James Cameron has announced his next project and it’s not Avatar 2 – or maybe it is, in a roundabout way. The film will be a documentary about the Xikrin-Kayapó tribe in Brazil and their fight to prevent construction of a hydroelectric dam. The tribe lives along the Xingu River, which is a tributary of the Amazon. Campaigners against the dam say that the required flooding will make the land uninhabitable for the tribe, displacing about 12,000 people and destroying the fishing industry.

Cameron has been campaigning against the plans but President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva approved them last week and work is set to begin in early 2011. Several trips to visit the tribe have already resulted in a short film that will be a feature on the upcoming special-edition Avatar DVD. But now is looks likely he will be going back for a feature-length version, with 3D camera in tow.

Quoted in Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo, Cameron said, “I want to return to meet some of the leaders of the Xikrin-Kayapo tribe who invited me…  I want to take a 3D camera to film how they live, their culture. When I was asked to help the Brazilian Indians, who were desperate, I could not turn away.”

When James Cameron becomes interested in a subject it seems to provoke slight obsession via cinema, and after directing a documentary and exec-producing countless more about the Titanic could this may be the first in a series about this issue?

THE WAR ROOM
Saturday, Sept.4 at 8pm ET/PT

“The War Room,” premiering on DOC Saturday, Sept. 3 (8 p.m. ET/PT), was the name for Bill Clinton’s campaign center in Little Rock, Ark. Though the media was not permitted inside this small warren of chaos, filmmakers Pennebaker and Hegedus, managed to secure partial access and shot nearly 35 hours of footage. At the center of The War Room are the two men who guided Clinton’s ship from the beginning: James Carville, the fiery, charismatic, expletive-spewing Cajun who manages the campaign with a mixture of Southern charm and unrelenting passion; and George Stephanopoulos, the brilliant, handsome Rhodes Scholar who, as communications director, calmly but surely mobilizes his staff to take the presidency. Hegedus and Pennebaker’s camera follow these two masterminds as they organize and execute strategies for such events as the Democratic National Convention, the debates with George Bush and H. Ross Perot, and the final, nail-biting days leading up to the election itself, when it seemed less and less certain whom the voters would choose.

Whether you’re into politics or not (I’m not), The War Room is a fascinating look inside Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. The film’s two lead characters, George Stephanopoulos and, particularly, James Carville, have great onscreen presence that exudes an infectious energy and an admirable level of confidence in what they do. I’ve always said that I could watch a documentary about pretty much anything and enjoy it as long as the people in the film are sincerely passionate about the subject matter. The War Room succeeds in its ability to capture the dedication of this hardcore team of campaign volunteers without being bogged down in partisan politics.

Of course this film is particularly interesting thanks to the controversy Bill Clinton faced when Gennifer Flowers came forth alleging a 12-year relationship right in the middle of his campaign trail. Watching Carville and Stephanopolous attempt to handle this piece of tabloid news is quite spectacular. It reminds me of the same sort of strategic wordplay on display in the Maysles’ Salseman. Every single decision is calculated and one wrong move can result in a massive shift in the public’s support of the candidate. One interesting discussion involves the decision to go with hand-made signs over printed ones. The size and colour of the letters and shape of the sign, itself, are all under extreme scrutiny. It’s almost like a police procedural or courtroom drama in the way the importance of details and strategies play out as a major factor in the direction of the narrative. Watching people who are good at what they do flex their muscles and show off their abilities is always fascinating.

TOWN BLOODY HALL
Saturday, Sept.11 at 8pm ET/PT

“Town Bloody Hall” makes its network debut on Saturday, Sept. 11 (8 p.m. ET/PT). The film covers the standing room only event featuring local literati and feminists who packed New York City’s Town Hall on April 30, 1971 to watch author Norman Mailer grapple with a panel of passionate feminists. The subject was Women’s Liberation, an issue on which Mailer seemed like the devil’s own advocate. There to test him was a fearsome panel of feminist representatives, among them journalist and lesbian spokeswoman, Jill Johnston; legendary literary critic Diana Trilling; president of The National Organization of Women (NOW), Jacqueline Ceballos; and possibly his toughest match, the glamorous and razor-tongued author of The Female Eunuch, Germaine Greer. On the streets, it was simply Mailer versus Greer in a knockdown debate on women’s liberation. The event turned into true theater for the celebrity-stuffed audience, who vigorously offered opinions and roared their approval and disdain throughout the raucous affair.

