Muscle Shoals

Muscle Shoals is a music documentary that is premiering at Sundance and features a huge array of rock stars talking about the music studio and city in Alabama, Muscle Shoals.

Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America's most creative and defiant music. Under the spiritual influence of the "Singing River" as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals has helped create some of the most important and resonant songs of all time. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, he brought black and white together in Alabama's cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. He is responsible for creating the "Muscle Shoals sound" and The Swampers, the house band at FAME that eventually left to start their own successful studio, known as Muscle Shoals Sound. Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery and why it remains influential today.

Top Ten Documentaries of 2012

People assume that most films are crafted in a filmmaker’s mind, taking a script, translating it to screen and entertaining audiences the world round in that order; however, the documentary provides an honest insight into a subject that has actually occurred in our world, not the world created by the filmmaker.
Searching for Sugar Man, which hits DVD and Blu-ray on 27 December, shows that documentaries can be just as mysterious as crime thrillers; re-counting the story of a 70s rock icon who has long-since faded into oblivion, the film is just one of a many documentaries this year that have dabbled with the element of mystery and played with the conventional formula - making 2012 a pioneering year for the documentary. Here is a list marking the best of the bunch.

Searching for Sugar Man
A mysterious, informative and riveting documentary about two South Africans who embark on a quest to discover the truth behind their one-time hero, Sixto Rodriguez. Whether a music lover or a documentary fan, Searching for Sugar Man works better if you don’t do a Google search beforehand. You will reap the rewards of this amazing documentary from Malik Bendjelloul.

The Imposter
Like many of this year’s documentaries, The Imposter is best seen not knowing too much about what you are viewing. A Texan boy is found in Spain three years after he went missing, but it soon becomes clear that is all not as straightforward - Bart Layton’s documentary spectacularly confounds all expectation when it is flipped on its head not even 15 minutes in. Your eyes won’t leave the screen for its 100-minute running time.

The Queen of Versailles
The Queen of Versailles has been touted the best doc of the year by many, pitting on-screen the livelihood of a billionaire couple who begin construction on a mansion inspired by a palace in the French region of Versailles. As they fall victim to the economic crisis in the following few years, it is mesmerizing to witness how these people deal with the fallout of their actions.

5 Broken Cameras
A Palestinian farmer provides resistance against the Israeli army in a handheld-footage documentary that has no tricks or gimmicks up its sleeve, but provides emotion in its unflinching manner. The village in which the farmer resides in provide a snapshot of areas in Israel that are resisting the violence and war that surrounds them.

Room 237
Rodney Ascher has had praise heaped upon his documentary which analyses theories of Stanley Kubrick’s classic The Shining – as formulated by five obsessives. With the film split down theory-by-theory, the film ranges from the zany to the zanier as you witness professionals spouting dialogue about Kubrick’s impossible framing and his involvement in faking the moon landing. If you’re a fan of the Stephen King adaptation, there is no doubt you will lap this cult up.

Central Park Five
In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park – only for a serial rapist confessing to the crime many years later. The film questions the American legal system in an astonishing way, tackling the subject of racial injustice; something that has pulled directors Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon into their own legal battle. Captivating.

The House I Live In
Eugene Jarecki, the brother of Capturing the Friedmans director Andrew, crafted this insightful critique of America’s trouble with drugs as he tracks the individuals working within the judicial system - and the ones behind bars who are dragged unwittingly into the war. Like a cousin of Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, the documentary shows how this system could potentially worsen matters, with the fight to clamp down on drugs spiralling out of control with every new day.

This Is Not a Film
When Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was placed under house arrest for allegedly conspiracising against national security, he took to filming the events he was subjected to using an iPhone and a digital camera; top marks for bravery. With these devices used in a completely non-gimmicky way, This Is Not a Film is an, erm, extraordinary film. Smuggled out of Iran (allegedly in a cake) and backed by top Hollywood directors, this is a must-see.

Chasing Ice
Critical-acclaim has been received for Chasing Ice - mainly due to the fact that it follows National Geographic photographer James Balog’s attempt to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers by deploying time cameras around the Arctic; deserves to be seen for this mean feat alone.

