Icarus Films Weblog

2011-12-06T16:30:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Patricio Guzmán!

Award season is starting and NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT has already two prestigious prizes.

This past weekend it won the highest award offered by the documentary community: Best Feature at the International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards. Patricio Guzmán was in Los Angeles to receive the award and gave a heartfelt acceptance speech saying that "a country without documentary films is like a family without a photo album."

Just one day before, the film had already won Best Documentary Film at the Cinema Tropical Awards for the year's best Latin American films.

The Cinema Eye Honors will take place on January 11th, 2012, and the film is nominated in multiple categories, so stay tuned to see if it will get three out of three!

2011-11-11T15:42:00.003-05:00

One of our latest titles selected for MESA!

NEITHER ALLAH NOR MASTER, one of our latest acquisitions about the recent revolt in Tunisia against the religious government and the prospect of a secular state, will be featured in the Middle East Studies Association FilmFest in Washington, DC, December 1st through 4th.

2011-10-27T16:00:00.002-04:00

Best Documentary Award for Fragments of a Revolution

One of our latest acquisitions, FRAGMENTS OF A REVOLUTION, has been awarded Best Documentary about the subject of democracy at DOK Leipzig 2011.

The film is an insider's view of the Iranian Green Revolution, which followed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed 2009 election victory. Directed by an anonymous Iranian living in exile, it brings together clandestinely sent emails, online videos and footage shot by protesters in the midst of demonstrations.

2011-09-27T16:34:00.000-04:00

PRESUMED GUILTY Nabs Emmy Award

The Mexican documentary feature Presunto culpable / Presumed Guilty by Roberto Hernández and Geoffrey Smith was awarded the News and Documentary Emmy as Outstanding Investigative Journalism - Long Form in the 32nd annual edition of the awards ceremony that took place at Lincoln Center in New York. The film was nominated for three awards that are given by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

2011-09-15T12:50:00.002-04:00

Don't miss a special screening of Ghosts of Attica at BAM

BAM cinema in Brooklyn is presenting the documentary GHOSTS OF ATTICA with a special panel discussion on Thursday September 15th.

Showtimes are 4:30, 6:50*, 9:30pm
*Panel discussion follows screening

Moderator:
Michael Deutsch (Attica Lawyer)

Panelists:
Brad Lichtenstein (Filmmaker)
Elizabeth Fink (Attica Lawyer)
Michael Smith (Attica Guard)

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BAM's website.

2011-09-12T17:33:00.004-04:00

Two complementary films about carbon dioxide and its impact on the environment

This Fall we are releasing two new films by Yves Billy, director of Strait through the Ice and Seeds of Hunger, about the issues surrounding carbon dioxide and its responsibility on climate change.

Mr. CO2 focuses on the Copenhagen conference, the risks at hand, and the main offenders in terms of carbon dioxide production; while Post-Carbon Futures investigates the possible solutions found in sustainable green energies and the political and social implications of a more environmentally conscious system.

Both films emphasize the inevitability of a need for change in the way we consume energy as climate change becomes a more pervasive issue across the globe.

2011-07-18T16:49:00.002-04:00

Three Emmy nominations for PRESUMED GUILTY

The film directed by Roberto Hernández and Geoffrey Smith was nominated in the following categories: Best Documentary, Outstanding Investigative Journalism (Long Form), and Outstanding Research.

Congratulations to the filmmakers!

PRESUMED GUILTY is a searing examination of the Mexican criminal justice system through the case of one man, wrongly accused of murder.

2011-04-28T14:16:00.002-04:00

DUST director in person in LA!

Calarts' Redcat theater presents a screening of the fascinating documentary DUST on Monday May, 2nd.

Director Hartmut Bitomsky will be present.

More info and tickets here!

2011-04-19T18:37:00.001-04:00

Middletown at Harvard, Peter Davis in person!

April 23-May 1: The complete MIDDLETOWN screens publicly for the first time, plus producer Peter Davis in person, with our friends at the Harvard Film Archive.

More info here. Don't miss it!

2011-04-05T17:16:00.003-04:00

Four of our films selected in the African Film Festival!

African Film Festival, Inc. and Film Society of Lincoln Center present the 18th edition of the New York African Film Festival! A multi-venue, two-month celebration of African arts and culture, taking place from April 2nd through May 31st, 2011, the festival will feature a gallery exhibition, fashion show, panel discussions, Q&As with directors and actors, live performances, and of course, the best in contemporary cinema from Africa and the Diaspora.

Four of our titles have been selected this year:

- FOR THE BEST AND FOR THE ONION!: April 9, 4:45pm, at The Film Society of Lincoln Center

- LADIES IN WAITING: April 30, 7:30pm, at Maysles Cinema

- ZERO TOLERANCE: May 1, 5:00pm, at Maysles Cinema

- NORTH-SOUTH.COM: May 1, 3:00pm, at Maysles Cinema

More information here.

2011-03-25T12:19:00.006-04:00

Remembering Richard Leacock

One of the fathers of Cinema Verite, Richard Leacock, passed away in Paris on Wednesday at the age of 89.

Read about his career and his pivotal role in the history of documentary filmmaking in The New York Times.

Leacock participated in Peter Davis' MIDDLETOWN project by directing, with Marisa Silver, the film COMMUNITY OF PRAISE, focusing on a family of born again Christians in rural Indiana.

2011-03-23T13:24:00.003-04:00

Peter Lennon passed away last week

The filmmaker of ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN passed away on Saturday at the age of 81.

See Richard Brody's post in the New Yorker, and his obituary in The Guardian.

2011-03-15T11:36:00.002-04:00

Post-screening Q&As with Patricio Guzmán at the IFC Center in NY

Following the 8:10pm screenings of his new film, NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT, Patricio Guzmán will participate in Q&A sessions on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th.

