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Category Archive
Conversation: The Jazzed Up 'Gatsby' May 17, 2013 |
It is--again--a Gatsby/Fitzgerald moment. "The Great Gatsby" is on the big screen now in by Baz Luhrmann's new film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel. There are also several new books about the lives of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
Feline Fans Unite at Internet Cat Video Festival May 14, 2013 |
At the Internet Cat Video Festival in Oakland, Calif., around 6,000 people gathered on a late spring afternoon to celebrate all things feline and to watch nearly 70 minutes of hilarious cat web videos projected on a 10-story building after the sun went down.
'No Place on Earth' Brings to Light Story of Holocaust Survivors Who Hid in Caves April 19, 2013 |
The new film "No Place on Earth" tells the incredible story of a small group of Jews who literally went underground, into caves, to escape the horrors of the Holocaust.
Conversation: Glenn Frankel's 'The Searchers' March 8, 2013 |
"The Searchers" is, of course, the name of director John Ford's famous 1956 Western starring John Wayne. But it's also part of a much bigger American story, steeped in myth, told and re-told in different forms. It's now at the heart of a new book titled "The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend."
Around the Nation March 6, 2013 |
Here are four arts and culture videos from public broadcasting partners around the nation.
Ingredients for an Oscar Win: Cocktails for Your Viewing Party February 22, 2013 |
Alcohol has often held a starring role on the silver screen. Academy Award-nominated actress Greta Garbo's opening line in the 1930 film "Anna Christine" (her first part in a "talkie" film) with the immortal words "Gimme a whisky, ginger ale on the side, and don't be stingy, baby!" Cocktails conjure visions of old Hollywood glamour and sophistication, but can also elicit panic from hosts and hostesses less versed in the art of drinking than consummate cinematic tipplers Nick and Nora Charles. To assuage any worries over the best ways to make and serve cocktails, we turned to three experts in the liquor field: We get their entertaining tips, recipes for Oscar tie-in cocktails, and a little history of drinking in Hollywood.
The Oscar Documentaries, Part 5: '5 Broken Cameras' February 22, 2013 |
We're talking to all of the filmmakers nominated this year for an Academy Award in the category of Best Documentary Feature, including David France, director of "How to Survive a Plague," Malik Bendjelloul ("Searching for Sugarman"), Kirby Dick ("The Invisible...
Test Your 2013 Oscars Knowledge February 21, 2013 |
Whether thumbs up or thumbs down, fresh tomatoes or rotten tomatoes, film critics will never run out of things to say about the Oscar-nominated movies. We've taken their punchy lines and are challenging you to guess which films they're praising or bashing.
Best Picture? According to Whom? February 21, 2013 |
Every year, a number of critics will come out against certain picks and winners. Some will criticize the Academy Awards for misrepresenting of the world of cinema by leaving out worthy independent films, art house films and foreign films.
The Oscar Documentaries, Part 4: 'The Gatekeepers' February 20, 2013 |
"The Gatekeepers" is a film that consists mostly of interviews with six men, but they happen to be six former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency. Jeffrey Brown talks to the director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary.
The Gun: a Trigger for Art February 19, 2013 |
A look at some of the ways the gun has been depicted in art, from movies to paintings to photographs.
The Oscar Documentaries, Part 3: 'The Invisible War' February 18, 2013 |
Sexual assault within the U.S. military has been the subject of scandals, studies and a recent congressional hearing. But it's perhaps never been so thoroughly investigated and dramatically presented as in the documentary, "The Invisible War," which has been nominated for an Academy Award.
The Oscar Documentaries, Part 2: 'Searching for Sugar Man' February 15, 2013 |
In 1970, a singer-songwriter going by the name Rodriguez released an album called "Cold Fact." It got some good reviews but sold next to nothing, and within a few years Rodriguez had returned to life as a laborer in Detroit. But in South Africa he became a major star. The story is told in the Oscar-nominated documentary, "Searching for Sugar Man."
The 2013 Oscar Documentaries, Part 1: 'How to Survive a Plague' February 13, 2013 |
In a new documentary, "How to Survive a Plague," filmmaker David France re-examines the in-your-face brand of AIDS activism that forced the nation to pay attention in the early days of the epidemic and eventually convinced the federal government to speed the approval of life-saving drugs. Ray Suarez speaks with France about why a film primarily composed of archival, handheld video footage from the 1980s and '90s remains so relevant to today's fight.
Breaking Down the Oscar Nominations January 11, 2013 |
This year's Oscar nominations were announced Thursday. From Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" to Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty," the choices always stir great interest, debate and offer a chance to look at the direction and quality of movies these days.
Thursday on the NewsHour: Examining Torture in 'Zero Dark Thirty' January 10, 2013 |
Extended interview with "Zero Dark Thirty" director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal.
'Lincoln' Tops All Movies With 12 Oscar Nominations January 10, 2013 |
Steven Spielberg's Civil War drama "Lincoln" earned 12 Academy Award nominations Thursday, leading all films, including for best picture, director and acting for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.
The World of Tolkien's Hobbit December 14, 2012 |
Tolkien scholar Jason Fisher discusses Tolkien's ability to bridge mythology and language.
Conversation: David Denby on the Movies December 7, 2012 |
David Denby writes about the immediate moment in his role as film critic for The New Yorker. He also looks at the much bigger picture in his latest book, "Do the Movies Have a Future?"
