Award-winning production company Ventureland has entered a first-look partnership with independent studio A24 for documentary projects.
John Battsek, producer of Oscar-winning documentaries “One Day in September” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” who also serves as Ventureland’s managing director, will be both producing and executive producing as part of the deal, alongside Ventureland CEO Kerstin Emhoff, president Ali Brown, and co-founder Paul Hunter.
The two companies recently collaborated on freediving Netflix documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which premiered earlier this year at Sundance.
Battsek and Emhoff said: “With our shared culture and ambition to broaden perspectives, we are thrilled to partner with A24. This partnership will allow us to continue to push creative boundaries in making award-winning documentary features and series.”
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Ventureland’s credits include PGA and BAFTA-nominated “The Rescue”; double Emmy-winning “Rising Phoenix”; Critics Choice nominee “The Real Charlie Chaplin”; Werner Herzog’s “Theater...
John Battsek, producer of Oscar-winning documentaries “One Day in September” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” who also serves as Ventureland’s managing director, will be both producing and executive producing as part of the deal, alongside Ventureland CEO Kerstin Emhoff, president Ali Brown, and co-founder Paul Hunter.
The two companies recently collaborated on freediving Netflix documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which premiered earlier this year at Sundance.
Battsek and Emhoff said: “With our shared culture and ambition to broaden perspectives, we are thrilled to partner with A24. This partnership will allow us to continue to push creative boundaries in making award-winning documentary features and series.”
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Ventureland’s credits include PGA and BAFTA-nominated “The Rescue”; double Emmy-winning “Rising Phoenix”; Critics Choice nominee “The Real Charlie Chaplin”; Werner Herzog’s “Theater...
- 9/19/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Tina Satter’s verbatim film about the FBI’s interrogation of US intelligence leaker Reality Winner, played by The White Lotus’s Sydney Sweeney, is a stranger-than-fiction reflection of our precarious times
Legal transcripts have long provided rich source material for authentically gripping movies. Last year, the Tribeca festival showcased The Courtroom, a well-received deportation drama featuring “dialogue taken directly from court transcripts”. But it’s not just courtrooms that provide such inspiration. Think back to the “verbatim theatre” of Clio Barnard’s 2010 feature debut The Arbor, in which actors lip-synced recorded interviews about the troubled life of the playwright Andrea Dunbar. In the 2013 TV show Nixon’s the One, Harry Shearer reimagined Tricky Dicky’s secret audio tapes as video recordings, creating an absurdist black comedy from word-for-word Oval Office transcripts. More recently, James Spinney and Peter Middleton’s documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021) added dramatised visuals to archived...
Legal transcripts have long provided rich source material for authentically gripping movies. Last year, the Tribeca festival showcased The Courtroom, a well-received deportation drama featuring “dialogue taken directly from court transcripts”. But it’s not just courtrooms that provide such inspiration. Think back to the “verbatim theatre” of Clio Barnard’s 2010 feature debut The Arbor, in which actors lip-synced recorded interviews about the troubled life of the playwright Andrea Dunbar. In the 2013 TV show Nixon’s the One, Harry Shearer reimagined Tricky Dicky’s secret audio tapes as video recordings, creating an absurdist black comedy from word-for-word Oval Office transcripts. More recently, James Spinney and Peter Middleton’s documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021) added dramatised visuals to archived...
- 6/4/2023
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
Neon, Double Agent and Film4 are partnering to co-finance and exec produce 2073, a new documentary from Academy Award and BAFTA-winning director Asif Kapadia (Amy).
2073 is billed as a genre-bending thriller set in a dystopian future, which will tackle some of the biggest challenges imperiling our future. The project is inspired by Chris Marker’s iconic 1962 featurette La Jetée — about a time traveler who risks his life to change the course of history and save the future of humanity — which previously served as the basis for Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi pic 12 Monkeys, with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt.
Kapadia and George Chignell are producing. Davis Guggenheim, Nicole Stott and Jonathan Silberberg will exec produce on behalf of Concordia Studio, alongside Riz Ahmed’s Left Handed Films.
Said Kapadia: “I want to make an epic about the state of the world, using elements of science fiction as a lens through which...
2073 is billed as a genre-bending thriller set in a dystopian future, which will tackle some of the biggest challenges imperiling our future. The project is inspired by Chris Marker’s iconic 1962 featurette La Jetée — about a time traveler who risks his life to change the course of history and save the future of humanity — which previously served as the basis for Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi pic 12 Monkeys, with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt.
Kapadia and George Chignell are producing. Davis Guggenheim, Nicole Stott and Jonathan Silberberg will exec produce on behalf of Concordia Studio, alongside Riz Ahmed’s Left Handed Films.
Said Kapadia: “I want to make an epic about the state of the world, using elements of science fiction as a lens through which...
- 9/12/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Altitude Releasing’s release of Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava received biggeste Audience Fund grant.
The 10 biggest recipients of distribution funding from the British Film Institute (BFI) received a total of £521,353 from the organisation’s Audience Fund in the first half of 2022.
The biggest Audience Fund award went to Altitude Film Distribution, which received £135,170 to support the March 4 release of Clio Barnard’s Bradford-set love story Ali & Ava. The film went on to take £349,935 at the box office, according to figures supplied by the BFI.
