Now playing in New York at Film Forum, Karl Marx City, Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s follow-up to 2013’s The Flag. An entirely different meditation on national identity, in Karl Marx City Epperlein — who emigrated to the States following the collapse of the Berlin Wall — travels back to her East German homeland, and the film follows her as she attempts to discover the reason for her father’s suicide in 1999. Evidence that he may have been a Stasi informant deepens the urgency of her journey, with a visit to the Stasi archives revealing thousands of hours of footage, somewhere in […]...
- 3/31/2017
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The German Democratic Republic was the most intensely surveilled society in human history, and yet — as time marches on and the Cold War becomes nothing more than a memory, gray and alien — the fundamental irony of such a perfect spy state grows more striking by the day: By obsessively monitoring their friends and neighbors, the Gdr’s secret police were creating a perfect documentary of themselves.
For proof of that fact, look no further than Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s fascinating and necessary “Karl Marx City,” a vaguely Guy Maddin-esque swan-dive into the mysteries of life behind the Berlin Wall and the traumas of surviving it. A remarkable if occasionally unfocused work of Vergangenheitsbewältigung (“the process of coming to terms with the past”), this hypnotic autobiography leverages one woman’s fear to exhume the paranoia that once defined an entire country. In its haphazard search for facts, it...
For proof of that fact, look no further than Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s fascinating and necessary “Karl Marx City,” a vaguely Guy Maddin-esque swan-dive into the mysteries of life behind the Berlin Wall and the traumas of surviving it. A remarkable if occasionally unfocused work of Vergangenheitsbewältigung (“the process of coming to terms with the past”), this hypnotic autobiography leverages one woman’s fear to exhume the paranoia that once defined an entire country. In its haphazard search for facts, it...
- 3/28/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, Karl Marx City stopped by New York Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, and more, and now it’s heading to theaters this month. In Karl Marx City, documentarians Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker take a personal exploration of life under the East German Stasi, specifically through the eyes of Epperlein as she reflects on her father’s suicide. Ahead of a release next, week a new trailer has now arrived.
We said in our review, “With a clearer focus, Karl Marx City could have been the Stasi version of What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy or Inheritance, or, with more intimacy, been akin to an East German No Home Movie. While we’re told that there is 111 km of Stasi archives informing on over 17 million people and shown the archive storage units, this film spends an inordinate amount of time...
We said in our review, “With a clearer focus, Karl Marx City could have been the Stasi version of What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy or Inheritance, or, with more intimacy, been akin to an East German No Home Movie. While we’re told that there is 111 km of Stasi archives informing on over 17 million people and shown the archive storage units, this film spends an inordinate amount of time...
- 3/22/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"She was born in a place called Karl Marx City, where she claims she had a happy childhood." Bond/360 has released an official trailer for the documentary Karl Marx City, which premiered at the Toronto and New York Film Festivals last fall. The film follows one of the filmmakers, Petra Epperlein, as she journeys through the former East Germany looking into her father's 1999 suicide. It has been described as a "lean, smart, quick, well-made, and unsparing" documentary. It's both a look into Cold War Germany, along with an investigation into her father's potential connection with the Stasi secret police of the German Democratic Republic. This looks like a fascinating documentary with multiple layers of discussion and examination. I like this trailer because it's so different than most trailers we see nowadays, and that's definitely refreshing. Here's the official trailer for Petra Epperlein & Michael Tucker's doc Karl Marx City, from...
- 3/13/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Combining family history with a lean, but no less detailed look at Germany’s Stasi past, “Karl Marx City” is a documentary with the qualities of a thriller, and today we have the exclusive trailer for the upcoming film.
Directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker, the duo behind “Gunner Palace,” the film explores the possible link Epperlein’s father had with the security state, while also studying Germany’s Cold War era.
Continue reading Exclusive: A Family Mystery Unfolds In The Trailer For Documentary ‘Karl Marx City’ at The Playlist.
Directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker, the duo behind “Gunner Palace,” the film explores the possible link Epperlein’s father had with the security state, while also studying Germany’s Cold War era.
Continue reading Exclusive: A Family Mystery Unfolds In The Trailer For Documentary ‘Karl Marx City’ at The Playlist.
- 3/13/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Karl Marx City Bond/360 Reviewed by: Harvey Karten, Shockya Director: Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker Written by: Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker Cast: Petra Epperlein, Matilda Tucker (voice), Christa Epperlein, Uwe Epperlein, Volker Epperlein, Dr. Udo Grashoff, Dr. Hubertus Knabe, Dr. Douglas Selvage, Dagmar Hovestädt, Lother Raschker, Dr. Juliane Schütterle, Jana X, R. S.X. Screened at: Critics’ […]
The post Karl Marx City Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Karl Marx City Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/7/2017
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
HBO has acquired Evgeny Afineevsky’s Sundance selection and follow-up to Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom in a deal with executive producer David Dinerstein.
Cries From Syria chronicles the Middle East country’s civil war and draws on hundreds of hours of war footage as well as testimony from child protestors, human rights activists, citizens and high-ranking army generals who have defected from the Army.
The film receives its world premiere in Park City this month in the Documentary Premieres strand and will debut on HBO on March 13.
Annapurna Television is partnering with the Coen Brothers on Western anthology The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs. Annapurna issued a press release saying it intended to pursue “an innovative television and theatrical integrated approach” without elaborating. Joel and Ethen Coen wrote the script and will direct and produce through their Mike Zoss Productions label. Ellison and Annapurna Television president of television Sue Naegle are executive producers. UTA represents...
Cries From Syria chronicles the Middle East country’s civil war and draws on hundreds of hours of war footage as well as testimony from child protestors, human rights activists, citizens and high-ranking army generals who have defected from the Army.
The film receives its world premiere in Park City this month in the Documentary Premieres strand and will debut on HBO on March 13.
Annapurna Television is partnering with the Coen Brothers on Western anthology The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs. Annapurna issued a press release saying it intended to pursue “an innovative television and theatrical integrated approach” without elaborating. Joel and Ethen Coen wrote the script and will direct and produce through their Mike Zoss Productions label. Ellison and Annapurna Television president of television Sue Naegle are executive producers. UTA represents...
