DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, returns for its ninth edition, from November 8-15 at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and Chelsea’s SVA Theatre and Cinepolis Chelsea. The 2018 festival includes 135 feature-length documentaries among an expanded program that includes 300 films and events overall. Included are 42 world premieres and 17 U.S. or North American premieres, with more than 500 doc makers and special guests expected in person to present their films or participate on panels.
Special Events include the world premiere of “Amazing Grace,” queen of soul Aretha Franklin‘s two days of gospel performances at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles, recording what would become her bestselling album, Amazing Grace. Also of note is Closing Night Film, the world premiere of HBO’s “Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists,” about the beloved New York City journalists Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill, and the festival’s Centerpiece presentation, the world premiere of “Original Cast Album: Co-op,” an episode in the upcoming season of IFC’s Documentary Now! series inspired by D.A. Pennebaker’s “Original Cast Album: Company,” followed by a conversation with creators Seth Meyers and Rhys Thomas, director Alex Buono, writer and star John Mulaney, and star Renee Elise Goldsberry.
In the festival’s two feature competition sections, nine films appear under the Viewfinders section for distinct directorial visions, including the world premieres of “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code,” a radical reframing of natural disasters and their link to poverty, “Out of Omaha,” a coming-of-age story executive produced by musician J. Cole, and “The Smartest Kids in the World,” an exploration of the shortcomings of the U.S. education system.
And in the Metropolis competition section, seven films are dedicated to stories set in New York City, including the world premiere of “Decade of Fire,” on the notorious series of fires that devastated the Bronx in the 1970s.
For this year’s Short List section of awards season frontrunners, filmmakers presenting their work in person at the festival include Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks for “Quincy”, Wim Wenders for “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word”, Morgan Neville for “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg for “Reversing Roe”, RaMell Ross’ “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” and Stephen Maing’s “Crime + Punishment” among other highly notables.
Notable documentarians will also be honored at the Visionaries Tribute Awards event on Nov. 8: Wim Wenders and Orlando Bagwell will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards while Tabitha Jackson, director of the Documentary Film Program at Sundance Institute, will receive the Leading Light Award for distinguished service to documentary in a role outside filmmaking.
Bagwell’s directing credits include “Citizen King,” “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey,” “Malcolm X: Make It Plain,” and two episodes in the landmark Eyes on the Prize series. Serving as a program officer at the Ford Foundation for nearly a decade, Bagwell established the $50 million JustFilms fund. He is currently finishing a documentary on Gil Scott-Heron.
There’s a lot to see and experience at the festival, so check out these Bold as Love selects for arts-centerd and Black-themed films you can and should enjoy:
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 9:00 PM | SVA Theatre Director: Olivia Lichtenstein (NYC PREMIERE)
The unforgettable voice behind “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” “Close the Door” and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Teddy Pendergrass was poised to be the biggest R&B artist of all time with five consecutive platinum albums. But his career was halted by a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed at age 31. This definitive biography, set to a soulful soundtrack, captures revealing interviews with his closest associates to trace his rise, fall and post-accident comeback at Live Aid.
Stay tuned for a full review of this very telling and emotional film.
AMAZING GRACE
Mon Nov 12, 2018, 6:45 PM | SVA Theatre Mon Nov 12, 2018, 9:00 PM | SVA Theatre director: Sydney Pollack; producer: Alan Elliott (WORLD PREMIERE)
In January 1972, Aretha Franklin gave two days of gospel performances at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles, recording what would become her bestselling album, Amazing Grace. The sessions were captured by a film crew led by Sydney Pollack, but the footage wound up shelved in a vault and has remained one of the lost cinematic treasures of twentieth-century music. Before Pollack’s death in 2008, he expressed a wish for the film to be completed, and producer Alan Elliott took it up with a team of supporters as a passion project.
To paraphrase the title song: what once was lost, now is found.
Amazing Grace lets the events unfold on film without imposing present-day interviews. It fits in the tradition of other concert documentaries of the era, such as Monterey Pop and Woodstock, yet it stands out for its focus on African-American music (preceding Wattstax, filmed later that year).
“Amazing Grace has been a lost treasure of documentary filmmaking for over four decades. I can’t think of a bigger honor for a festival than to premiere this film,” said DOC NYC artistic director Thom Powers.
FIRE ON THE HILL: THE COWBOYS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 7:45 PM | Cinepolis Chelsea Wed Nov 14, 2018, 12:30 PM | IFC Center Director: Brett Fallentine (NYC PREMIERE)
Against the backdrop of the mean streets of Compton, California, urban cowboys find joy and purpose among the horses of the Hill, the last public stable in South Central LA. Brett Fallentine follows three Black cowboys: Ghuan, who fights to rebuild the Hill after a mysterious fire and to preserve its unique culture; Calvin, as he struggles to balance family responsibilities and the cowboy lifestyle; and Calvin, on a quest to become a bull-riding rodeo champion.
