Tag: True/False

True/False documentary film fest is Mar. 3-6 in Columbia MO

The True/False documentary film festival, March 3-6, is one of the country’s best documentary film festivals, that annually shows a slate of outstanding documentaries on an array of topics, including a surprising number of future award-winners and Oscar contenders. And it takes place in college town Columbia, Missouri, this weekend. What better way to greet spring?

True/False has no awards or competitions but it does have amazing documentaries from around the world, excellent, engrossing discussions with every feature length documentary, a true festival vibe, and some of the year’s best documentaries on a variety of topics. Even better, it is an entirely walk-able festival in a charming college town, full of interesting shops and a broad selection of places to eat and stay. It gets everyone in a party mood by kicking off with a parade every year.

This year, some of the hottest docs are here. One of the hottest, in more than one sense, is FIRE OF LOVE, the love story of a pair of volcanologists, Katia and Maurice Kraftt, devoted to both studying volcanoes and filming them, shooting electrifying footage of eruptions, rushing to every one for two decades. RIOTSVILLE, USA focuses on a strange bit of history, with archival stills and footage of “Riotvilles,” fake little towns the U.S. military built during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, as training grounds to practice for civil unrest.

Documentaries are often about point-of-view and I DIDN’T SEE YOU THERE captures Reid Davenport’s viewpoint, as he films a circus near his apartment from his wheelchair, reflecting on the history of circuses and people with disabilities. A different kind of point-of-view is found in MIJA, Isabel Castro’s warm-hearted doc about a successful woman music manager who supports her undocumented parents and other family.

But even beyond the docs already getting attention, there are more gems to uncover at True/False. The truth is, you could pick any documentary at True/False and see something interesting, thought-provoking or even eye-opening.

The festival is also sprinkled with parties, special events, concerts and fun events like the game-show style “Gimme Truth,” all capped off with a Closing Night Party.

Visit the festival website at truefalse.org to find information on True/False, read about the films and buy tickets.

True/False Film Fest 2018: THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING

Where does art exist? If it sounds like a trick question it’s because it is. It begins in the mind of the creator, but from there it can go off in many different directions. How we consume art and the role of the museum and the art collector is called into question in Nathaniel Kahn’s documentary THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING. Instead of approaching the topic with fiery passion, Kahn takes his time to explore the subject from all sides, including dozens of artists, curators, historians, and collectors that are enveloped in the world. Everyone plays a role in the contemporary art world (regardless of your direct involvement) and Kahn calls into question the moral, financial, and creative concerns when art is more than just a means to express oneself.

In his introduction to the film, the director compared it to the work of Robert Altman. This isn’t too far off, as characters and stories are entwined. Almost instantly, the film becomes a fascinating character study that raises many questions, and like any good piece of art, your perspective shifts the more you look at it. We meet artists like famed pop sensation Jeff Koons and on-the-rise Nigerian-born artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Sotheby’s buyer Amy Cappellazzo, and private art collector Stefan Edlis. All of these men and women represent aspects of a business that saw a spike in growth when it became in vogue to collect work by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Willem de Kooning, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, just to name a few.

We’d like to think that a painting is simply a means of expressing ideas and feelings, but it’s a lot more than that. Just like athletes have a value attached to their skill and fashion designers have an inflated price attached to a t-shirt with a name on a tag, THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING brazenly explores art as a commodity. How many of these subjects talk with a straight face about the commodity of art is both eye-opening and occasionally soul-wrenching as you hear that in most cases, these artists are getting paid a small percentage for what their art is later sold for. One minute you witness a once famous painter (Larry Poons) in his modest farmhouse-turned-studio slaving away on a canvas and then you are treated to an assembly-line studio where dozens of artist assistants are creating the work for Jeff Koons’ next exhibit. Placing scenes like this back to back elicits both humor and contemplation in ways that are often explored in documentaries.

You walk away from the film with mixed feelings about collectors purchasing art just because it’s in trend. On one hand, it’s providing an artist a cost of living (no matter how small it may be), but on the other hand, in the words of up-and-coming artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby, “I’m thinking about past this moment.” She wants to be remembered for her art long after her newfound popularity fades away. The film shows how the market is always re-evaluating who is underappreciated, which leads to the sickening realization that a dead artist is a great artist. Those that are new to the art world will have so many questions as they watch THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING, but they will spawn so many interesting discussions long after the paint dries.