- 1/10/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The 27th edition of the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 9 - 20) will present 200 films from 70 countries.
The Stockholm International Film Festival will kick-off with Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winner I, Daniel Blake, followed by a mid-festival ‘middle film’ screening in the shape of Nate Parker’s Birth of A Nation, and will close with Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By The Sea.
Directors attending the festival include Francis Ford Coppola (who will receive the lifetime achievement award, present a public talk, and screen Apocalypse Now), Ken Loach, Francois Ozon (who receives the festival’s Visionary Award), Ira Sachs, Alice Lowe, Mark Cousins, Anne Fontaine, Gabe Klinger, and many more.
The festival’s main competition line-up is:
A Decent Woman by Lukas Valenta Rinner (Arg, S Kor, Aus)A Taste Of Ink by Morgan Simon (Fr)Albüm by Mehmet Can Mertoğlu (Tur, Fr, Rom)Are We Not Cats by Xander Robin (Us)Birth Of A Nation by [link...
The Stockholm International Film Festival will kick-off with Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winner I, Daniel Blake, followed by a mid-festival ‘middle film’ screening in the shape of Nate Parker’s Birth of A Nation, and will close with Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By The Sea.
Directors attending the festival include Francis Ford Coppola (who will receive the lifetime achievement award, present a public talk, and screen Apocalypse Now), Ken Loach, Francois Ozon (who receives the festival’s Visionary Award), Ira Sachs, Alice Lowe, Mark Cousins, Anne Fontaine, Gabe Klinger, and many more.
The festival’s main competition line-up is:
A Decent Woman by Lukas Valenta Rinner (Arg, S Kor, Aus)A Taste Of Ink by Morgan Simon (Fr)Albüm by Mehmet Can Mertoğlu (Tur, Fr, Rom)Are We Not Cats by Xander Robin (Us)Birth Of A Nation by [link...
- 10/18/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
As this year’s New York Film Festival nears its conclusion, it’s time to look at and take stock of numerous aspects of the film landscape. A cavalcade of films hit the Big Apple for the prestigious festival, be it world premieres or pictures already seen at high ranking festivals like Cannes or even Berlin, hoping to either gain a new foothold in the growing awards season, or make an impact with critics and audiences. Opening for the first time ever with a documentary (Ava DuVernay’s superlative 13th), this is a historic year for the festival, and with that comes one of the most interesting lineups in years. But what about the films below even this radar? What about the films you may not see heat up the trades or make waves on hashtag Film Twitter? If you’re looking for the hidden gems from this year’s lineup,...
- 10/15/2016
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
The head of Karl Marx glooms over Chemnitz, Germany — figuratively, as this city was once part of the Eastern Bloc, formerly known as Karl-Marx-Stadt, and literally, as a 40-ton stone bust of him is too massive to be taken away. In Karl Marx City, documentarians Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker use this place as both title and backdrop to reflect on past and residual damage caused by the G.D.R. (German Democratic Republic) and its conspiratorial abuses of power under the banner of Marxist ideology. Its narrative follows Karl Marx City-born Epperlein in a search for answers about her childhood, identity, and father.
When Epperlein’s father committed suicide in 1999 (a decade after the fall of communism), he left behind a rushed letter signed “Best regards” and a convoluted string of conflicting questions and histories involving the Stasi (Ministry for State Security, also known as East Germany’s...
When Epperlein’s father committed suicide in 1999 (a decade after the fall of communism), he left behind a rushed letter signed “Best regards” and a convoluted string of conflicting questions and histories involving the Stasi (Ministry for State Security, also known as East Germany’s...
- 10/15/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Paul Verhoeven’s Elle, Garth Davis’ Lion and Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson are among the special presentations set to screen at the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival that runs from October 13-27.
Director Julie Dash will attend a newly restored version of Daughters Of The Dust as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of festival’s Black Perspectives programme.
International Feature Competition selections include Pablo Larrain’s Neruda, Paolo Virzi’s Like Crazy, Antonio Campos’ Christine starring Rebecca Hall, and Thomas Vinterberg’s The Commune.
Among the Documentary Competition entries are Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s Karl Marx City, Paul Fegan’s Where You’re Meant To Be, and Monika Grassl’s Girls Don’t Fly.
Click here for the full line-up.
Karyn Kusama and writer-producers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (The Invitation) have signed on to 20th Century Fox’s horror film Breed. Scott Frank will also produce the adaptation of Chase Novak’s novel...
Director Julie Dash will attend a newly restored version of Daughters Of The Dust as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of festival’s Black Perspectives programme.
International Feature Competition selections include Pablo Larrain’s Neruda, Paolo Virzi’s Like Crazy, Antonio Campos’ Christine starring Rebecca Hall, and Thomas Vinterberg’s The Commune.
Among the Documentary Competition entries are Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s Karl Marx City, Paul Fegan’s Where You’re Meant To Be, and Monika Grassl’s Girls Don’t Fly.
Click here for the full line-up.
Karyn Kusama and writer-producers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (The Invitation) have signed on to 20th Century Fox’s horror film Breed. Scott Frank will also produce the adaptation of Chase Novak’s novel...
- 9/19/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Focus has stolen headlines with its acquisition of Pt Anderson’s latest, while buyers are circling Jackie.
Heading into the weekend Toronto has already delivered two headline-grabbing pre-buys.
Focus Features’ $35m worldwide rights swoop on Pt Anderson’s untitled Daniel Day-Lewis reunion project stirred up excitement before the festival even started.
CAA brokered that deal and was also fielding intense early interest on Jackie, Pablo Larrain’s Venice critical darling that may trigger a Us deal after the North American premiere in Toronto on Sunday.
The second major pre-buy came on Friday when Lionsgate closed a deal with Wme Global and Good Universe on Kin.
No Trace Camping will finance the action thriller to star James Franco and Jack Reynor and Lionsgate is understood to have paid in the upper $20m range for its Summit Entertainment label.