Mubi UK’s release of Joachim Trier’s Norwegian drama The Worst Person In The World...
The 10 biggest recipients of distribution funding from the British Film Institute (BFI) received a total of £521,353 from the organisation’s Audience Fund in the first half of 2022.
The biggest Audience Fund award went to Altitude Film Distribution, which received £135,170 to support the March 4 release of Clio Barnard’s Bradford-set love story Ali & Ava. The film went on to take £349,935 at the box office, according to figures supplied by the BFI.
Mubi UK’s release of Joachim Trier’s Norwegian drama The Worst Person In The World...
- 8/3/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
BBC Studios To Receive Inaugural Mipcom Studio Of Distinction Award
BBC Studios is to be recognized with Mipcom’s first ever Studio of Distinction award at this year’s October market and CEO Tom Fussell will be joined by BBC Dg Tim Davie for a speech on the first day. The award has been forged to mark a landmark achievement by a global studio and is being given as the BBC turns 100, and its international broadcasting operation becomes 90. Davie, who was BBC Studios CEO before being replaced by Fussell last year, will talk about the “enduring importance of the BBC at home and around the world,” while Fussell will discuss the “rapid pace of change” at the studio behind the likes of Frozen Planet II, Good Omens and Top Gear. BBC Studios is coming off the back of a record year that saw profits soar by more than 50 and turnover...
BBC Studios is to be recognized with Mipcom’s first ever Studio of Distinction award at this year’s October market and CEO Tom Fussell will be joined by BBC Dg Tim Davie for a speech on the first day. The award has been forged to mark a landmark achievement by a global studio and is being given as the BBC turns 100, and its international broadcasting operation becomes 90. Davie, who was BBC Studios CEO before being replaced by Fussell last year, will talk about the “enduring importance of the BBC at home and around the world,” while Fussell will discuss the “rapid pace of change” at the studio behind the likes of Frozen Planet II, Good Omens and Top Gear. BBC Studios is coming off the back of a record year that saw profits soar by more than 50 and turnover...
- 8/3/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
ABC and CNN lead the nominations for the 43rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, which were announced Thursday by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
NATAS also revealed that Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour,” and Sir David Attenborough will receive honorary awards at this year’s ceremonies. The news categories, where Woodruff will be honored, will be presented on Wednesday, Sep. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Edt and the ceremony for the documentary categories, where Attenborough will be honored, will be held Thursday, Sep. 29th at 7:30 p.m. Edt. Attenborough’s many docuseries include “Life on Earth,” “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth.”
Also Read:
Emmy Awards: Is the Television Academy Representing Audience Demand? | Charts
A number of the nominated news segments, reports and documentaries were dedicated to the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, including those by ABC, CBS, NBC, The New Yorker,...
NATAS also revealed that Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour,” and Sir David Attenborough will receive honorary awards at this year’s ceremonies. The news categories, where Woodruff will be honored, will be presented on Wednesday, Sep. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Edt and the ceremony for the documentary categories, where Attenborough will be honored, will be held Thursday, Sep. 29th at 7:30 p.m. Edt. Attenborough’s many docuseries include “Life on Earth,” “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth.”
Also Read:
Emmy Awards: Is the Television Academy Representing Audience Demand? | Charts
A number of the nominated news segments, reports and documentaries were dedicated to the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, including those by ABC, CBS, NBC, The New Yorker,...
- 7/28/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Box office dominated by holdovers including ‘Uncharted’, ‘Sing 2’.
Channing Tatum comedy Dog and Altitude documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin are debuting in a quiet weekend for new openers at the UK-Ireland box office.
Directed by Tatum and Reid Carolin from a screenplay by Carolin, Dog stars Tatum in the story of a US army ranger who must escort the dog of his fallen commander to the funeral. Entertainment Film Distributors is releasing the title in the UK and Ireland.
Animal-themed titles can be a profitable venture: eOne’s Clifford The Big Red Dog opened to a healthy £1.29m in December,...
Channing Tatum comedy Dog and Altitude documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin are debuting in a quiet weekend for new openers at the UK-Ireland box office.
Directed by Tatum and Reid Carolin from a screenplay by Carolin, Dog stars Tatum in the story of a US army ranger who must escort the dog of his fallen commander to the funeral. Entertainment Film Distributors is releasing the title in the UK and Ireland.
Animal-themed titles can be a profitable venture: eOne’s Clifford The Big Red Dog opened to a healthy £1.29m in December,...
- 2/18/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
You may not know his films but you will certainly know who Charlie Chaplin is…
A legend of the silent film era there is more to the man than his signature bowler hat and cane. With films such as The Great Dictator, City Lights & The Kid his impact on film cannot be overstated.
The life of Charlie Chaplin is the subject of a new documentary from directing duo, James Spinney and Peter Middleton, who explore the enigma that is Chaplin.
We sit down with James and Peter to discuss The Real Charlie Chaplin, reflect on his influence, the mammoth task of tackling the story of a legend and controversy in his personal life.
The Real Charlie Chaplin Opens in Cinemas & Digitally on February 18th
The post James Spinney & Peter Middleton on their new documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin appeared first on HeyUGuys.
A legend of the silent film era there is more to the man than his signature bowler hat and cane. With films such as The Great Dictator, City Lights & The Kid his impact on film cannot be overstated.
