Documentary

10 Filmmakers to Watch: Annie Berman

10 Filmmakers to Watch: Annie Berman

Director/Producer Annie Berman makes The Independent’s 10 to Watch list for her feature-length essay film, The Faithful, a fifteen-year journey through the world of images and representations of three global icons: Elvis Presley, Pope John Paul II, and Princess Diana.

Island on the Edge: Gina Abatemarco’s Kivalina
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Island on the Edge: Gina Abatemarco’s Kivalina

Abatemarco, who spent nearly seven years making Kivalina, advises first-time documentarians to recognize that some of the hardest work of making a film is not technical or financial, but interpersonal. “It’s about your relationship with your subjects over time. That is the real work and the real difficulty. Somehow you’ll find the money but the most difficult work is to carry the story for however long you have to carry it, because these are heavy subject matters.”

Nikolaus Geyrhalter confronts “Homo Sapiens”

Nikolaus Geyrhalter confronts “Homo Sapiens”

There was some judgment in some way by the choice of the locations. By the facts we wanted to stress in our narration. None of the locations were there just for fun, they should all tell something for those who want to read between the lines, so there is some criticism of mankind. But besides that it’s true, the audience is very much invited to basically see their own film.

Sundance 2016: Films On Gun Violence

Sundance 2016: Films On Gun Violence

What has been an absence of cinematic dialogue about gun access and violence in the United States was filled with both documentaries and fiction features at Sundance 2016. The Independent’s Maddy Kadish and Neil Kendricks debate the merits and emotional impact of several titles.

DOC NYC 2015: Critic’s Picks

DOC NYC 2015: Critic’s Picks

Films by directors Barbara Kopple, Kristina Sorge, Douglas Sloan, Kent Jones, Jason Hutt, Marc Levin, Stephen Maing, Jimmy Goldblum, and Amy Berg are Kurt Brokaw’s critic’s picks from DOC NYC, the all-documentary festival that runs from November 12-19, 2015.