14 minute read
Feature Documentaries
AFTER ANTARCTICA
Directed by Tasha Van Zandt USA / 2021 / 105 minutes Eyewitness to the greatest changes in our polar regions, Will Steger has a mission to maintain its preservation. Intercutting footage of his 1989 journey and his recent solo expedition, stunning cinematography brings us face to face with a brutal and alien continent.
Screenwriters: Tasha Van Zandt, Don Bernier, Sebastian Zeck Producers: Lisa Remington, Amanda Spain, Tasha Van Zandt, Sebastian Zeck Executive Producers: Sarah Johnson, Sarah Pillsbury, Bill Pohlad, David de Rothschild, Sol Guy Cast: Will Steger Cinematographers: Sebastian Zeck, Tasha Van Zandt Editor: Don Bernier Composers: Giosuè Greco, Joanna Katcher
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w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Fri Oct 111:00am
EAST COAST PREMIERE
CAPTAIN COUNTER CULTURE
Directed by Michael P. Nash USA / 2021 / 81 minutes Follow avant-garde filmmaker/photographer, Larry Moyer, who shunned “work” for a counter-culture lifestyle. Landing in the legendary houseboat community of Sausalito, he spent 50 years turning on, tuning in and dropping out, happily finding a life that many have searched for and few have ever found.
Screenwriter: Michael P. Nash Producer: Michael P. Nash Executive Producers: Blaze Nash, Philip Nash, Stephen Nemeth Cast: Barbara Kopple, Shel Silverstein, Larry Moyer Cinematographers: Michael P. Nash Editor: Michael P. Nash Composers: Michael P. Nash
w/ Q&A BUY TICKET Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Thur Sept 301:45pm Blueprint KINGSTON Fri Oct 17:00pm [DRIVE-IN: 1ST]
EAST COAST PREMIERE
DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD
Directed by Brooke Pepion Swaney USA / 2021 / 66 minutes A story of intergenerational trauma and pain, Daughter of a Lost Bird deftly explores the role of identity as Lummi Nation Native Kendra, adopted at birth by a white family, meets her long-lost ancestors, discovers her heritage, connects to her native culture, and plumbs the depths of her people’s sorrow.
Producers: Brooke Pepion Swaney, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter, Jeri Rafter Executive Producers: Gita Saedi Kiely, Shirley Sneve, Francene J. Blythe-Lewis Cast: Kendra Mylnechuk Potter, April Kowalski Cinematographer: Zelmira Gainza Editor: Kristen Swanbeck Animator: Megan Toenyes Composer: Laura Ortman
w/ Q&A BUY TICKET Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Fri Oct 12:15pm
EL GRAN FELLOVE
Directed by Matt Dillon USA, Mexico / 2021 / 91 minutes Directed and narrated by Academy Award-nominee Matt Dillon, El Gran Fellove reconstructs the story of Cuban scat singer, songwriter and tropical soul man Francisco Fellove, demonstrating the interplay between his music and the dramatic economic, political and cultural moments of Latin America in the 50s and 60s.
Screenwriter: Josh Alexander Producers: Matt Dillon, Jonathan Gray, Carlos Sosa, Cristina Velasco, Zara Duffy, Demet Öger Executive Producers: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clement, Carolyn Hepburn, Jon Kamen, Erik Gordon, Ken Pelletier Cinematographers: John Pirozzi, Carlos Rossini Editor: Jason Cacioppo
w/ Q&A BUY TICKET WOODSTOCK Playhouse Fri Oct 17:45pm
WITH KICK-OFF PERFORMANCE FANNY: The Right to Rock
Directed by Bobbi Jo Hart Canada / 2021 / 96 minutes WFF Kick-Off Performance, see pg 28. Sex, drugs, rock & roll, and prejudicial tendencies. Fanny, an all-female, Filippina-American garage band paved the way for many famous female rock artists, then seemingly disappeared. Until now. This is the insightful story of one of the most overlooked bands in rock and roll history.
Screenwriter: Bobbi Jo Hart Producers: Bobbi Jo Hart, Robbie Hart Executive Producers: Katherine Buck, Bobbi Jo Hart, Catherine Bainbridge, Anne Pick, Ina Fichman Cast: Todd Rundgren, Kate Pierson, John Sebastian, Gail Ann Dorsey, Joe Elliott, Bonnie Raitt, Jean Millington, June Millington, Brie Darling, Alice de Buhr, Nickey Barclay, Patti Quatro Cinematographers: Claire Sanford, Naomi Ture, Sam Trudelle Editor: Catherine Legault Animator: Kara Lang Composers: Daniel Toussaint, Fanny
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FLEE
CENTERPIECE SCREENING
Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen Denmark / 2021 / 90 minutes English, Danish, Russian, Dari, Swedish with English Subtitles The extraordinary true story of Amin Nawabi, a man on the verge of marriage, compelled to reveal his hidden past for the first time. Recounted mostly through animation by director Jonas Pher Rasmussen, Nawabi recounts his harrowing journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to the life he leads today.
