The Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF) wrapped its 18th annual edition, and announced the juried and audience award-winning films at its Awards Night celebration.
The Rescue List
On Ghana’s Lake Volta, activists work to rescue victims of a child-slavery industry and help them transition back to normal life.
Directed by Alyssa Fedele, Zachary Fink
Genre(s) Documentary Film
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2019 Ashland Independent Film Festival Announces Award Winners
Winner of Best Documentary Feature – American Factory by Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert
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Ashland Independent Film Festival Unveils Complete 2019 Lineup of Over 150 Films
Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements by Irene Taylor Brodsky The Ashland Independent Film Festival announced its lineup of over 150 films for the eighteenth annual festival, April 11-15, 2019, in Ashland, Oregon.
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DocLands Documentary Film Festival Unveils 2018 Lineup – ‘Ask The Sexpert’ ‘McQueen’ ‘The King’ and More…
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Ask The Sexpert[/caption]
DocLands Documentary Film Festival unveiled the lineup for the 2nd annual Festival, taking place May 3 to 6, 2018; and that includes 43 documentary films from 10 countries, the inaugural DocLands Honors award presentation to award-winning filmmaker and photographer Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Racing Extinction, The Game Changers), along with special programs.
DocLands will host the World Premieres of 16 Bars with director Sam Bathrick, and film subjects Todd “Speech” Thomas of hip-hop group Arrested Development (Tennessee, Mr. Wendell), Teddy Kane and Loretta Simmons-Jackson attending, and Olompali: A Hippie Odyssey with filmmakers director Gregg Gibbs and producer Maura McCoy attending.
Additional films premiering at the Festival include the US Premiere of DugOut; the North American Premiere of Have You Heard from Johannesburg: Oliver Tambo with director Connie Field in attendance; and the California Premieres of Anote’s Ark with director Matthieu Rytz and former president of Kiribati/film subject Anote Tong; The Guardians with directors Tessa Moran and Ben Crosbie attending; Into Twin Galaxies: A Greenland Epic; and Shiners with director Stacey Tenebaum and film subject Kealani Lada attending.
Festival Sections include The Great Outdoors, films that transport us outside to truly appreciate, explore, and ultimately compel us to save and conserve our environment and the wilds of our one precious and precarious planet; Wonderlands, films that lift our spirits through stories of joy, wonder and possibility; and Art of Impact, films that engage and spark action by sharing stories that open our eyes to the global community and its disparate cultures, politics, personal narratives and biographies.
Additionally, the Festival is host to DocLife, an interactive industry forum consisting of three programs, DocPitch a program designed to connect filmmakers and their ideas to funders, distributors, philanthropists, fellow filmmakers and future audiences, DocTalk an intimate conversation focusing this year on the story enhancing power of music, and an experiential workshop, Metamorphosis Journey, that explores transformation in the face of planetary emergency.
Big Nights – Opening | Closing | DocLand Honors Award
Opening Night
ANOTE’S ARK – California Premiere
Former president of Kiribati and film subject Anote Tong joins director Martthieu Rytz for the Festival’s Opening Night film Anote’s Ark. Climate change is no abstraction to the people of Kiribati, a series of low-lying atolls in the central Pacific Ocean that are being swallowed by the rising sea. Photographer-ethnologist Matthieu Rytz’s exquisitely shot film portrays the slow, dignified demise of an entire culture—soon to be global refugees. Rytz and Tong will take part in an on-stage conversation and audience Q&A following the screening.
Opening Night Party following screening and onstage conversation will be held at the San Rafael Elks Lodge.
Closing Night
16 BARS – World Premiere
In Sam Bathrick’s transformative film, Todd “Speech” Thomas of hip-hop group Arrested Development is involved with a unique rehabilitation program in Richmond, Virginia, helping prisoners write and record their own songs. The filmmaker lovingly follows four inmates battling cycles of incarceration and addiction. Through superbly produced recording sessions, the men reach out from behind bars to bring their poignant stories to life through music.
Director Sam Bathrick will be joined on-stage by film subjects Todd “Speech” Thomas of hip-hop group Arrested Development (Tennessee, Mr. Wendell), Teddy Kane and Loretta Simmons-Jackson following the premiere of 16 Bars for an on-stage Q&A and special performance featuring Speech and Kane.
Closing Night Party following the screening, onstage conversation, and special performance will be held at Art Works Downtown.
DocLands Honors Award
Presented to a filmmaker in recognition of exceptional storytelling within the documentary genre, an artist whose films resonate universally, emphasizing our common humanity – no matter the subject.
The inaugural DocLands Honors Award is presented to iconic photographer and award-winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Racing Extinction, The Game Changers) for his dogged determination and tenacity in exposing wrongs and expanding awareness. We also show our appreciation for his astounding efforts in outreach, bringing some of our most pressing environmental and social issues to a worldwide audience.