Conversation: Director Jonathan Demme on His New Film and Hero, Carolyn Parker September 20, 2012 |
The film is titled "I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful," and indeed Carolyn Parker is all those things and more. A resident of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, acclaimed filmmaker Jonathan Demme tells her story.
Conversation: Mike Birbiglia and Ira Glass on Their New Film, 'Sleepwalk With Me' August 24, 2012 |
"Sleepwalk With Me" began life in, well, the real-life, sleep-walking episodes of comedian Mike Birbiglia, then a one-man theater production, a radio story on "This American Life," a book, an album and now a movie.
Conversation: Graphic Novelist, Director Marjane Satrapi August 17, 2012 |
Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" won international acclaim as an autobiographical tale, told first in the form of a graphic novel, later turned into a film, of a young girl coming of age amid the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran. Now comes the film version of "Chicken With Plums," another story based on her family's history.
Conversation: Lauren Greenfield, Director of 'The Queen of Versailles' July 27, 2012 |
The building of Versailles, not the one in France, but one in Orlando, Fla., which was set to become the largest home in the nation, is the starting point for a documentary film titled, "The Queen of Versailles." Jeffrey Brown talks to director Lauren Greenfield.
Rapper's Delight: Ice-T Catches Directing Bug With 'The Art of Rap' June 27, 2012 |
After playing Detective Odafin Tutuola on the hit series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit " for the past 13 years, Tracy Marrow, who is better known as hip-hop pioneer Ice-T, was ready to step behind the camera. The documentary "From Something to Nothing: The Art of Rap" is his directorial debut and premiered at Sundance in January. It opened in select U.S. cities earlier this month.
In 'First Position,' Ballet Behind the Curtain May 17, 2012 |
In the ballet world, the Youth American Grand Prix can make or break a young dancer's career. In "First Position," director Bess Kargman follows seven aspiring ballet dancers between the ages of 10 and 17 as they prepare for and compete in the annual New York City event.
A Revealing Look at 'Marley' April 18, 2012 |
Bob Marley remains one of the most recognizable and celebrated musicians in the world, and on Friday his fans will get a comprehensive look at his life in a new documentary called, simply, "Marley."
Conversation: Philippe Falardeau's 'Monsieur Lazhar' April 13, 2012 |
After the suicide of a teacher in a Montreal middle-school, a class of grieving students is thrown together with an Algerian immigrant with tragic secrets of his own and who becomes their new teacher. The film, "Monsieur Lazhar," directed by Philippe Falardeau and adapted from a play, tells a story of cultural gaps and emotional chasms in one small classroom and out into the wider world.
The First-ever PBS Online Film Festival March 2, 2012 |
Earlier this week, PBS kicked off its first-ever Online Film Festival, which will showcase 20 short films from independent filmmakers. Every Monday for five weeks, a new category of films will be available to watch via the PBS website and the PBS YouTube channel. At then end of the festival, a People's Choice winner will announced.
1927's 'Napoleon' Set for Grand Premiere January 20, 2012 |
It's billed as the U.S. premiere of a film made in 1927. The film is "Napoleon," made by the great director, Abel Gance. The U.S. premiere with full orchestra will be at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival in March. Jeffrey Brown talks to Kevin Brownlow, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker who's put it together.
On the Angelina Jolie Press Junket January 17, 2012 |
I might as well quickly get out of the way the most obvious detail: Yes, Angelina Jolie is an attractive human being, this day exuding more seriousness of purpose than glamor. But I left thinking less about her than about the strange experience of interviewing her.
'Being Elmo': The Man Behind the Muppet December 28, 2011 |
Chances are you've heard Kevin Clash many, many times and don't even realize it. He is everywhere. You've heard his voice on TV, and if you have children you've heard it coming from one of their toys, one of the most popular ever, over and over and over again. You've tickled him. Clash is Elmo.
Conversation: The Year in Film December 23, 2011 |
As 2011 draws to an end, Jeffrey Brown talks to the New York Times' A.O. Scott about the year in movies.
A Warlord's Quest for Forgiveness Explored in 'The Redemption of General Butt Naked' December 19, 2011 |
A new documentary follows Joshua Milton Blahyi, aka General Butt Naked, an African warlord who renounced his violent past to become a Christian evangelist seeking forgiveness from his victims. Filmmakers Eric Strauss and Daniele Anastasion talk to NewsHour about making the film.
MOMA Pays Homage to Experimental Filmmaker Jack Smith November 23, 2011 |
A retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York features 11 newly-preserved prints of Jack Smith's work, which were recently acquired by MoMA as part of its film preservation festival, "To Save and Project." The films are shown as originally intended: on celluloid and in a movie theater.
Allen Gets 'Masters' Treatment on PBS November 18, 2011 |
A new film not by but about Woody Allen is coming to the PBS series, "American Masters." It's called "Woody Allen: A Documentary." It comes in two parts and airs on Nov. 20 and 21.
'Margin Call': Calm Before the Storm of 2008 Financial Crisis October 21, 2011 |
The 2008 financial collapse is a complex phenomenon to fathom. It's an even harder phenomenon to recreate in a cinematic narrative. "Margin Call," a film that opens in theaters Friday, takes on that challenge and offers a fictional account of the first 24 hours inside a Wall Street financial firm as it discovers that it's over-run with toxic assets.
