And the award for good timing goes to Netflix. In the wake of Oppenheimer’s inevitable Oscar coronation Sunday night, a celebration of a movie about the tormented father of the atomic bomb and the world he helped create, the mega-streamer has dropped Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, which includes an extensive account of the events leading up to the Manhattan Project, the atomic testing at Los Alamos, the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the arms race that defined the second half of the Twentieth Century.
- 3/12/2024
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
While the the Cold War ended in 1991, even a casual appraisal of current headlines reveals that relations between the United States and Russia — the one-time center of the Soviet Union — remain tense, to say the least. The global repercussions of the Cold War continue to ripple through the current geopolitical landscape to this day, but it can be difficult to understand just how a mid-20th century struggle for ideological dominance continues to ensnare countless nations in ongoing unrest.
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, a nine-part documentary series from director Brian Knappenberger, provides a comprehensive appraisal of the events that led to the Cold War and traces the conflict around the world and through the decades.
“Lessons that we thought were learned were not learned,” author Lesley Blume says in the doc, describing the state of the world today as “an ongoing tide” of the...
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, a nine-part documentary series from director Brian Knappenberger, provides a comprehensive appraisal of the events that led to the Cold War and traces the conflict around the world and through the decades.
“Lessons that we thought were learned were not learned,” author Lesley Blume says in the doc, describing the state of the world today as “an ongoing tide” of the...
- 3/12/2024
- by Roxanne Fequiere
- Tudum - Netflix
"What would it mean for a nuclear power to come undone?" Netflix has revealed the official trailer for a documentary series titled Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, which is the latest "Turning Point" offering following the Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror docu-series also on Netflix. The next chapter in this franchise about the state of the world... From Luminant Media and doc director Brian Knappenberger comes the definitive documentary series on the Cold War. Beginning with the development of the atomic bomb during WWII and the dramatic proliferation of nuclear weapons in the decades after, the series traces Cold War history past the collapse of the Soviet Union to the rise of Vladimir Putin and into the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Featuring new interviews with prominent politicians, journalists, and the people who lived through history, this series is an exploration of the decades-long conflict between the U.
- 2/22/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
September. Labor Day, come and gone. Fall… theoretically. Back to school, back to theaters. That’s right: despite Hollywood’s ongoing labor shutdown, new product continues to leech out from the national Don’t-Miss Indies reserves, spilling its way onto screens in art houses cinemas worldwide. And yeah, a piping hot pumpkin-spice latte probably sounds like the last thing you want to consume after a long, hot day on the picket line. But you gotta admit: it’s nice to have the option.
Scouts Honor: The Secret Files Of The Scouts Of America
When You Can Watch: September 6
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
Director: Brian Knappenberger
Executive Producers: Diane Becker, Nan Goldin, Amy Ziering
Why We’re Excited: “The length certain people were going to [in order to] try and get you to shut up got me the angriest.” So says one of the 80,000+ documented survivors embroiled in the Boy Scouts of America...
Scouts Honor: The Secret Files Of The Scouts Of America
When You Can Watch: September 6
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
Director: Brian Knappenberger
Executive Producers: Diane Becker, Nan Goldin, Amy Ziering
Why We’re Excited: “The length certain people were going to [in order to] try and get you to shut up got me the angriest.” So says one of the 80,000+ documented survivors embroiled in the Boy Scouts of America...
- 9/6/2023
- by Su Fang Tham
- Film Independent News & More
Fall is officially upon us, and Netflix knows the best way to chill is to fire up a new movie. The streamer has officially announced its full fall film slate, with highly anticipated features such as Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” Todd Haynes’ latest drama May December”, and David Fincher’s adaptation of “The Killer.”
Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com
Plan out your fall viewing and get ready to add all of the following flicks to your Netflix List!
What Movies Are Coming to Netflix in Fall 2023? “Scouts Honor: the Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America” | Sept. 6
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the new investigative documentary looks at the institutional cover-up of sexual abuse with the Boy Scouts of America and follow the whistleblowers fighting to bring justice against what was once one of America’s most beloved and trusted institutions.
Watch the trailer for “Scouts Honor: the Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America...
Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com
Plan out your fall viewing and get ready to add all of the following flicks to your Netflix List!
What Movies Are Coming to Netflix in Fall 2023? “Scouts Honor: the Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America” | Sept. 6
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the new investigative documentary looks at the institutional cover-up of sexual abuse with the Boy Scouts of America and follow the whistleblowers fighting to bring justice against what was once one of America’s most beloved and trusted institutions.
Watch the trailer for “Scouts Honor: the Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America...
- 9/1/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Netflix on Tuesday unveiled its full fall slate of films, touting the release dates of awards contenders like Pain Hustlers and The Killer, among other titles.
A crime drama starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans that adapts the book by Evan Hughes, Pain Hustlers has been set to open in select theaters October 20. Directed by David Yates from Wells Tower’s script, the film will make its debut on Netflix October 27, as previously announced. Marking David Fincher’s return to the genre that put him on the map, the thriller The Killer starring Michael Fassbender will bow in select theaters October 27th, having already set its streaming premiere date of November 10th.
Among other buzzy titles coming to the platform that could factor into the awards race is Thom Zimny’s doc Sly, examining the life and career of Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone, which has been dated to hit Netflix November 3rd.
A crime drama starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans that adapts the book by Evan Hughes, Pain Hustlers has been set to open in select theaters October 20. Directed by David Yates from Wells Tower’s script, the film will make its debut on Netflix October 27, as previously announced. Marking David Fincher’s return to the genre that put him on the map, the thriller The Killer starring Michael Fassbender will bow in select theaters October 27th, having already set its streaming premiere date of November 10th.
Among other buzzy titles coming to the platform that could factor into the awards race is Thom Zimny’s doc Sly, examining the life and career of Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone, which has been dated to hit Netflix November 3rd.
- 8/30/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has unveiled its complete film slate for this fall, including Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire,” Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Wes Anderson’s short “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” and much more.
The fall film slate features 28 movies that will be released on the streamer beginning in September. Anderson’s short Roald Dahl adaptation will drop on Netflix Sept. 27 following its limited theatrical release on Sept. 20, while “Maestro” and “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire” premiere in December. Other notable features include “Reptile,” “Rustin,” “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” and Sylvester Stallone’s documentary “Sly.”
Take a look at Netflix’s 2023 fall film slate below.
September Releases
Scouts Honor: The Secret Files Of The Boy Scouts Of America
Release Date: On Netflix September 6
Genre: Documentary
Director: Brian Knappenberger
Producers: Conor Fetting-Smith, Sabrina Parke, Clive Patterson
Executive Producers: Brian Knappenberger, Orlando von Einsiedel...
The fall film slate features 28 movies that will be released on the streamer beginning in September. Anderson’s short Roald Dahl adaptation will drop on Netflix Sept. 27 following its limited theatrical release on Sept. 20, while “Maestro” and “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire” premiere in December. Other notable features include “Reptile,” “Rustin,” “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” and Sylvester Stallone’s documentary “Sly.”
Take a look at Netflix’s 2023 fall film slate below.
September Releases
Scouts Honor: The Secret Files Of The Boy Scouts Of America
Release Date: On Netflix September 6
Genre: Documentary
Director: Brian Knappenberger
Producers: Conor Fetting-Smith, Sabrina Parke, Clive Patterson
Executive Producers: Brian Knappenberger, Orlando von Einsiedel...
- 8/30/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
A Netflix documentary is exposing the Boy Scouts’ child abuse scandal.
The documentary feature Scout’s Honor (trailer below) details “how the Boy Scouts of America attempted to cover up one of history’s most horrific child sexual abuse scandals” through “exclusive interviews with whistleblowers, survivors and former employees.”
The trailer notes there have been a documented 82,000 abuse claims against former scout leaders who were entrusted to teach and protect children enrolled with the personal growth program, which was founded in 1910.
“I don’t care if I bring the whole temple down, this is an abomination,” says one interview subject in the trailer. While another claims, “I know kids are still at risk in Scouting.”
In a statement released in 2021, the Boy Scouts of America said they were “devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in Scouting” and “the response we have seen from survivors has been gut wrenching” … and,...
The documentary feature Scout’s Honor (trailer below) details “how the Boy Scouts of America attempted to cover up one of history’s most horrific child sexual abuse scandals” through “exclusive interviews with whistleblowers, survivors and former employees.”
The trailer notes there have been a documented 82,000 abuse claims against former scout leaders who were entrusted to teach and protect children enrolled with the personal growth program, which was founded in 1910.
