If you turn “Cypher” off after 10 minutes, you’d probably walk away thinking it’s yet another music documentary about a rising star looking to buy some prestige with a slickly produced, feature-length streaming commercial. Chris Moukarbel’s profile of Grammy-nominated rapper Tierra Whack begins exactly how you’d expect it to, with a whirlwind of performance clips and talking heads expressing faux befuddlement about how a girl from Philly took the rap game by storm. Whack recalls reading her rudimentary spoken word poetry in middle school cafeterias and parlaying the local hype into a rap career that earned her the endorsements of A-listers like Meek Mill on her meteoric road to stardom. Like clockwork, it quickly transitions to more intimate behind-the-scenes footage of her chilling in the studio with collaborators as she takes stock of her overwhelming fame.
But you should not, under any circumstances, abandon “Cypher” after 10 minutes.
But you should not, under any circumstances, abandon “Cypher” after 10 minutes.
- 11/22/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
7 November 2023 – Grammy-nominated and artistic maven Tierra Whack (Interscope Records/Universal Music Canada) is making waves with her latest single, “Chanel Pit,” which is out today on all streaming platforms. The infectious track finds the lyrically gifted Mc dishing out her trademark flavourful bars regarding her dominance over the competition on speaker-rattling production orchestrated by Nick Verruto. The official music video — directed by frequent collaborator Alex Lill — makes “Chanel Pit” a welcomed addition to Whack’s extensive catalog of experimental visuals with the multi-hyphenate putting herself — with no vehicle — through a fully functional car wash as overhead and vertical brushes clean her up while also giving her a fresh polish. The video for “Chanel Pit” will make its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, Mtvu, Yo!MTV, BET Jams, BET Hip Hop, and on the Paramount Times Square billboards.
In addition to the new single and official music video for “Chanel Pit,...
In addition to the new single and official music video for “Chanel Pit,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
If Tierra Whack didn’t want to be seen, she wouldn’t have made an entire documentary chronicling her rise to fame. But as Cypher will detail upon its Nov. 24 release on Hulu and in select theaters, fame requires adjustment and balance, and with that comes a type of visibility that she has far less control over.
In the official trailer for the Chris Moukarbel-directed film, paranoia surrounds Whack. “All pop culture is a form of mind control,” one commentator states in the clip. “Maybe it’s not all evil,...
In the official trailer for the Chris Moukarbel-directed film, paranoia surrounds Whack. “All pop culture is a form of mind control,” one commentator states in the clip. “Maybe it’s not all evil,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
After winning the 2023 Tribeca Festival’s Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, the official trailer for Tierra Whack’s “Cypher” has been released.
Chronicling her meteoric rise to stardom, the documentary tells the rapper’s story after having first gained recognition at 15 years old when she was just rapping on the Philadelphia streets for a YouTube Channel. Quickly growing in viral fame, the video soon led the artist to director Chris Moukarbel, who began documenting her career, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos. Whack also shares her thoughts on her newfound fame along the way.
“I think sometimes I just can’t believe this is all happening for me,” Whack says in the minute-long trailer.
But Whack soon realizes there’s a downside to the world knowing your name. “After a particularly tiring set, a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling...
Chronicling her meteoric rise to stardom, the documentary tells the rapper’s story after having first gained recognition at 15 years old when she was just rapping on the Philadelphia streets for a YouTube Channel. Quickly growing in viral fame, the video soon led the artist to director Chris Moukarbel, who began documenting her career, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos. Whack also shares her thoughts on her newfound fame along the way.
“I think sometimes I just can’t believe this is all happening for me,” Whack says in the minute-long trailer.
But Whack soon realizes there’s a downside to the world knowing your name. “After a particularly tiring set, a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling...
- 10/25/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Sound Unseen, the music documentary festival held in Minneapolis, is returning with a slew of rock docs including Alison Ellwood’s Cyndi Lauper film Let the Canary Sing and the North American premiere of Peter Doherty: Stranger In My Own Skin about the Libertines co-founder.
The 24th iteration of the festival runs between November 8-12.
Let The Canary Sing will open the festival on Wednesday November 8 and Katia de Vidas’s Doherty film closes the festival on Sunday November 12.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing some of the best and most buzzed about music documentaries and fiction films of the year to Minneapolis”, said Sound Unseen Festival Director Jim Brunzell. “The entire team has done an incredible job and after the success of last year’s festival, we hope the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota audiences will bring the same energy and excitement to Sound Unseen more than ever.”
Federation...
The 24th iteration of the festival runs between November 8-12.
Let The Canary Sing will open the festival on Wednesday November 8 and Katia de Vidas’s Doherty film closes the festival on Sunday November 12.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing some of the best and most buzzed about music documentaries and fiction films of the year to Minneapolis”, said Sound Unseen Festival Director Jim Brunzell. “The entire team has done an incredible job and after the success of last year’s festival, we hope the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota audiences will bring the same energy and excitement to Sound Unseen more than ever.”
