Indie veterans Future Islands have returned with their seventh studio album, People Who Aren’t There Anymore.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore — which we named as one of the most anticipated albums of 2024 — finds the synth-pop quartet exploring an even moodier palate than prior records. It was produced by the band alongside previous collaborator Steve Wright, and mixed by indie veteran Chris Coady, who produced Future Islands’ breakout 2014 album Singles.
To celebrate the release of People Who Aren’t There Anymore, Future Islands performed “The Tower” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday Night.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore is the group’s first album since 2020’s As Long as You Are, but they haven’t exactly stayed quiet since its release. Future Islands initially previewed People Who Aren’t There Anymore by offering “Peach” back in 2021, “King of Sweden” in 2022, and last August’s “Deep in the Night.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore — which we named as one of the most anticipated albums of 2024 — finds the synth-pop quartet exploring an even moodier palate than prior records. It was produced by the band alongside previous collaborator Steve Wright, and mixed by indie veteran Chris Coady, who produced Future Islands’ breakout 2014 album Singles.
To celebrate the release of People Who Aren’t There Anymore, Future Islands performed “The Tower” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday Night.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore is the group’s first album since 2020’s As Long as You Are, but they haven’t exactly stayed quiet since its release. Future Islands initially previewed People Who Aren’t There Anymore by offering “Peach” back in 2021, “King of Sweden” in 2022, and last August’s “Deep in the Night.
- 1/26/2024
- by Paolo Ragusa
- Consequence - Music
Like the National’s Matt Berninger, Future Islands frontman Samuel F. Herring sounded jaded and long in the tooth years before he actually was. Part of the appeal of songs like the Baltimore band’s 2014 viral smash “Seasons” was the incongruity of hearing a cookie-monster growl from a man who looked more like a milquetoast accountant than a rock star.
Future Islands’s People Who Aren’t There Anymore, then, sounds divided against its own impulses toward accessibility, with Herring’s voice—which often chokes words off and battles against the songs’ melodies—subverting the band’s instincts to write simple, catchy pop music. What’s more, their blend of ’80s pop and arena rock is starting to feel formulaic.
Although a familiar quiet-verse/loud-chorus structure is used too frequently throughout the album—“Say Goodbye” features a verse where Herring sings over a minimal arrangement of bass, drums, and keyboards...
Future Islands’s People Who Aren’t There Anymore, then, sounds divided against its own impulses toward accessibility, with Herring’s voice—which often chokes words off and battles against the songs’ melodies—subverting the band’s instincts to write simple, catchy pop music. What’s more, their blend of ’80s pop and arena rock is starting to feel formulaic.
Although a familiar quiet-verse/loud-chorus structure is used too frequently throughout the album—“Say Goodbye” features a verse where Herring sings over a minimal arrangement of bass, drums, and keyboards...
- 1/22/2024
- by Steve Erickson
- Slant Magazine
Exclusive: Topic Studios, the award-winning production company behind titles like Theater Camp and 100 Foot Wave, has laid off over 20 employees, multiple sources tell Deadline. Employees were notified on Tuesday, and we hear that almost all divisions are affected, with all of those working on the TV side being cut.
A company spokesperson emphasizes that despite changes being made when it comes to the small-screen arena, “Topic Studios continues to produce television programs. This week’s staff changes have not impacted the multiple scripted and non-scripted television projects in production and development. While our scripted television strategy will be evolving, we plan to increase investment in this area.”
The layoffs come at a time of general turbulence in entertainment, which is still reeling from last summer’s double strikes and the pandemic that preceded it. Other media companies hit with mass layoffs just recently include Amazon, Hallmark Media, Great American Media,...
A company spokesperson emphasizes that despite changes being made when it comes to the small-screen arena, “Topic Studios continues to produce television programs. This week’s staff changes have not impacted the multiple scripted and non-scripted television projects in production and development. While our scripted television strategy will be evolving, we plan to increase investment in this area.”
The layoffs come at a time of general turbulence in entertainment, which is still reeling from last summer’s double strikes and the pandemic that preceded it. Other media companies hit with mass layoffs just recently include Amazon, Hallmark Media, Great American Media,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday released its official entries for 2021 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature, Animated Feature and International Films. The takeaway: As expected, the eligible Documentary Feature lineup shatters the record for the most ever.
A total of 238 features are eligible for consideration in the Doc Feature category, breaking the previous record of 170 set in 2017. Last year, by contrast, 159 feature documentaries qualified. The Academy relaxed eligibility rules in light of Covid-19, so that any film that could make a claim of an intended theatrical release was deemed eligible. Earning awards from film festivals was an alternative way to qualify.
For the International Feature race, Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants among the 93 eligible titles, the same total as last year. Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors boosted the number of films eligible for the shortlist from 10 to 15. Under the new rules,...
A total of 238 features are eligible for consideration in the Doc Feature category, breaking the previous record of 170 set in 2017. Last year, by contrast, 159 feature documentaries qualified. The Academy relaxed eligibility rules in light of Covid-19, so that any film that could make a claim of an intended theatrical release was deemed eligible. Earning awards from film festivals was an alternative way to qualify.
For the International Feature race, Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants among the 93 eligible titles, the same total as last year. Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors boosted the number of films eligible for the shortlist from 10 to 15. Under the new rules,...
- 1/28/2021
- by Patrick Hipes and Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
How to assess the financial success of Sundance 2020? Covid-19 makes standard box-office metrics impossible, but in sheer availability the titles reached a new high. About 85 percent of the 128 feature films and television programs that showed at Park City last year made their way to the broader public of North America, or will this year.
Revenue — the kind that’s visible to the naked eye — is another matter. All Sundance 2019 films that received a theatrical release totaled $125 million in domestic gross. Although pandemic delays mean multiple titles have yet to be released, the total box office for Sundance 2020 is a little over $18 million. That drop mirrors the overall box-office decline.
This is where we’d like to compare and contrast box-office figures, and make predictions about the current Sundance market, but the revenue or value generated by VOD, Premium VOD, or streaming — platforms where they (presumably) made the most money — are unknown.
Revenue — the kind that’s visible to the naked eye — is another matter. All Sundance 2019 films that received a theatrical release totaled $125 million in domestic gross. Although pandemic delays mean multiple titles have yet to be released, the total box office for Sundance 2020 is a little over $18 million. That drop mirrors the overall box-office decline.
This is where we’d like to compare and contrast box-office figures, and make predictions about the current Sundance market, but the revenue or value generated by VOD, Premium VOD, or streaming — platforms where they (presumably) made the most money — are unknown.
- 1/28/2021
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Another new streaming service has launched, this one a niche platform called Documentary+ dedicated solely to nonfiction films.
The free, ad-supported streaming platform is available on Thursday and was launched as a joint venture between the nonfiction studio Xtr and the late former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh.
Documentary+ currently has a library of over 200 feature-length and short documentary films, including classics, cult favorites, true crime stories, sports films and rock docs. Some of the films in the initial catalog include “The Imposter,” “Life, Animated,” “Born Into Brothels,” “Cartel Land” and more. The service also features docs by filmmakers such as Spike Jonze, Kathryn Bigelow, Terrence Malick, Brett Morgen, Roger Ross Williams, Davis Guggenheim and Werner Herzog, including his “My Best Fiend” and “Little Dieter Learns to Fly.”
Other up-and-coming filmmakers with movies on the platform include Lana Wilson, Ramona S. Diaz, Nanfu Wang, Clay Tweel, Kareem Tabsch and Laura Gabbert.
The free, ad-supported streaming platform is available on Thursday and was launched as a joint venture between the nonfiction studio Xtr and the late former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh.
Documentary+ currently has a library of over 200 feature-length and short documentary films, including classics, cult favorites, true crime stories, sports films and rock docs. Some of the films in the initial catalog include “The Imposter,” “Life, Animated,” “Born Into Brothels,” “Cartel Land” and more. The service also features docs by filmmakers such as Spike Jonze, Kathryn Bigelow, Terrence Malick, Brett Morgen, Roger Ross Williams, Davis Guggenheim and Werner Herzog, including his “My Best Fiend” and “Little Dieter Learns to Fly.”
Other up-and-coming filmmakers with movies on the platform include Lana Wilson, Ramona S. Diaz, Nanfu Wang, Clay Tweel, Kareem Tabsch and Laura Gabbert.
- 1/28/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The number of films available to Oscar voters in a screening room devoted to the Best Picture category hit the 200 mark on Wednesday, which means that $2.5 million has entered the Academy coffers from films paying $12,500 each to be represented in the screening room.
The members-only Academy Screening Room hit the milestone with the addition of more than a dozen movies this week, including Fisher Stevens’ “Palmer,” Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” the Russo brothers’ “Cherry,” Josh Trank’s “Capone,” the documentary “Coup 53,” the Studio Ghibli animated film “Earwig and the Witch,” the international films “Funny Boy” and “Bacarau” (neither eligible in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category) and some off-the-wall selections, including “Snake White – Love Endures” and “Soorarai Pottru.”
Other late additions to the screening room have included “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “The White Tiger” and “Cherry,” which were not added until January.
The members-only Academy Screening Room hit the milestone with the addition of more than a dozen movies this week, including Fisher Stevens’ “Palmer,” Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” the Russo brothers’ “Cherry,” Josh Trank’s “Capone,” the documentary “Coup 53,” the Studio Ghibli animated film “Earwig and the Witch,” the international films “Funny Boy” and “Bacarau” (neither eligible in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category) and some off-the-wall selections, including “Snake White – Love Endures” and “Soorarai Pottru.”
