Congrats! This is exciting.

Great essay, Thom. Many of us who write about books, serious literary fiction and literature in translation in particular, feel the same way; it’s a complaint commensurate with the shift/decline in print media.

Don’t discount blogs though. At least in the book world there are a lot of avid writers not only picking up where the old mainstream media left off, but finding new ways to critique and engage books (and pushing the blog format) – new online literary journals are popping up too, for the very same reason that there are more filmmakers: technology has reduced the barriers to entry. And now, former professional critics are becoming online critics, paid or not, and enjoying the freedom of the format and the connection with their audience that rarely existed in print. The result is an eclectic and vibrant mix of voices and I’d assert that if there’s an audience for doc films, which there is, then there’s the potential at least for the same sort of renaissance in doc-film criticism.

Bud Parr, blogger,
Chekhov’s Mistress
Words Without Borders

Thanks for the thoughtful analysis.
Problem is that we are dealing with “the Tyranny of Large Numbers”
When I was doing Network television in the early 60’s there were 4 channels- and a push from the FCC to do “ed B’castin” How does one do justice now to the abundance of programming bombarding us.
and more importantly-What in our contemp society encourages reflection, much less contemplation- we believe the lies because it’s easier than searching out the truth- and if they confirm our assumptions- so much the better.
But I, like you ,and thousands of others soldier on
—because even if unwanted or ignored- the pursuing of truth beauty and justice is our way of being in the world and I for one have no intention of changing course.
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Wow, this sounds great. Wish I had been there. Ever since I read her autobiography Dust Tracks on the Road, I have been obsessed with ZNH!

Hey Thom, when are you going to head East and check out all the great stuff being made in East Asia? can’t you come to the Iron Horse, the Golden Horse or something?

I spend most of my time reading and reviewing books, and interviewing authors. Engaging with the printed word is simply much more stimulating than watching 90% of the movies that are currently served up to the public..of the 10% that are worth thinking and writing about, I’d say most are documentaries…

This is, as you say, an interesting field in which to practice criticism; given the state of today’s media however, few are likely to be hired based on any particular knowledge of the documentary genre.

Good criticism is a function as much of what is criticized as of how the critic writes…and talented critics, when they have a choice, will always seek out the most challenging material, regardless of which medium it may appear in.

Great piece, Thom.  Essential.  A new doc criticism is necessary if only to encompass documentary filmmaking in countries like China, India, Africa and eastern Europe.  Jia Zhangke, for example—Useless, 24 City—says he makes non-fiction films to stop the disappearing of images and stories and landscapes, endemic to postwar Chinese history.

Many thanks,

Deanna Kamiel

Beautiful evening. I especially enjoyed the screening of the 12-minute short on “The First World Festival of Negro Arts” I loved how Greaves captured the optimism of that early period of African independence so well.

Sean Jacobs
http://theleoafricanus.com/

nice enjoyment had taken place i m feeling jealous.

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It was mildly disappointing, I suppose, that the theater wasn’t jam-packed, but the real disappointment is that these films aren’t available on DVD.  In an age when EVERYTHING is available for download or rental or Netflix, it’s inexplicable that we shouldn’t all be able to order up these six beauties with the touch of a button (and, okay, maybe a credit card).

As for the so-called ‘argument’ about what was staged and what wasn’t—with all due respect, you missed the point.  It wasn’t that anything was staged, and no one, not I, who got the conversation started, and not the other dude in the row behind me (who I think is the dude to whom you’re referring), was suggesting that any scenes were staged, but merely the rather obvious fact that the actions of the subjects of documentary films are of course altered by the presence of the camera. 

(My point, and I am happy to make it again, and complete it, is that the scene where the couple talks about how much money the guy spends on his stamp collection was in particular affected by the camera’s presence; that without a camera there, it is likely these two may not have recognized how silly and wonderfully trivial the conversation was; that they might not have laughed so charmingly about the whole thing… I think it’s one of the strongest scenes in a very strong film, and the moments of acute self-consciousness on both their parts contributes to the scene being so terrific.)

