Icarus Films today announced its acquisition of North American distribution rights, including theatrical, non-theatrical, home entertainment, and television rights, to 20 new international documentaries from countries including Ukraine, Mexico, Germany, Britain, Russia, Iran and South Africa. Previews and interviews are available for film programmers and covering journalists.
The Absent House – Puerto Rican architect Fernando Abruna Charneco has pioneered sustainable design in the tropics for over 30 years.
Bastards: Outcast in Morocco – The BBC producer Deborah Perkin’s powerful documentary of one woman’s fight to have her daughter legitimized by the Moroccan judicial system.
Blood – A close-knit mobile Russian blood donation unit travels the remote, frozen countryside in this festival favorite by acclaimed young director Alina Rudnitskaya (I Will Forget This Day).
The Coal Miner’s Day – In Ukraine’s Buzhanska mine, hundreds of men risk their lives to mine coal with rusty old tools from the Soviet era in Gael Mocaer’s gorgeous and beautifully crafted documentary.
A Common Purpose – This powerful film investigates the “Upington 25” trial that saw twenty-five men and women from a black township tried for the murder of a local policeman.
Exile, a Myth Unearthed – A new look at history that re-shapes the Middle East conflict and Jewish history from director Ilan Ziv.
Forced Confessions – Journalist Maziar Bahari, himself imprisoned for four months, documents forced confessions in Iran.
Foucault Against Himself – The fierce intellect of the celebrated philosopher and key elements of his work are introduced in this vital film by Francois Caillat.
The Gas Weapon – Alex Shiriaieff’s clear, much-needed examination of the role natural gas and gas pipelines play in the geopolitics of Russia and Ukraine.
H2Omx – Can a mega-city mobilize its 22 million inhabitants to become water-sustainable? “Well-researched and smartly assembled.” –Variety
Hunger For Sale – Agribusiness and high-tech companies are working to invent remedies for hunger using new technological forms of nutrition. What does it mean for the fight against malnutrition?
Lomax the Songhunter – Anthropologist Alan Lomax traveled America and the world with his recording equipment, hunting for folk songs.
Miners Shot Down – One of the most significant documentaries produced in South Africa in years, Rehad Desai’s urgent documentary investigates the murder of 34 South African mineworkers during a non-violent wage strike.
The Next Big Thing – The contemporary art world is changing dramatically. How are collectors, museum directors, dealers and artists responding to transformations in the market?
Seed Battles – The Global Seed Vault, hidden deep inside a mountain in snow-covered Norway, is an attempt to collect and preserve seeds of all food crops in the world. But: to whom do the seeds belong?
To Tell the Truth Episode 1: Working for Change – A detailed history of documentary filmmaking in the US and the UK from 1929 to 1941 focused on the social movements of the times, The Great Depression, The New Deal, and the awakening of the Leftwing in the UK.
To Tell the Truth Episdoe 2: The Strategy of Truth – Examines the subsequent history of documentary filmmaking in times of war and its use as propaganda.
Vulva 3.0 – Comprehensive research into the history and biology of female anatomy.
When Memory Comes – Historian Saul Friedlander and his lifelong quest to describe the extermination of the European Jews comes to life in Frank Diamond’s poignant film.
Winter Nomads – This beautifully-photographed adventure film by Manuel von Sturler introduces Pascal and Carole, two shepards crossing Switzerland with 800 sheep.