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NASRIN
Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross on Documenting Human Rights Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh and the beauty of Iranian Culture for ‘Nasrin’
In an extensive conversation with Awards Daily’s Shadan Larki, director Jeff Kaufman and producer Marcia Ross discuss their new documentary Nasrin, which chronicles the work of renowned human rights lawyer and activist Nasrin Sotoudeh.
During the course of his celebrated career Jeff Kaufman has chronicled religious figures, American icons, and has also helped us to learn the names of heroes who, all too often, remain undervalued in our public consciousness. As is the case with Nasrin Sotoudeh, Kaufman’s latest subject, an acclaimed Iranian lawyer and human rights activist. Through their documentary Nasrin, Kaufman and his producing partner Marcia Ross hope to catapult Sotoudeh’s mission into the spotlight. Continue Here
‘Nasrin’ could slide into the documentary Oscar race, thanks to its likable and fierce subject Nasrin Sotoudeh
When it comes to the Best Documentary Oscar race, it helps when films have a face that voters can root for. Sure, voters often want to reward a topic that feels relevant or important, and they surely desire quality filmmaking. But history shows that giving audiences a clear protagonist to follow and care about improves a movie’s chances of being nominated. With that in mind, Oscar pundits would be wise to keep an eye on “Nasrin” and its secret weapon: its fierce and endearing subject Nasrin Sotoudeh.
Directed by Emmy nominee Jeff Kaufman (“American Masters”) and narrated by Olivia Colman, the doc, filmed secretly in Iran, follows human rights lawyer Sotoudeh on her quest for justice against an oppressive regime. Many of her clients are set to be executed and she vigorously fights against the use of the death penalty. Her biggest cause, however, may be rebuffing unjust mandatory hijab laws for Iranian women. Continue Here
Angélique Kidjo Enters Oscars Song Race With ‘How Can I Tell You?’ From ‘Nasrin’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo has released the music video for “How Can I Tell You?” from the new documentary “Nasrin.” The song is written by Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music). The film chronicles the life of activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, who fought for women’s rights in Iran, as well as the rights of children and journalists, and was arrested in June 2018. She’s serving a sentence of 38 years in prison.
Said Kidjo who featured on the BBC’s list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women: “I am so glad to be part of this beautiful project. I want Nasrin to be free because if she’s not free, none of us are free. She’s fighting for human rights, the right to decide what we want to do with our lives, the right to choose our own future. Continue Here
The 'intense humanity' of Nasrin Sotoudeh - Interview with Christiane Amanpour
Director Jeff Kaufman and producer Marcia S. Ross's new documentary "Nasrin" follows Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is currently behind bars.
‘Nasrin’ Review: Righting Wrongs in Iran
“Nasrin,” a surreptitiously filmed documentary about the imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, offers a strangely cheerful portrait of extreme sacrifice and ongoing suffering.
The uplift is a little unnerving, the bright positivity of Sotoudeh echoed among her supporters (including the dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi) and clients. One young woman, Narges Hosseini, arrested for protesting Iran’s mandatory head-covering law, smiles calmly as she accepts the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. Her courage, like that of so many in this film, is breathtaking. Continue Here
Review: ‘Nasrin’ profiles a courageous fight for human rights in Iran
The documentary “Nasrin” is an intimate profile of Iranian attorney and human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh. Allowed surprising access to Sotudeh’s life, the film achieves stirring results if not an always fluid narrative. The 57-year-old Sotoudeh began her career working in a bank and doing journalism on the side, which is how she met her husband, Reza Khandan, a graphic designer. Inspired by an interview with noted human rights lawyer and later Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, Sotoudeh earned a license to practice law, specializing in protecting children’s rights, including high-profile cases of prisoners sentenced to death for alleged crimes committed as minors. Continue Here
'Nasrin' Documentary Is a Profile in Courage for the 21st Century
Nasrin Sotoudeh, the subject of Nasrin the compelling new documentary by Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross, may be the bravest person you never met. She is a lawyer for women's rights and human rights in Iran, a country that does not seem to value either very much. To be more accurate: The government is intent on suppressing the rights of dissidents in general and women in particular. As seen throughout the film, the people of Iran are among the most welcoming and friendly in the world. Continue Here
Documentary ‘Nasrin’ Secretly Filmed In Iran To Highlight Iranian Human Rights Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh
