Category: Documentary
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‘Heal’ Documentary Explores Mind / Body Medicine
Filmmaker Kelly Noonan Gores’ documentary called simply “Heal” is an exploration of mind/body medicine and the power of our bodies’ innate ability to heal themselves. She includes interviews with prominent alternative physicians and spiritual healers, as well as three people who have experienced difficult illnesses.
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Doc ‘Liyana’ is Talk of 2017 Citizen Jane Film Festival
During the 10th annual Citizen Jane Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri, which ended on Oct. 29, 2017, I asked a number of people to tell me their favorite of the films they’d seen. Nine times out of ten, the answer was “Liyana,” a documentary set in Swaziland, a small country in southern Africa. It was…
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Movie Review: ‘Birthright: A War Story’ Documentary
From the title and the very beginning of “Birthright: A War Story,” you know it will be an in-your-face, no-holds-barred account of the abortion issue. Before the opening credits begin, we see the faces of women who have been collateral damage as a result of the laws regulating women’s health. What follows, however, is at…
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Trans Teen is Subject of PBS Doc ‘Real Boy’
Independent Lens will air the documentary “Real Boy” on PBS June 19, 2017 at 10pm ET (check your local listings). An intimate story of a family in transition, the film follows trans teen Bennett as he deals with the physical and emotional ramifications of changing gender identity from female to male.
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‘No Dresscode Required’ Doc Chronicles Gay Marriage Struggle in Mexico
In the “No Dresscode Required” documentary, Victor and Fernando run a beauty salon in Baja California, Mexico. When they decide to marry, however, they find themselves in a fight for their rights. Even though the higher court in Mexico had legalized same sex marriage, their Mexicali city council defies the ruling.
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‘Restless Creature’ Doc Celebrates Prima Ballerina Wendy Whelan
Wendy Whelan is the subject of a documentary called “Restless Creature,” in which we follow her as she contends with the reality of aging as a ballet dancer. The film is an intimate glimpse at her life.
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Carl Reiner Talks to 90+-Year-Olds Betty White, Mel Brooks, More in New HBO Documentary
The new HBO documentary, “If You’re Not In The Obit, Eat Breakfast” asks the question, “What’s the secret to living into your 90s – and loving every minute of it?”
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Tribeca Film Festival: A Rundown of 6 Documentary Shorts
The Tribeca Film Festival always provides a wealth of documentaries that highlight injustices around the world or give us insight into real people. Sometimes, a filmmaker makes a short in an effort to raise money for a full-length feature. Other times, the subject matter simply doesn’t merit a longer film but is still worth communicating.…
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Tribeca Film Festival: ‘Copwatch’ Documentary About Activists Who Document Excessive Force
“Copwatch,” a documentary by Camilla Hall at the Tribeca Film Festival starts with a relentless series of videos depicting police brutality, including the videos of Rodney King and Eric Garner. Seeing them one after the other makes them all the more horrifying.
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Tribeca Film Festival: ‘I Am Evidence’ Addresses Tragedy of Untested Rape Kits
When Mariska Hargitay heard about the untested rape kit backlog across the majority of jurisdictions in the U.S., she wanted to do something to change it. She testified before a Senate committee and enlisted the help of filmmakers Geeta Gandbhir and Trish Adlesic to make the documentary, “I Am Evidence,” which was part of this…
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Tribeca Film Festival: ‘Intent to Destroy’ Doc Sets Record Straight About Armenian Genocide
After seeing “The Promise” recently and attending a press conference with director Terry George and stars Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Charlotte Le Bon (see my story on that narrative film), I wanted to be sure and see Joe Berlinger’s documentary “Intent to Destroy” at the Tribeca Film Festival. Also see Paula Schwartz’s coverage of…
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Tribeca Film Festival: ‘The Resilient Heart,’ ‘Warning: This Drug May Kill You’ Docs Focus on Health Crises
Two documentaries at the Tribeca Film Festival focus on current health crises, and in the process, they give opposite views of the medical profession. Both films, incidentally, were directed by women.