There are more packages floating about – CAA is touting Rebel In The Rye, while Wme Global...
Heading into the weekend Toronto has already delivered two headline-grabbing pre-buys.
Focus Features’ $35m worldwide rights swoop on Pt Anderson’s untitled Daniel Day-Lewis reunion project stirred up excitement before the festival even started.
CAA brokered that deal and was also fielding intense early interest on Jackie, Pablo Larrain’s Venice critical darling that may trigger a Us deal after the North American premiere in Toronto on Sunday.
The second major pre-buy came on Friday when Lionsgate closed a deal with Wme Global and Good Universe on Kin.
No Trace Camping will finance the action thriller to star James Franco and Jack Reynor and Lionsgate is understood to have paid in the upper $20m range for its Summit Entertainment label.
There are more packages floating about – CAA is touting Rebel In The Rye, while Wme Global...
- 9/10/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Sales outfit has picked up Karl Marx City and Politics, An Instruction Manual.
Us sales company Cinetic International has added Tiff Docs selections Karl Marx City [pictured] and Politics, An Instruction Manual to its Toronto sales slate. Cinetic head Jason Ishikawa and his team represent international on Karl Marx City and jointly handle the Us with Submarine.
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein’s film gets its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival today (Sept 8) and will receive its Us premiere at the New York Film Festival (Sept 30 - Oct 16). It follows Epperlein as she investigates her father’s suicide and reflects on the possibility that he may have worked for the East German Stasi secret police.
Fernando Leon de Aranoa’s Politics, An Instruction Manual is the highest grossing documentary of the year in its native Spain and lines up for its international premiere here on Saturday (Sept 10). The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the...
Us sales company Cinetic International has added Tiff Docs selections Karl Marx City [pictured] and Politics, An Instruction Manual to its Toronto sales slate. Cinetic head Jason Ishikawa and his team represent international on Karl Marx City and jointly handle the Us with Submarine.
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein’s film gets its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival today (Sept 8) and will receive its Us premiere at the New York Film Festival (Sept 30 - Oct 16). It follows Epperlein as she investigates her father’s suicide and reflects on the possibility that he may have worked for the East German Stasi secret police.
Fernando Leon de Aranoa’s Politics, An Instruction Manual is the highest grossing documentary of the year in its native Spain and lines up for its international premiere here on Saturday (Sept 10). The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the...
- 9/8/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Film Society of Lincoln Center today announced the complete Spotlight on Documentary lineup for the 54th New York Film Festival, which begins on September 30 and ends on October 16. Among the more prominent selections are “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James’ “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” and Errol Morris’ “The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography,” among others; already announced titles for this year’s edition of Nyff, the 54th, include Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea,” Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann” and Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women.” Find the full list of documentaries below.
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” (Steve James)
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography” (Errol Morris)
“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” (Alexis Bloom & Fisher Stevens)
“The Cinema Travellers” (Shirley Abraham & Amit Madheshiya”)
“Dawson City: Frozen Times” (Bill Morrison)
“Hissen Habré,...
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” (Steve James)
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography” (Errol Morris)
“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” (Alexis Bloom & Fisher Stevens)
“The Cinema Travellers” (Shirley Abraham & Amit Madheshiya”)
“Dawson City: Frozen Times” (Bill Morrison)
“Hissen Habré,...
- 8/24/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The real story behind Bowe Bergdahl is only beginning to unfold. While it may take weeks or months to find out exactly why and how the U.S. soldier may have left his platoon in Afghanistan in 2009 and found himself held captive by the Taliban for five years, Bergdahl’s narrative has renewed long seething debates about America’s foreign entanglements in the Middle East. Was Bergdahl a deserter or hero, a traitor or a Pow? And ultimately, was his reason for being in Afghanistan justified or, to use the military acronym, Fubar (fucked-up beyond all recognition)? American documentary cinema has long embraced this debate, with U.S. soldiers like Bergdahl emerging as some of the most powerful characters in this ongoing national drama. Think of Scott Camil, the traumatized Vietnam vet, in 1972’s Winter Soldier, who testified to the horrifying brutalization and murder of innocent Vietnamese civilians by U.
- 6/18/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
"The Flag," which premieres on CNN tonight, September 4th, at 9pm, serves as a softer counterpart to "9/11: The Falling Man," the 2006 documentary Henry Singer made about the search for the identity of the jumper in Richard Drew's iconic image from the World Trade Center. Drew's unforgettable photograph of a man plunging headfirst past rows of windows on a building that would later crumble was initially deemed too troubling when it appeared in news coverage following the attack, and "9/11: The Falling Man," which premiered on UK TV in 2006 before coming to the Us on what's now Investigation Discovery, carried with it that wounded sense of being a quest to seek out the name of someone who died horribly. "The Flag," directed by "Gunner Palace" filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker, is centered around an image that people were actually eager to embrace after the tragedy -- one shot by Thomas Franklin,...
- 9/4/2013
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
CNN Films has decided to use the Sundance Film Festival to announce its intentions to further muscle into the documentary film game with three new big projects. And they’ve got some heavy-hitting names involved. First, the company has acquired U.S. broadcast rights to a documentary about author and film critic Roger Ebert based on his memoir “Life Itself.” “Hoop Dreams” helmer Steve James is directing the film, with Martin Scorsese and Steve Zaillian aboard as executive producers. Kartemquin Films and Film Rites are producing, and the finished film will be released theatrically before it airs on CNN in 2014. Also on the docket is a project from Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein (“Fightville”), who will direct a documentary about the days after 9/11 constructed solely from still photography. It is scheduled to air on CNN this year, as is an untitled project from “Page One: Inside the New York Times” filmmaker.
- 1/19/2013
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
CNN Films has acquired a documentary about film critic Roger Ebert that's executive-produced by Martin Scorsese and Steve Zaillian, along with two other documentaries, the company said on Friday. The Ebert documentary, which is based on the film critic's memoir "Life Itself," will be directed by Steve James ("Hoop Dreams"), and will be produced by Kartemquin Films and Zaillian, along with Garrett Basch's Film Rites. The film will be released theatrically before it airs on CNN next year. A second film, from the directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein ("Gunner Palace"), will...