Other late additions to the screening room have included “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “The White Tiger” and “Cherry,” which were not added until January.
- 1/28/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
What a busy morning! Not only did the National Board of Review announce its winners, the Film Independent Spirit Awards revealed their nominees. It was quite the precursor day, to say the least! Nbr gave their top prize to Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, while the Spirit Awards were led by Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always. The former snubbed Promising Young Woman as a film, while citing Carey Mulligan in Best Actress, while the latter gave it three nominations, though also snubbing it in Best Feature. Among completely shut out titles, for one reason or another, we have The Father and News of the World. How much does this mean? Well, it remains to be seen, but it’s certainly good news for those titles cited, while at least a slight concern for those left out in the cold. Read on for all of the nominees and winners…...
- 1/26/2021
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Australian International Documentary Conference (Aidc) has revealed the 15 teams that will take part in its international pitching showcase, The FACTory.
Now in its sixth year, the annual event for new documentary and factual projects will be held online, giving selected participants the opportunity to present their work in front of the largest contingent of international decision-makers to participate in Aidc, including funders, buyers, broadcasters, sales agents, and distributors.
Shortlisted teams for The FACTory will pitch across three strands: Central Showcase, New Talent Showcase and Rough Cut Showcase.
Alice Burgin, Aidc CEO and conference director, said the 15 projects selected for 2021 were “exceptionally strong and exciting”.
“Our aim is to help these teams make valuable connections with our international decision-makers and take the first or second step towards making these ambitious factual productions,” she said.
All projects in The FACTory 2021 will be eligible to win pitch prizes, including the Finch Prize,...
Now in its sixth year, the annual event for new documentary and factual projects will be held online, giving selected participants the opportunity to present their work in front of the largest contingent of international decision-makers to participate in Aidc, including funders, buyers, broadcasters, sales agents, and distributors.
Shortlisted teams for The FACTory will pitch across three strands: Central Showcase, New Talent Showcase and Rough Cut Showcase.
Alice Burgin, Aidc CEO and conference director, said the 15 projects selected for 2021 were “exceptionally strong and exciting”.
“Our aim is to help these teams make valuable connections with our international decision-makers and take the first or second step towards making these ambitious factual productions,” she said.
All projects in The FACTory 2021 will be eligible to win pitch prizes, including the Finch Prize,...
- 1/20/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
The Oscars Best Documentary Feature race, which set a new record for entries in December when it passed the previous record of 170, has now left all previous years in the dust with 240 eligible films.
An additional 25 documentary features were placed in the members-only online screening room devoted to the category on Saturday, in what the Academy told voters would be “the final batch” of this year’s entries. It was the last of seven groups of documentaries that qualified and were placed into the screening room: 25 in July, 12 in August, 16 in September, 33 in October, 36 in November, a huge group of 93 in December and now 25 in January.
Academy rules put in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic made it easier than usual for documentaries to qualify for the Oscars this year, which opened the door for a field that obliterated the previous record, which was set in 2017. Films could qualify simply...
An additional 25 documentary features were placed in the members-only online screening room devoted to the category on Saturday, in what the Academy told voters would be “the final batch” of this year’s entries. It was the last of seven groups of documentaries that qualified and were placed into the screening room: 25 in July, 12 in August, 16 in September, 33 in October, 36 in November, a huge group of 93 in December and now 25 in January.
Academy rules put in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic made it easier than usual for documentaries to qualify for the Oscars this year, which opened the door for a field that obliterated the previous record, which was set in 2017. Films could qualify simply...
- 1/17/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Topic Studios has signed a first-look deal with The Population, formed by “Nomadland” producer Mollye Asher, “I Carry You With Me” producer Mynette Louie and Derek Nguyen.
The deal, announced Thursday, expands the relationship between Topic and Louie, currently collaborating on a scripted limited drama series for television.
Topic Studios produced the ACLU documentary “The Fight,” Kevin Macdonald’s upcoming legal thriller “The Mauritanian,” “The Climb” and recently wrapped production on Daniel Antebi’s NYC-set pandemic comedy “God’s Time.” Topic Studios is also ramping up its scripted television division, having set up two dramas arising from their previous first-look deal with Tracy Oliver, including the just-announced adult thriller “Savannah” with Pkm Productions for Amazon Studios. Topic Studios is also developing an English-language adaptation of the Israeli comedy, “Nehama.”
“We love that Topic Studios, as an independent studio, has the capacity to pivot and innovate, which is more important now than ever,...
The deal, announced Thursday, expands the relationship between Topic and Louie, currently collaborating on a scripted limited drama series for television.
Topic Studios produced the ACLU documentary “The Fight,” Kevin Macdonald’s upcoming legal thriller “The Mauritanian,” “The Climb” and recently wrapped production on Daniel Antebi’s NYC-set pandemic comedy “God’s Time.” Topic Studios is also ramping up its scripted television division, having set up two dramas arising from their previous first-look deal with Tracy Oliver, including the just-announced adult thriller “Savannah” with Pkm Productions for Amazon Studios. Topic Studios is also developing an English-language adaptation of the Israeli comedy, “Nehama.”
“We love that Topic Studios, as an independent studio, has the capacity to pivot and innovate, which is more important now than ever,...
- 12/17/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Topic Studios has entered a first-look deal with Mynette Louie, Mollye Asher, and Derek Nguyen’s The Population, the production company behind I Carry You with Me and Swallow. The multi-faceted deal covers all media and includes film, television, non-fiction and podcasts.
Topic Studios’ new partnership with The Population expands the relationship with Emmy-nominated Louie. They are currently collaborating on a scripted limited drama series for television. The deal comes as The Population continues to bolster diversity and, at the same time, ramp up for awards season including Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) produced by Asher. In addition, The Population is putting some shine their first two films, the aforementioned I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics) from director Heidi Ewing and Swallow (IFC Films) from director Carlo Mirabella-Davis. They are currently in post-production on Josef Kubota Wladyka’s action-thriller Catch the Fair One.
“Topic Studios has a...
Topic Studios’ new partnership with The Population expands the relationship with Emmy-nominated Louie. They are currently collaborating on a scripted limited drama series for television. The deal comes as The Population continues to bolster diversity and, at the same time, ramp up for awards season including Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) produced by Asher. In addition, The Population is putting some shine their first two films, the aforementioned I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics) from director Heidi Ewing and Swallow (IFC Films) from director Carlo Mirabella-Davis. They are currently in post-production on Josef Kubota Wladyka’s action-thriller Catch the Fair One.
“Topic Studios has a...
- 12/17/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
New company teams producers Mynette Louie, Mollye Asher and Derek Nguyen.
Topic Studios has signed a first-look deal for all media with The Population, the independent production company formed by producers Mynette Louie, Mollye Asher and Derek Nguyen.
The Population’s first two films, I Carry You With Me and Swallow, were released this year and the company is currently in post-production on Josef Kubota Wladyka’s action-thriller Catch the Fair One. Asher is also a producer of awards contender Nomadland.
Before they joined forces in The Population, Louie, Asher and Nguyen worked together at the women director-focused film fund Gamechanger Films.
Topic Studios has signed a first-look deal for all media with The Population, the independent production company formed by producers Mynette Louie, Mollye Asher and Derek Nguyen.
The Population’s first two films, I Carry You With Me and Swallow, were released this year and the company is currently in post-production on Josef Kubota Wladyka’s action-thriller Catch the Fair One. Asher is also a producer of awards contender Nomadland.
Before they joined forces in The Population, Louie, Asher and Nguyen worked together at the women director-focused film fund Gamechanger Films.
- 12/17/2020
- ScreenDaily
The 2020 award season is dominated by streamers and smaller indies hoping to gain purchase in the delayed Oscar race. The eager awards teams at Apple, Amazon, and Netflix are generating the most noise (and spending the most money) via FYC virtual screenings and Zoom interviews.
While the Academy portal screens about 100 Best Picture candidates for its members, awards marketers email screening links for assorted documentaries, animated, foreign-language, and low-budget titles from, so far, Magnolia, Neon, A24 and IFC Films.
So where are the usual suspects? Don’t be fooled. While many major films pushed back, a few remain, including Paul Greengrass’s Tom Hanks vehicle “News of the World”, Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” starring Andra Day, and Warners’ day-and-date release of “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021), starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.
Specialty subsidiaries that supply bread-and-butter Oscars titles may seem to be quiet, but they are pushing their titles forward.
While the Academy portal screens about 100 Best Picture candidates for its members, awards marketers email screening links for assorted documentaries, animated, foreign-language, and low-budget titles from, so far, Magnolia, Neon, A24 and IFC Films.
So where are the usual suspects? Don’t be fooled. While many major films pushed back, a few remain, including Paul Greengrass’s Tom Hanks vehicle “News of the World”, Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” starring Andra Day, and Warners’ day-and-date release of “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021), starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.
Specialty subsidiaries that supply bread-and-butter Oscars titles may seem to be quiet, but they are pushing their titles forward.
- 12/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The 2020 award season is dominated by streamers and smaller indies hoping to gain purchase in the delayed Oscar race. The eager awards teams at Apple, Amazon, and Netflix are generating the most noise (and spending the most money) via FYC virtual screenings and Zoom interviews.
While the Academy portal screens about 100 Best Picture candidates for its members, awards marketers email screening links for assorted documentaries, animated, foreign-language, and low-budget titles from, so far, Magnolia, Neon, A24 and IFC Films.
