Given that the Mormon censors had to expose themselves to forbidden imagery – such as Kate Winslet’s naked breasts in TITANTIC – to do their job, how did they justify that?, I asked. “They were taking one for the team,” said James. He explained that ultra-conservative Mormons refused to rent “cleaned up” films since the process entailed this corrupting influence.

An audience member who identified himself as Mormon praised the film for giving a well-rounded portrayal to a culture that’s often mischaracterized. James said he wanted to dispel mythology around the religion, adding, “if you’ve met a Republican, you’ve met a Mormon.”

(Photo courtesy of EJ / Bear)

The Sundance Film Festival wrote: “This portrait of Washington super lobbyist Jack Abramoff – from his early years as a gung-ho member of the GOP political machine to his final reckoning as a disgraced, imprisoned pariah – confirms the adage that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. A tale of international intrigue with Indian casinos, Russian spies, Chinese sweatshops, and a mob-style killing in Miami, this is the story of the way money corrupts our political process.”

CASINO JACK continues Gibney’s extraordinary directorial track record that includes Academy Award winner TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE and Academy nominee ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM. This month Gibney has a whopping three films playing at Tribeca: THE UNTITLED ELIOT SPITZER FILM; MY TRIP TO AL-QAEDA; and FREAKONOMICS.

See him live to find out whether he’s a man or myth!

Watch the CASINO JACK trailer.

New York, NY – April 6, 2010 – DOC NYC (www.DOCNYC.net), New York City’s first and only festival celebrating documentary storytelling across the fields of film, photography, prose, radio and other innovative forms, will hold its inaugural festival Wednesday, November 3 – Sunday, November 7, 2010. DOC NYC was announced today by Managing Director John Vanco, Artistic Director Thom Powers, and Executive Director Raphaela Neihausen; the team behind IFC Center’s successful film series Stranger Than Fiction. Vanco is Vice President and General Manager of The IFC Center, where DOC NYC will be based. Powers is documentary programmer at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS) has signed on to be the festival’s Presenting Partner, in association with Tisch School of the Arts. Opening and Closing Night events will be held at the Skirball Center for Performing Arts Auditorium at NYU’s Washington Square campus. 

For its first year, the festival will take place over five days showcasing diverse events, retrospectives and presentations on photography, prose, and the spoken word. The centerpiece of DOC NYC is a competition of eight documentary films emphasizing World or U.S. Premieres that will take place at the Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, November 3rd.  Additional sidebar sections will focus on specific themes and retrospectives.

“DOC NYC will fill an important void in New York City and will be a cornerstone for documentary storytellers from all over the world to showcase premieres, hold panels and give audiences the thrill of discovery,” said Vanco. “We’re creating a festival that will curate people as much as work, creating a space for the world’s leading thinkers, activists, creators, and celebrities to come together for dialogue, inspiration, and incubation of ideas.”

“We want to take a fresh approach to the concept of a festival,” said Powers. “Since New York City is the center of journalism, broadcasting, publishing and more, it makes an ideal location to gather the world’s leading documentary storytellers across many fields and give them a platform to reach new audiences. The line-up will look at the past, present and future.”

“We want to congratulate The IFC Center on creating a festival devoted to this compelling segment of the industry,” said Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting Commissioner Katherine Oliver. “New York City is the independent film capital of the US, and the perfect location for a festival focusing on documentary filmmaking. At MOFTB, we serve as the one-stop shop for all productions shooting throughout the five boroughs, offering premier customer service.”

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On March 2, filmmaker Judith Helfand celebrated her 20th anniversary of having beaten cancer as chronicled in her film A HEALTHY BABY GIRL. The intensely personal documentary was even more poignant for the presence of Helfand’s mother and other family in the audience. During the Q&A, Helfand previewed a few outtakes that she’s contemplating for a new DVD release of the film from Docurama. (Photo courtesy of EJ)