Nate Hood on LA VIDA EN COMÚN (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

Ezequiel Yanco’s La vida en común is not a film for the faint of heart. A documentary about two young Ranquel boys hunting for a cattle-eating puma in northern Argentina, it contains several graphic scenes of killing and butchery. The very first shot of the film sees a wild boar captured, held down, and throat-cut, the camera holding on its gushing neck wound as its legs twitch and flail. We see scenes like these and understand that this is the brutal reality for these economically oppressed, racially stigmatized people who must hunt to survive.

And indeed this film is primarily interested with ushering viewers into the interior world of its subjects. But unfortunately, if La vida en común is not a film for the squeamish, it’s also not a film for those who enjoy good documentaries. As an aesthetic statement the film is marvelous in how it observes indigenous life in the dusty hillsides of the La Pampa Province; originally a people of nomadic hunters, the Ranquel were forced onto reservations in the late nineteenth century and it’s clear that even centuries later they still haven’t fully adapted to a sedentary lifestyle. The subjects only truly come to life when they’re hunting or driving or moving—contrast this to the deadening scenes of them learning Spanish in a schoolhouse.

But the film insists on having a plot, namely that of a coming of age story concerning its two subjects Uriel (11) and Isaías (13). For them, the hunting of the puma is a rite of passage and a metaphor for their looming adolescences. But instead of observing and letting the film express its story organically, Yanco stages things like a fiction film with sequences that obviously necessitated careful blocking and lighting such as one scene of alternating closeup shots of the boys and a newly arrived girl in their community staring at each other, blushing, and looking away. One can’t help but think of the early docudramas of Robert J. Flaherty like Nanook of the North (1922) where sequences involving indigenous peoples were deliberately planned and staged. But Flaherty films seldom entered the world of metaphor—if we saw a staged scene on an Inuit man building an igloo, it represented just that, the building of an igloo. But Yanco is trying to make a statement about manhood and maturity that feels betrayed with his obtrusive documentary techniques.

Rating: 5/10

Nate Hood on Seer and the Unseen (2019) Camden Film Festival 2019

You may not believe in elves, but Ragnhildur “Ragga” Jónsdóttir does. Like hundreds of thousands of her fellow Icelanders, she believes in the existence of huldufólk (“hidden people”), invisible nature spirits that inhabit rocks, trees, streams, and mountains just like the kami in Japanese Shinto. Since the first Vikings arrived in Iceland in the ninth century, the huldufólk have been central figures in their culture and folklore—it’s said the first documented law in their nation’s history required ship captains to remove dragon figureheads from their ships when coming into port so they wouldn’t frighten them. Ragga is among the most revered “seers” in Iceland, one of the select few believed capable of seeing and communicating with them. She’s hired to investigate construction sites to make sure they aren’t disturbing their otherworldly inhabitants; in one early scene she explains to the bemused yet patient owner of a bed and breakfast near a tourist-infested geyser that his intended expansion is next door to a colony of huldufólk living in a cluster of birch trees. She seems at first glance a gentle old woman, earnest, magnanimous, completely harmless. At least until she puts herself directly into the government’s crosshairs by announcing an imminent highway construction project through the Gálgahraun Lava Field will go straight through one of their most sacred villages. Almost overnight she becomes an icon among Icelandic environmentalists who want to stop the destruction of the ancient lava field. But can she handle the pressure?

Sara Dosa’s The Seer and the Unseen is the portrait of one woman’s battle to preserve her beliefs and homeland from the ravages of capitalism run wild. At least it should’ve been. Overlong and unfocused, the film attempts too many things at once, veering wildly from lectures about the Icelandic economy and the reckless “Viking investors” whose antics exacerbated the 2008 financial crisis to glorified home movies of Ragga puttering around her home with her family. These latter are at least tolerable due to their depiction of how folk beliefs are transmitted through the generations, but when the serious topics of climate change and economic corruption show up they feel thematically out of place. It grows into a film of visceral psychological violence, unflinchingly showing the abuse of protestors by police and the destruction of the environment by construction workers.

This film needed tighter focus, a clearer purpose, and about fifteen minutes shaved off.

