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We Live In Public
Director: Ondi Timoner Producers: Ondi Timoner, Keirda Bahruth Co-Producer: Jeff Frey Executive Producers: Sean McKeough, Vladamir Radovanov, John Battsek, Andrew Ruhemann Editors: Josh Altman, Ondi Timoner Interloper Films in Association with Passion Pictures for BBC Storyville & HBO. Internet pioneer Josh Harris has spent his life implementing his unique vision of the future, where technology and media dictate human social interaction and define our personal identity. At the turn of the millenium, Harris launched an art experiment called Quiet: We Live in Public. He created an artificial society in an underground bunker in the heart of New York City. More than 100 artists moved in and lived in pods under 24-hour surveillance in what was essentially a human terrarium. They defecated, had sex, shared a transparent communal shower—all on camera. On January 1, 2000, after 30 days, the project was busted by FEMA as a “millennial cult.” Undeterred, Harris struck again, this time as his own subject. Rigging his loft with 32 motion-controlled cameras, he convinced his girlfriend to allow him to record streaming video of every moment of their lives from the toilet to the bedroom. The project backfired, his relationship imploded, and Harris went broke. Mentally unhinged, he fled to an apple farm in upstate New York. Ondi Timoner chronicled Harris for a decade, culling through thousands of hours of Harris’s own footage and coupling it with rousing verite of her own. The result is a fascinating, sexy, yet cautionary, tale where we all become Big Brother. http://www.weliveinpublicthemovie.com/ Recipient of The Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2009: U.S. Documentary. ''...this astounding new docu burrows into the thin and darkly funny spaces between artistry and vanity, isolation and community, collaboration and exploitation, sanity and madness...a provocative pic that deserves an audience as expansive as MySpace...'' VARIETY ''I can't express enough how awesome this film is, or how horrifyingly revealing of where our own society has headed...You wanna talk about the film of Sundance '09? Look no further.'' Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, PIXEL VISION ''We Live in Public is an eye opener...The movie's a portrait of genius folly indulged and a spooky object lesson in the limits of technological and human connectivity.'' Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE
Directed by:Producer/Director: Ondi Timoner,
The Tillman Story
Director: Amir Bar Lev Producer: John Battsek Editors: Joshua Altman/Gabriel Rhodes/Joe Bini A&E Indie Films present a Passion Pictures/Axis Films Production in Association with Diamond Docs and Embassy Row. When Pat Tillman gave up his professional football career to join the Army Rangers in 2002, he became an instant symbol of patriotic fervor and unflinching duty. But the truth about Pat Tillman is far more complex, and ultimately far more heroic, than the caricature. And when the government tried to turn his death into propaganda, they took on the wrong family. From her home in Northern California, Pat's mother, Dannie Tillman, led a crusade to reveal the truth beneath the mythology of their son�s life and death. The Tillman Story resounds with emotion and insight, and goes beyond an indictment of the government to touch on themes as timeless as the notion of heroism itself. Official Website The Tillman Story Facebook page BOOTS ON THE GROUND BY DUSK By Mary Tillman with Narda Zacchino Premiere: 2010 Sundance Film Festival - acquired by The Weinstein Company for US release, Fall 2010. "A riveting account of how a soldier's death in Afghanistan was spun into a web of public lies�. 'The Tillman Story' mixes talking heads and archival footage into a detective story of escalatingly scandalous proportions�." Dennis Harvey, VARIETY "You will be disturbed and saddened by this gripping film, which explores Tillman's iconoclastic personality and his family's tenacity in rooting out the truth." Kenny Turan, LA TIMES "�Knock out..." Jeff Wells, WALL STREET JOURNAL "�Bar-Lev captures something ineffable about the cost of war, suggesting that the real front is somewhere back home." Bilge Ebiri, NY MAGAZINE "The documentary is very good. �It's a film that needs to be seen by as many people as possible. A maddening experience, but a necessary one." Michelle Kung, FIRSTSHOWING.NET "�In this funny, profane and profoundly sad film, Bar-Lev depicts Tillman and his similarly unconventional parents and brothers as belonging to a vanishing species: Americans who hew to no ideological standard, and who actually think for themselves." Andrew O�Hehir, SALON.COM "A strong depiction of something that has been well-documented but never culled in this way. It's little wonder, given the themes, that Michael Moore attended the Saturday premiere, telling us afterward that the Tillman film is "one of the most important movies you'll ever see about the U.S. military." ..." Steve Zeitchik, /LA TIMES "It's a winner .. and shows why docs do what mainstream media does not.... " Jim Fouratt, REEL DEAL "...the evidence for the spin behind Tillman's posthumous appraisal comes through with particular clarity." Eric Kohn, INDIEWIRE " ...The movie hits its political notes well, but its finest achievement is to humanize Tillman." Manohla Dargis, NY TIMES
Directed by:Director: Amir Bar-Lev,
The New Kings of Nigeria
Producer/Director: Elizabeth Stopford Executive producer: John Battsek Walter Taylaur descends from Nigerian royalty. Educated in Britain, he has returned to his homeland, looking for a break. He's now successfully playing off the two countries against each other, bringing Big Brother, The Apprentice, and other reality TV shows to Nigeria. Armed with a polished western accent, he has become, quite literally, the �voice� of Big Brother Nigeria. But Walter is increasingly distancing himself from his �Britishness�. Proud of his homeland, and what makes it different, he is set on becoming more �Nigerian� by the day. Through a comical and kingly journey that sees Walter try to make sense of it all, New Kings of Nigeria explores what the future holds for Walter, this new generation of kings, and their country.