The life of Charlie Chaplin is the subject of a new documentary from directing duo, James Spinney and Peter Middleton, who explore the enigma that is Chaplin.
We sit down with James and Peter to discuss The Real Charlie Chaplin, reflect on his influence, the mammoth task of tackling the story of a legend and controversy in his personal life.
The Real Charlie Chaplin Opens in Cinemas & Digitally on February 18th
The post James Spinney & Peter Middleton on their new documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 2/16/2022
- by Thomas Alexander
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has revealed its longlist of nominees across 24 categories for its upcoming film awards.
“No Time to Die,” “Belfast,” and “West Side Story| are among the leading films announced on Wednesday following the first round of votes.
As revealed on Monday, not included in the long-list is “Spider-Man: No Way Home” after “failing to meet eligibility criteria,” according to BAFTA. The film had originally sought consideration for the best picture and best special effects categories. Sony declined to comment.
Round Two voting, to determine the nominations in the member voted categories, will open between Feb. 14 and 27 2022. Nominations will be announced on Feb 3.
Round Three voting, to determine the winners, will open between Feb. 9 and March 8.
The BAFTA Awards are set to take place in central London on March 13.
Check out the full longlist below:
Best Film
15 films go through to the Round Two of voting,...
“No Time to Die,” “Belfast,” and “West Side Story| are among the leading films announced on Wednesday following the first round of votes.
As revealed on Monday, not included in the long-list is “Spider-Man: No Way Home” after “failing to meet eligibility criteria,” according to BAFTA. The film had originally sought consideration for the best picture and best special effects categories. Sony declined to comment.
Round Two voting, to determine the nominations in the member voted categories, will open between Feb. 14 and 27 2022. Nominations will be announced on Feb 3.
Round Three voting, to determine the winners, will open between Feb. 9 and March 8.
The BAFTA Awards are set to take place in central London on March 13.
Check out the full longlist below:
Best Film
15 films go through to the Round Two of voting,...
- 1/12/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been over a century since Charlie Chaplin introduced his beloved Tramp character in 1914’s “Kid Auto Races at Venice.” Unlike a lot of the silent film performers of the time, Chaplin breaks the fourth wall and makes eye contact with the audience. And even a century later, there’s an immediacy to that eye contact, there’s a bond between you and the silent clown. “He’s this very fluid character who just communes with the audience,” said James Spinney, who, with Peter Middleton, directed the lauded new Showtime documentary “The Real Chaplin.”
“When you watch him, you feel this crackle as he looks at you,” Spinney noted during a recent Film Independent conversation. “It’s kind of flirtatious and mischievous when he does that. Watching his films today, we found that they felt fresh and subversive, even over a century later, and felt like a type of...
“When you watch him, you feel this crackle as he looks at you,” Spinney noted during a recent Film Independent conversation. “It’s kind of flirtatious and mischievous when he does that. Watching his films today, we found that they felt fresh and subversive, even over a century later, and felt like a type of...
- 12/20/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Charlie Chaplin in costume as his Little Tramp character. Courtesy of Showtime.
Charlie Chaplin was the first worldwide superstar, thanks in part to the global nature of silent movies, which transcended language barriers and international borders. Charlie Chaplin was funny and clever but on screen he also generated a hypnotic magic, seeming to reach through the screen to interact directly with the viewers, an effect your can still feel today watching his films. But his charming, hilarious Little Tramp was a character, not the real Charlie Chaplin, the first thing we learn in The Real Charlie Chaplin, a new biographical documentary that looks at both the man behind the magic and his creation.
The Real Charlie Chaplin, like any film about the great Charlie Chaplin, is a most welcome thing. Reminding audiences about, or introducing them to, Charlie Chaplin is a good thing, since even today, Chaplin still remains as...
Charlie Chaplin was the first worldwide superstar, thanks in part to the global nature of silent movies, which transcended language barriers and international borders. Charlie Chaplin was funny and clever but on screen he also generated a hypnotic magic, seeming to reach through the screen to interact directly with the viewers, an effect your can still feel today watching his films. But his charming, hilarious Little Tramp was a character, not the real Charlie Chaplin, the first thing we learn in The Real Charlie Chaplin, a new biographical documentary that looks at both the man behind the magic and his creation.
The Real Charlie Chaplin, like any film about the great Charlie Chaplin, is a most welcome thing. Reminding audiences about, or introducing them to, Charlie Chaplin is a good thing, since even today, Chaplin still remains as...
- 12/11/2021
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“We had this extraordinary canvas of a life,” declares director Peter Middleton about the subject of the new documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin.” The documentary, which premiered at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival before airing on Showtime, examines the genius and the tragedy of the legendary filmmaker, a man whose genius was rivaled only by his personal demons. Watch our exclusive video interview with Middleton and co-director James Spinney above.
Many documentaries and films have already documented the life of Chaplin, which posed a unique challenge for the directors: was there anything about Chaplin’s life that hadn’t already been told? Eventually, they came across hours of recordings of Chaplin giving a rare interview to a journalist from Life Magazine. Those recordings, which they found in a garage in San Francisco, proved to be a significant jumping off point for the directors. “”Fortunately, with new digital techniques we were able...