“I don’t care if I bring the whole temple down, this is an abomination,” says one interview subject in the trailer. While another claims, “I know kids are still at risk in Scouting.”
In a statement released in 2021, the Boy Scouts of America said they were “devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in Scouting” and “the response we have seen from survivors has been gut wrenching” … and,...
- 8/14/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"This is a human rights movement for children, against one of the biggest offenders in the world." Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film titled Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America. Once again, that title sets up what this is about - a chilling, horrifying inside look at the Boy Scouts of America's abuse problem. No doubt most people have probably read about the stories of all the cover ups, this digs even deeper into the scary truth. It is also the latest documentary film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Brian Knappenberger. Survivors, whistleblowers and experts recount the Boy Scouts of America's decadeslong cover-up of sexual abuse cases and its heartbreaking impact. This trailer makes it pretty clear this is going to be a damning doc that does not hold back, with many willing to do whatever it takes to tear down this institution.
- 8/14/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
On Sept. 6, Netflix will debut Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America, a documentary about how one of the largest youth organizations in the U.S. — with over 700,000 members — tried to cover up one of the most widespread child sexual abuse scandals in history.
Directed by Brian Knappenberger (The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez) and executive produced by Orlando von Einsiedel (The White Helmets), the doc features exclusive interviews with survivors and ex-employees, including the first interview with Michael Johnson, the Boy Scouts’ former youth protection director turned whistleblower,...
Directed by Brian Knappenberger (The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez) and executive produced by Orlando von Einsiedel (The White Helmets), the doc features exclusive interviews with survivors and ex-employees, including the first interview with Michael Johnson, the Boy Scouts’ former youth protection director turned whistleblower,...
- 8/14/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
"There are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics." Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a new doc series titled in full: Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet. This is the latest tech doc creation from acclaimed filmmaker Brian Knappenberger, who has made a handful of excellent docs about the web: We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, and Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press. This time he takes on misinformation and the erosion of the truth thanks to the internet - split across six episodes covering different topics. "Conspiracy. Fraud. Violence. Murder. What starts out virtual can get real all too quickly--and when the web is worldwide, so are the consequences." Rich with distinctive characters and surprising developments, reality is warped when the ordinary American household collides with a chaotic web of misinformation.
- 5/30/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Brian Knappenberger explores technology and crime in “Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet,” a six-part anthology docuseries from Imagine that will debut on Netflix June 15.
Episodes include “Death by Swat” about the consequences of “swatting” – a harassment technique that involves a person making a false report to emergency police against an innocent target – and “A Murder in D.C,” about the conspiracies around the 2016 murder of Seth Rich, the slain Democratic National Committee staffer whose death was used by right-wing activists to help exonerate Russia’s interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.
“‘Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet’ is a collection of stories gathered over years of making films about the world of technology,” says Knappenberger. “I’ve always been interested in how technology changes the lives of everyday people, and in how our perceptions and brains are changed. The big questions hang over all of these stories,...
Episodes include “Death by Swat” about the consequences of “swatting” – a harassment technique that involves a person making a false report to emergency police against an innocent target – and “A Murder in D.C,” about the conspiracies around the 2016 murder of Seth Rich, the slain Democratic National Committee staffer whose death was used by right-wing activists to help exonerate Russia’s interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.
“‘Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet’ is a collection of stories gathered over years of making films about the world of technology,” says Knappenberger. “I’ve always been interested in how technology changes the lives of everyday people, and in how our perceptions and brains are changed. The big questions hang over all of these stories,...
- 5/26/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The white-hot market for the next entertaining, obsessive, engaging, gasp-inducing docuseries that leads to real-world change is still very much alive and well.
In the past six months alone, docuseries including HBO’s “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning,” Netflix’s “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” and ESPN’s “The Last Dance” have been released and received widely. Each series was made with the intent to inform as well as entertain, leaving filmmakers in the precarious position of not only having to report and make sense of the facts, but also order those truths in a compelling, and at times dramatic, fashion.
While editing the 10-part series “The Last Dance,” about the Chicago Bulls 1997-98 season, director Jason Hehir says he had a “philosophy that we had to keep people entertained and keep them off balance a little bit by...
In the past six months alone, docuseries including HBO’s “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning,” Netflix’s “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” and ESPN’s “The Last Dance” have been released and received widely. Each series was made with the intent to inform as well as entertain, leaving filmmakers in the precarious position of not only having to report and make sense of the facts, but also order those truths in a compelling, and at times dramatic, fashion.
While editing the 10-part series “The Last Dance,” about the Chicago Bulls 1997-98 season, director Jason Hehir says he had a “philosophy that we had to keep people entertained and keep them off balance a little bit by...
- 7/2/2020
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez director Brian Knappenberger and his Luminant Media production company have signed with Wme for representation in all areas.
Knappenberg most recently directed and executive produced Netflix’s critically praised The Trials Of Gabriel Fernandez via his Luminant Media banner. The six-part true crime docuseries, based on the reporting by L.A. Times journalist Garrett Therolf, chronicled the months-long abuse and eventual murder of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez in Palmdale, CA. The docuseries, which premiered in February, had an extended run as the top show on the platform and held a top 10 spot for weeks to follow.
More from DeadlineBig 3 Talent Agencies, Saying There Is "Clear Possibility" Judge May Dismiss WGA's Antitrust Suit, Seek Stay Of Document Discovery - Update'Thor' & 'Westworld's Tessa Thompson Signs With Wmeuta Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus Hobbles Hollywood
Previously, Knappenberger directed, wrote and produced Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press...
Knappenberg most recently directed and executive produced Netflix’s critically praised The Trials Of Gabriel Fernandez via his Luminant Media banner. The six-part true crime docuseries, based on the reporting by L.A. Times journalist Garrett Therolf, chronicled the months-long abuse and eventual murder of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez in Palmdale, CA. The docuseries, which premiered in February, had an extended run as the top show on the platform and held a top 10 spot for weeks to follow.
More from DeadlineBig 3 Talent Agencies, Saying There Is "Clear Possibility" Judge May Dismiss WGA's Antitrust Suit, Seek Stay Of Document Discovery - Update'Thor' & 'Westworld's Tessa Thompson Signs With Wmeuta Makes "Immediate & Painful" Pay Cuts As Coronavirus Hobbles Hollywood
Previously, Knappenberger directed, wrote and produced Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press...
- 4/16/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Gabriel Fernandez was only 8 years old when he was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre.
And as detailed in Netflix’s documentary “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” he was consistently let down by the system when he most needed help.
Based on in-depth reporting by L.A. Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over 8 months Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture, which included regular beatings, being shot in the face with a Bb gun, forced to eat cat litter, locked in a cupboard for hours, and pepper sprayed. The cruel nightmare ultimately ended when his mother and her boyfriend beat him to death.
But even worse, the Department of Child and Family Services and law enforcement were called to the scene multiple times before Gabriel’s death — and no action was taken. At one point social workers even ordered Gabriel to stop lying,...
And as detailed in Netflix’s documentary “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” he was consistently let down by the system when he most needed help.
Based on in-depth reporting by L.A. Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over 8 months Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture, which included regular beatings, being shot in the face with a Bb gun, forced to eat cat litter, locked in a cupboard for hours, and pepper sprayed. The cruel nightmare ultimately ended when his mother and her boyfriend beat him to death.
But even worse, the Department of Child and Family Services and law enforcement were called to the scene multiple times before Gabriel’s death — and no action was taken. At one point social workers even ordered Gabriel to stop lying,...
- 4/9/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
“The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” director Brian Knappenberger said producers kept a therapist on call during the production of the heartbreaking documentary about an eight-year-old boy who was tortured and abused by his mother and her boyfriend until he died from the torment.
“We worked on this for almost two years. This was super emotional for everyone,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “We actually had a therapist that was being offered to people — we had never done that on a production before. It was very emotional to go through, we spent time with interviews, we fact-checked everything. But everybody that went through this just felt like there was a purpose and it was a story we had to tell.”
Based on in-depth reporting by La Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over eight months, Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture, which included regular beatings, being shot in...
“We worked on this for almost two years. This was super emotional for everyone,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “We actually had a therapist that was being offered to people — we had never done that on a production before. It was very emotional to go through, we spent time with interviews, we fact-checked everything. But everybody that went through this just felt like there was a purpose and it was a story we had to tell.”
Based on in-depth reporting by La Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over eight months, Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture, which included regular beatings, being shot in...
- 3/18/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
“The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” director Brian Knappenberger wanted to speak to the late Gabriel Fernandez’s mother, Pearl, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, for the documentary, but no matter how many times he reached out, his call was never returned.
