You’d be partially right if you thought that Thom Powers would simply do a “copy and paste” job of shuffling films from TIFF’s Reel to Real programme to the first edition of the DOC NYC festival. Powers, the fest’s Artistic Director has loaded the inaugural edition of the New York City based documentary film festival with U.S preems of several titles from TIFF — it includes a pair of galas for Herzog’s 3D docu and Errol Morris’ Tabloid, but DOC NYC will also include a dozen selected films including flip camera docu Five Weddings and a Felony from Josh Freed (see pic). Here’s the complete rundown of sections and film selections for the event – a lean fest that could be digested by any hardcore docu-phile between the 3rd and the 9th of November.
GALAS
- Cave of Forgotten Dreams (Werner Herzog) – Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of southern France, capturing the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind in their astonishing natural setting. He puts 3-D technology to a profound use, taking us back in time over 30,000 years.
- Tabloid (Errol Morris) The director of The Thin Blue Line and the Academy Award®-winning The Fog of War tells the story of a former Miss Wyoming whose quest for one true love led her across the globe and onto the pages of tabloid newspapers.
VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION
VIEWFINDERS celebrates both established and emerging filmmakers who bring a distinct directorial voice to their work. The selection takes us to Afghanistan in “Armadillo,” Vietnam in “The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan,” rural India in “Pink Saris,” urban India in “The Sound of Mumbai: A Musical,” ocean voyages in “Discoveries of a Marionette,” and upstate New York in “Windfall.” We follow a teenage girl facing high school graduation in “Kati with an I” and a young man facing life choices in “Five Weddings and a Felony.”
These eight films range in style from observational to essayistic; and in mood from suspenseful to humorous for a spectrum of contemporary documentary trends.
The jury is tasked to honor one film that appeals most strongly to their sensibilities as an outstanding achievement in both form and content. We hope this selection will surprise, inspire and spark debate.
- Armadillo (Janus Metz) U.S. Premiere – Winner of Cannes Critics Week, Armadillo is a harrowing portrayal of the current conflict in Afghanistan. The film follows a contingent of Danish troops into the chaos of combat in a way that stirs debate over the rules of engagement.
- The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan (Henry Corra) During the Vietnam war, McKinley Nolan mysteriously disappeared – rumored to be either a traitor, captive or American operative. Now his family goes searching for answers.
- Discoveries of a Marionette (Bjarte Mørner Tveit ) U.S. Premiere – Norwegian director Bjarte Mørner Tveit draws upon a rich personal archive of 8 mm film left by his grandfather Alf, who was secretive about his experiences as a globe-trotting sailor.
- Five Weddings and a Felony (Josh Freed) World Premiere – Director Josh Freed turns a Flip camera on his own relationships as a twentysomething. Peeling away neurosis and narcissism, the film is a compelling portrait of modern love.
- Kati with an I (Robert Greene) World Premiere – Over the course of three tumultuous days, Kati – a teenage girl in Alabama – has to confront big life choices over love, family and her future. As Kati’s half-brother, director Robert Greene gains an intimacy that makes viewers feel part of the family.
- Pink Saris (Kim Longinotto) In northern India’s state of Uddar Pradesh, the crusading Sampat Pal Devi dispenses street justice like a self-appointed Judge Judy, leading the “Pink Gang” of female enforcers.
- Sound of Mumbai: A Musical (Sarah McCarthy) U.S. Premiere – For one emotional night, a group of children living in a slum in Mumbai, India, get a chance to experience a different world as they performThe Sound of Music with a classical orchestra.
- Windfall (Laura Israel) After wind turbines are proposed for installation in upstate New York, the community’s excitement turns to suspicion over what the project entails. This eye-opening story exposes the dark side of wind energy development and the potential for financial scams.
METROPOLIS COMPETITION
There are 8 million stories in the naked city. This section showcases six of them. The appeal of these films radiates far beyond their backdrop of New York City. The subjects include the passing of an era in “Lost Bohemia,” the emergence of young talent in “To Be Heard,” the life of a writer in “Mother of Rock: Lilian Roxon,” the life of a play in “Puppet,” the theater director Richard Foreman in “mindFLUX,” and the musician David Byrne in “Ride, Rise, Roar.”
Each film individually exhibits a high degree of artistry. Watching several or all, viewers will experience a rich tour of innovators, subcultures, and inner circles.
The jury will honor one film that stands out to them as exemplary not just for New Yorkers, but audiences far and wide. We urge you to join the jury in watching all six films to remind yourself what makes NYC such a transformative place.
- Lost Bohemia (Josef Birdman Astor) World Premiere – Director Josef Birdman Astor, a resident of the artists studios above Carnegie Hall, gives an insider’s account of the protracted battle to save the apartments and pays homage to their rich heritage.
- mindFLUX (Ryan Kerrison) World Premiere – This profile of visionary theater director Richard Foreman draws upon interviews with F. Murray Abraham, Willem Dafoe, Yoko Ono, Lou Reed, Suzan-Lori Parks and others to pay tribute to his career.
- Mother of Rock: Lilian Roxon (Paul Clarke) U.S. Premiere – Witness to New York’s music scene of the 1960s and 70s, Lillian Roxon was a trail blazer of rock criticism while mingling with the likes of John and Yoko, the Velvet Underground and Janis Joplin.
- Puppet (David Soll) World Premiere – Taking us behind the scenes as theater director Dan Hurlin collaborates with master puppeteers for his play “Disfarmer,” Puppet explores why the this art form has been misunderstood in America.
- Ride, Rise, Roar (David Hillman Curtis) A David Byrne concert film that blends riveting onstage performances with intimate details of the creative collaborations that make the music and performance happen.
- To Be Heard (Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer, Amy Sultan) World Premiere –Three teenagers Karina, Pearl and Anthony cope with challenges of life in the inner city and find transformation from the radical poetry workshop Power Writing that gives them tools for expression.
KALEIDOSCOPE FAMILY MATINEES
The “Kaleidoscope” section offers family matinees on the weekend of Nov 6-7 featuring films suitable for viewers young and old.
- Make Believe (J. Clay Tweel) A group of dedicated teen magicians amaze audiences by performing seemingly impossible feats while pursuing the title of Teen World Champion Magician.
- Turtle: An Incredible Journey (Nick Stringer) U.S. Premiere – Presented in 3-D, a loggerhead turtle born on a beach in Florida, rides the Gulf Stream to the frozen north, swims around the entire North Atlantic to Africa and returns to the beach where she was born.
DAY-LONG SYMPOSIUMS
- “Doc Convergence” on Nov 5 will hold panels about how documentary film intersects with photography, writing, performance and radio
- “State of the Art” on Nov 6 will gather documentary film directors, cinematographers, editors and others for dialogues on their crafts.