Many documentaries and films have already documented the life of Chaplin, which posed a unique challenge for the directors: was there anything about Chaplin’s life that hadn’t already been told? Eventually, they came across hours of recordings of Chaplin giving a rare interview to a journalist from Life Magazine. Those recordings, which they found in a garage in San Francisco, proved to be a significant jumping off point for the directors. “”Fortunately, with new digital techniques we were able...
- 12/9/2021
- by Tony Ruiz
- Gold Derby
This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings and monthly guide to What’s on Streaming.
With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineWorld Beyond Series Finale Recap: Who Lived, Who Died and Which Long-Lost Walking Dead Character Showed Up?...
With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineWorld Beyond Series Finale Recap: Who Lived, Who Died and Which Long-Lost Walking Dead Character Showed Up?...
- 12/4/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
When the nominations for the first Academy Awards were announced in early 1929, Charlie Chaplin‘s name appeared four times for acting, writing, directing and producing “The Circus.” However, by the time of the spring ceremony, the academy had rescinded these nominations, opting instead to give this multi-hyphenate a single honorary award for his cinematic masterpiece. That move precluded the possibility of the popular film star taking home a whopping one-third of the dozen Oscars on offer at the inaugural awards.
This year, the academy could right that wrong by honoring “The Real Charlie Chaplin,” a new documentary feature about this comic genius. Directors Peter Middleton and James Spinney tells Chaplin’s life story using his own recorded words, archival footage and staged reenactments.
Set to debut on Showtime on December 19, the film has been hailed by critics for delivering a “nuanced understanding” and “ingeniously” exploring all of his dimensions and contradictions.
This year, the academy could right that wrong by honoring “The Real Charlie Chaplin,” a new documentary feature about this comic genius. Directors Peter Middleton and James Spinney tells Chaplin’s life story using his own recorded words, archival footage and staged reenactments.
Set to debut on Showtime on December 19, the film has been hailed by critics for delivering a “nuanced understanding” and “ingeniously” exploring all of his dimensions and contradictions.
- 12/1/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Charlie Chaplin was singled out for a honorary Oscar at the first Academy Awards in 1929 for his “versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing, and producing ‘The Circus.'” Forty-three years later, he was feted a second time by the academy for his “incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century. The following year he won his only competitive Oscar for the score of “Limelight,” which had not been released in Los Angeles during its initial 1952 run.
This year, the new documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin” could strike Oscar gold as well. The film made the rounds on the fall film festival circuit before its theatrical release on November 19 and its Showtime debut on December 11. And it wouldn’t be the first biography of a show business figure to claim the prize.
“The Real Charlie Chaplin” tells Chaplin’s life story, framed by his own recorded words,...
This year, the new documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin” could strike Oscar gold as well. The film made the rounds on the fall film festival circuit before its theatrical release on November 19 and its Showtime debut on December 11. And it wouldn’t be the first biography of a show business figure to claim the prize.
“The Real Charlie Chaplin” tells Chaplin’s life story, framed by his own recorded words,...
- 11/29/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Deadline has launched the streaming site for Contenders Film: Documentary, featuring all 25 panels from our Sunday event showcasing the filmmakers behind the buzziest nonfiction feature films of the awards season.
The daylong virtual presentation featured participants including Edgar Wright, Liz Garbus, Todd Haynes, Sam Pollard, Selma Blair, Morgan Neville, Matthew Heineman, Betsy West and Julie Cohen, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and R.J. Cutler among many others.
Click here to go to the streaming site.
A total of 12 studios and streamers took part in the event which spotlighted Amazon Studios’ My Name Is Pauli Murray and Val; Apple Original Films’ Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry and The Velvet Underground; CNN Films’ Citizen Ashe; Discovery+’s Francesco, Introducing, Selma Blair and Rebel Hearts; Focus Features’ Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and The Sparks Brothers; HBO’s In the Same Breath, Simple As Water and Street Gang: How We...
The daylong virtual presentation featured participants including Edgar Wright, Liz Garbus, Todd Haynes, Sam Pollard, Selma Blair, Morgan Neville, Matthew Heineman, Betsy West and Julie Cohen, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and R.J. Cutler among many others.
Click here to go to the streaming site.
A total of 12 studios and streamers took part in the event which spotlighted Amazon Studios’ My Name Is Pauli Murray and Val; Apple Original Films’ Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry and The Velvet Underground; CNN Films’ Citizen Ashe; Discovery+’s Francesco, Introducing, Selma Blair and Rebel Hearts; Focus Features’ Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and The Sparks Brothers; HBO’s In the Same Breath, Simple As Water and Street Gang: How We...
- 11/23/2021
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Directors Peter Middleton and James Spinney said their documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin had two major hurdles. One was that there are already so many biographies about Chaplin, and the other is that Chaplin was so enigmatic, none of the biographies truly capture him.
The filmmakers said during a panel conversation at Contenders Film: Documentary that three archival sources guided them in making the Showtime movie, which premieres on Showtime on December 11.
“The first one is an audio interview that was done with Chaplin in the 1960s,” Middleton said. “It was done by a guy called Richard Meryman who was a journalist for Life magazine. Although this recording wasn’t fantastically recorded, the recording itself is quite roomy, it is no doubt the most in-depth interview done with Chaplin up until this point.”
The second key source for The Real Charlie Chaplin was an interview with Effie Wisdom, a childhood...