Federation...
- 10/4/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Clockwise from left: Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry (Apple TV+), Gaga: Five Foot Two (Netflix), Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (HBO), Pamela, A Love Story (Netflix), Cobain: Montage Of Heck (HBO)Graphic: AVClub
Celebrity documentaries run the gamut. There are hagiographies, which all but deify their subjects.
Celebrity documentaries run the gamut. There are hagiographies, which all but deify their subjects.
- 8/4/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
It was just as well that Cypher was the only public screening I attended at this year’s Tribeca Festival that wasn’t preceded by an introduction from a member of the programming staff. Here’s a film best experienced absolutely cold. Fans of Philly rapper Tierra Whack might be in on the joke perpetrated by her co-conspirators, including director Chris Moukarbel and producer Natalia-Leigh Brown, but for those that haven’t been following along as closely, the film is a pseudo-documentary thriller that constantly morphs and shifts tone. Perhaps inspired by the line in Beyonce’s “Formation” (“y’all haters corny with that Illuminati mess”), Whack and Mourkarbel hint early on at what’s to come before shifting into a more traditional biopic documentary explaining the seemingly out-of-nowhere rise of Tierra Whack at age 15.
A product of Internet culture, Whack was discovered in a video of her rapping in...
A product of Internet culture, Whack was discovered in a video of her rapping in...
- 6/27/2023
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Previous | Image 1 of 4 | Next‘Cypher’ was Best U.S. Narrative Film.
New York, NY – June 18th is the final day of the in-person Tribeca Festival, wrapping up 11 days of top festival film picks and other storytelling forms, including TV, VR, gaming, music and audio online. Beginning June 19th, the Tribeca at Home screenings begin, with an opportunity to experience what the festival has to offer. Tribeca prides itself on being a platform for creative expression and immersive entertainment.
The Tribeca Festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Craig Hatkoff and actor Robert De Niro as a reactive strike back at the September 11th attack in 2001 on New York City and the nearby Tribeca neighborhood.The film category of the 22nd edition screened 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries, and had screenings and awards for U.S. Narrative Films, World Narrative Films, Short Film Competition, Best Documentary, the Spotlight Competition and...
New York, NY – June 18th is the final day of the in-person Tribeca Festival, wrapping up 11 days of top festival film picks and other storytelling forms, including TV, VR, gaming, music and audio online. Beginning June 19th, the Tribeca at Home screenings begin, with an opportunity to experience what the festival has to offer. Tribeca prides itself on being a platform for creative expression and immersive entertainment.
The Tribeca Festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Craig Hatkoff and actor Robert De Niro as a reactive strike back at the September 11th attack in 2001 on New York City and the nearby Tribeca neighborhood.The film category of the 22nd edition screened 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries, and had screenings and awards for U.S. Narrative Films, World Narrative Films, Short Film Competition, Best Documentary, the Spotlight Competition and...
- 6/19/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The 22nd Tribeca Festival, presented by Okx, announced its winners for its competition categories on Thursday. Top honors at the ceremony, held at Racket NYC, went to “Cypher” for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, “A Strange Path,” for Best International Narrative Feature and “Between the Rains” for Best Documentary Feature. Awards were given in the following competition categories: Feature Film, Short Film, Audio Storytelling, Immersive, Games, Human / Nature, AT&T Untold Stories, and Tribeca X.
Speaking about Chris Moukarbel’s “Cypher,” the jury declared that its victory was for “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Speaking to the victory bestowed upon Guto Parente’s “A Strange Path,” the Jury commented: “In considering the International Narrative Feature Award, one film rose to the top with its surprising warmth and deeply compelling storytelling.
Speaking about Chris Moukarbel’s “Cypher,” the jury declared that its victory was for “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Speaking to the victory bestowed upon Guto Parente’s “A Strange Path,” the Jury commented: “In considering the International Narrative Feature Award, one film rose to the top with its surprising warmth and deeply compelling storytelling.
- 6/15/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Cypher, written and directed by Chris Moukarbel, took the best U.S. narrative feature prize at the Tribeca Festival. The pseudo-documentary about the rise of Tierra Whack world premiered here last week. The jury cited “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Smoking Tigers won Best Performance in the U.S. narrative category for Ji-Young Yoo as well as Best Screenplay for So Young Shelly Yo, who directed the film about a Korean-American girl staggering under her parents’ separation in her feature directorial debut. Best Cinematography went to Caroline Costa for The Graduates, directed by Hannah Peterson, about a high school senior facing the one-year mark of a tragic school shooting that took her boyfriend.
The 22nd annual Tribeca Festival runs June 7-18. It announced the winning storytellers today at an awards ceremony at Racket NYC.