DocLife Events
Metamorphosis Journey An experiential workshop, lead by award-winning filmmakers and certified coaches, Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper, explores transformation in the face of planetary emergency. Participants move through the stages of Chrysalis, Crisis, Catharsis, Symbiosis and Metamorphosis, personalizing this arc, and applying it to their own lives. Short films representing each of the stages are integrated throughout the workshop. DocPitch Five filmmaker teams with feature documentary projects currently in development will present a three minute verbal pitch, three-to-five minute trailer and participate in a ten-minute Q&A with an audience comprised of potential funders, distributors, fellow filmmakers and the general public. All members of the audience will be given a ballot prior to the presentations and will vote for their favorite pitch. Winning project will receive a $10,000 cash prize.DocTalk
Story Arc, Music Arc – Do The Follow the Same Beat? The story-enhancing power of music and score is palpable in the films that stick with us. But how do you achieve this sought-after influence and emotion? Join our panelists for an intimate conversation as they share their strategies for hitting all the right notes. Panelists:- Alexandria Bombach, ON HER SHOULDERS
- Connie Field, HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG: OLIVER TAMBO
- Louie Psihoyos, RACING EXTINCTION
- Velcrow Ripper, METAMORPHOSIS
- Todd “Speech” Thomas, 16 BARS
DocLands Full Program – Features
16 Bars (dir. Sam Bathrick) Section: Art of Impact – In Sam Bathrick’s transformative film, Todd “Speech” Thomas of hip-hop group Arrested Development is involved with a unique rehabilitation program in Richmond, Virginia, helping prisoners write and record their own songs. The filmmaker lovingly follows four inmates battling cycles of incarceration and addiction. Through superbly produced recording sessions, the men reach out from behind bars to bring their poignant stories to life through music. Albatross (dir. Chris Jordan) Sections: Art of Impact/The Great Outdoors – Shot on Midway, a remote North Pacific atoll and home to the world’s largest albatross colony, this film captures extraordinarily intimate footage of the birds, and features a hauntingly beautiful score. Yet, as the birds feed their young, we learn of a hidden danger that implicates us all. Watching Albatross may well change your life. Anote’s Ark (dir. Matthieu Rytz) Sections: Art of Impact/The Great Outdoors – Climate change is no abstraction to the people of Kiribati, a series of low-lying atolls in the central Pacific Ocean that are being swallowed by the rising sea. Photographer-ethnologist Matthieu Rytz’s exquisitely shot film portrays the slow, dignified demise of an entire culture—soon to be global refugees—while sounding a clarion call for meaningful political action. Ask The Sexpert (dir. Vaishali Sinha) Section: Wonderlands – Gynecologist Mahinder Watsa writes a popular Mumbai sex advice column, and, at 91 years of age, he has heard it all. But whether in person or in print, he does what he’s always done: deliver witty, nonjudgmental truths about sexual health. Not everyone agrees with his usual prognosis — “it’s normal” — and India’s vocal conservatives lay bare just how much more work Watsa has yet to do. Becoming Who I Was (dirs. Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon) Section: Wonderlands – Padma Angdu is a rosy-cheeked young Rinpoche, or reincarnation of a spiritual master. Under the care of a local lama, Urgyan Rickzen, in the remote mountainous Ladakh region of southern India, Padma must eventually re-join his monastic order in Tibet. With delicately intimate moments and breathtaking aerial cinematography, this is a masterpiece of epic proportions. Drawn Together (dir. Harleen Singh) Section: Art of Impact – From comics to cosplay, diverse and progressive artists such as Keith Knight, Vishavjit Singh, and Eileen Kaur Alden are breaking new ground. This survey highlights exciting changes in cartooning. Mr. Fish: Cartooning From The Deep End (dir. Pablo Bryant) – One of the world’s greatest editorial cartoonists finds his acidic equal-opportunity political critiques are too hot to handle in today’s ever-shrinking, increasingly cautious publishing marketplace. DugOut (dir. Benjamin Sadd) Section: The Great Outdoors – The vibrant green Ecuadorian Amazon, bursting with life, is the star of this eco-adventure. With generous help of a local Huaorani family, two young British men set out to make a traditional dugout canoe and row it down a river. It’s an arduous journey, but this duo is all charm as they encounter the taste of howler monkey, overcome G.I. woes, and evade unfriendly darts. Finding Hygge (dir. Rocky Walls) Section: Wonderlands – What is hygge? A colorful cast of characters share humorous, surprising and often deeply philosophical thoughts about this Danish concept in a delightful, heartwarming film. Ranked among the happiest people in the world, Danes share their secrets about loving life. The moral of the story? Maybe we all have a little hygge, even if we’re not Danish. The Guardians (dirs. Tessa Moran, Ben Crosbie) Section: Art of Impact –Every year majestic Monarch butterflies make their way on a 3,000-mile journey from Canada to their winter home in the ancient forests of Michoacán, Mexico, and it is here that the struggling community of Donaciano Ojeda strives to preserve the delicate balance between humans and nature. Like the millions of monarchs that also call this forest home, their survival depends on it. Have You Heard From Johannesburg: Oliver Tambo (dir. Connie Field) Section: Wonderlands – A religious man heading a secular movement, a pacifist commanding its army, Oliver Tambo was a man of many contradictions who largely orchestrated a revolution that shook institutionalized racism to its core. This is a thrilling portrait of a towering yet little-remembered figure by Berkeley-based director Connie Field, who adds an essential chapter to her original eight-hour epic series. Into Twin Galaxies (dir. Jochen Schmoll) Section: The Great Outdoors – Two pro kayakers and a polar expert set out on the “most epic expedition ever” across Greenland in this incredible real-life adventure. Their goal is an unknown river canyon they’ll run to the ocean—but first there are weeks of treacherous cross-country travel by hoof and kite-ski, in gale-force winds. It’s a perilous, visually stunning journey. The King (dir. Eugene Jarecki) Section: Wonderlands) – A road trip ostensibly tracing the rise and fall of Elvis Presley, director Eugene Jarecki outlines the deep fallacies in the story America tells about its greatness. Driving around the country in the singer’s 1963 Rolls-Royce accompanied by an articulate array of celebrities, musicians, and political pundits, Jarecki’s captivating documentary searches for a truer tale, one that might still allow for an American Dream. McQueen (dirs. Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui) Section: Art of Impact/Wonderlands – This superb film traces designer Alexander McQueen’s meteoric rise to stardom from his first forays into tailoring to worldwide fame as a fashion icon. Through touching interviews and dazzling footage of McQueen’s fashion show extravaganzas, the documentary expertly weaves the tale of a tortured man whose universe of designs reflected not only the beauty he saw in the world, but his own dark side. Metamorphosis (dirs. Nova Ami, Velcrow Ripper) Sections: Art of Impact/The Great Outdoors – What is our capacity for change? It’s a prescient question given a whole new spin in Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s striking film. The answers here are eye opening, the visuals mesmerizing, and the sound bewitchingly portentous as it evokes Earth’s final breaths. Does the change we’re facing offer us an opportunity for transformation? This film gives us a chance to discover—and accept—the wonder of impermanence. Minding The Gap (dir. Bing Liu) Section: Art of Impact – Set in blue-collar Rockford, Illinois, director Bing Liu’s fresh and discerning film follows a group of his skateboarding friends. In between the excellent skate scenes, Bing unearths some deeper truths affecting all three buddies. An unorthodox filmmaking style and unique access make this film about skateboarding, friendship, and acceptance as uplifting and heartwarming as it is gritty and honest. Olompali: A Hippie Odyssey (dir. Gregg Gibbs) Section: Wonderlands – “Turning on, tuning in, and dropping out, a group