Rating: 5/10

EL PADRE MÉDICO (2019) Camden 2019

Portrait of Padre Ferdinand Bendoraitis, who was once considered second in saintliness to Mother Teresa. Bendoraitis ministered to the poor of Brazil and was said to have miraculous healing powers. However attempts to sort out his past turned up dead ends and questionable events.(I think)

One of my must see films became one of the biggest disappointments as what appears to be a truly intriguing story is completely garbled in the telling. Complicating matters more is the fact that in trying to sort out what the story is most of the things I could find only mention his saintliness. To be perfectly honest I had no idea what the heck was going on in this story which has a lot of people talking well of the man some talking suspiciously something about naked pictures, some other misdeeds and the question of who he was really. Full of people who don't always talk on point the film wanders all over the place like a man speaking his stream of consciousness.

I wanted to walk away but I wanted to see if this film pulled it together. It never did and I genuinely have no clue about Bendoraitis other than he was a priest in the Amazon and stuff happened. I won't speculate on the stuff good or bad.

A complete and total mess.

The Hottest August (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

From street corners to beaches to anywhere people go, director Brett Story traveled around New York  in August 2017 and interviewed people about their lives and the state of the world.

This record of the state of New Yorkers is either going to thrill you or bore you. An intriguing, if very up and down film THE HOTTEST AUGUST works best in pieces. I say this because some of the people interviewed are more interesting than others, either because of what they say or because of where they were interviewed- say the two gentlemen who are interviewed at the start (they are hanging out a window in a house).

This is a film that is impossible to really review because how you are going to react to it is going to change with each person. Besides as a film it kind of isn't something special, rather this is a film that is the start of something not the be all and end all. I spoke with someone who saw the film at BAM Cinemafest earlier this summer and their reaction to some people was completely different than mine. As a result of our discussion, which lasted for two times the length of the film, the film because something else. Ultimately this is not a film so much as a conversation starter. It is a film you need to see with people who will engage with it and do more than simply say if they liked or disliked it but really talk about what the various people have to say.

If you want to see a film, especially with friends and family who like to talk about what you've just seen, then THE HOTTEST AUGUST is highly recommended. If you just want to see a film about the state of the world in one place and time it's still worth a shot.

Camden 2019 Shorts: Shoulder Season, Enforcement Hours, The Last Miller, 6 Degrees of Freedom, Coby and Stephen Are In Love, and In The Wake

SHOULDER SEASON
wickedly wonderful film about a dodgeball program at a YMCA in Maine. Wild crazy and just damn fun- just see it. One of my favorites of the film festival

ENFORCEMENT HOURS
Thought provoking and emotionally moving film about a California Hotline that people can call when either they see ICE raids or are caught up in one in order to get help. Made up entirely of recorded conversations it reveals the gamut of people who call the line with the results that we feel for the people involved. I was moved by the film to actually try and do something to help and when the film was done I looked into the sort of services that are available on this side of the country. Worth a look.

THE LAST MILLER
Portrait of one of the last stone millers in Columbia and the complications that have hit his profession. A stunningly beautiful film that reveals the life of a man who is practicing an all but lost art that no one wants to continue. Recommended

SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM
A stunning to look at portrait of a swimmer.This needs to be seen on the big screen where the images can over whelm you.

COBY AND STEPHEN ARE IN LOVE
Biography of two senior performers and their life. This is a half an hour with two nice people.

IN THE WAKE
A look at the women who still use hand looms to make cloth. Its a visually beautiful take on a dying art.

The Giverny Document (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

THE GIVERNY DOCUMENT is an essay/poem/documentary about the state of the lives of black women. A mixture of experimental filmmaking, interview footage, a performance by Nina Simone, as well as documentary reporting it is a film that is a very personal one for director Ja'Tovia M. Gary. It is a one of a kind cinema experience.

As a white male I am not even going to attempt to say anything about this film other than I liked  it. While I am not certain that the styles and pieces all connected up for me, I will say that I loved the headspace they create and the chains of thoughts they created. There is a great power in the marriage of word and image and they take you out of where you are and place you into a place where you can consider the ideas and revelations that Ms Gary is throwing at us. The truths of the lives of the women in Harlem and the patter of Ms Simone moved me.