So where are the usual suspects? Don’t be fooled. While many major films pushed back, a few remain, including Paul Greengrass’s Tom Hanks vehicle “News of the World”, Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” starring Andra Day, and Warners’ day-and-date release of “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021), starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.
Specialty subsidiaries that supply bread-and-butter Oscars titles may seem to be quiet, but they are pushing their titles forward.
While the Academy portal screens about 100 Best Picture candidates for its members, awards marketers email screening links for assorted documentaries, animated, foreign-language, and low-budget titles from, so far, Magnolia, Neon, A24 and IFC Films.
So where are the usual suspects? Don’t be fooled. While many major films pushed back, a few remain, including Paul Greengrass’s Tom Hanks vehicle “News of the World”, Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” starring Andra Day, and Warners’ day-and-date release of “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021), starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.
Specialty subsidiaries that supply bread-and-butter Oscars titles may seem to be quiet, but they are pushing their titles forward.
- 12/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
If you were to look at the members-only screening room where films in contention for the Academy Award for Best Picture stream for voters, you might think that documentaries are going to do very well in the Oscars top category this year.
As of Dec. 7, there were 104 films in the Academy Screening Room for the Best Picture category, 26 of which were documentaries. That’s a full 25% of the field, which seems to suggest that nonfiction filmmakers and the companies that release them are optimistic that Oscar voters will recognize docs when they vote this year. After all, it costs $12,500 to put a film in that screening room — and all 26 docs that paid the cost to be there are also in the separate screening room available to the Academy’s Documentary Branch. Spots in that screening room are free for any film that qualifies in the Best Documentary Feature category.
Common sense,...
As of Dec. 7, there were 104 films in the Academy Screening Room for the Best Picture category, 26 of which were documentaries. That’s a full 25% of the field, which seems to suggest that nonfiction filmmakers and the companies that release them are optimistic that Oscar voters will recognize docs when they vote this year. After all, it costs $12,500 to put a film in that screening room — and all 26 docs that paid the cost to be there are also in the separate screening room available to the Academy’s Documentary Branch. Spots in that screening room are free for any film that qualifies in the Best Documentary Feature category.
Common sense,...
- 12/8/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Thankful? In 2020?
Yes, it’s been a miserable year on a lot of fronts. And this is a mess of an awards season – a morass of delays, rule changes to adjust to the fact that movie aren’t being released and theaters can’t open, and the promise that it’s going to go on and on for another five months, until the April 25 Oscars will put this season out of its misery and we’ll all realize that we should immediately start thinking about the Emmys.
So no, the word thankful does not immediately come to mind when I think of 2020, or of this awards season.
But in the midst of the pandemic and the nonexistent release schedule, and in the shadow of the endless stretch of campaigning that lies ahead, there are a few reasons to be grateful on this oddest of all Thanksgivings.
Here are 10 of mine.
Yes, it’s been a miserable year on a lot of fronts. And this is a mess of an awards season – a morass of delays, rule changes to adjust to the fact that movie aren’t being released and theaters can’t open, and the promise that it’s going to go on and on for another five months, until the April 25 Oscars will put this season out of its misery and we’ll all realize that we should immediately start thinking about the Emmys.
So no, the word thankful does not immediately come to mind when I think of 2020, or of this awards season.
But in the midst of the pandemic and the nonexistent release schedule, and in the shadow of the endless stretch of campaigning that lies ahead, there are a few reasons to be grateful on this oddest of all Thanksgivings.
Here are 10 of mine.
- 11/26/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Eighteen months after “The Climb” debuted at Cannes, the film’s director, writer and star Michael Angelo Covino saw his film in a movie theater. It’s been a long and winding road for the film to ultimately land in theaters, but even amid a pandemic, it’s a big moment for Covino and his filmmaking partner and co-star Kyle Marvin.
“I’m gonna probably head up to Westchester or Connecticut to sit in a 25% full theater by myself and just sort of take it in,” Covino told Variety on the eve of the film’s release. “[I’ll] buy my own ticket and just have that experience, because that only happens once in a lifetime, getting to buy a ticket to your first movie.”
“It’s been amazing to still have the ability to come out with the film right now,” he added. “Obviously the world has sort of stopped in a lot of ways.
“I’m gonna probably head up to Westchester or Connecticut to sit in a 25% full theater by myself and just sort of take it in,” Covino told Variety on the eve of the film’s release. “[I’ll] buy my own ticket and just have that experience, because that only happens once in a lifetime, getting to buy a ticket to your first movie.”
“It’s been amazing to still have the ability to come out with the film right now,” he added. “Obviously the world has sort of stopped in a lot of ways.
- 11/18/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, announced the titles of its annual Short List: Features program on November 9. The selection of films offer one glimpse, as determined by the festival’s programming team, into the documentary features that are best positioned to be among the year’s top contenders in the Oscar field. Also named are the films to make their second Winner’s Circle, highlighting films that have already won major awards at Oscar-qualifying international festivals.
Among Doc NYC’s list are six films that were already nominated this year for Best Documentary Feature by the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. They are: “Crip Camp,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “Gunda,” “The Social Dilemma,” and “Time.” One other Ccda nominee will be screened as part of the Winner’s Circle program: “The Painter and the Thief.”
As an indicator of Oscar success, Doc NYC boasts that in the...
Among Doc NYC’s list are six films that were already nominated this year for Best Documentary Feature by the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. They are: “Crip Camp,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “Gunda,” “The Social Dilemma,” and “Time.” One other Ccda nominee will be screened as part of the Winner’s Circle program: “The Painter and the Thief.”
As an indicator of Oscar success, Doc NYC boasts that in the...
- 11/16/2020
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
“Dick Johnson is Dead” won both Best Documentary Feature and Best Director (Kirsten Johnson) at the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. This Netflix film came into the competition with four bids; it lost the cinematography race to another Netflix title, “My Octopus Teacher,” and thee narration award to “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.” “The Way I See It” won for score while “Totally Under Control” took editing. See the full list of Ccda winners announced on November 16 below.
The six genre prizes were awarded as follows: “MLK/FBI” (Best Archival Documentary); “John Lewis: Good Trouble” (Best Historical/Biographical Documentary); both “Beastie Boys Story” and “The Go-Go’s” (Best Music Documentary); “Boys State” (Best Political Documentary”); “My Octopus Teacher” (Best Science/Nature Documentary); and both “Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes” and “Athlete A” (Best Sports Documentary).
The Shoes in the Bed title “Mr. Soul!” won one of its...
The six genre prizes were awarded as follows: “MLK/FBI” (Best Archival Documentary); “John Lewis: Good Trouble” (Best Historical/Biographical Documentary); both “Beastie Boys Story” and “The Go-Go’s” (Best Music Documentary); “Boys State” (Best Political Documentary”); “My Octopus Teacher” (Best Science/Nature Documentary); and both “Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes” and “Athlete A” (Best Sports Documentary).
The Shoes in the Bed title “Mr. Soul!” won one of its...
- 11/16/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
“Crip Camp,” “Gunda” and “Time” are among the films that have made Doc NYC’s 2020 “Short List,” an annual attempt by the New York-based festival to identify the nonfiction films most likely to play a significant part in awards season.
Those three films were also included in the Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations for Best Documentary Feature, and on the International Documentary Association’s shortlist from which the Ida chooses nominees for the Ida Documentary Awards. They are the only three movies to land on all three lists.
Nine additional films on the Doc NYC list were also singled out either by the Ida or Critics Choice: “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “MLK/FBI,” “76 Days,” “The Social Dilemma,” “The Truffle Hunters” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
Other films on the Doc NYC list, which is made up of 15 documentaries, are “I Am Greta,” “On the Record” and “A Thousand Cuts.
Those three films were also included in the Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations for Best Documentary Feature, and on the International Documentary Association’s shortlist from which the Ida chooses nominees for the Ida Documentary Awards. They are the only three movies to land on all three lists.
Nine additional films on the Doc NYC list were also singled out either by the Ida or Critics Choice: “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “MLK/FBI,” “76 Days,” “The Social Dilemma,” “The Truffle Hunters” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
Other films on the Doc NYC list, which is made up of 15 documentaries, are “I Am Greta,” “On the Record” and “A Thousand Cuts.
- 11/9/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Academy dropped another 33 feature films into the online screening room for members of its Documentary Branch on Oct. 30, giving the Oscars doc race its biggest influx of new films to date. The branch now has 86 films to consider, with two or three more batches of films (and potentially more than 50 additional contenders) likely to be added to the field by early January.
Coming the same week that the Critics Choice Documentary Awards announced its nominees and the International Documentary Association’s Ida Documentary Awards revealed the 30-film shortlist from which it will make its final choices, the Academy move kicked the Oscar doc race into another gear in a year that promises to be highly competitive.
Among the docs that were made available to voters this week were Bryce Dallas Howard’s film about fatherhood, “Dads,” which means she’ll be competing against her father, Ron Howard, who is...
Coming the same week that the Critics Choice Documentary Awards announced its nominees and the International Documentary Association’s Ida Documentary Awards revealed the 30-film shortlist from which it will make its final choices, the Academy move kicked the Oscar doc race into another gear in a year that promises to be highly competitive.
Among the docs that were made available to voters this week were Bryce Dallas Howard’s film about fatherhood, “Dads,” which means she’ll be competing against her father, Ron Howard, who is...