'Last Train Home' Goes on Long Journey With Chinese Migrant Workers September 21, 2011 |
This week on the NewsHour, "Last Train Home," a documentary that looks at the annual migration of millions of factory workers for the Chinese New Year, will be airing as part of our partnership with The Economist Film Project. Jeffrey Brown talks to director Lixin Fan.
Conversation: 'Rebirth' Tells Stories of Healing After Attacks September 9, 2011 |
From 2002 to 2009, director Jim Whitaker and a film crew chronicled the lives of five people who were directly impacted by the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11 for a new documentary, "Rebirth."
Conversation: Michael Rapaport, Director of 'Beats, Rhymes & Life' July 28, 2011 |
'Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest,' is a documentary film about one of the most creative, influential and innovative musical groups in hip-hop history.
Conversation: So Long, Harry Potter July 15, 2011 |
The Boy Who Lived is now the movie franchise that has ended.
Conversation: What Next for Ai Weiwei? June 30, 2011 |
Internationally known Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was released from prison last week after a three month detention. Jeffrey Brown gets an update on Ai's situation from Alison Klayman, who has been working on a documentary about him, "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry."
Preview: Director Robin Hessman Explores Last Soviet Generation in 'My Perestroika' June 21, 2011 |
This week on the NewsHour, "My Perestroika," a documentary that looks at the last Soviet generation, will be airing as part of our partnership with The Economist Film Project. Jeffrey Brown talks to director Robin Hessman.
Conversation: Summer Movies May 27, 2011 |
Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday joined us by phone to discuss the strong roster of films at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and, as we kick off the season this holiday weekend, what we can expect and look forward to in theaters this summer.
Conversation: Geena Davis Hopes to Shift Gender Balance in Film May 20, 2011 |
Geena Davis has some experience with strong and complex female characters. She's played a meek-housewife-turned-bold-woman-on-the-run, a baseball star, a secret agent and an American president. She says it was her experience playing Thelma in "Thelma and Louise" that first piqued her interest in the cause.
Whether Joan Rivers or Genocide, Sundberg and Stern Find Compelling Stories May 12, 2011 |
After more than two decades, Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern now have what Sundberg calls, "a long marriage of a work partnership." The documentary filmmakers founded Break-Thru Films in 1990 and began working on their first major, feature-length documentary in 1994.
In New Film, Director of 'Hoop Dreams' Confronts Chicago's Violence May 10, 2011 |
The new documentary, "The Interrupters," by director Steve James follows three individuals who try to protect their Chicago communities from the kind of violence they themselves were once complicit in.
New Documentary Recounts Rise and Fall of an Architectural Myth May 3, 2011 |
In St. Louis in the 1950s, Pruitt-Igoe was touted as the definitive model for public housing projects in the modern era. Less than 20 years after its construction, the buildings of Pruitt-Igoe were torn down.
'Better This World' Looks at Domestic Terrorism, Political Activism Post-9/11 April 27, 2011 |
A new documentary, 'Better This World', follows the story of the Texas Two as they wrestle with how to defend themselves in court and deal with FBI pressure to betray each other.
Tonight on PBS, Remaking a Life in the Made-up World of 'Marwencol' April 26, 2011 |
Mark Hogancamp's therapeutic imaginary world is the subject of 'Marwencol', a documentary by Jeff Malmberg that airs on "PBS' Independent Lens":http://www.itvs.org/films/marwencol on Tuesday.
'Where Soldiers Come From' Tells Wartime Coming of Age Story April 26, 2011 |
When filmmaker Heather Courtney returned to her hometown in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she was hoping to make a film about rural America. But over the next four years she instead discovered a coming of age story that took her from the U.P. to Afghanistan and back again.
Conversation: Denis Villeneuve, Director of 'Incendies' April 22, 2011 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, director of "Incendies," which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was released in theaters Friday.
Photographer, Filmmaker Tim Hetherington Killed in Libya April 20, 2011 |
Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Tim Hetherington has been reported killed Wednesday in Misrata, Libya, in a mortar attack.
Live Web Chat with Independent Lens Filmmakers for Artists Month April 12, 2011 |
In honor of Artists Month on Independent Lens, Art Beat and ITVS will present a live chat with some of the filmmakers behind their lineup of documentaries.
A Most Precious Asset Is Only Skin Deep April 11, 2011 |
'White', a short film in ITVS's Futurestates series, explores a future where society's racial stratification is heightened by the threat of global warming.
'Remigration' Imagines a City With No Workers March 29, 2011 |
Imagine a city occupied exclusively by the upper class. High rents and property costs have pushed out construction workers, public school teachers, subway operators and other middle- and lower-class earners. The short film "Remigration" imagines how this scenario might play out.
Stories from SXSW: A Small Indie Film Makes Its Debut March 25, 2011 |
For many directors, SXSW presents an opportunity not only to screen their films, but to screen them for the first public audiences.
Elizabeth Taylor in the Flesh March 23, 2011 |
It was 1960, and Spencer Michels was learning how to be a journalist at Columbia University when he met Elizabeth Taylor. At the age of 21, he had a lot to learn.
Elizabeth Taylor Dies at Age 79 March 23, 2011 |
Actress and Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor died Wednesday at age 79. A publicist told the Associated Press that Taylor was surrounded by her four children when she died of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she had been hospitalized for about six weeks.