Tickets are already on sale! Do not miss the opportunity to hear this legendary filmmaker discuss his latest work.

For all showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit the IFC center website.

2011-03-08T16:46:00.003-05:00

Patricio Guzmán in person!

The filmmaker will be in New York this month promoting the theatrical release of his latest documentary, NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT.

He will participate in a discussion at Americas Society on March 17th at 6:30pm.

More information here. Not to be missed!

2011-02-23T16:49:00.002-05:00

Director Andrés Racz passed away on Monday

As reported by El Mercurio, Andrés Racz passed away of prostate cancer at age 62.

Icarus Films is the proud distributor of two of his films, DON'T THREATEN ME and SWEET COUNTRY.

2011-02-11T14:37:00.004-05:00

GUZMÁN RETROSPECTIVE AT HARVARD STARTS TODAY!

The Harvard Film Archive is screening Patricio Guzmán's films starting February 11th through February 21st.

The series includes all his well known titles as well as a special presentation of his latest film, Nostalgia for the Light, on Saturday 19th at 7pm, with the filmmaker in attendance! Not to be missed!

Complete lineup and information here.

2011-01-24T19:09:00.003-05:00

NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT opening in the US!

We are proud to announce that Patricio Guzmán's latest film will be screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival starting January 27th.

It will expand to cities nationwide in the coming months, more dates here.

Check out the page for the film, our filmmaker page on Guzmán and you can access the press kit here.

2011-01-06T14:41:00.005-05:00

NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT opens in Toronto on January 13!

Patricio Guzmán's new award-winning film will be shown at the TIFF Bell Lightbox theater in Toronto. Do not miss your chance to see this breathtaking visual exploration of the pre-history, history and present of Chile and the cosmos.

Become a fan on Facebook for all the latest info and watch the trailer here!

2010-12-08T15:04:00.004-05:00

RABBIT A LA BERLIN opens in NYC!

“Teasing and shrewd, a floppy-eared fable about the uneasy trade-offs between liberty and security. This cheeky parable plays like a totalitarian WATERSHIP DOWN.” – Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times

This year's Oscar nominated doc is opening today at Film Forum, through Dec 21, showtimes are here.

Don't miss it!

2010-10-08T18:57:00.002-04:00

Disco & Atomic War opens in NYC!

The quirky festival darling, DISCO & ATOMIC WAR, will open theatrically in New York at Cinema Village on November 12th. Don't miss it!

In the meantime, here is an interview of director Jaak Kilmi with Spinner.com.

2010-10-01T16:54:00.003-04:00

Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Award of Merit in Film

We are very proud to announce that 3 of our films have received the prestigious LASA award!

RAPAYAN, LUCANAMARCA, and THE INHERITORS all received this honor!

2010-09-08T16:09:00.003-04:00

The New Fall Slate is Up!

Check out our complete list of Fall titles on our New Releases page. More than 30 compelling films to expand your collection and bring worldwide issues to the foreground.

2010-09-03T15:01:00.004-04:00

Fall Happenings

It has been a busy Summer here at Icarus Films and we have many exciting news to report.

As you may have seen on our homepage, we have a full slate of new titles to offer, make sure to check back after Labor Day to browse through all the films, including some very compelling work about health care in Africa as featured in our brand new catalog.

We are also thrilled to announce that we have recently acquired the North American rights to Patricio Guzman's latest feature documentary, Nostalgia for the Light. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this past May and will be screening at the Toronto International Film Festival next week. It is already getting rave reviews and we are delighted to bring you another outstanding work by Guzman.

Finally, for those of you in the New York City area, one of our stand out titles of the year, In Search of Memory, featuring Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Dr. Eric Kandel, is screening at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on Wednesday September 15th at 6:30pm, and Dr. Kandel will be present for a Q&A afterward. Not to be missed! Information and tickets here.

2010-05-25T15:21:00.001-04:00

Summer 2010 Library Science intern sought (Brooklyn, New York)

Industry: Documentary Film Distribution

Internship is unpaid and structured to last approximately 10 weeks. Resume and cover letter are required for application. Students should have a strong academic record and good character. The library internship will be filled with a student pursuing a Master of Library Science (MLS) degree. Students may not have graduated graduate school prior to the start of the internship and should receive course credit for the internship.

Responsibilities includes:

Work on the classification of our film collection comprised of award-winning documentaries for the educational market.

Selection and application of controlled vocabularies/key words for indexing and subject headings.

Qualifications:

Preferred candidates should have an interest in film, be proficient in MS applications, should possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. Interns must be organized self-starters with excellent research skills.

Equal opportunity employer.

Please apply to: hr@icarusfilms.com

2010-04-26T12:19:00.003-04:00

New! Sustainability subject page

If the Earth week festivities left you wanting for more Green in your life, then check our new Sustainability subject page.

With films focusing on angles ranging from agriculture to architecture and energy, you are sure to find relevant titles that will enrich your collection and meet the current interest and enthusiasm for all things related to ecology.

2010-04-20T14:34:00.003-04:00

IN SEARCH OF MEMORY Opening in Boston this Friday!

The wonderful documentary with and about Nobel Prize of Neuroscience Dr. Eric Kandel, In Search of Memory, will open theatrically at the Landmark's Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge, MA on April 23. Don't miss the chance to see this brilliant documentary on the big screen!

Visit the theater's website for more information and to purchase tickets.

2010-04-15T12:01:00.004-04:00

Sergei Loznitsa and Patricio Guzman headed to the Cannes Film Festival!

We would like to congratulate Sergei Loznitsa, director of BLOCKADE and REVUE, whose new film YOU, MY JOY has been selected in the official competition of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

NOSTALGIA DE LA LUZ, Patricio Guzman's new film, will be part of a lineup of Special Screenings. We released Guzman's BATTLE OF CHILE last year to critical acclaim ("DVD of year" - MSN.com) and we are looking forward to discovering this new title.

