Timo Novotny labels his new project an experimental music documentary film, in a remix of the celebrated film Megacities (1997), a visually refined essay on the hidden faces of several world "megacities" by leading Austrian documentarist Michael Glawogger. Novotny complements 30 % of material taken straight from the film (and re-edited) with 70 % as yet unseen footage in which he blends original shots unused by Glawogger with his own sequences (shot by Megacities cameraman Wolfgang Thaler) from Tokyo. Alongside the Japanese metropolis, Life in Loops takes us right into the atmosphere of Mexico City, New York, Moscow and Bombay. This electrifying combination of fascinating film images and an equally compelling soundtrack from Sofa Surfers sets us off on a stunning audiovisual adventure across the continents. The film also makes an original contribution to the discussion on new trends in documentary filmmaking. Written by KARLOVY VARY IFF 2006
RiP!: A Remix Manifesto (2008)
RiP!: A Remix Manifesto is a 2008 open source documentary film about the "the changing concept of copyright" directed by Brett Gaylor.
Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968)
A seventy-six-minute version of Häxan, re-edited and re-released in the United States by Metro Pictures Corporation in 1968. It is narrated by author William S. Burroughs, with a jazz score and soundtrack featuring violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.
Another Night of the Living Dead (2011)
Director Alan Smithee takes us on an irreverent (and unauthorized) romp through George A. Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead, the film that spawned the modern zombie craze and a thousand "of the living dead" remakes and rip-offs.
Rebirth of a Nation (2004)
DJ Spooky's Rebirth of a Nation is a film project based on a remix of D.W. Griffith's infamous 1915 film Birth of a Nation. The original film was based on a novel and theater play by Thomas Dixon entitled The Clansman - essentially what Dj Spooky is doing is applying dj technique to cinema in a way that parallels, deconstructs and remixes the original. Thus Rebirth of a Nation DJ Spooky's Rebirth of a Nation has been touring for several years and has drawn acclaim around the world. From the Herod Atticus Theater at the base of the Acropolis in Greece, to the London IMAX - Europe's largest movie screen - Dj Spooky has presented the remix as an engagement with film, music, and contemporary art. He likes to think of it as "film as found object" in the same sense that artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, and David Hammons, amongst many others, have fostered creative investigations into the idea of found objects, cinema, and "appropriation art."
Singin (2009)
The work is created using a technique that expands film scenes beyond the conventional screen ratio. The finished result reveals beautiful panoramic views of the background landscapes as captured by the panning camera, effectively allowing film scenes to be seen as never before.
4'33" The Movie (2012)
The climactic scene of John Huston's Key Largo is fused with John Cage's 4'33", all dialogue is stripped away to reveal a cinema of movement, glances and inadvertent comedy.
Crop Duster Octet (2011)
One of the most iconic sequences in the history of Hollywood cinema (from Alfred Hitchcock’s NORTH BY NORTHWEST) is deconstructed and reassembled to illuminate the patterns, rhythms and choreography of the original so as to break through and make for an eight banded kinetic tour de force. As the piece progresses the temporal displacement of each band gets closer and closer until they all unite into a remarkable grand finale.
Broken: The Incredible Story of Brangelina (2018)
Bestselling author and award-winning filmmaker Ian Halperin lifts the lid on Brangelina - the couple, the brand and the breakup. Featuring exclusive revelations and anecdotes from behind the scenes, Broken: The Incredible Story of Brangelina explores the relationship of one of the most fascinating, powerful and enigmatic couples in the entertainment business.
Austral (2022)
At the end of the world, day in, day out, three men take on the southern ocean and its legends. They leave their families and brave the cold and the storms to go and meet the isolated fishermen in the infamous Cape Horn islands. Some launch themselves into these epic channels through greed, others for love of the sea or family need, but all agree on the importance of carrying forward this endangered traditional livelihood and brotherly sharing.
