After finding an old high school yearbook at a Value Village, four friends become intrigued with the members of that school’s senior class. Judging the hairstyles and attire of the late 80’s, Michael, Clay, Sam and Andrew spend the next few years choosing their favourite girls and guys from the grad photos, making some…
Tag: hot docs
The Punk Syndrome – Jukka Karrkkainen & J-P Passi, Finland
The Punk Syndrome is a rock, sorry, punk documentary film that follows Finland’s Pertti Kurikka’s Name Day. There’s infighting, jam sessions, gigs, tours, parties, love stories, broken hearts, moving out of your parents’ home, and pedicures. And every single one of the band members is mentally challenged. But in the best tradition of our…
Despite the Gods – Penny Vozniak, Australia
I’m not the only one who was seeing Despite The Gods for the first time last night, the film’s subjects Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David, and her own daughter, Sydney got to see it as well. Chronicling her efforts in India to make a film that would be a cross between Hollywood and Bollywood,…
Meanwhile In Mamelodi – Benjamin Kahlmeyer, Germany, South Africa
This is one of my favorite films from the festival, right up there with Her Master’s Voice and Despite The Gods. Set against the backdrop of the 2010 World Cup, we are introduced to Steven, his oldest daughter, nicknamed Moskito, his mentally ill wife and his youngest son, the scene sealing Thabang. Steven has…
The Kid and The Clown – Ida Gron, Denmark
In a wonderful little feature, the axiom “laughter is the best medicine” is proven whole-heartedly with the humorous, innocence and honesty Kid & The Clown. It has won a number of family awards in festivals and there’s a reason. It’s an honest look from both perspectives, to see the joy of little Tobias in…
Mr. Christmas – Nick Palmer, USA
Paired with the endearing Kid and The Clown, this short introduces us to Bruce Mertz, better known around Concord, California as Mr. Christmas. A widower living with his cat Trixie, Bruce is a retired electrician who needed a way to make people happy, and make himself happy by proxy. So beginning in August every year…
Where Heaven Meets Hell – Sasha Friedlander, USA
Saturday morning on a day that is going to be spent in theaters began with a presentation of Where Heaven Meets Hell from director Sasha Friedlander. Gorgeously shot in East Java, Indonesia the film follows a group of miners who work in Kawah Ijen, a sulfur mine. From its opening shot of the men…
Her Master’s Voice – Nina Conti, UK
I’ve always been fascinated and delighted by puppetry, muppets and ventriloquism, so when I read the blurb on this film, I knew I had to make the effort to see this one. Having done so, I can’t recommend it enough. As I said in my Documentary post, a good one can make you laugh, cry,…
Brooklyn Castle – Katie Dellamaggiore, USA
I like chess. I’ve been known to play it, and I own a couple of novelty sets, a Harry Potter one and a Lord of the Rings one, but these kids would mop the floor with me in moments… I’m not an extremely skilled player, but I do enjoy it. The documentary, brought to…
Women With Cows – Peter Gerdehag, Sweden
This Swedish documentary introduces us to elderly sisters, Britt and Inger. The pair own roughly a dozen cows on the run-down dairy farm where they grew up. Older sister Britt lives and works there even still, loving the time she spends with her animals, despite the toll years of milking have taken on her…
The Mind Reels 