Complete Cannes lineup here.

2010-03-02T14:32:00.004-05:00

Icarus Films acquires the Academy Award nominated documentary RABBIT A LA BERLIN

We are thrilled to announce that we have finalized the acquisition of this wonderful film by Bartek Konopka and Piotr Rosołowski, an allegory of eastern European history and the Berlin Wall as seen from the "rabbits' perspective."

RABBIT A LA BERLIN is nominated for an Oscar in the Best Documentary - Short Subject section at the Academy Awards taking place this Sunday.

More info to come soon!

2010-02-25T16:52:00.002-05:00

MALLS R US Screening in NYC and Q&A with director!

MALLS R US is screening this Saturday 27th in NYC at The Center for Architecture (536 LaGuardia Place) at 1PM. Director Helene Klodawsky will be present for a Q&A. Don't miss it!

2010-02-11T16:02:00.002-05:00

IN SEARCH OF MEMORY opens in Santa Fe tomorrow!

In Search of Memory opens on Friday February 12th at The Screen theater in Santa Fe, NM.

FEBRUARY 13TH SCREENING WILL INCLUDE AN INTRODUCTION AND Q&A LED BY NEUROSCIENTIST CHRIS WOOD, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE SANTA FE INSTITUTE.

For more information, click here.

2010-02-05T15:53:00.003-05:00

Don't miss Icarus Films titles at MoMA in NYC!

Karen Cooper's Carte Blanche at MoMA features 3 of our titles:

Battle of Chile, Pt. 2 – Feb. 7
Underground Orchestra – Feb. 7&8
Colette – Feb. 14

Click here for more information and showtimes.

2010-01-26T14:34:00.004-05:00

Free screening of A ROAD TO MECCA tomorrow in NYC!

On Wednesday January 27th, 7pm, at Alwan for the Arts, there will be a free screening of A ROAD TO MECCA: THE JOURNEY OF MUHAMMAD ASAD, followed by a discussion with Talal Asad, son of Muhammad Asad, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and Joseph A. Massad, associate professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history at Columbia University.

Do not miss it!

Click here for more information and details on the event.

2010-01-21T12:38:00.004-05:00

3 Icarus titles selected in the ALA Video Roundtable Notable Videos for Adults

MALLS R US, OPERATION FILMMAKER and IN SEARCH OF MEMORY made the cut!

Make sure to check them out if you have not seen them already.

Press release available here.

2010-01-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

IN SEARCH OF MEMORY opening at the IFC Center NYC on Friday 8th
Dr. Eric Kandel in person for a Q&A!

We are thrilled to announce the theatrical opening of the film IN SEARCH OF MEMORY, the documentary on the life and work of one of the most important neuroscientists of the 20th century, Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel.

Do not miss your chance to ask questions to Dr. Kandel during the Q&A following the 7:35pm screening on Friday 8th. Get your tickets now!

The IFC Center is located on Sixth Avenue at West 3rd street in New York City.
Showtimes: 1pm, 3:10pm, 5:25pm, 7:35pm, and 10pm.
It will run for one week only!

Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.

2009-12-01T16:03:00.002-05:00

4 Icarus Films at the American Anthropological Association conference

The 108th AAA annual meeting is taking place in Philadelphia from December 2 to 6. Four of our films will be presented:
- REVUE
- RAPAYAN
- UMBRELLA
- LUCANAMARCA

For more information, please visit the AAA website here.

2009-11-09T16:24:00.004-05:00

Spend an Afternoon with Icarus Films at the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival!

On Saturday November 14th, the Margaret Mead festival at The Museum of Natural History in NYC will present two Icarus Films releases:

- 2pm: WAR AND LOVE IN KABUL
- 5:30pm: HOW I AM (from our newly acquired catalog of Fanlight Productions titles)

Do not miss them!

For more information, please visit the festival's website here.

2009-10-13T12:15:00.000-04:00

A very special event: Conference honoring filmmaker and professor Elizabeth Fernea

Icarus Films is proud to announce a conference organized by the University of Texas Austin in honor of the late professor Elizabeth "BJ" Fernea.

Fernea was a leading scholar, author and filmmaker whose work focused on Women's Issues in the Middle East. Her memoir “Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village” (1965) which detailed her immersion into the lives of the women of Al-Nahra, was a national bestseller.

The conference will take place from October 15 to 17 and is free and open to the public. Click here for more details and a list of speakers, and click here to download the information poster.

For a complete list of Elizabeth Fernea's films distributed by Icarus Films, please click here.

2009-09-10T12:29:00.002-04:00

Two (2) New Subject Areas created / Index pages Added!

As our collection has developed horizontally (variety of new subject areas) as well as vertically (depth over time) we have added two new Subject Area index pages, to try and make it easier for you to find films that are most suitable for your interests and useful for you. So now we have created new pages for films about BIOLOGY, and films about CHRISTIANITY. Of course all of our Subject Areas may always be found HERE!

2009-09-08T18:05:00.002-04:00

New MIDDLE EAST STUDIES Catalog now Online

We've just published a brand-new 24-page catalog describing 41 films on DVD about the Middle East and Islam, including six New Releases. You can open a PDF of it by clicking HERE! or go to our online catalogs page and browse all available booklets here!

2009-09-03T16:59:00.002-04:00

New Catalog!

Check out our new catalog for Neuroscience and Psychology.
22 thought-provoking films to add to your library.

And stay tuned for more catalogs to be added soon!

2009-07-24T13:48:00.004-04:00

MALLS R US on The Forum with Michael Krasny

Listen to a recent interview of Helene Klodawsky about her film MALLS R US and the decline of shopping malls on the KQED Radio website.