West of Memphis
Famously produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, director Amy Berg’s documentary about the ‘West Memphis Three’s’ wrongful conviction for killing three boys not only informs the audience of these events, but aims to go beyond the duty of filmmaking to secure their release. Brave filmmaking that proves even more gripping than you first think – this documentary will make you feel lots of emotions.

Searching For Sugar Man is on DVD and Blu-ray December 27, 2012.

Four Scottish films at world’s biggest documentary festival and The Perfect Fit on shortlist for Oscar® nomination

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences published a list which includes The Perfect Fit, a Scottish short film directed by Tali Yankelevich and produced by the Scottish Documentary Institute

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) announced an unprecedented number of Scottish documentaries in its programme.

Edinburgh: Tuesday 16th October 2012 - The Perfect Fit, directed by Tali Yankelevich, is included in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ eight contenders for the field Documentary Short Subject, of which three to five will earn Oscar® nominations.

This award-winning Scottish production was shown in New York, alongside other short documentaries, in a week-long showcase in August. This theatrical run qualified the 10-minute film to be eligible for a submission to the Academy.

The Perfect Fit looks at professional ballet through the eyes of a shoemaker who pounds his soul out making each pair perfect, trying to ease the burden on the dancers’ feet. Creative Scotland and BBC Scotland invested in this film made by SDI Productions and Teebster.

The film was produced as part of the Scottish Documentary Institute’s Bridging the Gap programme which enables young talent to break into the industry. SDI Productions is based at the Edinburgh College of Art, and Tali Yankelevich is also a graduate of ECA.

Finlay Pretsell, the film’s producer, commented: “This is brilliant news and a great recognition of how we’re bringing Scottish documentaries to the world. It’s a huge boost for Tali’s career. We know this is not a nomination yet, but we’re certainly keeping our fingers crossed.”

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on 10 January 2013.

Coinciding with the Academy’s publication, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam has announced its 2012 programme today (Friday), including four productions involving the Scottish Documentary Institute. IDFA is the world’s pre-eminent festival for creative documentaries.

Most notably, I Am Breathing by Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon will have its world premiere in IDFA’s prestigious Competition for Feature-Length Documentary. Exploring “the thin space between life and death”, the film follows Neil Platt who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease, a terminal illness affecting around 5,000 people in the UK. Neil invited the filmmakers to follow him through his final months, while he’s trying to sum up his life in a message to his baby son.

I Am Breathing was co-produced by ECA-based SDI Productions and Danish Documentary, with investments by Creative Scotland, Danish Film Institute, Wellcome Trust, MND Association and the former UK Film Council. Broadcasters involved in the production are Channel 4, DR (Denmark) and YLE (Finland).

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland, commented: “Creative Scotland congratulates the documentary filmmakers in competition and wishes them every success. It is testament to the depth and quality of filmmaking talent working in Scotland today that they are selected for one of the world's most prestigious film festivals.”

IDFA will also show Pablo’s Winter directed by Chico Pereira, which will have its world premiere later this month at Dok Leipzig, one of the longest-running documentary festivals in the world. Presented as classic black-and-white cinema, Pablo’s story is one of “nicotine, mercury, and matters of the heart,” a homage to a retired Spanish miner against a backdrop of decay.

Professor Robin MacPherson, director of Screen Academy Scotland where the film was produced, said: "We're absolutely thrilled to see Chico's film competing for documentary honours in both Amsterdam and Leipzig. It is especially gratifying that three more of our graduates played key roles in its realisation, demonstrating how our focus on creative collaboration is really paying off."

In addition, two short documentaries made as part of this year’s edition of Bridging the Gap will have their international premiere at IDFA in Amsterdam: Polaris, also by Chico Pereira, follows Filipino fishermen in the North East of Scotland, and Pouters, by Paul Fegan, chronicles the fight to become Glasgow’s “doo fleein” (pigeon flying) champion. Both films were first shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June.

