{"id":64044,"date":"2012-10-09T15:41:39","date_gmt":"2012-10-09T15:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2012\/10\/09\/doc-nyc-film-lineup-announced-venus-and-serena-will-open-fest\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T10:25:49","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T10:25:49","slug":"doc-nyc-film-lineup-announced-venus-and-serena-will-open-fest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/doc-nyc-film-lineup-announced-venus-and-serena-will-open-fest\/","title":{"rendered":"DOC NYC film lineup announced, Venus and Serena will open fest"},"content":{"rendered":"

DOC NYC film lineup announced, Venus and Serena will open fest<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

October 9, 2012<\/p>\n

DOC NYC, <\/strong>
\nNEW YORK\u2019S PREMIER DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL,
\nRETURNS FOR THIRD YEAR, NOVEMBER 8-15<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Opening Night kicks off with Venus and Serena<\/em><\/strong> and Jared Leto presenting Artifact<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Expanded festival line-up features 115 films and events,\u00a0 adding a new venue at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guests include Rufus Wainwright, Pete Seeger, Andy Summers, <\/strong>Ice-T, Antony Hegarty, David Bromberg, Ken Burns, <\/strong>Alex Gibney, Rory Kennedy, Jonathan Demme, <\/strong>Barbara Kopple, Joe Berlinger, Radioman and more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>DOC NYC<\/strong>, New York\u2019s premier documentary festival, returns for its third year to the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and adds new screens at Chelsea\u2019s SVA Theatre, with an expanded line-up of films and panels. From November 8-15, over 125 documentary makers and special guests are expected in person to present their New York premieres and, in many cases, US or world premieres. \u201cThis festival offers something for everyone,\u201d said DOC NYC artistic director Thom Powers (who also programs for the Toronto International Film Festival and curates Doc Club on SundanceNOW). \u201cWhether you love music, politics, sports, travel, photography, nature or you name it, we\u2019ve got a film for you. DOC NYC has earned a reputation for unveiling films like Cave of Forgotten Dreams, which became a sensation, and Undefeated, which went on to win the Oscar. Now we\u2019ve curated a new crop of films destined for greatness.\u201d<\/p>\n

DOC NYC will showcase 115 films and events, including screenings of 61 feature-length films and 32 shorts as well as 22 doc-related panel discussions and masterclasses. All events will take place at IFC Center (323 Sixth Ave.) and the SVA Theatre (333 W. 23rd St.). Among the highlights:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>GALAS<\/strong> \u2013 Opening Night (Nov. 8) will feature two films presented in separate screenings at the SVA Theatre: the US premiere of Artifact (dir. Bartholomew Cubbins), presented by Jared Leto in person, which follows his band Thirty Seconds to Mars as they battle a lawsuit against record label EMI; plus the New York City premiere of Venus and Serena (dirs. Michelle Major and Maiken Baird), an intimate look at the lives of the tennis-conquering Williams sisters. Both films had high-spirited screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Artifact won the People\u2019s Choice Documentary Award. Four other galas will feature high-profile guests in person. The world premiere of Can\u2019t Stand Losing You (Nov. 9, dir. Andy Grieve with Lauren Lazin), presented by The Police guitarist Andy Summers, tracks the band\u2019s history and recent reunion tour from an insider\u2019s perspective, based on Summers\u2019 memoir \u201cOne Train Later.\u201d The US premiere of Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp (Nov. 9, dir. Jorge Hinojosa), presented by producer Ice-T, uncovers the life of the author\/pimp who chronicled street life. The US premiere of Sing Me the Songs: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle (Nov. 10, dir. Lian Lunson), presented by Rufus Wainwright, chronicles the Wainwright family\u2019s staging of a show at New York\u2019s Town Hall in memory of their mother. The US premiere of Turning (Nov. 11, dir. Charles Atlas), presented by Antony Hegarty, captures a concert with Antony and the Johnsons that celebrates 13 women whose personas are hard to define, much like Antony\u2019s. As previously announced, Closing Night (Nov. 15) will feature The Central Park Five (dirs. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon), which focuses on the young men wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for the notorious Central Park Jogger rape case. All the directors and several members of the Central Park Five will be in attendance.<\/p>\n