Smoking Tigers won Best Performance in the U.S. narrative category for Ji-Young Yoo as well as Best Screenplay for So Young Shelly Yo, who directed the film about a Korean-American girl staggering under her parents’ separation in her feature directorial debut. Best Cinematography went to Caroline Costa for The Graduates, directed by Hannah Peterson, about a high school senior facing the one-year mark of a tragic school shooting that took her boyfriend.
The 22nd annual Tribeca Festival runs June 7-18. It announced the winning storytellers today at an awards ceremony at Racket NYC.
- 6/15/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2023 Tribeca Festival has announced its award winners across various competition categories, with Cypher, A Strange Path and Between the Rains among the films winning the top prizes.
Cypher won the founders award for best U.S. narrative feature with the prize going to director Chris Moukarbel.
Cypher follows YouTube rapper Tierra Whack, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos as she navigates fame and receives praise until a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling events that follow Tierra and her team to Dubai as they start to question being watched as a part of fame.
A Strange Path dominated the international narrative competition, winning best feature (Guto Parente), performance (Carlos Francisco), screenplay (Parente) and cinematography (Linga Acácio).
Between the Rains won best documentary feature (Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) and cinematography in a doc feature (Brown).
Smoking Tigers, which was the first...
Cypher won the founders award for best U.S. narrative feature with the prize going to director Chris Moukarbel.
Cypher follows YouTube rapper Tierra Whack, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos as she navigates fame and receives praise until a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling events that follow Tierra and her team to Dubai as they start to question being watched as a part of fame.
A Strange Path dominated the international narrative competition, winning best feature (Guto Parente), performance (Carlos Francisco), screenplay (Parente) and cinematography (Linga Acácio).
Between the Rains won best documentary feature (Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) and cinematography in a doc feature (Brown).
Smoking Tigers, which was the first...
- 6/15/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Cypher,” a drama about the astronomical rise of rapper Tierra Whack, and “A Strange Path,” which follows a young filmmaker who returns to his country of Brazil during the pandemic to reconnect with his father, won the top prizes for U.S. narrative feature and international narrative feature, respectively, at this year’s Tribeca Festival.
“Between the Rains,” a film that captures the Turkana-Ngaremara community as they contend with prolonged drought, took home the award for documentary feature. The festival, which dropped the word “film” from its name in 2021, hosts more than 600 events across New York City and hands out awards in categories including short film, audio storytelling and games. This year’s edition ends on June 18.
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, festival director and VP of programming. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that...
“Between the Rains,” a film that captures the Turkana-Ngaremara community as they contend with prolonged drought, took home the award for documentary feature. The festival, which dropped the word “film” from its name in 2021, hosts more than 600 events across New York City and hands out awards in categories including short film, audio storytelling and games. This year’s edition ends on June 18.
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, festival director and VP of programming. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that...
- 6/15/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 2023 Tribeca Festival has unveiled its winners list. The top honors went to “Cypher” for the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, “A Strange Path” for Best International Narrative Feature, and “Between the Rains” for Best Documentary Feature. The competition categories include Feature Film, Short Film, Audio Storytelling, Immersive, Games, Human/Nature, and Tribeca X.
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, fest director and vice president of programming, said in a statement. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that storytelling across genres and platforms is on a vibrant and inspiring trajectory.”
The Audience Award winners will be announced at a later date.
The Tribeca Festival opened with the North American premiere of U2 documentary “Kiss the Future” produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The festival will conclude with a special 30th-anniversary screening of...
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, fest director and vice president of programming, said in a statement. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that storytelling across genres and platforms is on a vibrant and inspiring trajectory.”
The Audience Award winners will be announced at a later date.
The Tribeca Festival opened with the North American premiere of U2 documentary “Kiss the Future” produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The festival will conclude with a special 30th-anniversary screening of...
- 6/15/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Tribeca Festival has announced the lineup of its 2023 festival, which includes new films from actors Chelsea Peretti and David Duchovny and documentaries about Rock Hudson and news anchor Dan Rather.
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
- 4/18/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 22nd edition of NYC’s Tribeca Film Festival appears to have star power to spare, with Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Chelsea Peretti, David Duchovny, Jennifer Esposito, Randall Park, real-life couple Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe and Steve Buscemi among those with new films premiering among the 100-plus features screening this year from June 7 through June 18.
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival unveiled a 2023 lineup with a record number of female helmers and heavy on films directed by actors like Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery thriller Maggie Moore(s) with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent and Steve Buscemi’s The Listener.
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Anonymous Content is aggressively bolstering its unscripted television slate with a slew of new projects including music, sports, cooking, dating and documentary series.
The company has unveiled an unscripted and non-fiction development slate featuring seven projects. It comes after the hire of former NBCUniversal exec Jessica Grimshaw as SVP of Unscripted Films, Television and Podcasts last April.
