Film: Palestinian Cinema, the Surveillance State, Ancient Woods

New movies out this week include a self-reflexive rumination on the white gaze in documentary, a movi

Film Jun 4, 2021 • View in browser

New movies out this week include a self-reflexive rumination on the white gaze in documentary, a movie about one of Europe’s last old-growth forests, and a riveting look at the history of surveillance.Plus, learn about the cinema of post-communist Eastern Europe, and what Palestinian films you should seek out. Enjoy!– Dan Schindel, Associate Editor for Documentary

What's New

Sergei Loznitsa's Post-Communist Cinematic Landscape of Eastern Europe Sergei Loznitsa’s expansive filmography is a great entryway to films from Ukraine, Poland, Russia, and more which grapple with the legacy of the Warsaw Pact. Ela Bittencourt

Western Films About Africa Are Neocolonial Even When They Try Not to Be Attempting to interrogate its own lens, the documentary Stop Filming Us mixes sharp insights with disappointing shortcomings. Yasmina Price

An Astonishingly Intimate Film Takes Us Deep Into the Woods Filmed over 10 years, Mindaugas Survila’s The Ancient Woods avoids the usual trappings of anthropomorphism. Manuela Lazic

"Elena" Is a Proud Celebration of Haitian Heritage in the Dominican Republic Michèle Stephenson’s documentary short finds beauty in qualities of Haitian life which the Dominican government scorns. Alonso Aguilar

What to Watch

From "All Light, Everywhere"

Tied to the Palestinian liberation struggle is a rich cinematic tradition. Munir Atalla has written a great primer on recent Palestinian films you can watch now. All Light, Everywhere is now in theaters, and it’s one of the best docs of the year. Read our review from Sundance.

See you online or in the theater!

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