Directed by:Producer/Director: Elizabeth Stopford,
The John Akii-Bua Story
Producer/Director: Daniel Gordon Executive Producers: John Battsek & Andrew Ruhemann A VeryMuchSo Production in Association with Passion Pictures for the BBC. The extraordinary story of Uganda's first gold medal winner, John Akii Bua. Through a combination of documentary and drama reconstruction and shot on location in Uganda, UK and Germany the film recounts John’s rise from poverty to national hero and the pinnacle of athletic achievement, before fleeing the country under the Amin regime. The John Akii Bua Story is the story of one man, and of Africa itself; its glory, potential - and tragedy. Pick of the Day in the Times, Independent, Telegraph, Guardian, Mail ''What a story. A lovely, moving, funny, tragic film…Stunning and almost unbearably moving…'' The Guardian ''Essential viewing'' UK TV Guide ''An exceptional documentary'' Radio Times
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
The Game Of Their Lives
2002 - 83mins VeryMuchSo Productions & Passion Pictures Director: Daniel Gordon Executive Producer: John Battsek Directed by Dan Gordon 'The Game of their Lives' is about the 1966 North Korean football team who knocked tournament favorites, Italy, out of the World Cup finals in England. The film also provides a rare glimpse of life in modern day North Korea, particularly the lives of the surviving players. Nominated for Best Newcomer and Best Historical Documentary at the prestigious Grierson Awards and received Royal Television Society Award for Best Sports Documentary. ''The greatest story never told''' Asian Wall Street Journal, Jan 2002 ''A gem of a documentary'' The Sunday Times ''An amazing film'' The Guardian ''The brilliant Game of Their Lives, four years in the making and worth the hype that's begun to build around it�a great piece of history telling.'' The Observer ''...all efforts to contact any of Korea's 1966 heroes were rebuffed, until two enterprising Englishmen finally broke through the political barriers...the film crew were sitting in Pak's Pyongyang home at the end of a four-year search Gordon and Bonner were heartened to find seven surviving members of the 11-man team behind the greatest shock in World Cup history''. Calum MacLeod, The Independent, London, December 2001 ''Korea's Heroes of '66 alive and kicking. They arrived in England as unknown representatives of a shadowy communist regime...and left as the darlings of ever neutral football fan...'' Daniel King, Mail on Sunday, March 2002 ''Even for an American, it was enough (no lie) to bring tears to your eyes.'' CNN Sports Ilustrated May 2002 "I learned that football is not only about the winning. Wherever we go . . . .playing football can improve diplomatic relations and promote peace." Pak Do Ik interview in the film The Game of Their Lives, October 2001 ''A bona fide must see movie'' The Movie House
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
The Flapping Track
Producer/Director: Daniel Gordon Co-Producer: John Battsek A VeryMuchSo Production in Association with Passion Pictures for the BBC. This observational film goes behind the scenes of Highgate Greyhound Stadium in Barnsley. Owners, trainers, gamblers, cigarette smugglers, bookmakers, children and pensioners gather to participate in the sport, camaraderie and wise-cracking that give the track a unique appeal. The facilities are primitive. This is a raw, authentic sporting experience where serious amounts of money change hands. At the heart of the community are the dogmen, a rare breed whose passion for their dogs and their sport transport this film takes the viewer into a world facing extinction in the sanitised, nanny state of 21st century Britain. "Here, mottled jowls flap with suspicion ("Tricky? You can't trust 'im!"), thin dogs in quilted gilets shiver with anticipation and a way of life gets slowly, painfully squished beneath the sprinting paw of progress. Lovely". Sarah Dempster, The Guardian. "What began as a film about the erosion of working-class tradition in the face of big business ended up a celebration of � no pun intended � dogged persistence and family bonds". The Scotsman
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
The Edge of Dreaming
Director: Amy Hardie Producers for Hard Working Films: Doug Block & Lori Cheatle Producer for Passion Pictures: George Chignell Financiers: Scottish Screen, More4, VPRO Premiere: IDFA 2009 This is the story of a rational, sceptical woman, a mother and wife, who does not remember her dreams. Except once, when she dreamt her horse was dying. She woke so scared she went outside in the night. She found him dead. The next dream told her she would die herself, when she was 48. The Edge of Dreaming charts every step of that year. The film explores life and death in the context of a warm and loving family, whose happiness is increasingly threatened as the dream seems to be coming true. Official website
Directed by:Director: Amy Hardie,
The Age of Stupid