Projects include The Balloon World Cup, based on a real-life contest organized by Barcelona legend Gerard Piqué, medical scam series Death Brokers, Deepfake Dating, an adaptation of food book Gastro Obscura, Lance Bangs’ music series I Don’t Belong Here, Billie Jd Porter’s It’s Different for Girls and a project about Factitious Disease Disorder (full details below).
Dawn Olmstead, David Levine and Grimshaw will executive produce the projects for Anonymous Content.
“We’re working with a world class group of directors, producers and journalists to develop unscripted projects around compelling characters,...
The company has unveiled an unscripted and non-fiction development slate featuring seven projects. It comes after the hire of former NBCUniversal exec Jessica Grimshaw as SVP of Unscripted Films, Television and Podcasts last April.
Projects include The Balloon World Cup, based on a real-life contest organized by Barcelona legend Gerard Piqué, medical scam series Death Brokers, Deepfake Dating, an adaptation of food book Gastro Obscura, Lance Bangs’ music series I Don’t Belong Here, Billie Jd Porter’s It’s Different for Girls and a project about Factitious Disease Disorder (full details below).
Dawn Olmstead, David Levine and Grimshaw will executive produce the projects for Anonymous Content.
“We’re working with a world class group of directors, producers and journalists to develop unscripted projects around compelling characters,...
- 4/20/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Sheryl Crow, Nick Cave, King Crimson, Dio, XXXTentacion, Tanya Tucker, Chumbawamba, Courtney Barnett, Cesária Évora and Mojo Nixon — together again for the first time: These are some of the highly diverse subjects of a slate of music documentaries set to unspool at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin March 11-20.
The 16 movies represented in the “24 Beats Per Second” lineup are nearly all world premieres, in a film festival that skews toward SXSW’s original roots as a pure music festival by always carving out a special category for features that chronicle musicians or music scenes.
The music doc coming into the festival with probably the highest level of fan anticipation is , which promises to have director Sabaah Folayan offering “a sensitive portrayal” of a precocious, highly controversial, Soundcloud-based rapper “whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an indelible mark on...
The 16 movies represented in the “24 Beats Per Second” lineup are nearly all world premieres, in a film festival that skews toward SXSW’s original roots as a pure music festival by always carving out a special category for features that chronicle musicians or music scenes.
The music doc coming into the festival with probably the highest level of fan anticipation is , which promises to have director Sabaah Folayan offering “a sensitive portrayal” of a precocious, highly controversial, Soundcloud-based rapper “whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an indelible mark on...
- 2/3/2022
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
After months of anticipation, mobile-only streaming service Quibi will launch Monday with dozens of titles, all served up in “quick bites” of 10 minutes or less. Among them are eight documentaries, including one from Brent Hodge following small-town corruption allegations and another from producer Lena Waithe about sneaker culture.
Additionally, IndieWire has exclusively learned of new non-fiction efforts in development at Quibi from documentary luminaries Marina Zenovich (“Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired”), Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (“Jesus Camp”), Morgan Neville (“Twenty Feet From Stardom”), Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil”), and Chris Moukarbel (“Me at the Zoo”).
More from IndieWireQuibi Is the $1.75 Billion Gamble No One Can Predict -- AnalysisStreaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Quibi also has projects in the pipeline from Jon Kasbe, Joanna Natasegara and Orlando Von Einsiedel, Julie Goldman, and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions.
Additionally, IndieWire has exclusively learned of new non-fiction efforts in development at Quibi from documentary luminaries Marina Zenovich (“Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired”), Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (“Jesus Camp”), Morgan Neville (“Twenty Feet From Stardom”), Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil”), and Chris Moukarbel (“Me at the Zoo”).
More from IndieWireQuibi Is the $1.75 Billion Gamble No One Can Predict -- AnalysisStreaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Quibi also has projects in the pipeline from Jon Kasbe, Joanna Natasegara and Orlando Von Einsiedel, Julie Goldman, and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions.
- 4/5/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
YouTube at 15 is our package of stories celebrating the streaming site’s anniversary. It’s hard to imagine, but there really was a time before makeup tutorials, conspiracy explainers, on-demand music videos — really, viral videos at large. Since it’s become such a ubiquitous part of culture, we set out to look at how it’s changed our world. First, read Rob Sheffield’s investigation into its surprising origins. Here, we look at how drag performers were affected by the platform.
You could hypothesize the internet killed drag or upended...
You could hypothesize the internet killed drag or upended...
- 2/12/2020
- by Evan Ross Katz
- Rollingstone.com
Those looking for a celebratory tribute to the recently revivified outdoor drag festival Wigstock might be surprised by Chris Moukarbel's HBO-bound documentary, Wig, which premiered at the most recent Tribeca Film Festival. Based on the footage gathered here, the party — which took place on September 1st, 2018 at South Street Seaport in New York City — looks like it was a blast. Yet the film itself is a far from festive affair, more of an anesthetized chronicle of Wigstock's apparent irrelevance in the current cultural and political moment.