2009-06-30T15:23:00.004-04:00

MALLS R US in Chicago!

Mark your calendars - Malls R Us will be screening at the Facets Cinematheque from July 31 to August 6.

Don't miss it! It is the Chicago premiere. Get more info here.

2009-05-11T16:49:00.003-04:00

REVUE opens in NYC!

The New York Theatrical Premiere screening of REVUE will be part of Anthology Film Archive's program "The Films of Sergei Loznitsa," from March 13th-19th, a retrospective of the documentarian's work, including a return engagement of BLOCKADE.

For a complete schedule please visit the Anthology Film Archive's website.

2009-05-07T16:33:00.006-04:00

Two events around Chris Marker, not to be missed!

This promises to be a "Joli Mai" as two events celebrate the work of French filmmaker and multimedia poet Chris Marker.

The Harvard Film Archive is offering a program entitled The Second Life of Chris Marker from May 9th to 16th with screenings of a selection of his films and a very special "virtual" appearance by Marker as he gives a live tour of his Second Life cyber-museum, "Ouvroir," and also answers
questions on-line from the audience on May 16th.

For more details and a list of the films being screened with showtimes, please visit the HFA website.

In New York City, the Peter Blum Gallery in Chelsea will present an exhibition of photographs and video installations by Marker, opening May 16th. The photographic series include "Koreans," a grouping of 51 images that Marker shot in 1957 when he was one of the few journalists allowed to travel freely in North Korea.

Visit the gallery's website for more information.

2009-04-28T13:34:00.003-04:00

Icarus Films screening in Chicago in May

Two of our films will have their Chicago premiere in May. Do not miss them!

A ROAD TO MECCA
A Film by Georg Misch
The story of Leopold Weiss, a Viennese Jew who converted to Islam in the 1920's and became the Muslim scholar Muhammad Asad.

May 10, 11 and 12
Gene Siskel Film Center
164 North State Street
TEL 312-846-2600
www.siskelfilmcenter.org

OBLIVION
A Film by Heddy Honigmann
Heddy Honigmann's latest film focuses on Peru's capital city of Lima, revealing the contrasts of wealth and poverty, and how its poorest citizens have survived decades of economic crisis and corruption.

May 8 through 14
Facets Cinematheque
1517 West Fullerton Avenue
TEL 773-281-9075
Click here for more info.

2009-04-03T14:40:00.002-04:00

Celebrate EARTH DAY with a special offer on environmental films!

Starting now and until Earth Day on April 22nd, Icarus Films is offering a special discount on the following films:

RECIPES FOR DISASTER
WASTE=FOOD
STRAIT THROUGH THE ICE
THE NUCLEAR COMEBACK
SHIGERU BAN
ENERGY WAR
BATTLESHIP ANTARCTICA

Buy 1 film, receive 10% off
Buy 2 films, receive 15% off
Buy 3 films, receive 20% off

Do not miss this opportunity to add these titles to your collection of environmental and ecology minded films!

Order from our website or call us at 800-876-1710 today.

2009-03-25T14:05:00.003-04:00

Icarus Films screenings at national conferences

OAH - Organization of American Historians
Seattle, WA. March 26th - 28th

MILK IN THE LAND
This documentary traces the history of the national consumption of milk, from the mid-19th century swill cow stables-an urban byproduct of distilleries, when Americans drank more beer than milk-to today's industrialized production of homogenized and pasteurized milk.

WPA - The Western Psychological Association
Portland, OR. April 23rd - 26th

BETWEEN MADNESS AND ART
The story of Dr. Hans Prinzhorn (1886-1933) and his collection of art by schizophrenic patients.
HIDDEN GIFTS
The mysterious relationship between artistic expression and mental illness, glimpsed through the story of Scotsman Angus MacPhee, diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1946.
FAT CHANCE
Yuka, almost 200 pounds and fast approaching fifty, decides the time has come to lose weight in hopes of becoming healthier and happier.

2009-03-16T16:04:00.003-04:00

Interview with Helene Klodawsky, director of MALLS R US

In anticipation of the US premiere of MALLS R US at MoMA (see previous post), POV published an interesting interview with director Helene Klodawsky.

Read the interview on POV's blog.

2009-02-17T15:41:00.004-05:00

MALLS R US at MoMA

MoMA's annual showcase of Canadian Cinema, Canadian Front, will feature one of Icarus Films' latest releases, MALLS R US.

From impressive architectural projects to environmental and social concerns, MALLS R US unveils everything you have always wanted to know about shopping centers from Canada to the US to Dubai and India.

Screenings will be held on March 21st and 23rd. Do not miss this US premiere!

For more information, please visit the MoMA website.

2009-02-17T15:28:00.003-05:00

MILK IN THE LAND screening in Chicago in March

The Facets Cinémathèque will show the quirky and fascinating documentary on one of America's most popular drinks, milk.

Milk in the Land will screen March 6th through 12th. Do not miss this Chicago premiere!

For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.

2009-02-04T12:02:00.003-05:00

FAT CHANCE receives an ALA Award

We are pleased to announce that the film FAT CHANCE by Yuka Sekiguchi was awarded the American Library Association Video Round Table's Notable Videos for Adults prize.

When single mom and filmmaker Yuka Sekiguchi, overweight at nearly 200 pounds and fast approaching fifty, determines to lose weight in hopes of becoming healthier and happier, she decides to film her struggle, figuring that public humiliation will be a strong incentive to succeed.

2009-01-28T15:52:00.003-05:00

Screening of THE SUGAR CURTAIN in Miami

THE SUGAR CURTAIN is an intimate portrait by Camila Guzmán Urzúa about growing up in Cuba during the "golden years" of the Cuban Revolution and how the country has changed since the collapse of other communist governments which were supporting Cuba economically.

