PARK CITY, Utah — The talking heads in some documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival are not just real people recollecting real events.

Some are actors, recruited by the directors to help put human faces and voices to events lost in time, for which the filmmakers would have had to rely on static old photographs or artist sketches accompanied by narration to relate a story for which no video record exists.

The opening-night film Thursday at the 11-day festival, “Chicago 10,” uses a voice cast including Nick Nolte, Roy Scheider, Mark Ruffalo, Jeffrey Wright, Liev Schreiber and Hank Azaria for clever animated sequences that recreate the bedlam of the trial of anti-war demonstrators accused of inciting violence at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

“Nanking,” a study of the brutal Japanese occupation of the Chinese city in 1937, employs powerful performances by Woody Harrelson, Mariel Hemingway and others reciting from letters, journals and other accounts of people who lived through the invasion.

“Strange Culture” features Tilda Swinton, Thomas Jay Ryan and other actors in dramatized segments of events that led to the arrest of a University of Buffalo professor on suspicion of bioterrorism.

“Chicago 10″ director Brett Morgen had endless archival footage of street protests and defendants such as Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman discussing the events in public. What he lacked was a way to incorporate the trial, until he came across a comment from Rubin that the courtroom saga was a cartoon show.

Read the full AP story.

The time is here for the International Documentary Challenge (IDC). The IDCvvis a timed filmmaking competition developed by KDHX Community Media and sponsored by Hot Docs, SILVERDOCS, the International Documentary Association, the Documentary Organisation of Canada and the creators of the 48 Hour Film Project.

The Premise: Filmmaking teams from around the globe have just over 5 days to make a short non-fiction film (4-8 min.) Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, this year’s Presenting Partner, will host the theatrical premiere of the finalists and an awards ceremony in April. A traveling showcase of the winners will play festivals and film series across the world, a DVD will be released, and television distribution will be pursued. The IDC takes place this March 1-5, 2007. You can read more about the event and register here: http://www.documentarychallenge.org/

Director Ben Hopkins talks with Documentary Films .Net’s Tom Hamilton about his most recent film – an account of the Pamir Kirghiz tribe and their journey from nomadic pastoralism to settlement in Turkey.

Tom Hamilton. You have a background as a fiction film maker. What led you to make an ethnographic film?

Ben Hopkins. At the end of the last decade I made two fiction films very quickly one after another, and imagined, rather stupidly… in my youth… that this would be how it was always going to be. So I had made two feature fiction films before my thirtieth birthday and then immediately my career kind of collapsed! The market place changed and the British government film funding situation changed at around the same time, making it much more difficult for British art film makers to find funding. I struggled on for a few more years and moved my base to Berlin rather than London because it was easier to make films there.

Meanwhile, I got an offer from Hans Geissendörfer, who was the executive producer on my second fiction film The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz, to make a film with him about cluster bombs and unexploded ordnance. I came up with a proposal to film in Afghanistan, which was then the last place where cluster bombs had been used, with Laos being the first.

This became a 42 minute documentary called ‘Footprints’, which Hans and I eventually sold to Storyville at the BBC. Nick Fraser, the Executive Producer at Storyville, saw it and loved it and invited me in to ask what I wanted to do next as a documentary and I pitched the idea of the Pamir Kirghiz film. I knew about them because I’d met an Afghan academic who was helping me with the translation of the Pashtun dialogue in Footprints. He told me the about this tribe and I immediately thought that it was an incredible story that would make a really good film.

T. And the BBC then got behind it?

B. Nick said he didn’t normally do “tribe films”, as he called them, but because it was me he was willing to give it go. Eventually we found a way to get an invitation to go to Ulu Pamir to meet the tribe and when I got there I was struck by their sense of humour and how funny they were… not that I mean they were funny all the time or anything! Because the last film had been so sombre and depressing I was quite happy to run with this humorous nature.

T. Was that a conscious thing, to show their humorous side in this documentary?

B. My default mode, if you like, is humour – occasionally I do something serious but normally I like to be funny if possible. As the tribe were funny I wasn’t cutting against the grain there, so yes I was grateful that they had a good sense of humour. 

T. Why do you think ethnographic film has in the past lacked that comic aspect of people’s lives? 

B. It’s probably a spill over from academia, which in general is not exactly humorous. I know that well, coming from a family of academics. My father was one of those rare things, a humorous historian, and he found it often frustrating to work in that world, that tends towards dryness, and tends towards puffing-up its self-importance by making it difficult for the non-cognoscenti to understand. 

