The International Documentary Association (IDA) announced its nominations for the 2011 IDA Documentary Awards this week and one of my favorites ‘How To Die In Oregon‘ made the featured category.
International Documentary Association or IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin said it best about the current state of documentary films today. They always seems to come in waves every few years of very powerful docs that just capture your full attention. When I saw ‘How To Die In Oregon‘, it reminded me of why I love documentary films and making them so much. They can take a subject many are squeamish about and put it in your face in a more palatable way to get people talking. Many time, touchy subjects remain that way as no one wants to discuss and figure out a solution. This is where documentary film has such power to bring it to the forefront and make people see things from a different perspective. Many times people will wind up saying “I never thought about it like that.” Now here’s what he had to say after my little ramble.
“The past year has been a remarkable one for documentary films,” said IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin, “on both a national and international level documentary films have demonstrated time and time again the power of nonfiction storytelling to change lives and have direct impact on our world.”
The IDA will be honoring documentary filmmaker Les Blank (“Garlic Is As Good As Good Mothers”) with its 2011 Career Achievement Award. Danfung Dennis, director of “Hell and Back Again” will be awrded IDA’s 2011 Jacqueline Donnet Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award. I got to meet Dennis a few years back at another documentary film festival, and I’d not heard of him before, but after talking to him all night, I immediately went to check out everything he had made. He’s very deserving of that award.
Below are all the 2011 IDA nominations:
Feature category:
“Better This World,” Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega’s riveting account of two boyhood friends from Midland, Texas who wind up arrested on terrorism charges at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
“How to Die in Oregon,” Peter Richardson’s life-affirming and staggeringly powerful portrait of what it means to die with dignity.
“Nostalgia for the Light” – Chilean master director Patricio Guzmán’s moving, and deeply personal odyssey.
“The Redemption of General Butt Naked” – Daniele Anastasion and Eric Strauss’ compelling portrait, which confronts hard questions about both the power and limits of forgiveness in a nation searching for healing and justice; and from Mexico.
“The Tiniest Place” (El Lugar Mas Pequeno), Tatiana Huezo’s story of an annihilated Salvadorian town that re-emerges through the strength and deep love of its inhabitants for the land and the people.
Shorts category:
“Broken Doors,” Goro Toshima’s look at a young, homeless couple, struggling to survive on the streets of Hollywood.
“Maya Deren’s Sink” – Barbara Hammer’s engaging tribute to the mother of avant-garde American film.
“Minka,” Davina Pardo’s intimate story about architecture, memory and the meaning of home.
“Poster Girl” by Sara Nesson – a portrait of an all-American high-school cheerleader turned ‘poster girl’ for women in combat struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress order (PTSD).
“The Warriors of Qiugang,” Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon’s look at villagers in a remote district of central China who battle a chemical company that is poisoning their water and air.
The five nominees for the Continuing Series Award are:
“30 For 30” (ESPN Films)
“American Experience” (WGBH)
“The Passionate Eye” (CBC)
“POV” (American Documentary, Inc. | POV)
“Vanguard” (Current).
Limited Series nominees are:
“Boomtown” (Planet Green)
“If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise” (HBO Documentary Films)
“On Series” (Current)
“Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook” (PBS)
“The National Parks Project” (Discovery World HD).
Nominees for the IDA Humanitas Award are:
“The Carrier” (Maggie Betts, Director)
“How to Die in Oregon” (Peter Richardson, Director)
“The Learning” (Ramona Diaz, Director)
“Position Among the Stars” (Leonard Retel Helmrich, Director)
“The Tiniest Place” (El Lugar Mas Pequeno) (Tatiana Huezo, Director).
Five student films are nominated for the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award:
“Guañape Sur” (János Richter, Director)
“Heart-Quake” (Mark Olexa, Director)
“River of Victory” (Trevor Wright, Director)
“Smoke Songs” (Briar March, Director)
“Transit” (Regina Tan, Director).
Nominees for the ABC News Video Source Award, which recognizes the use of news footage in documentary filmmaking include:
“Best Band in the Land” (Amber Edwards, Director/Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook- Episode 2),
“The Green Wave” (Ali Ahadi, Director)
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” (Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith, Directors/POV)
“The Pruitt-Igoe Myth” (Chad Freidrichs, Director)
“Reagan” (Eugene Jarecki, Director/HBO Documentary Films).
How To Die In Oregon Trailer – Best Movies Ever
POV Award Nominations – Best Movies Ever
PBP TV – MikeHenitiuk.com – Whistler POV by broadbandsports
International Documentary Association (IDA) Announces 2011 Nominations – Best Movies Ever News
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Curt Johnson
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