The presentation of Town Bloody Hall is extremely simple, playing out almost like a concert film or televised debate. The irony of Norman Mailer’s role as moderator is certainly not lost as he attempts to maintain control over the four women who’ve stepped forward to challenge him on his thoughts on the women’s liberation movement. It’s a recipe for theatre, resulting in a mostly out-of-control town hall meeting atmosphere that, at times, gets quite heated. Many members of the audience storm out of the theatre in protest, adding to the overall tension of the room. Even with all of this animosity, the event still retains an overall sense of humour, although it’s tough to tell when, exactly, Mailer is being serious or simply throwing coals on the fire.

At times, the intellectualism on display can be stomach-turning, but for the most part Town Bloody Hall is an entertaining and interesting social document. Unfortunately, there are some sound issues throughout the film. I did find it tough to hear what people in the audience were saying and even some of the panelists fell victim to some bad audio. Beyond that, it was a great time watching Mailer squirm and attempt to hold his own in this four against one bloodbath.

TWO AMERICAN AUDIENCES
Saturday, Sept.11 at 10pm ET/PT

“Two American Audiences” chronicles a discussion between legendary filmmaker, Jean-Luc Godard and New York University graduate students on filmmaking and politics, intercut with scenes from “La Chinoise.” The 40-minute short makes its U.S. television debut on DOC on Saturday, Sept. 11 (10 p.m. ET/PT).

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see this one.

DELOREAN
Saturday, Sept.18 at 8pm ET/PT

“DeLorean,” being telecast Saturday, Sept. 18 (8 p.m. ET/PT), focuses on the heir-apparent of the General Motors dynasty, John DeLorean, who in 1973 quit GM to start DeLorean Motor Company. Shot during 1979-81, this film is an inside view of DeLorean and his team as they take his vision of a stainless steel gull-wing-door car from the board room to the assembly line in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His new sports car would be the first new American car design in memory. John and wife, Christina Ferrare, first unveiled his new car at the auto show in Geneva to the excited world of car buffs; and to John’s modern assembly plant outside Belfast, which was unscathed by the periodic exchange of gunfire and fire bombing that took place in the nearby streets of Belfast. Here workers from both sides of the fray came to work every day through the same doors and peacefully – even as comrades – built the car that became the legend of the movie “Back to the Future.”

While the life story of John DeLorean is chock-full of dramatic ups and downs, Pennebaker’s and Hegedus’ 1981 documentary ‘DeLorean’ captures the pre-Back to the Future and pre-drug trafficking era of this automotive visionary, focusing on his attempt to take on the large automotive companies and market the world’s first stainless steel sports car. This film focuses mainly on the many board meetings and production meetings as we begin to see the DeLorean take shape. It’s clear right from the start that there are major problems to be overcome and knowing the fate of the company now, it’s interesting watching these men push forward in what is ultimately a sinking ship.

DeLorean faces reports of high production costs and general confusion from retailers and customers who aren’t sure what to make of such an unusual vehicle. In one scene, an early demo model of the car is put on display for the public to sit in: an attempt to get a sense of how they feel about this unusual vehicle. It’s a telling sign that almost everybody who exited the driver’s seat hit their head on the signature gull-wing door. DeLorean is a fly-on-the-wall look at a dreamer who may have gotten caught up in his own big ideas at the expense of his own reputation and the careers of those around him. It’s worth noting that there are currently a number of films in production that focus on the life of John DeLorean, including a new feature length documentary called Back to the DeLorean.

OPENING IN MOSCOW
Saturday, Sept.18 at 10pm ET/PT

“Opening in Moscow” follows “DeLorean” at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT in its U.S. television debut on Saturday, Sept. 18. The 45-minute feature from Pennebaker looks at the impressions of Moscow and its citizens under the regime of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, centered around the opening of the 1959 American National Exhibition in Moscow’s Sokolniki Park. The exhibition, supported by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was one of the first cultural exchanges between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. that served as a critical breakthrough to begin the thaw of the Cold War between the two super powers.