So I think a lot of anthropological filmmaking started from an academic base. It was first and foremost a record, a field recording of a way of life – a document more than a work of cinema.   My film is maybe the opposite as I am a film-maker and not an anthropologist or an ethnographer – it’s a film first, and an ethnographic document second. Read the rest of this entry »

Associated Press
Sun Jan 14, 7:00 AM ET

Desperate for tickets to see your favorite stars at their Sundance Film Festival premiere? EBay may be the answer — or not.

Sundance officials say they are scanning the online auction site and cracking down on ticket sales. Reselling tickets online is prohibited.

The festival gives locals a shot at purchasing tickets before they go on sale nationally. More than 2,460 Utah residents were selected at random for a chance to buy up to 20 tickets each at the locals-only sale last weekend.

Two tickets to the first screening of “Waitress,” staring Keri Russell, sold for $385 on Saturday afternoon. About half an hour later, a second pair of “Waitress” tickets went for $255.

Sundance officials warn that tickets resold online can be remotely deactivated before the film’s showing.

“We’ve contacted those sellers and informed them of our policy and what actions we are taking,” said Patrick Hubley, festival spokesman. “I wouldn’t advise people to buy tickets off of eBay or any other site,” except for the official Sundance site, he said.

It appeared some of the 293 entries under a search for “Sundance tickets” on Saturday were trying to get around the prohibition. Several sellers were giving away “free” tickets with the “purchase” of festival venue instructions or a film guide, which are given to ticket holders.

Several venue instructions and film guides were selling for around $80 Saturday afternoon. A film guide with two “free” tickets to “Waitress” was going for $227 in an auction ending Sunday afternoon.

The Sundance Film Festival begins Thursday and runs through Jan. 28, with film screenings in Park City, Ogden, Sundance and Salt Lake City.

For $1.99 each starting January 21.  In the past a large number of shorts were available on the Sundance Festival web site for free after the festival was over.  So whether this is a step forward or back is in question.

Super 8 film blog, OnSuper8, has a brief review and a interesting interview with documentary filmmaker Dan Monceaux. His A Shift in Perception documentary short is getting a great reception at film festivals and will be reviewed on this site in the coming weeks. Documentary Films .Net is fortunate to have Dan as a frequent contributor to our forum.

Read the interview at OnSuper8.

Documentary DVD Releases January 9, 2007

Street Fight – Review – Purchase – The Academy Award-nominated “Street Fight” covers the turbulent campaign of Cory Booker, a 32-year old Rhodes Scholar/Yale Law graduate running for mayor of Newark, N.J. against Sharpe James, the four-term incumbent twice his age. Fresh from winning awards at the SilverDocs, HotDocs and Tribeca film festivals, “Street Fight” is this year’s political thriller.

Martin Luther King: Man of Peace in a Time of War – Review – Purchase – The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most important and inspirational figures in U.S. – and World – History. He spoke of peace at a time when there was great conflict between black and white America, divisiveness within the civil rights movement itself, and an undeclared war in Vietnam that seemed to divide everyone. In addition to rare, archival footage, King: Man Of Peace In A Time Of War features exclusive interviews with such notables as the Rev. Jesse Jackson (who marched alongside Dr. King); retired general and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell (who reflects on how far the civil rights movement has come); and legendary journalist Howard K. Smith (who introduced Dr. King to Richard Nixon); amongst others including Congressman Charles Rangel, Quincy Jones, Hugh Hefner and Laurence Fishburne, plus controversial commentary from Malcolm X. Most remarkable of all is the ultra-rare appearance of Dr. King himself on a 1967 Mike Douglas Show speaking eloquently about civil rights, especially the issue of black participation in the Vietnam War.

I Trust You To Kill Me – Review – Purchase – Kiefer Sutherland, star of the hit TV show “24” takes his indie record label act, Rocco DeLuca & the Burden on the road for their first international tour. From Los Angeles to Europe, this highly personal journey chronicles a rock band & their less than qualified road manager, Kiefer Sutherland, and the hopes, successes and disappointments of a band trying to get their music to their audience.