Director: Franny Armstrong Producer: Lizzie Gillett Executive Producer: John Battsek A Spanner Film Production. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at "old" footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? Winner: Grierson Green Award, 2008. "The out and out winner this year was chosen for the sheer scale of its ambition and the verve of its realization. On every level, THE AGE OF STUPID is a powerful and unforgettable film that leaves you honour bound to force governments to take action and that the judges recommend everybody must see." www.ageofstupid.net ''Captivating and constantly surprising...the first successful dramatization of climate change to reach the big screen.'' George Monbiot, THE GUARDIAN ''Fabulously funny...heart-wrenching...visually stunning.'' Ezra Winton, ART THREAT ''Every person in the country should be forcibly made to watch this film'' Ken Livingstone ''I defy anyone to come out and not feel like they've got to make a difference.'' Caroline Lucas, Green Party Leader ''Urgent, compelling and persuasive.'' TIME OUT ''Knocks spots off An Inconvenient Truth.'' THE ECOLOGIST
Directed by:Director: Franny Armstrong,
Sprint
Director: Robert Ryan Producer: John Battsek A unique look at the lives of four of Britain's youngest and fastest 100m sprinters as they compete against each other for the ultimate title. Shot over a two year period, and featuring the highs and lows of the committed athlete, the film builds up to the Beijing Olympics and en route eventually to the London 2012 Olympics. ''…an enthralling film about four young Brit 100m runners looking to qualify for Beijing 2008 and beyond… it's impossible not to get caught up in the dedication necessary to compete at the highest level, with racing psychology, injuries, funding and personal development all integral to success. Inspiring stuff.'' Time Out ''There is no better way to get psyched up for the excitement of the Olympics than to watch Robert Ryan's documentary…The training and competition is ferocious; each stride they take hits the track with the equivalent force of eight times their body weight, and their goal is nothing less than to win Olympic gold and be named the fastest man on the planet.'' The Times ''Athletics fans hungry for a foretaste of Beijing 2008 (which starts on Friday) are bound to enjoy this look at the lives of Britain’s young 100m sprinters and their journey towards the Olympics Games… It's fascinating to watch their times improve over two years of filming and find out which of them makes it into Team Great Britain. Inspirational television'' The Observer
Directed by:Robert Ryan,
Sergio
Director: Greg Barker Executive Producer: Andrew Ruhemann Producers: John Battsek, Julie Goldman A Silverbridge & Passion Pictures production for Storyville & HBO Documentary Films in association with Screen Pass Pictures, Impact Pictures & Motto PIctures. Based on the biography Chasing the Flame by Samantha Power, Sergio is the story of the United Nation’s go-to guy. A cross between James Bond and Bobby Kennedy, Sergio Vieira de Mello could descend into the most dangerous places, charm the worst war criminals, and somehow protect the lives of the ordinary people to whom he'd devoted his life. After a string of doomed relationships, he was about to finally settle down with the woman he loved. And then came the call: another crisis, and Sergio was the only man for the job. Persuaded by Kofi Anaan, Condoleezza Rice, and Tony Blair, Sergio reluctantly took up his post as U.N. ambassador to Iraq.On August 19, 2003, a bomb struck the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, marking a watershed moment in history. For the first time, the U.N. had become the target of terrorism. The news shocked the world. With visceral immediacy, filmmaker Greg Barker recreates the events of a day that will forever live in infamy. Harrowing testimony from Sergio’s fiancée and the military paramedics who risked their own lives to save him is interlaced with haunting footage shot on the day of the bombing and reenactments of the rescue attempt. Devastatingly powerful, Sergio paints a portrait of a man who gambled with his own life to restore dignity to the lives of others. www.sergiothemovie.com Everyone at Passion is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Karen Schmeer who did a brilliant job cutting our film SERGIO last year. Karen was lovely, funny, charming and all-round one of the nicest people we have ever worked with. She will be terribly missed but never forgotten. "Sergio is two movies, one that you expect and one that you don't, and that potent combination makes this a documentary of exceptional power..." Kenneth Turan, LA Times "With visceral immediacy, filmmaker Greg Barker recreates the events of a day which will forever live in infamy. Harrowing testimony from Sergio's fiancee and the military paramedics who risked their own lives to save him is interlaced with haunting footage shot on the day of the bombing and reenactments of the rescue attempt." IndieWIRE "A highly effective documentary which won't leave a dry eye in the house, Sergio could easily score some theatrical sales and will be a fixture at film festivals throughout the year." Screen International ''An unheralded hero gets his due in a powerful documentary….Sergio is two movies, one that you expect and one that you don't, and that potent combination makes this a documentary of exceptional power.'' Kenneth Turan, TIMES FILM CRITIC ''...after seeing Greg Barker's phenomenal film, no one will ever forget Sergio Vieira de Mello... Barker cuts together impeccably shot recreated footage, and an almost endless number of camera angles from news footage to recreate the day...in 90mins De Mello touches us so deeply that we mourn his death the same as his fiance, his mother, or any of the close colleagues of his life. Sergio Vieira De Mello is so extraordinary nothing can overstate the impact of his life. 'Sergio' is great film. Enjoy.'' Alan Bacchus, DAILY FILM DOSE ''Sergio is a stunning documentary with a personal element that entreats our inner most emotions that is simultaneously indicative of a larger problem that effects us all.'' Jim Rohner, ZOOM IN ONLINE