“We tried very hard to talk to them,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “They were demonized in the press and what they did is incomprehensible, but we still wanted to understand them in a deeper way. We set up a mechanism where they could call us from prison and they had my personal number. For six months, I carried around the questions I wanted to ask them in my backpocket because I never knew when and if they were going to call. We also wrote them many letters.”
Based on in-depth reporting by La Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over eight months, 8-year-old Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture,...
“We tried very hard to talk to them,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “They were demonized in the press and what they did is incomprehensible, but we still wanted to understand them in a deeper way. We set up a mechanism where they could call us from prison and they had my personal number. For six months, I carried around the questions I wanted to ask them in my backpocket because I never knew when and if they were going to call. We also wrote them many letters.”
Based on in-depth reporting by La Times journalist Garrett Therolf, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicles how over eight months, 8-year-old Gabriel was subjected to horrific torture,...
- 3/7/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Not only does Netflix’s “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” chronicle the murder of an 8-year-old boy at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, but it examines the failure of the Department of Child and Family Services at a time when a small child needed help the most.
Director Brian Knappenberger told TheWrap that Dcfs didn’t just fail to do their job to save Gabriel Fernandez and other children that have been abused and died from their injuries, but it failed to uphold transparency in not only speaking to the filmmakers of the groundbreaking documentary but also its duties to the public.
“Without question, the biggest challenge was getting Dcfs to talk to us, and we wanted an interview with the current director of Dcfs, Bobby Cagle,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “We asked them for one-and-a-half years — their first excuse was that he wasn’t the director of...
Director Brian Knappenberger told TheWrap that Dcfs didn’t just fail to do their job to save Gabriel Fernandez and other children that have been abused and died from their injuries, but it failed to uphold transparency in not only speaking to the filmmakers of the groundbreaking documentary but also its duties to the public.
“Without question, the biggest challenge was getting Dcfs to talk to us, and we wanted an interview with the current director of Dcfs, Bobby Cagle,” Knappenberger told TheWrap. “We asked them for one-and-a-half years — their first excuse was that he wasn’t the director of...
- 3/3/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
For the first time, the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services has responded to the Netflix documentary “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” which criticizes the agency for how it handled Gabriel’s abuse prior to his being murdered by his mother and her boyfriend.
In a statement provided to TheWrap, La County Dcfs said “what happened to Gabriel was horrific and inhumane; no child should ever suffer such abuse and neglect at the hands of a caregiver,” but said since then it has undertaken several reforms.
“It should never take the death of a child to address weaknesses and make investments in improvements for child protection; it is in his memory and in pursuit of the safety of Los Angeles County’s two million children that we have reformed how child protection work is done,” the statement says. “This new era of reform began immediately following Gabriel’s...
In a statement provided to TheWrap, La County Dcfs said “what happened to Gabriel was horrific and inhumane; no child should ever suffer such abuse and neglect at the hands of a caregiver,” but said since then it has undertaken several reforms.
“It should never take the death of a child to address weaknesses and make investments in improvements for child protection; it is in his memory and in pursuit of the safety of Los Angeles County’s two million children that we have reformed how child protection work is done,” the statement says. “This new era of reform began immediately following Gabriel’s...
- 3/3/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part Netflix docu-series from Brian Knappenberger (Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press) that delves into one of the most horrific crimes to hit Los Angeles headlines in recent years — the death of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend after years of physical torture and emotional abuse. Taking as its starting point the courtroom drama of death penalty defendant Isauro Aguirre (after one too many outbursts from Gabriel’s mom Pearl Fernandez the accused murderers are ultimately tried separately), the series soon becomes something else entirely — a […]...
- 2/26/2020
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part Netflix docu-series from Brian Knappenberger (Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press) that delves into one of the most horrific crimes to hit Los Angeles headlines in recent years — the death of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend after years of physical torture and emotional abuse. Taking as its starting point the courtroom drama of death penalty defendant Isauro Aguirre (after one too many outbursts from Gabriel’s mom Pearl Fernandez the accused murderers are ultimately tried separately), the series soon becomes something else entirely — a […]...
- 2/26/2020
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
With a record number of 10,397 submissions, the 2020 Sundance Film Festival short film programmers undertook a herculean task to narrow the official selections down to 74 narrative, animated, and documentary shorts. After previewing 45 official selections made available for advance press screening, IndieWire culled 10 of the most artistically compelling, dramatically surprising, and emotionally resonate pieces. The filmmakers were then emailed and asked to share their inspiration and what they are working on next.
Although no theme unifies this year’s “must see” shorts, there are some trends to note. Perhaps because the list favors the U.S. narrative shorts, the many unique neighborhoods of Los Angeles play an outsized role in many storylines. Sundance alumni return with a vengeance, with last year’s “must-see” short filmmakers Terence Nance and Matthew Puccini and 2014 jury prize winner Bernardo Britto debuting superior new work. And the five-minute-or-less “short shorts” were more satisfying to consume than the...
Although no theme unifies this year’s “must see” shorts, there are some trends to note. Perhaps because the list favors the U.S. narrative shorts, the many unique neighborhoods of Los Angeles play an outsized role in many storylines. Sundance alumni return with a vengeance, with last year’s “must-see” short filmmakers Terence Nance and Matthew Puccini and 2014 jury prize winner Bernardo Britto debuting superior new work. And the five-minute-or-less “short shorts” were more satisfying to consume than the...
- 1/23/2020
- by Kim Adelman
- Indiewire
“Free Solo,” “Quincy,” “Minding the Gap,” “Rbg,” “Three identical Strangers” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” are among the films nominated for the Audience Choice Prize at the 2018 Cinema Eye Honors, an awards show devoted to all facts of nonfiction filmmaking.
“Bathtubs Over Broadway,” “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.,” “On Her Shoulders” and “Shirkers” were also nominated in the Audience Choice category, which can be voted on by members of the public at the Cinema Eye website.
The bulk of the Cinema Eye Honors nominees will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 8, and the winners will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 10 at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City.
Also Read: 'Free Solo,' 'Minding the Gap,' 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Land Ida Documentary Nominations
In the Broadcast Film category, the nominees were four docs from HBO – “Baltimore Rising,” “Believer,” “The Final Year” and...
“Bathtubs Over Broadway,” “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.,” “On Her Shoulders” and “Shirkers” were also nominated in the Audience Choice category, which can be voted on by members of the public at the Cinema Eye website.
The bulk of the Cinema Eye Honors nominees will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 8, and the winners will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 10 at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City.
Also Read: 'Free Solo,' 'Minding the Gap,' 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Land Ida Documentary Nominations
In the Broadcast Film category, the nominees were four docs from HBO – “Baltimore Rising,” “Believer,” “The Final Year” and...
- 10/25/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Netflix has acquired the global rights to director Theo Love’s documentary feature “The Legend of Cocaine Island.”
The film, previously titled “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra,” earned high praise after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
In “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
“We didn’t set out to make a documentary in the traditional sense. We wanted to make a movie. A big fat, entertaining movie.” said Love. “I grew up thinking documentaries had to be boring, stuffy, educational films, but then I got my Netflix subscription. Netflix changed the...
The film, previously titled “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra,” earned high praise after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
In “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
“We didn’t set out to make a documentary in the traditional sense. We wanted to make a movie. A big fat, entertaining movie.” said Love. “I grew up thinking documentaries had to be boring, stuffy, educational films, but then I got my Netflix subscription. Netflix changed the...
- 9/5/2018
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
When filmmaker Brian Knappenberger began working on what would eventually become his film “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press,” he didn’t actually realize the scope of what he would capture. At first, he took an interest in Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker Media (for publishing a sex tape of the wrestler with his friend’s wife) simply because he was interested in the case’s battle between the free press and privacy.
“I was really fascinated by this whole Hulk Hogan-Gawker trial, and I was interested in it before it started taking the radical twists and turns that it took later,” he said in a Q&A following a showing of the film at the International Documentary Association’s annual screening series. “There’s a really interesting battle between freedom of speech and privacy. These are two things that some of my other work [revolves around], so I...
“I was really fascinated by this whole Hulk Hogan-Gawker trial, and I was interested in it before it started taking the radical twists and turns that it took later,” he said in a Q&A following a showing of the film at the International Documentary Association’s annual screening series. “There’s a really interesting battle between freedom of speech and privacy. These are two things that some of my other work [revolves around], so I...
- 12/8/2017
- by Jean Bentley
- Indiewire
Netflix is adding two new documentaries to its crowded 2017 roster: “Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold.” and “Voyeur,” both of which will premiere at the 55th New York Film Festival and launch globally on Netflix later this year.