By Roger A. Davis
December 30, 2006

Do you do crossword puzzles every day?
If the answer is yes, you must see the documentary,
WORDPLAY

Will Shortz, crossword editor of the New York Times
Would know the dictionary meaning of “rimes”
Also, 21 across; Nuremberg concern:  w a r c r i m e s

His daily puzzle is the cream of the crop
Bill Clinton, Indigo Girls and Ken Burns share this passion
To fill in the squares, 4 down; current clothes:  f a s h i o n

Shortz founded the American Crossword Tournament
It is WORDPLAY’s central theme
Stamford, Conn., who will fulfill their being “The Champ” dream?

There is an underlying story of puzzle construction
That is very interesting, kind of like basic instruction
13 across; first stage of kidnapping:  a b d u c t i o n

I recommend this movie to my readership
Comedian Jon Stewart is in it, he didn’t even need one blip
Did you know, Jon proposed to Tracey with Will’s NYT puzzle tip?

As a fan of crosswords, word scrambles and cryptoquips
WORDPLAY rekindled my interest to do puzzles
Here is one for you, 10 down, Toto restraint for lip(s)

—–

Visit Eden Prairie Prose for more poems by Roger A. Davis.

Review Wordplay for yourself.

Purchase Wordplay.

Great art being made.  Modest Mouse is an indie music success story.  This 1997 film captures the band as they were finishing their The Lonesome Crowded West album.  The album further established a fan base that would lead to commercial and critical success that conutinues even today.  Included in the documentary are shots of the band goofing off, listening to their tracks, and in concert.  Interspersed are akward but authentic interviews with musicians, label folks, scenesters, and the band itself.  In the end the whole thing works.  You see their energy. Recommended.

Watch the film.

Byron Hurt takes pains to say that he is a fan of hip-hop, but over time, says Mr. Hurt, a 36-year-old filmmaker, dreadlocks hanging below his shoulders, “I began to become very conflicted about the music I love.”

A new documentary by Mr. Hurt, “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes,” questions the violence, degradation of women and homophobia in much of rap music.

Scheduled to go on the air in February as part of the PBS series Independent Lens, the documentary is being shown now at high schools, colleges and Boy’s Clubs, and in other forums, as part of an unusual public campaign sponsored by the Independent Television Service, which is based in San Francisco and helped finance the film.

The intended audiences include young fans, hip-hop artists and music industry executives — black and white — who profit from music and videos that glorify swagger and luxury, portray women as sex objects, and imply, critics say, that education and hard work are for suckers and sissies.

What concerns Mr. Hurt and many black scholars is the domination of the hip-hop market by more violent and sexually demeaning songs and videos — an ascendancy, the critics say, that has coincided with the growth of the white audience for rap and the growing role of large corporations in marketing the music. (more . . .)

Al Jazeera will begin broadcasting a 24-hour Arabic documentary channel from 1 January 2007. Programmes will range from social and political documentaries to history, science and the environment. Al Jazeera says it wants to sponsor talent and work in partnership with international filmmakers to develop content.

AME

Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion continues rank high in Amazon and New York Times nonfiction best seller lists.  A companion to the book,  the two part documentary program The Root of All Evil? was written and narrated by Dawkins for Channel 4 in the UK.  The film has not been shown in the US, but is available on Google video. 

Part I: The God Delusion

Part II: The Virus of Faith

The Golden Globe nominations were announced yesterday. And as for the last 30 years no documentary category exists for TV or film. No one except award junkies and celebrity followers seems to care too much about the outcome of the Golden Globe awards, but the increasing popularity of documentaries both in the U.S. and abroad makes their absence more prominent than ever. The Hollywood Foreign Film Press who runs the event gave out a best Documentary film until 1977. If you are going to bother with the event, a documentary category should be included.

PARIS, Dec 19 (Reuters) – A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their U.S. superiors never ordered them to fire.

The French military, however, said that the incidents never happened and the report was “erroneous information”.

The documentary, due to air next year and seen by Reuters on Tuesday, says the troops could have killed the al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan but the order to shoot never came, possibly because it took too long to request it.

“In 2003 and 2004 we had bin Laden in our sights. The sniper said ‘I have bin Laden’,” an anonymous French soldier is quoted as saying.

The documentary ‘Bin Laden, the failings of a manhunt’ is by journalists Emmanuel Razavi and Eric de Lavarene, who have worked for several major French media outlets in Afghanistan. A cable television channel plans to air the documentary in March.

