Posted by Larry Gleeson
AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium With Honoree Laura Poitras
Spotlight Screening of AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER at the Newseum and World Premiere of RECRUITING FOR JIHAD
Day Two of the AFI DOCS Forum
Washington, DC, Friday, June 16, 2017 — AFI DOCS presents a full schedule of Friday’s events that include the Charles Guggenheim Symposium celebrating Academy Award ®-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras. The Symposium will include a conversation with Poitras and Director of Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Cara Mertes. The Newseum will host the Spotlight Screening of AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER, and the extended international version of RECRUITING FOR JIHAD will have its world premiere. Also, the 2017 AFI DOCS Forum is in its second day at the Festival Hub in the District Architecture Center. These events and festival screenings further the mission of AFI DOCS: to bring filmmakers, our nation’s leaders and audiences together in the heart of Washington, DC.
WHO: Poitras, Mertes and AFI President & CEO Bob Gazzale
WHAT: GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM
This year’s Symposium pays tribute to groundbreaking filmmaker Laura Poitras, with clips from her acclaimed works along with an in-depth discussion moderated by Director of Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Cara Mertes.
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Newseum, Annenberg Theater, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
WHO: Director Jon Shenk and ClimateWire’s Emily Holden
WHAT: AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER – SPOTLIGHT SCREENING
This timely sequel to Academy Award®-winning documentary AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006) takes up with former Vice President Al Gore and his efforts to educate the public — and those in power — about climate change and the crisis facing our planet.
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Screening begins
10:10 p.m. Panel with Shenk moderated by Holden
WHERE: Newseum, Annenberg Theater, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Tickets for select screenings are still available. Order online at AFI.com/AFIDOCS. Same day tickets must be purchased in-person at festival venues: Landmark E Street Cinema, the Newseum and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.
WORLD PREMIERE OF RECRUITING FOR JIHAD’S
EXTENDED INTERNATIONAL VERSION
8:45 p.m. RECRUITING FOR JIHAD at Landmark E Street Cinema Theatre 6. Journalist Adel Khan Farooq gains unparalleled and unsettling access into the shrouded world of jihadism. He shadows Norwegian Muslim Ubaydullah Hussain — a polarizing figure — as he recruits young converts aiming to travel to Syria and join ISIS. Farooq casually encounters soon-to-be jihadists as he documents this notorious but largely unknown world. Expected guests include directors Adel Khan Farooq and Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen.
AFI DOCS FORUM: DAY TWO
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Festival filmmakers and industry professionals will meet at the AFI DOCS Festival Hub at the District Architecture Center (DAC) for day two of the four-day AFI DOCS Forum. Open to all AFI DOCS passholders, each day of the Forum includes breakfast and lunch. Each day the Forum will explore a unique topic with keynote presentations, conversations, panel discussions and micro-meetings. Friday’s AFI DOCS Forum schedule, sponsored by Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will include:
10:00 a.m. Truth in Storytelling
How do we engage a post-truth society, with its fake news, hate speech and misleading narratives that further antagonism toward objective, fact-based sources for news and information? Public media journalists and independent documentary filmmakers participate in a conversation about reporting and nonfiction storytelling in a post-truth world.
11:30 a.m. Documentary Film in Service of a Civil Society
All locally owned and operated, public television stations help citizens and communities understand the issues they face at home and regionally, enabling them to develop solutions based on facts and rooted in community partnerships. As localism is seen increasingly as a way to bridge the widening partisan divide, representatives of public broadcasters from across the country discuss the role of public media in their communities and the expanding roles of journalism and documentary film in activating civic engagement and creating a more equitable society.
2:00 p.m. Documentary Case Study: GENTLEMEN OF VISION + Nine Network of Public Media (St. Louis, MO)
In 2015, St. Louis independent documentary filmmaker Frank Popper and St. Louis PBS affiliate Nine Network began production on a documentary about the nationally acclaimed, competitive high school step team Gentlemen of Vision (GOV). Following the team as they strived to win their national competitions, graduate from high school and overcome personal challenges, the documentary emerged from the Nine Network’s work on American Graduate, a national and local initiative to help young people succeed in school and in life — with the goal of increasing the graduation rate nationwide to 90% by the year 2020.
Photos and a recap from the day’s events will be made available for download in the pressroom at afidocspress.afi.com.
A LOOK BACK AT THURSDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, June 15, AFI DOCS kicked off the four-day AFI DOCS Forum at the District Architecture Center. Day one of the Forum included filmmaker conversations and presentations on diversity and inclusion in the documentary field. Thursday’s film programming included the Spotlight Screenings of MOSQUITO and THE REAGAN SHOW, followed by panel discussions at the Newseum. Mariska Hargitay joined directors Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir for a screening and Q&A of I AM EVIDENCE. TOUGH GUYS had its world premiere with producer Morgan Spurlock on Thursday at E Street Cinema.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS:
11:00 a.m. THE GROWN-UPS
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 7
In Maite Alberdi’s delightful, award-winning portrait, a group of middle-aged adults with Down syndrome attend culinary classes in Chile. The students navigate life, love and making the perfect pastries, while dreaming of living independently.
