The late philosopher/deconstructionist Jacques Derrida once referred to the animal species as the "ends of man...an existence that refuses to be conceptualized." But this has never stopped human beings from trying to eliminate the boundary between them and the animal kingdom. Leave it to Werner Herzog to blow the lid off films exploring this phenomenon. His 2005 documentary Grizzly Man told the story of Timothy Treadwell, the self-proclaimed bear expert who spent 13 years living with grizzlies in Alaska, only to be killed by one. Consistent with his longtime fascination with characters whose
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A girl stands in a desert landscape, swirling a hula hoop easily round her slender hips, intent on the Rubik's cube she swivels round and round, trying to solve the puzzle: One of the many images that comprise Kevin Macdonald's Life in a Day, the opening film of DocAviv, the Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival, an image that might well describe the festival itself: intense, full of energy and curiosity, trying to do everything at once and, amazingly, succeeding, thriving in a hot and often harsh climate. The festival was founded in 1999 by documentary filmmaker Ilana Tsur, who
Although the 2011 Cannes Film Festival was one of the most interesting, engaging and enjoyable editions in recent memory, there was only one documentary in the Official Selection (Out of Competition): The Big Fix, from husband-and-wife team Josh and Rebecca Tickell, examines circumstances surrounding the April 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig-what scientists in the film call "the biggest cover-up in US history and the most devastating environmental catastrophe in human history." Stories told by local fisherman and their families damaged not only by the loss of livelihood
'Battle for Brooklyn' opens June 17 at the Cinema Village in New York City.
On a flight to Montana, I sit next to a 30-something man with crew cut, tattoos and work boots. "Going home to Missoula?" he asks. "No," I answer. "And you?" "Yeah, I was just in Salt Lake for a surgical equipment convention showin' how to use these C arms I'm makin'...."So why Missoula?" he asks. "A film festival," I tell him, assured this would end the conversation. The man smiles with excitement. "Is this week of the Wildlife Film Festival? I almost forgot! I'll have to go to some of that.” First impressions say a lot. This is not just another film festival; it’s an event the community is
"FINE CUT: Exploring the Director/Editor Collaboration"
In a world increasingly crowded with film festivals, the 48th Flaherty Film Seminar was an odd bird. More like a cult indoctrination session than a pleasant film experience, the seminar is organized around a few simple and obsessive ideas. The first idea is that all of the attendees—filmmakers, students, film programmers, curators, academics and a few film-lovers—are required to attend all 20 sessions, each of which consists of a screening and an hour-long discussion. The second important facet is that none of the attendees is allowed to know the schedule, order or nature of the films before
As we enter the holiday season, IDA celebrates a banner year! Looking back at the challenges we've faced these past few years, which the Board of Directors and our dedicated staff have skillfully tackled, it gives me great satisfaction to have been of service to this organization while working to be part of its future! Nearing the end of 2006, we honor the finalists and winners of the 22nd Annual IDA Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards at our IDA Awards Gala Benefit on December 8. We salute the following individual honorees: Haskell Wexler, Career Achievement Award; Pat Aufderheide