The documentary film One Child Nation tells a personal story, yet also sounds a universal warning. It recounts a very recent (in our lifetime), modern tale of how a dictatorial country can set policy that, even though inhumane, is obeyed by the masses. Those same people also suffer the consequences. What the policy was, when [...]
Imelda Marcos in Manila and Ilocos Norte in a still from The Kingmaker. Photo by Lauren Greenfield. Greed. International Real Estate. Presidency. Abuse of Power. Family Legacy. Stylish Fashion. Does any of this sound familiar? The family name I’m referencing is Marcos, not Trump. The country is the Philippines, not the USA. The [...]
Documentarian Matthew Diretta turned his camera to the streets in Disco'd Living in Los Angeles, it’s easy to look away when passing a homeless person. Which is what happens every time I leave my home near Venice. The scope of the problem, the reality of the harshness, the causes, the solutions are all [...]
It might as well be reaching the summit of Everest, that’s how far-fetched running a marathon is for Brittany at the beginning of Brittany Runs a Marathon. At 27, she is lost in her dingy Queens lifestyle, with a part-time job she won’t take seriously, regular partying, and generally self-destructive behavior. Who hasn’t felt lost [...]
Honeyland offers no explanations, a story simply just unfolds. This documentary begins with a woman’s pilgrimage in an arid high desert mountains supported by unusual harmonic music. Is this modern day or an ancient time period? It is a doc, so it must be recent. And, where in the world are we? It turns out [...]
Documentary Film Free Trip to Egypt’s producer and creator Tarek Mounib talks Transformation Free Trip to Egypt Producer Tarek Mounib Producer Tarek Mounib had what some people might consider an unusual dream or mission—to bring a group of Americans concerned about what they perceive as an Islamic threat—to meet actual Muslims in [...]
Free Trip to Egypt Showcases a Path to Tolerance through Travel The premise is intriguing. Invite a random selection of Americans who support the Muslim ban to an all-expenses-paid trip to Egypt. We all have heard that personal interactions will lessen the fear of strangers, and the documentary Free Trip to Egypt sets out to [...]
Have you ever dreamed of leaving the city and living off the land, growing your own crops and gathering your own eggs? John and Molly Chester had that fantasy when they lived in a Santa Monica apartment that boasted only a porch garden. Then they actually purchased a 200 acre orchard called Apricot Lane Farms. [...]
Apollo 11 Delivers Viewers to the Moon We have The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, Apollo 18, First Man, From the Earth to the Moon. Do we need another film about manned spacecraft missions? A resounding yes, it turns out. If the film is Apollo 11. Apollo 11 is an astounding documentary. It is brilliant in [...]
Sundance: Film's Winter Wonderland Amidst the snowy mountains and crisp air of Park City and surrounding towns in Utah, Sundance Film Festival brings throngs who support and admire independent filmmaking every Winter. The 2019 festival proved a banner year for female participation, diversity of subject matter, and sales of women-led films for distribution. Inclusiveness at [...]