Opening in Moscow plays like a travelogue, providing a social document on the cultural divide between 1950s Soviet Union and America. The film is shot in colour — with a few black and white interludes — and focuses on the opening of the 1959 American National Exhibition in Moscow. I had expected there to be a little more focus on the logistics behind proposing such an event (I would imagine there would’ve been some interesting roadblocks during the process) and the planning and construction of the facility. We do see a bit of this in the first part of the film, but the majority of time is spent watching the Russian citizens marvel at the wonders of American life — via staged demonstrations — and in turn, looking at typical life in Moscow.

Thousands of people gather to witness such banal demonstrations as the loading and unloading of a washer and dryer by an actress hired to play the part of the stereotypical 1950s housewife. The fact that 95% of modern day Americans have a refrigerator in their homes is a revelation. All of this adds up to an interesting exploration of the Cold War era cultural divide between two of the most powerful countries in the world. One Russian woman questions America’s cultural identity, suggesting that such a thing might be lost within the convenience of technology. Clearly the imagery throughout the film supports such an idea, exploring the contrast between life in Moscow and the ultra-mod demonstration of American living on display in the exhibition.

AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE
Saturday, Sept.26 at 8pm ET/PT

“Al Franken: God Spoke” makes its U.S. television premiere on Saturday, Sept. 25 (8 p.m. ET/PT). Shot over the course of two years, the film is a cinema verité pursuit of Al Franken which follows the former “Saturday Night Live” comedian, turned best-selling author and satirist, from his highly publicized feud with Bill O’Reilly over Franken’s blockbuster “Lies and the Lying Wars Who Tell them,” to his relentless campaign against George Bush and the Right Wing in the 2004 election, and beyond. From his USO tour in Iraq, to the studios of liberal radio network Air America and onto the campaign trail, co-directors Hegedus and Doob are granted access to one of the most effective political satirists of our time. Franken fearlessly confronts pundits and politicians, blurring the boundaries between political satire and impassioned citizenry. Featuring a host of beltway insiders including Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Al Gore, Robert Kennedy Jr., Sean Hannity, William Safire, Karen Hughes and Henry Kissinger, the film is an often-hilarious look behind the front lines of the media wars during the most contentious election in recent history.

I guess it’s tough to make a film about Al Franken’s emergence into the world of political commentating without including politics but something about the obsessive nature of the opinions in this film were a bit of a turn off for me. It’s not that I disagree with much of what Franken says, it’s just the way in which it’s communicated. Quite often both sides resort to extremely juvenile tactics — Franken slamming the table like a frustrated child during a discussion — with a staunch stubbornness that completely overshadows any sense of passion or sincerity. But, hey, that’s politics for ya!

Having said that, I do think the film contains some entertaining and enlightening moments that give us an inside look at the life of a political commentator and, in Franken’s case, what happens when it conflicts with his role as an entertainer. This is probably best represented by a scene in which Franken meets Henry Kissinger face to face and can’t help but treat him to his spot-on Kissinger impression, made famous on Saturday Night Live. We see the creation of Air America and are teased with Franken’s decision to run for senate. As we know now, he succeeds in his goal. Unfortunately, his election likely ended any possibility of a follow up to Stuart Saves His Family.

CHIEFS
Saturday, Sept.26 at 10pm ET/PT

“Chiefs” is an 18-minute documentary short from filmmakers Richard Leacock and Noel E. Parmentel, Jr. along with Pennebaker that premieres Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The film provides an inside look at the Police Chief’s Convention in 1968 located in Waikiki on the south shore of the island of O’ahu, Hawaii. This film features interviews with police chiefs and their wives as they discuss the Black Panthers, the Chicago Democratic Convention and the latest weaponry.