- 11/2/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The International Documentary Association has announced a shortlist of 30 films from which it will choose its nominations for the 2020 Ida Documentary Awards, with a list that includes “76 Days,” “Boys State,” “Crip Camp,” “MLK/FBI,” “The Reason I Jump,” “The Truffle Hunters,” “Time” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
The list also included a generous helping of foreign-made docs, including “Notturno,” “Acasa, My Home,” “Collective,” “The Earth Is Blue as an Orange,” “Gunda,” “Me and the Cult Leader,” “A Metamorfose dos Passaros,” “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” and “Softie.”
The rest of the list: “City Hall,” “Disclosure,” “The Forbidden Reel,” “I Walk on Water,” “The Mole Agent,” “Reunited,” “Self Portrait,” “Stray,” “‘Til Kingdom Come,” “To See You Again,” “Unapologetic,” “The Viewing Booth” and “Wintopia.”
The shortlisted films present a dramatically different view of the year in nonfiction filmmaking than the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were announced on Monday. Only three films — “Crip Camp,...
The list also included a generous helping of foreign-made docs, including “Notturno,” “Acasa, My Home,” “Collective,” “The Earth Is Blue as an Orange,” “Gunda,” “Me and the Cult Leader,” “A Metamorfose dos Passaros,” “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” and “Softie.”
The rest of the list: “City Hall,” “Disclosure,” “The Forbidden Reel,” “I Walk on Water,” “The Mole Agent,” “Reunited,” “Self Portrait,” “Stray,” “‘Til Kingdom Come,” “To See You Again,” “Unapologetic,” “The Viewing Booth” and “Wintopia.”
The shortlisted films present a dramatically different view of the year in nonfiction filmmaking than the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were announced on Monday. Only three films — “Crip Camp,...
- 10/28/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Three films lead the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards with five nominations apiece. “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” and “Gunda,” both nabbed nominations for Best Documentary Feature and Best Director as well as three others apiece while “Mr. Soul!” was nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best First Documentary Feature as well as three more.
Netflix led the way of all distributors with an impressive 31 nominations. In addition to “Crip Camp,” the studio also earned Best Documentary Feature bids forr “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “A Secret Love,” and “The Social Dilemma.” Rounding out the top category nominees are “Belushi” and “The Go-Gos” from Showtime, “Feels Good Man” from Wavelength and PBS Independent, “The Fight” from Magnolia, “The Painter and the Thief” from Neon, and “Time” from Amazon. “Gunda” is Neon’s second nominee and “Mr. Soul!” comes to us from Shoes in the Bed.
Netflix led the way of all distributors with an impressive 31 nominations. In addition to “Crip Camp,” the studio also earned Best Documentary Feature bids forr “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “A Secret Love,” and “The Social Dilemma.” Rounding out the top category nominees are “Belushi” and “The Go-Gos” from Showtime, “Feels Good Man” from Wavelength and PBS Independent, “The Fight” from Magnolia, “The Painter and the Thief” from Neon, and “Time” from Amazon. “Gunda” is Neon’s second nominee and “Mr. Soul!” comes to us from Shoes in the Bed.
- 10/26/2020
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
“Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” “Gunda” and “Mr. Soul” lead the fifth annual Critics Choice Association’s documentary nominations, with five apiece. Among the eclectic list of nominees are Taylor Swift, Greta Thunberg, veteran filmmaker Werner Herzog and longtime disability advocate Judith Heumann, as well as docs about such notables as John Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Frank Zappa.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
- 10/26/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
“Crip Camp,” “Gunda” and “Mr. Soul!” led all films in nominations for the fifth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were announced on Monday by the Critics Choice Association.
The three films each received five nominations, including nods in the Best Documentary Feature category. As usual, that category cast a very wide net and contains far more nominees than other awards for nonfiction filmmaking — 14 this year, with nominations also going to “Athlete A,” “Belushi,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “Feels Good Man,” “The Fight,” “The Go-Go’s,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “The Painter and the Thief,” “A Secret Love,” “The Social Dilemma” and “Time.”
Films with four nominations are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
The list was missing many of the year’s most acclaimed nonfiction films, including “Welcome to Chechnya,” “The Dissident,” “Collective,” “Disclosure,” “76 Days” and “On the Record,” none of which received any nominations.
The three films each received five nominations, including nods in the Best Documentary Feature category. As usual, that category cast a very wide net and contains far more nominees than other awards for nonfiction filmmaking — 14 this year, with nominations also going to “Athlete A,” “Belushi,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “Feels Good Man,” “The Fight,” “The Go-Go’s,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “The Painter and the Thief,” “A Secret Love,” “The Social Dilemma” and “Time.”
Films with four nominations are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
The list was missing many of the year’s most acclaimed nonfiction films, including “Welcome to Chechnya,” “The Dissident,” “Collective,” “Disclosure,” “76 Days” and “On the Record,” none of which received any nominations.
- 10/26/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
In a year packed with superb documentaries, the Critics Choice Association Documentary Awards nominations, which honor the best non-fiction achievements of 2020, will help other awards groups to winnow down the list of must-sees. “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” (Netflix), “Gunda” (Neon), and “Mr. Soul!” lead this year’s nominations with five each. Netflix leads the field with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine.
“The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch, in an official statement. “Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Winners will be announced on November 16, 2020.
The Sundance debut “Crip Camp” is nominated for Best Documentary Feature, and also earned nods for James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham for Best Director, along with Best Editing,...
“The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch, in an official statement. “Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Winners will be announced on November 16, 2020.
The Sundance debut “Crip Camp” is nominated for Best Documentary Feature, and also earned nods for James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham for Best Director, along with Best Editing,...
- 10/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In a year packed with superb documentaries, the Critics Choice Association Documentary Awards nominations, which honor the best non-fiction achievements of 2020, will help other awards groups to winnow down the list of must-sees. “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” (Netflix), “Gunda” (Neon), and “Mr. Soul!” lead this year’s nominations with five each. Netflix leads the field with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine.
“The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch, in an official statement. “Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Winners will be announced on November 16, 2020.
The Sundance debut “Crip Camp” is nominated for Best Documentary Feature, and also earned nods for James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham for Best Director, along with Best Editing,...
“The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch, in an official statement. “Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Winners will be announced on November 16, 2020.
The Sundance debut “Crip Camp” is nominated for Best Documentary Feature, and also earned nods for James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham for Best Director, along with Best Editing,...
- 10/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
In what is signaling a very good year for documentaries, the Critics’ Choice Association on Monday announced its list of nominations for the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, and if the past is any clue it could be an indicator of what to expect from the Oscars next spring.
With an inclusive list, to say the least, of about 50 films from approximately 200 submissions, three docs led the way with five noms apiece: Mr. Soul, about a historic Black TV show; Gunda, a touching film about the daily life of a pig and farm companions from exec producer Joaquin Phoenix; and Netflix’s Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, an archival film about a summer camp catering to disabled young people.
Close behind with four nods each were Alex Gibney’s striking Covid-19 docu Totally Under Control that was actually just completed about two weeks ago; the personal story of a father and daugher, Dick Johnson Is Dead; the remarkable nature doc My Octopus Teacher; and gymnastics scandal pic Athlete A. The latter three hail from Netflix, which swamped the competition with 31 nominations, a more than 2-to-1 distance between next closest distributor Neon with 14. They are the only two distributors to reach double digits.
Overall the critics were in a generous mood, offering 15 films noms for Best Documentary Feature alone.
“At a unique time for the entertainment industry and the world, documentaries are more important and fortunately more abundant and more available and more essential than ever,” said Christopher Campbell, president of the documentary branch of Cca. “In 2020, documentaries have taken us to places and shown us perspectives we’ve never experienced before. They’ve chronicled events and life stories that are enlightening and enthralling — and sometimes frightening. It is a great honor for the Cca to celebrate these stories and subjects and shed light on the work of so many incredible filmmakers. The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year. Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Nominees were selected by Critics’ Choice members who were divided into five committees to whittle down the field.
