A homage to Bruce Weber's Favourite things, these being mixing film, photography and classic movies. With portraits of a lesbian jazz singer and a 16-year-old wrestler.
Timeless: The Composer/Arranger Series (Arthur Verocai) (2010)
Folk-jazz composer/arranger Arthur Verocai was born in Rio de Janeiro. He has created challenging arragements and compositions for Brazilian artists Jorge Ben, Ivan Lins, Leny Andrade and Gal Costa. In 1972 Verocai recorded a self-titled solo LP. It is a stunningly innovative effort. It puts Verocai into a rarified field with the heavy string oriented music of Charles Stepney, David Axelrod and Frank Zappa. Released in a period marked by the Brazilian military government, the album fared poorly. Following its re-issue in 2003, the album has become a highly influential oft sampled classic (see Ludacris, MF Doom and Little Brother). The performance of this seminal 1972 record in its entirety brought the capacity Luckmann crowd to a stand still. According to Verocai, 'he had never played the record, alive or dead!' His delight can be seen on the DVD. The music has been mixed by Verocai himself in Rio. History turned on its head and musical justice served.
GlitterBomb (2015)
GlitterBomb is a fantastic 32-minute documentary that showcases the best of the 2015 Mardi Gras season. It features interviews with Courtney Act, Bianca Del Rio, Nick Jonas, Alex Greenwich, Dan Murphy and Jake Shears, as well as local identities and international tourists, each sharing their experiences and perspectives on our fabulous Festival celebrations including Harbour Party, Pool Party, Parade and MG Party.
Portrait of A Dancer (NaN)
The Finnish modern dancer Noora Hannula dances through this documentary film in her own explosive style. Noora’s life has always been very connected to the artist environment with her grandfather, Simo Hannula, who throughout his entire life dedicated him fully to his art. Noora and her grandfather crossed paths when Noora used a picture of his dead body in her show and now we meet Noora working on her newest show: The Era of No Talent Rising, while she is trying to figure out where her own limits are.
Robert Doisneau, tout simplement (2000)
This documentary explores the work of Robert Doisneau, and the subjects his photographs have addressed, from the workers of the Renault factories in Billancourt to Parisian lovers, from the crowds of the Liberation to the children of Gentilly, from the unknown to the famous. The voice of the photographer, speaking of his choices and memories, and a montage of sound archives seem to comment on the photographs, which several film archives put into context. A sober and fascinating presentation of the work of a great artist.
Tři grácie Juraje Jakubiska (2018)
In 2018, when Juraj Jakubisko celebrated his 80th birthday, his students from the Miroslav Ondříček Film Academy in Písek, led by director and composer Patrik Ulrich, decided to pay tribute to him with a 30-minute documentary. The documentary focuses on three of the artist's key activities: film, visual arts and teaching. Quite a lot has been written and filmed about Jakubisko's film work, so the most interesting part of the film is a unique insight into Jakubisko's artistic world. For example, the protagonist shows us the pages of his cartoon diary. Jakubisko's collaborators, including his wife Deana and cameraman F. A. Brabec.
Sam Cooke: Legend (2003)
Singer, songwriter, business man, family man, civil rights activist: Sam Cooke transcends all barriers of race, faith and talent. This first-ever biography of the definitive soul singer looks at his extraordinary career and personal life - from his gospel-singing roots through his R&B and pop music career.
Sharko (2024)
Widely regarded as one of the greatest Rugby League players ever, kiwi hard-man Mark Graham was feared off and, on the field, though little knew the real man or the destruction behind his success. SHARKO, portrays an intimate look at the life of a father, a son and the cost of greatness.
Carmel (2009)
Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitaï offers a look impressionist long history of armed conflict in their nation.
Denis Urubko - My Own Way (2016)
Denis Urubko is one of the strongest Himalayan climbers of all time: he has climbed all 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, establishing new alpine style routes on Broad Peak, Manaslu, Cho Oyu and Lhotse. He also made the first winter ascents of Makalu and Gasherbrum II. Add to his legend, the incredible rescue of Elisabeth Revol in distress on the Nanga Parbat in January 2018, and that of about eight other climbers. Urubko's story is simply unique, tells us about him and his journey to becoming the best in very high mountains. Denis Urubko is not just an exceptional climber, he is a true legend whose feats of arms will remain etched in the history of mountaineering.
Grizzly Man (2005)
Werner Herzog's documentary film about the "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in one man's attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.
The Final Adventure of Kaktus Kid (2018)
Aleksandar Zograf, a renowned cartoonist discovers an unusual comic book from World War II. The comic’s hero is Kaktus Kid – a small cactus trapped in his pot. Intrigued, Zograf investigates into the life of Kaktus Kid’s creator – little known artist Veljko Kockar. He soon discovers that Kockar was arrested just after the liberation of Belgrade in 1944. He was charged for being a Gestapo agent and executed. Zograf’s investigation reveals a far more complex story: Kockar’s identity and artistic works were stolen, he possibly has an affair with the girlfriend of a guerilla soldier and he drew anti-communist propaganda for the Nazis. As he explores the story and pieces together the scraps of evidence 70 years after it happened Zograf is faced with his own personal and artistic dilemmas: why do these little drawings have such power to give consolation but also lead to violence?
Gérard Philipe, le dernier hiver du Cid (2022)
An adaptation of Jérôme Garcin’s novel Le dernier hiver du cid, this documentary built exclusively on archive footage and a delicate story telling style will permit a Cannes style celebration of Gerard Philipe’s 100th birthday anniversary. He will also be coming back to the Croisette through the screening of Fanfan la tulipe.
Patrick Dewaere, My Hero (2022)
The actress Lola Dewaere recounts the film career and traumatic life of celebrated actor Patrick Dewaere, the father she never knew, under the watchful eye of director Alexandre Moix.
Journey to the UFC: Joe Pyfer (2024)
Following years of surgeries and grueling rehab, Joe makes an unforgettable comeback, earning his spot in the UFC with a spectacular knockout.
Let the Canary Sing (2023)
A chronicle of Cyndi Lauper's meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism and tireless advocacy. This documentary takes the audience on an engaging exploration of a renowned and pioneering artist who has left a remarkable legacy with her art.