One of the most thoughtful films playing at the Camden international Film Festival, THE GIVERNY DOCUMENT is highly recommended.

Camden 2019 Shorts: Citizens of the Cosmos, Excess Will Save Us, Sam and the Planet Next Door, Motherland, Helga and Walled Unwalled

Citizens of Cosmos
Less documentary than essay on the manifesto of Biocosmism, written by Alexander Svyatogor. As a narrator reads from various the texts we get related images filmed in Japan and Russia. It’s a trippy experience with its own unique head space. I was kind of thrown off by the film to start because I was looking for a conventional documentary, but there is nothing really conventional about this film (and we are better for it). A wonderful visit with a different headspace.

Excess Will Save Us
The story of what happened in a small town when series of unconnected events (an argument, shots from a hunting party…) were misinterpreted as something series and authorities rushed in with tons of fire power to take care of it. This is a funny shaggy dog sort of a tale that is funny after the fact but was probably scary when it happened. I chuckled a great deal at the great story tellers spinning their tale.

Sam and the Plant Next Door
Very good portrait of a young man growing up in the shadow of a power plant. It a really good look at one kids life in the modern industrial world

Motherland
Excellent portrait of some of the women who are tasked with finding and defusing the mines that still litter their country, Artsakh, after  an ethnic warar. Far from flashy and simply matter of fact this is powerful look at women doing what they must to make their country and fellow citizens safe. A wonderful love letter to unsung heroes.

Helga
Excellent portrait of Helga Testorf who was the subject of Andrew Wyeth’s Helga paintings. Testorf has been called the last person to be made famous by a painting. She was Wyeth’s muse for decades until word of the paintings broke and took over the art world. An excellent portrait of not only a feisty woman, but also the artistic process as we get a peak into what transpired between the pair that created such great works of art. This is a great great film on so many levels that you just need to see it.

Walled Unwalled
More performance piece than conventional documentary, this recounting of various crimes that required technology to breach walls is just a thing of beauty. On one level a beautifully narrated accounting the film transcends its simplicity by being set in recording studio where walls are moved around, images are projected and our senses are massaged in such a way as to make the resonances something greater. One of the best films at the Camden International Film Festival it is an absolute must see.

THE CHANGIN TIMES OF IKE WHITE (2019) CIFF 2019

I am going to guess that many people are going to try and compare this to SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN the documentary about Rodriguez that came out a few years ago, but don't let that fool you, this is something else entirely. this is one of a kind tale  you just need to see.

The film is the story of musician Ike White who killed a man in a robbery that went wrong and ended up in prison, where he managed to make some absolutely incredible music. It was so good that reporters came to do stories on him, his songs were recorded and Stevie Wonder became an advocate for his release. What happens around and through that is the story and it isn't what you expect (it wasn't what I expected).

You will forgive me if I hold back in discussing this film, its not for lack of desire more it's the realization that as you read this the film is just World Premiering at the Camden International Film Festival and as such I don't want to spoil all of the films twists and turns for you. Sitting, staring at my computer screen when the film was done I had ponder whether I wanted to clue you into the ride or just say buy a ticket and take a ride. I'm going with the just buy the ticket approach.

And never mind the story you're going to want to see this for the music that fills it from start to finish. White was and is and incredible musician and the grooves he came up with are absolutely amazing. This is a glorious primer for his work is nothing else.

Ultimately the best thing I can say is this is a great great film and you should see it. One of the absolute must sees at the Camden International Festival you'll want to buy a ticket and see it before your friends discover it first and tell you about it.

Camden Capsules: CELEBRATION, NOTHA-YE- MESI YEK ROYA (COPPER NOTES OF A DREAM),BY THE NAME OF TANIA and PROGRESS IN THE VALLEY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW

PROGRESS IN THE VALLEY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW
Documentary record of what happens when a group of Syrian refugees who are looking to stay in Germany are brought together with a number of former Germans in a former East German factory and workers dorm to discuss their pasts and to help the Syrians prepare for an upcoming assimilation test. This lovely film about the bridging of cultures opening a door between people is an important one in a world where the influx of outsiders has brought back fear based on no understanding the new comers. Revealing the similarities between us as well as the differences Progress… is a wonderful film that is must see.

