PBS’s documentary arm Pov has snapped up U.S. broadcast rights for Kenyan director Sam Soko’s “Softie,” fresh off its world premiere in the World Documentary Cinema competition at Sundance, Variety has learned.
The film, which is the first Kenyan-produced movie to premiere at the festival, will air as part of the series’ 33rd season, which kicks off on PBS in June.
The doc follows political activist Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, who decides to run for office after years of fighting injustice in Kenya. While campaigning, Mwangi begins to realize the difficulty of combating his corrupt opponents with idealism alone, and soon finds that challenging the country’s entrenched political dynasties is putting his family at risk. The daring and audacious activist is then forced to decide if country really comes before family, as he’s always believed.
“Telling a story that speaks to our experiences, triumphs and tears as Kenyans,...
The film, which is the first Kenyan-produced movie to premiere at the festival, will air as part of the series’ 33rd season, which kicks off on PBS in June.
The doc follows political activist Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, who decides to run for office after years of fighting injustice in Kenya. While campaigning, Mwangi begins to realize the difficulty of combating his corrupt opponents with idealism alone, and soon finds that challenging the country’s entrenched political dynasties is putting his family at risk. The daring and audacious activist is then forced to decide if country really comes before family, as he’s always believed.
“Telling a story that speaks to our experiences, triumphs and tears as Kenyans,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The Palm Springs Film Festival has announced its juried winners, with “Beanpole” taking the Fipresci prize for films in the international feature film Oscar submissions program. The documentary award went to “Talking About Trees.”
Acting prizes went to Bartosz Bielenia from “Corpus Christi” for actor and Helena Zengel from “System Crasher” for actress. “Parasite” won the screenplay prize from the Fipresci jury of international film critics.
The festival, held from January 2-13, screened 192 films from 81 countries.
The New Voices New Visions award for first and second time filmmakers went to “Song Without a Name,” while “Monos” received the Ibero-American Award for films from Latin America, Spain or Portugal.
Other prizes included the local jury award to “Adam,” the Young Cineastes Award to “Corpus Christi,” and the Bridging the Borders award to “Advocate.”
The audience prizes will be announced Sunday.
A complete list of winners follows:
Fipresci Prize for Best International...
Acting prizes went to Bartosz Bielenia from “Corpus Christi” for actor and Helena Zengel from “System Crasher” for actress. “Parasite” won the screenplay prize from the Fipresci jury of international film critics.
The festival, held from January 2-13, screened 192 films from 81 countries.
The New Voices New Visions award for first and second time filmmakers went to “Song Without a Name,” while “Monos” received the Ibero-American Award for films from Latin America, Spain or Portugal.
Other prizes included the local jury award to “Adam,” the Young Cineastes Award to “Corpus Christi,” and the Bridging the Borders award to “Advocate.”
The audience prizes will be announced Sunday.
A complete list of winners follows:
Fipresci Prize for Best International...
- 1/11/2020
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Golden Globes weekend is the time for thriving awards titles to pull audiences as they expand their runs. The standout among recent openers is Christmas Day release “1917” (Universal), with a rare second-weekend increase. “Uncut Gems” (A24) continues to stun as a wide release success. And “Parasite” (Neon) keeps accruing more high numbers, even before it enters the winners’ circle.
Not reporting numbers was Oscar-shortlisted Israel documentary “Advocate” (Film Movement). Don’t expect more new specialty titles until until February, as some older titles move to parallel home viewing after their 90-day exclusive window expires.
Week Two
1917 (Universal)
$590,000 in 11 theaters (no change); PTA: $53,636; Cumulative: $2,280,000
What an impressive way to lead into a wide expansion, let alone the heart of awards season! Sam Mendes’ film is clearly an audience favorite. In the same 11 theaters in seven cities as last week, its gross actually went up 2%, against the usual second weekend fall off.
Not reporting numbers was Oscar-shortlisted Israel documentary “Advocate” (Film Movement). Don’t expect more new specialty titles until until February, as some older titles move to parallel home viewing after their 90-day exclusive window expires.
Week Two
1917 (Universal)
$590,000 in 11 theaters (no change); PTA: $53,636; Cumulative: $2,280,000
What an impressive way to lead into a wide expansion, let alone the heart of awards season! Sam Mendes’ film is clearly an audience favorite. In the same 11 theaters in seven cities as last week, its gross actually went up 2%, against the usual second weekend fall off.