'Natural Selection' and 'Dragonslayer' Are Big Winners at SXSW Film Festival March 16, 2011 |
Two films were big award winners at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. "Natural Selection" by director Robert Pickering and "Dragonslayer" by director Tristan Patterson took home Jury Awarded Best Feature Narrative and Documentary, respectively.
Stories from SXSW: Films That Speak to Deaf and Hearing Audiences Alike March 15, 2011 |
Filmmaker and designer Robyn Girard hopes that her latest project will bring positive stories of what it's like to be deaf to popular culture.
Conversation: A.O. Scott Previews the Oscars February 25, 2011 |
The 83rd Academy Awards are Sunday night in Los Angeles, and for a preview of the ceremony and a break down of the nominees, Jeffrey Brown speaks to New York Times Film critic A.O. Scott.
Live Action Shorts Can Stand Tall at Oscars February 24, 2011 |
The Oscars take place Sunday evening, and there will be the usual glitz and glamour of Hollywood on display. But just as deserving of a place on the red carpet are films you probably haven't heard of: the live action shorts.
Oscar Nominated Animated Films Are Not Short on Ideas February 22, 2011 |
To appreciate the complexity and craft of animated narratives, one need not look further than the 2011 Oscar animated shorts category.
The Films Are Alive With the Art of Foley February 18, 2011 |
In a movie, some elements are designed to stand out and take center stage. Yet Oscar-winning sound editor Richard King says he's done his job well when the sound works to enhance the picture and not draw attention to itself.
Conversation: Kevin MacDonald, Director of 'Life in a Day' January 27, 2011 |
For "Life in a Day," a 90-minute documentary film, Kevin MacDonald, with the help of a team of researchers, pieced together real-life footage selected from more than 80,000 YouTube submissions (which added up to over 4,500 hours of tape) all shot on July 24, 2010, from all over the globe.
Conversation: Sundance Film Festival January 21, 2011 |
This year's Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 20 to 30. Jeffrey Brown talks to two people who work year-round to put it together: John Cooper, the festival director; and Trevor Groth, the director of programming.
Conversation: Best Unsung Films of 2010 December 22, 2010 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post about the best under-appreciated films of 2010.
Festival Gives Cubans a Window to the World December 21, 2010 |
The grand lobby of Havana's historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba was humming with activity earlier this month as documentary filmmakers, directors, actors and producers from around Latin America gathered to pay homage to their craft at the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema.
Conversation: Andrew Jarecki, Director of 'All Good Things' December 10, 2010 |
In his latest film director Andrew Jarecki, who says he has always been drawn to true stories, has picked to re-imagine an infamous unsolved mystery involving a wealthy and powerful New York family.
Conversation: Filmmaker Lucy Walker Documents an Artist's 'Waste Land' November 19, 2010 |
In 2007, New York-based artist Vik Muniz returned to his native country of Brazil to set up shop at the world's largest garbage dump in Rio de Janiero. His story is told in the new documentary "Waste Land" by director Lucy Walker.
Monday on the NewsHour: Judd Apatow October 25, 2010 |
An extended interview with Judd Apatow, whose latest pursuit is a book called "I Found This Funny."
Conversation: William Kentridge October 20, 2010 |
Premiering nationwide Thursday on PBS is art:21's latest film, "William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible." Kentridge, a South African artist, is well known for his wide dynamic range of works: charcoal drawings, animations, video installations, sculptures and performance pieces.
New Documentary 'Of Dolls & Murder' Explores Macabre in Miniature October 13, 2010 |
Created in the 1930's and 1940's, the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death is a collection of macabre dollhouses, each playing host to a different deathly crime. A new documentary peers into the tiny world of the tiny scenes and their practical use today.
New Documentary Explores How Music 'Made' Louisville October 12, 2010 |
After the Great Depression and a horrendous flood devastated Louisville, the city's mayor and and the conductor of its symphony orchestra hatched a plan to make the city great again.
Conversation: Chad Troutwine, Producer of 'Freakonomics' October 1, 2010 |
First a bestselling book, then a popular blog and soon to be a public radio show, the phenomenon that is "Freakonomics" is the brain child of University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner. Now, "Freakonomics" is a movie.
For Two Filmmakers, 'California Is a Place' You Haven't Really Seen Before September 23, 2010 |
In the summer of 2009, with signs of the Great Recession scattered across much of California, filmmaker Drea Cooper and photographer Zackary Canepari decided it was time to work together full time to document what they were witnessing around them.
Conversation: Kendall Messick's Close-Up of 'The Projectionist' September 21, 2010 |
Delaware movie projectionist Gordon Brinckle had an extraordinary secret: Over the course of nearly 50 years, he created a miniature movie palace in his basement that he called the Shalimar. Photographer Kendall Messick has published a new book of photographs documenting his theater.
Conversation: From Book to Stage to Screen, Lawrence Wright's 'My Trip to Al-Qaeda' September 3, 2010 |
Lawrence Wright is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11." His documentary on the subject, "My Trip to al-Qaeda," premieres on HBO next week.
Conversation: Director Yael Hersonski Puts New Lens on 'A Film Unfinished' August 20, 2010 |
In 1942, a Nazi crew arrived in Warsaw, Poland to begin filming in the Jewish ghetto, just months before its razing and the deportation of its terrorized inhabitants. In her new movie, "A Film Unfinished," Israeli filmmaker Yael Hersonski attempts to put together a fuller understanding of the film's purpose and production.