of kindred spirits calling itself the “Chosen Family” in the late ’60s built its base camp 30 miles north of San Francisco. Clothing was optional, authority disdained, and weed widely distributed. Peter Coyote narrates this warmly reflective story, which crosses paths with tragedy–as well as the Grateful Dead, Hells Angels, and the Diggers–as it celebrates the spirit of invention. On Her Shoulders (dir. Alexandria Bombach) Section: Art of Impact – The plight of the Yazidi community, who face mass extermination at the hands of ISIL extremists, is told elegantly through delicately lit interviews and the selfless lobbying of 23-year-old reluctant activist, Nadia Murad. Although the toll of retelling her own harrowing story is clearly evident in her face, Murad refuses to rest lest the atrocities continue to go unnoticed by those who may be able to help. Pick of the Litter (dir. Don Hardy, Dana Nachman) Section: Wonderlands – In Pick of the Litter, we follow five dogs, from the moment they are born through the intense two-year program that will prepare them to become working guide dogs and unite with their blind partners. The stakes are high and not every dog will make the cut, but those who graduate will all go on to provide life-changing services for those in need. Racing Extinction (dir. Louie Psihoyos) Sections: Art of Impact/The Great Outdoors – Scientists believe we are in the sixth major extinction event in the planet’s history, and unlike the previous five, this one is being caused by humankind. Half of all species are threatened with annihilation by the end of this century, and Academy Award-winning director Louie Psihoyos’ remarkable film tackles this monumental challenge by focusing on activists, scientists, and artists dedicated to saving those without a voice—the vanishing species of our globe. Psihoyos has created an ode to life on our planet with a documentary that takes us on an unforgettable visual journey. The Rescue List (dirs. Alyssa Fedele, Zachary Fink) Section: Art of Impact – Ghana’s Lake Volta, the most massive man-made lake in the world, is also the site of a monumental human rights failure: the selling of area children into slavery. This riveting, gorgeously photographed documentary by Bay Area filmmakers Zachary Fink and Alyssa Fedele chronicles the brave efforts to find these children, bring them to safety, and return them to their families of origin. A River’s Last Chance (dir. Shane Anderson) Sections: Art of Impact/The Great Outdoors– One of the most diverse rivers in the United States, the Eel, ran dry in 2014, for the first time in history. Once victimized by logging, damming, and drought, the Eel faced new challenges in the new century from some of California’s favorite commodities: wine and weed. This urgent and compelling documentary makes a renewed case for regulation and collaboration in protecting this vital resource. Saving Brinton (filmmakers Tommy Haines, John Richard, Andrew Sherburne) Section: Wonderlands – An eccentric collector and the self-appointed local historian of a small town in Iowa stumbles upon a cache of old dusty film reels that will end up consuming him for more than thirty-two years. The treasure trove he discovers in a farmhouse basement includes a collection of magical films from cinematic pioneer George Méliés long thought to be lost to cinematic history. Shiners (dir. Stacey Tenenbaum) Section: Wonderlands – Shoe-shiners from New York to Tokyo, often invisible to the disdainful eye of the public, get the spotlight in a film directed with compassion and skill. These illusive artists speak of class differences, job satisfaction, and the meaning of life. Just as the shoe-shining philosophers bring pleasure and conversation to their clientele, this entertaining and polished film has never a dull moment. Soufra (dir. Thomas Morgan) Section: Art of Impact – Mariam Shaar lives in a refugee camp just south of Beirut. When she and other enterprising women refugees resolve to grow a small catering business, named Soufra, or “spread” in Arabic, obstacles emerge. As a bevy of colorful, mouthwatering food parades by, we find ourselves rooting for Mariam’s success and her courage reminds us that every refugee has a dream for a better life. Three Identical Strangers (dir. Tim Wardle) Section: Art of Impact – Bobby, David, and Eddy—triplets who find each other by chance in their late teens—generate heartwarming headlines in the 1980s. Their three identical smiles, mop-top heads, and wide shoulders charmed the public almost as much as the circumstances of their reunification. But we soon learn a far-fetched story that goes much further than their exultant initial encounter. The Valley of the Wolves (dir. Jean-Michel Bertrand) Section: The Great Outdoors – With unabating good humor and infinite patience and enthusiasm, filmmaker and wildlife enthusiast Jean-Michel Bertrand keeps himself—and us—amused as he spends months amid the magnificent beauty of a remote valley in the French Alps searching for a family of wolves he believes (with all his heart) have established a den there. Wall (dir. Cam Christiansen) Section: Art of Impact– Adapted from the 2009 monologue by renowned British playwright and screenwriter David Hare, Wall ruminates over the terminology, philosophy, and reality of what Israelis call a “security fence” and Palestinians “an apartheid wall.” Canadian animation filmmaker Cam Christiansen employs a largely black-and-white canvas as a malleable, clarifying backdrop for Hare’s journey of inquiry about the barrier’s implications for Middle East peace. Won’t You By My Neighbor? (dir. Morgan Neville) Section: Wonderlands – “Love is the root of everything: all learning, all parenting, all relationships. Love or the lack of it.” These are the wise and seemingly prescient words of Fred Rogers, the originator/host of public television’s, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Speaking to children as equals on any topic in an open and unruffled manner, he taught tolerance above all else. He was one of a kind, a man whose teachings are even more relevant today.DocLands Full Program – Shorts
Colors of Change (dir. Jenny Nichols) – Through the eyes of an artist, a scientist, and an Inuit Elder, we experience Greenland’s beauty as it tackles climate change. Dear Erik (dir. Bryan Wetzel) – A lark quickly becomes an obsession for an eccentric collector of personal letters received from stars of Hollywood’s Golden Era. The Last Honey Hunter (dir. Ben Knight) – After being visited by a spirit in his dreams, Maule Dhan Rail is determined to pass along a dangerous generations-old Nepali tradition. Little Fiel (dir. Irina Patkanian) – This unique short animated documentary is based on and features the sculptures of a Mozambican artist whose creations comment on war, resistance, and hope. My Irnik (dirs. Matthew Hood, François Lebeau) – Deep within the Arctic, a young father teaches his son about his ancestral Inuit heritage and the value of shared adventures. Objector (dir. Molly Stuart) – Torn between love of country, family, and her dedication to Palestinian rights, a young Israeli woman refuses her military service. Person of the Forest (dirs. Melissa Lesh, Tim Laman) – In the vanishing lowland rainforests of Borneo, a team of environmentalists seek to understand the unique cultural behavior of wild orangutans before it’s too late. Plant (dirs. David Zlutnick, Flavia Cassani) – From seed to harvest, a cinematic look at the beauty of a small, family-run cannabis farm in California’s famed Emerald Triangle. The Reason to Live (dir. Boyoung Kim) – An optimistic street musician busking in San Francisco shares inspirational stories of music, transformation, and making people smile. Spark Plug Cowboys (dirs. Kramer Herzog, Leonard Marcel) – Rally car enthusiasts, friends since their 1950s, meet weekly in downtown San Rafael to reminisce about their daredevil days. Surviving International Boulevard (dir. Sian Taylor Gowan) – The complex reality of domestic child sex trafficking is revealed through the experiences of two local women from Oakland, California. Swan (dirs. Laetitia Jacquart, J.P. Dobrin) – As the loudspeaker announces 15 minutes until the start of the show, a ballet soloist prepares to dance. Water Town (dir. Maya Craig) – The city of Weed embarks upon a David vs. Goliath battle to win back their water rights from a large timber company. Wrangling Russia (dir. Ilie Mitaru) – Seemingly out of place, four American cowboys take on the task of training Russian ranchers as they set out to resurrect the local beef industry.