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Gunda (Neon)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
A Secret Love (Netflix)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Time (Amazon Studios)
Best Director
Garrett Bradley, Time (Amazon Studios)
Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, Athlete A (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky, Gunda (Neon)
James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Benjamin Ree, The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
Best First Documentary Feature
Robert S. Bader, Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Chris Bolan, A Secret Love (Netflix)
Melissa Haizlip, Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Arthur Jones, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Elizabeth Leiter and Kim Woodard, Jane Goodall: The Hope (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Lo, Stray (Magnolia Pictures)
Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Rewind (Grizzly Creek Films/PBS Independent Lens)
Best Cinematography
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Roger Horrocks, My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky and Egil Håskjold Larsen, Gunda (Neon)
Scott Ressler, Neil Gelinas and Stefan Wiesen, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Gianfranco Rosi, Notturno (Stemal Entertainment)
Ruben Woodin Dechamps, The Reason I Jump (Kino Lorber)
Best Editing
Don Bernier, Athlete A (Netflix)
Eli Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
Lindy Jankura and Alex Keipper, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Helen Kearns, Assassins (Greenwich Entertainment)
Victor Kossakovsky and Ainara Vera, Gunda (Neon)
Eileen Meyer and Andrew Gersh, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Charlotte Munch Bengtsen, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Score
Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Marco Beltrami, Brandon Roberts and Buck Sanders, The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Tyler Durham, Sven Faulconer and Xander Rodzinski, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Peter Nashel and Brian Deming, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Daniel Pemberton, Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Jeff Tweedy, Long Gone Summer (ESPN)
Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy and Sammy Tweedy, Showbiz Kids (HBO)
Best Narration
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
David Attenborough, Narrator
David Attenborough, Writer
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Narrator
Kirsten Johnson, Writer
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (Apple)
Werner Herzog, Narrator
Werner Herzog, Writer
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Blair Underwood, Narrator
Melissa Haizlip, Writer
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Craig Foster, Narrator
Craig Foster, Writer
Time (Amazon Studios)
Fox Rich, Narrator
Fox Rich, Writer
Totally Under Control (Neon)
Alex Gibney, Narrator
Alex Gibney, Writer
Best Archival Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Belushi (Showtime)
Class Action Park (HBO Max)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Historical/Biographical Documentary
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Howard (Disney+)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Production)
Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (Netflix)
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (HBO)
Best Music Documentary
Beastie Boys Story (Apple)
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Laurel Canyon (Epix)
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (Magnolia Pictures)
Other Music (Factory 25)
Zappa (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Political Documentary
All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Boys State (Apple)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Totally Under Control (Neon)
The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Best Science/Nature Documentary
Coded Bias (7th Empire Media/PBS Independent Lens)
Fantastic Fungi (Moving Art)
Gunda (Neon)
I Am Greta (Hulu)
The Last Ice (National Geographic)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Sports Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Athlete A (Netflix)
Be Water (ESPN)
A Most Beautiful Thing (50 Eggs Films)
Red Penguins (Universal Pictures)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
You Cannot Kill David Arquette (Super Ltd)
Best Short Documentary
Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN)
(Directors: Kristen Lappas and Tom Rinaldi. Producers: Craig Lazarus, José Morales, Lindsay Rovegno, Victor Vitarelli and Ben Webber)
The Claudia Kishi Club (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Ding)
Crescendo! (Quibi)
(Director: Alex Mallis. Producers: Matt O’Neill and Perri Peltz)
Elevator Pitch (Field of Vision)
(Director and Producer: Martyna Starosta)
Hunger Ward (Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films)
(Director and Producer: Skye Fitzgerald. Producer: Michael Scheuerman)
Into the Fire (National Geographic)
(Director: Orlando von Einsiedel. Producers: Mark Bauch, Harri Grace and Dan Lin)
My Father the Mover (MTV Documentary Films)
(Director: Julia Jansch. Producer: Mandilakhe Yengo)
The Rifleman (Field of Vision)
(Director: Sierra Pettengill. Producer: Arielle de Saint Phalle)
The Speed Cubers (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Kim. Producers: Evan Krauss and Chris Romano)
St. Louis Superman (MTV Documentary Films)
(Directors and Producers: Sami Khan and Smriti Mundhra. Producer: Poh Si Teng)
Most Compelling Living Subjects Of A Documentary (Honor)
Dr. Rick Bright – Totally Under Control (Neon)
Steven Garza – Boys State (Apple)
The Go-Go’s – The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Judith Heumann – Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson – Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Maggie Nichols, Rachael Denhollander, Jamie Dantzscher – Athlete A (Netflix)
Fox Rich – Time (Amazon)
Pete Souza – The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Taylor Swift – Miss Americana (Netflix)
Greta Thunberg – I Am Greta (Hulu)
Distributor Nominations
Netflix: 31
Neon: 14
Magnolia Pictures: 9
Showtime: 6
Amazon Studios: 5
HBO: 5
National Geographic: 5
PBS Independent Lens: 5
Shoes in the Bed Productions: 5
Apple: 4
ESPN: 3
Focus Features: 3
Wavelength Productions: 3
Field of Vision: 2
Hulu: 2
IFC: 2
MTV Documentary Films: 2
Sony: 2
7th Empire Media: 1
50 Eggs Films: 1
Disney+: 1
Epix: 1
Factory 25: 1
Greenwich Entertainment: 1
Grizzly Creek Films: 1
HBO Max: 1
Kino Lorber: 1
Moving Art: 1
Quibi: 1
Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films: 1
Stemal Entertainment: 1
Super Ltd: 1
Universal: 1...
With an inclusive list, to say the least, of about 50 films from approximately 200 submissions, three docs led the way with five noms apiece: Mr. Soul, about a historic Black TV show; Gunda, a touching film about the daily life of a pig and farm companions from exec producer Joaquin Phoenix; and Netflix’s Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, an archival film about a summer camp catering to disabled young people.
Close behind with four nods each were Alex Gibney’s striking Covid-19 docu Totally Under Control that was actually just completed about two weeks ago; the personal story of a father and daugher, Dick Johnson Is Dead; the remarkable nature doc My Octopus Teacher; and gymnastics scandal pic Athlete A. The latter three hail from Netflix, which swamped the competition with 31 nominations, a more than 2-to-1 distance between next closest distributor Neon with 14. They are the only two distributors to reach double digits.
Overall the critics were in a generous mood, offering 15 films noms for Best Documentary Feature alone.
“At a unique time for the entertainment industry and the world, documentaries are more important and fortunately more abundant and more available and more essential than ever,” said Christopher Campbell, president of the documentary branch of Cca. “In 2020, documentaries have taken us to places and shown us perspectives we’ve never experienced before. They’ve chronicled events and life stories that are enlightening and enthralling — and sometimes frightening. It is a great honor for the Cca to celebrate these stories and subjects and shed light on the work of so many incredible filmmakers. The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year. Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Nominees were selected by Critics’ Choice members who were divided into five committees to whittle down the field.
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Gunda (Neon)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
A Secret Love (Netflix)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Time (Amazon Studios)
Best Director
Garrett Bradley, Time (Amazon Studios)
Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, Athlete A (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky, Gunda (Neon)
James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Benjamin Ree, The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
Best First Documentary Feature
Robert S. Bader, Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Chris Bolan, A Secret Love (Netflix)
Melissa Haizlip, Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Arthur Jones, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Elizabeth Leiter and Kim Woodard, Jane Goodall: The Hope (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Lo, Stray (Magnolia Pictures)
Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Rewind (Grizzly Creek Films/PBS Independent Lens)
Best Cinematography
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Roger Horrocks, My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky and Egil Håskjold Larsen, Gunda (Neon)
Scott Ressler, Neil Gelinas and Stefan Wiesen, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Gianfranco Rosi, Notturno (Stemal Entertainment)
Ruben Woodin Dechamps, The Reason I Jump (Kino Lorber)
Best Editing
Don Bernier, Athlete A (Netflix)
Eli Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
Lindy Jankura and Alex Keipper, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Helen Kearns, Assassins (Greenwich Entertainment)
Victor Kossakovsky and Ainara Vera, Gunda (Neon)
Eileen Meyer and Andrew Gersh, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Charlotte Munch Bengtsen, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Score
Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Marco Beltrami, Brandon Roberts and Buck Sanders, The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Tyler Durham, Sven Faulconer and Xander Rodzinski, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Peter Nashel and Brian Deming, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Daniel Pemberton, Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Jeff Tweedy, Long Gone Summer (ESPN)
Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy and Sammy Tweedy, Showbiz Kids (HBO)
Best Narration
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
David Attenborough, Narrator
David Attenborough, Writer
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Narrator
Kirsten Johnson, Writer
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (Apple)
Werner Herzog, Narrator
Werner Herzog, Writer
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Blair Underwood, Narrator
Melissa Haizlip, Writer
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Craig Foster, Narrator
Craig Foster, Writer
Time (Amazon Studios)
Fox Rich, Narrator
Fox Rich, Writer
Totally Under Control (Neon)
Alex Gibney, Narrator
Alex Gibney, Writer
Best Archival Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Belushi (Showtime)
Class Action Park (HBO Max)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Historical/Biographical Documentary
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Howard (Disney+)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Production)
Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (Netflix)
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (HBO)
Best Music Documentary
Beastie Boys Story (Apple)
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Laurel Canyon (Epix)
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (Magnolia Pictures)
Other Music (Factory 25)
Zappa (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Political Documentary
All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Boys State (Apple)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Totally Under Control (Neon)
The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Best Science/Nature Documentary
Coded Bias (7th Empire Media/PBS Independent Lens)
Fantastic Fungi (Moving Art)
Gunda (Neon)
I Am Greta (Hulu)
The Last Ice (National Geographic)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Sports Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Athlete A (Netflix)
Be Water (ESPN)
A Most Beautiful Thing (50 Eggs Films)
Red Penguins (Universal Pictures)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
You Cannot Kill David Arquette (Super Ltd)
Best Short Documentary
Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN)
(Directors: Kristen Lappas and Tom Rinaldi. Producers: Craig Lazarus, José Morales, Lindsay Rovegno, Victor Vitarelli and Ben Webber)
The Claudia Kishi Club (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Ding)
Crescendo! (Quibi)
(Director: Alex Mallis. Producers: Matt O’Neill and Perri Peltz)
Elevator Pitch (Field of Vision)
(Director and Producer: Martyna Starosta)
Hunger Ward (Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films)
(Director and Producer: Skye Fitzgerald. Producer: Michael Scheuerman)
Into the Fire (National Geographic)
(Director: Orlando von Einsiedel. Producers: Mark Bauch, Harri Grace and Dan Lin)
My Father the Mover (MTV Documentary Films)
(Director: Julia Jansch. Producer: Mandilakhe Yengo)
The Rifleman (Field of Vision)
(Director: Sierra Pettengill. Producer: Arielle de Saint Phalle)
The Speed Cubers (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Kim. Producers: Evan Krauss and Chris Romano)
St. Louis Superman (MTV Documentary Films)
(Directors and Producers: Sami Khan and Smriti Mundhra. Producer: Poh Si Teng)
Most Compelling Living Subjects Of A Documentary (Honor)
Dr. Rick Bright – Totally Under Control (Neon)
Steven Garza – Boys State (Apple)
The Go-Go’s – The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Judith Heumann – Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson – Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Maggie Nichols, Rachael Denhollander, Jamie Dantzscher – Athlete A (Netflix)
Fox Rich – Time (Amazon)
Pete Souza – The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Taylor Swift – Miss Americana (Netflix)
Greta Thunberg – I Am Greta (Hulu)
Distributor Nominations
Netflix: 31
Neon: 14
Magnolia Pictures: 9
Showtime: 6
Amazon Studios: 5
HBO: 5
National Geographic: 5
PBS Independent Lens: 5
Shoes in the Bed Productions: 5
Apple: 4
ESPN: 3
Focus Features: 3
Wavelength Productions: 3
Field of Vision: 2
Hulu: 2
IFC: 2
MTV Documentary Films: 2
Sony: 2
7th Empire Media: 1
50 Eggs Films: 1
Disney+: 1
Epix: 1
Factory 25: 1
Greenwich Entertainment: 1
Grizzly Creek Films: 1
HBO Max: 1
Kino Lorber: 1
Moving Art: 1
Quibi: 1
Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films: 1
Stemal Entertainment: 1
Super Ltd: 1
Universal: 1...