11:00 a.m. CHAVELA
AFI SILVER THEATRE 2
The dramatic, soulful interpretations of Mexican lesbian singer Chavela Vargas paved the way for women seeking equality in a traditionally male world. A renowned nightclub performer reduced to alcoholic impoverishment, Vargas made a triumphant comeback in her 70s that secured her reputation as an artist of uncompromising passion and independence. Expected guests include director Daresha Kyi.
11:15 a.m. WAITING FOR THE SUN
AFI SILVER THEATRE 3
China has the largest number of prisoners on death row worldwide. The children of the condemned face social stigma and few options. Enter Grandma Zheng, a former prison guard who, via her orphanage Sun Valley, provides housing, education and a second chance for a normal life.
11:30 a.m. SHORTS PROGRAM 2: GREAT LOVES
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 6
Featured films: BALANCÉ, CUCLI, HAVANA HOUSE, LADY EVA, LIFE, DEATH AND CHEERLEADING and THE TABLES. Expected guests include HAVANA HOUSE director Gaspar González, LADY EVA director Dean Hamer, LIFE, DEATH AND CHEERLEADING director Claire Tailyour and THE TABLES director Jon Bunning.
1:00 p.m. TROPHY
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 7
As man forces more animals to the edge of extinction, the search for how to save them has become only more complex. TROPHY is a dark journey into the global commodification of big game animals in Africa and the consequences that result. Expected guests include directors Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau.
1:30 p.m. NOWHERE TO HIDE
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 1
A hospital worker films life in central Iraq’s “triangle of death” after American forces leave in 2011, capturing unforgettable images of his family’s survival and providing a brave view of a chaotic and brutal war zone. Expected guests include director Zaradasht Ahmed and producer Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas.
1:30 p.m. NO MAN’S LAND
AFI SILVER THEATRE 2
In 2016, a well-armed band of anti-government militants took control of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. NO MAN’S LAND is the riveting account of the siege that followed and its aftermath. Expected guests include director David Byars.
1:45 p.m. SHORTS PROGRAM 3: CLOSE TIES
AFI SILVER THEATRE 3
Featured films: ALL GOOD THINGS, CLOSE TIES, EDITH+EDDIE and HOW THE AIR FEELS. Expected guests include EDITH + EDDIE director Laura Checkoway and HOW THE AIR FEELS director Khaula Malik.
2:15 p.m. SHORTS PROGRAM 7: WORLD VIEWS
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATER 6
Featured films: ELECTION, HOMELAND, MONUMENT I MONUMENTO, MY DAUGHTER NORA, PICKET LINE and THE PRICE OF CERTAINTY. Expected guests include THE PRICE OF CERTAINTY director Daniele Anastasion.
3:45 p.m. UNREST
AFI SILVER THEATRE 2
When a mysterious illness robs newlywed and Harvard grad student Jennifer Brea of the life she dreamed of living, she reaches out to others grappling with a little-understood disease that primarily afflicts women.
4:00 p.m. GENTLEMEN OF VISION
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 7
Produced by St. Louis PBS affiliate Nine Network, GENTLEMEN OF VISION profiles the struggles and triumphs shared by a competitive high school step team and their determined coach as they prepare for a key competition. Expected guests include directors Jim Kirchherr and Frank Popper, and film subjects Amy Shaw and Marlon Wharton.
4:00 p.m. NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 1
Opening a new restaurant is not for the faint of heart. Time, money, stress, repeat. Two DC-area chefs put everything on the line to open two very different establishments — Frank Linn’s Frankly…Pizza! and Aaron Silverman’s Rose’s Luxury (Bon Appetit’s “Best New Restaurant in America” in 2014). Expected guests include director Dustin Harrison-Atlas, film subjects Frank Linn and Kate Diamond, and The Washington Post’s Tim Carman. Q&A moderated by The Washington Post’s Joe Yonan.
4:15 p.m. A GREEK WINTER
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 6
In the wake of the Greek debt crisis, a spirited brother and sister from Thessaloniki must face the impossible choice of keeping their small family business afloat or helping neighbors in need. Expected guests include director Ingeborg Jansen.
4:15 p.m. THE CAGE FIGHTER
AFI SILVER THEATRE 3
In this unflinching and up-close portrait, a 40-year-old blue-collar dad is caught between his desire to make a comeback in mixed martial arts, and his family, who abhors his brutal hobby. Expected guests include sound engineer Frank Scheuring.
6:00 p.m. 32 PILLS: MY SISTER’S SUICIDE
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 7
In December 2008, Ruth Litoff took her own life and left behind a legacy of art, love and tragedy. Years later, her sister Hope undertakes a mission to understand Ruth’s illness and her desire to end her life. Expected guests include director Hope Litoff and producer Beth Levison.
