CineRadical: A Monthly Brief on Documentary
September's unfiltered & essential docs and Dialogues
Welcome to this month's roundup of the documentary film landscape, a space where we delve into the stories that matter, both on and off the screen. Fresh off the reel from Milan's Visioni dal Mondo and Sarajevo's Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival, we're exhilarated by the range of impactful narratives we encountered. As the leaves change color, so does the festival circuit: we're setting our sights on the upcoming autumn season, including intriguing line-ups at MajorDocs, Astra Film Festival, Ji.hlava IDFF, and more. Get ready for another month of critical viewing and compelling storytelling.
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NEWS
Porto/Post/Doc spotlights global storytellers; Directors Alessandro Comodin and Maria Elorza
Ji.lava IDFF announces U.S New Visions selections, industry programme
20 Days in Mariupol to open 2023 Human Rights Film Festival Berlin
Astra Film Junior invites youth to dive into documentary film
Visioni dal Mondo concludes 9th edition, announces full festival winners
After three years, Berlin’s DOKUARTS festival returns with full programme announcement
Filmmaker Avi Mograbi, essayist Ramón Andrés among first 2023 MajorDocs guests
Astra Film Festival unveils Romanian competition titles for 30th anniversary
Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days announces full 2023 programme
FILMS
Fairy Garden
Sarajevo Film Festival
Director: Gergö Somogyvári
How do marginalised individuals navigate societal structures meant to exclude them? 'Fairy Garden' offers a raw and authentic look into the lives of two such people in Hungary.
Life is a Game
Visioni dal Mondo
Director: Laura Carrer, Luca Quagliato
Ethnography meets animation in a playful digital environment concealing the constraints of the algorithmic gig economy.
Make People Better
AJB DOC Fim Festival, Visioni dal Mondo
Director: Cody Sheehy
The rise and fall of a scientist at the heart of a genetic revolution and the controversies it unleashed.
Pure Unknown
Director: Mattia Colombo, Valentina Cicogna
When the Mediterranean rejects the nameless, who restores their dignity?
Return to Raqqa
AJB DOC Film Festival, Visioni dal Mondo
Director: Albert Solé, Raúl Cuevas
Former ISIS hostage Marc Marginedas returns to Raqqa to confront the ghosts of his past.
The Longest Goodbye
Visioni dal Mondo
Director: Ido Mizrahy
Unraveling NASA's mission to Mars and the psychological toll it entails in a poignant reflection on space travel and human spirit.
The Rise of Wagner
Visioni dal Mondo
Director: Benoît Bringer
How Yevgeny Prigozhin's mercenary army, Wagner, grew to become a major tool in Russian foreign policy – murdering its way across Africa and Ukraine.
INTERVIEW
In Sicily, we meet Morgan Lescot on the rescue ship Ocean Viking for a conversation about boat refugees, challenges, and Europe's responsibility. Is this a tragedy that will only continue to increase?
«A great variety of styles allows us to reflect on the current state of documentary»
Modern Times Review speaks with Baltic Sea Docs Project Manager Zane Balčus on its history, the current trends in documentaries from the Baltic region, and the role the BSD plays within the wider European documentary landscape.
Between Revolutions: «I am more fascinated by the archival material than the present»
We joined film director Vlad Petri under a fig tree in Skopje as he reflects on the stories of women's resilience and revolution in his film Between Revolutions.
«l always wanted to focus on the earnest and professional presentation of the films»
Modern Times Review speaks with Artistic Director Andreas Lewin on the 2023 theme, why DOKUARTS is not a competition festival, the place of the festival within the wider continental landscape, and more.
ESSAY
The intersection of youth and documentary at Young Horizons Industry
Explore Young Horizons Industry's 2023 film selections, highlighting the complexities and nuances of youthful experiences.
Modern Times Review looks back at the panels, screenings, and presentations that made up the 2023 Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries.
Report: B2B Doc Documentary Industry Days 2023
Modern Times Review looks back at the week of panels and presentations that made up the 2023 B2B Doc Documentary Industry Days programme.
Chile 76: The aftermath of a broken mirror
Delving deep into the murky world of geopolitical machinations where, from Iran to Chile, the US/UK influence cannot be understated.
Are we progressing towards an international society that looks after those left out of the conventional job market – and, with wisdom, transitions today's military industry towards civilian duties? It's conceivable that the new BRICS might pave a path away from today's Western ideology.
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