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VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION<\/strong> \u2013 Ten films notable for their distinct directorial vision. World premieres include Shenandoah (dir. David Turnley), which examines a small-town murder, directed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer; and A Girl and a Gun (dir. Cathryne Czubeck), a look at women who embrace gun culture. US premieres include Rafea: Solar Mama (dirs. Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief), which follows an illiterate Jordanian woman who becomes a solar panel engineer; Far Out Isn\u2019t Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story (dir. Brad Bernstein), a portrait of the prolific illustrator of children\u2019s books, protest posters and erotica; and The Pervert\u2019s Guide to Ideology (dir. Sophie Fiennes), featuring the philosopher Slavoj Zizek as he explores the ideological messages of famous film clips. Films making their New York City premieres include Shepard & Dark (dir. Treva Wurmfeld), in which playwright Sam Shepard revisits the past with his longtime friend Johnny Dark; Sweet Dreams (dirs. Rob Fruchtman and Lisa Fruchtman), about a Rwandan women\u2019s drum troupe that opens the country\u2019s first locally made ice cream shop; Informant (dir. Jamie Meltzer), which probes the radical activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby; Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & The Farm Midwives (dirs. Sara Lamm and Mary Wigmore), a look at the 1970s hippie commune that changed a generation\u2019s approach to childbirth; and Gypsy Davy (dir. Rachel Leah Jones), about the mysterious figure behind the Counting Crows\u2019 song \u201cMr. Jones,\u201d seen through the eyes of his filmmaker daughter.<\/p>\n

METROPOLIS COMPETITION<\/strong> \u2013 Seven films rooted in New York City. World premieres include Building Babel (dir. David Osit), which takes us behind the scenes of the controversial mosque project near Ground Zero in lower Manhattan; More Than a Rainbow (dir. Dan Wechsler), a look at street photographer Matt Weber; and Zipper! (dir. Amy Nicholson), which examines the changing nature of Coney Island. US premieres include Radioman (dir. Mary Kerr), a portrait of the legendary New York movie bit player; and Men at Lunch (dir. Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Cual\u00e1\u00edn), which tells the story behind the famous photograph of steelworkers on Rockefeller Center. New York City premieres include Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself (dirs. Tom Bean and Luke Poling), about the acclaimed author and editor of The Paris Review; and Drivers Wanted (dir. Joshua Z Weinstein), about a taxi garage across from the UN.<\/p>\n

SPECIAL EVENTS<\/strong> \u2013 Four standout events include the world premiere of To Tell the Truth: A History of Documentary Film 1928-1946 (dirs. Cal Skaggs and David Van Taylor), which looks at the use of documentary for social causes and propaganda; 56 Up (dir. Michael Apted), the latest installment of the landmark documentary project; Sundance Institute Presents…, a 10th anniversary celebration of the Documentary Film Program at the Sundance Institute, featuring prominent DFP grant recipients Roger Ross Williams, Jeremy Scahill and Jehane Noujaim previewing clips of new work, plus a conversation moderated by Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian; and The New York Times\u2019 Op-Docs, a showcase of short films by acclaimed documentary makers, presented by the series producer Jason Spingarn-Koff.<\/p>\n

New Sidebars<\/strong> \u2013 This year the festival curates two special thematic sections:<\/p>\n

SONIC CINEMA<\/strong> \u2013 Seven films exploring a wide range of music. Musicwood (dir. Maxine Trump), a world premiere, looks at music lovers working to save the trees needed to build acoustic guitars. US premieres include Greenwich Village: Music that Defined a Generation (dir. Laura Archibald), including in-person appearances by Pete Seeger and other folk legends; Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (dirs. Drew Denicola and Olivia Mori), which uncovers the history of the legendary Memphis band led by Alex Chilton; and Enzo Avitabile: Music Life (dir. Jonathan Demme), which follows the Italian leader of a world music group, featuring the director in person. New York City premieres include David Bromberg: Unsung Treasure (dir. Beth Toni Kruvant), featuring an in-person appearance by Bromberg; and Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet (dir. Jesse Vile), a profile of the guitar sensation who defied a disability to continue making music.<\/p>\n

PHOTOGRAPHY ON FILM<\/strong> \u2013 Three events focus on the intersection between still and moving images: VII Uncommissioned presents video work by photographers from the acclaimed VII Photo Agency; Eddie Adams: Saigon \u201968 looks at the work of the great war photographer in a new short film, followed by a panel discussion with Morley Safer, Bob Schieffer and others; and Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid Film captures the passion of Polaroid photography fans.<\/p>\n

AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES<\/strong> \u2013 Twelve films that represent the country\u2019s diversity. Making its US premiere is Ping Pong (dirs. Hugh Hartford and Anson Hartford), a look at the table tennis world championships for contestants 80 years and older. New York City premieres include Fight to Live (dir. Barbara Kopple), about terminally ill patients challenging the Food and Drug Administration, with the director in person; Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey With Mumia Abu-Jamal (dir. Stephen Vittoria), featuring author and Democracy Now host Juan Gonzalez in person; and Persistence of Vision (dir. Kevin Schreck), a portrait of the visionary animator Richard Williams.<\/p>\n

