VIMooZ

AFI DOCS 2020 Goes Online. Fest to Open with BOYS STATE

AFI DOCS (formerly Silverdocs), Documentary

Steven Garza appears in Boys State by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Thorsten Thielow.

In the new era of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AFI DOCS, the American Film Institute’s annual documentary celebration in the nation’s capital, announced the festival’s 18th annual edition is going global. AFI DOCS will showcase current non-fiction fare in a re-imagined online film festival – “where the best seat is in your house.” AFI DOCS 2020 will open with BOYS STATE, directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine. The festival will run June 17–21 and films will be available to view on DOCS.AFI.com.

Read more
Irish Abortion Rights Documentary THE 8TH to Premiere at Human Rights Watch Film Festival

Documentary, Human Rights Watch Film Festival

The 8th directed by Lucy Kennedy, Maeve O’Boyle, and Aideen Kane

The documentary The 8th from directors Lucy Kennedy, Maeve O’Boyle, and Aideen Kane tells the story of Irish women and their fight to overturn one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the world. The film will have its U.S. premiere at the 2020 Human Rights Watch Film Festival, taking place June 11-20, 2020.

Read more
Sundance Winner CHARM CITY KINGS Starring Jahi Di’Allo Winston and Meek Mill, Acquired by HBO Max

Independent Film

Jahi appears in Charm City Kings by Angel Manuel Soto, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition program at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by William Gray

HBO Max has acquired the 2020 Sundance award winner, Charm City Kings which will be released on the new HBO platform. Charm City Kings won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for its cast that includes Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Meek Mill, Will Catlett, Donielle Hansley, Kezii Curtis, Chino, Lakeyria “Wheelie Queen” Doughty and Teyonah Parris.

Read more
Kenyan Documentary I AM SAMUEL to U.S. Premiere at Human Rights Watch Film Festival NY Digital Edition

Documentary, Human Rights Watch Film Festival

I am Samuel directed by Pete Murimi

Kenyan director and 2019 Rory Peck Award winner, Pete Murimi’s documentary I am Samuel will have its U.S. premiere at 2020 Human Rights Watch Film Festival New York Digital Edition in June. The documentary had its World Premiere at the 2020 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Read more
Watch Trailer for Sweetness in the Belly Starring Dakota Fanning

Independent Film

Sweetness in the Belly

Gravitas Ventures released the official trailer for Sweetness in the Belly directed by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari and starring Dakota Fanning, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Kunal Nayyar, and Wunmi Mosaku. The film adapted from Canadian author Camilla Gibb’s award-winning novel of the same name premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Sweetness in the Belly will be released on VOD on May 8th.

Read more
Netflix Releases Full Trailer for BECOMING, Michelle Obama Documentary

Documentary

Netflix released the full official trailer for Becoming, the new documentary on former First Lady, Michelle Obama that premieres on the streaming network on Wednesday, May 6.

Read more
RADIOACTIVE Starring Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie Sets Amazon Prime Release Date

Independent Film

RADIOACTIVE Starring Rosamund Pike

Radioactive directed by Marjane Satrapi (“Persepolis”) is a journey through Marie Curie’s (played by Rosamund Pike) enduring legacy from the 1870s through to modern day – her passionate partnerships, scientific breakthroughs, and the consequences that followed. The film will be released on Amazon Prime on July 24, 2020.

Read more
New York International Children’s Film Festival Launches Virtual Cinema

New York International Children’s Film Festival

The Pig on the Hill

The New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) in partnership with independent arthouse theaters and cultural organizations nationwide, will offer virtual cinema screenings for families, launching May 8th and available through May 17th.

Read more
HBO Drops Trailer + Release Date for I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK, DocuSeries on Golden State Killer

Documentary

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, a six-part documentary series debuting Sunday, June 28 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO is based on the book of the same name and explores writer Michelle McNamara’s investigation into the dark world of a violent predator she dubbed the Golden State Killer.

Read more
Showtime Releases Trailer for OUTCRY, Docuseries on Texas High School Football Star Greg Kelley Controversy

Documentary

Outcry, a five-part documentary series examining the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley

Showtime released the first look trailer for its five-part investigative documentary series Outcry, produced and directed by Emmy(R) Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, now set to premiere on Sunday, July 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Read more
RIP: John Lafia, Child’s Play Screenwriter, Director Dead at 63

Horror + Scifi, People

John Lafia co-writer of the screenplay for the horror film Child’s Play and director of Child’s Play 2 died on April 29. He was 63.

Read more
PBS’ American Experience to Premiere MR. TORNADO, Documentary on Scientist Tetsuya Theodore Fujita

Documentary

Mr Tornado. Pioneering meteorologist Ted Fujita, who transformed our understanding of tornados.

The American Experience documentary Mr. Tornado tells the story of Tetsuya Theodore Fujita, a Japanese-American scientist who devoted his life to unlocking the mysteries of severe storms. Most widely known for creating the Fujita Scale, or F-Scale, of tornado damage intensity, Fujita brought relentless, creative energy to the field of meteorology. His unique, forensic analysis of the aftermath left by destructive forces, borne out of the ashes of the world’s first atomic bombs, enabled him to map science onto a phenomenon thought to be unknowable, forever changing our understanding of tornadoes. Written, directed and produced by Michael Rossi and executive produced by Mark Samels and Susan Bellows, Mr. Tornado premieres Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on American Eexperience on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.

Read more