- 10/26/2020
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
It makes sense that this year’s AFI Fest closed on Thursday night with the premiere of director Errol Morris’ wild and entertaining documentary “My Psychedelic Love Story.” In a year in which reality has smacked all of us in the face, nonfiction filmmaking is in the spotlight more than ever, from a string of docs that deal with issues at stake in the upcoming election to more freewheeling works like Morris’ film, a Wtf concoction from a director who only gets this playful once in a while.
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
- 10/23/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
First Look Media’s Topic Studios has announced the appointments of Alysse Bezahler and Christine Connor, who will take on the Senior Vice President of Production and Vice President of Nonfiction roles, respectively. The new executives, announced Friday, will report directly to Maria Zuckerman, Executive Vice President of Topic Studios.
Bezahler, who comes into the new position following her time at AMC Studios, will oversee all physical production needs for Topic Studios’ content across television, film, podcasts, documentary features and premium nonfiction series. The industry vet will also helm Topic Studio’s dedicated in-house production and postproduction executives and boost the company’s presence in the production community.
“With her sterling bona fides as both an independent producer and studio executive, Alysse’s boots-on-the-ground know-how, problem-solving spirit and proven track record across media position Topic Studios to provide best-in-class support to creators and partners alike,” said Zuckerman.
Connor, as the...
Bezahler, who comes into the new position following her time at AMC Studios, will oversee all physical production needs for Topic Studios’ content across television, film, podcasts, documentary features and premium nonfiction series. The industry vet will also helm Topic Studio’s dedicated in-house production and postproduction executives and boost the company’s presence in the production community.
“With her sterling bona fides as both an independent producer and studio executive, Alysse’s boots-on-the-ground know-how, problem-solving spirit and proven track record across media position Topic Studios to provide best-in-class support to creators and partners alike,” said Zuckerman.
Connor, as the...
- 10/23/2020
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
With only three weeks before a particularly consequential Election Day, political movies — both documentaries and docudramas — are flooding the market in an effort to keep voters engaged and enraged.
Most prominent are Aaron Sorkin’s star-studded “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Alex Gibney’s pandemic response expose “Totally Under Control” and Liz Garbus-Lisa Cortés’ “All In: The Fight for Democracy.”
But that’s just the tip of the political iceberg of movies taking advantage of the heightened political climate this month. There’s also “The Soul of America,” directed by Kd Davison and based on Jon Meacham’s 2018 book “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels.” The film explores historical challenges such as the women’s suffrage movement, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, and the struggle to pass Civil Rights legislation. HBO is airing on Oct. 27.
The footage includes an interview with the...
Most prominent are Aaron Sorkin’s star-studded “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Alex Gibney’s pandemic response expose “Totally Under Control” and Liz Garbus-Lisa Cortés’ “All In: The Fight for Democracy.”
But that’s just the tip of the political iceberg of movies taking advantage of the heightened political climate this month. There’s also “The Soul of America,” directed by Kd Davison and based on Jon Meacham’s 2018 book “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels.” The film explores historical challenges such as the women’s suffrage movement, the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, and the struggle to pass Civil Rights legislation. HBO is airing on Oct. 27.
The footage includes an interview with the...
- 10/14/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
As the term “fake news” gets thrown around recklessly and clickbait headlines spread misinformation, many people have found it hard to find facts from reliable sources. Perhaps people should turn to documentaries. In a new study from The Center for Media & Social Impact, Americans view documentary storytelling as a trustworthy information source and a touchstone for civic dialogue on social challenges such as racism and police violence
The study, “Breaking the Silence: How Documentaries Can Shape the Conversation on Racial Violence in America and Create New Communities”, was conducted in 2020 before the world saw a surge in discourse on systemic racism. The participatory research focused on the responses to the Itvs co-production Always in Season directed by Jacqueline Olive. The docu debuted at Sundance in 2019 and premiered on Independent Lens on PBS. Always in Season explores the lingering impact of more than a century of lynching African Americans and connects...
The study, “Breaking the Silence: How Documentaries Can Shape the Conversation on Racial Violence in America and Create New Communities”, was conducted in 2020 before the world saw a surge in discourse on systemic racism. The participatory research focused on the responses to the Itvs co-production Always in Season directed by Jacqueline Olive. The docu debuted at Sundance in 2019 and premiered on Independent Lens on PBS. Always in Season explores the lingering impact of more than a century of lynching African Americans and connects...
- 10/14/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, “The Fight,” is now looking to battle its way into the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature. At Sundance, this Magnolia Pictures + Topic Studios release premiered to stellar reviews and took home the honor for U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking. The film, from Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, is currently available to stream on Hulu.
“The Fight” follows several lawyers who work for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who are each working on a specific case that challenges the policies of Donald Trump’s administration. Lee Gelernt is arguing cases for migrant parents who have been separated from their children and are desperate to have their family reunited. Joshua Block and Chase Strangio are representing a transgender man that’s currently enlisted in the military and challenging Trump’s ban on trans service members.
“The Fight” follows several lawyers who work for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who are each working on a specific case that challenges the policies of Donald Trump’s administration. Lee Gelernt is arguing cases for migrant parents who have been separated from their children and are desperate to have their family reunited. Joshua Block and Chase Strangio are representing a transgender man that’s currently enlisted in the military and challenging Trump’s ban on trans service members.
- 10/14/2020
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
The first official trailer and new poster for the documentary feature film “Collective,” which debuted at the Venice Film Festival last year, has been shared exclusively with Variety.
Directed by Alexander Nanau (“Toto and His Sisters”), the film follows a team of investigative journalists at the Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor as they try to uncover a vast health-care fraud. As they follow the facts, they find shocking, widespread corruption involving enriched moguls and politicians that lead to the deaths of innocent citizens.
Magnolia Pictures plans to submit the film for the upcoming Academy Awards in the best documentary feature category. The film also has a chance to be Romania’s official submission for best international feature.
Variety reviewed the film saying, “Every now and then a documentary doesn’t just open your eyes but tears you apart by exposing a moral rift with resonance far beyond the film’s home country.
Directed by Alexander Nanau (“Toto and His Sisters”), the film follows a team of investigative journalists at the Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor as they try to uncover a vast health-care fraud. As they follow the facts, they find shocking, widespread corruption involving enriched moguls and politicians that lead to the deaths of innocent citizens.
Magnolia Pictures plans to submit the film for the upcoming Academy Awards in the best documentary feature category. The film also has a chance to be Romania’s official submission for best international feature.
Variety reviewed the film saying, “Every now and then a documentary doesn’t just open your eyes but tears you apart by exposing a moral rift with resonance far beyond the film’s home country.
- 10/6/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
NewFest is hosting a reading of Ang Lee’s groundbreaking Brokeback Mountain at its New York LGBTQ Film Festival on October 18, employing an all-trans cast for the event that commemorates the film’s 15th anniversary.
The cast features Leo Sheng (The L Word) as Ennis, Brian Michael Smith (911: Lone Star) as Jack, Jen Richards (Tales of the City) as Alma, Alexandra Grey (Empire) as Lurleen and Disclosure director Sam Feder as the narrator.
The original film starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, respectively, cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and forge an unexpected lifelong connection full of joy, complication and tragedy. It scored eight Oscar nominations and won three, including for Lee’s directing and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana’s script.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The NewFest Future Fund, to benefit the organization and its programs for LGBTQ+ youth, filmmaker resources,...
The cast features Leo Sheng (The L Word) as Ennis, Brian Michael Smith (911: Lone Star) as Jack, Jen Richards (Tales of the City) as Alma, Alexandra Grey (Empire) as Lurleen and Disclosure director Sam Feder as the narrator.
The original film starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, respectively, cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and forge an unexpected lifelong connection full of joy, complication and tragedy. It scored eight Oscar nominations and won three, including for Lee’s directing and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana’s script.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The NewFest Future Fund, to benefit the organization and its programs for LGBTQ+ youth, filmmaker resources,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
IndieWire and International Documentary Association have again partnered for the organization’s annual Screening Series. This year, due to the shifted awards calendar and stay-at-home guidelines, screenings will extend through January and all films will be available on demand for Ida members worldwide. Each screening will conclude with a moderated Q&a available for viewing by the general public. IndieWire and Krcw have returned again as exclusive media sponsors of the Screening Series. IndieWire will be posting written and video coverage of the screenings alongside Kcrw’s community support.
