As one art scene insider proclaims, the contemporary art world can be summed up as “rich people trying to prove how rich they are,” but is that all there is to this billion dollar industry? Well-researched and expertly constructed, Barry Avrich’s eye-opening documentary peels back the layers of the art world economy- from production to circulation, and delineates every integral player in the game of art-making, including curators, gallerists, collectors, donors, auction houses, and … artists. In the process, he unpacks the complex and surprising ecosystem that supports the art world superstars and million-dollar deals that make front-page news. Featuring extraordinary access to industry players and candid statements from prominent artists like Damien Hirst, Julian Schnabel, Taryn Simon, and Marina Abramovic, Blurred Lines collides the two narratives of the art world as both above and beholden to market forces.
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A documentary short detailing the life of Italians living on the Po River in the 1940s.
“The Perfect Human Diet” is an unprecedented global exploration to find a solution to our epidemic of overweight obesity and diet-related disease – the #1 killer in America. The film bypasses current dietary group-think by exploring modern dietary science, previous historical findings, ancestral native diets and the emerging field of human dietary evolution; revealing for the first time, the authentic human diet. Film audiences finally have the opportunity to see what our species really needs for optimal health and are introduced to a practical template based on these breakthrough scientific facts.
A dark and sensuous film from a landfill in Ghana, where electronic waste from the West is being recycled. An unforgettable experience, told by the workers themselves.
The story of how police repeatedly allowed a serial murderer to slip through their fingers. Stephen Port date-raped and murdered four young gay men in East London within fifteen months and dumped all four bodies within a few hundred metres of each other. The film tells the story through eyes of the families of Port’s victims, unpicking how the police failed to properly investigate each of the deaths in turn. The police’s assumptions that these young gay men had died from self-inflicted overdoses of chem-sex drugs allowed Port to continue raping and killing innocent young men.
“It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It” is a companion piece to “O.G.”, a narrative drama also directed by Madeleine Sackler. It is co-directed by thirteen men incarcerated at the Pendleton Correctional Facility in Pendleton, Indiana.
Given unprecedented access to a maximum security prison, filmmaker Madeleine Sackler worked with a group of inmates to tell their own stories, giving rise to this collaborative, intimate documentary project.
More than 65 million people around the world have been forced from their homes to escape famine, climate change and war, the greatest displacement since World War II. Filmmaker Ai Weiwei examines the staggering scale of the refugee crisis and its profoundly personal human impact. Over the course of one year in 23 countries, Weiwei follows a chain of urgent human stories that stretch across the globe, including Afghanistan, France, Greece, Germany and Iraq.
A dream home turned into a nightmare after a life-changing paranormal experience. The homeowner, Alice Jackson, refuses to spend another night at her house unless someone proves to her what she experienced has a natural explanation. Directors’ Steve Gonsalves and Kendall Whelpton headed to Mississippi with their camera crew to document the real-life effects of a homeowner’s mission to get her house back from this terrifying nightmare. The approach was much like a detective chasing down leads and connecting the dots. With a no stone left unturned mindset, utilizing real scientific data via physicists, field experts and deep accurate research. The filmmakers were also adamant their film crew be very experienced in the field of paranormal research because of the sensitive nature of this case. The directors hand selected each film crew member not only for their respective production expertise but also for their dedication to the documentation of real paranormal research.
A colorful portrait of Miami’s pot smuggling scene of the 1970s, populated with redneck pirates, a ganja-smoking church, and the longest serving marijuana prisoner in American history.
This documentary tells the story of the legendary performer and iconic social satirist, who transcended race and social barriers by delivering his honest irreverent and biting humor to America’s stages and living rooms until his death at 65. Featuring a cast of comedians, historians, activists and artists, this film dives deep into the psyche of a comedic genius.
The cold war, the space race, and NASA’s moon landing are landmark events that defined an era. But they are also fodder for conspiracy theories.
In Houston, We Have a Problem! filmmaker Žiga Virc adds new material to the discussion on both fronts. This intriguing docu-fiction explores the myth of the secret multi-billion-dollar deal behind America’s purchase of Yugoslavia’s clandestine space program in the early 1960s.
‘1917: The Real Story’ documents the true story behind the international blockbuster film ‘1917’ – providing an insight into the real-life characters, and what became of them.
Traces the life and mental illness of New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff, and her sister’s struggle to come to terms with her tragic suicide.