Joe Berlinger

It's the David vs. Goliath of the petrochemical age: Two young Ecuadorian attorneys, Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza, are taking on Texaco (now Chevron) on behalf of 30,000 indigenous people who believe their land was illegally poisoned by its oil processing plants. With potential damages in the billions, this is one of the most expensive — and potentially groundbreaking — lawsuits of all time. This hefty, comprehensive documentary by Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper) includes testimony from both parties, including heartbreaking stories of cancer and poisoned rivers; an exploration of the power of modern messaging, which both sides try and control; the power of celebrities to affect change, as Sting and his wife come to the aid of the Ecuadorians; and the maddening intricacies of international law. As admirably complex piece of non-fiction storytelling, Crude is both a stirring call-to-arms and an ambivalent portrait of environmental struggle in the 21st century.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1326204/… (mehr)

Throughout their long career, Metallica has seen a great deal of drama, from the tragic death of one bass player and the departure of another to concert riots, lawsuits and the Napster debacle. Through all that the band has still sold over 90 million albums worldwide, won 6 Grammy awards, and been the #1 North American concert draw of the last 10 years. So there was little need for Metallica to grant filmmakers Berlinger & Sinofsky access to their recording process as well as the stormy and intense group therapy that they underwent to try and stay together as a band. That they did is what makes this warts-and-all look at one of the greatest metal bands of all time a riveting success. Moving smoothly from monster riffs to emotional meltdowns this film offers an unprecedented look at a band battling creative stasis and middle age, yet proving far more resilient and insightful than their early screams of "Metal up your ass!" might suggest. Destined to be a legendary rock film, Some Kind of Monster is also a fascinating psychological portrait of a band on the edge.(DW) 135 min.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387412/… (mehr)

A movie that appeared on the film landscape in 1992 like a revelation. Stark black and white cinematography raised the bar dramatically for nonfiction filmmakers while the story resonated with empathy and a palpable connection with the subjects/stars. What could have been exploitative or sensational became one of the best documentaries of the last twenty years. When it was done, Joe and Bruce blazed a trail of self-distribution that would inspire a generation of young mediamakers. The T/F Fest is proud to present this classic film as a reminder of the power of the true story. (DW)… (mehr)