For American film-making the year 1939 stands out. Included in the vast roster of films made that year is the documentary on African American singer Marion Anderson. The Daughters of the American Revolution would not allow Ms.Anderson to perform a concert in Constitution Hall. However, on April 9, 1939 civil rights organizers arranged a special [...]

Documentary film making probably began as the “newsreel.” Early in the century, without television and limited radio news broadcast, the newsreel was the only source of visual news available to the public. With film crews set up all over the world, newsreel crews made documentaries about the wars, public officials, world leaders and celebrities. Reporting [...]

2010 saw a great variety of films. Film Festivals world-wide brought hordes of cinema enthusiast out for glimpses of theatrical history. Documentaries are always a favorite genre, so here we take a look at the winners from the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Restrepo – Grand Jury Prize. The film’s makers follow a group of soldiers [...]

If seeking out documentary film festivals, the United States is definitely the place to be. These film festivals focus on the new and innovative, and work to recognized the brightest newcomers to the field. The Chicago International Documentary Film Festival is one such festival. This fest runs for over 10 days in the city of [...]