Two sold out theaters welcomed Doug Pray’s latest film ART & COPY. These special screenings happened to fall during the One Show Festival that attracts thousands of ad professionals to New York. The packed house included advertising legends George Lois, Mary Wells and Jim Durfee – who all shared the stage for the Q&A. (Photo of Doug Pray and George Lois, best known for his Esquire covers)
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).
The top documentary awards at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival went to… (drum roll please…):
Best Documentary Feature: Racing Dreams
Marshall Curry’s documentary is a gripping tale about young go-karters who one day dream of driving in the big leagues of NASCAR. “We reacted with unanimous, unquestioned affection for Racing Dreams,” the jurors state, “and found it a completely compelling, entertaining film of incredible quality.” Read my previous blog on this film here.
Winner of the audience award at Full Frame and a special jury prize at SXSW, THE WAY WE GET BY had its first New York sneak preview at Stranger Than Fiction last night and won over yet another sold out crowd. This moving film tells the story of an airport in Bangor, Maine where senior citizens volunteer and greet soldiers that are flying to or returning from war. A strength of the documentary is that it steers clear of political trappings and instead focuses on the importance of supporting soldiers as fellow Americans who are serving their country. The film also succeeds in shedding light on the many obstacles facing the elderly, demonstrating how volunteering at an airport provides them with a vital sense of purpose and community. Director Aron Gaudet and producer Gita Pullapilly (photo) joined us for a Q&A in which they shared many entertaining anecdotes about the film’s protagonists. My favorite is that at the Cleveland Film Festival, audiences were so moved by the film that they showed up at the airport to send off film subject Jerry. Now that’s the power of a documentary!
The evening was copresented by the Camden International Film Festival (a wonderful Maine event now in its fifth year) and the highly esteemed PBS strand POV (that will broadcast THE WAY WE GET BY this coming fall).
There were several films at Tribeca this year that piqued my personal interest as M.O.T. (Member Of the Tribe). The first was PARTLY PRIVATE , Danae Elon’s exploration of male circumcision. While pregnant with a boy, Elon must confront her Algerian-Jewish husband’s strong preference for circumcising their future son, a belief which clashes with her own misgivings as a secular Jew. What ensues is a trip around the world, questioning different cultural histories and views on the matter. Particularly entertaining is her visit to Turkey where boys are circumcised at the age of 8 in the equivalent of a bridal banquet hall while wearing regal costumes. Clowns, roller coasters and big screen televisions serve to entertain the kids in what would otherwise be quite an awful day. After watching this film, all I can say is that I hope if I am ever pregnant – it’s a girl.
Two sold out theaters welcomed Doug Pray’s latest film ART & COPY. These special screenings happened to fall during the One Show Festival that attracts thousands of ad professionals to New York. The packed house included advertising legends George Lois, Mary Wells and Jim Durfee – who all shared the stage for the Q&A. (Photo of Doug Pray and George Lois, best known for his Esquire covers)
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: 
The top documentary awards at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival went to… (drum roll please…):
Winner of the audience award at Full Frame and a special jury prize at SXSW, 
There were several films at Tribeca this year that piqued my personal interest as M.O.T. (Member Of the Tribe). The first was