The very first film ever shown at STF was 51 BIRCH STREET (Fall 2005) and it is with great sadness we report the passing of Doug Block’s father Mike Block (for those of you who may not know Doug – he directed 51 BIRCH STREET and is also the co-founder of D-Word.com).  The film is a true tribute to Mike’s life and we know that his legacy will live on for many years to come.  The following is from Doug Block’s blog:

My dad died this morning at the age of 89.  He’d been having a lot of health problems this past year and was really suffering, so in many ways it’s a vast relief.  But the reality is still always shocking.

For those of you who have seen 51 Birch Street, you know what an amazing person this seemingly ordinary father of mine was.  He was amused and somewhat befuddled that audiences always responded so warmly to him.  He honestly didn’t care what people thought of him, at least those outside his immediate circle of family and friends.  But he was hugely proud of me, both of my work and of the life I’ve carved out for myself.

He’ll be a big part of the next film, too, so I’m glad his legacy will live on far after his death.  What I hope shines through this time is something that took me a long time to recognize and acknowledge—how proud I’ve been to have him for a father.

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While Stranger Than Fiction hibernates for the summer, our programmer Thom Powers is hard at work curating the documentary section of the Toronto International Film Festival.  The documentary slate was announced earlier this week and according to Thom, “this year’s documentaries have a sense of immediacy like never before. Current events are getting a fresh perspective in films about the post-crash economy, Iran, Berlusconi, surrogate mothers, U.S. Army veterans and more. These films are sure to generate a lot of debate.”  For an in-depth interview about this year’s line-up, visit AJ Schnack’s blog “All These Wonderful Things”.

(Above film still from the documentary INFERNO – in which French film restoration specialist Serge Bromberg brings to light astonishing footage from an unfinished film by Henri-Georges Clouzot, the director of DIABOLIQUE and WAGES OF FEAR.)

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For those of you that missed our sold-out April screening of THE WAY WE GET BY, you now have another chance to see this magical film.  It opens this Friday for a one-week run at the IFC Center.  Filmmakers Aron Gauden and Gita Pullapilly will attend this weekend’s screenings, as will two of the film’s subjects.  More info and ticket information can be found here: http://www.ifccenter.com/films/the-way-we-get-by-2/. 

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STF’s spring season ended with Ngawang Choephel’s incredible film TIBET IN SONG.  For the second time in STF history, the film inspired a thundering standing-ovation (the first time being at the Spring 08 screening of THE AGRONOMIST when Jean Dominique’s widow Michele Montas came to the stage).  To learn more about the film and future screenings, you can visit: http://www.tibetinsong.com.

Thanks everyone for another great season of STF! A special thanks to the 50 STF passholders who broke our previous record for number of season passholders.  And thank you to 99 Below for all your yummy STF drink specials.  See you in the fall!

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Director Hamid Rahmanian and producer Melissa Hibbard presented their film THE GLASS HOUSE to a sold-out crowd at STF last Tuesday.  The film had its North American debut at Sundance earlier this year and explores the lives of marginalized young women in modern Tehran who cohabitate in a day center.  Battling numerous obstacles including abuse, drug addiction, and general oppression, these women face the challenges with dignity and grace.  One of my favorite quotes of the night was during the Q&A when Hamid was asked how the women felt upon seeing the finished film.  Hamid said they didn’t think it was “dramatic enough”.  Life in Tehran!

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