Another TIFF programme to have its films announced today was the “Real to Reel” documentary programme. I can confidently say that I have truly become a fan of the genre in the last year and I am looking forward to checking out some of the interesting docs that are announced for this year.
Here are this year’s Real to Reel standouts (you can real the full list here)
Comic-Con: Episode IV – A Fan’s Hope – Morgan Spurlock, USA
It was definitely a busy year for Morgan Spurlock. It was only at Sundance in January where he debuted The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (which later played in Toronto in April, opening the Hot Docs film festival). Now he is back with his second film (and second Toronto appearance) of the year. Everyone who’s a true geek knows that the San Diego Comic-Con is the ultimate yearly hotspot and I am definitely excited to see this documentary on the event. This is officially now one of my top picks of the festival.
Crazy Horse – Frederick Wiseman, USA/France
The master of cinéma vérité is back with what looks to be a bit of a risque film that explores the the legendary Parisian cabaret club.
I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful – Jonathan Demme, USA
Another well-known documentarian returns with this film about a person’s struggle to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Into the Abyss – Werner Herzog, USA
Werner Herzog is starting to seem like a regular presence at TIFF. In his latest doc, Herzog explores a triple homicide case in Texas. Sounds quite interesting.
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory – Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, USA
Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky are best known for the original Paradise Lost documentary in 1996 and its 2000 sequel (Berlinger is also infamous for his brief move into fiction films as the director of Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows – a film he pretty much disowned). It would be interesting to see this third follow-up, even if I haven’t seen the other two.
Sarah Palin – You Betcha! – Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill, United Kingdom
I would see this documentary about Sarah Palin, based on the title alone.
The Story of Film: An Odyssey – Mark Cousins, United Kingdom
This is probably the most interesting of the documentary selections this year. This is a 15 hour look at the history of cinema. As a cinephile, I would probably be interested in checking it out. However, I doubt that I would have the endurance to see all 15 hours. I’m also curious about how they are going to schedule this film: Will they show it in one marathon screening or will it be split into multiple parts? This will definitely be one to keep an eye on.