Urzua is the daughter of documentarian, Patricio Guzman, and will be at the screening on Friday, January 30th, with other panel members, to discuss the film and Cuba.

The screening will be held at the Cosford Cinema, University of Miami Coral Gables Campus.

Click here for more information.

2009-01-21T12:18:00.002-05:00

Another Icarus Films Acquisition at the NYJFF

YOUNG FREUD IN GAZA, the gripping documentary following Ayed, the only field psychologist in northern Gaza, will also have its US premiere at the New York Jewish Film Festival this week.

Screenings are Thursday January 22nd at 1:30pm and 6pm at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th street.

Director PeÅ Holmquist will be in attendance.

For more information, click her e.

2009-01-16T17:53:00.003-05:00

New York Jewish Film Festival

Icarus Films' new acquisition A ROAD TO MECCA, The Journey of Muhammad Asad will have its US premiere at the New York Jewish Film Festival next week.

Screenings are held at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th street on Tuesday January 20th at 3:45pm and Wednesday 21st at 6:15pm.

Director Georg Misch will be in attendance.

For more information, click here!

2008-12-09T15:18:00.004-05:00

Filmmaker Elizabeth Fernea passes at age 81

We were very saddened to learn that Elizabeth "BJ" Fernea passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81. In addition to being a remarkable writer and filmmaker, we knew her to be kind and sincere.

Fernea was a renowned scholar of Middle Eastern Studies and her ground breaking work on women in Islam has been lauded in both academic and film circles.

Our deepest sympathies go to her family.

Read the Los Angeles Times obituaries here and learn more about her films here.

2008-12-04T16:24:00.003-05:00

DUST currently playing at Film Forum in NYC

For one week only! So don't miss your chance to see this beautifully constructed and contemplative film on a particle which is everywhere and ever present but rarely considered.

“An eccentric and profoundly informative documentary.”—A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Purchase your ticket online here.

2008-10-22T11:37:00.005-04:00

Listen to an interview of Ilan Ziv, director of JESUS POLITICS

BBC Radio 3 presenter Rana Mitter interviews Ilan Ziv on his film JESUS POLITICS and the role of religion in US politics.

This interview will be available only for the next 6 days on the BBC iPlayer, do not miss it!

Click here to listen now. Interview starts around 37:47 into the program.

2008-10-16T14:58:00.003-04:00

Three films about the Mayan Indians available on one DVD!

Icarus Films is proud to announce the release of three films by Olivia Carrescia on DVD. Previously available separately on VHS, TODOS SANTOS CUCHUMATAN, TODOS SANTOS: THE SURVIVORS and MAYAN VOICES: AMERICAN LIVES are now released together for the first time on one DVD under the title A MAYAN TRILOGY: LIFE, DEATH & MIGRATION.

Hailed "a must" by American Anthropologist, this collection on the Mayan Indians of Guatemala preserves a record, and provides an acute observation on how the indigenous culture has been affected by, yet survived, that country's tumultuous history. A unique and essential document!

2008-09-17T16:53:00.003-04:00

Four New Catalogs on our Site!

This Fall we have edited four new catalogs that are now available for viewing or downloading as PDF on our website:

- Asia
- Latin America
- Women's Studies
- US History

Click here to view these catalogs which include some of our latest releases!

2008-09-02T15:39:00.009-04:00

20 New Films for the Fall

Icarus Films is proud to release twenty new compelling and thought provoking films this month. With subjects as varied and timely as the environment, the situation in the Middle East, this year's US electoral campaign or urbanization in China, these new titles help us understand the stakes of our changing world.

Click here to check all our new titles on our redesigned website!

2008-08-08T17:15:00.009-04:00

Icarus Films in Metropolis Magazine

Buckminster Fuller, a featured architect in GREAT EXPECTATIONS, is the subject of a current exhibit at the Whitney Museum. "The Fuller Effect" is the cover story of the July/August issue of Metropolis Magazine.

BIRD'S NEST: HERZOG AND DE MEURON IN CHINA, a new release from Icarus Films concerning the National Stadium in Beijing (which is where the Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place this evening), screened recently on Long Island and is continuing to play in theaters across the continent. The Metropolis blog, P/O/V, had a write-up on the film to accompany the Long Island screening.

2008-06-02T17:01:00.003-04:00

Meet Nina Davenport, director of OPERATION FILMMAKER

Nina Davenport will be present for a Q&A at the 7:20pm and 9:30pm screenings of her film OPERATION FILMMAKER at the IFC Center in NYC on the following dates:

Wednesday June 4th
Friday June 6th
Saturday June 7th

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the IFC Center website.

2008-06-02T16:03:00.002-04:00

Icarus Films

As of June 1, Icarus Films is the new name of First Run/Icarus Films. On the 30th anniversary of the founding of Icarus Films, the company is re-adopting that name and will soon be announcing plans for new theatrical, non-theatrical, home video and digital releases and initiatives.

2008-05-30T10:43:00.005-04:00

OPERATION FILMMAKER opens on June 4th at the IFC Center in NYC!

Nina Davenport's award winning film, OPERATION FILMMAKER is opening on Wednesday, June 4th at the IFC Center in New York. It will play for two weeks only so don't miss out on your chance to see this thought provoking documentary.

For showtimes and tickets, please visit the IFC Center website or call 212-924-7771.

2008-05-12T14:05:00.003-04:00

I FOR INDIA is now playing in Los Angeles

Sandhya Suri's film, I FOR INDIA, is currently playing at the Laemmle Grande 4-Plex in downtown LA until Thursday May 15th.

Don't miss your chance to see this film, for showtimes and tickets visit the Grande's webpage or call 310-478-1041.

I FOR INDIA is a chronicle of immigration in Britain, from the Sixties to the present day, as seen through the eyes of one Asian family and their movie camera.

