Hopefully everyone was able to enjoy the holiday weekend in some way, shape or form. Maybe you even watched a doc or two? There sure is no lack thereof online at the moment! In the last week more resources for industry folks cropped up from Field of Vision and Topic, Film and TV Charity and BFI, and Cinema Eye Honors even revised their rules to make it easier for films in festival limbo to quality for the end of year awards. Meanwhile, more international marketplace Sunny Side of the Doc is going online this year, as is Hot Docs to some degree. Plus, Jodie Mack's festival darling THE GRAND BIZARRE is now streaming at MUBI, and there's even a new doc on the history of Coachella freely available on YouTube. I know you are likely stuck at home, so you've got little excuse not to read on and catch up on some docs you've been holding off on. Until next week, stay safe.
-Jordan M. Smith
HEADLINES
Field of Vision & Topic Studios Launch New Doc Freelancer Relief Fund Announced via press release: “Field of Vision and Topic Studios are today launching a new relief fund to provide urgent financial assistance to freelancers working in the documentary field who have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $250,000 fund will be dispersed in grants up to $2,000 and will be granted in two separate periods, one in April and one in May. This is to accommodate the evolving situation many freelancers are currently facing, and to make the funding as accessible and immediate as possible. The funding will come from Field of Vision and Topic Studios' current operating budgets. The two organizations, both part of First Look Media, wanted to offer support and assistance to the incredible documentary freelancers in the field who have experienced financial hardship from loss of income or opportunity due to the pandemic. The funding is intended to help with life assistance whether it be rent, healthcare, bills, groceries, etc." The April application window has closed, but applications “will re-open again from Wednesday, May 6th from 9am ET until Friday, May 8th at 6pm ET, or until we have received 750 applications.”
Cinema Eye Honors Revise Rules for 2021 Honors Announced via press release: “We know that for many, the cancelation and postponement of spring festivals creates a lot of uncertainty for filmmakers and distributors alike. We also know that the festival tour that often follows your debut is an important emotional and community-building experience for many filmmakers. That opportunity to bond with others who have been on the filmmaking journey is such an important part of our collective community and we hate that it may be lost for this year. We are actively talking about ways in which we, on the other side of this crisis, can help facilitate that community-building experience that lies at the heart of Cinema Eye’s mission. We welcome your thoughts and ideas for what that might look like. In the meantime, we have significantly altered our eligibility rules for Nonfiction Features and Shorts to reflect the uncertainty of this moment to the numerous cancelations and postponements. In the past, one of the ways to qualify for Cinema Eye eligibility was to screen at TWO of our qualifying festivals. For 2021, we’re changing this so that you need only have been selected for ONE of our qualifying festivals - and yes, selected means that it doesn’t matter if that festival was able to move forward or not. So, if you are planning on qualifying your film for year end awards, we encourage you to check out the revised rules for our 2021 Honors.”
Film and TV Charity, BFI Create COVID-19 Relief Fund Jillian Morgan reports for Realscreen: “The Film and TV Charity has created the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund in partnership British Film Institute (BFI). The fund will provide one-off grants ranging from £500 to £2,500 to ‘active workers’ in the UK film, TV and cinema landscapes facing ‘significant financial hardship’ as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are now open and will be assessed based on need. The final date to apply is April 22. The fund was made possible by donations from Netflix, the BFI with funds from the National Lottery, BBC Content, BBC Studios, WarnerMedia and ‘several generous individuals.’”
Art-House America Campaign Launches Though I somehow forgot to include it last week, this campaign deserves a mention - announced via press release: “The Art-House America Campaign, a new relief fund established by initial donations from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films, launches today to help the more than 150 independent movie theaters across the United States that temporarily closed to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Art-House America Campaign aims to provide financial relief to struggling independent cinemas across the country so they can pay staff and their essential bills and survive until it is safe to reopen their doors. The Campaign was kick-started with an initial donation of $50,000 from the Criterion Collection and Janus Films, and they are inviting friends of independent theaters and art houses everywhere to join them in this fundraising effort. The fund is being administered by the Art House Convergence, a nonprofit association dedicated to sustainability in community-based, mission-driven media exhibition.”
