Biko Agusev resides in the Republic of North Macedonian town of Strumica 53 kms from the Greek border. His “clan”, as Biko refers to, has been playing music for generations. His band is preparing to perform at the Naousa Carnival a pre-Lent Mardi Gras type of festival occurring annually in the city of Naousa, GreeceContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “Biko and His Balkan Orchestra”: Sometimes Very Good Things Happen to Those Who Wait”
Category Archives: film
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “10 Reports in 10 Minutes”: On the Front Lines of Child Pornography “Management”
Eko and five other analysts work at the Dutch Pornography Reporting Centre reviewing material provided to it through a national hotline. Eko is the longest serving analyst with four years experience and has removed some 200,000 offensive online videos and pictures. Viewers spend 15 minutes watching Eko at work commenting to the camera what heContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “10 Reports in 10 Minutes”: On the Front Lines of Child Pornography “Management””
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: HOT DOCS: “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story”
Jackie Shane (born Jack Shane) was born in Nashville in 1940 abandoned by his 16-year-old unmarried mother being brought up by relatives. By eight years of age he was singing in a church choir adding to his musical background of spiritual music played often by his grandmother. Shane purchased some drums to start his musicalContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: HOT DOCS: “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story””
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “My Sextortion Diary” (Todo Lo Cubre la Sol): A Currency of Threats and Humiliation
Patricia Franquesa, a Spanish filmmaker, meets her ex-boyfriend at a restaurant in Madrid for lunch. Her laptop is stolen by two men as is visible on security camera footage. She reports the matter to the Madrid police. Two months later a hacker informs her three “compromising pictures” on her laptop will be distributed to allContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “My Sextortion Diary” (Todo Lo Cubre la Sol): A Currency of Threats and Humiliation”
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “Small Dogs Bark Loud”: A Recipe for a Successful Children’s Documentary
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival runs until 16March2025. “Small Dogs Bark Loud” is a Norwegian documentary deserving categorization as a successful children’s documentary and even more appealing as it doesn’t leave the adult viewer drowning in syrupy and overly simplistic platitudes. Tuni, a twelve-year-old, lives with her family undergoing challenges leaving Tuni with someContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “Small Dogs Bark Loud”: A Recipe for a Successful Children’s Documentary”
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “9:30”: Finding Some Good from the Depths of Unspeakable Horror
It was just another day in May of 2020 at 09:30 when 34-year-old accountant Ionna Paliospirou parked her car and headed towards the elevator in the lobby that would take her up to her office in suburban Athens. But it was no ordinary day as she was attacked by the elevator by a mentally disturbedContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “9:30”: Finding Some Good from the Depths of Unspeakable Horror”
27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “Death Plan for a Dog and a Man”: The Oracle of Death in Athens Speaks
The 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival runs until 16March2025. Slice and dice your interpretation of the Greek documentary “Death Plan for a Dog and a Man” and you just may have nailed down the last nail of the coffin. For lack of a more sophisticated descriptor this is a “fun” film but one with deepContinue reading “27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival: “Death Plan for a Dog and a Man”: The Oracle of Death in Athens Speaks”
RKS 2025 Film: “CIRCUSBOY” (Zircusboy): A Longstanding German Tradition
“CIRCUSBOY”, a German documentary, focuses on the Arena Circus owned by the Frank family in the circus business for some 200 years. “CIRCUSBOY” recently had its world premiere at The Berlin International Film Festival. The Arena Circus represents a long-standing German travelling circus tradition. It is a circus one will not see in North AmericaContinue reading “RKS 2025 Film: “CIRCUSBOY” (Zircusboy): A Longstanding German Tradition”
RKS 2025 Canadian Documentary Film: “Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine”
Canadian writer and director Alfonso Maiorana has crafted a notable documentary on the career of Ellen McIlwaine a brilliant vocalist and guitar player through archival footage, photographs, recreations, interviews and extensive commentary from producers and musicians. She is not unknown to me as I listened to her music in the 1970’s and early 1980’s whenContinue reading “RKS 2025 Canadian Documentary Film: “Goddess of Slide: The Forgotten Story of Ellen McIlwaine””
GEMFest 2025: RKS 2025 CANADIAN Film: “Lumen”: Murderous Intent and the $35 Lamp
A study in cinematographic depression courtesy of Yannick Nolan! It’s raining cats and dogs and the radio warns more is coming. Claude (Carmen Sylvestre), a 70-year-old trans sits in a gloomy apartment on a computer chasing down a lamp offered by Anne on Facebook marketplace. Claude jumps to a conclusion a deal has ben reachedContinue reading “GEMFest 2025: RKS 2025 CANADIAN Film: “Lumen”: Murderous Intent and the $35 Lamp”
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