2008-05-09T11:11:00.005-04:00

New prize for THE PRIZE OF THE POLE!

Staffan Julén's film, THE PRIZE OF THE POLE, received the Best Expedition Film Award at the 2008 Explorers Club Film Festival. The film will be screened on Saturday June 14th at 1:30pm at the Explorers Club in New York City.

This documentary combines biography and history as it accompanies the Inuit hunter Hivshu, a.k.a. Robert E. Peary II, on a quest to trace the story of his great grandfather and his other ancestors, including the Eskimo family the famous Arctic explorer brought back with him to New York as part of an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in 1897.

2008-05-05T15:22:00.004-04:00

FRIF films presented at the National Women's Studies Association conference

The annual NWSA conference will take place from June 19th to 22nd in Cincinnati. 4 films from our catalog will be presented. JUDITH BUTLER, MAMA AWETHU! and DREAMING LHASA will be part of the Film Series screenings on Friday June 20th and OUR HOUSE will be available for individual screenings.

2008-04-17T11:06:00.004-04:00

Interview of Nick Higgins, director of A MASSACRE FORETOLD

Head to the BBC Film Network website for a very interesting interview of filmmaker Nick Higgins conducted during the 2007 Edinburgh Film Festival where his documentary A MASSACRE FORETOLD, about the Zapatista rebellion in the Chiapas, was premiered.

2008-04-09T10:26:00.002-04:00

OPERATION FILMMAKER Awarded Best Documentary Feature

Following 10 days, 160 films, and thousands of moviegoers, the 17th Annual Florida Film Festival came to a close last weekend with a highly anticipated awards reception recognizing the best in American Independent Film.

Nina Davenport's OPERATION FILMMAKER was awarded the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2008 Florida Film Festival!

The film will open at the IFC Center in NYC on June 4th.

2008-04-02T16:06:00.005-04:00

FOREVER opens on April 4th in Los Angeles

Heddy Honigmann's award winning new film, FOREVER - a powerful meditation on relations between the living and the dead, and the immortal power of art - will open on Friday, April 4th at the Laemmle Music Hall 3 in Los Angeles. It will play for one week only so don't miss out on your chance to see this beautiful film.

For showtimes and tickets, please check Laemmle's Music Hall online or call (310) 478-1041.

2008-03-28T14:40:00.004-04:00

DUST - it's everywhere... Even on Facebook!

Join our new Facebook group dedicated to DUST in all its forms. The new film by Hartmut Bitomsky examines the myriad shapes and pathways of dust. It pursues dust to the places where it settles and meets the people who contend with it.

Learn more about DUST, read articles and find screening and festival dates here!

2008-03-21T09:49:00.002-04:00

2 FRIF films receive awards at the 2008 Montreal International Festival of Films on Art

LOOKING FOR AN ICON was the recipient of the Award for Best Educational Film, while EILEEN GRAY received the Best Portrait Award.

The 10-day International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) was created in 1981 and has been striving ever since to increase public awareness and appreciation of the arts by promoting works by film, television and video artists and professionals.

2008-03-20T16:31:00.003-04:00

The WPA Film Festival selects 4 films from the FRIF catalog

The Western Psychological Association is holding its annual meeting April 10th to 13th in Irvine, CA. DO COMMUNISTS HAVE BETTER SEX?, MADE OVER IN AMERICA and SELLING SICKNESS will be part of the film festival taking place during the conference. Last year's festival winner, THE 3 ROOMS OF MELANCHOLIA, will be showcased in a special encore presentation.

2008-03-18T14:55:00.003-04:00

4 FRIF films to be presented at the Association for Asian Studies Meeting

From April 3rd to 6th in Atlanta, GA, the AAS will hold its annual conference with panels and discussions devoted to a wide range of issues in research, teaching and Asian affairs in general. I FOR INDIA, NANJING, LOSERS AND WINNERS and A DECENT FACTORY have been selected to illustrate the variety of subjects presented during the 4-day meeting.

2008-03-05T14:22:00.004-05:00

First Run/Icarus films to be screened at the Organization of American Historians conference

During its 101^st conference taking place in NYC from March 28^th to 31st, the OAH will show 4 films from the FRIF catalog. THE SIXTH SIDE OF THE PENTAGON, THE CAMDEN 28, BEEN RICH ALL MY LIFE and THE PRIZE OF THE POLE have all been selected and represent an eclectic range of subjects such as reactions to the Vietnam war, a troupe of Harlem tap dancers and Arctic exploration.

2008-03-05T13:41:00.002-05:00

4 FRIF films to be shown at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture conference

The annual meeting of ASCA will take place in Houston from March 27th to 30th, this year exploring the theme of “Seeking the City: Visionaries on the margins.”

WASTE=FOOD, SHIGERU BAN, THE FUTURE OF MUD and LAGOS/KOOLHAAS will all be presented during the conference.

2008-03-05T12:38:00.002-05:00

WAR PHOTOGRAPHER to be screened at the Society for Photographic Education Conference

The Society for Photographic Education is holding its 45^th national conference from March 13th to 16th in Denver, Colorado. WAR PHOTOGRAPHER, the Academy Award nominated documentary by Christian Frei about American photographer James Nachtwey, will be presented as part of the Film Festival Showcase.

2008-03-05T11:29:00.009-05:00

THE SUGAR CURTAIN to be shown at CUNY Graduate Center in New York City on March 15

The 3-day international symposium “A Changing Cuba in a Changing World” will feature a free screening of THE SUGAR CURTAIN by Camila Guzmán Urzúa on Saturday March 15^th at 10:45am at the Elebash Recital Hall of the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan.

In this revealing autobiographical portrait, the filmmaker returns to Havana to reflect on her childhood and adolescence during the "golden years" of the Cuban Revolution.