POV Engage & The Rescue List Host "Docs for Distance Learning" Event Announced via press release: “Please join POV Engage & the filmmakers of The Rescue List for a Zoom conversation on Wednesday, April 15th at 7pm/EST as we discuss using POV documentary films and educational resources to enhance student learning and engagement in your online programming and virtual classroom spaces. Open to all educators, families and community members interested in POVs free distance learning educational resources...In this 1-hr virtual engagement event, participants will have an opportunity to engage in a Q&A discussion with POV Engage Education staff, a POV community partner, and The Rescue List filmmakers to learn strategies in using documentaries for virtual classroom spaces, and be introduced to educational materials to support teaching and learning in this digital moment. We extend this invitation to all educators, families, and community partners who are interested in using our POV films and resources for distance learning with younger and older students.”
ON THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT
Sunny Side of the Doc 2020: The Connected Edition Announced via press release: “The 31st edition of Sunny Side of the Doc, the international marketplace for documentary and narrative experiences, and the 4th edition of PiXii Festival, the international festival for digital cultures, have been entirely reworked into an online format in order to provide viable opportunities on 22nd to 25th June. This unique platform will enable all major industry stakeholders to connect for a series of tailor-made activities including pitch sessions, one-to-one meetings and also a significant programming of video resources and topical webinars (live streamed Q&A, hands-on workshops, case studies) designed by top-level experts to foster extensive interactions with professional peers. What’s more, the new digital format allows for some of the online offerings to remain accessible beyond 25th June 2020.”
Hot Docs at Home on CBC Begins April 16 Announced via press release: “Following the postponement of the 2020 Hot Docs Festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a small selection of exclusive first-run feature documentaries that would have debuted at the Festival will now premiere on CBC, the free CBC Gem streaming service and documentary Channel. CBC will also partner with Hot Docs to expand the at-home audience experience with interactive, livestreamed Q&As with filmmakers and other original digital content at CBC Docs. The full list of Hot Docs 2020 titles will be announced April 14 and we look forward to bringing the 2020 Festival lineup to our audiences as soon as possible.”
Full Frame Shares 13 Family-Friendly Documentaries To Stream Today Announced via press release: “Full Frame is a big believer that great nonfiction cinema can be accessible (and entertaining!) for audiences of all ages, so our team has gathered a list of 13 documentaries from previous festivals and Youth Screenings over the years. Whether you want to introduce your children to the beloved Mr. Rogers, be inspired by budding young scientists, or explore a city full of adorable cats, we hope you and your family will enjoy watching these films together.”
The Black Maria Virtual Film Festival Launches Announced via press release: “The Thomas Edison Media Arts Consortium is launching an on-line film festival to screen Black Maria films and programs completely free of charge – no strings attached - for as long as the pandemic lasts. Go to www.blackmaria.org. Click on Watch Films > Curations and view a program of shorts curated by Executive Director, Jane Steuerwald. Click on ‘Watch Films > Animation, Documentary, Experimental or Narrative’ and view any of the films individually. Feel like dinner and a movie? Spend some time in your kitchen stirring up a delicious and healthy alternative to “take out.” We’re sharing some of our favorite recipes to pair with each curated program.”
MISCELLANEOUS
Why TIGER KING Is Not BLACKFISH for Big Cats In The New York Times, Rachel Nuwer debates whether or not TIGER KING lost sight of the conservation and animal welfare problems at the heart of the story of Joe Exotic: “TIGER KING is the product of a quickly changing film industry, one in which the lines between documentary and fiction are blurring. ‘It’s all getting mixed up: documentary, entertainment, reality TV,’ said Marcia Rock, a documentary filmmaker and director of the News and Documentary Program at New York University. She added that because of the financial incentives provided by some streaming outlets, ‘producers are seduced into going in that direction.’ As successes of shows like TIGER KING potentially encourage more programming that blurs the lines between documentary and reality television, some filmmakers worry about the social toll this could take. ‘I believe film and TV are the most powerful medium there is,’ said Glen Zipper, a documentary producer and writer. ‘If we’re delivering something to you that is factually inaccurate — particularly when it has to do with something that is critically important — that ultimately could be quite dangerous.’”