Screenwriter: Jonas Poher Rasmusse Producers: Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen Executive Producers: Riz Ahmed, Natalie Farrey, Jannat Gargi Cast: Rashid Aitouganov Editor: Janus Billeskov Jansen
COURTESY OF: NEON
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WITH STREAMED PERFORMANCE THE FORBIDDEN STRINGS
Directed by Hasan Noori Iran, Afghanistan, Qatar / 2019 / 72 minutes Farsi with English Subtitles WFF streamed Performance, see pg 28. Born and raised in Iran, four young Afghan immigrant musicians take a dangerous journey into the heart of Afghanistan in order to make a dream come true: performing their first concert in a war-torn motherland they’ve never seen. Screenwriter: Hasan Noori Producers: Afsaneh Salari, Hasan Noori Cast: Akbar, Soori, Mohamamd, and Hakim
COURTESY OF: VENERA FILMS
Performance:
Afghan band member Soori
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Tinker Street Cinema WOODSTOCKSun Oct 32:00pm
US PREMIERE WITH MUSICAL PERFORMANCE HERE. IS. BETTER.
Directed by Jack Youngelson USA / 2021 / 95 minutes WFF musical Performance, see pg 28. Here. Is. Better. is the first feature-length documentary gaining unprecedented access to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It interweaves the inspiring stories of four veterans undergoing the most effective trauma psychotherapies for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Producer: Sian Edwards-Beal p.g.a., David Beal p.g.a., Chloe Hall (Co-Producer) Executive Producer: William F. Brandt, Jr., Andrew Craissati (Co-Executive Producer) Cast: Jason Kander, Dr. Kathleen Chard Cinematographer: Daniel Carter Editor: Karen K. H. Sim Animator: Molly Schwartz Composer: Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers, David Baron
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w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Sat Oct 212:45pm
EAST COAST PREMIERE
HORTON FOOTE: The Road To Home
Directed by Anne Rapp USA / 2020 / 77 minutes The famous writer Horton Foote tells his story through personal reflection, offering an intimate, inside view of his prolific career, his family history, the ups and downs, his Texas home and its influences on him, all of which resulted in 70 years of some of America’s most beautiful plays and movies. Screenwriter: Anne Rapp Producers: Anne Rapp, Jason Wehling Executive Producers: Joe Dishner, Don Stokes, Mark Birnbaum, Miguel Alvarez Cast: Horton Foote, Hallie Foote, Robert Duvall, Michael Wilson, Rick Linklater Cinematographers: Mark Birnbaum, Bill Schwarz Editor: David Fabelo Composer: Curtis Heath
w/ Q&A BUY TICKET Tinker Street Cinema WOODSTOCK Sun Oct 34:45pm
WORLD PREMIERE
JAGGED
Directed by Alison Klayman US / 2021 / 97 minutes 1995 was the year of Alanis Morissette. Her groundbreaking album, Jagged Little Pill, delivered a rawness and emotional honesty that resonated with millions. Jagged explores how Alanis came to be that empowered woman so many admire, and what happens when a 21-year-old becomes a worldwide phenomenon. A movie that will sweep you off your feet and fill your heart with joy whether you have been a fan of Alanis Morissette throughout her career or will discover her now for the first time.
Producers: Jaye Callahan, Alison Klayman, Kyle Martin Executive Producers: Bill Simmons, Jody Callahan Marc Cimino, Sean Fennessey, Noah Malale Cinematographer: Julia Liu Editor: Brian Goetz BUY TICKET Composer: Ilan Isakov COURTESY OF: HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS
JULIA
Directed by Betsy West, Julie Cohen USA / 2021 / 95 minutes With never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos, first-person narratives, and cutting-edge, mouth-watering food cinematography, Julia brings to life the legendary cookbook author and television superstar, Julia Child, who changed the way Americans think about food, television, and even about women.
Producers: Betsy West, Julie Cohen, Sara Bernstein p.g.a., Justin Wilkes p.g.a., Holly Siegel p.g.a. Executive Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Michael Rosenberg, Amy Entelis, Courtney Sexton, Bob Spitz, Alex Prud’homme, Oren Jacoby Cinematographer: Claudia Raschke Editor: Carla Gutierrez Composers: Rachel Portman COURTESY OF: SONY PICTURE CLASSICS
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LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER:
The Return of Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Directed by Jesse Lauter USA / 2021 / 111 minutes Fifty years after the legendary Mad Dogs and Englishman tour, discover the complete story through the lens of the Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band’s reunion of the Mad Dogs, including inspired musical performances, previously unreleased archival materials, and the last filmed interview with the late Leon Russell.
