New to T/F in 2009

Rumor has it the T/F family grew last night when festival co-director Paul and his partner, Polina, welcomed a healthy baby boy!  

Congratulations from wt/f!

Have you seen the T/F ad?

The Scoop: BIG RIVER MAN

Big River Man is the story of Martin Strel, a Slovenian endurance swimmer who attempts to be the first person to swim the Amazon River. At 52, Strel does not appear to be the man for the job.  (Not to mention he's over-weight and an avid drinker!)

Here's a link to an interview with Martin, his son Borut, and filmmaker John Maringouin 30 minutes after the film's final screening at Sundance.

There's more info to be had at the official web site.

The Scoop: REPORTER

This one is particularly exciting to me because I've loved the film's Eric Daniel Metzgar has brought to True/False in the past - The Chances of the World Changing and Life. Support. Music. were both stunning, moving films.  And the subject matter of his new film is prime material for this town.   Here's the trailer to Metzgar's latest vision, Reporter - a portrait of New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof: 

From Sundance, an interview with Eric Daniel Metzgar:

The Scoop: ROUGH AUNTIES

Kim Logninotto is the 2009 recipient of the True Vision Award.  She'll be here with her film Rough Aunties about a group of brave and tenacious women who work to rescue abused and neglected children in Durban, South Africa.  A scene from the film: 

Many of you may already be familiar with some of Kim's earlier work - both Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go and Sisters in Law screened at T/F in years past. More information for Rough Aunties can be found on the Women Make Movies site.

The Scoop: FORGETTING DAD

Rick Minnich returns to T/F with Forgetting Dad, an intensely personal doc about his father who was in a car accident that left him with amnesia.  

Read Ricks' blog where he shares what it's been like to share such a personal story with the public.

The Scoop: BURMA VJ

This year's True Life Fund film is Burma VJ.  The film documents the work of a band of undercover video journalists who go to extreme means to make sure news of Burma's brutal military junta makes it to the outside world.  Funds raised through the True Life Fund will go to supporting the journalists with new equipment and the like.