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SFFILM Launch Program to Feature World Premiere of 5 Documentaries on 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival Lineup
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The Rescue List[/caption]
SFFILM’s Launch program returns to the San Francisco International Film Festival to provide a platform for a select group of exceptional films just beginning their distribution journey.
In Launch’s second year, five documentary features within the official lineup of the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival have been selected to have their world premieres.
LAUNCH TITLES AT 2018 SFFILM FESTIVAL
The Human Element (Matthew Testa, USA, 80 min) – World Premiere American photographer James Balog has been tracking human-caused changes to our planet for over 35 years. Disturbed and motivated by what he has seen, The Human Element documents how the earth’s four elements–water, air, fire, and earth–have all been impacted by a fifth element, homo sapiens. With breathtakingly rich and innovative photography, he illustrates issues ranging from rising sea levels to pollution’s impact on asthma cases to focus us on a call for change. The Rescue List (Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink, USA/Ghana, 80 min) – World Premiere Lake Volta in Ghana is the largest man-made lake in the world; it is also notorious as a locale for forced child labor. Bay Area filmmakers Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink’s beautifully shot documentary charts the courageous efforts of a local safe house to rescue the kids, give them schooling and therapy, and prepare them for reintegration into their families. Though it contains many intimate and moving moments with the children, the star of the film is real life hero Kwame, who initiates several dramatic rescues. Tre Maison Dasan (Denali Tiller, USA, 94 min) – World Premiere Tre, Maison, and Dasan are three boys who all share something in common–one of their parents is in jail. Following their separate lives through boyhood and weaving their stories together, first-time documentary filmmaker Denali Tiller tenderly observes each youngster’s life, as the kids come to understand more about the world around them. Capturing loving, frustrating, and heart wrenching moments between parent and child, Tre Maison Dasan approaches the issue of mass-incarceration by exposing the effects of the criminal justice system on young men. Ulam: Main Dish (Alexandra Cuerdo, USA, 80 min) – World Premiere For lovers of food documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) and the Chef’s Table series, Ulam: Main Dish will come as a welcome and fresh addition. The film centers on the honest struggle for authenticity and respect for a cuisine often marginalized by the food world. Deploying rousing interviews with owners, restaurateurs, top chefs, as well as mouth-watering dishes placed front and center, filmmaker Alexandra Cuerdo follows the heartaches and triumphs of contemporary chefs that seek a place for their culture at the dinner table, one dish at a time. Wrestle (Suzannah Herbert, USA, 96 min) – World Premiere Jamario, Jaquon, Jailen, and Teague are teammates on the J.O. Johnson High School wrestling team in Huntsville, Alabama. Led by their passionate coach, they are trying to qualify for the State Championships but the pressures outside of the ring–emotional breakdowns, racial profiling by the police, teenage pregnancy–are mounting for each of the young men. Over the course of the season, director Suzannah Herbert gracefully follow each of them, showing that the sport is what keeps them focused and in control of their lives.
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2018 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces Lineup – “306 Hollywood” “Boom for Real” and More…
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306 Hollywood by Elan Bogarín and Jonathan Bogarín[/caption]
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, today announced its lineup of features and short films. The 21st annual festival will take place April 5 to 8, 2018, in Durham, North Carolina.
The NEW DOCS program includes 42 titles – 32 features and 10 shorts – selected from nearly 1,800 submissions from around the globe. These films are eligible for the Full Frame Audience Award and are shortlisted for a variety of additional juried awards offering a combined value of $40,000 in cash prizes. Award winners will be announced at the annual Awards Barbecue on Sunday, April 8. The Invited Program includes 22 feature films screening out of competition.
Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger will curate the 2018 Thematic Program, and the festival will honor Jehane Noujaim’s illustrious body of work with the 2018 Tribute. Delving into the fascinating genre of true crime, the Thematic Program will feature films that follow individual cases and consider the ways documentary uniquely represents the complexities, and limitations, of the American judicial system. For the Tribute, Full Frame will showcase Noujaim’s lauded films exploring themes of resilience, freedom, democracy, and free speech.
NEW DOCS
306 Hollywood (Directors: Elan Bogarin, Jonathan Bogarin) When their beloved grandmother dies, two siblings embark on an imaginative exploration of her home, sifting through her belongings, and their own cherished memories, to discover her essence. América (Directors: Erick Stoll, Chase Whiteside) When their father is unexpectedly arrested, three brothers come together to care for their aging grandmother, América. This sensitive portrait delicately captures the frustrations and connections that evolve as they navigate her physical decline and their expectations of one another. The Area (Director: David Schalliol) Charismatic activist Deborah Payne tirelessly battles developers of a new multibillion-dollar freight yard that threatens to destroy Englewood, her neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. World Premiere The Bastard (Director: Floris-Jan van Luyn) The Hoeks are united in name but severed by history: Ethiopian-born Daniel and his estranged Dutch father, Joop, each tell their story, but who can be trusted in this tangled tale of regret and misdeed? Bending Lines: The Sculpture of Robert Wiggs (Directors: Peter DeHart, Allison Bohl DeHart) Inspired by the geometry of nature—from the cracks in dried mud to the structure of pine cones to the scales on armadillos—Wiggs’s artistic process reveals the intriguing interplay between mathematics and art. World Premiere The Blessing (Directors: Hunter Robert Baker, Jordan Fein) In this stunningly and candidly shot film, Lawrence, a Navajo coal miner, wrestles with his relationship to land to which he is spiritually bound but employed to destroy, while his daughter, Caitlin, forms her own identity amid cultural pressures. World Premiere Cielo (Director: Alison McAlpine) Enter a wondrous exploration of the meeting of heaven and Earth in this dynamic exchange between humans and the starry skies of Chile’s Atacama Desert. Crime + Punishment (Director: Stephen Maing) This powerful film follows twelve brave whistleblowers who speak out against illegal policing quotas in the NYPD and the retaliation they experience after refusing to make arrests targeting minority populations. David. The Return to Land (David. El regreso a la tierra) (Director: Anaïs Huerta) Haitian, French, and adopted by Jewish parents, 34-year-old David embarks on a mission to better understand who he is in this beautifully nuanced observation of self-discovery. North American Premiere The Deminer (Director: Hogir Hirori; Co-director: Shinwar Kamal) After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Colonel Fakhir of the Iraqi army devotes his life to disarming landmines, with only a pocket knife and wire cutters, in this deeply suspenseful film that makes use of Fakhir’s own extensive video footage. North American Premiere A Friendship in Tow/Toe (Director: Atsushi Kuwayama) In