The filmmakers said during a panel conversation at Contenders Film: Documentary that three archival sources guided them in making the Showtime movie, which premieres on Showtime on December 11.
“The first one is an audio interview that was done with Chaplin in the 1960s,” Middleton said. “It was done by a guy called Richard Meryman who was a journalist for Life magazine. Although this recording wasn’t fantastically recorded, the recording itself is quite roomy, it is no doubt the most in-depth interview done with Chaplin up until this point.”
The second key source for The Real Charlie Chaplin was an interview with Effie Wisdom, a childhood...
- 11/21/2021
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline’s Contenders Film: Documentary awards-season event, our virtual showcase of the year’s leading nonfiction, gets underway Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. Pt. This year’s lineup of 25 movies reflects the growing availability of documentary content across a variety of platforms: Showtime and HBO, streamers HBO Max, Netflix, Discovery+, Hulu, Amazon Studios, and Apple TV+, as well as theatrical distributors Neon, Focus Features, Searchlight Pictures and Sony Pictures Classics.
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
If Sunday’s Contenders event came with a soundtrack, it would be a chart topper for the ages. No fewer than four of the films in our panel lineup today throb to a musical beat: Summer of Soul recovers the long-forgotten Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 that welcomed incredible artists, from a teenage Stevie Wonder to Mahalia Jackson, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Fifth Dimension.
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
If Sunday’s Contenders event came with a soundtrack, it would be a chart topper for the ages. No fewer than four of the films in our panel lineup today throb to a musical beat: Summer of Soul recovers the long-forgotten Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 that welcomed incredible artists, from a teenage Stevie Wonder to Mahalia Jackson, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Fifth Dimension.
- 11/21/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Real Charlie Chaplin” is an alluring title for a documentary about the man who was arguably the greatest comic artist in the history of the planet. (I could be wrong in that assessment; I wasn’t around in 1230 or 5600 B.C. But I’ll stand by it.) The title suggests that we’re going to get an unvarnished look at the man behind the curtain — the brilliant and complicated human being that Charlie Chaplin was, a charmer and a scoundrel, a sweetheart and a monster, not to mention a celebrity of scandalous appetites. All of that is covered, quite ingeniously, in “The Real Charlie Chaplin.”
Yet the documentary doesn’t shy away from immersing us in Chaplin’s artistry, a subject that has, of course, been covered once or twice before. We learn a lot about his films and how, exactly, he put them together. And the trick of...
Yet the documentary doesn’t shy away from immersing us in Chaplin’s artistry, a subject that has, of course, been covered once or twice before. We learn a lot about his films and how, exactly, he put them together. And the trick of...
- 11/21/2021
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
In a definitive new documentary, a deeper look at the much-loved movie star provides more insight into ‘one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories ever told’
When a normal person ascends to the firmament of fame, their sense of identity is split in two. The self-perception they’ve developed over their life up to that point – the “true” self, allowed to emerge in intimate moments – must contend with an outward-facing image over which they can exert unsettlingly minimal control. The more canny-minded celebrities seize the reins of their own PR by cultivating a persona they can get out in front of, caricaturing themselves before someone else gets the chance.
Charlie Chaplin, perhaps the first A-lister to contend with this existential quandary of exposure, went one step further by inventing a character he could plaster over himself. The Real Charlie Chaplin, a new documentary in cinemas this week, posits his Little Tramp...
When a normal person ascends to the firmament of fame, their sense of identity is split in two. The self-perception they’ve developed over their life up to that point – the “true” self, allowed to emerge in intimate moments – must contend with an outward-facing image over which they can exert unsettlingly minimal control. The more canny-minded celebrities seize the reins of their own PR by cultivating a persona they can get out in front of, caricaturing themselves before someone else gets the chance.
Charlie Chaplin, perhaps the first A-lister to contend with this existential quandary of exposure, went one step further by inventing a character he could plaster over himself. The Real Charlie Chaplin, a new documentary in cinemas this week, posits his Little Tramp...
- 11/18/2021
- by Charles Bramesco
- The Guardian - Film News
As directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, The Real Charlie Chaplin attempts a delicate dance, quite ambitiously trying to understand both Chaplin the genius filmmaker and his iconic character the Tramp. “Enjoy any Charlie Chaplin you have the good luck to encounter, but don’t try to link them up to anything you can grasp,” observed writer Max Eastman. A title card with the above text opens the film, offering a direct warning: as much as one can know Chaplin, one never really will. Given access to an incredible amount of archival footage from the legend’s estate, Middleton and Spinney do their damndest to confront the man from every angle. And though they don’t succeed, perhaps that’s the point?
Pearl Mackie does sharp work as the narrator, guiding the viewer through Chaplin’s downtrodden childhood in London, to his signing with Fred Karno and move to America,...
Pearl Mackie does sharp work as the narrator, guiding the viewer through Chaplin’s downtrodden childhood in London, to his signing with Fred Karno and move to America,...
- 11/17/2021
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
The Critics Choice Association awarded “Summer of Soul” the top prize at the sixth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which honors the best achievements in nonfiction released in theaters, on TV, or on major digital platforms. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s look at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival took home the most awards of any film, with five in total.
This year’s nominees were led by “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul,” two films by first-time documentarians. Each had six nominations. But “Ascension,” Jessica Kingdon’s look at the pursuit of the Chinese dream, failed to score any prizes November 14.