And by the way, not that it matters (and it doesn’t), but I happen to know that Peter Davis agrees with me on the larger point.  Other families talked politics at the dinner table; as much as Dad may like to think we talked about politics too, what we really talked about was stuff like this.

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this post very very helped me !

Good Time

4TH AND GOAL – Coming soon. Sometimes the best is yet to happen.

Thanks Thom for creating the CLIFF NOTES for the new indie distrib frontier. much much appreciated!!  xo

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait would be near the top of my list; and maybe Speedo! (Why not)

Racing Dreams would also be worth some discussion—a great recent entry in the motorsports doc canon.

How about that little diddy, “OLYMPIA”, by Leni Riefenstahl?

“The box office on MRS GOLDBERG should be higher – except most of the tickets are at senior citizen prices.”

Hah! Great piece, Thom.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!!!

Congratulations! Having recently concluded similar negotiations, albeit with the use of drugs (on the part of the father of the deal), we are glad to hear that yours was successful and not especially protracted, though, it probably did not seem that way at the time.

Congratulations to Thom, Raphaela, Bez and the Powershausen families!!!Wishing you health, quick recovery and the occasional bit of sleep.

What a cutie! (no Thom, I was talking about Bez)This newest little addition is oh-so-lucky to be on board with a such great team.  Welcome Bez!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What wonderful news! Welcome to the world, Bez! Well, if you’re not ready to compete with Nina Davenport on the home-documentation front, maybe you could just do a Nikita Mikhalkov and film him once a year on his birthday! xoxo

Congratulations to both of you!! Wonderful news! Mabrook!!

You used the BEST Doula in all of Brooklyn. Congrats on the birth !

Too cute! Congratulations to your family

We sit here with tears streaming down our faces as we first see our beautiful grandson, Bez, held by his daddy and mommy.
How blessed you are, Thom and Raphaela, and both families too, to have this precious gift of life in our midst.  We laughed out loud when we saw the doula’s name was Meghan, the very Irish name we’d chosen had a second daughter been added to our family of Thomas, Patrick, Jr and Maureen. And so the greatest journey ever begins for Bez and his parents.

With hearts bursting with joy and gratitude to God, we send you our love.

Raphaela looks beautiful and glowing:) Great job, guys:)

Tremendous! Congrats.

OHMYGOD THAT IS THE SWEETEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love the name!!!!!!!
so feminist too!!!!
can’t wait to meet him!!!
jasper loves him already.

Raphaela and Thom—Congrats and so glad everyone is doing well!  Can’t wait to meet Bez and welcome him to the world—enjoy your precious miracle!

Love,
Helen

We are absolutely thrilled for you three.

Welcome to the world little Bez—many kisses await you.

Suni and Stephan

A big big congrats!!
I look forward to meeting him.

Marvelous accomplishment! My best to baby, mother, and father. Also my nomination for “best press release.”

How wonderful! The world is already a better place. Congratulations, Thom and Raphaela!

Dearest Thom and Rafaela

Warmest congratulations!

Thom, your fathering an infant truly puts this event in the STF category. (You would probably respond that it’s Bezness as usual.)

Much love to both of you and Bez.

Debraj

felicitaciones! i hope our boys can meet one day soon!

Mazel Tov !!!!!!  We are all very excited by this wonderful news. Way to go Raphaela and Thom. We know that your parents, grandparents and all family members are elated. We look forward to seeing you in Toronto later this year.

Best wishes !!

What a brilliant article and an even more brilliant ending !!!

Can not wait to see you both and I am so very happy for you – congratulations .This is very exciting !!!

STF Groupie and Filmmaker

amelia oxoxoxoxo

Mazel Tov!

