The fear of nuclear war seemingly resurfaced over the past eighteen months. Between the war in Ukraine and the upcoming Oppenheimer, there has been some reflection on the topic. Documentarian Irene Lusztig embeds within Richland, the small town where the uranium for the bomb at Nagasaki was harvested. As an iconic and integral location of … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘Richland’ Examines a Town Trapped in Time
Tribeca 2023: ‘Rule of Two Walls’ – A Moment of Hope for the Ukrainian People
The war in Ukraine rages on, yet each experience shines a new light on the conflict. Earlier this year, 20 Days in Mariupol paved a brazen path for filmmakers. It showed the violence and gore on the ground in stark images. Rule of Two Walls, a new documentary from David Gutnik, offers a different angle … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘Rule of Two Walls’ – A Moment of Hope for the Ukrainian People
Tribeca 2023: ‘Against All Enemies’ Warns of the Growing Divide with Veterans
Few nations can boast the firepower of the United States Armed Forces. Yet, despite discussions of patriotism and heroism, these soldiers rarely receive enough resources. For those who serve, a fifteen-minute shootout could define their entire lives. With so little being done to assist veterans, it's no wonder that many can be recruited by those … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘Against All Enemies’ Warns of the Growing Divide with Veterans
Tribeca 2023: ‘Breaking the News’ – A Pitch-Perfect Documentary for Journalism Wonks
The general distrust of "the media" continues to fracture the legacy landscape. While decades of readers followed the same writers and papers, the digital world moves too fast for the old models. As we watched the media ecosystem fragment, hyper-specialization became a must. That's where startup journalism, like The 19th*, can find its target audience. … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: ‘Breaking the News’ – A Pitch-Perfect Documentary for Journalism Wonks
2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘Minnesota Mean’ Celebrates the Glory of Roller Derby
With fun puns and punishing action, roller derby has maintained a place in the world of women's sports. Unfortunately, the amateur and semi-professional teams rarely get the funds to run without sponsorship. In most cases, the leagues require players who pour passion into their performances. Minnesota Mean follows one of those teams. Featuring interviews while … Continue reading 2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘Minnesota Mean’ Celebrates the Glory of Roller Derby
2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘Bottle Conditioned’ Examines the Unique Lambic Beer
Digging into a unique field often unearths exciting subcultures. Early in Bottle Conditioned, from director Jerry Franck, he strikes gold. He dives headfirst into the world of lambic beer, which proves far more dramatic than one would assume. Lambic beer, unlike traditional beer, is fermented with wild yeasts. This creates unique brews that change from … Continue reading 2023 Florida Film Festival: ‘Bottle Conditioned’ Examines the Unique Lambic Beer
2023 Florida Film Festival – Most Anticipated Documentaries
This year, the documentary field took a step up at SXSW. However, there still remains plenty of room for exciting storytellers to deliver their stories into a wide-open field. While the last few years have seen a strong presence of documentaries at the Florida Film Festival. The 2023 Florida Film Festival is no different. With … Continue reading 2023 Florida Film Festival – Most Anticipated Documentaries
SXSW 2023: ‘The Herricanes’ is a Triumphant Sport Documentary
Bringing a sports story to life, especially those focused on women, has rarely been easy. Sadly, most women's sports never feature the record keeping of men's sports. In the case of The Herricanes, the process seemed even more difficult than normal. Yet director Olivia Kuan connected with the material more than the regular documentarian. For … Continue reading SXSW 2023: ‘The Herricanes’ is a Triumphant Sport Documentary
SXSW 2023: ‘Art For Everybody’ Examines the Downfall of Thomas Kinkade
Nearly every American has seen the work of Thomas Kinkade. The famed "painter of light" became a worldwide celebrity. His work may not hang in many museums, but it became a populist item to collect for millions of Americans. At its peak, his company estimated one in twenty Americans owned a piece of his art. … Continue reading SXSW 2023: ‘Art For Everybody’ Examines the Downfall of Thomas Kinkade
SXSW 2023: ‘Another Body’ Breaks the Seal on Deep Fake Revenge Porn
Disinformation in all it forms remains a threat to nearly every person on the planet. Yet some weaponized the technology against certain groups. In general, women already have a difficult time online, especially in a post-Gamergate world. Yet deep fake revenge porn might be the most destructive material being created today. Documentarians Sophie Compton and … Continue reading SXSW 2023: ‘Another Body’ Breaks the Seal on Deep Fake Revenge Porn