Forget all those make-believe movies and TV shows about the “real” New York City: Reality trumps fiction any day. You're bound to see weirder things happening on the Lower East Side than you ever will on CSI: New York. No surprise, then, that documentarians tend to flock here.
It’s these sorts of storytellers who have emerged as regulars of a hit downtown weekly film series at the IFC dubbed “Stranger Than Fiction." Hosted on Tuesday nights by Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers—the documentary programmer for the Toronto Film Festival—the series offers docu lovers an early peek at the most promising new titles, as well as a chance to chat directly with the filmmakers.
“What’s most impressive is the sense of community that’s developed—there's a fair bit of fraternity to this thing now,” says Powers, who also teaches documentary filmmaking at NYU. “You start to see many of the same filmmakers and editors and producers, even writers and lawyers. This a place where they can get together and make connections. You start to learn later that they’ve wound up working together on something. It’s pretty amazing.”
Typically organized into spring and autumn sessions, the latest season of “Stranger than Fiction” runs through Dec. 1, returning every Tuesday with a new film, and on various other nights with an array of special events. This year's season opener was Bob Richman’s “Ahead of Time," about journalist Ruth Gruber's coverage of Holocaust refugees aboard the boat Exodus 1947. "Every year we’ve started ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ with a film fresh from Toronto, which is where ‘Ahead of Time’ had its world premiere." Powers says. "I think it offers a great chance to see someone within in the industry make that next big leap.”
Other films on this season's slate included “October Country," which follows a year in the life of a poverty-stricken family in upstate New York, and “The Real Shaolin," about a journey inside China’s Shaolin Temple where kung-fu warriors hone their physical and mental skills.
The stories are an eclectic mix, and Powers says that’s just how the “Stranger than Fiction” community likes it. “These are people who love stories—who love hearing stories and sharing stories. That’s why I think you see so many go out after the movie and continue the conversation,” he says, noting that most screenings are followed by an after party at 99 Below on MacDougal Street. “What we’ve tapped into here goes beyond movies. It’s a community that wants to discuss what they’ve seen, who wants to share the experience of a story. It’s a special thing.”
Upcoming screenings:
Nov. 3: “Colony”
Nov. 10: “Copyright Criminals”
Nov. 16: “The Weather Underground”
Nov. 17: “Iran: Images From The Uprising”
Nov. 24: “Double Dare”
Dec. 1: "How to Fold a Flag"
Dec. 2: "Big River Man"
Dec. 8: "A Married Couple"
Dec. 15: "I'm Dangerous With Love"
For tickets and more info, visit stfdocs.com.
Photo courtesy of IFC.