6:15 p.m. CITY OF GHOSTS
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 6
The latest film from Matthew Heineman (CARTEL LAND) is a harrowing and inspirational portrait of the men behind “Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently,” a group of heroic citizen journalists who are courageously fighting to bring to light ISIS’ atrocities in their hometown. Expected guests include director Matthew Heineman and moderator Jason Dick from CQ Roll Call.
6:15 p.m. DINA
AFI SILVER THEATRE 2
This tender story of overcoming obstacles and finding love follows a 49-year-old woman coping with autism and a fledgling romance with Scott, a Walmart door greeter. DINA garnered the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Expected guests include directors Antonio Santini and Daniel Sickles, as well as the film subjects Dina Buno and Scott Levin.
6:30 p.m. RUMBLE
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 1
RUMBLE celebrates the unsung Native American and First Nation musicians who helped shape rock and roll in this rollicking and thoughtful film about the rarely acknowledged Indian role in the history of North American music. Featuring interviews with George Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Buffy Sainte-Marie and many more. Spotlight Screening. Expected guests include director Catherine Bainbridge and producers Ernest Webb and Tim Johnson.
6:30 p.m. THE GIRL DOWN LOCH ÄNZI
AFI SILVER THEATRE 3
Juggling the awkwardness of adolescence and the magnetism of a local legend, a 12-year-old girl navigates life on a Swiss family farm and dreams of searching a gorge for the titular mythological girl.
8:15 p.m. DONKEYOTE
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 7
Chico Pereira’s portrait of a 73-year-old Spaniard planning a quixotic trip to the U.S. to walk the Trail of Tears with his beloved dog and donkey shows how the journey can be even richer than the destination.
8:45 p.m. QUEST
AFI SILVER THEATRE 2
Following a close-knit family in Philadelphia’s inner city as they face innumerable struggles from the 2008 election to today, QUEST shows how much can change — and how much can remain the same — over the course of eight years. Expected guests include director Jon Olshefski and the film’s subjects, the Rainey family.
9:00 p.m. A SUITABLE GIRL
AFI SILVER THEATRE 3
Tradition, modernity and gender roles converge in this honest portrait of three young women in India as they — and their parents — contemplate their marriage prospects, careers and future happiness. Expected guests include directors Smriti Mundhra and Sarita Khurana.
9:15 p.m. FOR AHKEEM
LANDMARK E STREET CINEMA THEATRE 1
Behind the racially charged headlines of Ferguson, MO, is 17-year-old Daje “Boonie” Shelton, a young woman from North St. Louis struggling to make it to graduation after an unexpected pregnancy. Expected guests include directors Jeremy S. Levine and Landon Van Soest.
About the American Film Institute
Celebrating its golden milestone, the American Film Institute began its mission on June 5, 1967 — to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. Established by Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential mandate in the White House Rose Garden, AFI is America’s promise to educate today’s audiences and tomorrow’s artists. The Institute was anchored by a foundation of luminaries from the film community including Gregory Peck as Chair, Sidney Poitier as Vice Chair, George Stevens, Jr., as Director and CEO with board members Francis Ford Coppola, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and Jack Valenti.
In 1969, AFI opened the Center for Advanced Film Studies, now called the AFI Conservatory, an elite MFA program whose inaugural class included Terrence Malik, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. The program’s acclaimed film and television alumni include Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Julie Dash, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, David Lynch and Robert Richardson, among others.
In addition to the AFI Conservatory, AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film; AFI AWARDS, honoring the most outstanding movies and TV series of the year; AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI FEST presented by Audi, AFI DOCS and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at twitter.com/AmericanFilm,
facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute and youtube.com/AFI.
About AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival in Washington, DC. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFI DOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the heart of our nation’s government. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson, D A Pennebaker, Agnès Varda and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 15th year, the festival will be held June 14–18, 2017, in landmark Washington, DC, venues and at the historic AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD. Visit AFI.com/AFIDOCS and connect on twitter.com/AFIDOCS, facebook.com/AFIDOCS, youtube.com/AFI and instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business, mobile and high speed internet services. We offer the nation’s best data network* and the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider.** We’re one of the world’s largest providers of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. Nearly 3.5 million companies, from small to large businesses around the globe, turn to AT&T for our highly secure smart solutions.
AT&T Products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at facebook.com/att and YouTube at youtube.com/att.
© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
*Claim based on the Nielsen Certified Data Network Score. Score includes data reported by wireless consumers in the Nielsen Mobile Insights survey, network measurements from Nielsen Mobile Performance and Nielsen Drive Test Benchmarks for Q3+Q4 2016 across 121 markets.
**Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; and voice roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. International service required. Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries.
(Source: Press materials provided by Gabrielle Flamand, AFI DOCS PR, 202.339.9598 or gabrielle@prcollaborative.com and Liza Ameen, American Film Institute, 323.856.7885 or LAmeen@AFI.com)
