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Saw JESUS CAMP at the new Lincoln Center Atrium the other day, presented by director duo Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (who also directed DETROPIA). The film follows a number of young children to Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years-old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in God’s army.
The film is an excellent verite documentary and yet another insight into the total insanity of the church institution. Watching it reminded me of HELL HOUSE – a must-see documentary featuring the Trinity Church and their annual performance and Alex Gibney’s MEA MAXIMA CULPA. Recently, the more I watch on religion, the more it gives me the creeps!
Here is the trailer of a brand new documentary and cross-media project about the power of creative, nonviolent activism and modern civil disobedience (also featuring protest tips!). A project about the various methods of nonviolent resistance, new and old, seen through current movements of the Arabian and Iranian uprisings, as well as former successful and less successful protests but also growing protests such as Occupy Wall Street or the Indignados movement of Spain.Using the most common and creative methods of nonviolent resistance as a narrative guideline through the film, Everyday Rebellion displays the work and life of activists all over the world, who often risk their lives to fight for a better tomorrow.
The film by Arman and Arash T. Riahi is currently in production and is expected to be shown in cinemas end of 2013. The accompanying webseries “Creative Resistance” by ARTE Creative presents every week methods of peaceful protest that are presented by icons of the movements, activists, artists but also by creative users. The project is a tribute to the creativity of the non-violent resistance. Because, as J.R.R. Tolkien similarly claimed, even the smallest action can change the world…
Democracy is like love, you need to do it everyday!
Between Earth and Sky was nominated for the Perspectives Award at the Winter Film Awards Independent Film festival on Sat! According to the fest director the selection was focusing on “films that best express the multicultural mixture that makes NYC so exciting”. The award went to Helena’s Flushing by Dae Hoon Kim (congrats!) but the nomination is a great festival launch for my film!
My graduation film Between Earth and Sky's first festival screening will be in NY, this Saturday at 11 AM. Please feel invited, especially if you haven't seen the film! The screening will take place at Hotel Pennsylvania located at 401 7th Ave New York, just around the corner from Penn Station and Times Square.
The Winter Film Awards festival will feature 57 films in a 4-day program. Tickets are available online, BES is part of Screening Block One on Saturday and right now there are only 30 tix left so hurry! Sessions are $10 pre-sale and will also be available at the door for $15 ($10/with Student ID).
Really hope to see you there for a fancy Saturday coffee (or Mimosa :))!
I recommend two Bulgarian films which will be screened tonight at the So Independent fest of contemporary Bulgarian cinema in NYC.
For the fiction lovers - AVE by Konstantin Bojanov and SOFIA'S LAST AMBULANCE by Ilian Metev for the pure verite documentary fans. "The Ambulance" got the Visionary Award at the last Cannes Film Festival.
Both films from 7:00PM at Tribeca Cinemas tonight, see you there!
Saw my friend Youlian Tabakov's film TZVETANKA at the 17th Documentary Fortnight - MoMA’s International Festival of Nonfiction Film and Media yesterday.
I remember when the film was being made Youlian saying "I'm simply making a film about my grandmother" and his producer adding "this film is anything but a simple documentary about his grandmother". Here is how MoMA describes it: "Tzvetanka, which tells the checkered life story of a Bulgarian woman who survived three political regimes, from monarchy to socialism to the present, is both a personal and a national history of Bulgaria. Archival footage, interviews, and staged scenes with Tzvetanka are interwoven with animated sequences to produce a stream of beautiful, imaginative reflections."
The film is a fascinating mixture of verite footage with an amazing lead character, stunning set designs and metaphors, and a personal story which takes us through the history of a Bulgarian generation whose life was completely destroyed by the Communist regime. While tackling a heavy political topic, the film is balanced with a great sense of humor and visually stunning personal reflections. What really gave me goose bumps while watching is that it is hardly a unique story, it retells the life of my grandparents' generation which we tend to forget so easily...
You can watch the film again today (Monday, 18 Feb) at 4:30 p.m., Theater 1, MoMA. Might be your last chance to see it on big screen in NY so don't miss it! If you are in Sofia, TZVETANKA will be screened at this year's Sofia Film Fest.
For more info on Youli's theatre set design and art projects visit his personal web.
Hip Hip! My thesis film BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY (BES) will be competing for this year's Winter Film Awards.
The short documentary tells the story of a Native American family's struggle against cancer and cultural extinction which takes an unexpected turn as money becomes more and more important. The film went through a big change while being made which I've tried to include as much as footage allowed me. Read more about the story and check out some stills here.
BES will be screened in Block One on Saturday, 2 March. The screening will be at 11:00 AM so I promise to buy coffee if you make it! Tix are now available via the fest website or FB page. You can also get a day, weekend or all-access pass which will grant you access to all 58 films and 3 parties! To get inspired check out last year's winners. Please come cheer for my film - this will be its first real festival screening (also showing at the Free Style LIfe Film Exhibition) and I'm happy it will be in New York!
This has been Project Nim's week!
I kept coming across the title and talking to people about it almost every day. Yesterday I discussed it twice: once with colleagues on my last day as a Jigsaw Productions intern and after work with friends arguing if it is THE best documentary of all times, in a tight battle with Herzog's Grizzly Man which is what made me wanna study documentary in the first place. So, I got home, kind of late and I'll be honest kind of tipsy (Friday night after all) to find out that my thesis film BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY has been selected for the Short Film Competition of the NYC Winter Film Awards 2013! Trying to concentrate at this late hour and to find out more about the fest, I discovered that last year's feature documentary winner was ... guess what? Project Nim! Such an amazing feeling - to be in the same fest as one of the best documentaries of all time - honest, thought-provoking and beautiful!
So, here is the trailer and if you ever come across it - don't miss it!
Jeremy Xido's DEATH METAL ANGOLA or as Huff Post called it “a cult classic in the making”! The film had its international premiere in Dubai and is currently at the Rotterdam Film Fest. The second screening is tonight, 18:15 and its free, so don't miss it! Here is the story:
Sonia Ferreira and Wilker Flores live and breathe hardcore rock and roll. They run the Okutiuka orphanage in the war-ravaged city of Huambo, Angola and dream of mounting the first-ever national rock concert. Raucous and righteous, DEATH METAL ANGOLA follows their story, giving audiences a look at a rock show off the grid that is fulfilling, haunting, and real.
I recently joined the film's team in an effort to build a Social Campaign around it. Currently putting together a plan which will allow audiences to take an active part after seeing the film . Will keep you posted on the campaign once it is up and running! In the meantime check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds and rock on!
"The Hardest Hardcore is Angolan Hardcore!" \m/ \m/