the brief ascent up a flight of stairs, a pair of strangers find a rapport across languages and generations. From Parts Unknown (Director: Michael T. Workman) The poignant experience of a young man who determines an unlikely outlet for his pain and hardships: In local wrestling, he finds catharsis, community, and a sense of purpose. The Good Struggle (Director: Celia Peterson) Although few words are spoken between themselves, monks at a Greek Orthodox monastery in Lebanon provide voiceovers to their daily routines—their devout thoughts echo the beauty of their solitude. World Premiere Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Director: RaMell Ross) Observational and impressionistic, this poetic film is a humanist exploration of an Alabama community, where mostly black, working-class families live, work, dream, celebrate, and struggle together. I Am Bisha ( انا% ةش) ( Director: Roopa Gogineni) As an act of pure creative resilience, Ganja and his friends film a humorous and satirical web series, Bisha TV, starring puppets to combat the violent, genocidal regime of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. World Premiere Inventing Tomorrow (Director: Laura Nix) Six young scientists from around the globe compete in the largest international high school science fair—with their ingenious solutions to environmental problems, they don’t just aim to bring home the top prize, they hope to change the world. The Issue of Mr. O’Dell (Director: Rami Katz) The work of Jack O’Dell, who once worked alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., is revealed through a conversation with the 94-year-old activist, who delves into his historical involvement in the civil rights struggle as well as the movement’s contemporary incarnation under the stewardship of groups like Black Lives Matter. Lovers of the Night (Director: Anna Frances Ewert) Seven elderly monks at a Cistercian abbey in Ireland humorously muse on their spiritual experiences, way of life, and the inevitable end to it all. Maj Doris (Director: Jon Blåhed) Ever-able, 74-year-old Maj Doris Rimpi is a renowned Sámi artist who lives alone in Sweden and tends to her home and herd of reindeer, but after another long winter she wonders, is it time to consider a new way of life? North American Premiere The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara (Director: MacGregor) In this expansive, gorgeously composed short, ride atop the railway car that serves as a 704- kilometer-long lifeline that supplies goods and iron ore to people in different cities in the Sahara Desert. World Premiere MELTING SOULS (NORILSK, L’étreinte de glace) (Director: François-Xavier Destors) This exquisitely photographed portrait documents a remote Arctic city centered around a metal refinery, where residents endure extreme, subzero temperatures to survive on the resource that lies beneath the tundra. North American Premiere Messenger on a White Horse (El mensajero) (Director: Jayson McNamara) This homage to the fearless investigative reporting of the Buenos Aires Herald during the disappearances and murders of Argentinians between 1976 and 1983, utilizes impeccable archival footage and testimonies from surviving members of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo as well as lead newspaper editor Robert Cox. North American Premiere Minding the Gap (Director: Bing Liu) Skateboarding and strained family relationships bond three friends together in this introspective saga about the journey from youth to adulthood. Las Nubes (Director: Juan Pablo González) As a father drives through an unidentified countryside, his car becomes a space for reflection as he recounts the impact of cartel violence on his home and family. Of Fathers and Sons (Director: Talal Derki) With rare and chilling insights, this film takes us into the lives of a Syrian family, led by an Al-Nusra fighter, where we observe how swiftly the innocence of childhood can fade. Our New President (Director: Maxim Pozdorovkin) By turns provocative, disorienting, and astonishing, this feature weaves clips from Russian state-owned news coverage of the 2016 U.S. presidential election to portray the perils of bias, conspiracy theories, and manufactured narratives. Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (Director: Giorgio Angelini) This energetic film unpacks the complex history of home ownership in America to reveal the postwar housing economy’s racist underpinnings—the creation of a large middle class simultaneous with the systematic defunding and segregating of communities. World Premiere PATRIMONIO (Directors: Lisa F. Jackson, Sarah Teale) When a multinational corporation attempts to covertly develop plans to build a resort on the fishermen’s coast in Todos Santos, Mexico, the locals unite for a momentous and riveting fight for their resources and their heritage—their patrimonio. North American Premiere Personal Truth (Director: Charlie Lyne) Spurred from the fake “Pizzagate” scandal, this frenetic and provocative observational film about the power of fake news suggests that conspiracy theories may be more believable than one might like to admit. The Providers (Directors: Laura Green, Anna Moot-Levin) The El Centro Family Health system in northern New Mexico covers 22,000 square miles and suffers from a chronic shortage of health care providers. This film follows three dedicated practitioners in their daily work and private lives. World Premiere The Pushouts (Directors: Katie Galloway, Dawn Valadez) This inspiring film follows the transformative work of Dr. Victor Rios, a former gang member and high school dropout, as he works to support students, through tools for selfreflection and expression, in an educational system that is failing to reach them. World Premiere Rebuilding in Miniature (Director: Veena Rao) In this short, miniaturist Ali Alamedy, an Iraqi refugee, painstakingly creates exquisitely detailed dioramas of places he’s never been in an attempt to heal his disrupted relationship to home. The Rescue List (Directors: Alyssa Fedele, Zachary Fink) In a Ghanaian safe house, a team works to rehabilitate two young men who were trafficked into slavery to fisherman on Lake Volta. As it moves from rescue operation to healing process, this riveting film follows the men through their recovery and reveals the extraordinary dedication of their rescuer. Shirkers (Director: Sandi Tan) A film lover’s dream quickly turns to nightmare: Sandi Tan recounts making her first film in Singapore in 1992 and how she loses everything when her mentor, Georges Carandos, steals the footage. This unique diary is a bright ode to cinema, and a moving story of friendship, betrayal, and failure. A Singular Garden (Um Jardim Singular) (Director: Monica Klemz) This experimental documentary blends old and new images of the garden next to the presidential palace in Rio de Janeiro and incorporates natural sound as a way to connect past and present. World Premiere Sky and Ground (Directors: Talya Tibbon, Joshua Bennett) Incorporating a refugee family’s own footage, Sky and Ground follows a Syrian-Kurdish refugee family as they flee from a holding camp at the Greece-Macedonia border and take their chances at reaching asylum by foot on a perilous one-way trip to Berlin. Tempting Promises (Le allettanti promesse) (Directors: Chiara Campara, Lorenzo Faggi) A small town tucked quietly away in the Italian Alps is chosen to host the 2016 Wikimania conference—an annual meeting of international Wikipedia contributors—and the townspeople unite to welcome the newcomers and the new technological age. North American Premiere This Is Home (Director: Alexandra Shiva) Through brilliant observational filmmaking, This Is Home tells the story of four Syrian families on the path to self-sufficiency, and success, in a resettlement program in Baltimore, Maryland. Three Identical Strangers (Director: Tim Wardle) A chance encounter leads three teenagers to discover that they are in fact triplets. Sharing this undeniable bond, they become fast friends and embark upon living their lives together, but the roots of their separation prove to be more sinister than they could have imagined. Thy Kingdom Come (Director: Eugene Richards) A priest bears witness to the personal stories of people in a mid-American town: Heartbreak, regret, faith, resignation all resonate profoundly in this succession of exquisitely photographed scenes of intimate communion. Time Trial (Director: Finlay Pretsell) Former doper and Tour de France champion David Millar is clean and ready to win the right way. This sensory ride travels alongside him for every breath, turn, and fall, through the thrills and hardships of professional cycling. The Unafraid (Directors: Anayansi Prado, Heather Courtney) The gripping and vital stories of three DACA students unfold as they work for immigrant rights, and the future of their families, after being banned from attending Georgia’s top universities or receiving in-state tuition. World PremiereInvited Program
