Winner FIPRESCI/NETPAC Singapore International Film Festival
Filmed with a borrowed camera and featuring a cast almost entirely made up of friends and relatives of the director and his producer/creative-partner Peng Shan, Taking Father Home is the story of a teenager (Xu Yun) from a remote village who travels to the big city of Zigong with nothing but a brace of ducks in a basket on his back to find and retrieve his errant father, who walked out on his family six years before.
Yun learns quickly once he arrives in Zigong, as there’s no shortage of mentor-figures eager to impart advice. Ying’s remarkable evocation of Zigong’s sights, smells, and sounds is breathtaking – showing the mood and character of an entire culture with just the simplest of touches and what seems to be the most basic of dialogue. Taking Father Home is an utterly engaging emotional experience, and Ying has established himself as one of world cinema’s promising young talents.
Winner Best Director of Documentary Asian First Film Festival
Winner Netpac Award Berlin International Film Festival
Winner Special Jury Prize Sundance Film Festival
Typecast Releasing is pleased to announce the acquisition of Dear Pyongyang!
The daughter of a leader of the pro-North Korean movement in Japan, Yang Yonghi was separated from her brothers at a young age when they were sent to North Korea under a repatriation campaign. However, as the economic situation in the North deteriorated, the brothers became increasingly dependent for survival on the care packages sent by their parents. The film shows Yang’s visits to her brothers in Pyongyang, as well as conversations with her father about his ideological faith and his regrets over breaking up his family.
Providing a rare glimpse into North Korea, Dear Pyongyang provides the viewer with a haunting and profound vision of one of the most isolated countries on earth.
Typecast Releasing is pleased to announce that American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein, the new feature-length documentary film from directors David Ridgen (Mississippi Cold Case) and Nicolas Rossier (Aristide and the Endless Revolution), enjoyed a successful premiere and week-long run in NYC at Anthology Film Archives in February—with Norman Finkelstein and the directors in attendance at opening weekend screenings for Q&A. American Radical will next play in Seattle, WA at the Northwest Film Forum from March 8-11, after which it will have its Los Angeles theatrical premiere at Laemmle Theatres’ Music Hall 3 cinemas in Beverly Hills. The film will be showing there March 12-18, with opening night events on Friday, March 12 sponsored by the Levantine Cultural Center.
A devoted son of Holocaust survivors and ardent critic of Israeli foreign policy, the polarizing American political scientist and author Norman Finkelstein has been called a lunatic and self-hating Jew by some, and an inspirational revolutionary by others. Exploring the deeply complex issues at the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American Radical is the insightful and enraging documentary that follows Finkelstein around the world as he attempts to negotiate a voice among his impassioned critics and supporters. Uncompromising even in the face of his recent denial of tenure at DePaul University, Finkelstein is revealed as a complex and supremely lonely figure whose self-destructive nature often undermines his academic credibility. A guaranteed argument starter, this potent documentary plunges viewers into the psychological and intellectual underpinnings of a vitriolic personality.
“For us, Finkelstein is the consummate documentary subject: a complex firebrand, principled to the point of self-ruin, at the apex of several of the world’s largest conflicts. A man who has never been asked to appear on mainstream American television, but who regularly appears – always creating controversy – in the international media. At once anti-hero, clown, and merciless scholar, Finkelstein creates as many storms as he enters. And to what end? When radicals collide, does it create understanding? Some would argue that it sometimes does. Others would claim that Finkelstein’s principled but too often bitter advocacy does much to discredit the cause of a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audiences can decide for themselves.” —directors David Ridgen & Nicolas Rossier
VIEW TRAILER:
REVIEWS:
“‘American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein’ is a cautiously respectful documentary portrait of a political firebrand who presents himself as a beacon of moral truth in the murk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” —Stephen Holden, New York Times
“With impressive restraint, the fascinatingly thorny ‘American Radical’ is less interested in the validity of Finkelstein’s ideas—seriously mounted, if inflammatory—and more in the topsy-turvy life of today’s professional academic. Amazingly, that choice doesn’t result in a boring movie.” —Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
“‘American Radical’…presents a more balanced portrait of Finkelstein, who, when his passion doesn’t carry him off on a wave of anger, is shown to be thoughtful, intelligent and deeply melancholy.” —George Robinson, The Jewish Week
“A blood-boiling, very good documentary.” —Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magaine
“(Norman Finkelstein’s) conclusions can be debated, his methods can be deplored, but as (‘American Radical’ directors) Ridgen and Rossier take pains to point out, a man so rigorously committed to putting an end to oppression ought not be so easily dismissed, even if coming to grips with such a challenging figure may be finally as difficult as getting to the bottom of the Arab-Israeli conflict itself.” —Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
“A guaranteed argument starter…an engaging portrait of an academic whose work is both fueled and undermined by his vitriolic personality.” —Chicago Reader
“A fascinating, well-rounded portrait of Finkelstein that simultaneously informs, inspires and infuriates…the filmmakers ride a delicate line, assembling a warts-and-all portrait that shows why Finkelstein is deeply respected and equally reviled.” —Mark Achbar, director of ‘The Corporation’ and ‘Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media’
Director Brigid Maher will be in attendance at the Middle East Studies conference screening of her new documentary film, VEILED VOICES. Maher’s film will be shown at 4:15pm on Sunday, November 22 at the 2009 Middle East Studies conference, to be held in Boston, Massachusetts from November 21-24.