Directed by:Director: Greg Barker,
Saba and the Rhino's Secret
Presenter/Director: Saba Douglas-Hamilton Executive Producers: David Allen/John Battsek/Andrew Ruhemann Famously bad tempered, myopic and solitary, we thought we knew everything about the black rhino. But wildlife expert Saba Douglas-Hamilton, has been handed a secret, that may reveal a whole new side to this fearsome beast. Her quest to expose the secret truth about the rhino takes her deep into the Namib desert - in search of a hidden world. Under a full moon, using starlight technology Saba is about to embark on a journey of discovery that will makes us re-appraise what we thought we knew about Rhino behaviour. For as she sits patiently, totally exposed in the dark, waiting for a glimpse of these supposedly solitary animals, there are ominous shadows stirring in the night, lots of shadows, and they are all heading her way. For Animal Planet/Discovery
Restrepo
Producer/Directors: Sebastian Junger & Tim Hetherington Executive producer: John Battsek Editor: Michael Levine An Outpost Films Production in association with Passion Pictures for National Geographic. Official website A feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soliders in Afghanisatn�s Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, �Restrepo�, named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the US military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley: there are no interviews with the generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you. Premiere: Sundance Film Festival 2010, Winner: Grand Jury Award. The film will be released in the US in 2010. "This documentary has everything -- fire fights, silence, drag-butt humping up and down mountains, intense camaraderie, crushing boredom, near paralyzing fear, horsing around in the all male environment, anguish, and of course death. All delivered to you right in your face... Gives you the full range of war, the ups and downs and the sideways of war that allow you to assemble the pieces for your own conclusion... See it. You will be wiser. It's a real gem." Stewart Nusbaumer, Huffington Post "Particularly gritty and urgent...this movie gives you the same edge-of-your seat sense of suspense and awe about what soldiers go through in both Iraq and Afghanistan... " Steve Zeitchik, LA TIMES "You may think you have seen war docs before, but you�ve never quite seen anything like this. This film should be required viewing for anyone with a personal stake in the war in Afghanistan, which is everyone... You will laugh, cry, and sweat bullets, in real time, alongside the young men of the Second Platoon, Battle Company... I still can�t shake its startling, enthralling, and frequently devastating images." Seth Abramovitch, MOVIELINE "Blood shed and blood shared are the twin barrels of 'Restrepo', an often electrifying verite trip into combat and the hearts of men." Variety "A well deserved triumph" Christopher Bateman, Variety "�A montage of silent soldiers' faces near the end is simple and moving...powerful and effective and respectful to the troops�and it gives a convincing sense of the immense difficulties of fighting a guerilla war in which you can never be sure whether the villager you're talking to is in league with your enemy." Kyle Smith, New York Post. "A powerfully involving nonfiction portrait of U.S. soldiers stationed in a valley in Afghanistan, contains a remarkable up-close perspective of soldier camaraderie and battlefield death... an unprecedented work of art that... left the room appropriately stunned." Eric Kohn, THE WRAP/INDIEWIRE
Directed by:Tim Hetherington, Producer/Directors: Sebastian Junger,
One Day In September
Director: Kevin MacDonald Producers: John Battsek, Arthur Cohn A Passion PIctures/Arthur Cohn Production. The 1972 Munich Olympics were billed as the �Olympics of Peace and Joy� but became the Olympics of terror. An extreme Palestinian group called Black September held 11 Israeli athletes hostage in the Olympic village while the world looked on, incredulous. Using extraordinary archive footage including the only surviving member of the Black September group, the film tells the dramatic story of what happened during those 21 hours in Munich. Winner: Academy Award - Best Feature Documentary, 2000. Winner: Emmy Award - Best Historical Documentary, 2001. ''An inventive and gripping example of the genre... a true life account structured more like a race-against-the-clock conspiracy thriller - only with real lives at stake - ...a fast-moving, edge-of-the-seat story...snapping all the rules of stuffy documentaries...deserves to find as big an audience as any Hollywood multiplexer...A compelling account of one of the blackest episodes in Olympic history, this Oscar-winning documentary-thriller is impressively shot and assembled benefiting from a wide range of perspectives. A human tragedy laid bare, with powerful and at times painful immediacy" Tom Dawson, TOTAL FILM "Startlingly original..