12th and Clairmount (Director: Brian Kaufman) Contemporary interviews bring to life scenes from home movies, newsreels, and photographs of one of the most violent civil disturbances in U.S. history, the 1967 Detroit riot, when police brutality against African American citizens ignited a five-day standoff. Bisbee ’17 (Director: Robert Greene) In 1917, a strike in an Arizona mining town culminated in the exile of over a thousand immigrant workers. One hundred years later, a large-scale reenactment of the shocking events serves as a catalyst for remembrance and reflection. Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (Director: Sara Driver) This portrait of the pop culture icon revisits the years before he took the art world by storm. Archival footage and intimate stories from a circle of friends, lovers, and neighbors recall both a singular talent and the New York City scene that influenced his career. Capturing the Flag (Director: Anne de Mare) During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, three friends travel to North Carolina to do voter protection work at the polls. This on-the-ground look at their efforts to help potential voters navigate the new laws and requirements that may prevent their vote reveals shocking accounts of voter suppression in play. World Premiere The Cleaners (Directors: Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck) In the Philippines, a team of “cleaners” specialize in identifying and eliminating obscene content from the internet. Their personal accounts of the pressures and personal judgements inherent in their work give way to a broader examination of the global impact of manipulating content on social media. Dark Money (Director: Kimberly Reed) This modern-day political thriller follows investigative reporter John Adams into Montana’s fight against corrupt campaign financing, a struggle that could alter the devastating effects of unlimited anonymous funding on elections nationwide. Generation Wealth (Director: Lauren Greenfield) For 25 years, Lauren Greenfield has documented affluence around the world. In this fascinating overview of her immense body of work, the photographer reconnects with subjects of her images to consider their relationships to money, then and now, and her own fascination with the topic. Hal (Director: Amy Scott) Hal Ashby’s controversial films about race, sex, politics, and unconventional love made him a Hollywood rarity in the 1970s—a director who made films outside studio control. This loving remembrance by his peers celebrates the iconoclastic filmmaker. The Jazz Ambassadors (Director: Hugo Berkeley) During the Cold War, the U.S. government deployed some of its greatest jazz musicians around the world to promote democracy, even as many of them suffered Jim Crow racism in their own country. Rich archival material and powerful interviews delve into the deep conflict at the heart of the story. World Premiere The Judge (Director: Erika Cohn) Devoted to the law and unwilling to mince words, Kholoud Al-Faqih, the West Bank’s first female judge, navigates Palestine’s family court system, providing a rare glimpse into Islamic courts and gendered justice. Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story (Director: Tiffany Bartok) In the 1980s, Kevyn Aucoin redefined the role of the makeup artist. Home movies and recollections from family, friends, and an impressive roster of famous clients retrace his meteoric rise and his lasting impact. Love Means Zero (Director: Jason Kohn) Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri trained some of the sport’s greatest champions, but his volatility and harsh methods came at a price. Conversations between director and subject revisit moments of triumph and anguish, including Bollettieri’s infamous falling out with Andre Agassi. MAYNARD (Director: Sam Pollard) Interviews with family, friends, and political luminaries combine with archival footage and photographs in this captivating portrait of Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first black mayor, whose extraordinary influence spanned three terms in office. A Murder in Mansfield (Director: Barbara Kopple) Twelve-year old Collier Boyle’s testimony put his father in jail for the 1989 murder of his mother. Still imprisoned more than 25 years later, the father maintains his innocence, and Boyle returns to his Ohio hometown, in this sensitive examination of reconciling with the past. On Her Shoulders (Director: Alexandria Bombach) When ISIS devastates her Yazidi community, survivor Nadia Murad becomes the prevailing voice for her people. Following Murad as she recounts her harrowing experience time and again, this film intimately details the burden of imploring the world to intervene. The Price of Everything (Director: Nathaniel Kahn) Moving between auction houses, collectors, artists, and coveted works, this analysis of the art market questions how we determine value, the impact of purchasing art as a form of financial investment, and the cultural implications when pieces are only available to the highest bidder. RBG (Directors: Betsy West, Julie Cohen) This triumphant look at the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg revisits landmark cases and decisions, but also reveals the woman behind the robe and the personal experiences that continue to shape her legacy. The Rape of Recy Taylor (Director: Nancy Buirski) In 1944, Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old black woman, was abducted and raped by six white men in Alabama. The film centers on her unprecedented response—a fight for justice, with the aid of Rosa Parks and other black activists—whose profound influence on the civil rights movement still reverberates today. Rodents of Unusual Size (Directors: Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer) Kill them as invasive pests destroying coastal wetlands or keep them as part of the region’s culture? In this quirky account, citizens are divided on what to do about nutria, the giant 20-pound rodents with protruding orange teeth who have made southern Louisiana their home for decades. Solitary Land (Tierra Sola) (Director: Tiziana Panizza) This innovative meditation on Easter Island and its indigenous inhabitants uses historical and present-day footage to illustrate the legacy of colonial exploitation in one of the world’s most remote inhabited locales—a place of beauty, isolation, and tradition. North American Premiere Studio 54 (Director: Matt Tyrnauer) Rare footage transports us back in time and behind the velvet rope into the famed Manhattan disco, as a collection of insiders, including one of the co-founders, recall the rise and fall of the pioneering nightclub and iconic cultural landmark. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Director: Morgan Neville) Fred Rogers revolutionized children’s television. This remarkable portrait of the visionary behind Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood reveals the origins of the groundbreaking show, the ways it connected to current events, and its impact on the lives of children, and adults, across the country.FULL FRAME TRIBUTE Jehane Noujaim