VEILED VOICES investigates the world of Muslim women religious leaders through the eyes of three women in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Filmed over the course of two years, Maher’s film reveals a world rarely documented, exploring both the public and private worlds of these women Islamic leaders. Other Typecast titles being screened at the Middle East Studies conference this year are AMERICAN RADICAL: THE TRIALS OF NORMAN FINKELSTEIN, directed by David Ridgen and Nicolas Rossier, REMNANTS OF A WAR, from director Jawad Metni and the latest feature from Lebanese director Jocelyne Saab, DUNIA: KISS ME NOT ON THE EYES. Go here to find the full film schedule for this year’s MESA conference in Boston.
The new documentary AMERICAN RADICAL: THE TRIALS OF NORMAN FINKELSTEIN, which has been picked up for distribution by Typecast Releasing, premiered at the Chicago Underground Film Festival on Sunday, September 13th, 2009. The film presents a probing documentary portrait of American academic and activist Norman Finkelstein. A devoted son of holocaust survivors, ardent critic of Israeli and US Mid-East policies and author of six provocative books—including The Holocaust Industry, Beyond Chutzpah and the soon-to-be-released A Farewell to Israel: The Coming Break-Up of American Zionism, Finkelstein has been at the center of many intractable controversies. Called a lunatic and a self-hating Jew by some and an inspirational, street-fighting revolutionary by others, Finkelstein is a deeply polarizing figure whose struggles arise from core questions about freedom, identity and nationhood. Following him as he presents his message to audiences around the globe, the film provides an intimate portrait of the man behind the controversy, giving voice to Finkelstein’s critics as well as his supporters.AMERICAN RADICAL was produced and directed by accomplished documentary filmmakers David Ridgen (MISSISSIPPI COLD CASE) and Nicolas Rossier (ARISTIDE AND THE ENDLESS REVOLUTION). When Noam Chomsky first suggested to David Ridgen that he work with Finkelstein on a film project, Ridgen quickly became attracted to the idea. Having always been interested in individuals who take bold action, he knew that Finkelstein would make an ideal documentary subject, and he began working on AMERICAN RADICAL in 1997. Director Nicolas Rossier, who had begun putting together his own film about Finkelstein in 2001, joined forces with Ridgen in 2007 and the two have collaborated on AMERICAN RADICAL ever since. Says Rossier, “Some have accused Finkelstein of being a Holocaust denier in order to delegitimize his arguments. We would not have made a film on Finkelstein if we had any doubts on this matter. Norman Finkelstein is wired entirely through the prism of the Holocaust. His apartment is plastered with photos of relatives who were killed in the Nazi death camps.”
Completed in 2009, AMERICAN RADICAL has been picked up for US distribution by Typecast Releasing. According to John Sinno of Typecast Films, “(the film) not only examines some of the emotional and intellectual underpinnings that have made Professor Finkelstein an uncompromising and controversial figure, but it also provides glimpses of a private and sometimes vulnerable side to Finkelstein that is not experienced by attending his public appearances.”
Typecast Releasing’s plans for AMERICAN RADICAL include a limited theatrical run, as well as making the film available for broadcast, festival screenings and digital distribution. Institutional DVD copies are available now, with a Home Video DVD release planned for early in 2010.
“A guaranteed argument starter, the documentary plunges viewers into an academic terrain that’s thoroughly, and perhaps hopelessly, colored by politics.” —Chicago Reader
To show AMERICAN RADICAL:
If you would like to arrange a screening, TV broadcast or would like to purchase an institutional DVD copy of AMERICAN RADICAL, please send an email to info@typecastfilms.com.
Veiled Voices will premiere as a national broadcast on Link TV on September 13th, at 8pm EST and continue to screen throughout the month. The documentary will be part of special programming on Link TV for Ramadan—the Holy Month of Fasting for Muslims.
About the Film:
Veiled Voices seeks to introduce American audiences to the little-known world of Muslim women religious leaders, exposing the fallacy of assuming veiled women to be victims of Islam. The film reveals the challenges these women face in receiving recognition of their leadership roles, and highlights the gaps between the rights that Islam has given to women and the challenges they face in claiming those rights.
About the Filmmaker:
Producer and director Brigid Maher is a filmmaker, video producer and an assistant professor in the Film and Media Arts Division at American University in Washington D.C. The primary focus of her work is on issues of cultural identity and discrimination. Maher has directed film and live theater productions around the world and recently completed a film short, AWOL, shot on location in Lebanon. The film has recently toured the festival circuit. Maher also wrote, directed and produced the feature film Adrift in the Heartland, which was filmed in the West Bank and in Chicago. Her films have been screened at numerous film festivals in the USA and abroad.