It was also announced today that Future My Love, which celebrated an acclaimed world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year to much acclaim, will have its international premiere at CPH:DOX, the innovative documentary festival in Copenhagen. Maja Borg’s film is a poetic road trip through personal and social utopias. Filmmaker Magazine wrote about Future My Love at EIFF: "Everyone loves this beautiful, poetic, important movie, and it seems likely to be one of the films that 2012 will be remembered for."

More about the films, including trailers:

• The Perfect Fit: www.scottishdocinstitute.com/films/the-perfect-fit
• I Am Breathing: www.iambreathingfilm.com
• Pablo’s Winter: www.pabloswinter.com
• Polaris: www.scottishdocinstitute.com/films/polaris
• Pouters: www.scottishdocinstitute.com/films/pouters
• Future My Love: www.futuremylove.com

‘Oscar’ and ‘Academy Awards’ are registered trademarks and service marks owned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The Scottish Documentary Institute is an internationally recognised research centre at Edinburgh College of Art, part of of the University of Edinburgh and complemented by SDI Productions Ltd, a production and distribution company.

Bridging the Gap, supported by Creative Scotland, is one of the leading documentary new talent initiatives for cinema and broadcast in the UK. Consistently picking up awards, BAFTAs, special mentions and festival screenings in over 40 countries worldwide, it offers a creative training programme alongside production. Blog posts about Pouters and Polaris

Creative Scotland is the national development agency for the arts, screen and creative industries. Our vision is that Scotland will be recognised as one of the world’s most creative nations – one that attracts, develops and retains talent, where the arts and the creative industries are supported and celebrated and their economic contribution fully captured; a nation where the arts and creativity play a central part in the lives, education and well-being of our population.

The Year of Creative Scotland began on January 1, 2012 and is a chance to showcase, celebrate and promote Scotland’s cultural and creative strengths on a world stage. Through a dynamic and exciting year-long programme of activity celebrating our world-class events, festivals, culture and heritage, the year puts Scotland’s culture and creativity in the international spotlight with a focus on cultural tourism and developing the events industry and creative sector in Scotland.

Screen Academy Scotland is a Skillset Film & Media Academy in partnership between Edinburgh Napier University and Edinburgh College of Art.

Shut up and play the hits!

On 2nd April 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. LCD frontman James Murphy had made the conscious decision to disband one of the most celebrated and influential bands of its generation at the peak of its popularity, ensuring that the band would go out on top with the biggest and most ambitious concert of its career.

The instantly sold out, near four-hour extravaganza did just that, moving the thousands in attendance to tears of joy and grief, with NEW YORK magazine calling the event “a marvel of pure craft” and TIME magazine lamenting “we may never dance again.” SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS is both a narrative film documenting this once in a life time performance and an intimate portrait of James Murphy as he navigates the lead-up to the show, the day after, and the personal and professional ramifications of his decision.

In UK cinemas September 4, 2012

Music documentaries - The definitive list?

Music documentaries are a genre unto their own - sometimes they give you a glimpse behind the scenes of your favourite band, and sometimes they're about someone you've never heeard about who become your favourite band.

Following great acclaim at Sundance and festivals around the world, Searching For Sugar Man comes to UK cinemas this month and definitely falls into the former category. You've probably never heard of Sixto Rodriguez - he was meant to be the new Bob Dylan, but he quickly disappeared back into obscurity. Yet not in South Africa - where he went on to be bigger Elvis. All this success went completely unknown to Rodriguez himself, and Searching For Sugar Man is the remarkable story of two South African fans trying to find out what happened to their hero.

To mark its release, let's have a look down some of the best music docs of all time.

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil 
An opening of Heavy Metal icons such Slash, Lemmy and Lars Ulrich singing the praises of a band you've never heard of makes you think it's all just a Spinal Tap style spoof. But no, after never quite hitting the big time in the early 80s, Canadian Metal band Anvil have still been plugging away despite the lack of success - at the beginning of the film frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow is having to make a living delivering school dinners in Toronto! It's a heart-warming underdog tale of never giving up your dream.