This Long Century Online Film Series Announced via press release: "For the month of April, This Long Century will be screening a series of film and video works by past contributors. There are two programs in the series: OUTSIDE and INSIDE, with 30 films in total. The filmmakers have donated their work, in return we ask that you donate to one of these US based Non-Profits and Relief Funds to help people in need right now: RAICES, Ali Forney Center, Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund, The National Domestic Workers Alliance, Feeding America”
Kino-Lorber Honors Frontline Nurses by Streaming THE AMERICAN NURSE Announced via press release: “At no time in recent history has the vital role of nurses in America been so clear. To honor nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, Kino Lorber is offering a free streaming re-release of the acclaimed documentary, THE AMERICAN NURSE. The documentary highlights the lives of five American nurses from diverse specialties, bringing to the big screen a sincere look at the commitment, necessity, and compassion behind this profession that impacts us all. Marking the six-year anniversary since it was released in U.S. theaters in May 2014, Kino Lorber will release THE AMERICAN NURSE for free on its streaming platform Kino Now from now until the end of May. The release is timed to coincide with National Nurses Week, and the World Health Organization (WHO) also designating 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.”
SIMA Launches Student Film Club Announced via press release: “While we are enthusiastically supporting quality global education through award-winning content, lesson plans and teaching resources, we are thrilled to announce our Student Film Club, born to build community amongst our members, maximize student engagement, and encourage inspiring virtual exchanges between future leaders and real-life individuals working at the forefront of solution driven social impact...Every month, SIMA Classroom members watch two handpicked short documentaries on a global theme, accompanied by a custom QUIZ and bonus features with curated resources. The monthly QUIZ WINNER wins a zoom call for their entire class with a thought-leader, filmmaker or expert on the featured topic, connecting our global community of students and educators to those behind the scenes and on the frontlines. Monthly Film Club topics include: Climate, Food, Health, LGBTQIA, Migration, Business for Good, Journalism to name a few.”
An Extraordinary Documentary About the Art of Sun Ra In The New Yorker, Richard Brody reflected on Robert Mugge's 1980 musical profile, SUN RA: A JOYFUL NOISE: “The prevalence of documentaries about musicians is a curse, because most of these films do a terrible job of showcasing music. One rare and moving exception is the work of the director Robert Mugge, whose film SUN RA: A JOYFUL NOISE—about the musician and bandleader whose multimedia and pan-cultural activities made him one of the prime artists of Afrofuturism—is one of the most satisfying musical portraits I’ve ever seen. (It is streaming on SnagFilms and Amazon.) The film’s revelatory perspectives on Sun Ra’s work arise not only from the filmmaker’s analytical understanding of it, and the discussions that he films with Sun Ra and other members of the band, but also from his approach to filming music itself, in rehearsal and concert.”
NEW RELEASES
While there is currently a multitude of films in all sorts of semi-release during this precarious moment of distribution limbo, I'm going to continue to including films that are receiving a clear cut release with some notable coverage in tow. This week, we've got three: Jodie Mack's mesmerizing stop-motion travelogue THE GRAND BIZARRE, which had its online premiere on MUBI, Chris Perkel's COACHELLA: 20 YEARS IN THE DESERT, a freely available YouTube exclusive on the eponymous music festival, and Estevan Oriol's Netflix debuted LA ORIGINALS.
Kenneth Paul Rosenberg's BEDLAM 2019 DOC NYC In The System
Will have its primetime premiere tonight on Independent Lens.
Marlon Johnson & Anne Flatté’s RIVER CITY DRUMBEAT 2019 DOC NYC Sonic Cinema
Is now available for Educational Streaming via Good Docs.
Bara Jichova Tyson's TALKING ABOUT ADULTERY 2019 DOC NYC Investigations
Will receive a Blu-ray/DVD release on April 14th via Gravitas Ventures.
Alexander J. Farrell's REFUGEE 2018 DOC NYC Modern Family
Will receive a VOD release on April 14th via Virgil Films.
Deia Schlosberg's THE STORY OF PLASTIC 2019 DOC NYC Green Screens
Will have its television premiere on April 22nd via Discovery Channel.
Chris Cassidy's DENNIS AND LOIS 2018 DOC NYC True Love
Will be released on Blu-ray/DVD/VOD on April 28th via Gravitas Ventures.
FEATURED STREAMING DOC SHORT
BRAGUINO
Directed by Clément Cogitore “A gripping tale of family rivalry and failed utopia documented by an acclaimed French artist in the Siberian Taïga."
FUND THIS PROJECT
Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.