Read More:Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run The Fast-Changing Nonfiction World
Author Joan Didion’s nephew, actor-director-producer Griffin Dunne, has been laboring on this portrait of his aunt for years. The film spans more than 50 years of essays, novels, screenplays, and criticism, as Didion chronicled America’s cultural and political tides, from the literati scene of New York in the 1950s and early ’60s to her home state of California, where she wrote “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” and “The White Album” and such film scripts as “The Panic in Needle Park.”
Dunne unearths a trove of archival footage and interviews his aunt at length about the many people she met and...
Read More:Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run The Fast-Changing Nonfiction World
Author Joan Didion’s nephew, actor-director-producer Griffin Dunne, has been laboring on this portrait of his aunt for years. The film spans more than 50 years of essays, novels, screenplays, and criticism, as Didion chronicled America’s cultural and political tides, from the literati scene of New York in the 1950s and early ’60s to her home state of California, where she wrote “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” and “The White Album” and such film scripts as “The Panic in Needle Park.”
Dunne unearths a trove of archival footage and interviews his aunt at length about the many people she met and...
- 8/23/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Netflix is adding two new documentaries to its crowded 2017 roster: “Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold.” and “Voyeur,” both of which will premiere at the 55th New York Film Festival and launch globally on Netflix later this year.
Read More:Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run The Fast-Changing Nonfiction World
Author Joan Didion’s nephew, actor-director-producer Griffin Dunne, has been laboring on this portrait of his aunt for years. The film spans more than 50 years of essays, novels, screenplays, and criticism, as Didion chronicled America’s cultural and political tides, from the literati scene of New York in the 1950s and early ’60s to her home state of California, where she wrote “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” and “The White Album” and such film scripts as “The Panic in Needle Park.”
Dunne unearths a trove of archival footage and interviews his aunt at length about the many people she met and...
Read More:Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run The Fast-Changing Nonfiction World
Author Joan Didion’s nephew, actor-director-producer Griffin Dunne, has been laboring on this portrait of his aunt for years. The film spans more than 50 years of essays, novels, screenplays, and criticism, as Didion chronicled America’s cultural and political tides, from the literati scene of New York in the 1950s and early ’60s to her home state of California, where she wrote “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” and “The White Album” and such film scripts as “The Panic in Needle Park.”
Dunne unearths a trove of archival footage and interviews his aunt at length about the many people she met and...
- 8/23/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The grey area between privacy and First Amendment rights were central to TheWrap’s panel discussion in Los Angeles Thursday night, “The First Amendment In the Age of Trump” — and in the current climate there were plenty of issues to debate. Brian Knappenberger, director of the documentary “Nobody Speak: Trials of a Free Press,” said that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel’s secret involvement in the Hulk Hogan/Gawker trial threatened the First Amendment rights of the free press. But the irony is that the First Amendment in part protects Thiel’s secrecy. Or consider how universities have been locked in debate over whether.
- 7/7/2017
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Getting out early can be an advantage in the documentary race, which is often front loaded at January’s Sundance Film Festival. While a raft of movies made their mark, the question is which ones can sustain support through the end of the year.
Among that festival’s breakouts were three Syria documentaries. Daring and timely “City of Ghosts” (July 14, A & E/Amazon Studios), which is Matthew Heineman’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated border drug war thriller “Cartel Land,” will get a major push. Any footage from Syria came from the fearless Raqqa journalists he tracked through Turkey and Germany, where they discover that they are not necessarily safe — anywhere.
It remains to be seen if there will be room for more than one Syrian documentary. HBO Documentary Films is forgoing Emmy consideration for “Winter on Fire” nominee Evgeny Afineevsky’s harrowing “Cries From Syria” (March 10, HBO), planning an Oscar push this fall.
Among that festival’s breakouts were three Syria documentaries. Daring and timely “City of Ghosts” (July 14, A & E/Amazon Studios), which is Matthew Heineman’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated border drug war thriller “Cartel Land,” will get a major push. Any footage from Syria came from the fearless Raqqa journalists he tracked through Turkey and Germany, where they discover that they are not necessarily safe — anywhere.
It remains to be seen if there will be room for more than one Syrian documentary. HBO Documentary Films is forgoing Emmy consideration for “Winter on Fire” nominee Evgeny Afineevsky’s harrowing “Cries From Syria” (March 10, HBO), planning an Oscar push this fall.
- 7/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
The Bad Batch (Ana Lily Amirpour)
Ana Lily Amirpour’s second feature shoots for Harmony Korine meets Mad Max and would have nearly almost hit the mark were it not for the gratingly aloof attitude and the swaths of directorial license being taken. The Bad Batch — an ambitious, expansive dystopian sci-fi western which features partying, drugs, and cannibals — might come as music to the ears of diehard fans of films like Spring Breakers and Gummo (a kid doesn’t quite eat spaghetti in a bathtub, but a kid does eat spaghetti after being in a bathtub). However, beneath its dazzlingly hip surface the script and characters leave much to be desired. It’s like taking a trip to Burning Man: a pseudo-spiritual, uniquely punky experience perhaps, but one that’s full of annoying rich kids and ultimately emotionally shallow. – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes
Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts)
Though it may not feel fully inspired so much as competently pre-visualized, Kong: Skull Island fits snugly into the growing canon of reboots that exist within ever-expanding movie universes. That’s a first sentence to a positive review that perhaps reads a bit more cynically than intended. Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by a bunch of dudes (Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly with a story credited to John Gatins), this umpteenth version of the King Kong story pulls from every available pop-culture source in building a fun creature feature. Much of the credit goes to the breathtaking effects and brisk pace, which distract from some lofty line readings and silly plot devices. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Le Trou (Jacques Becker)
One of the greatest prison escape dramas of all-time, Jacques Becker’s recently-restored Le Trou is a masterclass in tension. By putting us both in the physical and psychological headspace of our protagonists, it’s an enveloping experience as we see a number of close calls, leading up to one of the most unforgettable endings in cinema. – Jordan r.
Where to Stream: Mubi (free 30-day trial)
Moana (John Musker and Ron Clements)
It’s time for another Disney Princess movie, and you know how it goes. Disney knows too, and wants you to know that it knows. When the title character of Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) denies that she’s a princess, claiming that she’s merely the daughter of her island’s chief and the next chieftain, her adventuring partner Maui (Dwayne Johnson) asserts, “Same difference,” and that, “You wear a dress and have an animal sidekick. You’re a princess.” But Disney is doing its best to make the culture rethink cinematic fantasy princesses, countering the stereotypes of helpless femininity (which the studio largely put in place) with a new roster of highly capable action heroines. And Moana is, as they call it, a good role model. And the movie around her is fine. – Dan S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Netflix
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (Brian Knappenberger)
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press uses a salacious story and website as the launching pad to discuss where we currently are, so much so that I imagine director Brian Knappenberger — who uses footage from President Trump’s infamous press conference only a few days before the film’s Sundance premiere — may wish to stay on the story. Gawker, a site spun out of Gizmodo, was founded to share the types of stories mainstream news outlets would often shy away from, including celebrity sex tapes, outings, drug use, and allegations that have swirled but not picked up traction. They’ve featured Rob Ford smoking crack, Bill Cosby’s multiple accusers, Hillary Clinton’s emails, Tom Cruise’s prominent role in Scientology, and the one that brought them down: the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape recorded for private use by Hogan pal and infamous Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, best known nationally for his stint on Howard Stern’s satellite channel. Bubba’s antics will no doubt some day be the subject of a documentary of their own, from his role in both the Hogan affair to his odd appearance in the David Petraeus saga. – John F. (full review)
Where to Stream: Netflix
Paterson (Jim Jarmusch)
Jim Jarmusch proved he was back in a major way with Only Lovers Left Alive a few years ago, and the streak continues with Paterson, a calm, introspective drama with such positive views on marriage and creativity that I was left floored. In following the cyclical life of Adam Driver‘s Paterson, a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey, who also has dreams of being a poet, Jarmusch superbly shows that one’s own life experience — however seemingly insubstantial — is the only requirement to produce something beautiful. Moreso than any other film in 2016, this is the kind of world I want to live in. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime
Star Trek Beyond (Justin Lin)
After the pleasant fluff of its kick-off installment and the frog march of unpleasantness that was Into Darkness, the rebooted Star Trek film series finally hits a fun median between big-budget bombast and classic Trek bigheartedness with Star Trek Beyond. Does the franchise’s full descent into action, with only the barest lip service paid to big ideas, cause Gene Roddenberry’s ashes to spin in their space capsule? Probably, but in the barren desert of summer 2016 blockbusters, this is a lovely oasis. – Dan S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime
Summer Hours (Olivier Assayas)
Perhaps a point of contention on New York Times’ top 25 films of the 21st century list, Olivier Assayas’ Summer Hours is a commendable top 10 pick. Led by Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, and Kyle Eastwood, this drama follows a family reuniting following the death of their mother. Like the best of Assayas’ films, it’s an impeccably-crafted, subtly-moving experience, one that wades in the ideas of the value of what we hold on to and a graceful reflection on the passage of time. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: FilmStruck
Wilson (Craig Johnson)
The world of Daniel Clowes is one without manners, glamour, and tact, but it is also one of uncomfortable truth, as scathing as it might be. One may have never verbally conveyed the discourteous musings of his characters to the extent to which it is their everyday vernacular, but we’ve all had similar thoughts when life isn’t going our way. The latest adaptation of his work comes with Wilson, directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins), featuring a role Woody Harrelson is clearly having the time of his life with. Despite his commitment to a lack of civility, there’s a darker film lying in the cynical heart of Wilson, one that gets squandered by its mawkish aesthetic and lack of interest in exploring these characters beyond their crudeness. – Jordan R. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
The Zookeeper’s Wife (Niki Caro)
The Zookeeper’s Wife begins with those five famous words that hold the power to either become a film’s dependency (and therefore downfall) or its empowering catalyst, laying the foundation to convey a poignant tale: “Based on a true story.” Fortunately, The Zookeeper’s Wife sticks with the latter, and the true tale being told is one for the ages. Niki Caro‘s drama follows a couple who hide Jews in their zoo and use it as a point of passage and escape during the Nazi takeover of Warsaw. The narrative is a simple one, allowing The Zookeeper’s Wife to shine in its performances, imagery, and storytelling, which it pristinely accomplishes. – Chelsey G. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Also New to Streaming
Amazon
Night School (review)
FilmStruck
Rodeo and The Moment of Truth
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? and Quadrophenia
An Actor’s Revenge
Her Brother
Conflagration
The Woman in Question
The Importance of Being Earnest
Mubi (free 30-day trial)
Paris Frills
The Train to Moscow: A Journey to Utopia
Lost in Lebanon
Being 14
Molly’s Theory of Relativity
Le Moulin
Netflix
The Stanford Prison Experiment (review)
Discover more titles that are now available to stream.