- 1/5/2020
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The war between Israelis and Palestinians is a subject that has been debated and discussed for decades. And sadly, for all those real people involved, the fighting doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. However, in the new film “Advocate,” the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is seen from a new perspective.
Read More: ‘Little America’ Trailer: Apple TV+ Hopes It’s New Anthology Series Will Kick Off 2020 In A Positive Way
As seen in the new trailer for “Advocate,” the documentary follows the story of Lea Tsemel, a Jewish-Israeli lawyer that uses her skills in the justice system to defend Palestinians.
Continue reading ‘Advocate’ Trailer: Sundance Documentary Follows An Israeli Lawyer Defending Palestinians at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Little America’ Trailer: Apple TV+ Hopes It’s New Anthology Series Will Kick Off 2020 In A Positive Way
As seen in the new trailer for “Advocate,” the documentary follows the story of Lea Tsemel, a Jewish-Israeli lawyer that uses her skills in the justice system to defend Palestinians.
Continue reading ‘Advocate’ Trailer: Sundance Documentary Follows An Israeli Lawyer Defending Palestinians at The Playlist.
- 1/2/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
"I always see the person behind the case." Film Movement has released an official trailer for a documentary titled Advocate, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last year. It also played at many other big festivals last year including Cph:dox, DocAviv, Biografilm, Hot Docs, Munich, Hong Kong, Krakow. The acclaimed doc film is a look at the life and work of Jewish-Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel, who has represented political prisoners for nearly 50 years. "As far as most Israelis are concerned, she defends the indefensible. As far as Palestinians are concerned, she's more than an attorney, she’s an advocate." Advocate follows her around as she deals with various cases and courthouses, showing us the truth in spite of great resistance to it. "Tsemel spoke truth to power before the term became trendy and she'll continue to do so after fear makes it unfashionable. As such, she's a model we...
- 1/2/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The sailing documentary “Maiden” and the chronicle of the first trip to the moon, “Apollo 11,” are among the 15 titles that made this year’s shortlist for the Oscars’ Best Documentary Feature race.
The shortlist also included two films about Syria, “For Sama” and “The Cave”; the first film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory”; and the Macedonian beekeeping documentary “Honeyland,” which also made the shortlist in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
Also on the list: “One Child Nation,” “The Great Hack,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Midnight Family,” “Knock Down the House,” “The Apollo,” “Advocate” and “Aquarela.”
As it has been since the Oscars’ Documentary Branch opened shortlist voting to all members and did away with small committees, the list contained most...
The shortlist also included two films about Syria, “For Sama” and “The Cave”; the first film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory”; and the Macedonian beekeeping documentary “Honeyland,” which also made the shortlist in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
Also on the list: “One Child Nation,” “The Great Hack,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Midnight Family,” “Knock Down the House,” “The Apollo,” “Advocate” and “Aquarela.”
As it has been since the Oscars’ Documentary Branch opened shortlist voting to all members and did away with small committees, the list contained most...
- 12/16/2019
- by Brian Welk and Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival will open on Jan. 3 with Simone Godano’s Italian farce “An Almost Ordinary Summer” and close on Jan. 12 with Peter Cattaneo’s Kristin Scott Thomas/Sharon Horgan film “Military Wives,” Psiff organizers announced on Tuesday.
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 different countries, including 51 of the 91 Oscar entries in the Best International Feature Film category. Those films will include Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” Pedro Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory,” Ladj Ly’s “Les Miserables,” Karim Ainouz’s “Invisible Life,” Halina Reijn’s “Instinct,” Yaron Zilberman’s “Incitement,” Vaclav Marhoul’s “The Painted Bird,” Kantemir Balagov’s “Beanpole,” Lila Aviles’ “The Chambermaid” and Antoneta Kastrati’s “Zana.”
Other programs will include the Talking Pictures series of conversations with filmmakers and authors from “Hustlers,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Motherless Brooklyn”; Focus on Italy, featuring seven Italian films including “The Traitor”; Modern Masters, which will present new films from Roy Andersson,...
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 different countries, including 51 of the 91 Oscar entries in the Best International Feature Film category. Those films will include Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” Pedro Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory,” Ladj Ly’s “Les Miserables,” Karim Ainouz’s “Invisible Life,” Halina Reijn’s “Instinct,” Yaron Zilberman’s “Incitement,” Vaclav Marhoul’s “The Painted Bird,” Kantemir Balagov’s “Beanpole,” Lila Aviles’ “The Chambermaid” and Antoneta Kastrati’s “Zana.”
