One of my most favorite festivals of any year DOC NYC opens Wednesday with a nother slate of great films.
Essentially a brother to Unseen Films, it’s been running as long as my website, the festival brings many of the best documentary films from around the globe to New York. A perfectly programmed festival the festival is a mix of world premieres and films from elsewhere picked with a nigh on perfect hand so that no matter what you see is a winner. (and odds are if you don’t like one of the films you’re seeing odds are it’s only because it suffers compared to the other films at the fest you’ve been seeing)
I love this fest not only for the films but because of the things that happen here. I’ve had great times with friends, watched Carrol Spinney pull Oscar out of bag and talk to people on line outside of the theater, I got to meet Lamb Chop and all sorts of other things. It’s a film festival where people from all walks of life come together.
I can wax poetic about it’s wonders, but all you need to know is run November 13th until December 1 so just buy tickets and go. (Information here)
As always I’ve seen a good number of the films already. Most of the one’s I’ve reviewed are below (* is a must see):
ANOTHER WAY THE JACKIE SHANY STORY
THIS IS A FILM ABOUT THE BLACK KEYS (*)
SOUNDTRACK FOR A COUP DE TAT (*)
NO OTHER LAND (*)
MOTHER APART (*)
FRIDA – I have a brief capsule set to go after the festival as part of a carch all piece- until then just know that this is a great portrait of Frida Kahlo that will make you fall in love with her work all over again.
NOCTURNES (You must see this is a theater because the sound kicks ass)
I have also seen MY SWEET LAND (a heart breaking tale of a young boy growing up in a land of war, and it will break your heart as you watch his eyes go dead) and PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY (About the filmmaker learning about the mother she never knew) and I am reposting the reviews during the festival. Both are excellent and worth your time.
As for the must see films of the new for the festival the list is as follows (please be aware the list is smaller than in past years simply because I was given access to fewer films before the fest):
WILL AND HARPER. Will Farrell goes on a road trip with his friend who has transitioned into being a woman. The idea is to “figure it out” and the result is a loving portrait that shows people are people regardless.
GALLAGHER deeply moving and very bittersweet portrait of the man best known for hitting watermelons with a sledgehammer. Its a warts and all portrait of the man that will make you laugh and break your heart.
FOX CHASE BOY short film based on Gerard Ageros' monologue about his life growing up in Phillie in the 1980's during which time he was molested by a priest. However don't think that's what the film is about, it is about something else entirely, life and the human spirit. Bring tissues because by the end you'll be crying good tears.
BLUE ROAD:THE EDNA O'BRIEN STORY, opens the festival and rightly so. A look at the writer, her books and the society she changed by writing them. It's a truly great film that transcends being just about a woman and her work. A must see.
And with that it’s time to go off and watch films. I know normally I review basically the whole festival, this year it will be a bit less- but I still have a tone of films to go. SO keep reading to see what we are covering.
And as always go buy tickets (GO HERE)
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