Shadowland (2024)
Director Otso Tiainen’s fascinating study of an esoteric community hidden within the French Pyrenees begins by exploring the seekers drawn to this place, supposedly the home of the Holy Grail. However, it is the appearance of charismatic film director Richard Stanley that truly ignites the story. Before long, accusations about his conduct surface, and the residents find themselves caught in a battle for their very souls. The dangers of blind faith and the magnetic pull of certain personalities are put under the microscope in this breathtaking examination of a small microcosm of society forced to confront who they are when everything they believe is challenged. A vital film that urges us to scrutinize our heroes, SHADOWLAND is a must-see—not only to contextualize the inner battles we all face but also to finally see the truth laid bare.
Good Men (2024)
After the birth of his grandson, Bobby Roth undertakes a cinematic investigation as to what constitutes being a "good man" in today's world. This voyage of discovery leads him to interview more than fifty of his friends, both men and women who he considers to be "good people," about their views on everything from how they were parented to their thoughts on feminism, change, and regrets they might have. Their answers both surprises and enlighten both the viewers and Bobby, himself.
Into the Heart of the Mountain (2024)
Take the rare and extraordinary opportunity to walk beside Zen Buddhist priest and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax on her path to empower women and indigenous people. This visually magnificent and emotionally bracing documentary charts an intimate pilgrimage with the Nomads Clinic—a team of Western, Nepali, and Tibetan healthcare workers—to deliver free medical care in the most remote regions of the Himalayas.
The Legend in Me (2024)
Living in the shadow of Canadian sports legend Lionel Conacher (1900–1954), whose legacy spans five sports, is a daunting challenge for any relative. For great-grandchild Lionel IV, better known as Chas, that challenge extends beyond athletics into the realm of self-discovery. As a non-binary individual navigating identity in the 21st century, Chas explores both the weight of their family’s star-athlete lineage and the evolving landscape of queer identity in a documentary that bridges nostalgia with forward-looking reflection.
Lost Wolves of Yellowstone (2024)
Once on the brink of extinction in the American West, the gray wolf’s comeback is astonishing, an incredible true story with many heroes, and one crucial heroine.
The Ban (2024)
In 1988, following a wave of IRA atrocities, the British Government introduced a Broadcasting Ban, silencing Sinn Féin and other loyalist and republican paramilitary groups by forbidding broadcasters to allow anyone affiliated with these bodies to speak on television or radio. Bizarrely, however, a legal loophole allowed broadcasters to circumvent the ban by simply employing actors to re-voice the original sequences. Using unseen archive footage and present-day interviews with key figures such as Gerry Adams and Stephen Rea, The Ban reflects on the British government’s use of the threat of ‘terrorism’ to justify censorship, drawing inevitable comparisons with the present.
Christopher Reeve, Superman Forever (2024)
A French documentary on Superman actor Christopher Reeve as told by his French voice dubbing actor, Pierre Arditi.
Milestone No. 2 (2020)
A documentary showcasing a family as they pack up their home of twelve years and begin looking towards the future.
Žagari (2019)
'Žagari' traces the lives of Andrejs and Juris Žagars, brothers from the city of Cēsis, who both became distinguished in the arts as actors and administrators of art institutions, while both also found success as entrepreneurs. The original plan of the filmmakers was to show two strong personalities with their characteristic relationship and rivalries. However, fate intervened during the filming process, transforming the result into a powerful and touching portrait of brotherly love and the importance of family ties.
Harmonium in California (1980)
Through concerts and interviews, folk-progressive group Harmonium takes Quebec culture to California. This documentary full of colour and sound, filmed in California in 1978, recounts the ups and downs of the journey of the Quebec musical group Harmonium, who came to feel the pulse of Americans and see if culture, their culture, can succeed in crossing borders.
Yakuza Eiga, une histoire du cinéma yakuza (2009)
The history of the Yakuza Eiga at the TOEI studio is roughly outlined. Real Yakuza and also their connections to the movie business are discussed, and many important actors and directors of the genres are interviewed. Former real yakuza boss turned actor Noboru Ando, Takashi Miike, Sonny Chiba and many more get a chance to speak.