DOC NYC November 12-19, 2015
November 14th, 2015 by chocko
If you love documentaries and you happen to be in the NYC area, then you might want to make plans to camp out downtown! The 6th Annual DOC NYC (America’s largest documentary festival) is in full swing starting November 12 to November 19. DOC NYC will feature more films and events than ever including panels, workshops for aspiring filmmakers and Q&A’s with filmmakers and special guests. Get your tickets and head over to either IFC Center, SVA Theatre or Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas. Get caffeinated, grab a seat and get comfy because there’s plenty to see!
The following are some short reviews of some DOC NYC films we’ve seen in advance. Keep it locked for more updates and DOC NYC reviews.
DADDY DON’T GO
DIR: Emily Abt
This movie profiles four disadvantaged men in New York who struggle to be good fathers even though the odds are stacked against them. Nelson, 26, of the South Bronx is a former Latin King and is unemployed while caring for three children. Omar, 34, of the North Bronx has full custody of three children with special needs and learning disabilities. Roy, 28, of Long Island has full custody of his toddler son and struggles with the demons of his criminal past and rocky relationship with his father. Alex, 26, of Harlem has sole custody of his toddler son while living in a shelter and dealing with unemployment and possible time in the slammer for previous crimes. This is a heavy film to watch but absent fathers is a reality and epidemic that’s running rampant in this country. You’ll find yourself cheering the film’s subjects as they knock down stereotypes and fight to be good fathers. Be sure to check this documentary out!
P.S. JERUSALEM
DIR: Danae Elon
Filmmaker Danae Elon grew up in Jerusalem and was the daughter of a respected Israeli journalist Amos Elon. After relocating in New York City and longing for “home” Danae decides to move her family which includes her husband and two young sons back to Jerusalem. The kids become enrolled in a school with Jewish and Arabic children, seem to assimilate but have some deep questions about war and the settlements. Danae’s husband Philippe seemed to be having the roughest time in Jerusalem coping with the politics, violence and difficulties finding work as a photographer. Danae desperately hopes her family gains a sense of belonging but as this emotional film shows, in the three years it chronicles, maybe living in Brooklyn wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
THE ANTHROPOLOGIST
DIRS: Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger
There are so many aspects to anthropology but to sum it up, it’s about studying, understanding and describing the behavior of other people. This documentary tells the parallel story between Margaret Mead, the best known anthropologist in the world and environmental anthropologist Susie Crate. In this film, Susie travels the globe with her teenage daughter Katie researching the impact of climate change. Their travels take them to Siberia where the permafrost is melting at an alarming rate, Kirabiti in the South Pacific where rising ocean tides threaten homes and Huarez, Peru where the receding glaciers are a constant reminder that a water crisis could happen in our lifetime. I liked this movie on many different levels. This movie is definitely one to check out at DOC NYC!
SPEED SISTERS
DIR: Amber Fares
This documentary was a fun ride from start to finish. The Middle East’s first all-female race-car team, the Speed Sisters are the focus here smashing stereotypes and dominating racing events in empty parking lots in Palestine. The team is a totally likeable bunch. Marah Zahalqa is a fierce competitor in the male dominated sport and is a bit of a rebel. Noor Daoud tried so many sports such as boxing before becoming an award-winning drift racer. Betty Saadeh is a force of nature with pinup model looks and the need for speed. Mona Ennab has been racing for ten years and feels the pressure to get married. Maysoon Jayyusi is the team leader that knows when to break up and squabbles that may arise within the team. You put these young Arab women together, and they are absolutely unstoppable. Don’t miss this must-see documentary!
SYL JOHNSON: ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS
DIR: Rob Hatch-Miller
This movie profiles the soul singer behind the 1967 song “Different Strokes” which was sampled by countless hip hop acts such as RUN DMC, Boogie Down Productions, Wu-Tang Clan and Jay-Z. The documentary tells the history of the gritty, soul singer who traveled from Mississippi to Chicago to be part of the music scene along with the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Junior Wells. The film follows Johnson’s career, warts and all. If you’re like me and you love documentaries about music and musicians then be sure to check this out. Get your tickets now!
CLASS DIVIDE
DIR: Marc Levin
This documentary focuses on the gentrification in the neighborhood of the Chelsea section of NYC near Highline Park. The brief history of West Chelsea is that it used to be all industrial warehouses, factories, docks and tenement houses but now it’s a happening neighborhood. There are apartments there for sale that go for millions of dollars, a private school, Avenues: The World School which can cost about $40,000 a year to attend and right across the street are the Chelsea-Elliot Houses which provides low-income public housing, aka the projects. The movie focuses on kids that attend the costly private school Avenues and kids that live in the Elliot Houses trying to figure it all out and find some common ground.
ON THE RIM OF THE SKY
DIR: Xu Hongjie
Located up in the mountains in China’s Sichuan province, the isolated village of Gulu remains untouched by the modern world. There is a school there where a substitute teacher with no credentials, Shen has been teaching for 25 years. In comes Bao, a young, idealistic teacher who wants to modernize the city starting with its school. Shen and Bao let their egos get the best of them, and butt heads over trust issues and clashing ideas. It gets ugly to the point that that the village and children have to pick sides. Too bad both Shen and Bao are unlikable characters. Otherwise, a beautifully shot film that captures a point in time far away.
MISS SHARON JONES!
DIR: Barbara Kopple
Sharon Jones is an energetic soul singer signed to Daptone Records who performs with her band The Dap-Kings. Nicknamed “the female James Brown” she wows her audience with her powerhouse vocals and dance moves to match. In this documentary we follow the highs and lows of Jones’ battle against pancreatic cancer while maintaining a musical career. It is definitely a crowd pleaser with many tender and honest moments. This movie screened opening night of DOC NYC so be on the lookout when you can seen this film about a vital and inspirational soul singer. The music in the documentary is nothing short of spectacular.
THE SUNSHINE MAKERS
DIR: Cosmo Feilding Mellen
This documentary tells the story of Nicholas Sand and Tim Scully who both believed that in order for the planet to be saved, people needed to drop acid. The hippie duo also tried to get people to try their high quality LSD, Orange Sunshine which Sand and Scully manufactured in huge amounts. Meanwhile, federal authorities are hot on their trails. I couldn’t get into it but if any of this interests you, go check the movie out!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
DIR: Tom Donahue
Military veteran mental health problems and suicides are on the rise. For every soldier killed in battle, 25 die by their own hands. Another startling fact was that in 2012, there were more soldier suicides than soldiers killed in battle. This film is about the effects of war on human life and chronicles the stories of a few veterans struggling with life after experiencing combat and being thrown back into society. It is heartbreaking to know that so many veterans suffer from the unseen wounds of war, combat stress and feel alienated after serving this country. There were rehab programs in effect for soldiers, sort of like a boot camp to prepare a soldier for civilian life but those programs were stopped after World War II. I thought the movie was going to be one heavy, depressing doc but then it did show that there was hope. There were programs out there such as Save A Warrior which implemented the Oglala Sioux Indians methods to heal warriors, breathing exercises among other techniques to help soldiers heal. This documentary was an eye-opening look at an epidemic and the need for change. Go see this.
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Tags: doc nyc, doc nyc 2015, documentary, IFC Center, movies, sva theare, sva theatre
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