Last Tuesday night, STF (with co-presenter SXSW) hosted the sold out New York premiere of Damani Baker and Alex Vlack’s STILL BILL, an intimate and engaging portrait of music icon Bill Withers. Withers is one of those iconic figures whose name some people don’t recognize until you mention that he penned and performed songs like “Lean on Me”, “Ain’t No Sunshine”, and “Lovely Day”. But STILL BILL is not just your standard biopic of a music industry legend, it’s an examination of an artist who stopped publishing and performing at the height of his career and a man who wonders whether he still has something to say in today’s world. Withers’ common sense philosophy of life suffuses his ruminations on his career – ruminations shared both with the camera, and with friends like Cornell West and Tavis Smiley who drop by for an impromptu visit. Withers’ classic songs are woven in throughout the portrait through archival performances that compliment Withers’ reflections on his life and whether he wants to get back in the saddle again.
Another sold out house greeted Erik Gandini’s VIDEOCRACY. Fresh off the heels of the Toronto International Film Festival and the Hamptons Film Festival, Erik made a brief stop in NY to present the film. The Q&A included insights into Erik’s approach to both the subject matter and filmmaking process. In plugging last Tuesday’s screening, Time Out NY wrote “you must must must see this documentary” – they were right! To read more about the film, you can visit Robyn Hillman-Harrigan’s piece in Flavorpill.
Last Tuesday, STF screened Alexander Sebastien Lee’s THE REAL SHAOLIN to an audience that was equal-parts documentary lovers and martial-arts enthusiasts. A crowd-pleaser at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, THE REAL SHAOLIN follows two Chinese and two Western students of martial-arts over months of difficult lessons and life-changing experiences, revealing just how much hard work goes into those dazzling moves. The film not only transports us to a different country, but to a different state of mind, where everything is sacrificed for athletic mastery. For the Westerners Orion and Eric, adjusting to the foreign mindset is an added challenge. For Yuan and Zhu, the stakes are even higher, as they have no other prospects. Alexander Sebastien Lee (visiting all the way from Beijing, China) explained the challenging multi-year process of filming and editing this project, and also shared some martial arts philosophies that he picked up along the way. The Q&A was capped off with the audience singing “Happy Birthday” to STF host Thom Powers. It was a somewhat excruciating experience for Thom, leading him to dictate a new STF rule: STF audiences can only sing this song to 10 year olds (like Doug Pray’s daughter during the screening of BIG RIG) or 98 year olds (like film subject Ruth Gruber during last week’s screening of AHEAD OF TIME).
Last Monday night, directors Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher presented their film OCTOBER COUNTRY at STF to a packed house. They were returning from the Woodstock Film Festival and en route to AmFest in Moscow the very next day. We were glad they could squeeze us in! The hauntingly beautiful film explores a year with Donal’s family as they struggle with teen pregnancy, foster care, memories of war and child abuse. After the screening audiences were treated to a very personal Q&A where Michael and Donal shared what it was like to shoot this film and screen it for Donal’s family. You can read more about the film at its website: http://www.octobercountryfilm.com.
ART OF THE STEAL, the muckraking doc that explore the struggle for control over the Barnes art collection, screened this week at the NYFF, following its world premiere at TIFF where it was one of the rare film sales. Its buyer was the new Sundance Selects, part of the Rainbow Media empire that also includes IFC Films. ART OF THE STEAL has received strong reviews from Variety, Back Row Manifesto and other critics. On Tuesday, it was feted with a late-night party at the west side P.J. Clarke’s (a welcome addition to the Lincoln Center neighborhood). Here are some snaps from the night…
ART OF THE STEAL director Don Argott (R) with critic David D’Arcy (L) who’s extensively researched the Barnes Foundation and appears in the film.
Last Tuesday night, STF (with co-presenter SXSW) hosted the sold out New York premiere of Damani Baker and Alex Vlack’s STILL BILL, an intimate and engaging portrait of music icon Bill Withers. Withers is one of those iconic figures whose name some people don’t recognize until you mention that he penned and performed songs like “Lean on Me”, “Ain’t No Sunshine”, and “Lovely Day”. But STILL BILL is not just your standard biopic of a music industry legend, it’s an examination of an artist who stopped publishing and performing at the height of his career and a man who wonders whether he still has something to say in today’s world. Withers’ common sense philosophy of life suffuses his ruminations on his career – ruminations shared both with the camera, and with friends like Cornell West and Tavis Smiley who drop by for an impromptu visit. Withers’ classic songs are woven in throughout the portrait through archival performances that compliment Withers’ reflections on his life and whether he wants to get back in the saddle again.
Another sold out house greeted Erik Gandini’s 
Last Tuesday, STF screened Alexander Sebastien Lee’s 
Last Monday night, directors Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher presented their film 
ART OF THE STEAL director Don Argott (R) with critic David D’Arcy (L) who’s extensively researched the Barnes Foundation and appears in the film.