BY THE NAME OF TANIA
Mix of documentary and narrative is driven forward by the narration of a young woman who was murdered (“… I am no longer in my body” the narrator says at the start) while we watch life transpire in and around the village where she died. Stunning visuals mix with the sad tale of a life lived to make a compelling film about a lives most of us know nothing about. Definitely worth seeing especially if you can see this on a big screen where the overwhelming nature of the images can fully mix with the sadness of the tale.

NOTHA-YE- MESI YEK ROYA (COPPER NOTES OF A DREAM)
Well-spoken Syrian kids talk about their lives as they try to get enough money together to hold a concert in the bombed out country. Playing almost like a narrative feature, except that you really wouldn’t want to have kids scrambling around the ruins of a war torn city, NOTHA-YE- MESI YEK ROYA (COPPER NOTES OF A DREAM) is a film that worms its way under your skin. I put the film on because I am trying to cover most of the features at the Camden Film festival and was hesitant to connect to it however somewhere along the way the kids stole my heart and I was with them to the end.While the film has an ending I still want to know what come next for them- which is the sign of both my love for the film and of a great film. Recommended

CELEBRATION
Fly on the wall look at the last years of Yves Saint Laurent and his fashion house told largely through video shot at the time. It puts us into the fitting rooms and offices in a way that no other film ever could. In an age where it seems every great designer is getting multiple films made about them Celebration stands out in that it doesn’t guild it’s lily, it simply shows us the man and those around him at work and allows us to not only make up our own minds but also fall in love the man and his work. I absolutely love the low key nature that quietly grabs you and drags you along. Recommended.

SANKARA IS NOT DEAD (2019) CIFF 2019

Following Burkina Faso’s 2014 popular uprising, the poet Bikontine hopped on a train and went from one side of the country to the other to explore not only the country itself but the lasting influence of Thomas Sankara, who had lead and transformed the county before before being assassinated by forces that  wanted to seize control of the country for their own ends.

Don't worry if you don't know  the country Burkina Faso going into the film (I didn't), you will on the other side as you get to know the people and places across the country. It's a wonderful  journey that will make you fall in love with place you've never been. It helps of course that we are traveling along with Bikontine who beautifully interacts with everyone he meets. Because of his knowing the right thing to say he pulls out all sorts of stories that no one else could.

Along the way we get to know about the life of Thomas Sankara, who transformed the country in the 1980's. Looking to make the country not reliant on outside influences he changed the way that many people saw themselves and their country. Of course this didn't sit well with those with a vested influence and he was assassinated. But death didn't stop his ideas from spreading and when the country threw out the people who opposed him Sankara's spirit was with them.

I absolutely loved this film. Striving to do more than just be a portrait of a hero or a country the film becomes something more. It is a film that fuels not only our hearts but our minds and becomes something we will carry with us.

Highly recommended.

My Autonomous Neighbor (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

Portrait of artist Fred "Tate " Billings by his neighbor Michel Negroponte. A late blooming artist Billings spent years in the military dreaming of the day when he could retire and follow his heart and pursue his artistic desires full time. Working with clip art, his doodles and found objects he follows his creative urges wherever they take him.

A one of a kind film about a one of a kind artist this is a walk on the creative side as director Negroponte uses various techniques, including a clip art cinema approach to telling the story of an artist who needs to be noted (The film is was unsurprisingly produced by Guy Maddin). I was resistant to the film’s charms at first but watching the blending of cinema technique and the art being created on screen pulled me in. I was utterly enthralled by this outsider artist who is giving everything for his art. In a weird way this is the life that most artists would love to lead, which is allowing the passion to direct what we are doing.

I really liked this film a great deal. It opened my eyes to a way of seeing Watching it I realized it would make a killer double feature with Jeremy Workman’s MAGICAL UNIVERSE about similar outsider artist Al Carbee.

Highly recommended

Camden 2019 Capsule Reviews: SCATTERING CJ and CHÈCHE LAVI

SCATTERING CJ
Incredibly heavy and emotional documentary about a mother's plan to give he son a grand last adventure by scattering his ashes across the globe with the help of strangers.