Other programs will include the Talking Pictures series of conversations with filmmakers and authors from “Hustlers,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Motherless Brooklyn”; Focus on Italy, featuring seven Italian films including “The Traitor”; Modern Masters, which will present new films from Roy Andersson,...
- 12/10/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Controversial Israeli human rights lawyer Lea Tsemel is “a big chutzpahdik,” in the words of filmmaker Rachel Leah Jones.
“In Yiddish that means somebody ballsy, somebody gutsy,” Jones explains. “Chutzpah, she has a lot of chutzpah.”
Tsemel has been demonstrating that chutzpah in a legal career that stretches back 50 years, taking on the unpopular task of representing Palestinian defendants charged in Israeli courts. That has earned her the bitter enmity of many Israelis, but the respect of Jones and fellow director Philippe Bellaiche, who explore Tsemel’s work in their award-winning documentary Advocate.
“She’s the woman that everybody loves to hate, but also hates to love. She’s very determined,” Jones observes. “She’s the kind of person who spoke truth to power before the term became trendy, and she’ll continue to do so after fear makes it unfashionable.”
Jones describes Tsemel, who was born in Palestine in...
“In Yiddish that means somebody ballsy, somebody gutsy,” Jones explains. “Chutzpah, she has a lot of chutzpah.”
Tsemel has been demonstrating that chutzpah in a legal career that stretches back 50 years, taking on the unpopular task of representing Palestinian defendants charged in Israeli courts. That has earned her the bitter enmity of many Israelis, but the respect of Jones and fellow director Philippe Bellaiche, who explore Tsemel’s work in their award-winning documentary Advocate.
“She’s the woman that everybody loves to hate, but also hates to love. She’s very determined,” Jones observes. “She’s the kind of person who spoke truth to power before the term became trendy, and she’ll continue to do so after fear makes it unfashionable.”
Jones describes Tsemel, who was born in Palestine in...
- 12/5/2019
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
On November 19, the PGA Awards revealed its Documentary Motion Picture nominations. In China, film magazine Movie View reported on the seven nominees but only mentioned six: “American Factory,” “Advocate,” “Apollo 11,” “The Cave,” “For Sama,” and “Honey Land.” On Weibo, China’s state-controlled microblogging site that has 430 million active users, a few took notice of the post from Movie View, which has 14 million followers. “What’s the seventh one?” read one comment. Another user responded: “The one that can’t be named.”
That would be “One Child Nation,” director Nanfu Wang’s devastating look at the destructive effect of the country’s one-child policy from 1979 to 2015 and its lingering impact on families today. Wang, whose younger brother was raised in defiance of the law, returned to the country to gather covert footage for her revealing project, which Amazon Studios acquired after its January premiere.
“One Child Nation” continues to build awards-season traction in the U.
That would be “One Child Nation,” director Nanfu Wang’s devastating look at the destructive effect of the country’s one-child policy from 1979 to 2015 and its lingering impact on families today. Wang, whose younger brother was raised in defiance of the law, returned to the country to gather covert footage for her revealing project, which Amazon Studios acquired after its January premiere.
“One Child Nation” continues to build awards-season traction in the U.
- 11/26/2019
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The festival’s co-production and co-financing market runs 24-27 November.
60 projects are pitching at this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) Forum, the festival’s co-production and co-financing market which runs 24-27 November.
Among the titles which theatrical buyers, streamers and commissioning editors are already circling are Erik Gandini’s After Work, produced through Fasad Films, which explores if conventional jobs might disappear within decades. Gandini’s previous films Gitmo, Videocracy and The Swedish Theory Of Love all sold around the world and played at multiple festivals. After Work is in development but already has Cinetic aboard for...
60 projects are pitching at this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) Forum, the festival’s co-production and co-financing market which runs 24-27 November.
Among the titles which theatrical buyers, streamers and commissioning editors are already circling are Erik Gandini’s After Work, produced through Fasad Films, which explores if conventional jobs might disappear within decades. Gandini’s previous films Gitmo, Videocracy and The Swedish Theory Of Love all sold around the world and played at multiple festivals. After Work is in development but already has Cinetic aboard for...
- 11/26/2019
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
An elusive subject and a general lack of follow-up questions may frustrate viewers of “Shooting the Mafia,” a new documentary about Sicilian photographer Letizia Battaglia and her formative work in the 1970s on the Italian mob.