Dig!
It doesn't matter if you've never heard of The Dandy Warhols (who you might remember from a Vodafone advert a few years back) or The Brian Jonestown Massacre -  the rivalry between them is a fascinating story of delusion and self-destruction. The small modicum of success the Warhols receive turns them into insufferable prima-donnas, and Massacre's frontman Anton Newcombe seems to sabotage every opportunity his band gets.

Gimme Shelter
The film of the Rolling Stones infamous 1969 Altamont show is not only a great music doc but also an important historical document. The free show was intended to be the next Woodstock, but when a riot broken out and one of Hells Angles providing security stabbed a fan to death, it symbolised the death of the 60s peace and love dream.

Some Kind Of Monster
Intended to be a fluffy behind the scenes piece on the making of Metallica's new album, Some Kind Of Monster turned into a sort of real life Spinal Tap when the band almost split up and ended up in group therapy. It starts off hilarious and ends up genuinely uplifting.

Don't Look Back
Warts-and-all, fly-on-the-wall docs following around musicians are now ten a penny - they take up about half off ITV2's schedule. But in 1967 this Cinéma vérité style film following Bob Dylan's UK tour was revolutionary. The opening scene, with Dylan holding big cue cards for the lyrics to Subterranean Homesick Blues has also become iconic in its own right.

Marley 
Last King Of Scotland director Kevin MacDonald won an Oscar for One Day In September, his documentary about the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, and was selected to produce the definitive record of the life of reggae megastar Bob Marley. The epic two-and-a-half-hour running time leaves no stone unturned.

The Devil And Daniel Johnson
Cult singer-songwriter Daniel Johnson was beloved by Kurt Cobain, and has battled with schizophrenia and manic depression throughout his life. This sensitive documentary tells his fascinating story and is riveting viewing.

Kurt And Courtney
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994 send shockwaves around the music world. Veteran documentary maker Nick Broomfield set out to investigate the claims that Cobain's wife Courtney Love was involved in his death, and found himself in a legal minefeild and a cobweb of deception.

Beats, Rhymes And Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest
Hip-hop is a musical genre that really rather poorly represented in terms of good documentaries, but this biography of alternative rap legends A Tribe Called Quest goes a long way to rectifying this. Directed by Michael Rapaport (best known for playing Phoebe's brother on Friends), the film tells the long complicated story of the band's history.

Searching For Sugar Man
In the early 1970s, Detroit singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez was tipped to be the new Bob Dylan - but both his albums bombed and he went back to working in construction. Yet somehow - and no one really knows how - the record got bootlegged to South Africa and became the soundtrack to the anti-Apartheid movement, outselling the Rolling Stones and Elvis. The film follows two South African fans on the trail of their idol (who rumour has it committed suicide on stage) and their story is one so incredible you couldn't make it up.

Searching For Sugar Man is in cinemas July 26, 2012.

Revenge of the Electric Car

Films about electric cars seem to have come full circle. From 2006's documentary, Who Killed The Electric Car to this new one.

In 2006 major car companies destroyed thousands of electric cars that they had created, now they believe, it is time for the second coming. Director Chris Paine takes us behind the scenes of the companies that are in the race for the resurgence of the electric car.

Taking us behind the closed doors of major car manufacturers Nissan, GM, and Tesla Motors, as well as independent car converters, we follow the development from concept through to working vehicle, the financial problems, successes and failures to see who will launch the first and best electric car that will win over the public.

Driving into UK cinemas July 20, 2012

Dogwoof Presents DOGWOOF DOCS

6 May – 31 May at the Gate Picturehouse, Notting Hill and Stratford East Picturehouse

Throughout the month of May, Dogwoof will celebrate the best in UK and World documentary filmmaking by teaming up with the Notting Hill Gate Picturehouse and Stratford East Picturehouse to present a tantalising season of docs they call: DOGWOOF DOCS. Four films will be presented over one month and include a director Q&A and exclusive preview ahead of the general release.

For tickets & more information head over here

ABENDLAND
Abendland is a stunning portrait of Europe at night. Sometimes darkness can help us see things more clearly.