Clocking in at just under 20 minutes, Chiefs is an interesting look at a 1968 police chiefs convention. Again, this film works as a great social document, providing an interesting perspective on the types of non-lethal weaponry used by police in an era famous for demonstrations and protests. Actually, I was quite surprised to see that much of the weaponry these retailers are attempting to hock aren’t too dissimilar to what I assume cops use nowadays. There’s also some interesting discussion about the Black Panthers and the overall public distaste for law enforcement. I think the mere choice of this subject matter for a documentary film speaks for the opinions of the filmmakers when it comes to the use of force by law enforcement during such volatile times.

DAYBREAK EXPRESS
Saturday, Sept.26 at 10:30pm ET/PT

“Daybreak Express” is a five-minute short and Pennebaker’s first film, debuting on DOC Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. The documentary details a New York City train ride synced to one of Duke Ellington’s records, “Daybreak Express.”

This five minute short is a beautifully rendered energetic collage of whipping and whizzing subway cars in front of a morning sunlight-drenched 1950s New York City, set to an appropriately bombastic piece of music of the same name by Duke Ellington. Pennebaker’s use of layers and textures and darks and lights makes for a very modern piece of filmmaking that has aged extremely well (this film was shot in 1953!). It’s a great piece of abstract documentation. This was actually one of my favourite films of this line up.

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I think it’s almost time to set up a regular Kickstarter section here at The Documentary Blog. It seems like this form of crowd-source funding has become quite popular and there are a number of great projects looking for your help in one way or another. The latest film to grace my email inbox focuses on two-time Academy Award nominated animator Bill Plympton. ‘Adventures in Plymptoons!’ is a feature length documentary profiling Plympton’s career and offering a look at his unusual body of work. I would imagine it would be a great primer for those unfamiliar with his work but also an interesting watch for his hardcore fans. Here’s a little info from the Kickstarter page:

When it comes to independent animators, Bill Plympton is the undisputed king. When Plympton began his animation career over 25 years ago, he was already an acclaimed syndicated illustrator and cartoonist. Since then he has become a major name in the animation and film world. Plympton has earned two Academy Award nominations, and brings hundreds of loyal fans to each convention and film festival which he attends all over the world. Without Plympton paving the way, there wouldn’t be countless aspiring animators, film makers and artist point to and say, “Yes! You can be independent AND make a career doing this!”

Adventures In Plymptoons! is a year and half in the making and is currently in post production. Anastasio followed and interviewed Plympton around New York City, San Diego Comic Con, his hometown of Portland, Oregon, various film festivals and universities where he would perform his master class. Interviews in the documentary, include Terry Gilliam, Keith Carradine, Martha Plimpton, Matthew Modine, Michael Showalter, Ed Begely Jr., “Weird Al” Yankovic and Moby, as well as family members, colleagues, long time friends and many more.

Director Alexia Anastasio has actually completed shooting the film and is currently in post-production. The goal for this Kickstarter campaign is $10,000, which Alexia hopes will help finish off some post work (soundtrack, visual effects, audio engineer, etc.) and will also help the film make its festival rounds (travel costs, marketing, DVD copies, etc.) followed by a ten-city tour.

I would imagine fans of Plympton’s work would love to check this film out and the best way to make that happen is to donate to the ‘Adventures in Plymptoons!’ Kickstarter campaign!

Being a huge Werner Herzog fan, it’s a total bonus that such a prolific filmmaker can manage to remain so consistent when it comes to the quality of his output. It doesn’t surprise me that, with the TIFF premiere of his 3D documentary ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ (coinciding with the DVD release of one of the two films he premiered at TIFF last year, ‘My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done?’), Herzog has already started talking about multiple upcoming projects. On the non-fiction side, he’s teaming up with filmmaker Dmitry Vasyukov for a project that will find Herzog working as narrator, writer, producer and editor. ‘Happy People: A Year in the Taiga’ is a feature documentary which focuses on hunters in the Siberian Taiga. Interestingly, this version will be culled from Vasyukov’s original four and a half hour cut of the film (about which I could find no info). Based on the footage in the teaser trailer, it looks to be appropriately epic and should work well with Herzog’s voice supporting it.

On the drama side, Werner is pursuing a biopic on Gertrude Bell, which he describes as “a big epic feature that I’m plowing on.”  This, along with a Texas prison picture, should make for another solid appearance at TIFF 2011!