Conversation: Lisa Cholodenko, Director of 'The Kids Are All Right' July 23, 2010 |
At the center of the new film "The Kids Are All Right" is a loving, average family: two kids and two parents. In fact, two moms, Jules and Nic, played by Julianne Moore and Annette Bening. When their older daughter turns 18, she becomes legally entitled to find and contact her biological father. But the introduction of this new man into their lives changes Nic and Jules' relationship.
Conversation: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Turns 50 July 16, 2010 |
This week marks the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Lee's classic, read today in classrooms throughout the country, has sold more than 30 million copies and made a lasting impact on many writers through the years.
Conversation: Director Amir Bar-Lev Tells 'The Tillman Story' in New Documentary July 9, 2010 |
Army Ranger Pat Tillman died in April 2004 in Afghanistan. Initially, the Army said the former NFL star was killed by enemy fire. Five weeks later, it was revealed that Tillman died from friendly fire.
'Bhutto' Examines Life of Charismatic, Complicated Leader June 30, 2010 |
A new documentary film about the life and death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- the first woman head of an Islamic country who was assassinated in 2007 -- may attract as much interest for its political content as for its artistic or journalistic value; her husband Asif Ali Zardari is now the president of Pakistan, elected after her death.
Conversation: A Look at Summer's Movies June 18, 2010 |
Summer is usually the season for sure box office bets -- action blockbusters, sequels to big-name hits and new remakes of well-loved classics. But early signs suggest movie tickets for the usual fare may be a harder sell than usual for Hollywood.
As North Korea Returns to World Cup, Filmmaker Recounts 'Underdog' 1966 Team June 14, 2010 |
North Korea's national soccer team is something Gordon knows a lot about -- it took him four years to be granted access to make his first film, "The Game of Their Lives," a profile of North Korea's 1966 World Cup team.
Conversation: Debra Granik, Director of Sundance Favorite 'Winter's Bone' May 28, 2010 |
In "Winter's Bone" -- originally a novel by Daniel Woodrell and now a film by director Debra Granik -- 17-year-old Ree Dolly must find her troubled father who has disappeared just as he put up the family's house as bail. Now the head of the family, Ree bravely starts a dangerous search in order to keep her younger siblings and mother from being turned out into the cold.
Soccer Cinema's Goal: Bring Game to Rural South Africans May 19, 2010 |
Distance and money will prevent millions of South Africans from getting to see the FIFA World Cup while it takes place in their own country next month. That's why South African filmmaker Don Edkins created Soccer Cinema, a traveling theater that has been screening soccer-themed films in small communities all over the country since April.
Conversation: Director Alex Gibney on 'Casino Jack and the United States of Money' May 14, 2010 |
It involves casinos, the murder of a Greek tycoon, intrigue in Washington and much more. But the film, "Casino Jack and the United States of Money" is a documentary unwinding the trail of super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- once a powerful player in the nation's capital, now a convicted felon serving time in prison.
Conversation: Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves...and Screen May 14, 2010 |
The legend of Robin Hood can trace its origins as far back as medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer. On Friday, the latest version of one of history's favorite vigilantes arrives in theaters with director Ridley Scott's film, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.
Conversation: Peter Berg, Creator and Executive Producer of 'Friday Night Lights' April 30, 2010 |
NBC's television drama "Friday Night Lights," shows football as the raison d'etre for the small, fictional community of Dillon, Tx., but its residents also learn that life is about much more than touchdowns.
Conversation: PBS President Paula Kerger Making a Push for More Arts Programming April 23, 2010 |
The "Public Broadcasting Service":http://video.pbs.org/feature/149/ -- our home -- has a long tradition of showcasing the arts. But it's also true that programs featuring performances and exhibitions are not as pervasive and prominent on the nightly schedule as in the past.
A Love Letter to San Francisco's 'La Mission' April 23, 2010 |
When Peter and Benjamin Bratt grew up in San Francisco's Mission district in the 1970's, it was a neighborhood of Native American and Latino activists, low rider cars, Peruvian flute players, and vibrant murals that related the local history.
Conversation: Tribeca Film Festival Opens Amid Changing Industry April 21, 2010 |
Wednesday marks the premiere of the ninth annual Tribeca Film Festival. Over the next 12 days, the festival will screen 496 films, out of the 5,050 features and shorts that were submitted, from 38 different countries -- the most submissions in the festival's history.
'Doctor Who' Regenerates for a New Season April 16, 2010 |
On Saturday, a new era begins for the BBC's beloved science-fiction series, "Doctor Who," the quirky and mysterious hero who time travels in a spaceship disguised as a blue police box, exploring strange worlds and occasionally saving the universe.
Tonight on PBS, I.M. Pei Finds Life Reflection in Return to China March 31, 2010 |
Tonight on PBS, American Masters follows architect I.M. Pei back to the hometown he left as a young man, to design a new, modern museum for the city of Suzhou, China.
'Sweetgrass' Documents a Dying Tradition Through Quiet Observation March 25, 2010 |
Sweetgrass, a film by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Ilisa Barbash (a husband-wife team of visual anthropologists currently working at Harvard), documents one of the last of these journeys with lush, yet unsentimental intimacy.