I remember reading a story in religious school in the ‘70’s about a kid with that name (the gentile teacher wanted to call him Butch or Buzzy), but google-fu is failing me as to who wrote it.

My warmest congratulations, Raphaelochka! Molodetz!
Your new Commander in Chief is great! Lots of joy, happiness and strong health for little Bez and his wondrful parents!
Very happy for you,
Madlena, Dima Kroshka’s mum.

What was the third doc about Russia?

And the winner for the best photo layout and script introducing a new actor with superb supporting roles for his parents…Bez!  Congratulations! —Howard

Beautiful baby!  I hope the furniture is ready.  Can’t wait to meet Bez.

Love,
Matt, Alicia and family

Congratulations once again !!
This is the most unusual and a beautiful welcome note…would love to see him sometime.

isn’t “The Cove” amazing? get involved and help save the dolphins!!! http://www.takepart.com/thecove

On Wednesday, Kenner paid a visit to STF where the film played strongly on the big screen. Introducing the night, STF host Thom Powers noted that it was somehow fitting to hold the screening on the day when Lent begins “because this film will make you want to give up all food.”

I enjoyed watching “The Kids Grow Up” and attending drinks afterwards (I usually have to head home!).  FYI, the nurse in the photo is also documentary filmmaker Claire Panke.

Just came across this.  Great idea, especially presenting work from radio, audio, photography, writing etc.  Needed. We have noticed that some festivals are including audio documentary.  Our little Fest in Dayton does that. Will tell our audio buddies out here and in the City to submit work.

Be sure to notify the SALT Institute in Portland Me.  and the Duke Center for Documentary Studies…each have a focus on writing, audio and photo.

Cute baby photo.

cheers,
julia

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Hi Raphaela,
The link for the Season pass doesn’t seem to be working. Please let me know how I can purchase it.
Thanks and looking forward to another great season of STF.
Happy New Year!
Charlotte

Planning to see almost all of these… great preview!

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Thom, Chris and I spent 4 years of home room and a couple of German classes together. He was the first guy I met at Terry Sanford (that I did already know as he went to another middle school. We laughed for 4 years and after college would have a beer or three at a local pub called the Highlander. And although I haven’t seen him in a few years I followed his work through his pictures and along with other Fayetteville natives and classmates on FB. Your words ring true. I will remember his smile and his work ethic. He was truly a unique soul and I find it hard to explain why it has hit me so hard. I sum it like this. Several years ago when my life seemed to be falling apart I ran into him in Fayetteville. He seemed to know that I was going through something and he said “Hey Holtet, let’s get beer.” Sadly we didn’t. But I have remembered that day for a long time. You just don’t get the chance too have friends like that in your life very often. He will be missed. Thank you for your words..