Wig is an officially sanctioned production (Wigstock 2018 celebrity backers ...
Wig is an officially sanctioned production (Wigstock 2018 celebrity backers ...
- 5/10/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Those looking for a celebratory tribute to the recently revivified outdoor drag festival Wigstock might be surprised by Chris Moukarbel's HBO-bound documentary, Wig, which premiered at the most recent Tribeca Film Festival. Based on the footage gathered here, the party — which took place on September 1st, 2018 at South Street Seaport in New York City — looks like it was a blast. Yet the film itself is a far from festive affair, more of an anesthetized chronicle of Wigstock's apparent irrelevance in the current cultural and political moment.
Wig is an officially sanctioned production (Wigstock 2018 celebrity backers ...
Wig is an officially sanctioned production (Wigstock 2018 celebrity backers ...
- 5/10/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Bobby Beausoleil -- one of Charles Manson's followers who's been in prison for murder for almost 49 years -- is on the verge of getting out, and he might have a Lady Gaga documentary to thank for helping his case. If you don't know, Beausoleil's not considered part of the Manson "family," but he was an associate and was convicted of first-degree murder in 1970. Despite an initial life sentence, he was recommended for parole by...
- 1/26/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Former Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears has never hidden the fact that he’s inspired by glam rock icons such as Elton John and Freddie Mercury. He’s often in slinky, body-baring outfits that sparkle and show off more than his disco dreams. And in the video for “Everything I’ll Ever Need,” a track from his self-titled debut — which was released in August — he bares it all once again.
It opens with Shears onstage, reclining atop a piano in Elton-esque glittery glasses. Then with a quick-cut, he’s in new duds,...
It opens with Shears onstage, reclining atop a piano in Elton-esque glittery glasses. Then with a quick-cut, he’s in new duds,...
- 11/2/2018
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
Surprise may not be the first reaction you’d expect to have when watching the umpteenth remake of a romance as old as Hollywood itself, but the adjective proves fitting for Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born, a charming, music-packed directorial debut and Lady Gaga’s first leading role in a feature film. A remake of a remake of a remake, Cooper’s rendition builds on William Wellman’s 1937 original (a tale of nascent glory and tragic flame-out zeroing in on a Hollywood power-couple), but unlike the Cukor-helmed 1954 version, and in line with the 1976 remake starring Barbra Streisand opposite Kris Kristofferson, it moves the proceedings from the film industry to the music business.
Cooper stars as Jack, a shaggy country singer with a serious drinking problem and damaged hearing, while Gaga plays Ally, a singer graced with a gorgeous voice but little self-esteem. When we first meet them, Jack...
Cooper stars as Jack, a shaggy country singer with a serious drinking problem and damaged hearing, while Gaga plays Ally, a singer graced with a gorgeous voice but little self-esteem. When we first meet them, Jack...
- 8/31/2018
- by Leonardo Goi
- The Film Stage
Lady Gaga surprised her little monsters in the audience and around the world with a surprise appearance at the MTV Movie and TV Awards.
While clips played of her documentary Five Foot Two, which won the prize for Best Music Documentary at the award show, Tiffany Haddish handed the singer her golden popcorn statue.
“I love you little monsters so much! And, Happy Pride Month!” she said. “I just have one problem, I recently found out that I am actually five-foot-three and three quarters … I am so, so sorry, but thank you so much.”
Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the Netflix...
While clips played of her documentary Five Foot Two, which won the prize for Best Music Documentary at the award show, Tiffany Haddish handed the singer her golden popcorn statue.
“I love you little monsters so much! And, Happy Pride Month!” she said. “I just have one problem, I recently found out that I am actually five-foot-three and three quarters … I am so, so sorry, but thank you so much.”
Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the Netflix...
- 6/19/2018
- by Mike Miller, Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
Exclusive: Heroes and Villains Entertainment has added Chris Coggins and Gary Ventimiglia to its roster of managers. Ventimiglia comes to Heroes and Villains as a manager from Authentic, after running production companies such as Maverick and Valhalla, where he was responsible for bringing in The Walking Dead graphic novel. His clients include director Chris Moukarbel, who directed the Lady Gaga Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two; Michael Mayer, whose debut feature Ou…...
- 12/13/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: Heroes and Villains Entertainment has added Chris Coggins and Gary Ventimiglia to its roster of managers. Ventimiglia comes to Heroes and Villains as a manager from Authentic, after running production companies such as Maverick and Valhalla, where he was responsible for bringing in The Walking Dead graphic novel. His clients include director Chris Moukarbel, who directed the Lady Gaga Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two; Michael Mayer, whose debut feature Ou…...
