HBO Documentary Films

[6 mins. 12 secs.] First up, Chloé Zhao (Songs My Brother Taught Me) discusses her second feature film, The Rider, along with her lead actor Brady Jandreau who plays a variation of himself in this dramatic hybrid film. After a riding accident leaves him unable to compete on the rodeo circuit, a young cowboy (Jandreau) searches for a new purpose. The film, which had its world premiere at Cannes 2018 and went on to screen at the TIFF, the New York Film Festival, Telluride, Sundance, and SxSW,  is being distributed Sony Pictures Classics. It opens Friday, April 13th at the Angelika Film Center & Landmark at 57 West in NYC and at The Landmark in Los Angeles, before going national in the coming weeks.

[30 mins. 55 secs.] Next up, half the filmmaking team behind the new documentary, I Am Evidence, Trish Adlesic is in this segment. The film, which premieres on HBO on Monday, April 16th 8PM, tells the story of four survivors whose rape kits went untested for years, following them as they navigate their way through the criminal justice system and learn that so often, the system is broken.

Last up, a conversation from SxSW 2018 in Austin, Texas, I’m joined by some of the director and two cast members from a new dramatic film called All Square. Joining me is filmmaker John Hyams along with two stellar actors: Isiah Whitlock, Jr., (Pete’s Dragon, Cedar Rapids) and the legendary Harris Yulin (“Doc”, Scarface). Hyams’ film is about a down-on-his-luck bookie (Michael Kelly) who befriends an ex-girlfriend’s son and begins taking bets on his little league games, creating chaos in the community. The film also includes Pamela Adlon & Josh Lucas among its outstanding cast. We’ll be keeping up with  All Square as it continues its trajectory.

Filmwax Radio is presented by Rooftop Films. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher & Youtube.

[6 mins. 30 secs.] Filmmakers Josh Koury & Myles Kane their new documentary, Voyeur, which is having a theatrical engagement at the IFC Center in NYC and at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in LA beginning this Friday, December 1st. If you are not in either of those cities, fear not, the film will be having its premiere on Netflix on the same day. Voyeur follows Gay Talese —the 84-year-old giant of modern journalism— as he reports one of the most controversial stories of his career: a portrait of a Colorado motel owner, Gerald Foos. For decades, Foos secretly watched his guests with the aid of specially designed ceiling vents, peering down from an “observation platform” he built in the motel’s attic. He kept detailed journals of his guests’ most private moments — from the mundane to the shocking — but most of all he sought out, spied on, and documented one thing: strangers having sex. Talese’s insatiable curiosity leads him to turn his gaze to a man accustomed to being the watcher, exploring a tangle of ethical questions: What does a journalist owe to his subjects? How can a reporter trust a source who has made a career of deception? Who is really the voyeur?

[33 mins. 45 secs.] Actor & comedian Noël Wells makes her directorial debut with Mr. Roosevelt, a comedy about a young woman named Emily (Wells) who left behind her home and boyfriend to pursue career opportunities in L.A. When a loved one falls ill, Emily rushes back to Austin where she’s forced to stay with her ex-boyfriend and his new-and-improved girlfriend, a totally together woman with a five-year plan. Though Emily is the same, everything else is different: her house has been smartly redecorated, her rocker boyfriend is training to be a real estate agent, and her old haunts show serious signs of gentrification. Holed up in her own guest room, Emily–who has no idea what she’ll be doing five days from now, let alone five years– is forced to question everyone’s values: are they sell-outs or have they just figured out what makes them happy? And is she following her dreams or is she just a self-absorbed loser? The film is currently screening in NYC and going wide thereafter.

[51 mins. 8 secs.] In the wake of the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in police custody, Baltimore was a city on the edge. Peaceful protests and destructive riots erupted in the immediate aftermath of Gray’s death, while the city waited to hear the fate of the six police officers involved in the incident, reflecting the deep divisions between authorities and the community – and underscoring the urgent need for reconciliation. We’re joined by actor turned filmmaker, Sonja Sohn (The Wire), who directed this documentary, Baltimore Rising currently on HBO. Sonja’s joined by one of the subjects in her film, Kwame Rose.

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Filmwax Radio is presented by Rooftop Films. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher & Youtube.

[5 mins. 55 secs.] The president of HBO Documentary Films, Sheila Nevins, is the sole guest on Episode 443 of the podcast. Sheila, who has been at the esteemed network for some 35 years, is now the author of a book called You Don’t Look Your Age… and Other Fairy Tales (Flatiron Books, 2017). The book is not only available as conventional physical media but also as in audio format either by download or on CD. There is a host of celebrity names —almost all friends of the author— reading the various chapters including Gloria Vanderbilt, Lena Dunham, Alan Alda & Audra McDonald, to name just a few.

In this episode Sheila and I discuss writing the book, some small controversies that have surrounded it, her time at HBO, but perhaps most importantly of all, about her life and growing up. And for 90 minutes (edited down from our 3 hour plus conversation), you will get a sense of what this woman is like: funny, at times insecure, always intelligent & down-to-earth.

Please take a moment to check out our Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1115063530/filmwax-radio-20. Watch the pitch video, read the description, and check out our outstanding rewards. Consider contributing and or supporting the campaign. Thank you!

Filmwax Radio is presented by Rooftop Films. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. The podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher & Youtube.