Coming Soon to Hollywood: Movie Derivatives March 23, 2010 |
Moviegoers will soon be able to decide which films to see based not on stars or tomatoes, but on how well they're being traded by investors. Two investment firms are working to develop a futures market for movie derivatives that will let investors wager on box office performance.
An Unseen Modern China, Now On-Screen at the MoMA March 17, 2010 |
Inside China, the country at the heart of our new, global economy, one director is projecting a very different view of what modernization looks like in real human terms.
Actor Peter Graves Dies at Age 83 March 15, 2010 |
Peter Graves, who starred in the hit television series "Mission: Impossible" as well as the "Airplane" films, died Sunday of a heart attack at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif. He was 83.
Director of 'The Cove' Puts Oscar in Perspective March 8, 2010 |
A wave of new attention is likely to fall on a remote fishing village in Japan after director Louie Psihoyos won the best feature documentary prize for "The Cove" at the 82nd Academy Awards on Sunday.
Oscars Conversation With David Thomson March 5, 2010 |
The 82nd Academy Awards takes place this Sunday, and in an effort to lift sagging ratings and reach a wider audience, there are 10 movies nominated for best picture.
At the Oscars, Documentarians Hope Films Inspire Change March 4, 2010 |
The Best Documentary Feature category for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards is crowded with films that hope to make the world a little brighter.
Conversation: Ethan Hawke on Directing Shepard's 'A Lie of the Mind' February 24, 2010 |
Actor Ethan Hawke is best known for his work in film, including early successes like "Reality Bites" and "Before Sunrise." Hawke's latest project is directing a major off-Broadway revival of Sam Shepard's 1985 play, "A Lie of the Mind."
Jeffrey Brown Reports from Sundance January 29, 2010 |
Our own Jeffrey Brown has been at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival this week as a juror for the World Cinema Documentary category.
A Shot in the Dark: Cinematographer of 'The White Ribbon' Gives His Take January 21, 2010 |
For U.S. audiences, cinematographer Christian Berger may be best described as "the eyes" of Michael Haneke, the Austrian auteur known for his intense (and frequently violent) films. Haneke and Berger's latest film, "The White Ribbon," matches their previous efforts in both formal artistry and moral turpitude.
Conversation: Students from Haiti's Only Film School Keep Their Cameras Rolling January 19, 2010 |
When New York filmmaker Annie Nocenti became the first teacher at Cine Institute, Haiti's only film school, two years ago, she was excited to see what her students would capture. Last Tuesday, her students faced their most challenging test when a powerful earthquake ravaged the island.
Eric Rohmer, 89, Made Intellectual Films About People's Emotional Lives January 11, 2010 |
French director and film critic Eric Rohmer died Monday at the age of 89 in Paris.
Good Grief: Style and the 'Single Man' January 8, 2010 |
Based on the 1964 Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name, "A Single Man" is the cinematic debut of Tom Ford, an artist who, until now, was known for his role as creative director at fashion house Gucci. His foray into filmmaking has made viewers keen to see how he would deliver the narrative through his use of style.
The Decade in Film December 31, 2009 |
From the fading dominance of the big screen to the prevalence of the small screen, the critical cinematic successes that came from abroad, and the return of the 3-D Hollywood blockbuster, we asked two critics to reflect on the films and film culture of the past decade and to consider what may happen over the next ten years
Conversation: Patti Smith December 29, 2009 |
When fashion photographer Steven Sebring began shooting footage of the daily life of poet and performer Patti Smith -- what Smith describes as high-aesthetic home movies -- neither fully anticipated the project becoming a feature length film.
Tim Burton Gets a MoMA 'Retrospooktive' December 22, 2009 |
Late last month, a major retrospective of works by filmmaker and artist Tim Burton opened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Art Beat talked to Ron Magliozzi, MoMA's Assistant Curator of Film, about seeing the world through Burton's looking glass.
Conversation: On 'Avatar' and 'The Futurist' December 18, 2009 |
To learn more about James Cameron's new film and the director himself, Jeffrey Brown speaks to Rebecca Keegan, who spent time on the set of "Avatar" and wrote the new biography, "The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron."
A Lesson in the Language of 'Avatar' December 18, 2009 |
Paul Frommer hadn't ever aspired to invent a language, but when James Cameron -- director of the highly-anticipated "Avatar" -- e-mailed the USC Linguistics department looking for someone to create a speech system for the movie, the professor was eager to accept the challenge.
Our Correspondents' Picks of 2009 December 8, 2009 |
As the year draws to a close, and critics everywhere are drawing up their "Best Of" lists, we thought we'd enlist the PBS NewsHour mindshare to give us their picks for their favorite books, films, concerts and plays of 2009.
Here's to a Year of Art Beat December 4, 2009 |
Hard to believe, but it's been a year since we launched this blog. After our first weeks, I wrote a thank you to our "first responders" -- the people who'd written in to say how much they appreciated and supported our goal of providing a place online for the arts and culture.
Conversation: Frederick Wiseman, Director of 'La Danse' November 20, 2009 |
Director Frederick Wiseman has documented a wide range of people's everyday routines and the goings-on inside institutions. A "big ballet fan," and a sometimes-resident of Paris, Wiseman recently turned his camera to one of France's most important cultural institutions: the Paris Opera Ballet.
Tonight on PBS, 'No Subtitles Necessary' November 17, 2009 |
Airing tonight on Independent Lens is "No Subtitles Necessary," the story of two Hungarian filmmakers who reconfigured the landscape of American film in the 1960s and 70s.