DECADE OF FIRE
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 4:15 PM | SVA Theatre Directors: Vivian Vazquez, Gretchen Hildebran (WORLD PREMIERE)
In the 1970s, the Bronx was on fire. Left unprotected by the city government, nearly a half-million people were displaced as their close-knit, multiethnic neighborhood burned, reducing the community to rubble. While insidious government policies caused the devastation, Black and Latino residents bore the blame. In this story of hope and resistance, Bronx native Vivian Vazquez exposes the truth about the borough’s sordid history and reveals how her embattled and maligned community chose to resist, remain and rebuild.
OUT OF OMAHA
Credit: Photographer: Tim Grant, Out of Omaha Documentary, LLC
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 7:00 PM | SVA Theatre Director: Clay Tweel; executive producer J. Cole (WORLD PREMIERE)
Director Clay Tweel (“Gleason”) returns to DOC NYC with a film eight years in the making about two young African American twin brothers. Darcell and Darrell Trotter are coming of age in the racially and economically divided town of Omaha, Nebraska. Their journey to adulthood illustrates how hope survives in the face of poverty, violence and sacrifice. Musician J. Cole serves as the film’s executive producer.
ZION
Sun Nov 11, 2018, 10:00 AM | SVA Theatre Director: Floyd Russ Section: Short List: Shorts
Born without legs and growing up in the foster care system, Zion Clark moved from one home to another as he grew up. Floyd Russ’ inspiring portrait reveals how his discovery of wrestling in the second grade provided not only a therapeutic outlet, but a sense of family. Courtesy of Netflix.
RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS
Wed Nov 14, 2018, 9:15 PM | SVA Theatre Director: Nicolas Jack Davies (US PREMIERE)
During the late 1960s and early 70s, London’s Trojan Records label became one of the most influential record companies in history. By tapping into Jamaican migration to England, the label became a force in spreading ska, rocksteady and reggae. Rich interviews with colorful characters reveal the stories behind beloved songs such as “Rudy, A Message to You,” “The Israelites” and “You Can Get if You Really Want.” The film celebrates how immigration and innovation transformed popular culture.
16 BARS
Thu Nov 15, 2018, 9:45 PM | IFC Center Thu Nov 15, 2018, 10:15 PM | IFC Center Director: Samuel Bathrick (NYC PREMIERE)
Grammy-winning hip hop artist Todd Thomas—better known as “Speech” of the iconic group Arrested Development—leads a unique collaborative music workshop in the Richmond City Jail in Virginia. Striving to overcome their demons, four past and present inmates work side-by-side with Speech to transform their experiences, hopes and fears into songs. Exploring cycles of addiction and incarceration through the power of music and storytelling, the inspiring 16 Bars offers a window into rehabilitation.
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SHORT LIST – SHORTS ’63 BOYCOTT + EARTHRISE
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 12:45 PM | IFC Center
This program presents two films appearing in the Short List: Shorts section recognizing some of the top documentary shorts films of the year.
’63 BOYCOTT
Director: Gordon Quinn
In 1963, more than 250,000 students boycotted Chicago’s public schools to protest racial segregation. Combining period footage with reflections from participants, ‘63 Boycott links the past with present-day concerns around inequality in the education system. Courtesy of Kartemquin. (USA, 31 min.)
EARTHRISE
Director: Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
In 1968, the first image of the Earth was captured from space, an iconic photograph that had an immediate and transformative impact around the globe. Earthrise explores the memories of the Apollo 8 astronauts responsible for the image, and their experience of awe in viewing the Earth framed against the void of space. Courtesy of New York Times Op-Docs/POV. (USA, 29 min.)
THE BLESSING
Fri Nov 9, 2018, 7:15 PM | IFC Center Director: Hunter Robert Baker, Jordan Fein (NYC PREMIERE)
Deep in the Navajo Nation, one family struggles to honor their ancestry while embracing the future. Lawrence, a single father, is employed by Peabody Energy, a company tearing apart his sacred homeland for coal. As he contends with the contradictions between his work and his heritage, his secretive teenage daughter, Caitlin, finds herself going against tradition to discover her own identity. With unparalleled access to reservation life and the palpable trust of their onscreen subjects, filmmakers Hunter Robert Baker and Jordan Fein craft a poetic and deeply moving family portrait.
INSTANT DREAMS
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 11:30 AM | IFC Center Director: Willem Baptist (NYC PREMIERE)
After the Polaroid company stops production, three enthusiasts are determined to keep alive the magical wonder and technology of instant cameras.
WORLDS OF URSULA K. LE GUIN
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 11:45 AM | SVA Theatre Director: Arwen Curry (NYC PREMIERE)
Ursula K. Le Guin: world builder, feminist and fantasy author. Despite her early marginalization, Le Guin’s work challenged the male-dominated industry of literature, and demanded consideration of complex topics such as gender and identity, decades before these issues became contemporary talking points. Following Le Guin’s death this past January, Arwen Curry’s intimate portrait—featuring interviews with authors and Le Guin admirers Neil Gaiman and David Mitchell—is a moving tribute to a prescient female warrior and an homage to our shared love of storytelling.