• Sunday 6 May – Gate Picturehouse
• Thursday 10 May – Stratford East Picturehouse

PUTIN’S KISS
Following a politically ambitious teenager as she rises to the top of an ultra-nationalist youth organisation, Putin's Kiss provides a rare insight into the dark side of Russian democracy "Putin-style".

• Sunday 13 May – Gate Picturehouse
• Thursday 17 May – Stratford East Picturehouse

TOWN OF RUNNERS + Q&As with director Jerry Rothwell The world's best long-distance runners hail from one small town in Ethiopia. Town of Runners follows two girls from Bekoji, determined to follow in their heroes' footsteps.

• Sunday 20 May – Gate Picturehouse
• Thursday 24 May – Stratford East Picturehouse

REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR
Director Chris Paine goes behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.

• Sunday 27 May – Gate Picturehouse
• Thursday 31 May – Stratford East Picturehouse

About Dogwoof
Dogwoof is the UK’s leading independent documentary film distributor. Founded in 2004, initial releases had a strong focus on social issues: Black Gold was widely credited with shifting Starbucks’ position on fairtrade; The Age of Stupid led to the 10:10 campaign; The End of the Line was largely responsible for Marks & Spencer and Pret a Manger changing their sustainable fishing policy. Recent Dogwoof releases include the 2011 Oscar®-nominated documentaries Gasland and Restrepo, which stands as iTunes’ highest selling documentary in the UK, and also Countdown to Zero which premiered in a 50-site simultaneous satellite feed. UK documentary Dreams of a Life premiered at the London Film Festival and was followed by a series of director and cast screenings across London, resulting in an unprecedented 11 week run in Odeon cinemas in London’s West End. Also in 2012, Dogwoof launched two new initiatives: http://popupcinema.net/ which seeks to empower local entrepreneurs to screen Dogwoof films locally and in non-traditional venues, and http://dogwoofsales.com/ , a consultancy agent-based service designed to help documentary filmmakers promote and sell their films globally through their network of fellow distributors and broadcasters. For further information please visit www.dogwoof.com

Marley gets a trailer

Shangri-La Entertainment and Tuff Gong Pictures have produced, in association with Cowboy Films, this definitive film about one of the most loved international icons of the 20th Century. His music and message of love and redemption are known throughout the world and his story has finally been brought to life in this definitive work by the acclaimed talent of Kevin Macdonald. Filming took place as far afield as Ghana, Japan and the UK, in addition to Bob’s beloved Jamaica and the States – the film marks the first time his family has authorized the use of their own private archives.

Hitting UK cinemas April 20, 2012

Universal gets Marley

News of this film first came out last year's Cannes film festival. This was wen some footage was shown and it was expected to be released sometime last year. Now we have a distributor and a release date. Originally planned to be released to celebrate the 30th anniversary year of his death. As this has not happened it is now being released to celebrate the "50th anniversary of Jamaican independence".

The Shangri-La Entertainment/Tuff Gong Pictures produced Bob Marley documentary, MARLEY, has been acquired by Universal Pictures International Entertainment for all rights within the UK & Scandinavia.  Additional acquisitions have been secured by Lucky Red for Italy and by Avalon Distribution for Spain. Directed by Academy Award® and BAFTA® winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, the film is scheduled for theatrical release in North America and the UK on April 20th 2012, then will release worldwide throughout the summer to coincide with the 50th anniversary year of Jamaican Independence.  Kevin Macdonald, Rohan Marley and long-time collaborator of Bob Marley, Neville Garrick, will be in Berlin to present the film on February 12th.

International sales agent, Fortissimo Films, also completed sales for South Africa (Nu Metro), Portugal (Lusomundo / Film & TV House), Germany & Austria (Studio Canal Germany), Poland (Best Film), France (Wild Side Films), Latin America (HBO Latin America Pan Regional Pay TV), Australia & New Zealand (Roadshow Films PTY Ltd), Benelux (E1), Middle East (Front Row) and Switzerland (Elite Film A.G.).