Razavi said the soldier told them it took roughly two hours for the request to reach the U.S. officers who could authorise it but the anonymous man is also quoted in the documentary as saying: “There was a hesitation in command.”

Full article at Reuters

DVD Releases December 19, 2006

When the Levees Broke – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – One year after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, director Spike Lee presents a four-hour, four-part chronicle recounting, through words and images, one of our country?s most profound natural disasters. In addition to revisiting the hours leading up to the arrival of Katrina, a Category 5 hurricane before it hit the coast of Louisiana, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts tells the personal stories of those who lived to tell about it, at the same time exploring the underbelly of a nation where the divide along race and class lines has never been more pronounced.

Sir! No Sir! – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – Award-winning breakout theatrical hit SIR! NO, SIR! unfolds the stunning and often forgotten story of the military men and women who helped force the U.S. government to end the Vietnam War. Poignantly narrated by a diverse cast of veteran GI resisters, who recall the ferocious days of peace marches and stiff jail sentences, SIR! NO, SIR! pulls no punches in its raw depiction of the power of people, especially those in uniform. Trading dog tags for picket signs, Purple Hearts for peace signs, thousands of ordinary GIs in that world-changing era broke ranks to start up homemade underground papers, subversive coffee shops near military bases, and to engage in mass civil disobedience that brought the war machine to its knees. Directed by David Zeiger, SIR! NO, SIR! is “powerful stuff, offering us not only a new look at the past, but to the unavoidably relevant insights into the present”

Not much original TV programming left to be shown in this year, thus it is a good time to try out a new monthly post that will try to provide a good overview of what documentary program will be on TV.  The focus of these posts will be highlighting new programs that are getting their media or TV debut.  US television will be the focus, although I welcome others to use our new blog system to start similar posts for other countries.  When it is a slow part of the year, I may include reference to repeats of interesting programs or films.  The monthly posts will be updated and bumped as new programming is added.

I will be using publicists and press releases to compile the list in addition to monitoring known sources of documentary films. My starting list will include PBS, History, Discovery, HBO, Sundance, IFC, and the Networks.  If you have other ideas add a comment and let me know.  Check times with your local paper, programming guide, or station to confirm times.

December 18 2006 –  9PM – Sundance Channel – Godless In America – At a time when the religious right plays an increasingly important role in national politics, documentary filmmakers Leslie Woodhead and Reggie Nadelson look at the plight of the estimated 30 million American atheists and their struggle not to be ignored. Reviewing the long, colorful and bizarre life of atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her contemporary successors, GODLESS IN AMERICA reveals how a freethinking secular minority continues to fight for a voice in the mainstream, despite discrimination, hostility and threats of violence.

December 28 2006 - 8PM - PBS – NOVA: Underwater Dream Machine – Follow one man’s quest to engineer a submarine with panoramic views – http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/alicia/

Sundance Channel has picked A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash to launch “The Green,” the weekly block of ecologically oriented programming.The documentary polls oil workers, activists, politicians and others to show how “civilization’s addiction to oil puts it on a collision course with geology.”The three-hour block will include films and original series with a focus on “information, practical advice and community building.”

From Broadcasting & Cable

WASHINGTON – The producer and others involved in Oliver Stone’s documentary on Cuban leader Fidel Castro have agreed to pay the U.S. government more than $6,000 to resolve allegations they violated a long-standing embargo against the communist country.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls, which oversees the economic embargo against Cuba, said the payment of $6,322.20 would settle alleged violations that occurred between February 2002 and May 2003 in the making of a documentary film, according to documents. A government official said the film involved in the dispute was “Comandante.”

The Treasury documents, dated Dec. 1, said that production company IXTLAN Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif., and four people had agreed to the monetary settlement. The documents did not identify the people or provide further details.

“Comandante” was the precursor to Stone’s more recent documentary on the Cuban leader called “Looking for Fidel.”

Full article at San Diego Union Tribune.

Starz isn’t known for original documentary films, but this film is an entertaining documentary that any Hunter fan will enjoy.  As with any writer, it is tough to capture his work in a film, and this film tends to rely heavily on previous documentaries, footage from movies based on his work, and most importantly interviews with friends.  Those interviewed rarely get much screen time before jumping to a different interviewee , but by the end of the film, their love for Hunter and significant amount of his personality comes through.