“Summer of Soul,” which won the top documentary prize and an Audience Award following its Sundance premiere earlier this year, won five of the six awards it was nominated for at the critics awards: Best Documentary Feature, Best First Documentary Feature, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Director, a prize Thompson...
This year’s nominees were led by “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul,” two films by first-time documentarians. Each had six nominations. But “Ascension,” Jessica Kingdon’s look at the pursuit of the Chinese dream, failed to score any prizes November 14.
“Summer of Soul,” which won the top documentary prize and an Audience Award following its Sundance premiere earlier this year, won five of the six awards it was nominated for at the critics awards: Best Documentary Feature, Best First Documentary Feature, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Director, a prize Thompson...
- 11/15/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
"The Real Charlie Chaplin" is a new feature-length doc, directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, with narration by Pearl Mackie, premiering December 11, 2021 on Showtime:
"...the new film is a kaleidoscopic portrait of a man who became an immortal legend, whose life was as extraordinary as his art, blending dramatic reconstructions with never-before-heard recordings...
"...intimate home movies, behind-the-scenes material, and newly restored classic films to reveal a side of the worldwide icon that - until now - has been shrouded in mystery.
"Tracing back a century ago - when Chaplin first stepped onto the screen - the film recounts his meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...the new film is a kaleidoscopic portrait of a man who became an immortal legend, whose life was as extraordinary as his art, blending dramatic reconstructions with never-before-heard recordings...
"...intimate home movies, behind-the-scenes material, and newly restored classic films to reveal a side of the worldwide icon that - until now - has been shrouded in mystery.
"Tracing back a century ago - when Chaplin first stepped onto the screen - the film recounts his meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 11/1/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
"He was always acting..." "He was inaccessible in so many ways." We all know the actor, but not the man himself. Who really was Charlie Chaplin as a person, not just the actor? Find out! Showtime has debuted an additional new US trailer for the documentary film The Real Charlie Chaplin, which recently played at the London Film Festival after first premiering at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. We also posted the UK trailer a few weeks ago. From the award-winning creative team behind Notes On Blindness and Listen To Me Marlon. For decades he was the most famous man in the world – but who was the real Charlie Chaplin? This traces Charlie Chaplin's meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom, before his scandalous fall from grace. Showtime will debut in the US starting in December. I am so ready to watch this! I've...
- 10/29/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
19 films on international, 14 on documentary list.
Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or winner Titane and Andrea Arnold’s Cow have made the longlists for best international independent film and best documentary respectively at the 2021 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa).
Titane is one of 19 titles on the international list, alongside fellow Cannes 2021 titles A Chiara, Compartment No. 6, Drive My Car, Great Freedom, Paris, 13th District and Red Rocket.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Six of the 19 international titles hail from North America, with 12 from Europe and one from Japan. Nine of the 19 directors are women.
Alongside Cow on...
Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or winner Titane and Andrea Arnold’s Cow have made the longlists for best international independent film and best documentary respectively at the 2021 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa).
Titane is one of 19 titles on the international list, alongside fellow Cannes 2021 titles A Chiara, Compartment No. 6, Drive My Car, Great Freedom, Paris, 13th District and Red Rocket.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Six of the 19 international titles hail from North America, with 12 from Europe and one from Japan. Nine of the 19 directors are women.
Alongside Cow on...
- 10/26/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tanel Toom (“Truth and Justice”) has wrapped production in Estonia on sci-fi thriller “Sentinel.”
The film stars Kate Bosworth (“Force of Nature”), Thomas Kretschmann (“The Pianist”), Lucien Laviscount (“Emily in Paris”) and Martin McCann (“The Survivalist”).
Written by Malachi Smyth (“The Score”), the film is set in the future on a war-ravaged Earth where four soldiers man Sentinel – a remote military base in a vast ocean that separates two warring continents. While they await their relief or the enemy, the simmering tension amongst them escalates when a mysterious boat drifts into range.
“Sentinel” is presented by Altitude Film Entertainment in association with Head Gear Film and Metrol Technology in association with Br/Arte, Tallifornia, Ichiban Films, Sentinel Entertainment and Vertical Entertainment.
Altitude Film Sales are handling international sales and will introduce the project to buyers at the AFM Virtual Market (Nov. 1-5).
The film is produced by Ben Pullen...
The film stars Kate Bosworth (“Force of Nature”), Thomas Kretschmann (“The Pianist”), Lucien Laviscount (“Emily in Paris”) and Martin McCann (“The Survivalist”).
Written by Malachi Smyth (“The Score”), the film is set in the future on a war-ravaged Earth where four soldiers man Sentinel – a remote military base in a vast ocean that separates two warring continents. While they await their relief or the enemy, the simmering tension amongst them escalates when a mysterious boat drifts into range.
“Sentinel” is presented by Altitude Film Entertainment in association with Head Gear Film and Metrol Technology in association with Br/Arte, Tallifornia, Ichiban Films, Sentinel Entertainment and Vertical Entertainment.
Altitude Film Sales are handling international sales and will introduce the project to buyers at the AFM Virtual Market (Nov. 1-5).
The film is produced by Ben Pullen...