�a brilliant movie" Peter Matthews, SIGHT & SOUND ''This powerful documentary...succeeds both as a portrait of a complex political situation, and as a compelling human drama" HARPERS & QUEEN ''A riveting combination of investigative reportage and powerfully employed archival footage'' Michael Dwyer , Irish Times ''A superb piece of work. Gripping and beautifully made, it's as exciting as any fictional thriller'' ALAN PARKER ''Dynamic, polemical and moving account� is a bold attempt to pump new- energy� fascinating a documentary in a thriller mode� compelling.'' Wally Hammond - TIME OUT ''This chilling film� won this year�s Oscar for best documentary, and rightly so. A true-life, ticking clock thriller which is as compulsive as it is harrowing.. a genuine big-screen event.'' Nick Curtis � EVENING STANDARD ''Grips as tightly as any fictional thriller. Brilliant!'' 9/10 Alan Frank, DAILY STAR **** ''You�d be absolutely crazy to miss one of the best documentaries in years.'' NEWS OF THE WORLD ''A gripping, dismaying narrative� This is a sizzling documentary'' Peter Preston - OBSERVER ''It�s a first rate piece of reportage� so the story has a gripping race against time thriller element� its terrific'' SUNDAY TIMES ''Is a superb Oscar-winning documentary�'' Ann Billson - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ''It will frankly leave you reeling'' Andrew Male - SELECT **** ''Watching this isn�t a dull, patriotic duty, it�s an eye-opening journey back to horrific events�chilling stuff, and well deserving of its Simon Lewis � UNCUT ''Utterly gripping'' HEAT ''Vivid and compelling stuff, a highly dramatic story told with great cinematic flair and force'' ID ''But what makes this a jaw-slackening expose of institutionalised incompetence so compelling� a meticulously researched and revelation-packed insight into the Games of Shame'' David Parkinson � EMPIRE
Directed by:Director: Kevin Macdonald,
Once In A Lifetime
2006 - 96mins Directors: Paul Crowder & John Dower Producer: John Battsek �Once In A Lifetime� is the story of the American Dream colliding with the Global Game. It�s the story of one man's obsession to spark a Soccer revolution in a country that had never even heard of the sport. A richly layered documentary chronicling the New York Cosmos soccer team and its existence during the decadent 1970�s. Through random, ego-driven and/or impulsive decisions, the team�s flamboyant ''larger than life'' teammates and executives made a success with a fan base including everyone from the fashion, music, art, political and business worlds. The Cosmos were a cultural phenomenon in the most happening city in the world. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival �06 and was released May 2006 in the UK by Pathe & July �06 in North America by Miramax. ''Will leave you spellbound for a scintillating 90 minutes'' Time Out ''Utterly fascinating...funny enough to tickle parts most documentaries don�t reach...its sheer pure joy...a great movie full stop''. Hot Dog '' Hugely entertaining film...Shoots and Scores''. The Guardian ''The story unfolds at a cracking pace. And what a story it is'�. Observer Sports Monthly ''A cast iron, copper-bottomed grade A classic. Just Great''. The People ''The months most thrilling film...it�s a riveting story of big egos, rivalry and bad behaviour...a perfectly executed film''. Mariella Frostrup, Harpers Bazaar ''Brilliant. It's the football equivalent of "When We Were Kings'.'' Tim Lovejoy, Soccer AM ''A fascinating film...juicy...engrossing''. **** Empire Magazine ''You�d be hard-pressed to find a better documentary on the subject�probably the most funk-tastic soundtrack in movie history...has an irreverant wit and vitality'' The Times ''an absolute treat...brilliantly edited..never loses its sense of humour and the blistering soundtrack never misses a beat'' First Magazine
Directed by:Directors: Paul Crowder, John Dower,
Oh Saigon
Producer/Director: Doan Hoang; Executive Producers: John Battsek & Julie Goldman with the support of ITVS and the Sundance Institute. Airlifted out of Vietnam on April 30, 1975, Doan Hoang�s family was on the last civilian helicopter out of the country at the end of the war. Twenty-five years later, she sets out to uncover their story. The film follows her family as they return to Vietnam after decades of exile, where her father, a former South Vietnamese major, meets his brothers again to confront their political differences: one was a Communist, the other a pacifist. Meanwhile, Hoang tries to reconcile her own difficult past with her half sister, who was mistakenly separated from the family during the escape. "A remarkable story." � David Ansen of Newsweek "One of the Best Films of 2008." APA magazine "Authentic and doggedly tenacious." �San Francisco Chronicle
Directed by:Producer/Director: Doan Hoang,
My kid Could Paint That