The Bad Batch (Ana Lily Amirpour)
Ana Lily Amirpour’s second feature shoots for Harmony Korine meets Mad Max and would have nearly almost hit the mark were it not for the gratingly aloof attitude and the swaths of directorial license being taken. The Bad Batch — an ambitious, expansive dystopian sci-fi western which features partying, drugs, and cannibals — might come as music to the ears of diehard fans of films like Spring Breakers and Gummo (a kid doesn’t quite eat spaghetti in a bathtub, but a kid does eat spaghetti after being in a bathtub). However, beneath its dazzlingly hip surface the script and characters leave much to be desired. It’s like taking a trip to Burning Man: a pseudo-spiritual, uniquely punky experience perhaps, but one that’s full of annoying rich kids and ultimately emotionally shallow. – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes
Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts)
Though it may not feel fully inspired so much as competently pre-visualized, Kong: Skull Island fits snugly into the growing canon of reboots that exist within ever-expanding movie universes. That’s a first sentence to a positive review that perhaps reads a bit more cynically than intended. Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by a bunch of dudes (Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly with a story credited to John Gatins), this umpteenth version of the King Kong story pulls from every available pop-culture source in building a fun creature feature. Much of the credit goes to the breathtaking effects and brisk pace, which distract from some lofty line readings and silly plot devices. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Le Trou (Jacques Becker)
One of the greatest prison escape dramas of all-time, Jacques Becker’s recently-restored Le Trou is a masterclass in tension. By putting us both in the physical and psychological headspace of our protagonists, it’s an enveloping experience as we see a number of close calls, leading up to one of the most unforgettable endings in cinema. – Jordan r.
Where to Stream: Mubi (free 30-day trial)
Moana (John Musker and Ron Clements)
It’s time for another Disney Princess movie, and you know how it goes. Disney knows too, and wants you to know that it knows. When the title character of Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) denies that she’s a princess, claiming that she’s merely the daughter of her island’s chief and the next chieftain, her adventuring partner Maui (Dwayne Johnson) asserts, “Same difference,” and that, “You wear a dress and have an animal sidekick. You’re a princess.” But Disney is doing its best to make the culture rethink cinematic fantasy princesses, countering the stereotypes of helpless femininity (which the studio largely put in place) with a new roster of highly capable action heroines. And Moana is, as they call it, a good role model. And the movie around her is fine. – Dan S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Netflix
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (Brian Knappenberger)
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press uses a salacious story and website as the launching pad to discuss where we currently are, so much so that I imagine director Brian Knappenberger — who uses footage from President Trump’s infamous press conference only a few days before the film’s Sundance premiere — may wish to stay on the story. Gawker, a site spun out of Gizmodo, was founded to share the types of stories mainstream news outlets would often shy away from, including celebrity sex tapes, outings, drug use, and allegations that have swirled but not picked up traction. They’ve featured Rob Ford smoking crack, Bill Cosby’s multiple accusers, Hillary Clinton’s emails, Tom Cruise’s prominent role in Scientology, and the one that brought them down: the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape recorded for private use by Hogan pal and infamous Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, best known nationally for his stint on Howard Stern’s satellite channel. Bubba’s antics will no doubt some day be the subject of a documentary of their own, from his role in both the Hogan affair to his odd appearance in the David Petraeus saga. – John F. (full review)
Where to Stream: Netflix
Paterson (Jim Jarmusch)
Jim Jarmusch proved he was back in a major way with Only Lovers Left Alive a few years ago, and the streak continues with Paterson, a calm, introspective drama with such positive views on marriage and creativity that I was left floored. In following the cyclical life of Adam Driver‘s Paterson, a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey, who also has dreams of being a poet, Jarmusch superbly shows that one’s own life experience — however seemingly insubstantial — is the only requirement to produce something beautiful. Moreso than any other film in 2016, this is the kind of world I want to live in. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime
Star Trek Beyond (Justin Lin)
After the pleasant fluff of its kick-off installment and the frog march of unpleasantness that was Into Darkness, the rebooted Star Trek film series finally hits a fun median between big-budget bombast and classic Trek bigheartedness with Star Trek Beyond. Does the franchise’s full descent into action, with only the barest lip service paid to big ideas, cause Gene Roddenberry’s ashes to spin in their space capsule? Probably, but in the barren desert of summer 2016 blockbusters, this is a lovely oasis. – Dan S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon Prime
Summer Hours (Olivier Assayas)
Perhaps a point of contention on New York Times’ top 25 films of the 21st century list, Olivier Assayas’ Summer Hours is a commendable top 10 pick. Led by Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, and Kyle Eastwood, this drama follows a family reuniting following the death of their mother. Like the best of Assayas’ films, it’s an impeccably-crafted, subtly-moving experience, one that wades in the ideas of the value of what we hold on to and a graceful reflection on the passage of time. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: FilmStruck
Wilson (Craig Johnson)
The world of Daniel Clowes is one without manners, glamour, and tact, but it is also one of uncomfortable truth, as scathing as it might be. One may have never verbally conveyed the discourteous musings of his characters to the extent to which it is their everyday vernacular, but we’ve all had similar thoughts when life isn’t going our way. The latest adaptation of his work comes with Wilson, directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins), featuring a role Woody Harrelson is clearly having the time of his life with. Despite his commitment to a lack of civility, there’s a darker film lying in the cynical heart of Wilson, one that gets squandered by its mawkish aesthetic and lack of interest in exploring these characters beyond their crudeness. – Jordan R. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
The Zookeeper’s Wife (Niki Caro)
The Zookeeper’s Wife begins with those five famous words that hold the power to either become a film’s dependency (and therefore downfall) or its empowering catalyst, laying the foundation to convey a poignant tale: “Based on a true story.” Fortunately, The Zookeeper’s Wife sticks with the latter, and the true tale being told is one for the ages. Niki Caro‘s drama follows a couple who hide Jews in their zoo and use it as a point of passage and escape during the Nazi takeover of Warsaw. The narrative is a simple one, allowing The Zookeeper’s Wife to shine in its performances, imagery, and storytelling, which it pristinely accomplishes. – Chelsey G. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Also New to Streaming
Amazon
Night School (review)
FilmStruck
Rodeo and The Moment of Truth
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? and Quadrophenia
An Actor’s Revenge
Her Brother
Conflagration
The Woman in Question
The Importance of Being Earnest
Mubi (free 30-day trial)
Paris Frills
The Train to Moscow: A Journey to Utopia
Lost in Lebanon
Being 14
Molly’s Theory of Relativity
Le Moulin
Netflix
The Stanford Prison Experiment (review)
Discover more titles that are now available to stream.