You know how documentaries like The Cove and Man on Wire have been drawing influences from genre filmmaking in their non-fiction storytelling? Well, I wonder if Bradley Beesley’s Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo draws any inspiration from the ‘women in prison’ sub-genre… I’m guessing not. Regardless, based on the trailer and Beesley’s solid track record (he directed Okie Noodling and The Fearless Freaks, co-directed Summercamp! with Sarah Price and helped shoot Ben Steinbauer’s Winnebago Man), I’m totally sold! Check out the official synopsis below:

Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo goes behind prison walls to follow convict cowgirls on their journey to the 2007 Oklahoma State Penitentiary Rodeo. In 2006, female inmates were allowed to participate for the first time. In a state with the highest female incarceration rate in the country, these women share common experiences such as broken homes, drug abuse and alienation from their children. From 1940 – 2008, the Oklahoma State Penitentiary held an annual ‘Prison Rodeo’. Part Wild West show and part coliseum-esque spectacle, it was one of the last of its kind – a relic of the American penal system. Prisoners compete on wild-broncs and bucking bulls, risking life-long injuries. For inmates like Danny Liles, a 14-year veteran of the rodeo, the chance to battle livestock offers a brief respite from prison life. Within this strange arena the prisoners become the heroes while the public and guards applaud.

You can check out the trailer embedded above or head over to Apple trailers to see it in glorious 1080p high definition. Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo hits limited theatres on September 17th, 2010 and will embark on what is described as a nationwide ‘Western Swing Tour’ in which director Bradley Beesley will accompany the film at various screenings across the US. For more information on this tour and a schedule of venues and times, visit the official website. If you don’t see any screenings close to your town, you’re in luck; the DVD is set to hit stores October 25th! Until then, check out the trailer and share your thoughts in the comments section.

A while back I wrote a piece about the films of Courtney Fathom Sell. Courtney’s films have a great lo-fi aesthetic and you can always count on his taste for unusual stories and otherwordly characters. His latest project, a short film called The Hole (co-directed by Billy Feldman) looks at the alien landscape of a small section of New York City that’s partially flooded and, according to legend, was a mobster dumping ground for knocked-off goons. It’s a great short — with some awesome sound design — that plays like Gummo meets Fata Morgana. Now Courtney has moved on from alien urban landscapes to suburban ghost hauntings with his new project Asleep With the Lights On. The film is still in its early development stages and Sell is in the process of attempting to raise some funding through a Kickstarter account. Check out the synopsis below:

‘Asleep With the Lights On’ will examine, research, and document the various affects the phenomenon of paranormal activity has had on the professional and personal life of several Individuals. The project will explore the various degrees of phenomenon encountered, the tactics used in order for researchers to collect data on such activity, and the unique relationship that exists between several individuals of separate backgrounds and the world of the paranormal. Because the subject matter of the project is a topic of much controversy and debate, the film will present the opinions of both believers and skeptics in order to achieve an honest and broad understanding of the topic. ‘Asleep With the Lights On’ will propose the question: If paranormal activity does not actually exist, then what is in fact occurring?

Sounds pretty cool to me! I like the idea of focusing on the effect these ghosts have — real or not — on a family of folks who truly believe they’re being terrorized by a spirit. Could make for a great piece of spooky non-fiction filmmaking! Show your support by heading over to the Kickstarter account and donating!

After following the development of Casey Affleck’s Joaquin Phoenix documentary over the past year or two, I have been pretty curious to see what the final product will be like. You may remember hearing about some of Phoenix’s strange public appearances last year, including a seemingly awkward interview with David Letterman, and his attempt to quit acting in order to start a rap career. This was all essentially staged for the film I’m Still Here, and while I was fascinated and amused at the time, I think he played it straight for so long that people just stopped caring after a while. The release of the actual film feels like it’s coming a bit late, as if the joke has been dead for some time now.

Magnolia Pictures has finally released a teaser trailer for the film, and it still maintains an air of mystery about the whole thing. It consists of short clips set to a tongue-in-cheek voiceover spouting philosophical nonsense about Phoenix’s situation. Part of me thinks this is trying to be like Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat or Bruno, only using a real person to stage public pranks. But will this actually play for laughs, or is it meant to be a serious meditation on the nature of celebrity? I guess I’m still curious enough to check it out, but I have no idea what the general response will be. Official synopsis and release dates after the jump. Let us know what you think.