Shangri-La Entertainment and Tuff Gong Pictures have produced, in association with Cowboy Films, this definitive film about one of the most loved international icons of the 20th Century.  His music and message of love and redemption are known throughout the world and his story has finally been brought to life in this definitive work by the acclaimed talent of Kevin Macdonald. Filming took place as far afield as Ghana, Japan and the UK, in addition to Bob’s beloved Jamaica and the States – the film marks the first time his family has authorized the use of their own private archives.

Macdonald, director of two of the most acclaimed documentaries of recent years, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER and TOUCHING THE VOID, directs the ultimate, authorized documentary film on the life, legacy and global impact of a true legend - one of the most influential singers, songwriters, musicians and activists in history.  Only a handful of musicians have ever achieved such an impact as Bob Marley – and though Marley’s life was far too short, he stands among history’s most iconic personalities.

The deal was brokered by managing director of international sales agent Fortissimo Films Nelleke Driessen.

On announcing the deal Driessen said, “Bob Marley is one of a very few true international icons. His image, music and messages of love and peace have crossed borders, boundaries and cultures and are as relevant in the world today as ever.  We are extremely happy that the team at Universal share our passion for the subject matter and see the potential for this landmark project.  There is no better company to bring this film to audiences across the UK and Scandinavia where Bob remains so popular.”

Directors of Photography include Alwin Kuchler (ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER and SUNSHINE) and Mike Eley (TOUCHING THE VOID). The editor is Dan Glendenning.

Kevin Macdonald’s recent projects include the multi-million dollar Focus Features production, THE EAGLE, starring Donald Sutherland, Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell which hit US theatres in February and his well-received documentary, LIFE IN A DAY, which screened at last year’s Sundance Film Festival.

The Libertines, The documentary

THE LIBERTINES: THERE ARE NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS is an engaging and honest music documentary by legendary photographer turned filmmaker, Roger Sargent. The film offers an intimate look at the band’s 2010 reunion with unrivalled access, starting at Sargent’s NME cover shoot announcing the big festival appearance at Reading and Leeds, through the rehearsals and celebrated warm up shows, to being on stage on the big night.

Sargent’s relationship with the band has enabled him to create the definitive film about arguably one of the most influential groups of its generation, exploring the passion, drive, love and laughter of The Libertines’ story. He successfully unlocks the personalities and relationships of the band and navigates the viewer through the tensions behind this most celebrated and hotly debated of reunions.

Narrated by the band in their own words, the film spans the period of time from the announcement of the reunion to the weekend of the Reading and Leeds festivals – their first ‘on the road’ experience together for six years. With this as a backdrop, Sargent explores the history of the band, allowing them to intimately discuss how they became what they are and revealing untold stories along the way.

The release of the DVD has been designed to cater specifically for the needs of the fans. Roger and the band have taken time to create a unique and highly collectable set of DVD and artwork products that will be sold direct to consumers via www.pledgemusic.com. These will be available to pre buy now.

PledgeMusic (www.pledgemusic.com), the leading international direct-to-fan music company, allows fans to purchase albums or DVDs as a pre-sale along with a choice of other premium and exclusive items.

Ahead of its theatrical release in April, THE LIBERTINES: THERE ARE NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS will premiere with a multi-city event in March. Using a unique and innovative release strategy, the film will tour the UK’s O2 Academies to give the fans an opportunity to see the film in a music venue and participate in Q&As with Roger Sargent and band members. The film screening and Q&A will be complemented by a special DJ from one member of the band.

Film Tour Dates
March 2012

• O2 Academy Bristol – 19 March
• O2 Academy2 Birmingham – 20 March
• O2 Academy Islington –21 March
• O2 Academy Liverpool – 22 March
• O2 Academy Newcastle – 23 March
• O2 ABC Glasgow – 24 March

Tickets go on sale on Friday 27 January at 9am and can be bought from: www.ticketweb.co.uk and www.gigsandtours.com

Pulse Films is excited to be taking advantage of new opportunities offered by emerging digital platforms to self-release their fourth feature-length documentary, THE LIBERTINES: THERE ARE NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS in the UK market. The documentary opened London’s East End Film Festival in April 2011 and has been on a highly successful tour of the international film festival circuit picking up international sales representation along the way.

