The Oct 5 issue of ESPN Magazine has a two-page spread on sports documentaries, naming these titles as its Top 10:
1) HOOP DREAMS (dir. Steve James)
2) WHEN WE WERE KINGS (dir. Leon Gast) – pictured
3) PUMPING IRON (dir. George Butler & Robert Fiore)
4) MURDERBALL (dir. Henry Alex Rubin & Dana Adam Shapiro)
5) BASEBALL (dir. Ken Burns)
6) DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS (dir. Stacy Peralta)
7) THE KING OF KONG (dir. Seth Gordon)
8) BLACK MAGIC (dir. Dan Klores)
9) HANDS ON A HARD BODY (dir. S.R. Bindler)
10) ENDLESS SUMMER (dir. Bruce Brown)
Let’s discuss. As much as I think HANDS ON A HARD BODY is a great film, does a contest to win a truck count as sports? Or playing video games in KING OF KONG?
For the first time ever, STF is running an “early bird special” for season passes. Up until Sept. 22, get your season pass for only $95 ($75 for IFC members). With 20+ great films in the line-up – that’s less than $5 per film! You can purchase your pass at the IFC Center box office or on-line at Movietickets (Click on “Jane” then the time “8:00 pm” then select the season pass option).
Carrying the STF card is a sign of your support for bringing great documentaries to the theater. You’ll see sneak previews months before the rest of the public, discover rare work that you might never see again, meet the filmmakers, and fraternize with NY’s documentary community. Browse the STF Archives to get a sampling of our past; and sign up for a season pass to participate in our future. If that’s not enough to motivate you, consider 10 more reasons:
1) Attend the special screening of the rarely seen cinema verite classic JANE on Tues. Sept. 22, including a special post-film reception (no public tickets are available at this time).
2) Enjoy our regular 10 week STF fall season line-up plus 2 bonus Monday night screenings (12 films total).
3) Attend any of the eight films from the Docurama library spotlighted in IFC Center’s “Weekend Classics” program (Oct. 2 – Dec. 6) – free of charge.
Three years ago, I started a seasonal blog for the Toronto International Film Festival that traditionally starts in late July and runs through the September festival. This year, I’ve decided to do some early reporting from the Cannes Film Festival. In my first report, I preview the hidden pockets of nonfiction at the festival. You can follow the action at www.tiff09.ca/blogs/.
Many STF goers will recall the old Minetta Tavern, where we held post-show gatherings from fall 07 to spring 08 before it was closed for renovation. If you follow New York restaurants, you may know that it was bought by Keith McNally, the successful owner of hot spots like Balthazar and Pastis, and recently reopened to extensive press coverage: http://nymag.com/restaurants/reviews/56267/. Now it takes a week to get a reservation.
Last night, Raphaela and I finally ventured back to the space where we have so many memories. We were in the company of Andrew Rossi and his wife Kate Novack who made the docs EAT THIS NEW YORK and A TABLE IN HEAVEN.
It was a little like revisiting your old home after someone else has moved in. I’m happy to report that the decor has been well-preserved, only now with better lighting and leather. The pictures have been moved around and I couldn’t find the old painting of Joe Gould. The back room was more crowded than I’d ever seen it (with Orlando Bloom occupying a corner table).
Last week STF audiences were treated to a rare 1942 classic NATIVE LAND, directed by Leo Hurwitz and Paul Strand; narrated by Paul Robeson. New York Magazine highlighted NATIVE LAND as a critic’s pick, describing it as “an unabashed ode to organized labor, with moments of sheer cinematic poetry.” Photo of Tom Hurwitz (son of NATIVE LAND filmmaker Leo Hurwitz) and Manny Kirchheimer (former colleague of Leo) who joined us for the Q&A of this special screening.
The Oct 5 issue of ESPN Magazine has a two-page spread on sports documentaries, naming these titles as its Top 10:
For the first time ever, STF is running an “early bird special” for season passes. Up until Sept. 22, get your season pass for only $95 ($75 for IFC members). With 20+ great films in the line-up – that’s less than $5 per film! You can purchase your pass at the IFC Center box office or on-line at 
Three years ago, I started a seasonal blog for the Toronto International Film Festival that traditionally starts in late July and runs through the September festival. This year, I’ve decided to do some early reporting from the Cannes Film Festival. In my first report, I preview the hidden pockets of nonfiction at the festival. You can follow the action at 
Many STF goers will recall the old Minetta Tavern, where we held post-show gatherings from fall 07 to spring 08 before it was closed for renovation. If you follow New York restaurants, you may know that it was bought by Keith McNally, the successful owner of hot spots like Balthazar and Pastis, and recently reopened to extensive press coverage: 
Last week STF audiences were treated to a rare 1942 classic