- 1/18/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
By Allen Gardner
The Samurai Trilogy (Criterion) Director Hiroshi Inagaki’s sprawling epic filmed from 1954-56 is an early Japanese Technicolor masterpiece, rivaling the scope of filmmakers like David Lean and Luchino Visconti. Toshiro Mifune, Japan’s greatest actor, stars as real-life swordsman, artist and writer Musashi Miyamoto, following his growth from callow youth to disciplined warrior. The three films: the Oscar winning “Musashi Miyamoto,” “Duel at Ichijoji Temple,” and “Duel at Ganryu Island” are an incredible story of human growth, tender love and sublime, blood-soaked action. Not to be missed. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with translator and historian William Scott Wilson; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The 39 Steps (Criterion) Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 story of spies, conspiracies and sexual tension put him on the map on both sides of the Pond. Robert Donat stars as an innocent thrust into a deadly plot alongside a cool blonde (Madeleine Carroll...
The Samurai Trilogy (Criterion) Director Hiroshi Inagaki’s sprawling epic filmed from 1954-56 is an early Japanese Technicolor masterpiece, rivaling the scope of filmmakers like David Lean and Luchino Visconti. Toshiro Mifune, Japan’s greatest actor, stars as real-life swordsman, artist and writer Musashi Miyamoto, following his growth from callow youth to disciplined warrior. The three films: the Oscar winning “Musashi Miyamoto,” “Duel at Ichijoji Temple,” and “Duel at Ganryu Island” are an incredible story of human growth, tender love and sublime, blood-soaked action. Not to be missed. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with translator and historian William Scott Wilson; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The 39 Steps (Criterion) Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 story of spies, conspiracies and sexual tension put him on the map on both sides of the Pond. Robert Donat stars as an innocent thrust into a deadly plot alongside a cool blonde (Madeleine Carroll...
- 7/9/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: July 10, 2012
Price: DVD $24.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Mpi
Dustin Poirier reigns in Fightville.
The 2011 documentary Fightville chronicles the story of real-life Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) fighters and their struggles to make it to the top.
Directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (How to Fold a Flag), Fightville reveals how Mma has taken hold in the American heartland, where modern-day gladiators battle with bare fists and feet in strip mall gyms and dusty rodeo arenas, desperate for glory and a shot at the big time. In Lafayette, Louisiana, far from the glamorous and lucrative world of Las Vegas bouts, pro hopefuls Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (currently the world’s No. 3 contender) and Albert Stainback fight tooth and nail for their chance to snag the American Dream.
Fightville popped up at a handful of festivals over the past year (including South by Southwest and the Woodstock Film Festival) before...
Price: DVD $24.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Mpi
Dustin Poirier reigns in Fightville.
The 2011 documentary Fightville chronicles the story of real-life Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) fighters and their struggles to make it to the top.
Directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (How to Fold a Flag), Fightville reveals how Mma has taken hold in the American heartland, where modern-day gladiators battle with bare fists and feet in strip mall gyms and dusty rodeo arenas, desperate for glory and a shot at the big time. In Lafayette, Louisiana, far from the glamorous and lucrative world of Las Vegas bouts, pro hopefuls Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (currently the world’s No. 3 contender) and Albert Stainback fight tooth and nail for their chance to snag the American Dream.
Fightville popped up at a handful of festivals over the past year (including South by Southwest and the Woodstock Film Festival) before...
- 6/20/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
After teaming on the sponsored docu The Greatest Story Ever Sold, Morgan Spurlock’s Warrior Poets has teamed with Keith Calder’s Snoot Entertainment to go with a full-blown commercials production operation. New York, NY (May 7, 2012) – Morgan Spurlock’s New York based production company Warrior Poets has teamed with Keith Calder’s Los Angeles based Snoot Entertainment and 16 year commercial production veteran Shannon Lords to create Warpaint, a commercial production company that will serve as a home for innovative directors who are looking to expand their craft into more diverse and lucrative opportunities. The company will represent a diverse array of both established and emerging directors from a variety of production backgrounds. Warpaint will maintain offices in New York, Los Angeles and London. Warpaint completed its first project in January 2012 with acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky, who directed the upcoming campaign for Revlon featuring Emma Stone and Halle Berry. The company...
- 5/7/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
If Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker hadn't made "Gunner Palace," their documentary about American soldiers in Iraq, they likely never would have made their new film, "Fightville," which looks at up-and-coming Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) fighters and promoters in Louisiana. What's the connection? The directors didn't even know what Mma was, but the young soldiers they were documenting most certainly did. That put the sport on their radar, which eventually led them to Louisiana and to two young fighters, Dustin Poirier and Albert Stainback, as well as their trainer, Tim Credeur, a Ufc fighter himself, and a local Mma promoter, Gil Guillory, who used to be a professional wrestler. The movie delves into the personal lives of these young men, and captures a number of their fights, too. Poirier, certainly, was a find for the directors, because he has since become a successful Ufc fighter in his own rite. Tucker spoke to Upcoming-Movies.
- 4/30/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
If Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker hadn't made "Gunner Palace," their documentary about American soldiers in Iraq, they likely never would have made their new film, "Fightville," which looks at up-and-coming Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) fighters and promoters in Louisiana. What's the connection? The directors didn't even know what Mma was, but the young soldiers they were documenting most certainly did. That put the sport on their radar, which eventually led them to Louisiana and to two young fighters, Dustin Poirier and Albert Stainback, as well as their trainer, Tim Credeur, a Ufc fighter himself, and a local Mma promoter, Gil Guillory, who used to be a professional wrestler. The movie delves into the personal lives of these young men, and captures a number of their fights, too. Poirier, certainly, was a find for the directors, because he has since become a successful Ufc fighter in his own rite. Tucker spoke to Upcoming-Movies.