You will forgive the lack of discussion but this is a raw and real and deeply moving film. It is like touching a live nerve that fires off joy and sadness copious amounts often at the same time. For those willing and wanting to go there this is going to be deeply affecting. For others this ill be a maudlin slog. You'll know which camp I'm in when I say bring tissues.

CHÈCHE LAVI
Important portrait of two Haitian men trying to cross the border into the US fro Mexico and what happens during their months long wait to have their cases heard.

At a time when there is so much talk about legal and illegal immigration into the US this film puts a face on the situation. In the case of the two men at the center of our tale they are forced to sit and wait and try to make a living just to survive until they can get to the next step. It is a film the beautifully shows us what the US policy actually means on a human level. This is a film that you need to see so that you can begin to have a  discussion on the issues raised because until you see this you probably don't really understand things the way you think you do.

Highly recommended.

Overseas (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

My thought twenty minutes into Overseas was that this film was destined to be on the Oscar shortlist. In a year where there are a large number of potentially Oscar worthy films, that I think that Overseas has a shot says a great deal.

A largely observational film, the film follows a group of women in the Philippines as they learn the skills needed to go overseas and become house keepers and nannies. We watch as the learn to cook, care for children and the infirmed; how to handle various situations such as angry employers and sexual harassment; and most importantly how to just survive, which is dispensed from the teachers who have been there and done that. Along the way the women bond and talk about their hopes and dreams.

Truly a slice of life, this film expertly reveals a facet of life that most of us never consider. How is it that the women who work for the rich or semi-rich learn to do what they do? What drives them? What do they hope to get out of working across the globe? Overseas provides the answers thus bringing us closer to something that is part of many people’s lives, but which I am guessing most people have never considered.

You will forgive me for not doing a deep dive into meaning and the like, but director --- has made a film I have very little to say about other than it is great. Sure there might be a moment or two where a sequence goes on a bit long, but overall the film just does what great documentaries are supposed to do and that is reveal a part of the world we see every day but never considered.

Absolutely Oscar worthy and highly recommended

Camden 2019 Shorts: THE SWIMMER, LORE, THE MAGNITUDINOUS ILLUMINOUS, THE ARREST and LEWISTON

The Swimmer
Portrait of swimmer Stephen Redmond who was the first person to complete the Oceans Seven swims. The film is both a visually sumptuous portrait of a body swimming in the sea but a marvelous exploration of a man who loves to swim long distances. What an absolute joy.

Lore
Working from Hollis Frampton’s Nostalgia this is an essay sort of film largely told with images mashed together on an over head projector. I’m not sure this works… on the other hand I have seen a couple of live shows in the last year which did basically the same thing but better.

The Magnitudinous Illuminous
Portrait of Pete Napolitano a bartender at the Melody Lanes in Brooklyn. Napolitano talks about his life and philosophy with the filmmakers and his customers. Intriguing portrait of an interesting character, this 12 minute film will have you wanting to make a road trip to meet the man himself. My interest in meeting him would be to talk to him about how he sees the world which involves being The Magnitudinous Illuminous, which is a term he made up and which he explains in the film. Recommended for anyone who wants to meet a one of a kind character

The Arrest
Moving account of Chastity Hunter and her arrest on false charges (her aunt falsely charged her with stealing a laptop).If you ever wanted a clear eyed and calm yet deeply moving  account of being jailed this is it. A must

Lewiston
Crying out for a feature film version, LEWISTON is a look at Lewiston Maine where a large influx of people from Somalia have relocated to the point that one in six people in the city is now Somali. This is a very good look at the literal black and white existence of the a small town. Highlighting all sorts of issues the film made me want to see more.

Narrowsburg (2019) Camden International FIlm Festival

If you ever wanted to make a movie or wanted to run a film festival then you must see NARROWBURG about when Richard C. Castellano (Jimmy Bootsin ANALYZE THIS) moved up to a sleepy and tiny (it;s literally a block long) town in Sullivan County New York and decided to not only start the Sundance of the east, but also make a movie...and it all went sideways.