Official synopsis:

The directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Casey Affleck, I’M STILL HERE is a striking portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of internationally acclaimed actor Joaquin Phoenix. With remarkable access, I’M STILL HERE follows the Oscar-nominee as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip hop musician. Sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, and always riveting, the film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads. Defying expectations, it deftly explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.

I’m Still Here starts a theatrical run on the 10th September and will be available on demand from the 24th September.

Originally posted at Film Junk

Spike Lee’s follow-up to his Emmy-winning 2006 film When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts has taken a new turn with the final hour being devoted to the recent BP oil spill.

Airing on the 23rd & 24th of August on HBO, IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON’T RISE revisits New Orleans five years after Katrina, and will now explore the spill’s effect on the area.

I’ll watch anything Spike Lee puts his hands to, and when he gets pissed off and political you know it’s going to get interesting. Speaking at the Television Critics Association’s press tour last weekend, Lee denounced the U.S Government’s claims that 75 percent of the spilled oil had been cleared up, saying “I don’t care how many scientists BP buys, that oil did not disappear”.

Originally intending for the film to end with the New Orleans Saints winning the Superbowl, the crew had finished shooting when the oil spill happened. Deciding to continue, they went back to New Orleans a further seven times and were filming up until two weeks ago.

The film will also look at the problems New Orleans’ residents have had in returning home, and extends the locations to include displaced people in Mississippi and Texas who were evacuated and chose to remain in their new homes, and to Haiti to show the similarities in the situation there following the earthquake last year.

Synopsis:

Five years after Hurricane Katrina, director Spike Lee returns to New Orleans to see how the ambitious plans to reinvent the CrescentCity are playing out in the all-new, four-hour documentary IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON’T RISE. He finds a patchwork of hope and heartache in a story that is book-ended by a pair of momentous events — the historic 2010 Super Bowl victory and the disastrous British Petroleum oil spill — that changed the history of America’s most unique city once again

40Acres.com has a complete list of screening times here and the official HBO site for the film is here.

Source: Forbes

It’s pretty clear that Louie Psihoyos’ The Cove struck a nerve with a lot of people. His unveiling of the horrors that take place every year in Taiji, Wakayama, were certainly enough to put me off dolphin meat for a good month or two. The film went on to win the 2009 Oscar for best documentary feature and brought some much needed attention to the capture and slaughter of dolphins in Japan and around the world. Now that the film is a year behind us, many wonder how Psihoyos might possibly follow such a major success.

In an interview with Momentum, Psihoyos says the next film is tentatively titled ‘The Singing Planet’ and will take on the mass extinction of animals by humans, focusing on “the list of extinct-prone animals and organisms, and the battles to save them.” I sure hope The Cove’s successful mix of environmental activism with conventional genre filmmaking techniques will inform this new project. It seems to make sense that the best way to get a message across is to make a film that’s both informative AND entertaining. If people responded so passionately to the slaughter of dolphins, Psihoyos should find success bringing a much more broad message to the masses. As for the 3D aspect, seems like it could be an interesting ploy to get more people in seats in the theatre and spread the message of the film even further. What do you think? Would 3D have cheapened the visceral affect of The Cove or heightened it?

Today 25 of the documentaries showing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival were announced, and after a first initial skim through the slate, I felt extreme pangs of sadness that I’m not going. The selection is yet another affirmation of just how strong a year this has been for documentary and it’s notable just how many of documentary’s big hitters are present. From Werner Herzog’s 3D Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Errol Morris’ Tabloid, Kim Longinotto’s Pink Saris, Fred Wiseman’s Boxing Gym to Alex Gibney’s Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer this lineup is a documentary fan’s dream.

Other films that really stood out for me were Janus Metz’ Armadillo which gained huge buzz at Cannes, and which I’m desperate to see and Ondi Timoner’s Cool It about controversial author Bjorn Lomborg which promises to raise a few eyebrows.

The Gala screening is The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town giving a behind the scenes look at Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band which is sure to gain huge interest.