In the movie, directed by Kim Longinotto (“Shinjuku Boys”), Battaglia appears to be a colorful, but reluctant raconteur; she lets her photographs of the Sicilian mob speak for themselves, leaving a lot of room for basic questions like, “Who am I looking at in this photo, when was it taken, and what was going on when this was shot?”
Longinotto provides some context with archival clips of surrounding events; she also illustrates some of Battaglia’s more personal anecdotes with stock footage and black-and-white Italian movies that show life in small town Italy through fictional melodramas. Longinotto’s doc is, as a result, a frustratingly impersonal, though sometimes moving, portrait of an incredible artist...
In the movie, directed by Kim Longinotto (“Shinjuku Boys”), Battaglia appears to be a colorful, but reluctant raconteur; she lets her photographs of the Sicilian mob speak for themselves, leaving a lot of room for basic questions like, “Who am I looking at in this photo, when was it taken, and what was going on when this was shot?”
Longinotto provides some context with archival clips of surrounding events; she also illustrates some of Battaglia’s more personal anecdotes with stock footage and black-and-white Italian movies that show life in small town Italy through fictional melodramas. Longinotto’s doc is, as a result, a frustratingly impersonal, though sometimes moving, portrait of an incredible artist...
- 11/22/2019
- by Simon Abrams
- The Wrap
Kantemir Balagov’s ‘Beanpole’ picked up two prizes.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
- 11/21/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which earlier this year won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, on Thursday added the Asia Pacific Screen Award for best film to its burgeoning trophy cabinet. “Parasite” producer Jang Young-hwan was on hand to accept the award at the end of a ritzy ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
- 11/21/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Producers Guild of America has nominated seven films in the documentary category at the 2020 Producers Guild Awards, including Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards winner “Apollo 11,” and the first film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory.”
Other films nominated in the PGA’s Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures category are “Advocate,” about a Jewish-Israeli lawyer who defends Palestinians; two personal stories set in warn-torn Syria, “The Cave” and “For Sama”; North Macedonia’s international Oscar entry “Honeyland”; and “One Child Nation,” about the effects of China’s one-child policy.
Once the PGA has vetted the films’ credited producers for eligibility, it will announce the individual nominees for each doc.
All seven films have done well in nominations for documentary awards this year, with “American Factory,” “Apollo 11” and “One Child Nation” in particular running the table by showing up on every slate of nominees.
Other films nominated in the PGA’s Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures category are “Advocate,” about a Jewish-Israeli lawyer who defends Palestinians; two personal stories set in warn-torn Syria, “The Cave” and “For Sama”; North Macedonia’s international Oscar entry “Honeyland”; and “One Child Nation,” about the effects of China’s one-child policy.
Once the PGA has vetted the films’ credited producers for eligibility, it will announce the individual nominees for each doc.
All seven films have done well in nominations for documentary awards this year, with “American Factory,” “Apollo 11” and “One Child Nation” in particular running the table by showing up on every slate of nominees.
- 11/19/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
By Glenn Dunks
Have you heard? The Academy has announced the longlist of eligible titles for the 2019 Best Documentary Feature category. All 159 of ‘em; they don’t call it a longlist for nothing. The 15-wide shortlist will be derived from these and from there the five nominees will be chosen by the documentary branch.
As I suspected, Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old is not on the list. It is also worth noting – as I have done all year – that Amazing Grace gambled with the odds last year on a qualifying run and sadly didn’t make it. There were only a few films that we have written about in Doc Corner that either did not submit or were not eligible including Vision Portraits, The Raft, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché and Beyoncé’s Homecoming would be the best of that lot.
All the big...
Have you heard? The Academy has announced the longlist of eligible titles for the 2019 Best Documentary Feature category. All 159 of ‘em; they don’t call it a longlist for nothing. The 15-wide shortlist will be derived from these and from there the five nominees will be chosen by the documentary branch.
As I suspected, Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old is not on the list. It is also worth noting – as I have done all year – that Amazing Grace gambled with the odds last year on a qualifying run and sadly didn’t make it. There were only a few films that we have written about in Doc Corner that either did not submit or were not eligible including Vision Portraits, The Raft, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché and Beyoncé’s Homecoming would be the best of that lot.
All the big...
- 11/13/2019
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Women may be the gatekeepers of the documentary arm of the entertainment industry, but this year marks the first time they have helmed the majority of awards season’s high-profile documentaries.