- 4/30/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Title: Fightville Directors: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker Featuring: Dustin Poirier, Tim Credeur, Gil Guillory, Albert Stainback Fans both of last autumn’s “Warrior” as well as underground docs like Paul Hough’s “The Backyard” will likely spark to “Fightville,” a knuckle-dusting portrait of aspirant mixed martial artists from co-directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker. Shrewdly observed and possessing of two top-notch subjects, “Fightville” features plenty of neck chops, grappling and other fighting action, but connects chiefly on a basic human level, charting the fundamental craving for acknowledgment, betterment and emotional connection of two young souls. “Fightville” isn’t a look at the Mma from the top down, but rather from the grassroots up. Set in a [ Read More ]...
- 4/21/2012
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Fightville chronicles two fighters as they grind out bloody local-league fights and train at the gym (in a non-descript strip mall located by the Piggly Wiggley,) both as a way of working out their own personal issues and living the dream of a professional fighter. A short ways into Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's (Gunner Palace, How to Fold a Flag) Mma documentary, you may find yourself reeling from the plethora of pontification on the sport by way of trainer/Ufc-competitor Tim Credeur. As he attempts to sculpt two troubled young men into fighters, you get acclimatized to the mythic manner of speaking (the filmmakers are guilty of getting into that game, throwing up title cards quotes from such a diverse collection of individuals - Walt Whitman, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bruce...
- 4/6/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (Gunner Palace, The Prisoner: Or How I Planned To Kill Tony Blair)
Opening In Los Angeles And New York On April 20 And Will Be Available On The Same Day Via On Demand And Digital Download
**SXSW Film Festival 2011 (Official Selection) **
Over the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) has grown from a controversial no-holds-barred gladiatorial sideshow into a billion dollar phenomenon. Mma has eclipsed boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world, and is so popular that Mma fights regularly appear on U.S. network television – even as a longstanding ban remains in force in New York State. But far from Las Vegas, in sweat-soaked gyms and low-rent arenas across America, the big lights are but a dream. Here, men fight to test their mettle, fortified with the mythic promise that an ordinary man can transform into a champion.
Directed by the...
Opening In Los Angeles And New York On April 20 And Will Be Available On The Same Day Via On Demand And Digital Download
**SXSW Film Festival 2011 (Official Selection) **
Over the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) has grown from a controversial no-holds-barred gladiatorial sideshow into a billion dollar phenomenon. Mma has eclipsed boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world, and is so popular that Mma fights regularly appear on U.S. network television – even as a longstanding ban remains in force in New York State. But far from Las Vegas, in sweat-soaked gyms and low-rent arenas across America, the big lights are but a dream. Here, men fight to test their mettle, fortified with the mythic promise that an ordinary man can transform into a champion.
Directed by the...
- 3/13/2012
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There has been no shortage of Mma documentaries released over the past few years, which only makes sense considering the current popularity of the sport. However, up until now, there has not been a single, definitive doc on the subject. Probably the highest profile one was John Hyams' The Smashing Machine, which focused on Mark Kerr, but that was released back in 2002 and things have changed quite a bit over the last decade. Now directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (Gunner Palace) are throwing their hats into the octagon with a new film called Fightville. The movie follows two fighters working their way up to the Ufc, along with a trainer and a promoter. One of the fighters, Dustin Poirier, is now pretty well-known to fans around the world, and the movie happens to capture his rise to fame. From what I've heard, the movie takes an even-handed approach...
- 3/6/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Trailer for Fightville directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker of Gunner Palace. This is right up my alley, being a big Mma and boxing fan. I'll be keen to give this a watch on its release on April 20th. Pic is set to find theatres in Los Angeles and New York and Los Angeles, available the same day via on demand and digital download, and rolls out nationwide with dates to be announced. Over the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) has grown from a controversial no-holds-barred gladiatorial sideshow into a billion dollar phenomenon. Mma has eclipsed boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world, and is so popular that Mma fights regularly appear on U.S. network television – even as a longstanding ban remains in force in New York State. But far from Las Vegas, in sweat-soaked gyms and low-rent arenas across America, the big lights are but a dream.
- 3/2/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Trailer for Fightville directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker of Gunner Palace. This is right up my alley, being a big Mma and boxing fan. I'll be keen to give this a watch on its release on April 20th. Pic is set to find theatres in Los Angeles and New York and Los Angeles, available the same day via on demand and digital download, and rolls out nationwide with dates to be announced. Over the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) has grown from a controversial no-holds-barred gladiatorial sideshow into a billion dollar phenomenon. Mma has eclipsed boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world, and is so popular that Mma fights regularly appear on U.S. network television – even as a longstanding ban remains in force in New York State. But far from Las Vegas, in sweat-soaked gyms and low-rent arenas across America, the big lights are but a dream.
- 3/2/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Trailer for Fightville directed by Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker of Gunner Palace. This is right up my alley, being a big Mma and boxing fan. I'll be keen to give this a watch on its release on April 20th. Pic is set to find theatres in Los Angeles and New York and Los Angeles, available the same day via on demand and digital download, and rolls out nationwide with dates to be announced. Over the last decade, Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) has grown from a controversial no-holds-barred gladiatorial sideshow into a billion dollar phenomenon. Mma has eclipsed boxing as the dominant combat sport in the world, and is so popular that Mma fights regularly appear on U.S. network television – even as a longstanding ban remains in force in New York State. But far from Las Vegas, in sweat-soaked gyms and low-rent arenas across America, the big lights are but a dream.
- 3/2/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
North American theatrical, DVD and VOD rights to writer/producer/director Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker's mixed martial arts doc "Fightville" have been acquired by Mpi Media Group. The SXSW '11 feature will have a late fall theatrical release is planned, to be followed by release on DVD and Video on Demand. Full acquisitions release follows: Mpi Media Group today announced it has North American theatrical, DVD and VOD rights to "Fightville," ...