The lineup launches October 8 with Amazon Studios’ “Time,” directed by Garrett Bradley. The documentary, which debuted to raves at the Sundance Film Festival, follows Fox Rich, an entrepreneur, author, and mother of six. She has spent the last 21 years fighting for the release of her husband, Rob, who is serving a 60-year sentence for an offense they both committed.
The films...
The lineup launches October 8 with Amazon Studios’ “Time,” directed by Garrett Bradley. The documentary, which debuted to raves at the Sundance Film Festival, follows Fox Rich, an entrepreneur, author, and mother of six. She has spent the last 21 years fighting for the release of her husband, Rob, who is serving a 60-year sentence for an offense they both committed.
The films...
- 9/22/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Tgif! At long last, the weekend is here, bringing with it a wide range of new content across the major streaming services. Disney Plus, in particular, dropped a whole bunch of shows and movies that are sure to appeal to all audiences, while it looks like it’ll be another busy weekend for Netflix after releasing their heavy hitter, Tom Holland’s The Devil All The Time, on Wednesday, as they’re following it up with a few big TV shows.
Take a look at the full list below to see everything that’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max and Amazon Prime from Friday, September 18th – Sunday, September 20th.
September 18th
Netflix
American Barbecue Showdown (Season 1)
Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020)
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (Season 1)
Ratched (Season 1)
Whipped (2020)
Disney Plus
Bend it Like Beckham
Coop & Cami Ask the World (s2)
Europe from Above (s1)
Ever After: A Cinderella Story...
Take a look at the full list below to see everything that’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max and Amazon Prime from Friday, September 18th – Sunday, September 20th.
September 18th
Netflix
American Barbecue Showdown (Season 1)
Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020)
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (Season 1)
Ratched (Season 1)
Whipped (2020)
Disney Plus
Bend it Like Beckham
Coop & Cami Ask the World (s2)
Europe from Above (s1)
Ever After: A Cinderella Story...
- 9/18/2020
- by Jack Weynand
- We Got This Covered
Hulu is out with its list of everything new coming to the streaming service in the month of September — and everything that’s leaving.
Highlights in the new category include Season 2 of “Pen15,” which stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle as their middle school selves, out Sept. 18. Another highlight is the series premiere of “Woke,” inspired by the life and work of American cartoonist Keith Knight. That’s out Sept. 9.
Leaving at the end of the month are movies like “50 First Dates,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “Best in Show.”
See the full list below.
Sept. 1
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Complete Season 4 (Adult Swim)
Jeopardy!: Episode Refresh (ABC)
50 First Dates (2004)
Absolute Power (1997)
Aeon Flux (2005)
American Dragons (1998)
An American Haunting (2006)
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Anywhere but Here (1999)
Back to School (1986)
Bad Girls from Mars (1991)
The Bank Job (2008)
Because I Said So (2007)
The Birdcage (1997)
Broken Lizard’s Club Dread (2004)
Call Me (1988)
Carrington (1995)
The Cold Light Of Day...
Highlights in the new category include Season 2 of “Pen15,” which stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle as their middle school selves, out Sept. 18. Another highlight is the series premiere of “Woke,” inspired by the life and work of American cartoonist Keith Knight. That’s out Sept. 9.
Leaving at the end of the month are movies like “50 First Dates,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “Best in Show.”
See the full list below.
Sept. 1
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Complete Season 4 (Adult Swim)
Jeopardy!: Episode Refresh (ABC)
50 First Dates (2004)
Absolute Power (1997)
Aeon Flux (2005)
American Dragons (1998)
An American Haunting (2006)
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Anywhere but Here (1999)
Back to School (1986)
Bad Girls from Mars (1991)
The Bank Job (2008)
Because I Said So (2007)
The Birdcage (1997)
Broken Lizard’s Club Dread (2004)
Call Me (1988)
Carrington (1995)
The Cold Light Of Day...
- 9/1/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Yes, that headline is correct. Orson Welles, who passed away 35 years ago this fall, has a newly completed film and it’s coming to fall festivals. Hopper/ Welles features never-before-seen footage resurrected by producer Filip Jan Rymsza and editor Bob Murawski during their dig into the archives to complete The Other Side of the Wind. Featuring a fireside chat between Dennis Hopper and the Citizen Kane director, the first clip has now arrived ahead of premieres at Venice and NYFF.
Also playing at both festivals is Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, a 30-minute short film adapting Jean Cocteau’s one-act play The Human Voice and starring Tilda Swinton. The gorgeous first clip has landed for the film, which features an isolated Swinton in the kind of vivid garb only the Spanish director could dream up.
Check out the clips below, along with New York Film Festival‘s complete, recently unveiled Spotlight section lineup,...
Also playing at both festivals is Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, a 30-minute short film adapting Jean Cocteau’s one-act play The Human Voice and starring Tilda Swinton. The gorgeous first clip has landed for the film, which features an isolated Swinton in the kind of vivid garb only the Spanish director could dream up.
Check out the clips below, along with New York Film Festival‘s complete, recently unveiled Spotlight section lineup,...
- 8/28/2020
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
In 1978, ACLU executive director Ira Glasser had to explain to the press and to the public the ACLU’s choice to defend the free speech rights of neo-Nazi protestors marching in Skokie, Illinois. Over 40 years later, the new documentary “Mighty Ira” shows Glasser looking back on that choice in the light of similar protests and riots that rocked Charlottesville, Virginia.
“Mighty Ira,” for which TheWrap has the exclusive first look trailer, profiles Glasser and explains how he is one of the unsung champions of civil rights and liberties. As the executive director of the ACLU between 1978-2001, becoming the director in the immediate fallout of the Skokie case, Glasser helped expand the organization from being on the verge of bankruptcy into the civil liberties juggernaut it is today.
But the Skokie case would define his career and proved to be hugely controversial as he came face to face with Holocaust...
“Mighty Ira,” for which TheWrap has the exclusive first look trailer, profiles Glasser and explains how he is one of the unsung champions of civil rights and liberties. As the executive director of the ACLU between 1978-2001, becoming the director in the immediate fallout of the Skokie case, Glasser helped expand the organization from being on the verge of bankruptcy into the civil liberties juggernaut it is today.
But the Skokie case would define his career and proved to be hugely controversial as he came face to face with Holocaust...
- 8/27/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
As one of the weirder “back to school” seasons in living memory rolls out, Hulu is heading back to school in its own way for September 2020.
The biggest Hulu original arriving to the streaming services stream this month is season 2 of coming-of-age comedy Pen15…which of course stars two adults who have already come of age playing their middle school selves.
Speaking of middle school, perhaps the biggest non-original addition to the Hulu library this month is the arrival of all The Twilight Saga movies on September 1. That should prove to be a real nostalgia trip for interested parties. Other library titles of note include Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, The Terminator, and 2019’s Judy on September 25.
Bookending Hulu’s originals this month is another intriguing comedy, Woke. This series will star Lamorne Morris as a Black cartoonist who gets an unexpected wakeup call.
Here is everything else...
The biggest Hulu original arriving to the streaming services stream this month is season 2 of coming-of-age comedy Pen15…which of course stars two adults who have already come of age playing their middle school selves.
Speaking of middle school, perhaps the biggest non-original addition to the Hulu library this month is the arrival of all The Twilight Saga movies on September 1. That should prove to be a real nostalgia trip for interested parties. Other library titles of note include Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, The Terminator, and 2019’s Judy on September 25.
Bookending Hulu’s originals this month is another intriguing comedy, Woke. This series will star Lamorne Morris as a Black cartoonist who gets an unexpected wakeup call.
Here is everything else...
- 8/19/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
With the streaming wars really starting to heat up now thanks to all the new services that have sprung up over the past few months, it’s more important than ever for the major players to continue delivering truckloads of new content to keep subscribers happy. And thankfully, Hulu intends on doing just that.
Earlier today, the platform announced their September line-up and it’s an exciting mix of films and TV shows covering iconic classics, underrated gems, overlooked projects and true fan favorites. In fact, it’s looking like a particularly strong month compared to what we’ve seen from the streaming site over the summer so far and below, you can check out the entire list of what’s headed to Hulu in the coming weeks.
Released September 1
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Complete Season 4 (Adult Swim)
Jeopardy!: Episode Refresh (ABC)
50 First Dates (2004)
Absolute Power (1997)
Aeon Flux (2005)
American Dragons...
Earlier today, the platform announced their September line-up and it’s an exciting mix of films and TV shows covering iconic classics, underrated gems, overlooked projects and true fan favorites. In fact, it’s looking like a particularly strong month compared to what we’ve seen from the streaming site over the summer so far and below, you can check out the entire list of what’s headed to Hulu in the coming weeks.
Released September 1
Mike Tyson Mysteries: Complete Season 4 (Adult Swim)
Jeopardy!: Episode Refresh (ABC)
50 First Dates (2004)
Absolute Power (1997)
Aeon Flux (2005)
American Dragons...
- 8/18/2020
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
Was it a simpler time back in January, when “Boys State” won the jury prize as the best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival? Maybe it was – certainly, it was a time before the pandemic really came to our shores, before life as we knew it ground to a halt, before George Floyd was killed and cities erupted, before a Black and Asian woman became a major party’s presumed nominee for vice president.
And in those times, maybe it was possible to sit through the opening half hour of “Boys State,” meeting a group of 16- and 17-year-old boys from Texas who are interested in government, and not cringe at what you heard. But it’s a little harder to do that only seven months later, with “Boys State” coming to Apple TV+ on August 14.