- 10/26/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
"He didn't want people to know the real Charlie." Altitude Films has unveiled an official UK trailer for the documentary film The Real Charlie Chaplin, which recently played at the London Film Fest this month after first premiered at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. From the award-winning creative team behind Notes On Blindness and Listen To Me Marlon. Groundbreaking, controversial, outspoken and visionary. For decades he was the most famous man in the world – but who was the real Charlie Chaplin? Drawn from a remarkable archive of newly unearthed material, this new doc film is a revealing and poignant portrait of Hollywood's most iconic figure. It traces Charlie Chaplin's meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom, before his scandalous fall from grace. I can't wait to see this! I've been fascinated with real Chaplin after learning about his retreat to Switzerland in the final years of his life.
- 10/20/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Critics Choice Association has announced nominees for the sixth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards.
The awards cover documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms. The awards gala takes place Nov. 14 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Ascension” and “Summer of Soul, both from first-time documentarians, led the nominations with six each. “Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” both received five nods each.
“This has been and continues to be a fantastic year for documentary storytelling. And the number of first-time feature documentarians in the mix of nominees, alongside proven veterans, shows that nonfiction cinema continues to have a very bright future,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch. “Our world, from its most amazing wonders to its greatest challenges, is being reflected back on the screen so immediately and creatively by today’s filmmakers, and it’s a tremendous honor for us to recognize all of their achievements.
The awards cover documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms. The awards gala takes place Nov. 14 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Ascension” and “Summer of Soul, both from first-time documentarians, led the nominations with six each. “Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” both received five nods each.
“This has been and continues to be a fantastic year for documentary storytelling. And the number of first-time feature documentarians in the mix of nominees, alongside proven veterans, shows that nonfiction cinema continues to have a very bright future,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch. “Our world, from its most amazing wonders to its greatest challenges, is being reflected back on the screen so immediately and creatively by today’s filmmakers, and it’s a tremendous honor for us to recognize all of their achievements.
- 10/18/2021
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
The Critics Choice Association (Cca) has announced the nominees for the sixth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda). This year’s winners will be revealed at a gala on Sunday, November 14, 2021, in Brooklyn, NY. The awards honor the best achievements in nonfiction released in theaters, on TV, or on major digital platforms.
Both films by first-time documentarians, “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul” lead this year’s nominations with six each. “Ascension,” a look at the Chinese dream across social classes, is also up for Documentary Feature, Director (Jessica Kingdon), First Feature, Cinematography, Editing, and Score. Meanwhile, “Summer of Soul” is up for Documentary Feature, Best Director (Ahmir “Questlove’ Thompson), First Documentary, Editing, Archival Documentary, and Music Documentary.
“Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” also picked up five nominations each.
Last year, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” took home the Cca’s top award for Best Documentary as well as the Best Director award for Kirsten Johnson.
Both films by first-time documentarians, “Ascension” and “Summer of Soul” lead this year’s nominations with six each. “Ascension,” a look at the Chinese dream across social classes, is also up for Documentary Feature, Director (Jessica Kingdon), First Feature, Cinematography, Editing, and Score. Meanwhile, “Summer of Soul” is up for Documentary Feature, Best Director (Ahmir “Questlove’ Thompson), First Documentary, Editing, Archival Documentary, and Music Documentary.
“Becoming Cousteau” and “The Rescue” also picked up five nominations each.
Last year, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” took home the Cca’s top award for Best Documentary as well as the Best Director award for Kirsten Johnson.
- 10/18/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The BFI London Film Festival is perfectly situated at the start of the fall season, which also happens to be the beginning of awards season, to help shepherd films toward commercial and critical success.
“London Film Festival is still such a prestigious showcase for new films and a fantastic way to launch a film in the U.K.,” says Lia Devlin, head of theatrical at Altitude, which is bringing three films to the Lff this year: Clio Barnard’s “Ali & Ava,” documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin” and Julia Ducournau’s “Titane,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in July.
And no doubt it’s the promise of awards season sparkle that has attracted many of the streamers to the festival, with some of the biggest gala screenings — including festival opener “The Harder They Fall,” Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” (both Netflix), and Apple’s...
“London Film Festival is still such a prestigious showcase for new films and a fantastic way to launch a film in the U.K.,” says Lia Devlin, head of theatrical at Altitude, which is bringing three films to the Lff this year: Clio Barnard’s “Ali & Ava,” documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin” and Julia Ducournau’s “Titane,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in July.
And no doubt it’s the promise of awards season sparkle that has attracted many of the streamers to the festival, with some of the biggest gala screenings — including festival opener “The Harder They Fall,” Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” (both Netflix), and Apple’s...
- 10/5/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Switzerland became Charlie Chaplin’s home after he was hounded out of the U.S. in 1952, so it’s perhaps fitting that the Zurich Film Festival hosted the European premiere of feature documentary “The Real Charlie Chaplin.”
Playing in the festival’s documentary competition section, “The Real Charlie Chaplin” is an innovative montage of film clips, behind-the-scenes footage, newly-unearthed audio recordings, dramatic reconstructions and personal archive about cinema’s first and arguably greatest icon – tracing his meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to Hollywood stardom and eventual banishment.
The darker side of Chaplin’s life is explored too, from the treatment of his ex-wives (his second wife Lita Grey was just 15 when their relationship began) to his eccentric working methods.