- 12/13/2017
- Deadline TV
Chris Moukarbel spent eight months following Lady Gaga as she recorded her latest album Joanne. In the new Netflix documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, Moukarbel opens unique insight into her world.
- 10/30/2017
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' director Chris Moukarbel discusses the strong ties between Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, and how the late singer's 'spirit' was felt throughout the recording of 'Joanne.'...
- 10/2/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Newsroom
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' director Chris Moukarbel discusses the strong ties between Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, and how the late singer's 'spirit' was felt throughout the recording of 'Joanne.'...
- 10/2/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Music News
The fall TV and film season is officially here, and so is a fresh collection of documentaries to satisfy your non-fiction cravings.
2017 Fall Preview: Et's Complete Coverage of New Films, Music, TV and More!
From intimate looks into Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato's personal struggles and lives off stage to an Oprah Winfrey-produced look into the prison system and powerful explorations of racial injustice, there's no shortage of captivating deep dives this season.
These are the new and upcoming documentaries you need to watch.
House of Z
Available now
Vogue.com
Design prodigy Zac Posen's unprecedented rise to the top of the fashion world at age 21 (and falling out of favor just a few years later) becomes the focus of the documentary, which reveals an honest portrait of a designer and his “darker times” fighting to rebuild his company and his reputation. “I think it takes a level of real maturity to reflect on oneself...
2017 Fall Preview: Et's Complete Coverage of New Films, Music, TV and More!
From intimate looks into Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato's personal struggles and lives off stage to an Oprah Winfrey-produced look into the prison system and powerful explorations of racial injustice, there's no shortage of captivating deep dives this season.
These are the new and upcoming documentaries you need to watch.
House of Z
Available now
Vogue.com
Design prodigy Zac Posen's unprecedented rise to the top of the fashion world at age 21 (and falling out of favor just a few years later) becomes the focus of the documentary, which reveals an honest portrait of a designer and his “darker times” fighting to rebuild his company and his reputation. “I think it takes a level of real maturity to reflect on oneself...
- 9/28/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Gaga: Five Foot Two is a documentary about Lady Gaga that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival but has since been released to interested individuals through Netflix. The relationship of trust between Lady Gaga and the documentarian Chris Moukarbel meant that it is packed with behind-the-scenes footage, resulting in a more intimate look at the performer than otherwise possible. Here are 5 things that we learned about Lady Gaga from Five Foot Two: Suffers from Chronic Pain As it turns out, Lady Gaga suffers from fibromyalgia, which consists of chronic bouts of pain that can come with fatigue, sleep
Five Things We Learned from Lady Gaga’s Netflix Documentary...
Five Things We Learned from Lady Gaga’s Netflix Documentary...
- 9/27/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
by Glenn Dunks
Lady Gaga can be a great musician, it’s true. But the new documentary about her, Gaga: Five Foot Two, would make anybody unfamiliar with her question why. The film follows a year with the singer as she records her latest album, Joanne (admission: I’m not a fan), and prepares for the big stage of the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Yet something about this film lingers as ever so slightly off.
Part of the problem with Chris Moukarbel’s film is that it’s never quite verite. The camera is never just a fly on the wall to Gaga’s world, but instead a witness to events that lack authenticity...
Lady Gaga can be a great musician, it’s true. But the new documentary about her, Gaga: Five Foot Two, would make anybody unfamiliar with her question why. The film follows a year with the singer as she records her latest album, Joanne (admission: I’m not a fan), and prepares for the big stage of the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Yet something about this film lingers as ever so slightly off.
Part of the problem with Chris Moukarbel’s film is that it’s never quite verite. The camera is never just a fly on the wall to Gaga’s world, but instead a witness to events that lack authenticity...
- 9/26/2017
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' follows Lady Gaga onto the set of 'American Horror Story: Roanoke,' and it was a spooky experience for director Chris Moukarbel.
- 9/26/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Movie News
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' follows Lady Gaga onto the set of 'American Horror Story: Roanoke,' and it was a spooky experience for director Chris Moukarbel.
- 9/26/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Music News
'Gaga: Five Foot Two' follows Lady Gaga onto the set of 'American Horror Story: Roanoke,' and it was a spooky experience for director Chris Moukarbel.
- 9/26/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Newsroom
Who better to reveal the woman behind Lady Gaga -- removed from the meat dresses and crustacean headdresses and other trappings of her pop star persona -- than a filmmaker who once tried to shine a light on Banksy, the most elusive artist in recent history? In Gaga: Five Foot Two, now streaming on Netflix, documentarian Chris Moukarbel (Banksy Does New York) pulls back the curtain on the Haus of Gaga for a cinema vérité look at the life of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Et spoke with Moukarbel, and in addition to discussing how he gained Gaga's trust, what still scares the singer and the postponement of her world tour due to complications of fibromyalgia, he explained how following Lady Gaga was a much different experience than chasing the shadow of Banksy.