We now live in a time where visual albums by artists like Beyoncé are a thing. Even though it is an “R&B/Pop” album on the surface, Lemonade by Beyoncé is embedded with profound layers that prompt as many conversations as any art installation that you would find in a museum. However, it was much more readily available for those that don’t have access to a museum or gallery. The rules of art have changed, and as the film suggests, we might be reaching a breaking point. Is art as worthy of an investment as the famous collector Robert Scull moved the market towards in the 70s?

Art is meant to be consumed. How we as viewers, historians, and purchasers “consume” art is not just based on feelings – it’s driven by what individuals tell us. And just like the subjects in front of the camera or me injecting my opinion in this review, the value is being depicted by others. There’s a line in the film where Amy Cappellazzo states, “Great art should be expensive.” THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING isn’t here to necessarily critique this statement, but in subtle ways, it asks the viewer if they find truth in that statement.

“Rabbit” (1986) by Jeff Koons is a sculpture that resembles a mylar rabbit balloon even though it’s made of stainless steel. As the viewer admires the shiny, flawless finish, they realize they aren’t just seeing a playful sculpture of a rabbit – they are seeing a reflection of themselves on its surface. What director Nathaniel Kahn reminds us of by showing all of the intricate parts and players of the art world is that you are also part of this complex industry. In the end, when you view a piece of art, you are also contributing to the discussion. And like most great art (regardless of its price or value), what a fascinating discussion this film inspires.

 

Overall score: 4 out of 5

THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING will be released through HBO Films later this year

 

True/False Film Fest 2018: WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

“You know everyone has lots of ways of feeling, and all those ways of feeling are fine. It’s what we do with our feelings that matter in this life.”

I wanted to open with a quote from Mr. Rogers because there is nothing that I can say or write that can impart the amount of love and humanity he shared with the world. Director Morgan Neville (who won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary for 20 FEET FROM STARDOM) also understands that. Instead of overloading the film with talking heads and celebrities singing the praises of Fred Rogers, Neville relies heavily on archival footage from each of those special episodes. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? serves as both a deeply moving tribute to one of life’s greatest teachers but also as an important reminder of the power of kindness.

Fred Rogers was a man of the faith. He studied to be a minister but saw an opportunity to touch the lives of children through a tool that wasn’t be used to build the emotional intelligence of a child: TV. At a time when television was used to entertain children, Fred Rogers saw an opportunity to inform. The film traces back to his beginnings starting the show in 1968 on a local channel in Pittsburgh. After a few seasons, the show moved to PBS where it quickly found an audience who welcomed Mr. Rogers into their home.

Right from the very first episode, the show tackled such themes as fear and isolation. King Friday, the ruler of the “Land of Make Believe” wanted to build a taller fence around his kingdom to prevent outsiders from coming in (the irony of this was not lost on the audience I saw it with). And as the show’s producer claims, “And this was just the first episode.” WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? hammers home just how unafraid Mr. Rogers was at addressing the fears of children as well as explaining the circumstances of real-world events like the assassination of Robert Kennedy.

The film focuses heavily on his approach to how he taught children. Even though he was religious, he didn’t preach about God or about scripture. He didn’t them what was was bad or what they should avoid. His message was one of love, and he approached it in a way that both children and adults can relate to. He understood the importance of emotional development. His unique ability to connect with children is discussed in charming interviews with his wife and some of the crew that worked with him on set, but it’s clearly evident in the footage from the show. What made his show unique might have been the quaint low-budget aesthetic or the fact that he embraced such imaginative tools as a magical projector called “Picture Picture” and a world of puppets and humans called “The Land of Make Believe.” Yet, what made Mr. Rogers special was his earnest dialogue. He was willing to be vulnerable so that children would feel comfortable being vulnerable too.

 

One of the most moving stories in a film that is filled with dozens of tear-jerking sequences involves the time a young boy named Jeff. Jeff was 10 when he appeared on the show. He was a quadriplegic who used an electric wheelchair to get around. As the film goes on to emphasize, it was this simple gesture of showing a boy with a disability that made a huge impact on television. Mr. Roger’s didn’t hide the circumstances of Jeff’s life. He asked about the wheelchair and how long he had been using it. In the process, he showed kids that it’s ok to talk about the hardships of life and what makes each of us unique. It’s a treasured moment in TV history that taught kids about acceptance without trying to tie it into a “message.” And all he did was simply hold a conversation with another human.

