised on a slagheap allotment, their foal becomes a source of inspiration and hope.
Dark Horse
Davis Guggenheim, USA International Premiere
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim shows us how Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus, remains committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. Providing an inside glimpse into her extraordinary life — from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life at home.
Heart of a Dog
Laurie Anderson, USA Canadian Premiere
Heart of a Dog is a personal essay film that explores themes of love, death, and language. The director’s voice is a constant presence as stories of her dog Lolabelle, her mother, childhood fantasies and political, and philosophical theories unfurl in a seamless song-like stream.
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Kent Jones, USA/France Canadian Premiere
In 1962, two of the greatest minds in cinema sat down for an intimate and expansive conversation. Based on the original recordings of this meeting — used to produce the influential book Hitchcock/Truffaut — this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. David Fincher, Richard Linklater, Martin Scorsese and other legendary filmmakers add to the discussion of Hitchcock’s enduring legacy and influence on cinema.
Horizon
Bergur Bernburg and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Iceland/Denmark World Premiere
A documentary about the late Icelandic painter Georg Gudni Hauksson, whose innovative interpretations of forms and ideas paved the way for a renaissance in Icelandic landscape painting.
In Jackson Heights
Frederick Wiseman, USA North American Premiere
Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary is about the diverse neighborhood of Jackson Heights in Queens, New York where 167 languages are spoken among immigrants from every continent, and half the population is foreign-born. The community is an example of America as a ‘melting pot’ settled and made strong by people committed to making their neighborhood work despite cultural and religious differences.
It All Started At The End (Todo comenzó por el fin)
Luis Ospina, Colombia World Premiere
Filmmaker Luis Ospina recounts the history of El Grupo de Cali, the prolific bohemian artistic collective that revolutionized Colombian film and literature in the 1970s and ’80s.
Janis: Little Girl Blue
Amy Berg, USA North American Premiere
Academy Award-nominated director Amy Berg reveals the raw, sensitive and powerful woman behind the legend in Janis: Little Girl Blue; the quintessential story of the short, turbulent, epic existence that changed music forever. Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) lends her raspy Southern voice to the film, reading Janis Joplin’s achingly intimate letters.
Je Suis Charlie
Emmanuel Leconte and Daniel Leconte, France World Premiere
On January 7, 2015, French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo was the victim of a terrorist attack that killed 12 people, including some of the greatest French cartoonists such as Cabu, Wolinski, Charb, Tignous and Honoré. The following day a policewoman was shot dead in the street. On January 9, another attack targeted the Jewish community. Four hostages were murdered. This film pays tribute to all these victims.
Miss Sharon Jones! (pictured main image)
Barbara Kopple, USA World Premiere
Two-time Academy Award-winner Barbara Kopple follows R&B queen Sharon Jones over the course of an eventful year, as she battles a cancer diagnosis and struggles to hold her band the Dap-Kings together. Additionally, TIFF Cinematheque will showcase Kopple’s film Harlan County, USA which played at the first Festival in 1976.
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble
Morgan Neville, USA World Premiere
This film tells the extraordinary story of the Silk Road Ensemble, an international musical collective created by legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The film follows this group of diverse instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists, and storytellers as they explore the power of music to preserve tradition, shape cultural evolution, and inspire hope.
Nasser
Jihan El-Tahri, France/South Africa International Premiere
Filmmaker Jihan El-Tahri explores the history of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the revolutionary army officer whose decade-long reign as president of Egypt saw him defy the West during the 1956 Suez Crisis, co-found the international Non-Aligned Movement, and suffer a dramatic defeat to Israel in the Six-Day War.
Our Last Tango (Un tango más)
German Kral, Germany/Argentina World Premiere
Argentina’s María Nieves and Juan Carlos Copes are the best-known couple in tango’s history and shaped the dance like no others. They danced passionately, loved and hated each other for almost 50 years, until one day they separated, and left a gap in the tango scene. Now, almost at the end of their lives, they tell their story for the first time. Executive produced by Wim Wenders.
P.S. Jerusalem
Danae Elon, Canada/Israel World Premiere
Danae Elon grew up in Jerusalem. After many years of living abroad, she moves back with her three young sons and French-Algerian husband Philip who are fresh to the city. Over three years, she documents their experiences, bearing witness to what makes Jerusalem so fiercely contested. A looming presence is the memory of her late father, the esteemed author Amos Elon, seen in home movies. Through the prism of one family’s life, the film exposes a complex portrait of Jerusalem today.
The Reflektor Tapes
Kahlil Joseph, United Kingdom World Premiere
The Reflektor Tapes is a fascinating insight into the making of Arcade Fire’s international #1 album Reflektor. The film recontextualizes the album experience, transporting the viewer into a kaleidoscopic sonic and visual landscape. The Reflektor Tapes blends never-before-seen personal interviews and moments captured by the band to dazzling effect, and features 20 minutes of exclusive unseen footage, filmed only for cinema audiences.
Return of the Atom (Atomin paluu)
Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola, Finland/Germany World Premiere
Finland was the first country in the West to give permission to build a new nuclear power plant after the Chernobyl disaster. The film portrays the strange and stressful life in the small Finnish ‘nuclear town’ Eurajoki during an era of nuclear renaissance.
Sherpa
Jennifer Peedom, Australia/United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
Director Jennifer Peedom set out to uncover tension in the 2014 Everest climbing season from the Sherpas’ point of view, and instead captured a tragedy when an avalanche struck, killing 16 Sherpas. Sherpa tells the story of how the Sherpas united after the tragedy in the face of fierce opposition to reclaim the mountain they call Chomolungma.
Thru You Princess
Ido Haar, Israel International Premiere
In her late 30s, Samantha lives in New Orleans and works as a caregiver. She often uploads her songs and musings online and none of her clips get more than a few dozen hits. She doesn’t imagine that someone, on the other side of the world, is about to expand the number of listeners by millions. Kutiman, an Israeli musician, discovered Samantha’s songs on YouTube and weaves them with audiovisual symphonies composed of musical clips that people posted online.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Evgeny Afineevsky, Ukraine/USA/UnitedKingdom Canadian Premiere
Chronicling events that unfolded over 93 days in 2013 and 2014, Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom witnesses the formation of a new civil rights movement in Ukraine. What started as peaceful student demonstrations supporting European integration morphed into a full-fledged violent revolution calling for the resignation of the nation’s president. The film captures the remarkable mobilization of nearly a million citizens from across the country protesting the corrupt political regime that utilized extreme force against its own people to suppress their demands and freedom of expression.
Women He’s Undressed
Gillian Armstrong, Australia International Premiere
During Hollywood’s golden age, the Australian known as Orry-Kelly was a costume designer for an astonishing 282 films including classics like Some Like It Hot, Casablanca, and An American in Paris. As a gay male during a closeted era, he was also a keeper of secrets. Director Gillian Armstrong (Oscar and Lucinda; Little Women) employs inventive recreations, interviews and film clips to uncover his story.
Documentaries previously announced for the Festival were Brian D. Johnson’s Al Purdy Was Here, Patrick Reed and Michelle Shephard’s Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr, Mina Shum’s Ninth Floor, Avi Lewis’ This Changes Everything, and Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ Welcome to F.L. playing in TIFF Docs; and Michael Moore’s Where to Invade Next for Special Presentations.
The 40th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 10 to 20, 2015.