Combined with many premieres from first-time directors TIFF is going to be an incredible opportunity to see a combination of some of the greatest documentary filmmakers working today and exciting new emerging talent. The festival’s documentary programmer Thom Powers has gone into detail about his thoughts on the selection over at Indiewire.

The full lineup is after the jump.

Gala

The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town Thom Zimny, USA
World Premiere
The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town takes us into the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the recording of their fourth album. Grammy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on this documentary, gaining access to never before seen footage shot between 1976-1978, capturing home rehearsals and recording sessions that allow us to see Springsteen’s creative process at work.

Masters

Erotic Man Jørgen Leth, Denmark
World Premiere
Danish master Jørgen Leth travels the globe in this sensual, provocative and sometimes autobiographical essay film about a man searching … searching the world for the nature of the erotic.

Nostalgia for the Light Patricio Guzmán, France/Germany/Chile
North American Premiere
In Chile’s Atacama Desert, astronomers peer deep into the cosmos in search for answers concerning the origins of life. Nearby, a group of women sift through the sand searching for body parts of loved ones, dumped unceremoniously by Pinochet’s regime. Master filmmaker Patricio Guzmán contemplates the paradox of their quests.

Real to Reel

ANPO Linda Hoaglund, Japan/USA
World Premiere
ANPO depicts resistance to U.S. military bases in Japan through an electrifying collage of paintings and photographs, as well as animated, narrative and documentary films by Japan’s foremost contemporary artists.

Armadillo Janus Metz, Denmark
North American Premiere
Winner of Cannes Critics Week, Armadillo is a harrowing portrayal of the current conflict in Afghanistan. The film follows a contingent of Danish troops into the chaos of combat in a way that stirs debate over the rules of engagement.

Boxing Gym Frederick Wiseman, USA
North American Premiere
Documentary master Frederick Wiseman explores the world of a boxing gym in Austin, Texas, dwelling on the discipline of training as people from all walks of life aspire to reach their personal best.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams Werner Herzog, USA
World Premiere
Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of southern France, capturing the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind in their astonishing natural setting. He puts 3-D technology to a profound use, taking us back in time over 30,000 years.

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer Alex Gibney, USA
World Premiere
Investigating the sex scandal that forced New York’s Governor to resign, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney gains revelatory interviews from Spitzer, his most frequent escort and his Wall Street enemies that bring new perspective on his downfall.

Cool It Ondi Timoner, USA
World Premiere
Award-winning filmmaker Ondi Timoner trains her camera on Bjorn Lomborg, the controversial author of “The Skeptical Environmentalist,” who takes on the issue of climate change, challenging the status quo, and pointing toward new science and technology that might hold the solutions for our future.

The Game of Death Christophe Nick & Thomas Bornot, France
North American Premiere
This documentary examines the idea of the limits of obedience and punishment. Based on an experiment conducted in the sixties, the setting is a modern television game show where we see how far people will go to inflict pain on a contestant who stands to win one million dollars.

Genpin Naomi Kawase, Japan
World Premiere
A serene observation of women giving birth at the clinic of Dr. Tadashi Yoshimura who has spent 40 years on the path of natural childbirth, Genpin is Naomi Kawase’s special meditation on life and on the unshakable bond between mother and child.

Guest Jose Luis Guerin, Spain
North American Premiere
­­­­Filmmaker Jose Luis Guerin documents his experience during a year of travelling as a guest of film festivals to present his previous film. What emerges is a wonderfully humane and sincere portrayal of the people that he meets when he goes off the beaten track in some of the world’s major cities.

Inside Job Charles Ferguson, USA
North American Premiere
An in-depth exploration of what caused the financial crisis from the Oscar-nominated director of No End in Sight, highlighting failures in business, government and academia.

Machete Maidens Unleashed! Mark Hartley, Australia
International Premiere
From cult cinema documentary director Mark Hartley (Not Quite Hollywood) comes this account of the wild and unruly world of genre filmmaking in the Philippines when the country was a back-lot for a bevy of B-movie mavericks and cinema visionaries.