IT MUST SCHWING! THE BLUE NOTE STORY
Sat Nov 10, 2018, 4:00 PM | SVA Theatre Director: Eric Friedler; executive producer Wim Wenders (NYC PREMIERE)
Executive produced by Wim Wenders and featuring haunting animation and a swinging soundtrack, this film tells the story of the legendary Blue Note Records label. Founded in 1939 by two young German refugees from Berlin with a passion for American jazz music, Blue Note recorded live in New York City at a time when African Americans faced blatant discrimination and segregation, supporting musicians like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk and Quincy Jones.
COOKED: SURVIVAL BY ZIP CODE
Sun Nov 11, 2018, 1:30 PM | SVA Theatre Wed Nov 14, 2018, 2:45 PM | IFC Center Director: Judith A. Helfand (WORLD PREMIERE)
In July 1995, Chicago was hit by a record heat wave that claimed the lives of 739 residents, primarily among the elderly, African Americans and those living in poverty. Using this tragedy as a jumping-off point, but referencing other extreme weather catastrophes like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, Cooked provocatively reframes the politics of disaster to encompass extreme inequity, arguing that economically disadvantaged communities should be preventatively treated as disasters taking place in slow motion.
WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE
Sun Nov 11, 2018, 4:15 PM | IFC Center Director: Emily Harrold (NYC PREMIERE)
When he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2005, Bakari Sellers became the youngest African-American elected official in US history. In While I Breathe, I Hope, the charismatic Democrat sets his sights on becoming the state’s lieutenant governor, a role not held by an African American since 1876. Emily Harrold offers an eye-opening look at the legacy of racism in American politics as she follows Sellers through his campaign and beyond, including the tragic shooting at Charleston’s Emanuel AME church. Executive produced by Charlamagne Tha God, Jedd Canty, and Karen Kinney
OWNED: A TALE OF TWO AMERICAS
Mon Nov 12, 2018, 7:30 PM | Cinepolis Chelsea Director: Giorgio Angelini (NYC PREMIERE)
After World War II, US housing policy sought to create middle-class wealth through homeownership—but these benefits were largely intended for whites only. Today, we see the results: practices including redlining, predatory lending and unchecked speculation have Americans—of all races—shut out from the dream or drowning in real-estate debt. Moving from Levittown to Orange County to Baltimore, this timely film exposes the greed, flawed economic policy and systemic racism that distorted “the American dream” into a game only few can win.
THE RESCUE LIST
Mon Nov 12, 2018, 5:15 PM | IFC Center Tue Nov 13, 2018, 12:45 PM | IFC Center Director: Alyssa Fedele, Zachary Fink Executive Producer: Steve James (NYC PREMIERE)
Surrounding Ghana’s Lake Volta — the largest man-made lake on Earth — is an active child-slavery industry. Sold by desperate families and abused by fishing masters, some 20,000 children work in perilous conditions. Activists like Stephen Kwame Addo, who escaped from such a fate himself, work to rescue as many children as possible and rehabilitate them before attempting to reunite them with their families. This ultimately hopeful film intimately documents the experiences of three boys as they make the transition back to normal life after their harrowing ordeal.
Preceded by
MAMA
Gertrude has dedicated her life to delivering children in her rural Ugandan village.
A HYMN FOR ALVIN AILEY (1999)
Tue Nov 13, 2018, 12:30 PM | IFC Center Director: Orlando Bagwell
Made for PBS’s Great Performances series, Orlando Bagwell’s Emmy Award-winning film is an homage to Alvin Ailey, the pioneering African-American choreographer and founder of New York City’s renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Following Ailey’s death, the Theater’s artistic director, Judith Jamison, choreographed “Hymn,” a celebration of his influence featuring Anna Deavere Smith. Bagwell uses this piece as a departure point for a broader look at Ailey, his work and its legacy. Featuring archival interviews with Ailey and his collaborators and striking performance footage, A Hymn for Alvin Ailey serves as a welcome introduction to Ailey’s work for newcomers and a fitting reminder of his artistry for those already familiar with his work. (USA, 60 min.)
EMANUEL
Wed Nov 14, 2018, 5:00 PM | IFC Center Thu Nov 15, 2018, 10:30 AM | IFC Center Director: Brian Ivie (NYC PREMIERE)
On June 17, 2015, national headlines blazed the story: Churchgoers gunned down during prayer service in Charleston, South Carolina. After a 21-year-old white supremacist opened fire in Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, nine African Americans lay dead, leaving their families and the nation to grapple with this senseless act of terror. Featuring intimate interviews with survivors and family members, Emanuel is a poignant story of justice and faith, love and hate, examining the healing power of forgiveness.
LAST STOP CONEY ISLAND: THE LIFE AND PHOTOGRAPHY OF HAROLD FEINSTEIN
Wed Nov 14, 2018, 7:30 PM | Cinepolis Chelsea Thu Nov 15, 2018, 9:45 PM | Cinepolis Chelsea Director: Andy Dunn (WORLD PREMIERE)
Photographer Harold Feinstein captured the beauty, joy and diversity of New Yorkers over seven decades.
Advance tickets for DOC NYC are available online at docnyc.net or in-person at the IFC Center box office, 323 Sixth Ave. (at West 3rd St., open daily 10:30am-10:00pm) right now. During the festival, tickets for all screenings are available at any festival venue box office during operating hours.
