Author: |Posted: 12:55 on 16/12/08
Category: festivals, theatrical documentary
Tis the season to be making jolly little lists, that show what you like. All the bloggers do it now, to show what they consumed, and thoroughly enjoyed.
I’ve split my list into two though. The first part is for films that I skipped out of and spluttered with superlatives because they resonated on me with such an immediate level of captivation. The second list is for clever documentaries that I found utterly brilliant, especially as I thought about them afterwards. The two lists are obviously not binary; some films could have made it onto both, and other documentaries are nowhere to be seen, but I still carry them round in my thoughts. Anyways, here it is, docs I’ve loved from 2008’s offerings, with links to what I’ve written about them.
PART 1
1. Mechanical Love
2. Severing the Soul
3. Japan: A Story of Love and Hate
4. Man on a Wire
5. American Teen
PART 2
6. Solitary Life of Cranes
7. The Doctor who hears voices
8. The English Surgeon
9. My Winnipeg
10. The Shock Doctrine
Author: |Posted: 12:29 on 07/10/08
Category: 3 Minute Wonder, FourDocs competition, festivals, films found on the web
One of my highlights at Britdoc was watching the music short docs that were commissioned for a special 3 Minute Wonder strand. Music tracks were offered up and filmmakers had to pitch the documentary the music was inspiring them to make.
The winners were some of my favourite auteur documentary filmmakers, such as James Lees (who won best short at Sundance this year for The Apology Line), Pinny Grylls (Peter and Ben) and Christopher Allen (of the Light Surgeons). He’s done some really exciting site specific film projects at art galleries music festivals.
Author: |Posted: 18:30 on 01/08/08
Category: festivals, technology, theatrical documentary
Man on Wire is a faultless fantastical film. Philippe Petit is so charismatic, and it’s such a killer story engulfing adventure, artistry and accolade, that the stage is set for exclaiming the magnificence of real life. Yet it is the subtleties of the film that makes it soar above most other factual theatrical releases. It’s a polished journey, which stirred in me a fierce jealousy that I have no desire burning nearly as deep as Phillipe’s dream to cross the tallest towers in all the lands. The romance, the spirit, the freedom! read more
Author: |Posted: 11:54 on 28/07/08
Category: 3 Minute Wonder, festivals
BritDoc was it’s usual charming parade of projects and people enthusiastically exchanging on the lacquered lawns. There were some differences from last year – notably the new short and good pitches, and way the international docs programming had been handed over to directors of other major festivals, and the increase in attendees. For me the difference each year is the changing guise by which I actually attend BritDoc. Year 1 I was a red t-shirted volunteer, in 2007 a delegate, and this one I sat on a jury, for the short film competition. read more
