In 1985, former oil rig worker Richard Linklater began a film screening society in Austin, Texas, that aimed to show classic art-house and experimental films to a budding community of cinephiles. Eventually incorporating as a nonprofit, the newly branded Austin Film Society raised enough money to fly in their first out-of-town filmmaker: James Benning. Accepting the invitation, Benning met Linklater and the two began to develop a personal and intellectual bond, leading to many future encounters. Starting in the 1960s, Benning had been creating low budget films mostly on his own, while Linklater had just begun to craft his first shorts. The filmmakers have remained close even as their careers have diverged. After the cult success of Slacker, Linklater went on to make films with Hollywood support. Benning, meanwhile, has stayed close to his roots and is mainly an unknown figure in mainstream film culture.
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A meditative, immersive tribute to the astonishing work and achievements of naturalist, inventor and pioneering filmmaker F. Percy Smith. Smith worked in the early years of the 20th century, developing various cinematographic and micro-photographic techniques to capture nature’s secrets in action. Working in a number of public roles, including the Royal Navy and British Instructional Films, Smith was prolific and driven, often directing several films simultaneously, apparently on a mission to explore and capture nature’s hidden terrains. This film is an interpretative edit that combines Smith’s original footage with a new contemporary score by tindersticks to create a hypnotic, alien yet familiar dreamscape that connects us to the sense of wonder Smith must have felt as he peered through his own lenses and seen these micro-worlds for the first time.
A story of the legendary musician and recording studio savant, who as a member of Wilco, was a large part of the genius behind their three seminal albums as well as the Mermaid Avenue/Woody Guthrie sessions with Billy Bragg.
The Invisible Vegan is a 90-minute independent documentary that explores the problem of unhealthy dietary patterns in the African-American community, foregrounding the health and wellness possibilities enabled by plant-based vegan diets and lifestyle choices.
Using the book ‘Fragments’, which collects Marilyn Monroe’s poems, notes and letters, and with participation from the Arthur Miller and Truman Capote estates who have contributed more material, each of the actresses will embody the legend at various stages in her life.
101 Seconds follows two families as they join the gun control movement after members of their families are killed in a mall.
Using the seismic database of the dead sea, seeking the biblical earthquake evidence of the earthquake recorded after Jesus Christ death on the cross.
Based on Robert Sullivan’s bestselling book, Morgan Spurlock and his team travel around the world to bring viewers face to face with rats while delving into humans’ complicated relationship with the creepy creatures.
The human stories and drama behind America’s involvement in Afghanistan, now the longest war in U.S. history. First-hand witnesses — ranging from U.S. intelligence operatives, to soldiers and their families, Afghan officials, journalists, top government and military officials — bring their experiences to life through emotional interviews.
Canada loses $80 billion annually in tax revenue to corporations legally, and aggressively, exploiting tax loopholes. Were this money taxed, instead of flowing into offshore tax havens, the Canadian government would garner $20 billion annually. Facing deficits and lay-offs, this film explores both sides: those who believe this is good for Canada, and those who believe it endangers democracy itself.
Elephants are among the most majestic and intelligent creatures on Earth–but for hundreds of years, they have suffered at the hands of humans. Narrated by Lily Tomlin, this documentary short traces our long history with elephants and explores the many problems that arise when they are brought to live in captivity in zoos and circuses.
The feature-length documentary based on the life of former AFL star and passionate advocate for Indigenous causes, Adam Goodes.
Georgiana Halmac is turning 15 this winter, but she has no time for teenage dreams when her mother, who’s on unemployment, moves to Torino to find work. Georgiana is left in charge of her six siblings in a social housing condo on the outskirts of Bacau, Romania. Caught between adolescence and the responsibilities of adulthood, Georgiana does the best she can, improvising with parenting advice from the television and the occasional phone call with her mother. As she handles her own issues and high-school dramas, Georgiana must also deal with admonishing neighbours who threaten to turn the whole family into social services. With incredible calm and stoicism, Georgiana amazes as she holds everything together in an ingenious and delicate balance.