I haven't been sent over a trailer so I hit youTube and found the teaser trailer

Find out more at www.thelibertinesfilm.com

Do you want to be a Girl Model?

GIRL MODEL follows Ashley, a deeply ambivalent model scout and Nadya her thirteenyear-old protégé. who is plucked from the outer reaches of Siberia and dropped in the centre of Tokyo with the promise of a successful career.

After Ashley's initial discovery of Nadya, the two rarely meet again, but their stories are inextricably bound. As Nadya's optimism about rescuing her family from their financial difficulties grows, her dreams contrast against Ashley's more jaded outlook about the industry's corrosive influence.

Stuck in an alien world miles away from home Nadya goes through a punishing grind of casting calls and rejections. She and innocent girls like her are left to fend for themselves, barely able to communicate and bound by contracts that forbid them to gain weight or inches and allows the agencies to renege on the immigration requirement of guaranteed work, leaving them worse off than when they started.

Will Nadya, and the other girls like her, be able to find anyone to help them navigate this maze, or will they follow a path like Ashley's, having learned the tricks of the labyrinth but unable to escape its lure?

Walking into UK cinemas February 10, 2012

TT3D: Closer to the Edge, the review

5 Stars all the way round the circuit.

TT3D: Closer to the Edge is a class documentary,

that immerses itself in the life and times of those competing and those who help and support all that goes on on the isle of Man, as they prepare for the greatest street race in the World.

It follows the main riders, Guy Martin, John McGuinness, Ian Hutchinson, Conor Cummins and Michael Dunlop.

Guy is the maverick of the circuit and we follow him from his day job of a lorry mechanic 6 weeks before the race to his new bikes and sponsor.

He doesn't always pay full attention so mistakes are made which always seem to hinder him, but this makes him more likable and his shooting from the lip only helps the situation.

The filming and editing is impressive and keeps the appeal and the edge of your seat warm, as you follow the trials and tribulations of all the riders and their families, through triumph and tragedies and there are a few.

Running time: 1Hr 36mins.
Review is of one disk, the main feature.

A must see film, available to buy now on Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray and DVD

TT3D DVD launch event at The ACE Cafe

Yesterday, The Ace Cafe London has made Motor Sport History by hosting the first ever Biker Ride-In Screening to mark the Blu-ray and DVD release of the stunning TT3D: CLOSER TO THE EDGE, starring Guy Martin

Taking inspiration from classic drive-in cinema, those lucky enough to attend had the chance to drive their bikes straight into the specially built outdoor screening area. There they were able to enjoy the stunning fast paced action of the TT races as Guy Martin and others raced to become King of the Mountain.

Following the exhilirating action of the world-famous Isle of Man TT Races as the film tracks the competitors of the 2010 race as they speed at up to 200mph in search of the ultimate thrill ride and examines their need to go to the extreme to feel truly alive.

Directed by Richard de Aragues, and produced by Steve Christian and Marc Samuelson, TT3D: CLOSER TO THE EDGE puts this elite band of brothers in the spotlight, where the pursuit of glory is the pursuit of freedom and can often lead to the ultimate sacrifice; especially when you have to risk everything to win.

Dreams of a Life

A very sad and, in a way, poignant documentary about death in the modern age.

Nobody noticed when Joyce Vincent died in her bedsit above a shopping mall in North London in 2003. Her body wasn’t discovered for three years, surrounded by Christmas presents she had been wrapping, and with the TV still on. Newspaper reports offered few details of her life - not even a photograph.

Who was she? And how could this happen to someone in our day and age - the so-called age of communication? For her film Dreams of a Life, filmmaker Carol Morley set out to find out. Joyce may have died in tragic isolation, but Morley was not going to let her be forgotten. She placed adverts in newspapers, on the Internet, and on the side of a London taxi. What she finds out is extraordinary.