As with anything that sounds too good to be true, director Morgan Neville addresses some of the complaints and doubts some people had about Mr. Rogers. A small amount of time is focused on discussing “the entitled Mr. Rogers generation” that he supposedly helped foster. Thankfully, the film doesn’t focus on the negativity too much. And although I’d be remiss to heed my own advice, Neville does include a handful of saccharine animated sequences involving “Daniel Tiger” to illustrate the turmoil within Fred Rogers behind the scenes. Given how straightforward the host approached deep thoughts, the sequences seem like a misstep taken from a modern day approach to learning.

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? could have been comprised of 3-5 hours worth of heart-melting moments and inspiring lessons of truth. Mr. Rogers taught us it was ok to ask questions. He reminded us that we’re each different. Most importantly, he showed us that it’s ok to have emotions, to cry at the death of a pet or if our parents are getting a divorce, and to feel insecure in life. In turn, watching this film reminds us that it’s okay to sit in a room full of strangers that you don’t know and feel vulnerable; that we can connect over our shared love of a teacher who taught us we’re all unique but connected by the same emotions; that it’s okay to share those emotions with the world. The impact Mr. Rogers had on all of us can’t be measured or read about in a book, but can be seen on the faces of your neighbors walking out of the theater.  

 

Overall score: 4 out of 5

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? is being released by Focus Features later this year

 

The 2018 True/False Film Fest Lineup

Around every corner is a new and revealing story. In the case of True/False, you never know if it will come in the form of a film, music performance, art installation, or discussion with a filmmaker or attendee about the truths and untruths around us.

The four-day festival in Columbia, MO is one of the premier documentary film festivals in the United States. The festival has attracted new and returning talent over the years – even high-profile names like Spike Lee, who attended simply to see a short film made by three Missouri School of Journalism students in 2016. You can watch the short film here. One of the most intriguing elements of the festival is that the festival encourages films that walk the line between nonfiction and fiction (hence, the title of the festival). Previous lineups included fictional films like Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD and the 2012 horror smash V/H/S – both of which play around with non-fiction elements. Director Bart Layton’s AMERICAN ANIMALS, a fictional caper film that includes interviews with the actual people that were involved in the true story, is one of the films that take this approach in this year’s lineup.

This approach to their lineup is just one of the unique aspects that sets this festival apart from others. They entwine many forms of art into the festival. From international musical acts performing before film screenings (known as buskers) to multi-media art installations throughout the city, it’s clear that this isn’t just a film festival. This year’s visual theme is WHETHER | WEATHER. As they go on to describe, “weather and whether are two of the more evocative words in the English language and both words converse with today’s political and meteorological climate. The future is unclear, but these visual artists conjure thoughtful observations and insightful commentary from this prompt.” Just like the breakdown of the rigid lines of what makes a documentary, co-creators Paul Sturtz and David Wilson have crafted a festival that has naturally evolved into a unique anomaly, encouraging attendees to reconsider the role and structure of a film festival.

The 2018 lineup includes a number of film premieres, recent hits from the Sundance Film Festival, and of course, a few secret screenings which have become a tradition of the fest. Some of the standouts of the 40 features selected this year include the world premiere of activist filmmakers Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll’s film AMÉRICA, Morgan Neville (director of Oscar-winner 20 FEET FROM STARDOM) delivers WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? about TV legend Fred Rogers, a film about a black lesbian strip called SHAKEDOWN that’s already being described as a “lo-fi MAGIC MIKE XXL,” the unbelievable true story and 2018 Sundance critical hit THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS, and the long-delayed film about controversial musician M.I.A. titled MATANGI/MAYA/M.I.A. These are but a few of the films I’m looking forward to seeing this year.


The 15th True/False Film Fest will take place March 1st – 4th in Columbia, Missouri. For more information, please visit truefalse.org. You can take a look at the entire lineup below.  Make sure to check back for my reviews during and after the festival.





Adriana’s Pact (dir. Lissette Orozco; 2017)

The director idolized her glamorous aunt, whose political past holds dark secrets. (Presented by the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)


América (dirs. Chase Whiteside & Erick Stoll; 2018)

A colorful trio of Mexican brothers are called home to take care of their grandmother in this playful and tender family portrait.


American Animals (dir. Bart Layton; 2018)

A group of larcenous college students obsess about freeing a rare edition of Audubon’s “Birds of America” in this white-knuckled heist film.