Producer/Director: Amir bar Lev Co-Producer: Stephen Dunn. Executive producer: John Battsek. An Axis Films Production in Association with Passion Pictures. Marla Olmstead was hailed as a prodigy at 4 years-old when her paintings - compared to Kandinsky, Pollock and even Picasso - started selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. When Marla sprang to fame her parents were sucked into the media frenzy, before being halted in their tracks by a '60 Minutes' piece which cast doubt over the authenticity of her paintings and the integrity of the family. In the face of the notoriety and backlash - which included personal assaults and threats - the family turned to director Amir Bar Lev to exonerate them. Is Marla a genius of abstract expressionism, a tiny charlatan, or an exploited child whose parents have sold her out for the glare of the media and the lure of the almighty dollar? Premiere: Sundance 2007 "....a fascinating subject handled with intelligently provocative care…as striking in its craftsmanship as in potent subject matter, “My Kid” has been put together with imagination and skill." VARIETY "....effortlessly entertaining documentary…does a rock-solid and entirely admirable job of dancing on both sides of the fence. Seeds of doubt are immediately followed by thoroughly convincing arguments, and those are promptly interrupted by more nagging questions. It might sound like a frustrating little experience, but “My Kid” gets exponentially more entertaining as each successive question and contradiction is offered…" Cinematical
Directed by:Director: Amir Bar-Lev,
Live Forever
Director: John Dower Producer: John Battsek A Passion Pictures Production for the UK Film Council and the BBC. Premiere: London Film Festival, 2003 �Live Forever� charts the explosion of creativity and the �Britpop� phenomenon in 90s British popular culture through interviews with leading bands of the time including Noel and Liam Gallagher, Jarvis Cocker, Damon Albarn and Damien Hirst. Funded by the BBC, The UK Film Council and Horsebridge Productions, it was released nationwide in the UK in March 2003 and was broadcast on the BBC later that year. "Sublime...Hysterical...Scathingly honest...the truth is stranger, funnier and more banal than the myths...'' The Times "...Hugely Entertaining throughout" Maxim "Top one...24-Carat Comedy Gold" Total Film "Very Funny...Jarvis is on Top form..Damon is amusing... It's Noel & Liam Who are at their most priceless" Uncut "Mandatory Viewing...Marvellous" Alexander Walker, The Standard "A Life Affirming Celebration of the Britpop Scene" Jack Magazine . ''Just for the Record, that was Britpop'' Alexander Walker
Directed by:John Dower,
Lila Says
Director: Ziad Doueiri Co-producer: John Battsek Drama feature based on the cult best-selling French novel of the same title, LILA SAYS is a modern love story set against the urban decay of Marseilles. A co-production with Marina Gefter of Huit et Demi Productions in Paris, the film was written and directed by Ziad Doueiri (WEST BEIRUT) The film premiered in Toronto 2004, and screened at the London Film Festival in November 2004 and the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005. "Douieri's film has an odd innocence, and could almost be described as a multi-cultural teenage Betty Blue. This provocative film - as much about tolerance as sexuality - certainly gets a boost from two impressive young leads, and the stylistic verve Douieri showed in his much-praised debut West Beirut are fully present here. Notable features are a richly wrought score by Nitin Sawnhey, and French cinema's most sexually charged bicycle ride since Jules et Jim." - Jonathan Romney "�The director has an intuitive, buoyant sympathy for young people". - A. O. Scott, The New York Times "Ziad Doueiri's "Lila Says" is a lyrically graceful story of first love�raw, earthy yet tender and perceptive�" - Los Angeles Times "�sultry erotic drama�" - Salon
Directed by:Director: Ziad Doueiri,
In the Shadow of the Moon
Director: David Sington Producer: Duncan Copp Executive producers: John Battsek, Julie Goldman, Simon Andreae A DOX Productions in Association with Passion Pictures for Discovery Films. Today there are seven billion humans on planet Earth, nine of whom have walked on another world. In their own words, this is the story of the men who journeyed to, and walked on, the moon. One of the defining passages of American history, the Apollo Space Program literally brought the aspirations of a nation to another world: visually stunning original NASA film footage - much of it never seen before - is interwoven with riveting firsthand testimony to provide an unparalleled perspective on the fragile state of our planet. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award, Sundance 2008 "An enthralling film made with intelligence and emotion, "Shadow" uses long-unseen NASA footage and lively and candid astronaut interviews to make the story of going to the moon especially compelling" Kenneth Turan, LA TIMES "… an intimate epic, which vividly communicates the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion, of this extraordinary era in American history….[with] a striking immediacy to many dramatic scenes." Movieweb.com "....a feel-good flick that recounts the gutsy glory of the Apollo space missions …. a grand success in conveying the magnitude of NASA's achievement… ‘Shadow’ has a surprising Rocky-like vibe. The most compelling shots in the movie, and some of the most thrilling footage in any recent film, capture the approach of Apollo 11's lunar module to the moon, which seems an almost absurdly dangerous expedition. Unlike other prominent documentaries about U.S. culture and politics…’Shadow’ is a feel-good American movie: a uniter, not a divider…" Jason Silverman, Wired.com
Directed by:Director: David Sington,
I'm Not Dead Yet
