Overview
Anyone can conjure up a weird and wonderful story. But, finding a tale that's not only astonishing and surprising but drawn from reality, linked to topical subjects and reflective of the world we live in — that's a particular art. Truth is stranger than fiction, after all, which seems to be the mantra driving the best documentary filmmakers.
This year's Melbourne Documentary Film Festival demonstrates that idea in action, with a program covering everything from world-changing technology and polarising filmmakers to a just-graduated lawyer tasked with defending one of America's worst serial killers. Throw in acclaimed chefs stepping out of the kitchen, dogs roaming the streets of India and the intersection of glam rockers KISS with Japanese pop, and the scene is set for an eye-opening 12 days of factual cinema between Friday, July 19 and Tuesday, July 30. And they're just some of our ten picks from the fest's 112-film lineup.
TRUST MACHINE: THE STORY OF BLOCKCHAIN
When he's not playing Bill to Keanu Reeves' Ted, Alex Winter has carved out a considerable documentary filmmaking career. Specifically, he's been unpacking today's technological landscape with Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain. It not only follows in the footsteps of 2013's Downloaded and 2015's Deep Web but also marks the first-ever blockchain-funded, blockchain-distributed and blockchain-focused doco. All things cryptocurrency sit at its centre, including hacktivist and expert Lauri Love, who is fighting extradition for stealing data from US government computers. This isn't just a tale of blockchain's perceived negative side, however — it also shows how advocates are using it to make a difference.
ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH
The fact that the planet has been changed by human civilisation is beyond debate, even if some factions of society like to pretend otherwise. Because seeing is believing, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch travels the globe to show just how we have forever altered Earth with our behaviour, waste and utter lack of care. A message like this can't be conveyed often enough; however, if you are feeling eco-documentary fatigue, filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky and Nicholas De Pencier amass an array of visually astonishing sights. Narration by Alicia Vikander also assists, putting everything into context.
KISS VS MCZ
Back in 2015, something strange hit the Japanese music scene — a collaboration between the immensely popular all-female Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z (MCZ) and face-painted 1970s-era US rockers KISS. This odd team-up resulted in a single as well as an accompanying video. It's all as offbeat as it sounds, with KISS vs MCZ delving into the story behind it. Music, of course, is the great cultural leveller, as Toru Tokikawa's film shows. You can indeed rock 'n' roll all night and revel in bubblegum J-pop all day, or so it seems in this entertaining music doco.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3962T4ZZyUI
CIELO
The wonders of the night sky brighten up the cinema screen in Cielo, which stares up at the darkened heavens from the Atacama Desert. The Chilean spot is considered on of the world's best place for stargazing — and if you've ever wondered why, or wanted to see for yourself but haven't been able to make the trip, then Alison McAlpine's eye-catching documentary is here to help. Through stunning images that ponder the space above our heads in detail, the film explores the stories and questions that such a location inspires, complete with assistance from observatory workers and folks who dwell in the desert.
FUNKE
What causes a hit chef to walk away from their career, especially when they're a pasta whiz in Los Angeles who's become the talk of the town? What motivates them to try again a few years later, singing the praises of handmade pasta in a tumultuous industry more obsessed with trends than age-old culinary arts? That's the tale told in food doco Funke, which hones in on its titular subject, as well as Evan Funke's various professional ups and owns. The usual advice applies, as it does to all cuisine and chef-centric films: don't watch it on an empty stomach.
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION
In the sequel to his 2006 film Sharkwater, Canadian filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart once again tackles an important topic: shark finning. Something that the eco-conscious have rightly been rallying against, it involves the removal of a shark's fins — without which they can't swim properly, sink to the ocean floor and become prey for other predators. This time around, Stewart focuses on the industry driving the cruel trend, with his findings evoking well-deserved outrage. The film also acts as a tribute to the documentarian, who died while diving during the movie's production.
PARIAH DOG
In one of the great animal documentaries of the past decade, Kedi dedicated its frames to the street cats of Istanbul, as well as the people who care for them. Pariah Dog is the canine-loving, Indian-set equivalent, following four men and women who look after the pups and pooches scampering around Kolkata. Prepare for more than adorable dogs, although you're guaranteed to get your fill of four-legged cuties. These pups, and the folks who devote their lives to their wellbeing, paint a vivid and intimate portrait of a thriving city — the kind of snapshot it is so easy to otherwise overlook.
TEDDY PENDERGRASS: IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Teddy Pendergrass achieved what no other male African American artist had before by releasing five consecutive platinum albums. That story alone — and the Philadelphia-born and -raised singer's early years and immense talent — is enough for one documentary. But, Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me ventures further. In 1982, the R&B and soul star was paralysed from the waist down after a car accident, with the incident understandably changing his life. While this film is a tribute, it doesn't shy away from the darkness that clouds Pendergrass' immensely complicated tale.
F*CK YOU ALL: THE UWE BOLL STORY
When it comes to German filmmaker Uwe Boll, the title of this documentary really does say it all. Hardly the most popular or critically acclaimed director during his 32-feature career, Boll has always been determined to do things his own way. That attitude has resulted in widely derided movies such as the Rampage series, Alone in the Dark and BloodRayne, as well as petitions to stop him from making any more films. In 2006, he even challenged five of his critics, as well as fellow director Quentin Tarantino, to a boxing match. Now, Boll is a restaurateur. His is truly a strange story — as Sean Shaul's doco explores.
JOHN WAYNE GACY: DEFENDING A MONSTER
Based on the best-selling book of the same name, Defending a Monster spins a compelling true crime narrative, even if you think you've heard them all before. The documentary not only delves into the gruesome exploits of notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who was convicted of killing 33 teenage boys and young men, but specifically focuses on his trial, which hasn't received as much cinematic attention. It also hones in on Sam Amirante, who was a fresh-out-of-school lawyer when he was asked by Gacy to defend him. The obvious question is why, of course. However, filmmakers Marc Menet and Scot Prestin find plenty more to query in this fascinating movie.