Producers: Wayne Forte, Blake Budney Executive Producers: Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, John Beug, Thomas Tull, Alba Tull Cast: Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Chris Robinson Cinematographer: Jojo Pennebaker Editor: Drew DeNicola
COURTESY OF: ABRAMORAMA
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LIFE & LIFE
Directed by NC Heikin USA / 2021 / 80 minutes The story of Reggie Austin, talented musician and convicted murderer, throughout his 35-year prison term, documenting the cycle of injustice of America’s prison system, from punitive parole boards to struggles navigating life post-release. Austin’s musicianship is profoundly affecting and the film soundtrack comes straight from his heart.
Screenwriter: NC Heikin Producers: NC Heikin, Nicole London, Jessica Wolfson Executive Producer: Lee Child Cast: Reggie Austin Cinematographers: Mike Seely, Don Starnes Editors: Michele Hollander, Joel Plotch Animator: Wil Ogterop Composers: Noah Kellman
TRIBUTE TO LEWIS ERSKIN MILES DAVIS: Birth of the Cool
Directed by Stanley Nelson. USA / 2019 / 115 minutes Featuring recently discovered footage sourced from Miles Davis’ estate, personal interviews and a dazzling soundtrack, Birth of Cool skillfully unpacks the man behind the horn, shedding new light on the jazz legend’s illustrious career, as well as his complicated and sometimes tragic personal life.
Producers: Stanley Nelson, Nicole London Executive Producers: Michael Kantor, Geoff Kempin, Darryl Porter, Vince Wilburn Jr., Erin Davis Editors: Lewis Erskine, Natasha Livia Mottola, Yusuf Kapadia
COURTESY OF: PBS
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w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Sun Oct 311:00am
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w/ Q&A - see page 23 Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Sun Oct 32:15pm
EAST COAST PREMIERE WORLD PREMIERE
MY SO-CALLED SELFISH LIFE
Directed by Therese Shechter USA / 2021 / 78 minutes Motherhood: so deeply ingrained in the fabric of our society, we take it for granted as part of the natural order. This entertaining, inspiring and thought-provoking film draws upon culture, science, history, and moving personal stories to unveil the rich and diverse lives of people who said NO to having children.
Producer: Therese Shechter Cinematographer: Iris Ng Editor: Siobhan Dunne Animator: Luke Murphy Composer: Stephen Thomas Cavit
w/ Q&A BUY TICKET Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Thur Sept 304:45pm Orpheum SAUGERTIES Fri Oct 111:00am
WORLD PREMIERE
NUCLEAR FAMILY
Directed by Ry Russo-Young US / 2021 / 163 minutes [3 episodes] At a time when being gay or lesbian meant you gave up the right to have children and a family, Ry Russo-Young was born to two lesbian moms. Their idyllic life was threatened by a lawsuit, culminating in a landmark decision that would change the way gay families are viewed evermore.
Producers: Dan Cogan, Warren Fischer Executive Producers: Liz Garbus, - Jenny Raskin, Peter Sara, Maria Zuckermanr Cinematographer: Christopher Lamarca Editors: Ben Gold, Pisie Holccheim Composer: Gary Lionelli COURTESY OF: HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS
OUR AMERICAN FAMILY
Directed by Hallee Adelman, Sean O’Grady USA / 2021 / 88 minutes Our American Family provides an honest, unfiltered look into the world of addiction, following a close-knit Philadelphia family dealing with generational substance abuse. Watching the five family members struggle to transcend their crippling histories, we witness how, through love and dedication, we can pull each other out of the deepest of depths.
Producers: Hallee Adelman, Sean O’Grady Executive Producers: Caroline Libresco, David Adelman, Ivy Herman, Andrew Herwitz Cast: Linda & Bryan Geraghty, Nicole Caltabiano, Chris Caltabiano Jr., Stephen Caltabiano Cinematographer: Seamus Tierney Editors: Joel Plotch, James Carroll Composer: Gil Talmi
RANGER
Directed by Austin James Peck Kenya / 2021 / 93 minutes Set amongst Kenya’s Samburu and Maasai communities, an intimate and contemporary tale of self-discovery unfolds, as 12 women become East Africa’s first all-female anti-poaching unit. Their journey triggers profound transformation, sending shockwaves through their communities, and is a story about the wilderness within us all.