2008 – 70 mins Director: Elizabeth Stopford Producer: John Battsek A Passion Pictures Production in Association with White Rabbit Films for the BBC. Winner: Grierson - Best Newcomer, 2009 A film about the inheritance of a Gothic home, and a family's unspoken past. Ruth, seventy-eight, promises her beloved estate to one of her twin daughters, with whom she has lived for the past thirty-five years. As tensions begin to mount over the handover, Ruth flees to France, into the arms of her other, estranged twin daughter. Ruth's granddaughter, Elizabeth, begins documenting the struggle over the family home, unaware of the dark secrets that lie within its walls. Illustrated by a lifetime of home movie footage, I’M NOT DEAD YET is unique and personal. Ruth's turbulent journey sees the past erupt into the present, and the unraveling of a family consumed by the legacy of forty years of silence and denial. The film premiered at the Sheffield Doc/Fest 2008. http://www.elizabethstopford.com/imnotdeadyet/ �I�m Not Dead Yet is a very brave film. I�m not sure what qualties are required to make a film that is at once cold-eyed and compassionate about your own family, but Elizabeth possesses them in abundance. It is a very beautiful film�. BBC Storyville commissioner, Nick Fraser �[Stopford] is acutely sensitive to the subject�simply doing her best not to tell the story but to stand back and let the story tell itself". Amy Raphael, The Independent
Directed by:Producer/Director: Elizabeth Stopford,
Stones in Exile
Executive Producers: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts Producers: John Battsek & Victoria Pearman Director: Stephen Kijak Editor: Ben Stark Director of Photography: Grant Gee Co-executive producers: Jane Rose, Joyce Smyth, Sherry Daly Executive Producer for Passion Pictures: Andrew Ruhemann Co-producer: George Chignell A Passion Pictures/M Street Production At the end of the 60�s the Rolling Stones were at a turning point: hounded by the press, battling drug busts, and facing possible financial ruin. The band threw down the gauntlet and decamped to the south of France to begin the most arduous recording sessions of their entire careers for an album that, in time, came to be regarded as one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever made. This is the story of the Stones in exile, and the making of �Exile on Main Street.� Featuring a treasure-trove of rare and never-before-seen film and photos, new interviews with the band and some of the men and women who bore witness to the album�s creation, STONE IN EXILE is a heady time-travel trip back to the summer of 1972 that bears witness to a vivid moment in rock and roll history.
Directed by:Director: Stephen Kijak,
Crossing The Line
Producer/Director: Daniel Gordon Co-producer: John Battsek Executive Producer: Andrew Ruhemann A VeryMuchSo Production in Association with Passion Pictures for the BBC. In the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, four US servicemen crossed the most heavily fortified area on earth and entered an alien world. For forty years they lived in North Korea as national heroes. Crossing The Line reveals the clandestine life of defector Joseph Dresnok, and his time in North Korea, one of the least understood countries in the world. ''There are a series of coups here…Dresnok comes across as honest and credible, and his story is absolutely fascinating…One of the more notable aspects of the film is its generally positive portrayal of one of the world's most enigmatic countries….that slant goes a long way to putting a human face on the demonized state…the narrower scope…makes an already compelling subject even more so.'' Hollywood Reporter ''North Korea gets that rarest of bouquets - a positive perspective from a former G.I….'' VARIETY ''Like some seedy spy thriller come to life, this mesmerizing account of the life of Joe Dresnok - a U.S. Army private who defected to North Korea in 1962 and lives there to this day - is awash in the humiliating equivocation and cheap ennui of Cold War espionage. Amazingly, director Daniel Gordon and his crew were allowed to film Dresnok in and around his home in Pyongyang, resulting in a canny portrait of a man as uniquely fit for a life on display as he is blindly willing to kowtow to power.'' TIME OUT, NY
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
I Scored a Goal in the Fifa World Cup Final
Conceived by: Michael Donald Director: Daniel Gordon Co-director: Michael Donald Producer: John Battsek A series of 34 short documentary films for ESPN featuring testimony from the only men alive to have scored a goal in a world cup final. In the history of the World Cup only 68 people have scored a goal in the final (including penalty shoot-outs). Of which 34 are alive today. This includes legends Rossi, Ruminegge and Petit. It does not include Maradonna, Cruyff, or Beckham. This is not a debatable pantheon. You’re in or you’re out. Michael Donald Photography
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
Cerro Ricco