- 6/23/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
‘Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press’ Review: Hulk Hogan’s Gawker Trial Gets a Big, Scary Context
Well, let me tell you something, brother: Hulk Hogan always goes over in the end. The result of last year’s tabloid-friendly trial between Hogan (real name Terry Bollea, as Jenny Slate kindly reminded us in “Obvious Child”) and Gawker may have been less surprising to pro-wrestling fans than it was to everyone else, but its long-term impact will likely be even more consequential than the Hulkster body-slamming Andre the Giant in front of 93,000 screaming Hulkamaniacs.
Read More: ‘Nobody Speak’ Trailer: Hulk Hogan and Gawker Go to War in the Court Room
“Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press” isn’t as indulgent with wrestling references as that last paragraph, which is probably to its credit. Brian Knappenberger’s documentary is compelling and slickly produced in the way that timely Sundance documentaries often are, with no shortage of talking heads and trial footage assuring us that there’s nothing normal about the new normal in which we all find ourselves. Also like a lot of similar movies, the subject itself is more engaging than the filmmaking.
The plaintiff in the trial was a lifelong showman whose fame and fortune are a direct result of his ability work an audience, whether it be in an open-air arena or an intimate courtroom; one of the defendants made a massively ill-advised joke about child sex tapes. To say that Hogan acquitted himself well and his opponent did not would be an understatement.
But however self-inflicted Gawker’s wounds may have been — they chose a questionable hill to die on, and die they did — the implications of that trial are troubling, to say the least. What other casualties might follow suit in the future? This concern is put best by a First Amendment attorney interviewed here: “The reason to save Gawker is not because Gawker was worth saving,” he says. “The reason to save it is that we don’t pick and choose what sort of publications are permissible, because once we do, it empowers the government to limit speech in a way that ought to be impermissible.”
The reading of the verdict and $140 million in damages comes halfway through the film, and it’s then that “Nobody Speak” pivots to its ultimate focus: Peter Thiel and other billionaires who seek to muzzle the press. Lawyers are expensive, and litigants with deep war chests tend to win. Knappenberger presents his case with all the passion of a trial lawyer who knows that his case be unwinnable but presses on anyway.
Read More: Netflix Close to Acquiring Hulk Hogan Doc ‘Nobody Speak’ — Sundance 2017
It was Thiel who financed Hogan’s lawsuit and considered doing so a philanthropic act. He’d been outed by Gawker nearly a decade earlier. The potential danger is obvious: Other millionaires and billionaires could follow suit and use their vast financial resources to sue journalistic outlets they don’t like as a means of score-settling.
Knappenberger links this to Donald Trump’s promise to “open up libel laws” and his rabid supporters’ violent threats toward journalists at rallies, not least because Thiel was an early supporter of then-candidate Trump. These conclusions are persuasive, frightening and (one hopes) a little alarmist — surging background music and other theatrics have a tendency to detract from the film’s arguments rather than enhancing it. A film about the vital importance of speaking truth to power needn’t be so concerned with dressing up its own frightful truths, but “Nobody Speak” still compels as an opening statement on journalism’s dubious future.
Grade: B-
“Nobody Speak” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s available to stream on Netflix as of June 23.
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Related stories'Transformers: The Last Knight' Review: Here's the Most Ridiculous Hollywood Movie of the YearJ. Hoberman's Best Movies of the 21st Century'En El Séptimo Dia' Review: Jim McKay's First Movie in a Decade is the Summer's Surprise Crowdpleaser...
Read More: ‘Nobody Speak’ Trailer: Hulk Hogan and Gawker Go to War in the Court Room
“Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press” isn’t as indulgent with wrestling references as that last paragraph, which is probably to its credit. Brian Knappenberger’s documentary is compelling and slickly produced in the way that timely Sundance documentaries often are, with no shortage of talking heads and trial footage assuring us that there’s nothing normal about the new normal in which we all find ourselves. Also like a lot of similar movies, the subject itself is more engaging than the filmmaking.
The plaintiff in the trial was a lifelong showman whose fame and fortune are a direct result of his ability work an audience, whether it be in an open-air arena or an intimate courtroom; one of the defendants made a massively ill-advised joke about child sex tapes. To say that Hogan acquitted himself well and his opponent did not would be an understatement.
But however self-inflicted Gawker’s wounds may have been — they chose a questionable hill to die on, and die they did — the implications of that trial are troubling, to say the least. What other casualties might follow suit in the future? This concern is put best by a First Amendment attorney interviewed here: “The reason to save Gawker is not because Gawker was worth saving,” he says. “The reason to save it is that we don’t pick and choose what sort of publications are permissible, because once we do, it empowers the government to limit speech in a way that ought to be impermissible.”
The reading of the verdict and $140 million in damages comes halfway through the film, and it’s then that “Nobody Speak” pivots to its ultimate focus: Peter Thiel and other billionaires who seek to muzzle the press. Lawyers are expensive, and litigants with deep war chests tend to win. Knappenberger presents his case with all the passion of a trial lawyer who knows that his case be unwinnable but presses on anyway.
Read More: Netflix Close to Acquiring Hulk Hogan Doc ‘Nobody Speak’ — Sundance 2017
It was Thiel who financed Hogan’s lawsuit and considered doing so a philanthropic act. He’d been outed by Gawker nearly a decade earlier. The potential danger is obvious: Other millionaires and billionaires could follow suit and use their vast financial resources to sue journalistic outlets they don’t like as a means of score-settling.
Knappenberger links this to Donald Trump’s promise to “open up libel laws” and his rabid supporters’ violent threats toward journalists at rallies, not least because Thiel was an early supporter of then-candidate Trump. These conclusions are persuasive, frightening and (one hopes) a little alarmist — surging background music and other theatrics have a tendency to detract from the film’s arguments rather than enhancing it. A film about the vital importance of speaking truth to power needn’t be so concerned with dressing up its own frightful truths, but “Nobody Speak” still compels as an opening statement on journalism’s dubious future.
Grade: B-
“Nobody Speak” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s available to stream on Netflix as of June 23.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related stories'Transformers: The Last Knight' Review: Here's the Most Ridiculous Hollywood Movie of the YearJ. Hoberman's Best Movies of the 21st Century'En El Séptimo Dia' Review: Jim McKay's First Movie in a Decade is the Summer's Surprise Crowdpleaser...
- 6/22/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
You wouldn’t assume there’s a connection to be made between Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan’s penis. But such is the world we live in now—a garishly stupid, casually surreal cacophony of professional wrestling posturing, corporate authoritarianism, and open hostility toward the journalists whose job it is to decry those things, guided by the whims of billionaires pretending to be populists, and carried out by people so sick of bad news, they’ve decided news itself is the problem. It’s that ugly morass that writer-director Brian Knappenberger aims to capture with his compelling if slightly lopsided documentary Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press. And it’s a subject that should appeal to anyone who doesn’t wield the words “the media” as an insult.
But first, you’ll have to get past Hulk Hogan’s dick. Just before its premiere at Sundance, Nobody Speak dropped ...
But first, you’ll have to get past Hulk Hogan’s dick. Just before its premiere at Sundance, Nobody Speak dropped ...
- 6/22/2017
- by Sean O'Neal
- avclub.com
Brian Knappenberger’s urgent new documentary “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press” is the sort of movie that impacts your viewpoint long after it ends. Granted, it’s aimed primarily towards the converted, which is to say, those already concerned about the potential erosion of the First Amendment. And its intentions are ultimately stronger than its execution. But you’re likely to pay a lot more attention to White House press briefings after watching it. The original subtitle was “Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press,” and that sordid online saga remains the film’s primary focus.
- 6/19/2017
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press Trailer Brian Knappenberger‘s Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (2017) movie trailer stars Hulk Hogan a.k.a. Terry Bollea, Nick Denton, Peter Teal, Donald Trump, and Sheldon Adelson. Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press‘ plot synopsis: “The trial between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media pitted privacy rights against freedom [...]
Continue reading: Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press (2017) Movie Trailer: The U.S. Press is Endangered...
Continue reading: Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press (2017) Movie Trailer: The U.S. Press is Endangered...
- 6/18/2017
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
The Hamptons International Film Festival's SummerDocs series is set to return for its ninth year.