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Using footage of explosions, charred bodies, and the leveled neighborhoods of the poor, The Panama Deception turns again and again back to the U.S. media’s sanitized version of the “intervention” .
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While it may be obscure to us, for others it’s home where hundreds of Libyans have been killed in recent weeks. Chris, Tim and their colleagues were attempting to tell that story.
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Cool post! How much stuff did you have to look up in order to write this one? I can tell you put some work in.
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i’m crazy about the New York’s film and the polts are so attractive to me.
i must have to see “Between Two Worlds”,and i know it won’t upset me.
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Chinese history is all ethnic groups of China education and the development history of Christmas. It developed the feudal society, has created the world’s highest civilization contemporary. But when some areas into western capitalism, especially when the western capitalist powers after China invaded China, more and more behind. In 1911 the revolution to overturn the monarchy and establish China, China won the new starting point forward. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China opened up in the socialist road on the prospect of the rejuvenation of the Chinese.
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These Amazing Shadows, an 88-minute documentary, tells the history and importance of the Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself. The current list of 550 films includes selections from every genre – documentaries, home movies, Hollywood classics, avant-garde, newsreels and silent films. These Amazing Shadows reveals how “American movies tell us so much about ourselves…not just what we did, but what we thought, what we felt, what we aspired to, and the lies we told ourselves.”
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Better This World is really a very nice film .It’s a fantastic film which is powerful and provocative.I watched it a couple of days ago and it provoked a lot of feeling.i was shocked when i watched it the two gugs into the situation. SO cool. Thanks for your sharing and i like it very much.
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This film is very intersting which is played like a 70s R&B/Soul field trip to Africa, which is also the most place attracts me.It has the flashbulbs, press conferences, backstage camaraderie and amazing performances that a concert film with a narrative arc promises and does it better than most.I like it very much .Thanks for your sharing.
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i can learn from You’ve Been Trumped,which reflect the Trump’s development of a massive golf resort in an ecologically sensitive sand dune region in Scotland, and returned with a chronicle of his outright hostility to the plight of a small group of nearby property owners deemed by the business tycoon as a threat to his development.This must be a greed world and we have to be more self-contrled and have a sypasy towards life. Thanks for your sharing and it’s a very nice film which can give us more thoughts.
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The trouble was, “16 in Webster Groves”  wasn’t verité…. The producers came to town to film their (mistaken) hypothesis that 16-year-olds longed for adventure, but THESE 16-year-olds were a bunch of conformists who wanted a nice house and a nice family. They got the ages wrong— OLDER young people want that.

Apparently the producers didn’t have teens of their own, or didn’t pay attention to them.

As I recall, the film focused on large, impressive homes—not the tiny ranch house in which one of the most popular talking heads lived.

I had gone to Webster Groves High School a few years before “16 in WG” was filmed. It was a thrill to see the excellent photography capture the personalities of my teachers, and the self-satisfied energy of the Glee Club under the charismatic “Miss Rep,” singing, “This is my country, land of the free”—which I always found irritating.

But the manipulation and lazy political correctness of this TV show shaped my own writing and reporting in the opposite direction. Approach your subject with an open mind, gather information and viewpoints, and THEN tell your story.

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Who needs to spend hours scrolling through twitter when it’s all here in one bite-sized chunk. Great work!

P.S. Berlinger and Sinofsky were robbed!

Hey Tim. I just tried the Bowers link and it seems to be working now. Thanks for reading all.

TheReview Hi There!, I’ve gone ahead and bookmarked your page on Digg so my ierfnds can see it too. I simply used your blog title as the title in my bookmark, as I figured if it’s good enough for you to title your blog post that, then you probably would like to

Bruce and Patty due so much for there community and staff, I oewkrd for patty for 8 yrs and they are awesome people, I have seen many shows weather it be a christmas party or a concert in asbury or in ny. They always give a 110% to there family friends staff and fans. Anything they do will be great, also patty has some great musice out there and a very destintive voice, Her music deserves more credit , and behind every great man is great a great women/

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Funding docs ALL OVER. Founding sponsor Channel 4. Partner w/ Bertha Foundation, w/ Sundance on #GoodPitch and w/ PUMA.Creative on Catalyst & Impact Awards. Wow