This was one of my must see films at CIFF. There was something about the subject of wannabe film people going off the road that appealed to me. It was the first film I had to see... and I was not disappointed.

While the film takes a couple of minutes to get going,  it simply goes from 5 MPH to 100 when the star of the madness Richard Castellano finally appears. Castellano was a ball of energy who bulldozed and charmed his way not only through the town but also through life. An ex-con who became an actor, he dreamed of bigger things and thought he found the perfect place in Narrowsburg.

As much as I want to discus what happens I am going to refrain. I want you all to take the ride as Castellano's hopes and dreams bleed into the town and then become turned. Its a crazy ass ride that we are better watching from the outside.

Filled with new interviews, old film footage shot by one of the guys in the town, as well as copious clips from FOUR DEADLY REASONS the film at the heart of the tale, this is a film that puts us in a particular time and place and makes us party to what happened. It also gives us the story from several people who who caught up in the madness so its clear this isn't just one version of what happened.

Half way into the film I was sending out missives to friends saying that they had to keep an eye out for this because they would fall madly in love with the film.

I think you'll love it too. This is not only a warning about the hubris that filmmaking can bring on, but it's also a grand tale in its own right.

Highly recommended.

NARROWSBURG will be playing September 20th in Narrowsburg New York as the Opening Night Film of  the Big Eddy Film Festival which rose up from the ashes of the Narrowsburgh International Film Festival.

Camden 2019 Capsules LOVEMOBIL and WHERE MAN RETURNS

LOVEMOBIL
Portrait of the lives of the woman who work in campers across Germany as prostitutes and the aftermath of the murder of one of them.

Gripping portrait of life on the edge of society works thanks to the filmmakers taking the time to really let us get to know all the parties involved. There are not just random people but people who come to mean something to us.

WHERE MAN RETURNS
Stunningly beautiful portrait o a man living in the wilderness. Steinar lives in a small cabin near the Norwegian and Russian border. We watch as he goes through his days with his dog, hunting, fishing taking phone calls and just getting by.

Shot in breathtaking widescreen, WHERE MAN RETURNS is one of the most beautiful films I've seen all year. While there is very little dialog there doesn't need to be since the images and perfectly integrated music tell us everything we need to know.

An absolute must see especially if you can see it on a big screen.

Continents Quiver as Memories Erupt into Earthflames (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

Personal essay film that is like reading random journal entries from the director. It is a mix of aphorisms, diary entries, discussion of Alan Moore’s run on Swamp Thing, random thoughts, half formed thoughts, full formed ideas and other things mixed with various images that may or may not relate to what we are seeing.

This is a dizzyingly delightful short that needs to be seen big and in the dark. I say this because I’m guessing this film will have a long life after its festival run and if you end up seeing this streaming you’ll want to try and see it on the biggest screen possible. I absolutely loved this film and fell into it and I loved the head space it created- one that required me to fill in the blanks, connect up things and add the next line after some ellipses.

This is a stunner and a must see.

EARTH (2019) Camden International Film Festival 2019

Portrait of the men and machines that move earth around the globe. We watch as people re-sculpt the world we live in and we hear discussions of what this means for the the places changes.

Visually stunning film  is more observational than straight out informational. Yes people are interviewed and we watch as various projects are discussed, but mostly we watch as the earth is forever changed by than hand of man.

An overwhelming visual experience EARTH is a film that should be seen as big as possible so that one can truly experience the images. As interesting as the discussions are it is the image that haunt you and they are the reason that the film as is powerful as it is since we get unforgettable reminders of the damage we are doing to the world around us.

Recommended- especially if you can see this on a big screen.

Camden International Film Festival 2019 Curtain Raiser: Simply Put Its All Good So Go Buy Tickets

Its time for the Camden International Film Festival and all is right in the world.

I should say that Camden is Maine, not New Jersey, I mention this because last year when the festival was put on my radar I considered driving across New York and going to the wrong city. This year I considered making a trip to the right city with a friend but we couldn’t line up dates to go together.

CIFF is a documentary festival unlike any other. A beautifully curated festival it has the best docs from the previous year not only from other festivals but going to other fests. Last year I delighted in HALE COUNTY and MAIDEN before they became big deals. This year they have a kick ass slate of films that I’m certain are going to be talked about (I’ll give you some choices in a minute).

