The Ozu Diaries

An extremely lovely tribute to Ozu, on the 20th anniversary of his death. It uses a combination of footage from vintage films and new material (both interviews and Ozu-related locations) shot by Ozu's long-time camera-man (who came out of retirement to work on this). Surprisingly (or perhaps not), it focuses less on Ozu's accomplishments as a film-maker than on his impact on the lives of the people he worked with..

Footage shot in and around North Bergen, New Jersey presented in a minimalist series of fixed camera angles and long-takes accompanied by the ambient noise of city streets.

“This film was a gift to me. I make no claims for it, nor do I offer any apologies. It comes from work on The Thoughts That Once We Had. There was one shot we had to cut whose loss I particularly regretted. It was a shot of a train pulling into Tokyo Station from Ozu’s The Only Son (1936). So I decided to make a film around this shot, an anthology of train arrivals. It comprises 26 scenes or shots from movies, 1904-2015. It has a simple serial structure: each black & white sequence in the first half rhymes with a color sequence in the second half. Thus the first shot and the final shot show trains arriving at stations in Japan from a low camera height. In the first shot (The Only Son), the train moves toward the right; in the last shot, it moves toward the left. A bullet train has replaced a steam locomotive. So after all these years, I’ve made another structural film, although that was not my original intention.”

Director Garry S. Grant’s insightful documentary celebrates the work and legacy of auteur filmmaker Mario Bava, the grand master of Italian horror and the man known by many as “the Italian Hitchcock.”

The classic board game, Scrabble, has been popular for decades. In addition, there are fanatics who devote heart and soul to this game to the expense of everything else. This film profiles a group of these enthusiasts as they converge for a Scrabble convention where the word game is almost a bloodsport.

In 20 years, he's directed more films than Martin Scorsese, He's produced more profitable movies than Jerry Bruckheimer, And he's infuriated more actors than Alfred Hitchcock. The ultimate B Movie Documentary, focusing on B Movie Giant Jim Wynorski (and B Movie Celebration Mentor) and his attempt to make a feature film in 3 days. He's directed seventy feature films, but he's never made one... in THREE DAYS. Jim cuts the shooting schedule, has the actors cook their own food. A documentary featuring B-Movie legends Roger Corman, Andy Sidaris, Julie Strain, Julie K. Smith and Stormy Daniels, Popatopolis follows Jim Wynorski as he begins to film one of his many opuses "Witches of Breastwick" Jim's frenetic pace demands 100 setups per day (the Hollywood standard is 20), and he reduces his electric package to just two lights so he can concentrate on the task at hand.A great overview of a true master at work and in many ways a laser sharp dialectic on the state of B filmmaking today.

Documentary on Krzysztof Kieslowski's Dekalog from the BBC Arena series.

Peter Del Monte e Luca Guadagnino: Un Incontro

With the help of record label 88rising, we look through the eyes six different artist from six different backgrounds, all within Asia, as they share their thoughts on the recent rise of hip-hop throughout the region.

A short documentary about notorious filmmaker Owen Land (aka George Landow) and his most recent film Dialogues (2009). Interviews with cast and crew, plus never-before-seen footage from the movie.

While still a student at UCLA, Norman Yonemoto arrived in Berkeley with a 16mm camera and discovered People’s Park in turmoil. His compelling short has remarkable interviews with bystanders and an especially poignant moment when a young folksinger serenades the gathered National Guard.

Sparked by the demolition and reconstruction of its century-old campus, Ying Wa Girls' School embarks on a project to chronicle the transformation of its students through the camera of director Mabel Cheung, its distinguished alumna. Following a group of young students since 2011, the documentary captures the trials and tribulations that go with the most turbulent decade in Hong Kong's history.

Director Jeff Krulik returns to Jim Powell's basement for more heavy metal goodies.

Vizconde Massacre -the trial of the century, Flor Contemplacion's story, the case that outraged Filipinos, and more horrifying deaths. Cheche Lazaro's Probe Archives goes in-depth on the controversy behind the gruesome crimes that shocked the entire country during the 90s.

Innocence tells the story of children who resisted to be enlisted but capitulated. Their stories were never told as they died during their service. Through a narration based on their haunting diaries, the film depicts their inner turmoil. It interweaves first-hand military images, key moments from childhood until enlistment and home videos of the deceased soldiers whose stories are silenced and seen as a national threat.

After the war, the young totalitarian authority was afraid of Jesuits that had good connections all over the world, even in the countries Slovenian political immigrants fled to. They were accused of hostile activities and put to a framed-up trial.

For a long time, the Adriatic Sea used to be Central Europe's only link to the orient. This small sea became a symbol of entry to the vast, exotic world, allowing the city of Venice to call itself "Queen of the Seven Seas".

A democracy and a dictatorship. A presidential campaign and dirty money. War and death. When Nicolas Sarkozy affirmed in the press that “No one can make sense of it”, he was trying to discredit the investigation into his ties with Muammar Gaddafi, portraying it as a bunch of gibberish. As Sarkozy and his many accomplices go on trial in the Libyan campaign financing affair, here’s the film that will finally explain all of the ins and outs of one of the most remarkable French political scandals in decades.

1986 was a special year in the development of hip-hop. The Dutch TV documentary BIG FUN IN THE BIG TOWN captured this on film. And 15-year-old Pascal Garnier was immediately fascinated by New York’s young rap celebrities. Almost 40 years later, with the assistance of Bill Adler - the former publicist of the legendary Def Jam label - he tracked down the artists of that time. Roxanne Shanté, DMC and Def Jam’s creative director Cey Adams reminisce and also talk about their current lives. In his grandmother’s house, hip-hop icon LL Cool J talks about the meaning of “I Need Love”. Pure emotion - for viewers and everyone involved.

Documentary examining the steel industry in Youngstown, Ohio during World War II. Focuses on steel production, including the smelting process, slagging and the blast furnace. Workers reflect upon their lives and the importance of their jobs. Emphasizes the importance of teamwork in the mills and on the plant's labor relations committee to help win the war. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.