António e Catarina (dir. Cristina Haneș; 2017)

Under cover of the night “António” and “Catarina” tiptoe around each other in this introspective character study.


Artemio (dir. Sandra Luz López Barroso, 2017)

In this lushly photographed film, an Americanized mother and son return to their Mexican village where the telephone becomes a lifeline.


Bisbee ’17 (dir. Robert Greene; 2018)

Robert Greene creatively reimagines a dark chapter in labor history when organizing miners were sent packing.


Black Mother (dir. Khalik Allah; 2018)

A spiritual journey through Jamaica, the island in the sun, a place of unparalleled resilience and beauty.


Caniba (dirs. Verena Paravel & Lucien Castaing-Taylor; 2017)

This disturbing slice-of-life probes the limits of our understanding of Issei Sagawa, an admitted murderer and cannibal, and his caretaker brother Jun.


Combat Obscura (dir. Miles Lagoze; 2018)

The daily lives of Marines in Afghanistan as filmed by active duty combat cameramen from the ultimate insider’s perspective.


Crime + Punishment  (dir. Stephen Maing; 2018)

Inside the extraordinary “NYPD 12,” renegade cops bravely resisting corruption and racial profiling.
The Family (dir. Rok Biček; 2017)

Young Matej just can’t seem to catch a break – but now he must rise to the occasion of being a father.


Flight of a Bullet (dir. Beata Bubenec; 2017)

Opening with a kidnapping at gunpoint, this single-shot film finds its director, alone, embedded with a group of threatening Ukrainian soldiers.


La Flor de la Vida (dirs. Adriana Loeff & Claudia Abend; 2017)

Introverted Gabriella and extroverted Aldo are at a crossroads in their five-decade-old marriage.


Gabriel and the Mountain (dir. Fellipe Barbosa; 2017)

Brazilian director Fellipe Barbosa retraces his adventurous friend’s last days in Africa with the help of the real people who met him.


Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (dir. Sophie Fiennes; 2017)

From Jamaican family dinner to the world stage, iconic Grace Jones magically dances between down-to-earth moments and pure transcendence.  


Hale County This Morning, This Evening (dir. RaMell Ross; 2018)

Inventing a new film language, this film fearlessly reimagines the way black lives are portrayed on-screen through the stories of two young men in Hale County, Alabama.


Kinshasa Makambo (dir. Dieudo Hamadi; 2018)

True Vision honoree Dieudo Hamadi follows courageous young revolutionaries seeking to wrest control of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Presented by Restoration Eyecare)


Love Means Zero (dir. Jason Kohn; 2017)

Anti-hero Nick Bollettieri, the quintessential tennis coach of the last 40 years, sports an ego that knows no bounds, causing a rift with celebrated student Andre Agassi.


Lovers of the Night (dir. Anna Frances Ewert; 2018)

Seven Irish monks, holding on faithfully to their fragile monastery, confide their most tender secrets.


Makala (dir. Emmanuel Gras; 2017)

In this spectacular and eventful journey, Kabwita hand-delivers charcoal to a faraway marketplace against epic odds.


MATANGI/MAYA/M.I.A. (dir. Steve Loveridge; 2018)

Relying on a rich trove of self-shot videos, this film charts the incendiary art and politics of Maya Arulpragasam, better known as M.I.A.


National Diploma (dir. Dieudo Hamadi; 2014)

Determined Congolese students band together to pass a high-stakes graduation exam from True Vision honoree Dieudo Hamadi.


The Next Guardian (dirs. Dorottya Zurbó & Arun Bhattarai; 2017)

In a remote Bhutanese village, teenage siblings Gyembo and Tashi crave freedom and adventure.


Of Fathers and Sons (dir. Talal Derki; 2017)

A seasoned Al Qaeda sniper in Syria readies his 12-year-old to follow his footsteps in this never-before-seen immersion into the world of radical jihadis.


Our New President (dir. Maxim Pozdorovkin; 2018)

By turns hilarious, exhilarating, and terrifying, this deep dive into the world of Russian (fake) news offers critical lessons about 21st century propaganda.


Playing Men (dir. Matjaž Ivanišin; 2017)

A sometimes winking, sometimes eye-opening, cabinet of curiosities of peculiar games and sports, gorgeously shot all over the Mediterranean.