Five documentary films will be screened from July 8-Aug. 26, with each screening followed by discussions with filmmakers and subjects led by Hiff co-chairman Alec Baldwin and Hiff artistic director David Nugent.
The films in this year's lineup include Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, Trophy, Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, Whitney: Can I Be Me? and Icarus. Post-screening discussions will be held with, respectively, directors Brian Knappenberger, Christina Clusiau and Shaul Schwarz, Rory Kennedy, Nick Broomfield and Bryan Fogel. Hamilton...
Five documentary films will be screened from July 8-Aug. 26, with each screening followed by discussions with filmmakers and subjects led by Hiff co-chairman Alec Baldwin and Hiff artistic director David Nugent.
The films in this year's lineup include Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, Trophy, Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, Whitney: Can I Be Me? and Icarus. Post-screening discussions will be held with, respectively, directors Brian Knappenberger, Christina Clusiau and Shaul Schwarz, Rory Kennedy, Nick Broomfield and Bryan Fogel. Hamilton...
- 6/17/2017
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"He's doing this because he wants to bring Gawker down." Netflix has premiered the official trailer for the documentary Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, the latest from acclaimed filmmaker Brian Knappenberger, of the docs We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists and The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz. Knappenberger is one of my favorite doc filmmakers, as he understands the internet better than most people, and always sheds a light on the truth no matter how hard it is to find. Nobody Speak dives deep into the case of Hulk Hogan (aka Terry Bollea) vs Gawker. Unfortunately, Gawker lost the trial and they had to shut down because of this defeat. The film looks at how the idea of a free press is fading away, and the most powerful people with the most money are taking control over everything. This premiered at Sundance and it's a riveting,...
- 6/15/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The first trailer for the Netflix doc Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press looks at the troubles of modern media through the lens of the Hulk Hogan-Gawker trial.
Acquired by the streamer out of Sundance, the Brian Knappenberger-directed feature documents the lawsuit that was prompted by Gawker publishing a sex tape featuring former WWE star Hulk Hogan using racial slurs. It ended with Hogan winning a $100 million judgment and Gawker proper shutting down while its ancillary sites were sold off to Univision.
The trailer features images and video from the trial and its fallout intercut with...
Acquired by the streamer out of Sundance, the Brian Knappenberger-directed feature documents the lawsuit that was prompted by Gawker publishing a sex tape featuring former WWE star Hulk Hogan using racial slurs. It ended with Hogan winning a $100 million judgment and Gawker proper shutting down while its ancillary sites were sold off to Univision.
The trailer features images and video from the trial and its fallout intercut with...
- 6/15/2017
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It was the trial heard all around the editorial world. After the website Gawker posted a filmed sex tape of Hulk Hogan, the former professional wrestler took them to court in what became a high profile trial that pitted privacy rights against the first amendment.
Read More: 10 Unproduced Documentary Projects That Deserve to Get Made
The verdict given in March 2016 found Gawker Media liable. Hulk Hogan received $115 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages, forcing Gawker to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Brian Knappenberger’s new documentary, “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press,” chronicles the legal battle between the two and exposes a shadowy figure behind the scenes: Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Gawker ran an article in 2007 claiming Thiel was “totally gay” and that he was dating men, which put him on a mission to end Gawker. The Hogan trial was the perfect opportunity, and...
Read More: 10 Unproduced Documentary Projects That Deserve to Get Made
The verdict given in March 2016 found Gawker Media liable. Hulk Hogan received $115 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages, forcing Gawker to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Brian Knappenberger’s new documentary, “Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press,” chronicles the legal battle between the two and exposes a shadowy figure behind the scenes: Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Gawker ran an article in 2007 claiming Thiel was “totally gay” and that he was dating men, which put him on a mission to end Gawker. The Hogan trial was the perfect opportunity, and...
- 6/15/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The battle between the free press to pursue stories they believe to be in the public interest, and those who want to suppress coverage because it might be controversial, compromising, or embarrassing is an ongoing struggle. However, the forthcoming documentary “Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press” highlights how that very important tug-of-war for the free press was tested in the strangest court case ever.
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the film follows the lawsuit filed by Terry Bollea aka Hulk Hogan against Gawker, who published a segment of a sex tape featuring the wrestling having intercourse with his best friend Bubba The Love Sponge’s wife.
Continue reading Trailer For Netflix’s ‘Nobody Speak’ Goes To Court With Gawker & Hulk Hogan at The Playlist.
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the film follows the lawsuit filed by Terry Bollea aka Hulk Hogan against Gawker, who published a segment of a sex tape featuring the wrestling having intercourse with his best friend Bubba The Love Sponge’s wife.
Continue reading Trailer For Netflix’s ‘Nobody Speak’ Goes To Court With Gawker & Hulk Hogan at The Playlist.
- 6/15/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Open up any newspaper on any given day, and each headline will be best described as “here’s another way in which we live in divisive times.” Be it something as global as the rise of jingoism under the guise of “populism” or as specific as the fact that people in Flint, Michigan are still without clean drinking water, human rights are being challenged across the globe on a daily basis. And if politicians won’t speak for those without voices, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is here to show that filmmakers will pick up the slack.
Back once again for its 2017 series (its 28th year), The Hrwff 2017 begins on June 9 and will run until the 18th, and includes 21 feature documentaries and panel discussions that hope to shine a light on atrocities taking place in countries across the planet.
Opening this year’s festival is Zaradasht Ahmed’s Nowhere To Hide.
Back once again for its 2017 series (its 28th year), The Hrwff 2017 begins on June 9 and will run until the 18th, and includes 21 feature documentaries and panel discussions that hope to shine a light on atrocities taking place in countries across the planet.
Opening this year’s festival is Zaradasht Ahmed’s Nowhere To Hide.
- 6/9/2017
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
May kicked off the summer movie season, but June brings some studio tentpoles actually worth seeing (yes, we didn’t like that one everyone else did last month). Along with popcorn entertainment, there’s some of the finest independent films of the year, ranging from a long-delayed final feature from a late master to Sundance favorites and more. We should also note that, despite getting a release last year, IFC seems to be putting the Palme d’Or-winning I, Daniel Blake back in theaters this week, and we recommend seeking it out if you missed it.
Matinees to See: Past Life (6/2), Band Aid (6/2), My Cousin Rachel (6/9), Megan Leavey (6/9), Score: A Film Music Documentary (6/16), Maudie (6/16), Harmonium (6/16), The Journey (6/16), All Eyez on Me (6/16), Lost in Paris (6/16), Pop Aye (6/28), The House (6/30), and The Little Hours (6/30).
15. It’s Only the End of the World (Xavier Dolan; June 30)
Synopsis: It would have been a lovely family dinner.
Matinees to See: Past Life (6/2), Band Aid (6/2), My Cousin Rachel (6/9), Megan Leavey (6/9), Score: A Film Music Documentary (6/16), Maudie (6/16), Harmonium (6/16), The Journey (6/16), All Eyez on Me (6/16), Lost in Paris (6/16), Pop Aye (6/28), The House (6/30), and The Little Hours (6/30).
15. It’s Only the End of the World (Xavier Dolan; June 30)
Synopsis: It would have been a lovely family dinner.
- 6/1/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
In a world where TV networks fight for the opportunity to showcase the best nonfiction content that will keep viewers on their couches, the Toronto-based Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival (April 27 – May 7) is a very, very good place to be.
What began 24 years ago as a modest showcase for Canadian documentaries is now a sprawling international program that screens 230 titles from 58 countries. The festival still favors homegrown product, but also amplifies movies from Sundance (“Chasing Coral,” “Long Strange Trip,” “City of Ghosts”) and Tribeca (“The Departure,” “A River Below”), as well as some international (Joe Berlinger’s “Intent to Destroy”) and world premieres (“A Moon of Nickel and Ice”).
“Hot Docs creates an environment where you can meet with the best in the documentary world,” said director Cullen Hoback, who brought his sharp pollution whodunit “What Lies Upstream” first to Slamdance, then to Hot Docs (Preferred Content is seeking...
What began 24 years ago as a modest showcase for Canadian documentaries is now a sprawling international program that screens 230 titles from 58 countries. The festival still favors homegrown product, but also amplifies movies from Sundance (“Chasing Coral,” “Long Strange Trip,” “City of Ghosts”) and Tribeca (“The Departure,” “A River Below”), as well as some international (Joe Berlinger’s “Intent to Destroy”) and world premieres (“A Moon of Nickel and Ice”).
“Hot Docs creates an environment where you can meet with the best in the documentary world,” said director Cullen Hoback, who brought his sharp pollution whodunit “What Lies Upstream” first to Slamdance, then to Hot Docs (Preferred Content is seeking...