DVD Releases December 12, 2006

America: Freedom to Facsism – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – Controversial and throught-provoking are two words that describe one of the most talked-about documentaries of 2006. Determined to find the law that requries American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo (Bette Midler’sThe Rose, Trading Places) set out on a journey to find the evidence. Neither left nor right-wing, this startling examination of government exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America since 1913 when the Federal Reserve system was fraudulently created. Through interviews with two U.S. Congressmen, former IRS Commissioner and former IRS and FBI agents, tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, and the national identity card, which becomes law in May 2008 and will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Could this be a precursor to an impending police state in America? Watch the film and make your own conclusions.

Ocean Odyssey – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – Do you know what lies at the bottom of the ocean? From the makers of the Walking With… series comes an enthralling exploration of Earth’s final frontier seen through the eyes of its greatest inhabitant and the worlds largest predator, the sperm whale. Following a young male from infancy to old age, the marinescape comes vividly to life: the impossibly deep canyons, the underwater volcanoes, and the spectacular mountain ranges. The inhabitants of opaque depths are no less impressive ? black dragonfish that cast an eerie red glow, jellyfish shaped like giant footballs ? but the whale is only interested in one creature, the colossal squid. When the two meet, it is the ocean’s ultimate battle.

Distinguished FEATURE Documentary Award
James Longley
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
Typecast Pictures, Typecast Releasing, HBO Documentary Films

Distinguished SHORT Documentary Award
Marcelo Bukin
ANGEL’S FIRE (Fuego de Angel)
Rec Stop and Play, Global Humanitaria

2006 IDA/ABCNEWS VIDEOSOURCE AWARD Winner
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLES TEMPLE
Stanley Nelson
Firelight Media, Seventh Art Releasing, WGBH, PBS

2006 PARE LORENTZ AWARD WINNER
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Davis Guggenheim
Laurie David, Lawrence Bender, Scott Z. Burns
A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production, Participant Productions, Paramount Classics

2006 IDA/CONTINUING SERIES AWARD WINNER
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Mark Samels, executive producer Sharon Grimberg, series producer
PBS
Episodes Submitted: “The Boy in the Bubble” (Barak Goodman, John Maggio, dirs./prods.), “Eugene O’Neill” (Ric Burns, dir./wtr.); Marilyn Ness, Steve Rivo, Robin Espinola, Mary Recine, prods.) “John and Abigail Adams”(Peter Jones, dir.; Elizabeth Deane, prod./wtr.), “Las Vegas” (Stephen Ives, dir./prod.; Amanda Pollak, prod.)

2006 IDA LIMITED SERIES AWARD WINNER
OFF TO WAR
Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud
DCTV, Discovery Times Channel

2006 IDA/DAVID L. WOLPER STUDENT DOCUMENTARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
REPORTER ZERO
Carrie Lozano – University of California, Berkeley

The film started as and examenation of the disappearing wetlands, but when Katrina struck, vertern IMAX filmmaker Greg MacGillivary immediately began shooting the resulting damage that hits Louisianna.

Hurricane on the Bayou will be released nationwide to IMAX theaters on December 22.  MacGillivary follows a group of four musicians, both legendary and rising, as they uncover the culture of New Orleans; explore the beautiful, alligator filled bayous on airboats; recount their personal stories of Katrina; and most of all, bring the focus to the rapidly disappearing wetlands that are New Orleans’ first line of defense against the destrucition of the city and culture

When: February 24-March 3, 2007
Where: Burkina Faso
What: Africa’s largest film festival.  All films have an African connection whether it be subject, location, or filmmaker.  In additiona to film screenings and competition, discusion forums and film markets are held.
Website: http://www.fespaco.bf/index_en.html

Bad Boys of Summer, World Premiere (2007, 76 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Tiller Russell and Loren Mendell

Battling prison violence and racial tension, the coach of the San Quentin Giants tries to change the lives of his convict baseball players during their final season together.

Ballad of AJ Weberman, US Premiere (2006, 83 min. UK)

Written/Directed by James Bluemel and Oliver Ralfe

A portrait of obsession and eccentricity this film tells the story of AJ Weberman, Bob Dylan’s most infamous fan, founder of Garbology, and New York counter-culture odd-ball.