A range of people that once knew Joyce help to piece together a portrait of the woman that became so forgotten. “She was very sweet, beautiful looking, a bit of a mystery. We weren’t too sure where she came from. It’s almost like she was a ghost, even then.” Dreams of a Life becomes as much about the people who remember her as it is about Joyce herself.

Find out more at the Official Site, on twitter or even on facebook
In UK cinemas December 16, 2011

Hitch a ride on The Magic Bus

I had come across the The Merry Band of Pranksters on my travels around the Internet. They were a bunch of, well... That's had to describe so just watch the trailer below.

In 1964, Ken Kesey, the famed author of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” set off on a legendary, LSD-fuelled cross-country road trip to the New York World’s Fair. He was joined by “The Merry Band of Pranksters,” a renegade group of counterculture truth-seekers, including Neal Cassady, the American icon immortalized in Kerouac’s “On the Road,” and the driver and painter of the psychedelic Magic Bus. Kesey and the Pranksters intended to make a documentary about their trip, shooting footage on 16MM, but the film was never finished and the footage has remained virtually unseen. With MAGIC TRIP, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood were given unprecedented access to this raw footage by the Kesey family. They worked with the Film Foundation, HISTORY and the UCLA Film Archives to restore over 100 hours of film and audiotape, and have shaped an invaluable document of this extraordinary piece of American history.

Tripping into UK cinemas 18th November, and DVD and Blu-ray 28th November.

Cane Toad destruction in 3D

I think it's a pity that this film will only have a limited release here in the UK as it looks a hilarious take on what happens when man fails. The film seems to focus on the way that the human population tries to keep the invasion of the Cane Toad in, seeeminly, a very Australian way. The film is show in 3D. I'm not sure why apart from "why not"!

Mark Lewis (Cane Toads: An Unnatural History) explores one of Australia’s greatest environmental catastrophes as he follows the unstoppable march of the cane toad across the Australian continent. Despised by many, venerated by some, the toad has occupied a nation’s consciousness achieving both cult and criminal status. Despite its international origin the cane toad has become uniquely Australian – yet, for a world wrestling with the idea that we have irretrievably altered our own ecosystem, its story holds universal relevance.

Featuring a host of engaging characters as well as thousands of toads, Cane Toads: 3D is a humorous yet thought-provoking journey into the issue of invasive species.

Leaping into UK cinemas September 30, 2011

Find the truth about Black metal

Two years ago saw the release of a documentary about Black Metal and what happened in Norway. After churches were burnt and people murdered the press got involved and discovered what was going on in this new sub-genre. Soon you can watch it On Demand.

Until the Light Takes Us (2009) is a feature length documentary about the story of black metal. Part music scene and part cultural uprising, black metal rose to worldwide notoriety in the mid-nineties when a rash of suicides, murders, and church burnings accompanied the explosive artistic growth and output of a music scene that would forever redefine what heavy metal is and what it stands for to other musicians, artists and music fans worldwide.

Until the Light Takes Us goes behind the highly sensationalized media reports of "Satanists running amok in Europe" to examine the complex and largely misunderstood principles and beliefs that led to this rebellion against both Christianity and modern culture. To capture this on film, directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell moved to Norway and lived with the musicians for several years, building relationships that allowed them to create a surprisingly intimate portrait of this violent, but ultimately misunderstood, movement.

Available on Demand from Apple and Sony Playstation from September 15, 2011

One last view of NIM

Icon has sent over a new clip from the amazing documentary, Project NIM.

Nim Moves To Stephanie’s

From the Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmakers behind MAN ON WIRE, James Marsh and Simon Chinn, comes the story of Nim the chimpanzee. In the 1970s Nim became the focus of a landmark experiment which aimed to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child.

Following Nim’s extraordinary journey through human society, and the enduring impact he makes on the people he meets along the way, the film is an unflinching and unsentimental biography of an animal we tried to make human. What we learn about his true nature – and indeed our own – is comic, revealing and profoundly unsettling.

PROJECT NIM is in cinemas now