"This was about feeling like you're in the present moment with her," Moukarbel said. “Not only do I avoid using much archival footage or going...
"This was about feeling like you're in the present moment with her," Moukarbel said. “Not only do I avoid using much archival footage or going...
- 9/25/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Despite artful direction and meticulous curation by Gaga herself, the documentary never quite shakes the feel of a longform advert for the singer’s new phase – one that’s preaching to the converted
It’s been a transformative year in the life of Stefani Germanotta, a cycle purportedly captured in the new documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two, which is streaming on Netflix starting Friday. The vérité-style feature tracks the artist during the recording, release and promotion of her fifth studio cut, Joanne, culminating with her triumphant performance at the Super Bowl half-time show. The title, a nod to both the performer’s diminutive stature and the Guy Lombardo number, showcases the sincerity and humor and artistry that’s engendered a connection with her legion of Little Monsters over the years, but not even as formidable a talent as Gaga can overcome the inherent pitfalls of the authorized popstar documentary.
Artfully...
It’s been a transformative year in the life of Stefani Germanotta, a cycle purportedly captured in the new documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two, which is streaming on Netflix starting Friday. The vérité-style feature tracks the artist during the recording, release and promotion of her fifth studio cut, Joanne, culminating with her triumphant performance at the Super Bowl half-time show. The title, a nod to both the performer’s diminutive stature and the Guy Lombardo number, showcases the sincerity and humor and artistry that’s engendered a connection with her legion of Little Monsters over the years, but not even as formidable a talent as Gaga can overcome the inherent pitfalls of the authorized popstar documentary.
Artfully...
- 9/22/2017
- by Bryan Armen Graham
- The Guardian - Film News
Lady Gaga is giving fans a very intimate look inside her life.
The pop star’s new documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8, and is available on Netflix Friday.
Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the film follows the Grammy winner in the year leading up to the release of her 2016 album, Joanne.
And from the making of her album and her Super Bowl halftime show performance to her debilitating hip injury and the aftermath of her split from fiancé Taylor Kinney, Gaga holds nothing back.
Here are the six most revealing moments from...
The pop star’s new documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8, and is available on Netflix Friday.
Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the film follows the Grammy winner in the year leading up to the release of her 2016 album, Joanne.
And from the making of her album and her Super Bowl halftime show performance to her debilitating hip injury and the aftermath of her split from fiancé Taylor Kinney, Gaga holds nothing back.
Here are the six most revealing moments from...
- 9/22/2017
- by Jodi Guglielmi
- PEOPLE.com
Chris Chris Moukarbel, the director of 'Gaga: Five Foot Two,' unpacks the 'House of Mirrors' scene that focuses on Lady Gaga's status as a true pop star of the social media era.
- 9/22/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Newsroom
Chris Chris Moukarbel, the director of 'Gaga: Five Foot Two,' unpacks the 'House of Mirrors' scene that focuses on Lady Gaga's status as a true pop star of the social media era.
- 9/22/2017
- by Hilary Hughes
- MTV Music News
Lady Gaga isn’t holding anything back.
The 31-year-old pop star is laying it all bare in her new documentary, Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two, streaming now on Netflix.
During the one-hour-forty-minute runtime, Gaga tackles a myriad of tough subjects, including her own struggles in her love life, her public feud with Madonna and the challenges she’s faced as a woman in the music business. Preparations for Gaga’s 2016 album, Joanne, and her Super Bowl halftime performance serve as the threads tying the doc together, as cameras follow Gaga through celebrations, breakdowns and everything in between.
Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two is directed by Chris Moukarbel and produced by Live Nation Productions. The film premiered earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival. Here's just a few of the things Gaga gets candid about in the super-personal film:
1. On her relationships with men:
“My threshold for bullshit with men is, I don’t have...
The 31-year-old pop star is laying it all bare in her new documentary, Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two, streaming now on Netflix.
During the one-hour-forty-minute runtime, Gaga tackles a myriad of tough subjects, including her own struggles in her love life, her public feud with Madonna and the challenges she’s faced as a woman in the music business. Preparations for Gaga’s 2016 album, Joanne, and her Super Bowl halftime performance serve as the threads tying the doc together, as cameras follow Gaga through celebrations, breakdowns and everything in between.
Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two is directed by Chris Moukarbel and produced by Live Nation Productions. The film premiered earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival. Here's just a few of the things Gaga gets candid about in the super-personal film:
1. On her relationships with men:
“My threshold for bullshit with men is, I don’t have...