- 8/4/2011
- Indiewire
[How to Fold a Flag is now available to watch instantly streaming from Netflix and via VOD on iTunes, Hulu, Vudu, Cinema Now, Amazon.com, and other digital platforms.] As the Us relaxes into the Memorial Day weekend, How to Fold a Flag prods the nation to think about the true meaning of the holiday by profiling four men who served in Iraq. Filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker pick up their stories five years after documenting their experiences in their superb war documentary Gunner Palace. As one of them says, 'We served together for 15 months. Now we're alone.' That's a common experience; we could say the same of any four people who have worked, schooled, or lived together for a period of years....
- 5/28/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Reviewed by Khia Beauchesne
(May 2011)
Directed by: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker
Written by: Michael Tucker
Starring: Javorn Drummond, Michael Goss, Stuart Wilf and Jon Powers
Five years after filming “Gunner Palace,” an Iraq War film that follows American soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery, directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker deliver closure with “How to Fold a Flag.” The film focuses on the same soldiers as the previous movie, this time recording their returns home. Presented in scattered sequences, the four men offer various perspectives on the price of being a veteran.
The film does a solid job of immersing the viewer amid the raw emotion and hardships of the returning soldiers. Opening the film on Javorn Drummond and a tour of his trailer home sets the tone for the realities of a soldier’s postwar experience. Mail advertising the benefits of enlisting in the American army attempts to seduce...
(May 2011)
Directed by: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker
Written by: Michael Tucker
Starring: Javorn Drummond, Michael Goss, Stuart Wilf and Jon Powers
Five years after filming “Gunner Palace,” an Iraq War film that follows American soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery, directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker deliver closure with “How to Fold a Flag.” The film focuses on the same soldiers as the previous movie, this time recording their returns home. Presented in scattered sequences, the four men offer various perspectives on the price of being a veteran.
The film does a solid job of immersing the viewer amid the raw emotion and hardships of the returning soldiers. Opening the film on Javorn Drummond and a tour of his trailer home sets the tone for the realities of a soldier’s postwar experience. Mail advertising the benefits of enlisting in the American army attempts to seduce...
- 5/27/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Reviewed by Khia Beauchesne
(May 2011)
Directed by: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker
Written by: Michael Tucker
Starring: Javorn Drummond, Michael Goss, Stuart Wilf and Jon Powers
Five years after filming “Gunner Palace,” an Iraq War film that follows American soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery, directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker deliver closure with “How to Fold a Flag.” The film focuses on the same soldiers as the previous movie, this time recording their returns home. Presented in scattered sequences, the four men offer various perspectives on the price of being a veteran.
The film does a solid job of immersing the viewer amid the raw emotion and hardships of the returning soldiers. Opening the film on Javorn Drummond and a tour of his trailer home sets the tone for the realities of a soldier’s postwar experience. Mail advertising the benefits of enlisting in the American army attempts to seduce...
(May 2011)
Directed by: Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker
Written by: Michael Tucker
Starring: Javorn Drummond, Michael Goss, Stuart Wilf and Jon Powers
Five years after filming “Gunner Palace,” an Iraq War film that follows American soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery, directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker deliver closure with “How to Fold a Flag.” The film focuses on the same soldiers as the previous movie, this time recording their returns home. Presented in scattered sequences, the four men offer various perspectives on the price of being a veteran.
The film does a solid job of immersing the viewer amid the raw emotion and hardships of the returning soldiers. Opening the film on Javorn Drummond and a tour of his trailer home sets the tone for the realities of a soldier’s postwar experience. Mail advertising the benefits of enlisting in the American army attempts to seduce...
- 5/27/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
The Iraq war documentary How to Fold a Flag opens with an intriguing quote from German writer and military veteran Ernst Jünger: "We were asked to believe that the war was over. We laughed. For we were the war."
This quote is wholly appropriate for the SXSW 2010 film, which has just become available on cable VOD and online, including Amazon Instant Video. Like much of Jünger's writing, How to Fold a Flag delves into the isolation soldiers feel while fighting wars and after returning to their "normal" lives. (Defining what is "normal" is a recurring theme in the film.) The quote also is appropriate in that Jünger was a conservative German nationalist; How to Fold a Flag presents the American equivalent in all its flag-wrapped glory.
Directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker follow up on five soldiers featured in their acclaimed 2004 documentary Gunner Palace. How to Fold a Flag updates...
This quote is wholly appropriate for the SXSW 2010 film, which has just become available on cable VOD and online, including Amazon Instant Video. Like much of Jünger's writing, How to Fold a Flag delves into the isolation soldiers feel while fighting wars and after returning to their "normal" lives. (Defining what is "normal" is a recurring theme in the film.) The quote also is appropriate in that Jünger was a conservative German nationalist; How to Fold a Flag presents the American equivalent in all its flag-wrapped glory.
Directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker follow up on five soldiers featured in their acclaimed 2004 documentary Gunner Palace. How to Fold a Flag updates...
- 5/26/2011
- by Don Clinchy
- Slackerwood
Title: How to Fold a Flag Directors: Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein Home can be defined many ways. Is it your ancestral home? The place you were actually born? The place you spent most of your childhood? The place you left as a teenager, if your parents still live there? Or is merely the place you currently live, even if you move every 18 months or so? An ex-soldier in How to Fold a Flag, the gripping new documentary from co-directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein, describes “home” in simple and eloquent fashion as merely a place of sound mind — in essence, a place of mooring which allows for...
- 5/24/2011
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Morgan Spurlock may be a more effective promoter than filmmaker, but he's certainly been willing to put his name behind worthy movies that might otherwise be ignored. How to Fold a Flag is the latest release under his "Morgan Spurlock Presents" label. Due out on digital platforms on May 23 -- i.e., via streaming and on demand services including Netflix, Hulu.com, Amazon, Vudu, and CinemaNow -- the film, directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein, is a follow-up to the duo's pungent war doc Gunner Palace, this time following soldiers returning home to the Us and dealing with their combat experiences "in a country largely indifferent to their service," according to the description in the press release, which you can read in its entirety at...
