The last few weeks have been jam-packed at STF. Larry Locke (an STF passholder) presented his 1996 classic PIN GODS about professional bowling. To commemorate the special occasion, STF hosts Thom Powers and I sported matching retro-bowling shirts (pictured left), courtesy of the generous filmmaker. For the Q&A, Larry was joined onstage by film subject Sonny Pavelchak and his father Tony Pavelchak. The audience then moved on to Alibi Lounge for further drinks and conversation, and were treated to delicious pizza from Two Boots.
The following week was all about Second Life as Jason Spingarn-Koff brought LIFE 2.0 to a sold-out crowd. The film had its premiere at Sundance last January and this was its first NY screening. Mrs. Stranger (me) hosted the evening while Mr. Stranger (Thom) was in Cannes at the film festival (which he calls “working”). When I started off the Q&A by asking the audience how many people had avatars, only a few hands were raised. When I repeated the question and asked people to be honest, dozens more hands were raised. Jason discussed the complexities of making this doc – from shooting within Second Life (they even had a screening of this film in a virtual SL theater) to finding characters willing to be candid on camera. The film took years to complete. An unexpected surprise was the lawyer who appears in the film (arguing in defense of individual user’s intellectual property within SL) – he happened to be in the STF audience that evening and said a few words from the audience. Two days later we shifted gears when Marshall Curry presented RACING DREAMS – you can read guest host Steve Holmgren’s blog here.
And then last week was MY PERESTROIKA (also a Sundance 2010 premiere) with Robin Hessman. Neither rain nor cold could stop this crowd eager to see a slice of modern Russia. A standby line snaked down the block (at least 10 got in) and the theater was packed. Robin discussed her deep involvement with Russia (which began when she first lived there in the early 1990s) and the challenges of making this film over the past five years. Getting access to official archives was at times a difficult process, but luckily her film subjects happened to have a treasure trove of home movies. I was delighted to host this evening due to my own Russian heritage (my family left Latvia in 1972 and I’m the first generation born here in America). I’ve also been tracking this doc ever since it got a Sundance Documentary Fund grant in 2006 and a Garrett Scott development grant in 2007 so it was a treat to finally see it complete on the big screen.
The season continues next week with another doubleheader. Next Tuesday night is Dziga Vertov’s 1929 classic MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA – although this time with a score by filmmaker John Walter (described as what Vertov would have created if he’d lived in the era of electronic music and DJ mix culture). Then Wednesday night is PROMISED LAND by Yoruba Richen – a film about land reform and racial reconciliation in the new South Africa.
Last Thursday, UnionDocs co-presented a special Thursday edition of STF, screening Marshall Curry’s RACING DREAMS. I had the pleasure of moderating the discussion with Curry (pictured left – thanks for the Blackberry photo, Cathryne!), and participating in the conversation that followed at a nearby bar. Winner of the best documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival, RACING DREAMS chronicles three pre-teens competing in the World Karting Association who aspire to become the next generation of NASCAR racers. Culling hundreds of hours of footage, Curry has crafted an impressive feel-good movie that gives insight into the little known world of teen racing, and ultimately becomes a portrait of American kids facing the immense pressure of pre-professional sports alongside daily challenges of growing up.
With a new festival (www.DOCNYC.net) and a new baby (pictured on left), we’ve fallen a bit behind with our usually prompt blogging! Better late than never, here’s a quick recap of the last two weeks at STF.
Last week was a double header of Liz Mermin’s HORSES and Chico Colvard’s FAMILY AFFAIR. This week we had family night of a different sort with Doug Block’s THE KIDS GROW UP. Below are photos from all three evenings.
Steven Soderbergh took center stage for STF’s Opening Night presentation of his new documentary AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE about the monologuist Spalding Gray. Soderbergh was joined in the Q&A by his editor Susan Littenberg, producer Amy Hobby and Gray’s widow Kathie Russo.
Soderbergh said he instantly agreed to the project when Russo proposed it. When the production took longer than anticipated, he bought it back from the original investors and plans for a small theatrical release in the fall.
Combing through 90 hours of archival material, the film team made a choice to only use pre-existing material and not shoot any new interviews. Soderbergh said he couldn’t imagine any fresh way to shoot new interviews. “After Errol Morris, what else can you do?” he said.