Hi Ken, An equally smart man such as yuorself should be able to engage in debate without misquoting the other person. At no stage did I refer to carbon trading as an innocuous tool, so please give me the courtesy of not putting words in my mouth. I spoke of it as a tool   e.g a scalpel is a tool: hardly innocuous, and capable of being used for great good or great bad depending on how it is employed.It would also be good if you engaged in the discussion, and the different elements that need to considered, rather than bypassing the detail and pointing solely at polemics that agree with your position. Of the two webpages you provided, one wouldn’t load and you should read the other one more closely. The Greenwash Awards site comments that carbon trading has failed to reduce carbon emissions, because there are too many carbon credits in the system.  Good comment   but doesn’t that also identify a clear way of revising the system? I realise we’re in a throw-away society, but discarding the whole idea because it doesn’t work perfectly at the outset seems very hypocritical, especially when the problem has been identified.The same site goes on to say that business backed carbon trading and offestting as the main ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions –allowing them to evade actual cuts . I agree 100% that it is ridiculous if such a system allows business to keep polluting as usual . That’s why I clearly stated that any carbon trading tool needs to be coupled with methods addressing other parts of the problem (i.e. reducing emissions). Without doing that, and without realistic caps, a carbon trading system does absolutely nothing.In flagging these concerns   and again I freely acknowledge that there are concerns and issues that need to be addressed with carbon trading   no one has yet answered my question above: i.e. what is better: current world fossil fuel consumption PLUS burning forests, or current world fossil fuel consumption WITHOUT burning forests? As I also stated, it might not be perfect, but it’s a major step in the right direction *while* (and that’s a key word)  the other parts of the problem are being tackled.Being informed is about more than accepting other views without question. Perhaps a bit more engagement and research would help from yuorself, rather than simply relying on what the web is telling you. If we wait for everything to be perfect, it will never happen. In the meantime, positive work is underway on ground in Aceh   whether that is happening in an ideal world or not.Best wishes,Niall.

I find this hoopla over the NC17 to be quite silly. Here’s the deal: the MPAA is an uanifr organization marked by poor priorities, terribly consistency, and rendered completely stupid by the fact that it’s actually run by the big studios. The application of the NC17 is inconsistent at best and irresponsible at worst, but let’s face it, Shame is very much and NC17 movie. It’s a movie for adults and not at all for young teens or children.The issue then becomes the stigma, which I reject completely. This is a capitalist world and in the end it all comes down to money. The kinds of films that traditionally get NC17 ratings are not big blockbusters. They’re usually films that would get limited advertising for a limited release anyway. And guess what, if Shame gets a lot of awards buzz and a lot of interest from mainstream viewers, advertisers and theatre chains will make sure to get in on that money. The fact is, most ordinary people don’t even know what the NC17 is, so any stigma is crap. Completely manufactured and amplified by the fact that there are so few NC17 movies, they are usually given the rating for sexual material, and the films that get the rating usually wouldn’t play outside of the four or five major markets anyway.

Tarkovsky is my favourite dietorcr so I own all of his movies (all 7 of them) from Kino International to Criterion versions.  I own the book that Stalker’s loosely based on,  Roadside Picnic , and I’ve played the 3 PC games that were inspired by the film. :O)The reason behind why I’m not a Godfather fan is because I don’t like the Italian mob.  Cosa Nostra et all really bother me because of the Italian cliche9s that has resonated throughout the decades and the whole living with your mother who cooks spaghetti for you, etc is an annoyance.  I also hate the you mess with one of us you, mess with all of us ideal because I believe that everyone can fight their own battles, which is why I much prefer the Yakuza; they almost never get into fights because they’d end up in wars and bloodshed.  I’m going to rewatch The Godfather one day just so I could watch the second at one point in my life.  I’m told that the first two films are basically one long movie and that the third’s the epilogue.  Again, I hate the Italian mob so I’ll need to get in the mood.  But Goodfellas is a movie that I love.  It’s not mainly about the riches and the power, it’s about the hard work that goes into being a footsoldier and that I can relate to.I also didn’t like Pacino in the first Godfather film; I thought that his performance was decent at best but also that his character would not have become the Godfather that he turned into because I didn’t see it in his character to become that.  It was lacking the portrayal.  But that’s just me, and now that I’m far more experienced in movie watching I may enjoy it more, especially its cinematogrphy.

I saw both documentaries recently and they are absolutely excellent and so accurate about the reasons why so many Thai women end up with western husbands. Thailand is a hard country to live in if you are poor as there is no social service net, so you can’t blame the women doing what they do to help their children hopefully have a better life.

It was also nice to see a film that really did put the western men it followed in a good light, as it showed they were only trying to find someone to love which, let’s face it, isn’t a bad thing :)

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