Control Room (Director: Jehane Noujaim) It’s 2003, and the United States is on the brink of war with Iraq. Control Room follows journalists of the Al Jazeera satellite channel—broadcasting news to some 40 million Arab viewers—as they try to cut through American rhetoric and awaken the viewers to the realities on the ground. Rafea: Solar Mama (Director: Jehane Noujaim) In this resounding global testament to the power and necessity of equal access to education, Rafea attends Barefoot College in India to become a solar engineer, learning with other women from developing areas how to create sustainable futures for their hometowns. The Square (Director: Jehane Noujaim) After the 2011 Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square, citizens realize that former president Mubarak’s corrupt regime is still in power; they return to the streets to bring an end to the government, combatting controlled international media coverage, enduring violence, and navigating fragile relationships. Startup.com (Directors: Chris Hegedus, Jehane Noujaim) In the late 1990s, two high school friends attempt to turn the spark of an idea into a multimillion-dollar company. But when passion leads to tension, and the dot-com rush gives way to the dot-com bust, will they be able to deliver on their dream?THEMATIC PROGRAM Crime and Punishment
Curated by Joe Berlinger Brother’s Keeper (Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky) A murder trial ignites the small farming community of Munnsville, New York, when Delbert Ward, an eccentric and uneducated man, confesses to suffocating his brother in the isolated home they shared with two other brothers. Was the killing an act of mercy? Was Delbert’s confession coerced? In Brother’s Keeper, a surprisingly complicated story emerges. The Farm: Angola, USA (Directors: Liz Garbus, Jonathan Stack) In The Farm, life at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, the largest maximumsecurity prison in the United States, is seen through the eyes of both its wardens and its prisoners—many of whom will die there—with disturbing parallels to plantation life. Gone: The Forgotten Women of Ohio (Director: Joe Berlinger) After numerous women go missing, leaving their families and local law-enforcement officers with more questions than answers, this stunning series investigates whether or not a serial killer is responsible. In Cold Blood (Director: Richard Brooks) Mixing elements of reality and fiction, In Cold Blood delves into the real-life murders of the Clutter family at the hands of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in this scripted true-crime cinematic narrative based on Truman Capote’s novel. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky) When three young boys are brutally murdered, three teenagers are accused of committing the crime as part of a satanic ritual, and are convicted by their community before they even reach the courtroom. Paradise Lost is the first film of the groundbreaking trilogy that documented the case of the West Memphis Three. Scenes of a Crime (Directors: Grover Babcock, Blue Hadaegh) When a four-month-old boy dies, officers are convinced he was killed by his father, who after more than ten hours of questioning, confesses to the crime. Medical experts, police officers, and lawyers offer their opinions on this controversial admission of guilt, but the film’s focal point is the videotaped interrogation itself. The Thin Blue Line (Director: Errol Morris) A man is sent to prison for shooting a Dallas police officer. The documentary questions the veracity of the verdict through interviews with detectives, lawyers, and the alleged murderer, who all paint very different accounts of events, which are represented in stunning reenactments. Titicut Follies (Director: Frederick Wiseman) An intense, purely observational look at the stark conditions of inmate life in the 1960s at the Bridgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane in Massachusetts.
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2018 San Francisco International Film Festival Reveals Feature Films in Golden Gate Award Competition
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The San Francisco International Film Festival announced the feature film in competitions for the 2018 Golden Gate Awards. The upcoming festival will run from April 4th to 17th, 2018, and the Golden Gate Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 15th.
The Golden Gate Awards will distribute nearly $40,000 in total prizes this year in various narrative and documentary categories. The McBaine Bay Area Documentary Feature winner will receive $5,000 while the New Directors Prize & the McBaine Documentary Feature winners will receive a cash prize of $10,000.
In addition to the narrative and documentary features in contention, the Golden Gate Awards will include competitors in six short film categories.
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NEW DIRECTORS (NARRATIVE FEATURE) COMPETITION
Djon África | Directors: João Miller Guerra and Felipa Reis, Portugal/Brazil/Cape Verde At loose ends in Lisbon, Miguel (Miguel Moreira) is prompted by a chance encounter to search for the father he has never known in Cape Verde, where he encounters a diverse mélange of residents. From cheeky bus riders to a ribald farmwoman who serves as a kind of cultural griot, Guerra and Reis’s winning and funny debut uses the road movie format as its jumping-off point for a culturally rich portrait of the verdant and beautiful landscapes of Cape Verde. I Am Not a Witch | Director: Rungano Nyoni, UK/France “The child is a witch,” exclaim the villagers in the opening of this strikingly beautiful first feature by Rungano Nyoni. When young Shula is accused of witchcraft in her village, she is exiled, her movements constrained, and she is expected to perform miracles; however, she is not prepared to live this way forever. Employing breathtaking composition, Nyoni layers magical realism, satire, and social critique to blur reality with the surreal in this original and unforgettable story. Night Comes On | Director: Jordana Spiro, USA Jordana Spiro’s heartfelt and nuanced debut feature concerns Angel, just out of juvenile detention, and her sister, currently in a foster home. Angel is determined to confront her father about their past, while her sibling needs her to stay out of trouble so they can build on their bond. Newcomers Dominique Fishback (The Deuce) and Tatum Marilyn Hall give authentic and grounded performances, intimately capturing the close bond of sisterhood as they desperately try to remain a family against their complex circumstances. Ravens | Director: Jens Assur, Sweden A young boy, whose aspirations lie away from the family farm, tries to take a stand against his father, a stubborn and taciturn man who extols the virtues of toil and sacrifice. As their conflict butts up against challenging economic and emotional realities, the lives of all family members, including the boy’s dissatisfied mother, are profoundly altered. With a stark visual sensibility and powerful performances, Assur’s debut feature beautifully renders the story of a life that seems to offer little way out. Scary Mother | Director: Ana Urushadze, Georgia/Estonia Manana, a wild-haired 50-something mother of three, has just written a book. The problem is that the novel is clearly autobiographical and leaves no family member unscathed. As the ramifications of her artistic endeavor unravel in compellingly bizarre fashion, Manana’s single-minded pursuit of her new calling leads the film into brave and uncharted territory. The Sower | Director: Marine Francen, France In a rural mountain village in 1851, it is up to the women to bring in the grain harvest after all their men have been arrested for sedition. Under these challenging circumstances, their livelihoods as well as their desire for children become an obsession and when a mysterious man appears, these concerns play out in continually surprising