The film makes memorable use of an interview that Gray gave in 2001 during the filming of Barbara Kopple’s doc about the Hamptons. Kopple and one of her editors Jean Tsien were in the STF audience that included other notable film figures including Doug Liman, Elvis Mitchell and Gary Winick.
STF launches its thirteenth season on April 6, 2010 with a sneak preview of AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE (2010), including a Q&A with director Steven Soderbergh. This doc is an intimate portrait of master monologist Spalding Gray, as described by his most critical, irreverent and insightful biographer: Spalding Gray. The film pulls from some 90 hours of material to fashion a new narrative exploring, among other things, art-making, mental illness and the sometimes thin line between the two. This sneak preview is part of STF’s mission to present the most exciting new work in documentary. (Please note: Opening Night is currently available only for season pass sales. Any remaining ticket supply will go on sale the week before the screening.)
Another STF aim is to bring fresh attention to older work. A notable example is the pioneering classic MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov and showing on May 25. Filmmaker John Walter (HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY; THEATER OF WAR) has painstakingly edited a new modern score to accompany this film. The season also features docs from the world’s best festivals: Amsterdam (IDFA), Full Frame, Sheffield, Slamdance, Sundance, SXSW, and Toronto (TIFF).
“This season will round out five years of STF,” said Artistic Director Thom Powers, who also serves as the documentary programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival. “We started in fall 2005 with Doug Block’s 51 BIRCH STREET as our first film. Now we’re proud to have him back with his latest, THE KIDS GROW UP.”
The STF spring season takes place at the IFC Center every Tuesday night at 8:00 pm for ten weeks, through June 8. Each event includes a discussion with the filmmakers, followed by a gathering at the nearby bar Alibi Lounge. Tickets for Stranger Than Fiction screenings are $16 for the general public and $13 for IFC Center members. A Season Pass, good for admission to all 10 evenings per season (plus additional specials) is available for $110, or for $85 for IFC Center members.
The last few weeks have been jam-packed at STF. Larry Locke (an STF passholder) presented his 1996 classic PIN GODS about professional bowling. To commemorate the special occasion, STF hosts Thom Powers and I sported matching retro-bowling shirts (pictured left), courtesy of the generous filmmaker. For the Q&A, Larry was joined onstage by film subject Sonny Pavelchak and his father Tony Pavelchak. The audience then moved on to Alibi Lounge for further drinks and conversation, and were treated to delicious pizza from Two Boots.
The following week was all about Second Life as Jason Spingarn-Koff brought LIFE 2.0 to a sold-out crowd. The film had its premiere at Sundance last January and this was its first NY screening. Mrs. Stranger (me) hosted the evening while Mr. Stranger (Thom) was in Cannes at the film festival (which he calls “working”). When I started off the Q&A by asking the audience how many people had avatars, only a few hands were raised. When I repeated the question and asked people to be honest, dozens more hands were raised. Jason discussed the complexities of making this doc – from shooting within Second Life (they even had a screening of this film in a virtual SL theater) to finding characters willing to be candid on camera. The film took years to complete. An unexpected surprise was the lawyer who appears in the film (arguing in defense of individual user’s intellectual property within SL) – he happened to be in the STF audience that evening and said a few words from the audience. Two days later we shifted gears when Marshall Curry presented RACING DREAMS – you can read guest host Steve Holmgren’s blog here.
And then last week was MY PERESTROIKA (also a Sundance 2010 premiere) with Robin Hessman. Neither rain nor cold could stop this crowd eager to see a slice of modern Russia. A standby line snaked down the block (at least 10 got in) and the theater was packed. Robin discussed her deep involvement with Russia (which began when she first lived there in the early 1990s) and the challenges of making this film over the past five years. Getting access to official archives was at times a difficult process, but luckily her film subjects happened to have a treasure trove of home movies. I was delighted to host this evening due to my own Russian heritage (my family left Latvia in 1972 and I’m the first generation born here in America). I’ve also been tracking this doc ever since it got a Sundance Documentary Fund grant in 2006 and a Garrett Scott development grant in 2007 so it was a treat to finally see it complete on the big screen.
Last Thursday, 
With a new festival (
Steven Soderbergh took center stage for STF’s Opening Night presentation of his new documentary 
STF launches its thirteenth season on April 6, 2010 with a sneak preview of