- 9/22/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Halfway through Chris Moukarbel’s documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” Lady Gaga sits at a piano in the Rainbow Room at a tribute to Tony Bennett. She sings what is still her best song, “Bad Romance,” belting it out slowly and with feeling while Bennett looks on approvingly. Her talent is clear, but her neediness is even clearer. Director Moukarbel (“Me at the Zoo”) has edited this movie, which charts the lead-up to Gaga’s performance at the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, to make it look like she spends most of her time either in tears or on the verge.
- 9/19/2017
- by Dan Callahan
- The Wrap
"You've gotta leave yourself behind..." Netflix has debuted the full-length trailer for the documentary called Gaga: Five Foot Two, an inside look at the life of Lady Gaga filmed over eight months. Directed by the filmmaker of Banksy Does New York and Me at the Zoo, the film goes intimately behind the scenes with "pop provocateur" Lady Gaga as she releases a bold new album and prepares for her Super Bowl halftime show. This just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last week to quite a bit of pomp and circumstance. The doc will be available on Netflix at the end of this week, so add it to your list and watch it this weekend. The reviews are good! Jazz Tangcay from Awards Daily says it "will fascinate fans and non-fans alike as they get a look inside her world and a newfound respect is born." This actually seems impressive.
- 9/19/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It's a sort of lopsided smile, almost like a child's-drawing version of what a grin is supposed to look like. Even more than the eyes and the jawline and that chin, which would later by framed by long Swingin' Sixties sideburns and covered by a ragged Seventies beard, it's the mouth of the kid in those early, black and white pictures that draws recognition. That's Eric Clapton's smile that the lad in the woolly jumper is sporting. And as he got older, even after he became famous and fans...
- 9/14/2017
- Rollingstone.com
A documentary filmmaker known for works including Banksy Does New York, director Chris Moukarbel is very familiar with the portrait of an artist as a form. Skilled at honing—and fascinated by—the “story behind the story”—Moukarbel was ultimately the perfect fit to helm Gaga: Five Foot Two, a Tiff-premering documentary that takes viewers into the life of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, and her performative alter ego, Lady Gaga. Speaking with Live Nation execs about…...
- 9/11/2017
- Deadline
2017-09-11T06:50:56-07:00Lady Gaga Slams Madonna in New Documentary
Madonna has been openly critical of Lady Gaga, but in a new Netflix documentary, Gaga turns the tables and takes a shot or two at Madonna. Will it be the start of a whole new celeb feud?
Via Decider.
Lady Gaga is a performer who’s used to giving her audience a little bit more. More costume, more attitude, more high-concepts, more red meat on an awards-show dress. So when she showed up at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday night for the world premiere of her new documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two, she not only made herself available for a post-film Q&A, she also performed a piano-only version of “Bad Romance” (similar to the one she performs in the film at Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday party) before the gathered press, fans, and...
Madonna has been openly critical of Lady Gaga, but in a new Netflix documentary, Gaga turns the tables and takes a shot or two at Madonna. Will it be the start of a whole new celeb feud?
Via Decider.
Lady Gaga is a performer who’s used to giving her audience a little bit more. More costume, more attitude, more high-concepts, more red meat on an awards-show dress. So when she showed up at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday night for the world premiere of her new documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two, she not only made herself available for a post-film Q&A, she also performed a piano-only version of “Bad Romance” (similar to the one she performs in the film at Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday party) before the gathered press, fans, and...
- 9/11/2017
- by EG
- Yidio
Music and celebrity are two of the favorite subjects of members of the documentary branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, so Gaga: Five Foot Two, a compelling Netflix documentary feature about Lady Gaga, one of the most talented and enigmatic music artists of her generation, could wind up in the awards conversation.
It is not so much a "concert doc" as a "collaboration doc," since Gaga's management picked Chris Moukarbel to direct and the singer allowed him to follow her around. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, playing...
It is not so much a "concert doc" as a "collaboration doc," since Gaga's management picked Chris Moukarbel to direct and the singer allowed him to follow her around. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, playing...
- 9/10/2017
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lady Gaga earned a standing ovation Friday night at the Toronto Film Festival after performing "Bad Romance" solo on the piano.
And that was before the Tiff headliner saw her Netflix biopic, Gaga: Five Foot Two, hold its world premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Gaga had been expected to perform after the film screened, but decided to go onstage beforehand.
She dedicated her slow-tempo performance to the film's director, Chris Moukarbel, who helped present the film to Gaga's rapturous fans. "I'm just floored," the director said after hearing Gaga perform. He watched stage-side as she rose from her...
And that was before the Tiff headliner saw her Netflix biopic, Gaga: Five Foot Two, hold its world premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Gaga had been expected to perform after the film screened, but decided to go onstage beforehand.
She dedicated her slow-tempo performance to the film's director, Chris Moukarbel, who helped present the film to Gaga's rapturous fans. "I'm just floored," the director said after hearing Gaga perform. He watched stage-side as she rose from her...
- 9/8/2017
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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