When: November 9-19, 2006
Where: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
What: Dedicated to promoting point-of-view documentary, the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal presents an annual program of films from around the world.  Films are selected according to various themes, and in some cases, the public is invited to participate in debates after the screenings.  Also part of the event is Doc Mtl Circuit; this emerging documentary market that allows members of the profession to meet with purchasers, distributors and production partners in Montreal.
Website: http://www.ridm.qc.ca/

During the feverish days following the attack, Congress established a billion- dollar compensation fund, and grieving wives became overnight millionaires.

No one could have known that for many of them, the money would destroy their lives once again, attracting jealousy, resentful relatives and making them even more depressed. Some would become squandering, spendaholic widows, their payouts fuelling addictions which could not replace the husbands they had lost. Others would become embroiled in legal battles with their families, their lives eaten up by bitterness.

Click here for the Daily Mail article.

After success pitching Quaker Oats and Miller High Life, Errol Morris is doing a series of TV ads for Reebok that will highlight when NFL players knew they were destine for greatness.  Morris commercials are always more interesting than the average fare, and this concept likely will continue the higher standard of work.  But these commercials highlights the difficulty of even a successful documentary director being able to be well compensated in his chosen field.

If you saw the film in 2002 and weren’t offended, well you might be today, or more likely the FCC might.  While it seems highly unlikely that films on such important subject matter as terrorists attacks and world wars, will lead to FCC fines, some CBS affiliates believe they might.  Reuters reports that dozens of CBS affiliates are unwilling to rebroadcast 9/11 because of course language used by firefighters.  With possible fines increasing ten fold under new rules, content caution is happening.

Thankfully, there is DOC Blog.  Daily posts leading up to and during this film festival.  Close to 50 filmmakers are asked to participate, and the posts vary widely.  But for a view into the festival and some of these filmmmakers thoughts as they make the best of it, DOC Blog should not be missed.

http://blog.tiffg.ca/blog/

When: September 15-21, 2006
Where: Overland Park, Kansas
What: Strong lineup of fictional and documentary films.  Particular films of interest this year include This Film Is Not Yet Rated, War Tapes, and Drakmar.
Website: http://www.kansasfilm.com/