"Highly recommended... An endearing and intimate reverie... distinguished by its refusal to conclude or preach... it helps the audience contemplate mixed and multiple Cuban realities."—Holly Ackerman, Educational Media Reviews Online

This screening is open to the public on a first come first serve basis. Visit the CUNY website for more information.

2008-02-29T17:12:00.003-05:00

Interviews of Nina Davenport, director of OPERATION FILMMAKER

Nina Davenport was recently interviewed on The Santa Fe Radio Café (KSFR – Santa Fe Public Radio) and sat down with a reporter from The Strand, the student newspaper of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. She shares her thoughts and impressions on the making of her award-winning documentary, OPERATION FILMMAKER, and its principal character, a young Iraqi film student.

The Santa Fe Radio Café (Skip to the second half for Ms. Davenport's interview)

The Strand

2008-02-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

Icarus Films releasing OPERATION FILMMAKER

Icarus films has acquired the North American distribution rights for Nina Davenport's new film OPERATION FILMMAKER. OPERATION FILMMAKER is the story of how well- intentioned Americans – including the actor/director Liev Schreiber, the producer Peter Saraf, and eventually also Nina herself – intervene in the life of a young Iraqi film student. And how, not surprisingly, nothing goes as planned.

After the film's premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Eric Kohn of indieWIRE wrote that "Davenport's direction is intricate and her editing is sublime," while Gerald Perry of The Boston Phoenix wrote "Not since Luis Buñuel have we had such a wonderful joke on do-gooder liberalism."

In addition to winning the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Fest, OPERATION FILMMAKER has also been honored with a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival, and the Dutch Film Critics' Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival.

See the film's trailer on YouTube!

2008-01-25T16:48:00.000-05:00

2 FRIF Films to be shown at MoMA's Documentary Fortnight Festival

This year's Documentary Fortnight Festival at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City looks to be an interesting program, incorporating films on a wide array of subjects and from a variety of countries.

Included in the programs are THE PRIZE OF THE POLE on Wednesday February 27th at 6 pm (to be followed by a discussion with the Director of the Margaret Mead Film Festival, Elaine Charnov) and TEETH in a double-billing with EXPOSED on Friday, February 15th at 6pm.

2008-01-15T16:28:00.001-05:00

Tribute to St. Clair Bourne to be held in Astoria, Queens

With George Alexander, Esther Iverem, and Armond White.

The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria Queens is hosting a tribute to St. Clair Bourne who made the films, MAKING "DO THE RIGHT THING" and LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN. It will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 10th. For more information, please visit the webpage of the Museum.

2007-12-17T12:22:00.000-05:00

St. Clair Bourne dies at age 64

The director of MAKING "DO THE RIGHT THING" passed away on Saturday following complications from surgery. More information is available at indiewire.

2007-11-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

First Run / Icarus Films at the AAA's Annual Conference Film Series

The American Anthropological Association's Society of Visual Anthropologists are holding their annual conference from November 28 - December 2, 2007. THE FACE OF EVIL, EVERYTHING'S FINE, INSIDE OUT, CAN'T DO IT IN EUROPE, and JUSTICE AT AGADEZ will all be screened over the course of the conference, with EVERYTHING'S FINE and JUSTICE AT AGADEZ both to receive Awards of Commendation.

2007-11-15T15:43:00.000-05:00

SALVADOR ALLENDE at Laemmle's Grande 4-Plex in L. A.

Patricio Guzmán's (The Battle of Chile) new film tells the story of Salvador Allende, from his youth in Valparaiso and his early career, to his presidency of Chile and death during the coup of September 11, 1973. It is the film that Andrew O'Hehir of salon.com called, "A haunting exploration of the Allende paradox... deserves to be widely seen."

SALVADOR ALLENDE will be playing from November 16-22. Please check the Grande's website for more information.

2007-11-15T14:40:00.000-05:00

FRIF at the Middle East Studies Association Film Festival

The First Run / Icarus Films titles THE DIARIES OF YOSSEF NACHMAN and IRAN: A CINEMATOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION will play at the MESA 2007 Conference from November 17-20, 2007.

2007-11-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

First Run / Icarus Films on YouTube

Be sure to check out the FirstRunIcarus Channel on YouTube where you can see trailers for upcoming releases and what others have to say about them.

2007-11-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

I FOR INDIA trailer available online

See the I FOR INDIA trailer now on YouTube.

2007-10-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

LOSERS AND WINNERS at the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival

Two cultures collide when 400 Chinese workers move to Germany for a year and a half to take apart an entire gigantic modern coke factory—and ship it back to China. Tensions quickly become evident between the Germans and Chinese over workplace issues, especially the Germans' concerns about safety measures and environmental issues, and the Chinese indignation over their hosts' cultural condescension and criticism of the lazy work habits of the "old foreigners." In providing a human view of the effects of globalization, LOSERS AND WINNERS reveals the ironies and ambiguities inherent in global economic changes, the respective sensations of loss and accomplishment, and of differing personal prospects for the future.

On Saturday, November 10th, at 1:15, as part of the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival, LOSERS AND WINNERS will screen at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

2007-10-18T15:01:00.000-04:00

I FOR INDIA to play at Two Boots Pioneer Theater

In 1965 Yash Pal Suri, a young doctor, left India for the U.K. with hopes of improving his family's life. Over the next forty years, through regular mailings of his Super8 films and taped thoughts and observations, he shared his new life abroad with family members back home, providing a unique record of the eccentricities-and occasional racism-of his new English hosts. Back in India, his relatives, in turn, responded with their own Super8 "cine-letters," sending tales of weddings, festivals and village life, along with impassioned pleas for his return.

By the end of the film, I FOR INDIA becomes not only a bittersweet time capsule of cultural alienation, discovery, racism and belonging, but also a contemporary exploration of universal, emotionally compelling themes of family separation and the quest for personal happiness, wherever it may take you.