The Price of Everything (dir. Nathaniel Kahn; 2018)

Modern art is now a bankable commodity where art-stars like Jeff Koons and investors succeed wildly, leaving others in the dust.


Primas (dir. Laura Bari; 2017)

Two cousins Rocio and Aldana courageously transcend trauma through creative therapy in this True Life Fund selection. (Presented by The Crossing)


The Rider (dir. Chloé Zhao; 2017)

A young rodeo cowboy navigates health and family after a potentially career-ending injury, in this lush mashup of doc and fiction.


Secret Screening Gale

Fighting from within a Kafkaesque bureaucracy, a small group of committed crusaders make a stand.


Secret Screening Mistral

An impressionistic portrait of an individual who reaches for glory, falls short, and tries again.


Secret Screening Zephyr

This convincing environmental rallying cry offers a trip to the center of the world’s mysteries.


Self-Portrait: Birth in 47KM (dir. Mengqi Zhang; 2016)

Delicate scenes of village life anchor moving interviews with a survivor of the Great Famine, a subject still taboo in China.


Shakedown (dir. Leilah Weinraub; 2018)

A raucous, joyous celebration of an underground black lesbian strip club in early 2000’s Los Angeles.


Shirkers (dir. Sandi Tan; 2018)

A misfit band of young women shoot Singapore’s first independent movie with the help of a shadowy mentor, then the film mysteriously vanishes.


Taming the Horse (dir. Tao Gu; 2017)

In the dog-eat-dog world of modern China, Dong wanders aimlessly, looking for romance – and the meaning of life.


The Task (dir. Leigh Ledare; 2017)

A group of strangers cross-examine their tangled group dynamics, until the director must intervene.


Three Identical Strangers (dir. Tim Wardle; 2018)

Separated at birth, Robert, Edward and David become pop culture icons in the ‘80s after discovering they are identical triplets, then things get weird.


Voices of the Sea (dir. Kim Hopkins; 2018)

In a small seaside town in Cuba, Mariela longs for the elusive American Dream, while her fisherman husband Pita tamps down her wanderlust.


Westwood (dir. Lorna Tucker; 2018)

Fashionista Vivienne Westwood, who invented the look of British punk in the ‘70s, now owns a sprawling empire, but remains a singular iconoclast.


Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (dir. Morgan Neville; 2018)

A behind-the-scenes, radical history of Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood, directed by T/F favorite Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom). (Presented by Veterans United)

True/False Film Festival 2017: DINA – Review

 

True False - Dina

Many of the films at this year’s True/False Film Festival spotlighted men and women who have been pushed to the margins but continue to fight for their voice to be heard. Whether it’s a film about young women in Copenhagen revealing their stories about sex and love (VENUS) or the men and women from the city of Ferguson protesting in the streets (WHOSE STREETS?), this year’s selection of films told the stories of those that are often ignored.

Dina Buno is one of those voices that is often ignored by society. DINA is an earnest look at a woman living with disabilities – both mental and physical. She lives with Asperger’s, depression, OCD, and aspects of Autism (as we later learn while she gets her nails done). But she has also fallen victim to physical trauma that is slowly hinted at throughout the film, until a reveal later on that is downright chill-inducing.

Dina’s quirks and eccentricities are the focus for the first 20 mins or so, and the experience grows to be a little redundant. You begin to think that the entire film will be structured in this slice of life fashion due to this extended introduction. It’s through her relationship with her fiance who also lives with many of the same mental disabilities that a story begins to surface. The focus on their romantic journey reveals issues of communication, trust, and intimacy – pillars in every relationship that are relatable to all.

DINA teeters on being a little too precious as it presents the anticipation to the big day, including a montage of the two separately preparing for their wedding day that would fit perfectly in a John Hughes’ film (it’s even set to a standout 80s track). Sequences of them going on excursions to the beach or watching tv at home are favored more than the standard interview format. Directors Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ presentation resembles a quirky romantic comedy more than a straight-ahead documentary. Even though the directors’ hands are felt throughout, it’s still a winning approach that elicits all of the emotions one would experience while watching a sweet Hollywood tale of the good girl trying to find love.

Coming off of just winning the Grand Prix for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, True/False was the second film festival DINA has screened at and will more than likely continue to make the rounds before its scheduled release this fall. DINA presents a character that many will fall in love with, both for her innocently brazen comments and her strength against overwhelming odds.

 

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

DINA is scheduled to open nationwide fall 2017.

 

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