- 5/10/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker's mixed martial arts (Mma) film "Fightville," which premiered at this year's SXSW, has been snatched up by Showtime for television broadcast. The film is currently at Hot Docs in Toronto. The full release follows. Pepper & Bones Find A Home For Their Mixed Martial Arts Film “Fightville” On Showtime® May 3, 2011 - Pepper & Bones announced today that Showtime Networks Inc. has acquired their ...
- 5/3/2011
- Indiewire
It was a Mixed Martial Arts weekend here in Toronto as the Ufc comes to down as a huge live event, but also in the form of a documentary film as one of the opening nights Galas at this years HotDocs. Fightville chronicles two fighters as they grind out bloody local-league fights and train at the gym (in a non-descript strip mall located by the Piggly Wiggley,) both as a way of working out their own personal issues and living the dream of a professional fighter. A short ways into Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's (Gunner Palace, How to Fold a Flag) Mma documentary, you may find yourself reeling from the plethora of pontification on the sport by way of trainer/Ufc-competitor Tim Credeur. As he attempts to sculpt...
- 5/1/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Fightville
Directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
2011, USA, 85 mins.
I am not a fan of mixed martial arts. It is not something that I know much about, nor something to which I have devoted much thought. Yet, despite my ambivalence towards a sport that is taking bars and gyms by storm, I found Fightville to be nothing short of incredible.
Though it is ostensibly about amateur mixed martial arts fighters in southern Louisiana struggling to break into the Ufc, directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein delve deeper and ask the question, “What does it mean to be the best at something?” Professional fighting is the most primal way to explore that theme. Though Mma fans will love this film, be assured that those ambivalent and indifferent to the sport will nevertheless find Fightville fascinating.
The filmmakers let their subjects tell their own story, which is a wise decision. Trainer...
Directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
2011, USA, 85 mins.
I am not a fan of mixed martial arts. It is not something that I know much about, nor something to which I have devoted much thought. Yet, despite my ambivalence towards a sport that is taking bars and gyms by storm, I found Fightville to be nothing short of incredible.
Though it is ostensibly about amateur mixed martial arts fighters in southern Louisiana struggling to break into the Ufc, directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein delve deeper and ask the question, “What does it mean to be the best at something?” Professional fighting is the most primal way to explore that theme. Though Mma fans will love this film, be assured that those ambivalent and indifferent to the sport will nevertheless find Fightville fascinating.
The filmmakers let their subjects tell their own story, which is a wise decision. Trainer...
- 4/30/2011
- by DaveRobson
- SoundOnSight
Anyone who thinks mixed martial arts is just a vicious, bloodthirsty sport where grown men beat the crap out of each other for fun might think differently after seeing Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein’s Fightville, an in-depth and beautifully shot look at the world of Mma through a group of fighters, trainers and promoters in Southern Louisiana. Fightville follows a cast of characters in and around the Gladiators Academy in Lafayette, a small local gym where philosophy-spouting veteran Ufc fighter, “Crazy” Tim Credeur trains amateur and rising professional fighters. Far away from the bright lights of the big time promotions like the Ufc, the movie takes a look at what essentially amounts to the minor leagues of Mma – where guys are fighting to prove themselves and learn what it takes to become champions. Glamorous it ain’t (the fighters have to mop up their own blood after fights) but what it lacks in luster it makes...
- 4/30/2011
- by Lauren Flanagan
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Toronto's 2011 Hot Docs Film Festival is now officially underway, having kicked off the proceedings last night with a screening of Morgan Spurlock's The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. Over the next week we will be catching some of the many great documentaries playing this year, so you can expect some reviews to turn up on Film Junk and The Documentary Blog in the near future. However, if you're interested in attending some screenings yourself, I thought it might be worthwhile to offer up a quick preview of what's playing so you can try and order some tickets [1] before it's too late. Check out our top picks of the fest, complete with trailers or video clips where possible, listed after the jump! Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey Directed by: Constance Marks Synopsis: The film traces Kevin Clash's rise from his modest beginnings in Baltimore to his current success as the...
- 4/29/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Hot Docs has announced 26 documentary features that will be a part of this year’s Special Presentations program, a high-profile collection of world and international premieres, award-winners from the recent international festival circuit, and works by master filmmakers, and featuring some star subjects.
The full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2011 will be announced on March 22, including the 2011 opening night film but here are the special presentation titles, ordered alphabetically:
The Advocate For Fagdom D: Angélique Bosio | Germany | 92 min | North American Premiere
Romantic-Queercore-punk-zombie pornographer, gleeful crusher of cliché, righteousness and repressive politics: Viva Bruce Labruce! Scintillating film clips and fabulous interviews with John Waters, Harmony Korine, and Gus Van Sant reveal Toronto’s gift to the world.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest D: Michael Rapaport | USA | 98 min | International Premiere
Actor Michael Rapaport’s directorial debut hits the road with Q-Tip, Phife, Ali and Jarobi,...
The full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2011 will be announced on March 22, including the 2011 opening night film but here are the special presentation titles, ordered alphabetically:
The Advocate For Fagdom D: Angélique Bosio | Germany | 92 min | North American Premiere
Romantic-Queercore-punk-zombie pornographer, gleeful crusher of cliché, righteousness and repressive politics: Viva Bruce Labruce! Scintillating film clips and fabulous interviews with John Waters, Harmony Korine, and Gus Van Sant reveal Toronto’s gift to the world.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest D: Michael Rapaport | USA | 98 min | International Premiere
Actor Michael Rapaport’s directorial debut hits the road with Q-Tip, Phife, Ali and Jarobi,...
- 3/18/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Filed under: Reviews, SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical, Festivals
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's 'Fightville,' which examines the unabating mixed martial arts craze, is an exhilarating sports documentary and a levelheaded, piercingly intelligent treatment of a touchy subject. It humanizes and makes sense of a sport that, for all I knew, consisted of putting two men in a cage and setting them loose to beat the crap out of each other to the delight of hordes of bloodthirsty goons. 'Fightville' demolishes that preconception. Not since Chris Bell's 'Bigger Stronger Faster*' has a documentary done more to contribute to an ongoing discussion about sports.