Children of God: Lost and Found, World Premiere (2007, 75 min., USA)

Directed by Noah Thomson

CHILDREN OF GOD: LOST AND FOUND is a first-person account of growing up in the controversial, evangelical Christian cult known as the CHILDREN OF GOD. Director Noah Thomson tells his story and the story of others like him who were born into the group and later left as young adults.

Dream in Doubt, World Premiere (2007, 56 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Tami Yeager
When his brother is murdered in America’s first post-9/11 revenge killing, Rana Singh Sodhi begins a journey to reclaim his American dream and fight the hate that continues to threaten his community.

King of Kong, World Premiere (2007, 79 min., USA)

Directed by Seth Gordon*

Obsession and the pursuit of excellence push diehard gamers to break World Records on classic arcade games like Q*bert, Joust, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong.

*Gordon is a Slamdance alumni director, Slamdance 2002 Anarchy Online Film “Squirt”

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa, World Premiere (2007, 70 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg

In the remote New Mexico desert, disillusioned Gulf War veterans, desperate teenage runaways and survivalists form a post-modern “Wild West” with a vigilante code all its own.

Red Without Blue, World Premiere (2007, 74 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills & Todd Sills

The intimate bond between two identical twin brothers is challenged when one decides to transition from male to female; this is the story of their evolving relationship, and the resurrection of their family from a darker past.

Rock the Bells (2006, 105 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Casey Suchan and Denis Hennelly

Personifying the fierce independence and Do-It-Yourself spirit of the Hip Hop movement, producer Chang Weisberg puts everything on the line for his impossible dream of reuniting notorious no-shows The Wu-Tang Clan.

Row Hard No Excuses, World Premiere (2007, 83 minutes, USA/Spain)

Written/Directed by Luke Wolbach

Two middle-aged American men set out to win the “world’s toughest race”—three thousand miles across the Atlantic in a rowboat—is it a noble quest or an ill-fated nightmare?

Unsettled, World Premiere (2007, 80 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Adam Hootnick

During the Gaza withdrawal of 2005, three young Israelis will be forced from their homes, two soldiers will be sent to evict them, and one activist will try to help her country avoid a war. Can one generation change history? Narrative Special Screening Features

Documentary Special Screening Features

Alice Neel, World Premiere (2007, 81 min., USA)

Written/Directed by Andrew Neel

Portrait painter Alice Neel (1900-1984) abandoned almost all the comforts of a “normal” life and family in her quest to document the 20th century, one soul at a time.

Previous Film: Darkon, (2006, 90 min.)

Documentary Feature, SXSW Audience Award

Ganja Queen, World Premiere (2007, 120 min., Australia)

Directed by Janine Hosking

Behind the scenes of the controversial trial of Schapelle Corby, a young woman accused of smuggling ten pounds of marijuana into Bali, Indonesia.

Previous Film: My Khmer Heart (2000) Winner, Best Documentary: Hollywood Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival, Mademoiselle and the Doctor 2004, Silverdocs finalist, Joris Ivens finalist, Amsterdam 2004, Melbourne Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival.

Super Amigos, World Premiere (2007, 82 min, Canada/Mexico)

Written/Directed by Arturo Perez Torres

Mexico City is not Gotham City, but if you were to run into any of the five masked activists who protect this metropolis, you’d wonder if you were not living inside a comic book.

Previous Films: Wetback – The Undocumented Documentary
Awards: Winner, Spectrum Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; Winner, Best Documentary, Cinequest Film Festival; Winner, Audience Award, Chicago Latino Film Festival; Winner, Best Story, Festival Pamplona Punto de Vista.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 (UPI) — Director Jonathan Demme has been tabbed to head a film documentary about former U.S. President Jimmy Carter entitled “He Comes in Peace.”

The film from Participant Productions will feature the results of Demme’s cinematic crew as they follow Carter on a national book tour for the former president’s new work, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,” The Hollywood Reporter said.

Via UPI

“The president’s book tour occurs at a crossroads where the world of religion intersects with global politics,” Demme explained. “This picture is just an extraordinary honor for me. I loved Carter when he was president, and I’ve loved him more and more since he left office. He makes me feel so proud to be an American.”

Carter’s book tour began on Nov. 11, three days prior to his book’s release, and has focused around the politician’s efforts towards peace in the Mideast.

The Reporter said that “Peace” will mark Demme’s most recent foray into the documentary field; earlier, he headed up production on “Neil Young: Heart of Gold” and “The Agronomist.”