I know there are other doc fest, say Hot Docs or DOC NYC, but they are huge and almost unmanageable. They screen so many films that by the end you don’t know which way is up. With CIFF its manageable and limited to not only the cream of the crop but also damn interesting films, sure some of these are not going to be in the Oscar mix, but they are the ones you will be talking about.

I love this festival.

Last year it was sprung on me unexpectedly and I fell in love with it. Half way through my coverage last year I was reaching out to friends saying they had to cover this. As a result Nate Hood jumped in as did a few others. This year when I got the press release of the schedule I just jumped and started forwarding it simply saying cover this.

What you need to do is put it on your list of festivals to watch. Look at their schedule and make notes. What they are a screening are going to be the docs you should be seeing. Read the reviews that post from various places and you’ll see that the films really are that good. (God bless the programmers-may they choose films forever)

Okay on to the important stuff- what you should be seeing.

First off we’ve covered seven films at various festivals this year already.

AFTER PARKLAND- You maybe tired of docs about the aftermath of a tragedy, I was, but this one's different and a must see. Its gotten better in my mind since I saw it at Tribeca

AMERICAN FACTORY this portrait of a Chinese company taking over an American company is amazing and is probably going to be an Oscar contender.

CIRCUS OF BOOKS great time with great people as the filmmakers investigate the fact that their straight laced parents ran a gay porn book store. An absolute joy

KIFARU the story of the fight to save rhinos is a film that Ariela Rubin says you'll need tissues for.

MIDNIGHT FAMILY - A good look at a family run ambulance service in Mexico that will make you happy for what service you have.

ONE CHILD NATION the story of the Chinese one Child policy is a film that rocked Joe Bendel

WATSON- portrait of Paul Watson who founded Greenpeace.  It is a film Ariela Rubin called beautiful and important.

And we’ve seen a chunk of the films screening and we are working on a chunk more…and the one that we put at the top of the must sees (in addition to the ones listed above) are….

CONTINENTS QUIVER AS MEMORIES ERUPT INTO EARTHFLAMES - a short docu-essay that creates its own world thanks to journal entries beautiful images, a discussion of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing and stray thoughts. Its a one of a kind gem

EPOCH- a two minute short is which is one of the greatest things I've ever seen. EVER. Its Google Maps images and just WOW.

SHOULDER SEASON- short portrait of a dodgeball league in Maine. One of my favorite films of the festival

OVERSEAS-observational documentary about a group of women in the Philippines learning to be maids, nannies and care givers. I suspect this will be in the running for the Oscars.

WALLED UNWALLED- more performance piece than documentary its a one of a kind viewing experience about criminal cases that hinged on seeing through or going beyond walls.

THE CHANGIN TIMES OF IKE WHITE- I would be tempted to call this this year's SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN  except it's not that kind of story, it's something much more complex and intriguing but with great music.

SANKARA IS NOT DEAD- Poet Bikontine travels across Burkina Faso to discover the lasting influence of murdered leader Thomas Sankara. It's a lovely portrait of a country and a hero.

NARROWSBURG- the story of a town, an actor (and ex-con), their dreams and a film festival. Its a wild true story for anyone who thought about making a movie.

But don't stop at this list everything we've seen, which is well over 50 films, is worth trying. If it looks good follow Hunter S Thompson's advice and "buy a ticket and take a ride"

If you can go to the festival. All the information on the films or for tickets is here and travel information is here. If you can’t go keep checking back for reviews of their huge sked of films.

Points North Institute announces 2019 Forum and Artist Programs at Camden International Film Festival

August 29, 2019 [Camden, Maine] – The Points North Institute has announced the lineup for its 11th annual Points North Forum, which runs concurrent with the 15th edition of the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF), September 13 - 15, at the historic Camden Opera House in Camden, Maine. PNI has also today revealed the 57 documentary filmmakers selected for its 2019 Artist Programs.