These days, to watch these would-be legislators assemble in Austin, Texas for the annual...
And in those times, maybe it was possible to sit through the opening half hour of “Boys State,” meeting a group of 16- and 17-year-old boys from Texas who are interested in government, and not cringe at what you heard. But it’s a little harder to do that only seven months later, with “Boys State” coming to Apple TV+ on August 14.
These days, to watch these would-be legislators assemble in Austin, Texas for the annual...
- 8/13/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
From Brett Kavanaugh’s rise to the Supreme Court, to the Muslim ban, to the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Magnolia’s new documentary on the American Civil Liberties Union “The Fight” covers all these pivotal events.
Beginning with the protests over the travel ban from seven Muslim countries in early 2017, “The Fight” follows four cases and four lawyers dealing with LGBTQ rights, immigration, abortion and voting rights.
For editors, Eli B. Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, the key was telling character stories instead of providing a complete history of the ACLU. It was about telling a concise story in under 100 minutes without overwhelming the viewer and following the vérité experience of the lawyers.
Despres, Finton and Roberts talk to Variety about getting to the heart of the action despite all the twists and turns that the ever-changing news climate provided while editing “The Fight,” which is now available on-demand.
Beginning with the protests over the travel ban from seven Muslim countries in early 2017, “The Fight” follows four cases and four lawyers dealing with LGBTQ rights, immigration, abortion and voting rights.
For editors, Eli B. Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, the key was telling character stories instead of providing a complete history of the ACLU. It was about telling a concise story in under 100 minutes without overwhelming the viewer and following the vérité experience of the lawyers.
Despres, Finton and Roberts talk to Variety about getting to the heart of the action despite all the twists and turns that the ever-changing news climate provided while editing “The Fight,” which is now available on-demand.
- 8/4/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Bill Maher returned to original episodes for the first time in a month, still resigned to taping HBO’s Real Time at his own house.
He came back with a bang though, with a strong guest list that included Kerry Washington discussing her ACLU documentary The Fight, Jim Carrey on his new bestselling novel, and a spirited discussion with now-ex-New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss and New York Times Magazine and Harper’s Magazine contributor Thomas Chatterton Williams on standing up to illiberalism, two weeks after Weiss resigned from the Nyt in protest of its editorial atmosphere in which “self-censorship has become the norm.”
As Maher relayed in his opening monologue, he had missed a lot during his four-week hiatus, but centered on President Donald Trump’s latest jab just Thursday, when chipping away on protesting mail-in voting he suggested the November 3 presidential election could be delayed.
“With Universal Mail-In Voting, 2020 will be the most Inaccurate & Fraudulent Election in history,” Trump had tweeted Thursday, the day Maher taped tonight’s show. “It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Regular watchers of Real Time will know that Maher for months and months has been among the most consistent of pundits to openly question whether Trump would actually leave office if Democratic opponent Joe Biden were to be elected president — Maher has asked the question of “what happens when he won’t leave?” of almost all of his panels.
Biden has even wondered as much, in April saying Trump “is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held.” Most recent national polls show Biden enjoying a clear lead in the race.
Maher saved the topic for the end of the monologue Friday.
“The most important issue, or it least it should be” was Trump’s tweet floating the election-day move idea, he said. “Ok, for everyone who has called me crazy the last three years because I was asking this question and saying he would do exactly that? I will accept your apology in weed.”
Here’s his full opening:
Okay, for everyone who has called me crazy the last three years because I was saying Trump will want to delay the election, I will accept your apology in weed. pic.twitter.com/JuxbSjvTJT
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) August 1, 2020
Here’s Washington on The Fight, which launched Friday:
Here’s Carrey, talking his bestseller Memoirs and Misinformation: A Novel:
Related Deadline Video...
He came back with a bang though, with a strong guest list that included Kerry Washington discussing her ACLU documentary The Fight, Jim Carrey on his new bestselling novel, and a spirited discussion with now-ex-New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss and New York Times Magazine and Harper’s Magazine contributor Thomas Chatterton Williams on standing up to illiberalism, two weeks after Weiss resigned from the Nyt in protest of its editorial atmosphere in which “self-censorship has become the norm.”
As Maher relayed in his opening monologue, he had missed a lot during his four-week hiatus, but centered on President Donald Trump’s latest jab just Thursday, when chipping away on protesting mail-in voting he suggested the November 3 presidential election could be delayed.
“With Universal Mail-In Voting, 2020 will be the most Inaccurate & Fraudulent Election in history,” Trump had tweeted Thursday, the day Maher taped tonight’s show. “It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Regular watchers of Real Time will know that Maher for months and months has been among the most consistent of pundits to openly question whether Trump would actually leave office if Democratic opponent Joe Biden were to be elected president — Maher has asked the question of “what happens when he won’t leave?” of almost all of his panels.
Biden has even wondered as much, in April saying Trump “is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held.” Most recent national polls show Biden enjoying a clear lead in the race.
Maher saved the topic for the end of the monologue Friday.
“The most important issue, or it least it should be” was Trump’s tweet floating the election-day move idea, he said. “Ok, for everyone who has called me crazy the last three years because I was asking this question and saying he would do exactly that? I will accept your apology in weed.”
Here’s his full opening:
Okay, for everyone who has called me crazy the last three years because I was saying Trump will want to delay the election, I will accept your apology in weed. pic.twitter.com/JuxbSjvTJT
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) August 1, 2020
Here’s Washington on The Fight, which launched Friday:
Here’s Carrey, talking his bestseller Memoirs and Misinformation: A Novel:
Related Deadline Video...
- 8/1/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Fight” may have been released on Friday, but producer Kerry Washington understands if people are watching Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” first.
“I know what I’ll be watching Friday. I’ll be firmly in the beehive, but [‘The Fight’ is] there,” Washington said Thursday during a taping of an upcoming episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
Washington says the two films compliment each other. “We are a wonderful addition to empowerment and the value of humanity,” she said. “And it feels really special to be producing work in a time when our narratives are really speaking to the value of inclusivity and the beauty of all people.”
The “Little Fires Everywhere” star said she’d love to work with Queen B. “I was thinking this morning, because I’ve been doing a lot more directing and I really love directing…I should maybe reach...
“I know what I’ll be watching Friday. I’ll be firmly in the beehive, but [‘The Fight’ is] there,” Washington said Thursday during a taping of an upcoming episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
Washington says the two films compliment each other. “We are a wonderful addition to empowerment and the value of humanity,” she said. “And it feels really special to be producing work in a time when our narratives are really speaking to the value of inclusivity and the beauty of all people.”
The “Little Fires Everywhere” star said she’d love to work with Queen B. “I was thinking this morning, because I’ve been doing a lot more directing and I really love directing…I should maybe reach...
- 7/31/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
In what’s shaping up to be the strangest weekend yet since the coronavirus outbreak forced American theaters to close, the biggest release is Beyoncé’s visual album, “Black Is King,” a visionary feature-length companion to her 2019 album, in the tradition of “Lemonade.”
A number of studio movies — including Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” — had tentatively planted their flag on July 31, only to delay amid the latest spike of infections. But the strategy is changing lately, as Russell Crowe road-rage thriller “Unhinged” moves forward with its release … abroad. Now “Tenet” and other titles are weighing a similar international-first strategy.
That leaves U.S. audiences with two very different options: Buy a ticket and fly abroad to see the tentpoles you’re missing (assuming foreign nations let Americans enter the country), or make do with the virtual releases that remain. In some cases, films are still pushing for limited theatrical releases among...
A number of studio movies — including Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” — had tentatively planted their flag on July 31, only to delay amid the latest spike of infections. But the strategy is changing lately, as Russell Crowe road-rage thriller “Unhinged” moves forward with its release … abroad. Now “Tenet” and other titles are weighing a similar international-first strategy.
That leaves U.S. audiences with two very different options: Buy a ticket and fly abroad to see the tentpoles you’re missing (assuming foreign nations let Americans enter the country), or make do with the virtual releases that remain. In some cases, films are still pushing for limited theatrical releases among...
- 7/31/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Formed in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union, a.k.a. the ACLU, had been defending the rights of the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free for nearly a century when Donald Trump was sworn in to the presidency in January of 2017. The organization knew they would have their hands full when the former Reality TV star/failed real-estate mogul was granted the keys to the kingdom — and even they probably couldn’t have predicted just how many wars on numerous civil-liberty fronts they’d be combating.
- 7/31/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
You could argue that the documentary “The Fight” takes on too much, because it juggles four different court cases on four different, vitally important subjects, jumping back and forth between the quartet of cases and trying to give them all their proper due in its hour-and-a-half running time.
Or you could argue that “The Fight” takes on too little, because those four cases are supposed to give us a sense of all of the work that the near 300 lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union do. That’s an impossible task, since the ACLU has already filed close to 150 lawsuits against the Donald Trump administration alone.
Or you could decide, as I did, that “The Fight,” like a cinematic version of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” does it just right: It picks four cases that give a good overview of the ACLU’s work and all carry huge stakes; it...
Or you could argue that “The Fight” takes on too little, because those four cases are supposed to give us a sense of all of the work that the near 300 lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union do. That’s an impossible task, since the ACLU has already filed close to 150 lawsuits against the Donald Trump administration alone.
Or you could decide, as I did, that “The Fight,” like a cinematic version of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” does it just right: It picks four cases that give a good overview of the ACLU’s work and all carry huge stakes; it...
- 7/31/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
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