In its US theatrical premiere, I FOR INDIA will play at the Two Boots Pioneer Theater in New York City from Wednesday, November 14th until Tuesday, November 20th.

2007-09-26T13:32:00.000-04:00

Architecture mailing list for e-mail subscribers

Just added to the First Run / Icarus Films e-mail list: an option to receive updates on our titles for architecture! Don't miss out on new releases and specials for our large selection of titles dealing with architects such as Mies Van Der Rohe and Shigeru Ban and current issues such as sustainability.

2007-09-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

Symposium on THE ISTER at Duke

The internationally acclaimed and award-winning film THE ISTER will be shown on Thursday, September 27, in the auditorium of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. A symposium devoted to the film will be held on Friday, September 28, at Duke's Center for Documentary Studies.

Daniel Ross, who, along with his colleague David Barison, made THE ISTER, will be present for the screening of the film and will be the featured speaker at the symposium. Both events are free and open to the public. Members of the community are invited to view this remarkable film and to take part in the discussion of it.

2007-09-12T13:35:00.000-04:00

FOREVER at Film Forum until September 25!

Today is the US Theatrical Premiere of Heddy Honigmann's lustrous new film FOREVER. Paris' famed Père-Lachaise Cemetery comes alive through the stories of its visitors. It is not only a place to mourn the loss of loved ones, it is also a unique place where the living connect to the immortal power of art by remembering the artists buried there. The graveyard gradually reveals itself not only as a resting place for the dead, but also as a source of peace and inspiration for the living. For a beautifully written review, check out Stuart Klawans "Grave Thoughts" for The Nation.

The film screens daily until September 25. Go to Film Forum for times, tickets and directions.

2007-09-05T16:40:00.000-04:00

Panel Discussion about Chilean Filmmaker Patricio Guzmán

As part of the unique series of films by Patricio Guzmán that chronicle the political history of Chile over the past 35 years, including the New York theatrical premiere of SALVADOR ALLENDE and beginning today at NYC's Anthology Film Archives, New York University’s King Juan Carlos I Center will host a panel discussion about Guzman and his films. The panel will feature Amalia Córdova (National Museum of the American Indian), Jonathan Kahana (New York University) and Jerónimo Rodríguez Naranjo (NY1 News/Notícias).

The panel will be held on September 7 at 6:30 PM at NYU's King Juan Carlos I Center (www.nyu.edu/kjc/) located at 53 Washington Square South, Suite 201. Free and Open to the Public.

2007-08-31T11:31:00.000-04:00

Chris Marker Photography Exhibit & Screenings in NYC

The Peter Blum Gallery will be hosting an exhibition of photography by Chris Marker: Staring Back. The exhibit is almost 200 photographs taken over the course of six decades by the enigmatic and influential French filmmaker. This show, organized by Bill Horrigan at the Wexner Center for the Arts, is the first exhibition of Marker's photographs, and consists of images selected by the artist himself from his own archive, including black-and-white portraits of individuals that Marker has encountered during the course of his world travels.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the gallery will present a selection of Chris Marker films, including THE CASE OF THE GRINNING CAT, on October 4, 11 and 18 at 7pm in their Chelsea gallery location.

2007-08-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

Guzmán Urzúa Wins Best Director Award

Camila Guzmán Urzúa won the prize for Best Director for THE SUGAR CURTAIN at the Santiago Film Festival in Santiago, Chile last week. Urzúa documents her journey back to her childhood home in Cuba to revisit the so-called “golden age” of her childhood, while her memories contrast with the backdrop of present-day reality for her friends who stayed behind and those who left.

2007-08-15T12:39:00.000-04:00

Join Our Facebook Group

First Run/Icarus Film has a new group on Facebook. Join us for another way of getting news about festivals and screenings, new releases, watch trailers and discuss our films with fellow documentary fans.

2007-08-13T12:16:00.000-04:00

SALVADOR ALLENDE Opens at
Anthology Film Archives, September 5!

Chilean filmmaker Patricio Guzman began filming the saga of his country's political turmoil in 1973. From the bloody, U.S.-backed coup d'etat that overthrew the democratically-elected Salvador Allende, his suicide, and then to years living under the dictator General Augusto Pinochet until his final arrest. Guzman's films, beginning with THE BATTLE OF CHILE, have become an epic record of political cinema, unparalleled in the history of cinema.

SALVADOR ALLENDE kicks of a series of screenings that will be the first time the complete sequence of Patricio Guzmán’s films tracing this history has been screened in the U.S. The series includes, in addition to SALVADOR ALLENDE, the three-part THE BATTLE OF CHILE (1975-1978), CHILE, OBSTINATE MEMORY (1997) and THE PINOCHET CASE (2001). More information on times and tickets at Anthology Film Archives.

2007-07-12T09:47:00.000-04:00

THE SUGAR CURTAIN Opens at the Pioneer, July 25!

In this autobiographical portrait, Camila Guzmán Urzúa returns to Havana where she grew up during the “golden years” of the Cuban Revolution to reflect on her childhood . Through the intimate personal experiences of a disillusioned but nostalgic generation, THE SUGAR CURTAIN offers a provocative historical perspective on one of the most significant turning points in 20th-century world history. The film has screened at Toronto, Berlin and Tribeca, and won prizes at Buenos Aires and Cinéma du réel festivals. Times and ticket information at Two Boots Pioneer website. One week only!

2007-05-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

Suggestions for Environmental Film Festivals

After hearing very positive feedback from users of our new page of film suggestions for Jewish Film Festival programmers, we decided to create a page for our environmental film festival programmers as well. Suggestions for Environmental Film Festivals includes recent environmental favorites such as TAMBOGRANDE, THE BATTLE OF CHERNOBYL and OUR DAILY BREAD.