- 5/9/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In a world where TV networks fight for the opportunity to showcase the best nonfiction content that will keep viewers on their couches, the Toronto-based Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival (April 27 – May 7) is a very, very good place to be.
What began 24 years ago as a modest showcase for Canadian documentaries is now a sprawling international program that screens 230 titles from 58 countries. The festival still favors homegrown product, but also amplifies movies from Sundance (“Chasing Coral,” “Long Strange Trip,” “City of Ghosts”) and Tribeca (“The Departure,” “A River Below”), as well as some international (Joe Berlinger’s “Intent to Destroy”) and world premieres (“A Moon of Nickel and Ice”).
“Hot Docs creates an environment where you can meet with the best in the documentary world,” said director Cullen Hoback, who brought his sharp pollution whodunit “What Lies Upstream” first to Slamdance, then to Hot Docs (Preferred Content is seeking...
What began 24 years ago as a modest showcase for Canadian documentaries is now a sprawling international program that screens 230 titles from 58 countries. The festival still favors homegrown product, but also amplifies movies from Sundance (“Chasing Coral,” “Long Strange Trip,” “City of Ghosts”) and Tribeca (“The Departure,” “A River Below”), as well as some international (Joe Berlinger’s “Intent to Destroy”) and world premieres (“A Moon of Nickel and Ice”).
“Hot Docs creates an environment where you can meet with the best in the documentary world,” said director Cullen Hoback, who brought his sharp pollution whodunit “What Lies Upstream” first to Slamdance, then to Hot Docs (Preferred Content is seeking...
- 5/9/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival announced the full lineup for the 24th edition on Tuesday, unveiling a final list of 230 titles from 58 countries. Nearly half of the films included in this year’s lineup (48 percent) come from female filmmakers. The festival received 2,906 total submissions.
Read More: Film Festival Roundup: Hot Docs Announces Forum Titles, Wisconsin Film Festival Unveils Lineup and More
Lana Šlezić’s “Bee Nation” will screen as the opening night world premiere. The film centers on students in Saskatchewan who compete in the first province-wide First Nations Spelling Bee. Other films in the Special Presentations program include “Pre-Crime,” about forecasting software and algorithms that predict future crimes; “Step,” the directorial debut for Tony Award–winning producer Amanda Lipitz about three high school seniors in inner-city Baltimore and their step dance team, and “Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of Isis,” a...
Read More: Film Festival Roundup: Hot Docs Announces Forum Titles, Wisconsin Film Festival Unveils Lineup and More
Lana Šlezić’s “Bee Nation” will screen as the opening night world premiere. The film centers on students in Saskatchewan who compete in the first province-wide First Nations Spelling Bee. Other films in the Special Presentations program include “Pre-Crime,” about forecasting software and algorithms that predict future crimes; “Step,” the directorial debut for Tony Award–winning producer Amanda Lipitz about three high school seniors in inner-city Baltimore and their step dance team, and “Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of Isis,” a...
- 3/21/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Brian Knappenberger’s documentary Nobody Speak snagged a $2 million Netflix deal during the Sundance Film Festival, one of the docus that made waves in Park City at the just-wrapped fest. The latest pic from the documentarian, last at Sundance in 2014 with The Internet's Own Boy: The Story Of Aaron Swartz, features interviews with Gawker founder Nick Denton, journalists and other in-the-know commentators who chronicle the epic court battle between Hulk Hogan and Gawker…...
- 2/1/2017
- Deadline
As freedom of speech is an increasingly hot topic in the dawning of the Trump administration, director Brian Knappenberger was on hand at the Sundance Film Festival to discuss his new documentary “Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press,” which was bought there by Netflix. For those completely out of the loop during 2015-16, Hogan sued Gawker for defamation, loss of privacy and emotional pain for posting a clip of a sex tape the former wrestler had made in 2012. Hogan won the suit and Gawker quickly filed for bankruptcy. “The actual verdict of the trial was $140 million,...
- 2/1/2017
- by Matt Hejl
- The Wrap
So far it’s a solid mix of narratives and documentaries.Step
It’s safe to say that the ultimate Sundance dream is to sell a film (second to Ava DuVernay casually walking by you, of course). Filmmakers want to sell their films so that their work can reach more audiences and they can hopefully go on to make bigger and better films. Studios want to buy films so that they can compete in the industry. Patrons especially want sales so that when their friends later ask if they want to see this new indie film that just came out they can casually go, “Is that finally out? It seems like Ages since I saw it at Sundance. Also did I tell you that Ava DuVernay walked by me this year? I did? Okay.”
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is entering closing weekend with a decent number of those dream sales already under its belt. As...
It’s safe to say that the ultimate Sundance dream is to sell a film (second to Ava DuVernay casually walking by you, of course). Filmmakers want to sell their films so that their work can reach more audiences and they can hopefully go on to make bigger and better films. Studios want to buy films so that they can compete in the industry. Patrons especially want sales so that when their friends later ask if they want to see this new indie film that just came out they can casually go, “Is that finally out? It seems like Ages since I saw it at Sundance. Also did I tell you that Ava DuVernay walked by me this year? I did? Okay.”
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is entering closing weekend with a decent number of those dream sales already under its belt. As...
- 1/30/2017
- by Siân Melton
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Nobody Speak: Gawker, Hogan, and Trials of a Free Press uses a salacious story and website as the launching pad to discuss where we currently are, so much so that I imagine director Brian Knappenberger — who uses footage from President Trump’s infamous press conference only a few days before the film’s Sundance premiere — may wish to stay on the story. Gawker, a site spun out of Gizmodo, was founded to share the types of stories mainstream news outlets would often shy away from, including celebrity sex tapes, outings, drug use, and allegations that have swirled but not picked up traction. They’ve featured Rob Ford smoking crack, Bill Cosby’s multiple accusers, Hillary Clinton’s emails, Tom Cruise’s prominent role in Scientology, and the one that brought them down: the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape recorded for private use by Hogan pal and infamous Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem,...
- 1/30/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
The Sundance Festival reveals the state of the indie film market, and 2017 will be remembered as the year of Amazon Studios and Netflix. And given the festival’s robust TV and Vr programs,, which were dominated by Google and Facebook/Oculus, there’s further digital disruption ahead.
According to one indie distributor, Sundance 2017’s valuations and sales are almost a third higher than last year. Put the same titles into the Sundance market two years ago, and they would have sold for far less. That’s because Netflix and Amazon Studios on the narrative side are dramatically driving up prices. “It’s just ridiculous what the digital guys are doing to the marketplace,” said one veteran indie CEO. “‘The Big Sick’ is a great little movie but it’s a $4 million -$6 million buy. There’s no logic to this model.”
However, Sundance has always been about the haves and the have-nots.
According to one indie distributor, Sundance 2017’s valuations and sales are almost a third higher than last year. Put the same titles into the Sundance market two years ago, and they would have sold for far less. That’s because Netflix and Amazon Studios on the narrative side are dramatically driving up prices. “It’s just ridiculous what the digital guys are doing to the marketplace,” said one veteran indie CEO. “‘The Big Sick’ is a great little movie but it’s a $4 million -$6 million buy. There’s no logic to this model.”
However, Sundance has always been about the haves and the have-nots.
- 1/27/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The Sundance Festival reveals the state of the indie film market, and 2017 will be remembered as the year of Amazon Studios and Netflix. And given the festival’s robust TV and Vr programs, which were dominated by Google and Facebook/Oculus, there’s further digital disruption ahead.
According to one indie distributor, Sundance 2017’s valuations and sales are almost a third higher than last year. Put the same titles into the Sundance market two years ago, and they would have sold for far less. That’s because Netflix and Amazon Studios on the narrative side are dramatically driving up prices. “It’s just ridiculous what the digital guys are doing to the marketplace,” said one veteran indie CEO. “‘The Big Sick’ is a great little movie but it’s a $4 million -$6 million buy. There’s no logic to this model.”
However, Sundance has always been about the haves and the have-nots.
According to one indie distributor, Sundance 2017’s valuations and sales are almost a third higher than last year. Put the same titles into the Sundance market two years ago, and they would have sold for far less. That’s because Netflix and Amazon Studios on the narrative side are dramatically driving up prices. “It’s just ridiculous what the digital guys are doing to the marketplace,” said one veteran indie CEO. “‘The Big Sick’ is a great little movie but it’s a $4 million -$6 million buy. There’s no logic to this model.”
However, Sundance has always been about the haves and the have-nots.
- 1/27/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
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