In Theaters Is 'Where The Wild Things Are' October 16, 2009 |
Opening in theaters nationwide today is the film adaptation of Maurice Sendaks' beloved children's book, "Where The Wild Things Are." Directed by Spike Jonze, the film has been years in the making and the reviews have been generally positive.
'Herb & Dorothy,' a Love Story About Art, Opens New Season of Independent Lens October 13, 2009 |
The story of a postal worker and his librarian wife, who with modest means created one of the most priceless collections of contemporary art in the world, is the subject of Tuesday's season premier of Independent Lens on PBS.
'The Good Wife' Makes the Political Personal October 6, 2009 |
On the new CBS drama "The Good Wife," Alicia Florrick (played by Julianna Margulies), is an attorney turned dutiful political wife whose husband's sex tape with a prostitute lands him in prison and her back in the workforce.
Patrick Swayze, Dancer and Actor, Dead at 57 September 15, 2009 |
After battling pancreatic cancer for 15 months, actor Patrick Swayze died Monday at the age of 57. An accomplished ballet dancer and classically trained Broadway performer whose physique landed him both romantic and action roles throughout his 20-year career, Swayze is perhaps best remembered for his heart-throb role as Johnny Castle in 1987's "Dirty Dancing."
Of Dollars and Spidey Sense: Disney Has Much to Gain by Purchasing Marvel September 3, 2009 |
Disney's plan to buy Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for $4 billion opens up the gates of the Magic Kingdom to a whole host of new characters and helps complete the evolution of comics from a dime-store fringe market to a global economic powerhouse.
Conversation: Whit Stillman August 25, 2009 |
Before the re-release of Whit Stillman's "The Last Days of Disco," obscure copies of the cult auteur's film were selling on the Internet for as much as $150.
Now Stillman's 1998 movie (and his latest to date) is now being re-issued by Criterion Collection in a deluxe edition.
Conversation: Remembering John Hughes August 7, 2009 |
With the early death of writer and director John Hughes at 59 yesterday, America lost one of the most vivid voices to come out of (and help define) the 1980s.
Conversation: Alex Prud'homme, Co-Author of Julia Child's 'My Life in France' August 7, 2009 |
For decades on PBS, Julia Child brought her infectious enthusiasm for French cooking into the kitchens of her rapt viewers, passing on the culinary lessons she had learned during the years she lived in France.
Writer-Director John Hughes Dies at 59 August 6, 2009 |
American film director and writer John Hughes died Thursday of heart attack, his spokeswoman said. He was 59. According to a statement from his spokeswoman, Hughes died suddenly while taking a morning walk in New York City.
'We Sent Music and Laughter There': Man and the Moon, 40 Years On July 20, 2009 |
Now re-released by the Criterion Collection, the new DVD version of "For All Mankind" is far superior to the original grainy images most watched for the first time on their TVs.
Conversation: Werner Herzog June 30, 2009 |
In 1982 in the Peruvian jungle, Werner Herzog was making a film about an opera fanatic who would do anything to bring music to his remote city: Fitzcarraldo and his small crew face deadly river rapids, indigenous tribes with spears and the impossible task of hauling a steamship over a mountain.
Actress, '70s Icon Farrah Fawcett Dies After High-profile Cancer Battle June 25, 2009 |
Actress Farrah Fawcett, best known for starring in the 1970s TV hit "Charlie's Angels," died Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif., following a battle with cancer. She was 62.
Forum: Submit Questions for Werner Herzog June 19, 2009 |
Due out at the end of the month is "Conquest of the Useless," a collection of Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" journals (or, as he describes them in the book's preface, "inner landscapes, born of the delirium of the jungle.")
Conversation: Filmmaker Albert Maysles June 19, 2009 |
Albert Maysles has spent much of his life behind a camera catching intimate glimpses of the lives of others: politicians, rock stars, heavyweight champions, travelling salesmen, eccentric society mavens and everyday people.
SILVERDOCS Festival Opens With a Slam June 17, 2009 |
Called the "premier showcase for documentary films" by the Hollywood Reporter, the American Film Institute SILVERDOCS festival brings a full slate of documentary films and the International Documentary Conference to Silver Spring, Md.
Tonight on PBS: 'Hollywood Chinese' May 27, 2009 |
Wednesday night on PBS, WNET's American Masters presents the national premier of "Hollywood Chinese," the highly acclaimed documentary that tells the story of Chinese-American cinematic history.
Conversation: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Discuss Their New Film, 'Sugar' May 15, 2009 |
The new film, "Sugar," is a dramatic telling of the story of a young Dominican-born baseball player as he learns some lessons about baseball and life at a training camp in his homeland and as a minor league player in Iowa.
Cinema and Shoplifting: John Waters at the Maryland Film Festival May 12, 2009 |
While movie stars are gathering on the Riviera for a splashy time at Cannes, moviegoers flocked last weekend to Charm City for the 11th annual Maryland Film Festival. Held at Baltimore's Charles Theater, one of the main attractions is always a film screening by writer-director (and native son) John Waters.
New David Simon Drama Will Depict Life in Post-Katrina New Orleans May 6, 2009 |
Fans of the groundbreaking TV drama "The Wire" can expect a new David Simon series about life in urban America next year. HBO has reportedly picked up "Treme," a new series about musicians in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.