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES<\/strong> \u2013 Four titles that take us around the globe. US premieres include The Mosuo Sisters (dir. Marlo Poras), which explores one of the world\u2019s last matriarchal societies in China; and No Business Like Show Business (dirs. Bernard Weber and Martin Schilt), about Swiss yodelers preparing to perform in Shanghai.
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\nMIDNIGHT DOCS<\/strong> \u2013 Four films that will keep your eyes open into the wee hours, including Bettie Page Reveals All! (dir. Mark Mori), featuring a rare, expansive interview with the pin-up queen; and My Amityville Horror (dir. Eric Walter), which focuses on one of the family members whose home\u2019s haunting inspired books and films.<\/p>\n

FAMILY DOC<\/strong> \u2013 A matinee for the whole family on Nov. 10, Magic Camp (dir. Judd Ehrlich) showcases the kids who attend Tannen\u2019s Magic Camp. The film will be followed by a live magic demonstration.<\/p>\n

SHORT LIST<\/strong> \u2013 Ten films selected by DOC NYC programmers as ones to watch this awards season (* indicates director in person): 5 Broken Cameras (dirs. Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi); Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (dir. Alison Klayman); Ethel (dir. Rory Kennedy*); First Position (dir. Bess Kargman*); How to Survive a Plague (dir. David France*); The Imposter (dir. Bart Layton*); Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (dir. Alex Gibney*); Searching for Sugar Man (dir. Malik Bendjelloul); Under African Skies (dir. Joe Berlinger*); and West of Memphis (dir. Amy Berg*).<\/p>\n

SHORTS PROGRAMS<\/strong> \u2013 Six thematic groupings of short documentaries will be presented in \u201cCommon Ground,\u201d on the power of community; \u201cFamily Ties,\u201d on the relationship between parents and children; \u201cGreat Performances,\u201d on dance and music; \u201cHome Movies & Other Memories,\u201d on the pull of the past; \u201cOdd Jobs,\u201d on what people do for a living; and \u201cPortraits,\u201d profiling unique individuals.<\/p>\n

DOC-A-THON PANELS <\/strong>\u2013 Twenty panels spread over 5 days will explore the art and business of doc making. Each day has a different theme: \u201cGet the Money\u201d; \u201cShoot Your Doc\u201d; \u201cFinish Your Doc\u201d; \u201cProtect Your Rights\u201d; and \u201cFind Your Audience.\u201d Participants include filmmakers Liz Garbus (Love, Marilyn) and Bart Layton (The Imposter), who will be paired for a master class on directing; and Alex Gibney (Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God), who will be interviewed by David Edelstein of New York magazine for a special \u201cIn Conversation\u201d event.<\/p>\n

AWARDS<\/strong> \u2013 Juries for the Viewfinders competition and Metropolis competition will pick one film from each section to receive a prize. The winners will receive a Digital Cinema Package courtesy of Technicolor-PostWorks New York, offering comprehensive post services including data workflows, multi-format conform, color grading, duplication and digital cinema. Films in those two sections will also be eligible for the SundanceNOW Audience Award. The winner, determined by audience balloting at a film\u2019s first screening, will receive a collection of 50 films on DVD from the IFC Films and Sundance Selects library. SundanceNOW is the home of Doc Club, which features a monthly selection of films curated by DOC NYC artistic director Thom Powers. A jury will also select one film from the 32 shorts in the festival for a Short Film Prize.<\/p>\n

COMPLETE PROGRAM & SCHEDULE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT:
\nhttps:\/\/www.docnyc.net<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

DOC NYC is supported by Presenting Sponsors New York magazine, History Films and A&E IndieFilms; and Major Sponsors Citi, Technicolor-PostWorks New York, SundanceNOW and the School of Visual Arts. The festival is produced by IFC Center.<\/p>\n

Tickets:<\/strong>
\nTickets for all screenings go on sale to the public Friday, October 12.
\nAdvance tickets for all DOC NYC films and events are available online at DOCNYC.net or in-person at the IFC Center box office, 323 Sixth Ave. (at West 3rd St.). Day-of tickets are available at the respective screening venues.
\nTicket prices: Opening night screenings of Venus and Serena or Artifact \u2013 Film and opening night party $75, Film and Q&A only $25. Closing Night screening of The Central Park Five: $25. Gala screenings: $20. Regular screenings \u2013 $16.50 adults, $14.50 seniors\/children, $13.50 IFC Center members (screenings at IFC Center only). Doc-A-Thon Panels and Masterclasses: $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, $9. IFC Center members.Insider Pass: $99, granting access to all festival screenings and events beginning before 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday at IFC Center.<\/p>\n

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