The filmmakers include Irene Taylor Brodsky (“Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements”), Petra Costa (“The Edge of Democracy”), Lauren Greenfield (“The Kingmaker”), Barbara Kopple (“Desert One”), Rachel Lears (“Knock Down the House”), Nancy Schwartzman (“Roll Red Roll”), Nanfu Wang and Lynn Zhang (“One Child Nation”).
In addition, there are also documentary frontrunners co-directed by women, including “Advocate” (Rachel Leah Jones), “After Parkland” (Emily Taguchi), “American Factory” (Julia Reichert), “For Sama” (Waad Al-Khateab), “The Great Hack” (Jehane Noujaim) and “Honeyland” (Tamara Kotevska).
In late October, when the Intl. Documentary Assn. announced the nominees for the 35th annual Ida awards, six of the 10 best doc nods and all of the films nominated in the inaugural director category were directed or co-directed by women.
The filmmakers include Irene Taylor Brodsky (“Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements”), Petra Costa (“The Edge of Democracy”), Lauren Greenfield (“The Kingmaker”), Barbara Kopple (“Desert One”), Rachel Lears (“Knock Down the House”), Nancy Schwartzman (“Roll Red Roll”), Nanfu Wang and Lynn Zhang (“One Child Nation”).
In addition, there are also documentary frontrunners co-directed by women, including “Advocate” (Rachel Leah Jones), “After Parkland” (Emily Taguchi), “American Factory” (Julia Reichert), “For Sama” (Waad Al-Khateab), “The Great Hack” (Jehane Noujaim) and “Honeyland” (Tamara Kotevska).
In late October, when the Intl. Documentary Assn. announced the nominees for the 35th annual Ida awards, six of the 10 best doc nods and all of the films nominated in the inaugural director category were directed or co-directed by women.
- 11/5/2019
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Films directed or co-directed by women dominated the nominations for the 35th Ida Documentary Awards, which were announced on Wednesday by the International Documentary Association.
All five films nominated in the new Best Director category — “Advocate,” “American Factory,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama” and “Honeyland” — were directed or co-directed by women, as was “One Child Nation,” which joined those films in the Best Feature category.
Also nominated in the top category: “Apollo 11,” “Midnight Family,” “Sea of Shadows” and “The Biggest Little Farm.”
Also Read: 'The Biggest Little Farm' Leads Critics' Choice Documentary Awards Nominations
The nominations, which were made by committees assembled by the Ida, mean that “American Family,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation” are now the only nonfiction films to have received nominations by the Ida and the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards and included on Doc NYC’s list...
All five films nominated in the new Best Director category — “Advocate,” “American Factory,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama” and “Honeyland” — were directed or co-directed by women, as was “One Child Nation,” which joined those films in the Best Feature category.
Also nominated in the top category: “Apollo 11,” “Midnight Family,” “Sea of Shadows” and “The Biggest Little Farm.”
Also Read: 'The Biggest Little Farm' Leads Critics' Choice Documentary Awards Nominations
The nominations, which were made by committees assembled by the Ida, mean that “American Family,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation” are now the only nonfiction films to have received nominations by the Ida and the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards and included on Doc NYC’s list...
- 10/23/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Advocate — Peter Belsito — MediumSundance Ff 2019: ‘Advocate’ directed by Rachel Leah JonesA Sundance Film Festival shown documentary about Israeli human-rights lawyer Lea Tsemel.
She is an amazing force that won’t be stopped.
She has been an outspoken and controversial force in Israeli society having defended Palestinians against many criminal charges in Israeli courts for nearly five decades.
Lea Tsemel calls herself a losing lawyer, because every case she has taken was lost.
But once you watch the documentary called Advocate, then you will realize why she is the most successful, fearless lawyer in the world, known as the devil’s advocate. Her fascinating and quite eventful journey started way before the documentary begins, following her real time as she fights separate cases on court, knowing ahead of time she will lose, but the biggest victory of all is to reduce the sentences.
So who are those people that she defends?...
She is an amazing force that won’t be stopped.
She has been an outspoken and controversial force in Israeli society having defended Palestinians against many criminal charges in Israeli courts for nearly five decades.
Lea Tsemel calls herself a losing lawyer, because every case she has taken was lost.
But once you watch the documentary called Advocate, then you will realize why she is the most successful, fearless lawyer in the world, known as the devil’s advocate. Her fascinating and quite eventful journey started way before the documentary begins, following her real time as she fights separate cases on court, knowing ahead of time she will lose, but the biggest victory of all is to reduce the sentences.
So who are those people that she defends?...
- 2/28/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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