Producer/Director: Charles Vaughan; Executive Producer: John Battsek A Fabrica Production in association with Passion Pictures for BBC Storyville. Four hundred years after Bolivia's silver mines financed the Spanish Empire, director Charles Vaughan meets the miners who still risk their lives scraping a living from the mountain's exhausted and toxic seams. The story of Potosi, the famous mountain in Southern Bolivia that once supplied half the worlds silver output - today it is a scandalous death trap attracting only the abandoned and desperate; run by miner-owned cooperatives, working under conditions little changed from the colonial period; life expectancy for a miner in Potosi is a little less than 40 years. Potosi, or the �Cerro Rico� (Rich Mountain) is a hell on earth, killing its workers with silicosis, a lung disease. REVIEWS FOR CERRO RICO: "Charles Vaughan�followed the miners into the hot, dark, crumbling tunnels full of poisonous air to film [the miners] working in conditions no better than those of 450 years ago�After listening to these men � handsome husbands, loving fathers � it was hard to go to the nearby hospital where 70 per cent of patients are dying miners�A brave reminder in the face of all those meretricious �reality� shows that television can still open windows on to real lives�" The Telegraph, Marsha Dunstan "It�s a sad story of poverty allied to the daily risks from working in a mountain�[the doc] reveals the bleak existence of Cerro Rico miners." Paul Murphy, Time out
Directed by:Director: Charles Vaughan,
Black Sun
Producer/Director: Gary Tarn Co-producer: John Battsek A Land Media and Passion Pictures Production in Association with the BBC and Cactus Three. While living in New York, painter and film maker Hugues de Montalembert fell victim to a random attack. As he fought for his life, paint remover was thrown into his eyes - causing him to be permanently blinded. Gradually, de Montalembert learned to come to terms with his loss of sight, and discovered a rare ability to create an internal visual world. He eventually started to travel again - alone - documenting his travels in a series of books. BLACK SUN deals with loss, perception, memory and faith. Combining de Montalembert's audio narrative with stunning visuals, the film articulates the immediate and longer-term consequences of the attack as de Montalembert reflects on his perceptions of the world. Black Sun is a poetic meditation on an extraordinary life without vision. Released theatrically in the UK May 06, the film is currently on limited nationwide release, and has been acquired by BBC Storyville and HBO in N America. Nominated: BAFTA, Carl Foreman Award, 2007 DVD available here ''A work for all places and times, for anyone who seeks fully to live, to engage, it is indeed essential viewing.'' *****Gareth Evans, TIME OUT No 1 CRITIC�S CHOICE ''A compelling story, wise words and stunning visuals; a winning combination.'' ****** Sarah Kent, TIME OUT ''...one of the most remarkable British films to appear for a long time. Scratch that: it�s one of the boldest, most beautiful and haunting films to have appeared from anywhere...An extraordinary evocation... '' Daily Telegraph ''Narrated with moving simplicity... exquisitely illustrated...challenges the subjective nature of reality and turns New York into a place that's at once terrifying and wondrous. Rarely have the concepts of identity, memory, faith and hope been explored with such poetic courage.'' * * * * David Parkinson, Empire "a poetic, sensitive and beautifully shot meditation on a triumphant life without vision" Evening Standard ''...innovative work of art that provides all the facts and anecdotes of a conventional documentary, but which immerses them in a mesmeric ambience all of its own.'' Nicholas Barber, The Independent ''You cannot fail to be profoundly moved... as the narrator�s painful, poignant story opens our eyes to a beautiful world we shamefully take for granted.'' ***** Marie Findley, Hot Dog
Directed by:Producer/Director: Gary Tarn,
A State of Mind
Producer/Director: Daniel Gordon Executive Producer: John Battsek A VeryMuchSo Production in Association with Passion Pictures for the BBC. An observational film following two young gymnasts and their families for over eight months in the lead up to the 50th Anniversary Mass Games in North Korea - involving a cast of thousands in a choreographed socialist realism spectacular- the biggest and most elaborate human performance on earth. The film provides a rare glimpse into what is one of the world�s least known societies. North Korea is sealed off from outside influences. The crew began filming in February 2003 and have had unique access to the families' day to day life from home, at work in the city and countryside, a remarkable insight into a part of North Korean society never before allowed. As their Korean minder explained ''you have to understand, no one has ever been allowed to see, let alone film, what you are witnessing''. Western eyes, for the very first time, have a unique insight into North Korean society, its people, its way of life, and its total devotion to their leader and ruler, Kim Jong Il. "A fascinating documentary" The Sunday Telegraph "An eye-opening documentary" The Independent "A beautiful film" Sunday Times "The footage of the games is magnificent but it is the insight into Korean lives that is breathtaking" Sunday Times "An incredible portrait of a very different way of life" The Guardian "Coolly observed and well filmed, it builds into a thought provoking picture of that nation, and culminates in an extraordinary finale...deserves to win awards'' The Radio Times "An extraordinary documentary...a rare picture of a secret and little understood country" The Guardian
Directed by:Daniel Gordon,
A Life Less Ordinary End Titles Sequence
Directed by:Mike Mort,