Which is all the more interesting since there is nothing on the face of 'Fightville' to suggest that it is interested in contributing to any discussion. Unlike 'Bigger Stronger Faster*', this is not an issue film. Instead, it...
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's 'Fightville,' which examines the unabating mixed martial arts craze, is an exhilarating sports documentary and a levelheaded, piercingly intelligent treatment of a touchy subject. It humanizes and makes sense of a sport that, for all I knew, consisted of putting two men in a cage and setting them loose to beat the crap out of each other to the delight of hordes of bloodthirsty goons. 'Fightville' demolishes that preconception. Not since Chris Bell's 'Bigger Stronger Faster*' has a documentary done more to contribute to an ongoing discussion about sports.
Which is all the more interesting since there is nothing on the face of 'Fightville' to suggest that it is interested in contributing to any discussion. Unlike 'Bigger Stronger Faster*', this is not an issue film. Instead, it...
- 3/17/2011
- by Eugene Novikov
- Moviefone
Filed under: Reviews, SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical, Festivals
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's 'Fightville,' which examines the unabating mixed martial arts craze, is an exhilarating sports documentary and a levelheaded, piercingly intelligent treatment of a touchy subject. It humanizes and makes sense of a sport that, for all I knew, consisted of putting two men in a cage and setting them loose to beat the crap out of each other to the delight of hordes of bloodthirsty goons. 'Fightville' demolishes that preconception. Not since Chris Bell's 'Bigger Stronger Faster*' has a documentary done more to contribute to an ongoing discussion about sports.
Which is all the more interesting since there is nothing on the face of 'Fightville' to suggest that it is interested in contributing to any discussion. Unlike 'Bigger Stronger Faster*', this is not an issue film. Instead, it...
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's 'Fightville,' which examines the unabating mixed martial arts craze, is an exhilarating sports documentary and a levelheaded, piercingly intelligent treatment of a touchy subject. It humanizes and makes sense of a sport that, for all I knew, consisted of putting two men in a cage and setting them loose to beat the crap out of each other to the delight of hordes of bloodthirsty goons. 'Fightville' demolishes that preconception. Not since Chris Bell's 'Bigger Stronger Faster*' has a documentary done more to contribute to an ongoing discussion about sports.
Which is all the more interesting since there is nothing on the face of 'Fightville' to suggest that it is interested in contributing to any discussion. Unlike 'Bigger Stronger Faster*', this is not an issue film. Instead, it...
- 3/17/2011
- by Eugene Novikov
- Cinematical
indieWIRE is again profiling filmmakers taking part in the SXSW Film Festival's Narrative and Documentary Competitions and Emerging Visions sections with nearly two dozen filmmakers providing responses. Today’s three profiles include Jarred Alterman's "Convento" (Emerging Visions), "Fightville" by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein (Documentary Competition) and director Matt D'Elia's "American Animal" (Narrative Competition). Soon after the SXSW unveiled its 2011 SXSW lineup, indieWIRE invited directors with films in the Narrative, ...
- 3/9/2011
- indieWIRE - People
indieWIRE is again profiling filmmakers taking part in the SXSW Film Festival's Narrative and Documentary Competitions and Emerging Visions sections with nearly two dozen filmmakers providing responses. Today’s three profiles include Jarred Alterman's "Convento" (Emerging Visions), "Fightville" by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein (Documentary Competition) and director Matt D'Elia's "American Animal" (Narrative Competition). Soon after the SXSW unveiled its 2011 SXSW lineup, indieWIRE invited directors with films in the Narrative, ...
- 3/9/2011
- Indiewire
indieWIRE is again profiling filmmakers taking part in the SXSW Film Festival's Narrative and Documentary Competitions and Emerging Visions sections with nearly two dozen filmmakers providing responses. Today’s three profiles include Jarred Alterman's "Convento" (Emerging Visions), "Fightville" by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein (Documentary Competition) and director Matt D'Elia's "American Animal" (Narrative Competition). Soon after the SXSW unveiled its 2011 SXSW lineup, indieWIRE invited directors with films in the Narrative, ...
- 3/9/2011
- Indiewire
indieWIRE is again profiling filmmakers taking part in the SXSW Film Festival's Narrative and Documentary Competitions and Emerging Visions sections with nearly two dozen filmmakers providing responses. Today’s three profiles include Jarred Alterman's "Convento" (Emerging Visions), "Fightville" by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein (Documentary Competition) and director Matt D'Elia's "American Animal" (Narrative Competition). Soon after the SXSW unveiled its 2011 SXSW lineup, indieWIRE invited directors with films in the Narrative, ...
- 3/9/2011
- indieWIRE - People
We're just two weeks away from the kick-off of South by Southwest 2011 -- and while I'm prepping for our big Spirit Awards weekend, I'm also trying to really dig into this year's SXSW schedule. Thankfully, SXSW's YouTube channel has almost 100 trailers uploaded. I picked out five of the more intriguing looking (but maybe a little lesser known) films to share here. This is what I picked:
"Fightville"
Directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
SXSW Premiere: Saturday March 12, 4:30 Pm, Vimeo Theater
The newest documentary from the directors of "Gunner Palace" is the story of what a baseball fan like me would describe as the "minor leagues" of Mixed Martial Arts: the training ground where young fighters are made or destroyed. Mma is a huge part of the modern sports scene but it's been almost completely unexamined from a documentary perspective, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this.
"Surrogate Valentine...
"Fightville"
Directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
SXSW Premiere: Saturday March 12, 4:30 Pm, Vimeo Theater
The newest documentary from the directors of "Gunner Palace" is the story of what a baseball fan like me would describe as the "minor leagues" of Mixed Martial Arts: the training ground where young fighters are made or destroyed. Mma is a huge part of the modern sports scene but it's been almost completely unexamined from a documentary perspective, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this.
"Surrogate Valentine...
- 2/25/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
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