In addition to a full slate of masterclasses and panels on the creative processes and practices of nonfiction filmmaking, this year’s Points North Forum will advance industry-wide conversations about Story & Power-- asking critical questions about how the documentary film and media community reflects existing power structures, including questions of racial equity, access, funding, and which stories are being told, how, for whom, and by whom.

Points North is in a unique position to create a place of convergence for both industry gatekeepers and emerging storytellers, working together to challenge dominant perspectives, propose new vocabularies, aesthetics, and methods for documentary making.

The Forum’s 2019 centerpiece is a series of conversations and panels that explore how stakeholders in the nonfiction community - filmmakers, critics, gatekeepers, and even audiences - can take an active role in building and enjoying a more equitable, inclusive and creative documentary field.

For festival attendees interested in exploring the craft of documentary storytelling, the Forum program will feature two masterclasses with the directors of two of this year’s most critically acclaimed documentaries. Todd Douglas Miller will reveal the creative process behind his all-archival box office hit, APOLLO 11, and Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar will tell the story behind the making of AMERICAN FACTORY, including the deep community relationships they built that made the film possible.

An annual highlight of the Forum program is the standing room only Points North Pitch at Camden Opera House, where 6 filmmaking teams selected for the Points North Fellowship present their documentary features in development to panel of funders and distributors. Audience members will have the opportunity to support each of these films through a live crowdfunding campaign. Two alumni of the Fellowship and Pitch -- MIDNIGHT TRAVELER and MIDNIGHT FAMILY -- will be returning to screen at the festival after receiving support from funders they met through the program.

Points North Institute’s Artist Programs are designed to connect filmmakers with mentors, funders, and potential collaborators, using the Camden International Film Festival as a platform to build a community of support, nurture the careers of diverse nonfiction storytellers, and help them develop a stronger artistic voice.

These programs will bring four cohorts of early-career filmmakers to Maine for a full week of private creative and professional development workshops prior to the festival. They include the Points North Fellowship, the North Star Fellowship, the Shortform Editing Residency, and the 4th World Indigenous Media Lab Fellows, who are attending CIFF for the first time with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

The North Star Fellowship, in its 3rd year, supports five filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds with weeklong mentorship and seminars, alongside travel and passes to attend CIFF, allowing them to develop a deeper connection with the documentary and nonfiction storytelling community and meaningfully advance their projects and careers. The program was developed in partnership with Kickstarter. Additional support is provided by Maine Media Workshops + College, which offers tuition scholarship to all 2019 North Star filmmakers.

The 4th edition of the Shortform Editing Residency, made possible by the MAE Private Foundation, convenes four filmmakers with short documentaries in post-production for a week of focused editing, workshops, and industry meetings.

As these fellowships and residencies have grown alongside industry attendance at the festival, Points North has developed a 1:1 Meetings program to provide opportunities for filmmakers to develop industry relationships. Sponsored by WORLD Channel | WGBH, the 1:1 Meetings program will connect 28 attending filmmakers with more than 25 industry decision makers, including representatives from NatGeo, CAA, RYOT, Participant Films, Fork Films, TOPIC, Tribeca Film Institute, the Sundance Institute, Cinereach, Sheffield Doc/Fest, ITVS, POV, Nia Tero Foundation, and more. Filmmakers participating in the 1:1 Meetings program include the 2019 BAVC Mediamaker Fellows and LEF Foundation’s LEF/CIFF Fellows, a group of New England based filmmakers attending with feature documentaries in development.

Sponsors of the Points North Forum and the Points North Institute’s Artist Programs include Showtime Documentary Films, National Endowment for the Arts, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, LEF Foundation, WGBH / WORLD Channel, Kickstarter, RYOT Films, Chicago Media Project, NEON, Cohen Gardner LLP, Modulus Studios, Maine Media Workshops + College, School of Visual Arts MFA Social Documentary Film, Vermont College of Fine Arts and Documentary Educational Resources.
 
Full Forum Schedule and Industry Participants athttps://pointsnorthinstitute.org/artist-programs/points-north-forum/ 

Artist Programs selections at 
https://pointsnorthinstitute.org/artist-programs
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Points North Forum 2019: Story & Power

 

September 13th - 15th, Camden Opera House (Tucker Room, French Room)

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Audiences & Power: How to Watch a Doc