Mother of Rock: Lillian Roxon Paul Clarke, Australia
International Premiere
Witness to New York’s infamous punk scene, Lillian Roxon chronicled the movement during the 1960s and 70s. Roxon mingled with the likes of John and Yoko, the Velvet Underground and Janis Joplin and was one of the first on the scene to champion the work of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and the Doors.

Pink Saris Kim Longinotto, UK
World Premiere
Acclaimed director Kim Longinotto is often drawn to tough women. Now she follows Sampat Pal Devi, the leader of the “Pink Gang,” who brings her own brand of justice to the streets of Uttar Pradesh, India, combating violence against women.

The Pipe Risteard Ó Domhnaill, Ireland
International Premiere
Irish farmers and fisherman rise up in protest when Shell tries to build a pipeline for natural gas through their county. The local confrontation reflects an international concern for how energy companies affect the environment and communities.

Precious Life Shlomi Eldar, Israel
International Premiere
With the help of a prominent Israeli journalist, Precious Life chronicles the struggle of an Israeli pediatrician and a Palestinian mother to get treatment for her baby, who suffers from an incurable genetic disease. Each must face their most profound biases as they inch towards a possible friendship in an impossible reality.

The Sound of Mumbai: A Musical Sarah McCarthy, United Kingdom
North American Premiere
For one emotional night, a group of children living in a slum in Mumbai, India, get a chance to experience a different world as they perform The Sound of Music with a classical orchestra, fostering hopes that it could change their lives.

Tabloid Errol Morris, USA
World Premiere
The director of The Thin Blue Line and the Academy Award®-winning The Fog of War tells the story of a former Miss Wyoming whose quest for one true love led her across the globe and onto the pages of tabloid newspapers.

Tears of Gaza Vibeke Løkkegerg, Norway
World Premiere
A powerful and emotionally devastating record of the impact the 2008-2009 bombings of Gaza had on the civilian population.

When My Child is Born Guo Jing & Ke Dingding, China
World Premiere
When a child is born, nothing is ever going to be the same. A journey into the everyday life of young university teachers and researchers up against an unexpected pregnancy, as well as a brilliant document on the challenges of being an academic suspended between modernization and tradition, love, career and family ties in ever-mutating contemporary China.

Windfall Laura Israel, USA
International Premiere
After wind turbines are proposed for installation in upstate New York, the community’s excitement turns to suspicion over what the project entails. This eye-opening story exposes the dark side of wind energy development and the potential for financial scams.

!Women Art Revolution – A Secret History Lynn Hershman Leeson, USA
World Premiere
Filmed over four decades, this inspiring cultural history tracks the struggles and breakthroughs of women artists from Judy Chicago to Guerilla Girls to Miranda July and more, packed with rare archival footage and overflowing with bold art.

Sprockets Family Zone

Make Believe J. Clay Tweel, USA
International Premiere
Join a group of dedicated teen magicians as they amaze audiences by performing seemingly impossible feats while they pursue their dream of becoming the Teen World Champion Magician.

The British Film Institute has given us three pairs of tickets to the UK premiere of Life 2.0 on 6th August at NFT1. The tickets are first come first serve and all you have to do is email here with ‘Documentary Blog Tickets’ in the subject line.

There is more information about the screening here and the trailer is after the jump. Life 2.0 is showing as part of their excellent Film Science: Future Human season which I highly recommend checking out.

Every day, across all corners of the globe, hundreds of thousands of users log onto Second Life, a virtual online world not entirely unlike our own. They enter a new reality, whose inhabitants assume alternate personas in the form of avatars—digital alter egos that can be sculpted and manipulated to the heart’s desire, representing reality, fantasy, or a healthy mix of both. Within this alternate landscape, escapism abounds, relationships are formed, and a real-world economy thrives, effectively blurring the lines between reality and “virtual” reality.

Director Jason Spingarn-Koff digs deeply into the core of basic human interaction by assuming his own avatar and immersing himself in the worlds of Second Life residents, whose real lives have been drastically transformed by the new lives they lead in cyberspace. In doing so, he manages to create an intimate, character-based drama that forces us to question not only who we are, but who we long to be.

-from the Sundance Film Festival Film Guide