Stranger Than Fiction, our weekly documentary film series hosted by Thom Powers and Raphaela Neihausen and presented by IFC Center, announces its spring season for its 11th year. Each screening features a conversation with the filmmaker or other special guests, followed by a gathering at a nearby bar. The spring slate opens with DOCUMENTARY NOW! DECONSTRUCTED (pictured above), a one of a kind night with directors Rhys Thomas and Alex Buono presenting episodes of their hit IFC TV series starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, that parodies and pays homage to well-known documentaries. Other highlights include sneak previews of PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW, about a singer discovered on YouTube, with the film subject Princess Shaw in person; and THE WITNESS about the Kitty Genovese case with director James Solomon.
“In honor of our 11th year, we’ve packed the spring season with extra films to take the line-up to 11 – just like the Spinal Tap amplifier,” said Artistic Director Thom Powers. The memorable characters include a Haitian community leader full of surprises in MONSIEUR LE PRESIDENT; US Senators navigating a Supreme Court confirmation in ADVISE & DISSENT; gay Orthodox Jews struggling for acceptance in TREMBLING BEFORE G-D (15th anniversary); train passengers in Albert Maysles’ final collaboration IN TRANSIT; kidnapped film stars in THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT; grandmothers living off radioactive land in THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL; and a legendary restaurateur in FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET. Additionally, the creators of the acclaimed FIELD OF VISION film group will present a night of new shorts.
Our spring season is sponsored by the New York Film Academy and will take place at the IFC Center every Tuesday night at 7:30 for eight weeks (plus a pre-season special on April 5 and a pair of Thursday specials on May 19 & 26). The spring season closes on May 31. The full season schedule appears below.
Spring 2016 Season – 7:30pm on Tuesdays at IFC Center, Apr 5 – May 31
Each show features a Q&A with the director or other special guests
Apr 5: Pre-Season Special – MONSIEUR LE PRESIDENT (2014,Q&A w/ dir Victoria Campbell & author Amy Wilentz)
Apr 12: Opening Night of Spring Season – DOCUMENTARY NOW! DECONSTRUCTED (2015, Q&A w/ dirs Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono)
Apr 19: ADVISE & DISSENT (2012, Q&A w/ dir David Van Taylor)
Apr 26: TREMBLING BEFORE G-D (2001, Q&A w/ dir Sandi Simcha Dubowski)
May 3: IN TRANSIT (2015, Q&A w/ dir Lynn True, prod Erika Dilday)
May 10: THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT (2016, Q&A w/ TBA)
May 17: THE BABUSHKAS OF CHERNOBYL (2015, Q&A w/ dir Holly Morris)
May 19: FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET (2010, Q&A w/ dir David Sigal & Florent)
May 24: FIELD OF VISION (2016, Q&A w/ TBA)
May 26: Thursday Special – PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW (2015, Q&A w/ film subject Princess Shaw)
May 31: Closing Night – THE WITNESS (2015, Q&A w/ dir James Solomon)
Tickets for Stranger Than Fiction screenings are $16 for the general public and $13 for IFC Center members. A Spring Season Pass, good for admission to all 11 events from April 5-May 31, is available for $99 ($80 for IFC members). The Opening Night presentation of “Documentary Now! Deconstructed” on April 12 is available only to season pass holders; no individual tickets will be sold to that event. To purchase tickets, please visit STFdocs.com/buy-tickets.