Documentary Channel, USA’s first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films, is primarily available through satellite television services DISH Network (Channel 197) and DIRECTV (Channel 267). 

Check out the Doc Channel trailer for “For the Love of Movies.”

Amy, Marilyn, Gerry at Tropic Cinema

circuit, showing at over 60 film festivals and theaters around the world.  Last week, we screened to two full houses at the Tropic Cinema in Key West, Florida, and we’re premiering next week in Norway at the Tromso Film Festival.  Read on for additional news!

Valentine’s Day premiere on Doc Channel

Our big national TV premiere will be on Valentine’s Day weekend on the Documentary Channel.  The Doc Channel has programmed the movie on February 12 at 8 PM (encore screening at 11 PM) as an homage to “movie love.” How perfect!  How romantic!

Return to Boston area – 1/29!

On January 29, we’re at the Harvard Film Archive, bringing “For the Love of Movies” back to the Boston area with a 7 PM screening and a panel discussion with prominent local film critics.  We look forward to an audience of our local friends and colleagues who have missed seeing our feature documentary.

Fans of our DVD!

Our newest luminary fan is the legendary writer of teen fiction, Judy Blume, who attended a screening at the Tropic Cinema and bought a DVD after. Other on-record FTLOM admirers: filmmakers Paul Schrader and John Waters, theatre director Andre Gregory, screenwriter Jay Cocks. Novelist Jonathan Lethem ordered a DVD, and poet Anne Carson purchased a DVD for her movie-crazy uncle!

Do you want to see our film? It’s easy to order our DVD.

These were great screenings, but we’d still like to play Manhattan. Any ideas? Or for the three biggest cities in North America which we haven’t cracked: Philadelphia, Dallas, Toronto? Please e-mail ftlom.info@gmail.com

Also, check out Dave Kehr’s piece in his Sunday New York Times video column.

On Film has been on the air since 1993 and showcases the talents of local filmmakers and their work. The program provides listeners with a forum for the discussion and understanding of what makes quality films, and helps foster an appreciation for the art of cinema.

You can listen to the interview here!

And here are the key Boston reviews, all favorable:

“An insider looks at film criticism through the years” by Ty Burr, “The Boston Globe,” September 9, 2009:

“…the movie’s a lively and important first step in assaying the worth of a field on the verge of extinction, as more and more professional reviewers are let go from struggling news organizations (nearly 60 in the past 3 1/2 years).”

“‘Love of Movies’ shines through” by James Verniere, The Boston Herald, September 9, 2009:

“Learn the meaning of the scornful soubriquet “paulette.” Hear Elvis Mitchell talk about his youthful critical response to “Scream Blacula Scream” (1973). See Siskel and Ebert together (and young) again. It’s all in “For the Love of Movies.”

***1/2 “The Boston Phoenix” -  ” For the Love of Movies” beams viewers to a planet that outsiders only think they know about. But in interviewing his subjects—a score of movie critics—Phoenix critic Gerald Peary does much more than provoke condescending quotes about pedestrian favorites like Titanic. In a feat fit for civilians and fellow critics alike, Peary traces film criticism to its birth and examines movements, trends, and eras that have since evolved, with an emphasis on the feud between Andrew Sarris and Pauline Kael.”

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Well, we arrived in beautiful, warm Israel, after nearly 20 hours of travel.  Our first day, we attended a partying a private home on a hill, with the most fabulous view of Jerusalem from the balcony.  You could see all the way to Jordan!

Our biggest thrill came the next day: We ran into a protest in which over 100 Ultra Orthodox Jews were blocking the way into a parking garage which was open on Shabbat.

I jumped into the fray to take some close up photos of the sit in. (Don’t worry, I wasn’t the only photographer snapping pics.) The men were literally sitting in the street and just outside the entrance to the garage.  One eleven year-old boy jumped out of the crowd and started screaming “Shiksa” into my face.  At that point, the police showed up, dressed in full riot gear and started to move the protesters away from the garage opening.

A group of protesters drove into the street, locked arms and started to block the traffic that was driving through.  The police followed them and again dragged them onto the sidewalk.  Limbs were akimbo, hats were flying.  It was pretty incredible!

Not something you see every day in secular Boston.