Actor, Comedian Dom DeLuise Dies at Age 75 May 5, 2009 |
Dom DeLuise -- comedian, actor, chef -- passed away Monday night at the age of 75. His son, Michael DeLuise, told Los Angeles TV station KTLA and radio station KNX that his father died in his sleep at a Santa Monica hospital after a long illness.
An Evening With Mike Nichols April 23, 2009 |
The works of celebrated director Mike Nichols are on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York during a two-week retrospective that closes May 4.
'Sin Nombre': Strangers on a Train April 15, 2009 |
While all independent filmmaking could be considered dangerous in these economic times, what young American director Cary Joji Fukunaga did to make "Sin Nombre" is a more literal interpretation.
Can Hollywood Help Rescue Michigan? April 10, 2009 |
As Detroit's auto industry crumbles, leaving the state with the highest unemployment rate in the nation and substantial budget gap, state lawmakers are turning to alternative sources of revenue, notably from the film industry.
Conversation: Filmmaker Ramin Bahrani April 3, 2009 |
"Goodbye Solo" is the third film by 34-year-old director Ramin Bahrani. It film won the Critic's Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2008, and is just beginning to be seen in selected theaters around the country.
Last Run: Historic Baltimore Theater Closes March 19, 2009 |
Hundreds of Baltimoreans grabbed seats Monday night at the historic Senator Theatre, but not to catch a movie. They were there to discuss the landmark's future. As of last weekend, the city's only single-screen movie house was forced to close its doors.
Actress Natasha Richardson Dies at Age 45 March 19, 2009 |
British actress Natasha Richardson, who graced both screen and stage, died Wednesday from head injuries suffered when she fell Monday on a ski slope in Canada. She was 45.
At SXSW, Swanberg Mumbles Loud and Clear March 18, 2009 |
An orderly but eager crowd snakes along Congress Avenue wearing South by Southwest Film Festival badges, a large percentage bespectacled and smoking cigarettes as the film's young and unknown cast poses and smiles.
Writer Horton Foote Dies at Age 92 March 5, 2009 |
Horton Foote, who captured the dignity, depth of character and frequent hardship of American life for the stage and screen, died Wednesday in Hartford, Conn., at the age of 92.
Academy Awards Update February 23, 2009 |
Over the last several weeks, we spoke with some people who were involved in one way or another in films nominated for an Oscar. We figured we should update you on how they did.
Jeffrey Brown Previews the Academy Awards With the AFI's Todd Hitchcock February 20, 2009 |
Jeffrey Brown previews the Academy Awards with the AFI's Todd Hitchcock.
For Documentary Filmmakers, Prestige of Oscars Helps Put Spotlight on Issues February 20, 2009 |
For documentary filmmakers, the reward of an Oscar nomination is twofold: It raises awareness around the film's subjects or issues and generates interest in a genre that ticket buyers don't generally flock to.
'Wendy and Lucy' Explores Landscape of Loss February 11, 2009 |
The new film, "Wendy and Lucy," co-written by Jonathan Raymond, is a quiet reflection on personal catastrophe, and is especially relevant now, as real families and individuals are struggling through hard economic times.
Richter's Scale: Scoring 'Waltz With Bashir' February 5, 2009 |
It was not accidental that Ari Folman asked composer Max Richter to create a score for his film, "Waltz with Bashir." "I wrote the script...in six days, listening only to Max Richter's albums," explained Folman.
Ghetto Film School: a Bronx Tale February 4, 2009 |
An old piano factory in the South Bronx might not be the first place you'd look for a movie studio, but that's just where you will find the Ghetto Film School and a group of aspiring teenage filmmakers putting the finishing touches on their first movie.
'Slumdog' Attracts Controversy, Awards February 3, 2009 |
It's been a week of mixed blessings for the makers of "Slumdog Millionaire," a rags-to-riches love story set in Mumbai, India.
Three Gems From a Quiet Sundance January 28, 2009 |
It was a tough time for filmmakers at this year's Sundance Film Festival, that annual nexus for lesser-seen cinema in Park City, Utah. Thanks to the recession, changing technology and an industry struggling to catch up, less than a dozen movies have found distributors, with many high-profile films leaving the festival without a buyer.
The 'True' Hollywood Story: Rudolph December 24, 2008 |
It was the Sixties -- a time of counter culture and social revolution, radical trends and liberal attitudes. And in 1964, an unlikely iconoclast for the times was born: the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Christmas special.
Conversation: David Thomson on Film December 23, 2008 |
For more than 30 years, film critic and scholar David Thomson has been asked one question over and over again: "So, what movies should I see?" His latest book, "Have You Seen....?," is an extended romp of an answer, with short essays on 1,000 films.
Conversation: 'Milk's' Cleve Jones December 19, 2008 |
The new film, "Milk," by director Gus Van Sant tells the story of Harvey Milk, who in 1977 became the first openly gay elected official in the United States as a member of the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors.
The Voice of Harvey Milk December 19, 2008 |
The "Hope Speech" became Harvey Milk's stump speech. He gave a skeletal version when he declared his candidacy in 1977 and an expanded version in 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, later known as the Gay Pride Parade.
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How Is the Sequester Affecting the Arts?
After 31 Years, Robinson Takes Final Bow
Weekly Poem: 'Not a Verbal Equivalent'
Weekly Poem: 'Child Support Hearing'
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