About Link TV:
Link TV broadcasts programs that engage, educate and activate viewers to become involved in the world. These programs provide a unique perspective on international news, current events and diverse cultures, presenting issues not often covered in the U.S. media. Link TV is available on Channel 375 on DIRECTV satellite service and on Channel 9410 on the DISH® NETWORK.
Veiled Voices is distributed exclusively by Typecast Releasing.
Phone: (206) 322-0882
Fax: (206) 322-4586
Email: info@typecastfilms.com
Typecast Releasing to Distribute Brigid Maher’s
New Documentary, Veiled Voices
Washington, DC – July 13, 2009:
Filmmaker Brigid Maher [AWOL, Adrift in the Heartland] has signed an exclusive deal with Typecast Releasing for U.S. distribution of her latest film, Veiled Voices.
Women across the Arab world are redefining their role as leaders in Islam. Veiled Voices investigates the world of Muslim women religious leaders through the eyes of three women in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Filmed over the course of two years, Veiled Voices reveals a world rarely documented, exploring both the public and private worlds of these women. The stories featured in the film give insight into how Muslim women are now increasingly willing to challenge the status quo from within their religion, promoting Islam as a powerful force for positive transformation in the world. Each triumphs over difficult challenges as they carve out a space to lead—both in Islam and in their communities.
Producer and Director Brigid Maher is a filmmaker, multimedia designer and an assistant professor in the Film and Media Arts Division at American University in Washington, DC. Her work focuses on issues of cultural identity and discrimination. She has directed film and theater productions all around the world and recently completed the short film AWOL, which was filmed on location in Lebanon and is now touring the festival circuit. Maher wrote, directed and produced the feature film Adrift In the Heartland, which was filmed in the West Bank and in Chicago. Maher’s films have been screened at international film festivals both in the USA and abroad.
“John Sinno and Typecast Releasing are nationally renowned for cutting edge work having to do with the Middle East. It’s an honor and an exciting opportunity.” –Brigid Maher
“Through its genuine portraits, Veiled Voices vividly illustrates the important role that Muslim women can play in shaping the future of the religion.” –John Sinno
Typecast Releasing currently has Veiled Voices available on DVD for institutional purchase and on other formats for broadcast and festival screenings in the USA.
You can view clips and find more information at veiledvoices.com. To purchase an institutional DVD copy, click here. Please contact Alex at (206) 322-0882 ext. 202 or by email at alex-at-typecastfilms.com if you have any questions.
Sheikha Stories:
Also directed by Brigid Maher, Sheikha Stories is now available for institutional purchase on DVD, with a discount applied if purchased together with institutional DVD copy of Veiled Voices. This collection of five documentary shorts profiles women of the Middle East and the institutions that support their role in Islam. For information on each of the individual short films, click here. Sheikha Stories is also available for broadcast and festival screenings in the USA.
Ars Magna, a short documentary released by Typecast Releasing as part of the International Documentary Challenge, has received a nomination in the 30th Annual News & Documentary Emmy® Awards. The announcement was made July 14 by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
The film, directed by Cory Kelley and produced by Sean Roach, qualified for the Emmy’s by receiving a national broadcast on PBS’ POV series, public television’s premier showcase for independent documentaries. POV is the second most-nominated program after CBS News’ “60 Minutes.”
Now in its 5th year, the International Documentary Challenge is a timed filmmaking competition in which filmmakers from around the world have five days to make a short documentary film (4-7 min.) In 2009, 147 filmmakers from 15 countries participated, making it the largest Doc Challenge to date. Presenting Partners include the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto (where the winning films premiere), POV/American Documentary, Documentary Educational Resources and KDHX.The News & Documentary
Emmy Awards will be presented on Monday, Sept. 21 at a ceremony at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, located in the Time Warner Center in New York City.
Write, shoot and edit a short non-fiction film in just 5 days. You must use an all-volunteer crew, none of whom will be getting much sleep in order to submit the film before the judges’ deadline.
This DVD collection features a variety of short non-fiction works from around the globe – from China to New York City; from Seattle to Amsterdam; from Montana to Japan – representing the very best from filmmakers who participated in the first three years of the International Documentary Challenge.
Typecast Releasing is proud to announce the home video availability of Tunisian director Nacer Khemir’s critically acclaimed 2006 film, Bab’Aziz – The Prince Who Contemplated his Soul. The final film in Khemir’s Desert Trilogy was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, while Sheri Linden of the L.A. Times stated, “there’s nothing forced about Bab’Aziz; its ideas resonate quietly, building to a breathtaking climax.”
The DVD also includes the new 20-minute featurette called Nacer Khemir’s Desert Trilogy, an insightful look into the director’s films and fascinating expositions on the connections between Bab’Aziz, The Dove’s Lost Necklace and Wanderers of the Desert.
“The breathtaking desert landscapes that dominate Nacer Khemir’s beautiful, elliptical Middle East drama deserve the big screen. . . you’ll remember the dreamlike state the film induces long after the credits roll.”
– New York Magazine
(2006, 96 minutes, In Arabic & Farsi with English subtitles, Directed by Nacer Khemir)
