Tag Archives: documentary

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER Coming Exclusively to HBO in June

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Pussy Riot A Punk Prayer

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER

 

HBO SPOTLIGHT Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer The story of the controversial Russian Feminist Art Collective premieres on HBO in June. On Feb. 21, 2012, members of the feminist art collective Pussy Riot, donning their colorful trademark balaclavas, or ski masks, participated in a 40-second “punk prayer protest” on the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral before being detained. Arrested and tried for trespassing, wearing “inappropriate” sleeveless dresses and disrupting social order, Nadia, Masha and Katia were accused of religious hatred in a trial that reverberated around the world and transformed the face of Russian society.

An official selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Punk Spirit, PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER tells their story with exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to courtroom footage when it kicks off the HBO Documentary Films summer series:

MONDAY, JUNE 10 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

 

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER was produced and directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin; editors, Esteban Uyarra, Simon Barker and Pax Wassermann; director of photography, Antony Butts; original music, Simon Russell, Pussy Riot. For HBO: supervising producer, Sara Bernstein; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Leslie Iwerks Documentary CITIZEN HEARST – Review

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American success story of the larger than life personality.

 

Leslie Iwerks‘ Citizen Hearst is a classic American success story of the larger than life personality of media mongol William Randolph Hearst. At the turn of the 19th Century leading into the early 20th, Hearst’s contributions to printed media revolutionized journalism by use of detailed illustrations, big, bold headlines and comic strips, to appeal to a mass audience. Hearst strived to improve his papers and magazines by hiring the best of the best of his day, utilizing and advertising new technology to impress his readers. However, he was not without controversy. Hearst took huge risks to expand his empire. His vast wealth was the envy of the people during the Depression Era. Without Hearst’s innovative and creative spirit, the media world, as it is today, would not be the same.

William H. Macy narrates this feature and delve into the rich history of the Hearst media empire spanning 125 years. Exploring the beginning of the Hearst family’s wealth and the start up newspaper career of William Hearst in San Francisco. Expansion of Hearst’s soon to be empire is chronologically detailed along with the criticisms he faced despite championing himself as their defender in print. Hearst soon expanded to magazines–Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and Esquire were spawned from Hearst’s new media concepts. Media celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Heidi Klum make appearances discuss just how Hearst’s empire expansion has benefited their own careers.

Iwerks’ documentary proves that a century’s old media empire still influences the modern media landscape. Hearst’s influence even extends to the world of television. A&E and ESPN are just a couple of the channels Hearst’s empire successfully created to produce original content–never before seen on other television networks. Reality television is one of them. Harper’s Bazaar came before Vogue and is considered the first fashion magazine.

The documentary Citizen Hearst is a favorable look into William Hearst’s contributions to the media world. A must see for documentary for history and journalism professionals.

 
Documentary CITIZEN HEARST’s special features include:

  • Over 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage.
  • Deleted footage from the film.
  • “Hearst Castle” from the A&E television series America’s Castles.
  • “The Future of News” featurette.

The  special features are as intriguing as the main content of the disc. The descendants of the media mogul speak of their lives, what is it like to be a descendant of William Hearst, and the times they’ve spent and continue to spend on the family estate–Hearst Castle–in San Simeon, California. Some pieces of Hearst’s remaining art collection are shown by the former COO of the Hearst Corporation, Gil Maurer. The featurette “State of News” depict the evolution of media and reporting. Social media is a now massive part of news reporting and journalism. And much, much more!

Images, trailer and promotional content courtesy of A&E Networks Citizen Hearst. All rights reserved.

Now On Blu-Ray™ and DVD: Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s ‘Planet Ocean’

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PLANET OCEAN BLU RAYDirected by highly acclaimed photographer, filmmaker and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Home) and narrated by actor Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Life As We Know It), Planet Ocean is a cinematic adventure that invites viewers of all ages to change the way they look at the ocean and appreciate its greatest natural mystery.

Planet Ocean captures extraordinary images of our remarkable oceans – the source of all life on our planet. Filmed by directors Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot, along with an outstanding team of international underwater cinematographers in partnership with OMEGA and with the scientific support of Tara Expeditions. The film aims to explain some of the planet’s greatest natural mysteries, while reinforcing how essential it is that mankind learns to live in harmony with our oceans. Planet Ocean serves as a reminder of the bond between humans and nature, and the duty that exists to protect and respect our planet.

Through dazzling aerial and underwater imagery captured in extreme geographical conditions worldwide, Planet Ocean delivers an unprecedented journey into the least known regions of our planet. The stunning documentary aims to captivate as well as provide understanding of humankind’s relationship to the ocean and stress the urgency of making sustainable change. Brought to life with dynamic and relatable narration, this groundbreaking film can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Planet Ocean will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on April 9, 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Planet Ocean will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD.PLANET OCEAN DVD

  • Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound.
  • DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing the movie in more places, both at home and while away.

BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):

  • The Making of Planet Ocean
  • In The Skies Above Rio: Breathtaking images of Rio de Janeiro’s magnificent shores will inspire you with wonder and delight.
  • Underwater: Uncover the natural mysteries of marine life with Planet Ocean’s team of underwater cinematographers.
  • Shanghai: Extraordinary aerial photography of Shanghai’s busy harbor underscores the significance of ocean commerce.

Planet Ocean DVD/Blu-Ray images and synopsis courtesy of Planet Ocean/Omega and Universal Home Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Release Date Set for ‘Genius On Hold’ Documentary

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GENIUS ON HOLDGENIUS ON HOLD - March 1st, 2013 date set as the theatrical release date for Genius On Hold, the revealing documentary written and directed by Gregory Marquette (Innocents). The film was produced by Walter T. Shaw, and co-produced by Diana Ross-Shaw and is narrated by Academy-Award® Nominee Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon, Robot & Frank).

“Freestyle Releasing was immediately moved by the incredible story of Walter L. Shaw, a man whose name we should all know,” said Mark Borde, Co-President Freestyle Releasing. “We hope to finally bring this brilliant inventor the recognition he deserves.”

At the heart of Genius On Hold is the story of Walter L. Shaw, a brilliant inventor with an astonishing list of telecommunications patents to his name including call forwarding, touch-tone dialing, speakerphone and voice recognition. His ground-breaking designs should have earned him great fortune and lasting fame, but for one thing—the power, greed, and oppression of AT&T, the largest, government-sanctioned, telecommunications monopoly in the United States which blocked him from realizing his dream. Punished, imprisoned, and eventually destitute, Shaw was drawn to the only organization that would reward him for his talent—the mob, whose bookies used his “black box” and “blue box” to run their gambling operations and evade the Feds. His son, Walter T. Shaw, embittered by his father’s destruction, turned to organized crime and became one of the most notorious jewel thieves in American history. All to get back at the system that destroyed his family — but at what cost?

“Genius On Hold is a labor of love for my father,” said Walter T. Shaw. “My dream is through this documentary that people will finally understand how my father’s inventions are a part of their daily lives.”

Shaw has been in the spotlight lately as the founder of the Save America’s Cinemas* campaign to support the digital transformation of local, independent movie theaters.

*Save America’s Cinemas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Agency dedicated to providing financial assistance in saving many localized American cinemas from closing as they are unable to afford the required high digital conversion costs from 35mm equipment. Genius On Hold debuted as an official selection at the Palm Beach International Film Festival and Soho International Film Festival this past year.

Image source and synopsis courtesy of Genius on Hold Documentary. All rights reserved.

2012 Crossing Over ‘A New Beginning’ – Review

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2012 Crossing Over A New Beginning OFFICIAL FILM Brave Archer Films

December 21, 2012. What will it bring? Is it the end of the world?

2012 Crossing Over ‘A New Beginning’ (Brave Archer Films) – The date December 21st, 2012 has been a concern for many who are counting down to the alleged “end of days.” The closer the monumental date approaches, many question what will happen? If we turn to major Hollywood film, that date will bring destruction, or that nothing will happen. Spiritualists, however, believe that because of the rapid changes to the Earth (i.e. environmental, social, or financial), that we are heading to a new stage in our conscious evolution. 2012 Crossing Over, A New Beginning is a documentary film produced by Brave Archer Films as a positive, inspirational message of the coming date, and that there is nothing to fear.

Exceptional astrologer and teacher Santos Bonacci, Tantra Yoga and meditation teacher Bud Barber, and Vedic historian Acintya Govinda Das* are some of the speakers featured in 2012 Crossing Over that share their profound knowledge of their fields, a different interpretation of the Mayan Calendar and prophecy than the mainstream perspective, and the cycles of consciousness. In their eyes, 2012 is the culmination of a process of evolution resulting in the ascension of the Earth and its inhabitants. It is now understood that the Mayan Calendar is a marker that depicts when a time cycle would end, and another would begin. It is also theorized that at this time is the beginning of a rise in consciousness, and a rise in peace and spirituality. A time of advancement and possibly interaction with beings of a higher dimension. The question here is this–how can we be sure?

The other topics discussed in the documentary, the world ages of the Vedic texts and how other religious texts have discussed the same transition over thousands of years, fear vs love and how the media, governmental and financial structures have controlled the personal destinies, manipulate astrology as it relates to various religious texts, and the galactic alignment, scheduled to take place 11:11 AM on December 21st.

The information presented is consciously uplifting, and help to calm fears the some may have about the upcoming date. The documentary speakers are knowledgeable, and their insight is accentuated with clips from George Carlin, Bill Hicks, and British writer and public speaker David Icke, to explain the Mayan 2012 concepts. In addition, provide information about how ancient cultures and foundational religious texts seem to discuss the coming of these times–or the 2012 predictions.

With 2012 coming to an end, it is understood that we have a choice–to continue to live in fear, or continue to maintain the status quo; or become part of the tremendous cycle of positive change.

Highly recommended.

*Vedic historian is an individual who studies the Vedic period (Vedic age) where the oldest scriptures of Hinduism were composed.

Source Brave Archer Films