and erotic fashion in this frank, feverish, and ravishingly beautiful film. Suleiman Mountain|Director: Elizaveta Stishova, Kyrgyzstan/Russia Without preamble, a young Kyrgyz boy is taken out an orphanage and into the lives of his supposed parents who make ends meet by running various cons on unsuspecting villagers. Director Stishova weaves mythological and even comedic elements into a beautifully filmed tale that centers around the titular mountain, a mysterious and holy place where the prophet Solomon is said to be buried and where the film’s characters aim to find their destinies. Those Who Are Fine | Director: Cyril Schäublin, Switzerland Through striking framing, intense angles, fragmented scenes, and amusing conversations that at first seem to be unrelated, Those Who Are Fine weaves together stories of a young woman at a telemarketing company who takes advantage of the elderly by convincing them to give her large sums of cash. Director Cyril Schäublin’s bold and precisely assembled debut astutely captures a world where every character is either on or using a device and surveillance is everywhere but fails to protect. Tigre |Directors: Ulises Porra Guardiola and Silvina Schnicer, Argentina In a boarded-up family estate situated in Argentina’s mysterious and ancient Tigre delta, three generations gather to decide whether to sell their property to developers. As the family navigates their relationship to their home, their interpersonal conflicts lead to them to a unique and beautiful farewell. Winter Brothers |Director: Hlynur Pálmason, Denmark/Iceland A powerful batch of moonshine made in the barracks of an industrial compound causes problems for Emil after his coworkers become ill. Already an outcast, resentment grows as he blunders everything that he tries to pursue – including the only woman in town. Set in an ashen-grey wilderness, where everything is covered in a clay-like dust, director Hlynur Pálmason’s drama distinctly captures each character’s bumbling rage with sly humor in this debut feature film.GOLDEN GATE AWARDS MCBAINE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
City of the Sun | Director: Rati Oneli, Georgia/USA/Qatar/Netherlands The lives, dreams, and desires of three stalwart denizens of a desolate Georgian mining town provide the framework for this observational and gorgeously rendered film. With precise attention to landscape and architecture, director Rati O’Neli focuses on Archil, a miner with an operatic flair for theater, the workouts of twin sprinters, and Zurab, an impassioned man working to keep Georgian music and culture alive. The Distant Barking of Dogs | Director: Simon Lereng Wilmont, Denmark/Sweden/Finland – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE In the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, a loving, wise, and defiant grandmother raises her two young grandsons. Living under the omnipresent threat of war, the spirited boys, Oleg and Yarik, learn to adapt to their precarious situation and playfully wander through their neighborhood oblivious to the dangers around them. With a warm gaze toward his beguiling protagonists, director Simon Lereng Wilmot lends sensitivity and entrancing visuals – intimately framed close-ups and vibrant rural landscapes – to deliver a nuanced portrait of war and its corrosive effect. Hale County This Morning, This Evening | Director: RaMell Ross, USA “I already had my troubles for today, so I can’t worry about tomorrow,” states Daniel, one of the protagonists in award-winning photographer RaMell Ross’s inspired and intimate portrait of a place and its people. Set in an African-American community in rural Alabama where the director moves to coach basketball in 2009, the film captures small, but nevertheless precious, moments in Black lives – church services, a toddler running circles, an eclipse – with rapturous attention. The Judge | Director: Erika Cohn, USA/Palestine Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih became the first female appointed to any of the Middle East’s Shari’a courts in 2009, challenging longstanding traditions and customs of women’s roles in society. Constantly battling controversy over her position, Al-Faqih offers guidance, mentorship, and support both in and outside the courts. In this intimate portrait, director Erika Cohn captures the determined and compassionate judge as she strives to achieve justice in a system that so often does not favor women. Minding the Gap | Director: Bing Liu, USA In Rockford, Illinois, Bing Liu has been filming his friends Zack and Kiere on and off their skateboards for ten years. Weaving archival footage, interviews, and incredible skate videos, Liu chronicles in simple and poetic fashion the lives of his inner circle of friends and family, revealing the damaging circumstances in which they all grew up. Less a film about skate culture and more an unusual and powerful coming-of-age story, Liu’s feature documentary is fresh and powerful. The Next Guardian | Directors: Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó, Hungary/Netherlands In the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, teenage siblings, Gyembo and Tashi share a passion for soccer, Facebook, and girls. Gyembo enjoys reading classmates Facebook posts while Tashi turns heads with her confident, boyish demeanor. As technology and social media become more accessible, these youthful amusements collide with the father’s desire for Gyembo to inherit the family monastery. Co-directors Arun Bhattarai and Dorottyya Zurbó present a penetrating and compassionate portrait of globalization and fundamental change in a country immersed in tradition and culture. The Other Side of Everything | Director: Mila Turajlić, Serbia/France/Qatar In 1945, filmmaker Mila Turajlić’s (Cinema Komunisto, Festival 2011) family apartment was divided and redistributed by the state government. Her mother’s political activism meant that they were spied on from the very rooms they used to own. Now her fascinating mother, Srbijanka, can talk about that “other side.” A staunch public advocate and voice of resistance against Slobodan Milosevic for years, she discusses with her daughter their complicated personal and political histories, while reflecting on the divided past they share. The Rescue List | Directors: Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink, USA/Ghana – WORLD PREMIERE Lake Volta in Ghana is the largest man-made lake in the world; it is also notorious as a locale for forced child labor. Bay Area filmmakers Zachary Fink and Alyssa Fedele’s beautifully shot documentary charts the courageous efforts of a local safe house to rescue the kids, give them schooling and therapy, and prepare them for reintegration into their families. Though it contains many intimate and moving moments with the children, the star of the film is real life hero Kwame, who initiates several dramatic rescues and is a former child slave himself. Shirkers | Director: Sandi Tan, USA “When I was 18, I had so many ideas,” reflects Sandi Tan in this buoyant personal documentary. 25 years ago, Tan and two cinephile friends made a film in Singapore, but the reels disappeared, along with a mysterious man named Georges Cardona who had been acting as the project’s mentor. Recently, the footage was found, which prompts this constantly surprising and reflective film about movie love, female friendship, and the urge for creative expression. Tre Maison Dasan | Director: Denali Tiller, USA – WORLD PREMIERE Tre, Maison, and Dasan are three boys who all share something in common – one of their parents is in jail. Following their separate lives through boyhood and weaving their stories together, first-time documentary filmmaker Denali Tiller tenderly observes each youngster’s life, as the kids come to understand more about the world around them. Capturing loving, frustrating, and heart wrenching moments between parent and child, Tre Maison Dasan approaches the issue of mass-incarceration by exposing the effects of the criminal justice system on young men.