STF Fall 2010 - Harvey Pekar, Marlene Dietrich, Adolf Hitler & more!

• by Raphaela Neihausen, August 17, 2010

Stranger Than Fiction launches its fourteenth season on Sept. 28, 2010 with a sneak preview of MARWENCOL (2010, pictured left), including a Q&A with director Jeff Malmberg. The STF fall season takes place at the IFC Center every Tuesday night at 8:00 pm for ten weeks, through Nov. 30. Each event includes a discussion with the filmmakers, followed by a gathering at a nearby bar. The full season schedule appears below.

MARWENCOL, winner of SXSW Grand Jury Prize, uncovers a story that truly embodies “stranger than fiction.” Mark Hogancamp, who suffered a brutal beating, finds a therapeutic outlet by staging dolls in World War II era costumes. Starting out as a personal project, his work gets discovered by the art world and his story takes unexpected turns. STF honors another one-of-a-kind artist Harvey Pekar (who recently died) by presenting the innovative documentary and fiction hybrid AMERICAN SPLENDOR, based on his comic book. The Q&A will feature several members of the film’s creative team including actor Paul Giamatti. Other STF fall highlights include the first NYC sneak previews of ON COAL RIVER and SURVIVING HITLER: A LOVE STORY, featuring their directors visiting from out of state; and a revival of MARLENE the classic documentary about Marlene Dietrich, directed by Maximilian Schell, for a rare chance to see it on the big screen.

“This season will mark STF’s sixth year,” said Artistic Director Thom Powers who also serves as the documentary programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival and the new DOC NYC festival. “We have a little of everything: art, politics, sex, glamor, activism, emotion, travel and history. Many of these titles have won acclaim at festivals such as Sundance, SXSW and Silverdocs. We’re pleased to bring them to New York audiences. As the STF t-shirt says, ‘Tuesday is the new Friday.’”

(Season passes now on sale at early bird rate through Thurs. Sept. 16; Individual tickets go on sale Fri. Sept. 17, subject to availability)

STF FALL 2010 LINE-UP

Pre-season SPECIAL - Mon. Sept 20
THE HOUSE OF STEINBRENNER (2010)
Two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple looks at the Yankees’ transition from old to new stadium and how baseball serves as a link between fathers and sons.
Q&A w/ dir Barbara Kopple

Fall Season OPENING NIGHT - Tues. Sept 28
MARWENCOL (2010)
Injured by thugs, Mark Hogancamp rehabilitates by building a scale model of a fictional WWII town “Marwencol” that gains art world esteem. SXSW jury winner.
Q&A w/ dir Jeff Malmberg & Tod Lippy, editor of “Esopus”; Co-presented by Woodstock Film Festival

Tues. Oct. 5
AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003)
Cleveland’s Harvey Pekar pioneered autobiographical comic books with Robert Crumb & others. This innovative hybrid of documentary, fiction & animation celebrates Pekar who recently died.
Q&A w/ actor Paul Giamatti, prod Ted Hope, dirs Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini

Tues. Oct. 12
ON COAL RIVER
In Coal River, West Virginia, four individuals fight for the future of their lush valley as they face a looming toxic threat.
Q&A w/ dirs Francine Cavanaugh & Adams Wood

Tues. Oct. 19
THE CANAL STREET MADAM (2010)
Jeanette Maier, who ran an infamous family-run brothel in New Orleans catering to powerful clients, sets out to re-invent herself.
Q&A w/ dir Cameron Yates & prod Mridu Chandra

Tues. Oct. 26
TAKING ON THE KENNEDYS (1996)
Timely for election season, this Congressional campaign doc follows Rhode Island Republican Kevin Vigilante as he takes on Patrick Kennedy in a hard fought race.
Q&A w/ dir Joshua Seftel; Co-presented by Docurama

Tues. Nov. 2
WO AI NI MOMMY - I LOVE YOU MOMMY (2010)
An American family adopts an 8-year-old Chinese orphan girl who undergoes a surprising transformation over several months. Silverdocs jury winner.
Q&A w/ dir Stephanie Wang-Breal; Co-presented by Silverdocs / Chicken & Egg Pictures

Tues. Nov. 9
WAR DON DON (2010)
In Sierra Leone, a UN tribunal hears the war crimes case of Issa Sesay, raising questions over the conduct of international justice.
Q&A w/ dir Rebecca Richman Cohen

Tues. Nov. 16
12TH & DELAWARE
On the Florida street corner of 12th & Delaware, an abortion clinic operates opposite a pro-life center, supplying a microcosm of the country’s ideological battleground.
Q&A w/ dirs Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady

Tues. Nov. 23
MARLENE (1984)
Actor Maximilian Schell directs this classic portrait of Marlene Dietrich, containing a remarkable interview, richly illustrated with film clips.
Q&A to be announced

FALL SEASON CLOSING NIGHT - Tues. Nov. 30
SURVIVING HITLER: A LOVE STORY (2010)
Uncovering remarkable home movies, this film tells the love story of a Jewish woman and German soldier in the doomed plot to kill Hitler.
Q&A w/ dir John-Keith Wasson

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