My Kid Could Paint That…

Documentaries have largely been ignored by the Hollywood business until two things happened:

1) Michael Moore wins Cannes Palmes D’Or in 2004 with Fahrenheit 9/11 and film grosses $119 million in North America ($222 million worldwide)

2) March of the Penguins is released in 2005 - a national geographic type film narrarated by Morgan Freeman - and the film grosses $77 million in North America ($127 million worldwide)

Since March of the Penguins, 13 documentaries have been released grossing more than $1 million in US box office. And this is just the beginning, the docs are coming and they are coming big time. Perhaps the reason docs are coming in full-force is because they are relatively cheap to make and have a good after-life on TV and work well with potential buyer channels such as Sundance, Discovery, National Geographic and The History Channel which all of a global presence.

In addition companies such as the do-gooder brain-child of Jeff Skoll Participant actively seek to make or be associated with documentaries. And similarly actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney seek to be associated with causes merged with film in order to get their opinions expressed.

This weekend there are four documentaries releasing:

My Kid Could Paint That a film directed by Israeli-American Amir Bar-Lev about a four year old painter’s works that have been compared to Picasso’s. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Sony Classics will be releasing the film on 8 screens (NYC/LA)

Lake of Fire is a Tony Kaye (director of American History X) hot-button piece that examines the abortion debate and enlists Noam Chomsky and Alan Dershowitz to discuss the relevant issues. The film is currently only playing at Film Forum on 209 W. Houston St., New York, NY 10014, 212-727-8110

Kurt Cobain About a Son is a film from Balcony Releasing which features 25 hours of previously unheard audiotaped interviews conducted with Cobain by music journalist Michael Azerrad for his book “Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana.” In the film, Kurt Cobain recounts his own life and offers piercing insights into his life and music. The film is playing at the IFC Center in New York at 323 Sixth Ave., New York, NY 10014, 212-924-7771

Finishing the Game is not really a documentary, but rather a mockumentary from Justin Lin. Lin’s career apparently is back on track after this critically acclaimed film (Sundanec 2007) which followed disastrous turns in directing both Annapolis and The Fast And the Furious: Tokyo Drift following his debut film Better Luck Tomorrow. The film focuses on Bruce Lee’s death and the studio executives making and efforts to finish the film Game of Death. The film is released by IFC and is only playing at the IFC Center at 323 Sixth Ave., New York, NY 10014, 212-924-7771

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