Producers: Kate Garwood, Roger Ross Williams, Jochen Zeitz Executive Producers: Geoff Martz, Marcy McCall MacBain Cinematographer: Austin James Peck Editor: Austin James Peck Composers: Johan Karlberg, Jacob Vetter
BUY TICKET w/ Q&A BUY TICKET Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK Sat Oct 23:45pm Orpheum SAUGERTIES Sun Oct 32:00pm w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK
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THE RESCUE
Directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin USA, UK / 2021 / 110 minutes English, Thai with English Subtitles The story of imagination, determination and unprecedented teamwork displayed during the heroic edge-of-your-seat mission with life-ordeath stakes to rescue 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach, trapped deep inside a flooded cave. A two-week saga of survival and a story that captured the world’s attention.
Producers: P.J. van Sandwijk, John Battsek Cinematographer: David Katznelson, Picha Srisansanee, Ian Seabrook Editors: Bob Eisenhardt Animator: Bob Eisenhardt Composer: Daniel Pemberton COURTESY OF: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK
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Sat Oct 26:30pm
STORM LAKE
Directed by Jerry Risius, Beth Levison USA / 2021 / 85 minutes Storm Lake captures the sense of precariousness and urgency looming over local news today, as we follow Storm Lake Times editor and Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen and his family as they navigate the coverage of the 2020 Democratic Primary race and the outbreak of COVID-19.
Screenwriter: Beth Levison Producers: Katy Drake Bettner, Sam Bisbee, Pamela Tanner Boll, Sally Jo Fifer, Megan Gelstein, Lois Vossen, Jamie Wolf Cast: Art Cullen, Dolores Cullen, John Cullen, Mary Cullen, Tom Cullen, Peach the Newshound Cinematographer: Jerry Risius Editor: Rachel Shuman Music: Andrew Bird with Alan Hampton COURTESY OF ITV & THE FILM COLLABORATIVE
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
Directed by Todd Haynes USA / 2021 / 110 minutes Experience the iconic rock band’s legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with dazzling archival footage.
Producers: Christine Vachon, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, David Blackman Executive Producers: Danny Bennett, Pamela Koffler, John Sloss Cinematographer: Edward Lachman, ASC Editors: Affonso Gonçalves, ACE, Adam Kurnitz
COURTESY OF: APPLE TV
w/ Q&A Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK
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Sat Oct 210:00am WOODSTOCK Playhouse Sun Oct 32:00pm
NEW YORK PREMIERE
TRIBUTE TO LEON GAST WHEN WE WERE KINGS
Directed by Leon Gast USA / 1996 / 88 minutes Two decades in the making, When We Were Kings, Leon Gast’s Academy Award–winning portrait of Muhammad Ali, illustrates the sensational impact of the Ali-Foreman fight. An enthralling celebration of the charismatic boxer’s role as Black America’s proud ambassador to postcolonial Africa.
Producer: Leon Gast, David Sonenberg, Taylor Hackfordy Executive Producer: David Sonenberg Co-Producer: Keith Robinson and Vikram Jayanti Cast: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, James Brown, BB King, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, Spike Lee, The Crusaders, The Spinners Cinematographers: Maryse Alberti, Paul Goldsmith, Kevin Keating, Albert Maysles, Roderick Young Editors: Leon Gast, Taylor Hackford, Hinte, Keith Robinson COURTESY OF: THE CRITERION COLLECTION w/ Q&A - see page 23 Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK
WHO WE ARE: A Chronicle of Racism in America
Directed by Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler USA / 2021 / 118 minutes Interweaving lectures, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America. A film that should be mandatory viewing for all Americans.
Screenwriter: Jeffery Robinson Producers: Jeffery Robinson, Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Andrea Crabtree+Keller, Vanessa Hope, Susan Korda, Katharine Nephew, Jayashri Wyatt Executive Producers: Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., Fred Crosetto, Ellison Foundation, The Greenstein Family Foundation, Ted Hope, Nader & Yeganeh Naini, Bryan & Christine White Cast: Jeffery Robinson, Chief Egunwale F. Amusan, Mother Lessie Benningfield Randle, Josephine Bolling McCall, Gwen Carr, Ista Clarke, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher Cinematographer: Jesse Wakeman Editor: Emily Kunstler Composer: Kathryn Bostic COURTESY OF: SONY PICTURE CLASSICS
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w/ Q&A WOODSTOCK Playhouse Fri Oct 14:15pm Orpheum SAUGERTIES Sat Oct 27:00pm
PURCHASING TICKETS
Internet Orders woodstockfilmfestival.org/tickets
Box Office Location 13 Rock City Road,
Woodstock, NY 12498 phone: 845.810.0131 Box Office Hours
Sept. 2nd - 26th
Thursday - Sunday 11pm - 5pm
Sept. 27th - October 3rd 9am - 6pm Please note that all events are subject to change. Check the website to: Confirm venues and times Read updated information about screenings, special events & panels.