The film is directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, whose acclaimed 2016 debut feature doc “Notes on Blindness” won the British Independent Film Award for Best Documentary Film.
Playing in the festival’s documentary competition section, “The Real Charlie Chaplin” is an innovative montage of film clips, behind-the-scenes footage, newly-unearthed audio recordings, dramatic reconstructions and personal archive about cinema’s first and arguably greatest icon – tracing his meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to Hollywood stardom and eventual banishment.
The darker side of Chaplin’s life is explored too, from the treatment of his ex-wives (his second wife Lita Grey was just 15 when their relationship began) to his eccentric working methods.
The film is directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, whose acclaimed 2016 debut feature doc “Notes on Blindness” won the British Independent Film Award for Best Documentary Film.
- 9/30/2021
- by Tim Dams
- Variety Film + TV
Immediately following premieres of their latest documentaries at major awards-circuit festivals, veteran filmmakers Liz Garbus, Robert Greene and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi headed to a small, remote village on the coast of Maine – two hours from a major airport.
The trio made the trek so they could attend the 17th edition of the Camden Intl. Film Festival. Each brought with them their Oscar-contending docus — “Becoming Cousteau,” “Procession” and “The Rescue,” respectively.
Fresh off showings at Telluride and the Toronto film fests, Garbus’ ‘Becoming Cousteau” kicked off Ciff, which was held in-person Sept. 16-19 and continues online until Sept. 26. During its first weekend, a who’s who of the docu community — including Oscar winner Alex Gibney, Cinetic Media founder and principal John Sloss, former Sundance Institute CEO Keri Putnam, NBC News Studios’ head of documentary Molly O’Brien and Pov executive director Erika Dilday — could be seen at various festival venues in...
The trio made the trek so they could attend the 17th edition of the Camden Intl. Film Festival. Each brought with them their Oscar-contending docus — “Becoming Cousteau,” “Procession” and “The Rescue,” respectively.
Fresh off showings at Telluride and the Toronto film fests, Garbus’ ‘Becoming Cousteau” kicked off Ciff, which was held in-person Sept. 16-19 and continues online until Sept. 26. During its first weekend, a who’s who of the docu community — including Oscar winner Alex Gibney, Cinetic Media founder and principal John Sloss, former Sundance Institute CEO Keri Putnam, NBC News Studios’ head of documentary Molly O’Brien and Pov executive director Erika Dilday — could be seen at various festival venues in...
- 9/20/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The Hamptons Intl. Film Festival will open with the world premiere of Matthew Heineman’s “The First Wave” on Oct. 7 and buzzy titles including Pablo Larrain’s “Spencer” as the Saturday centerpiece film and Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” in the additional spotlight selection. The in-person festival ends Oct. 13 with Wes Anderson’s “French Dispatch.” The festival takes place in the Hamptons on the Eastern End of Long Island, N.Y. from Oct. 7-13. Masks and proof of vaccination are required in theaters.
Spotlight Titles
Newly announced Spotlight titles include the East Coast premiere of Joe Wright’s “Cyrano,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial feature debut of “The Lost Daughter,” Academy Award-winning director Pedro Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers,” Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut “Passing” and Campion’s “The Power of the Dog.”
Signature Programs
As part of the Signature Programs, the Conflict and Resolution section will include Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee,...
Spotlight Titles
Newly announced Spotlight titles include the East Coast premiere of Joe Wright’s “Cyrano,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial feature debut of “The Lost Daughter,” Academy Award-winning director Pedro Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers,” Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut “Passing” and Campion’s “The Power of the Dog.”
Signature Programs
As part of the Signature Programs, the Conflict and Resolution section will include Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee,...
- 9/15/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
(Editor’s Note: IndieWire’s coverage of the 2021 IDA Documentary Screening Series is presented by the Amazon Original Documentaries “Val” and “My Name is Pauli Murray.“)
IndieWire and International Documentary Association have again partnered for the organization’s annual Screening Series, which will take place virtually, in addition to select screenings in various venues in Los Angeles including the Hollywood Legion Theater and the Landmark Theatre in West LA. Following the screenings, IndieWire will be posting written and video coverage of moderated Q&As featuring filmmakers and subjects.
“IDA is proud to present a thoughtful selection of films that represent a multiplicity of voices, perspectives, and styles,” said IDA Director Rick Perez. “Our inclusive curatorial approach reflects our values and commitment to recognizing the role that the documentary form plays in helping audiences better understand the world around them.”
Theatrical screenings are as follows.
“The Rescue” (Hollywood Legion Theater), Monday,...
IndieWire and International Documentary Association have again partnered for the organization’s annual Screening Series, which will take place virtually, in addition to select screenings in various venues in Los Angeles including the Hollywood Legion Theater and the Landmark Theatre in West LA. Following the screenings, IndieWire will be posting written and video coverage of moderated Q&As featuring filmmakers and subjects.
“IDA is proud to present a thoughtful selection of films that represent a multiplicity of voices, perspectives, and styles,” said IDA Director Rick Perez. “Our inclusive curatorial approach reflects our values and commitment to recognizing the role that the documentary form plays in helping audiences better understand the world around them.”
Theatrical screenings are as follows.
“The Rescue” (Hollywood Legion Theater), Monday,...
- 9/7/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
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