The inspiring documentary Nasrin tells the story of human rights lawyer, activist and political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh through interviews, B-Roll, incredibly powerful archival footage and the personal writings of Sotoudeh and her husband, fellow-activist Reza Khandan. The American screenwriter, director and producer Jeff Kaufman and his co-producer, Marcia S. Ross, were unable to get visas to travel to Iran themselves. They relied on their on-the-ground film crew as well as calls with Sotoudeh and Khandan. The film took four years to make and is essential viewing. Everyone involved, including Sotoudeh, put themselves in jeopardy by agreeing to participate in the project, but clearly, for them, the importance of its message outweighed the risk of arrest. The project also had to forego crowdfunding or fundraising of any kind in order to keep the film secret and protect those involved. Continue Here
Nasrin Sotoudeh, Iran’s Courtroom Gladiator, for the Defense
The film and television industry is nothing if not image-conscious, so it speaks volumes that the camera crews who shot footage inside Iran for Nasrin are, by design, uncredited. This is being done to keep them out of prison, which is where its protagonist, Nasrin Sotoudeh, now resides. Sotoudeh, this documentary’s embattled titular character, received the esteemed Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2012 and on December 3 was just awarded, in absentia, the Right Livelihood Award, widely known as the “Alternative Nobel Peace Prize.” The crusading Iranian human rights attorney was charged with collusion, disseminating propaganda, and insulting the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei. Continue Here
A very good year for documentaries, if an annus horribilis otherwise
Nasrin With the execution in Iran this month of the journalist Ruhollah Zam for the crime of telling the truth, Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross’s rousing, enraging portrait of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a defiant defense lawyer, could not be timelier. Shot in secret over four years by anonymous Iranian filmmakers, the film follows Sotoudeh as she takes on cases including that of a minor sentenced to death and women protesting the law requiring them to wear the hijab. Then Sotoudeh herself is convicted of bogus charges, in 2018, and sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes. In November, she contracted COVID-19 and was briefly released from prison only to be incarcerated again, though still suffering from the disease. Continue Here
New Documentary Shines a Light on Iranian Human Rights Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh
A new documentary by filmmakers Jeff Kaufman and Marcia S. Ross provides a firsthand look into the life of Nasrin Sotoudeh, one of Iran’s leading human rights activists and lawyers. Nasrin, which will be released in the United States on December 18, comes as Sotoudeh, who was briefly released from prison earlier this fall because of coronavirus-related health concerns, was ordered to return to prison to continue serving her 38-year prison sentence on December 2. The 57-year-old was sentenced based on charges of collusion, spreading propaganda, and insulting Iran’s supreme leader. A recipient of the Sakharov Prize, which is given each year by the European Parliament to global human rights advocates, Sotoudeh has devoted her career to defending children, religious minorities, and women who challenge oppressive laws. The filmmakers hope that the discourse around the film will help increase international outrage about Sotoudeh’s prison sentence and “be part of this global effort demanding her release,” Ross told The FBomb. Continue Here
NASRIN – Review by Loren King
This urgent documentary offers an up-close look at Iranian human rights lawyer and activist Nasrin Sotoudeh who for nearly 20 years, at great personal risk, has fought for the rights of women, children, LGBTQ people and political prisoners condemned to death by the Iranian government. For anyone not familiar with this ordinary yet extraordinary figure, Nasrin will be an eye-opening and life-changing experience. The film will be available in virtual theaters across the United States and Canada on December 18. Nasrin is directed by Jeff Kaufman and produced by Marcia S. Ross, whose last film was the engaging documentary Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, about the prolific playwright. Continue Here
NASRIN documentary filmmakers Jeff Kaufman & Marcia Ross | Brave New Hollywood Interview
Director Jeff Kaufman and Producer, Marcia S. Ross discuss the making of the Nasrin Sotoudeh documentary film, NASRIN in secrecy and while their lead subject (Sotoudeh) kept fighting for the rights of her clients inside Iran and went to Iran's notorious Evin prison fighting for the rights of women, minorities and others.
Nasrin Documentary Director: "So Many Like Her are at Risk"
Last month a feature-length documentary, Nasrin, was released that covers life and struggles of Nasrin Sotoudeh, the world-renowned Iranian human rights lawyer imprisoned in Iran for her defense of civilian activists.
For the next ten days, in partnership with the creators, IranWire has made the English-language film available online to Persian-speaking audiences outside of North America. To mark the release, we spoke to director Jeff Kaufman about the process of making the film and what he hopes it will achieve – and to Nasrin’s husband Reza Khandan, who was recently reunited with his wife during her temporary release from prison.
Yes, Virginia, there are movies this holiday season. Here’s where to find them
Nasrin
Documentary on human rights activist and political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh. Directed by Jeff Kaufman. Narrated by Olivia Coleman. Virtual cinemas. Virgil Films
“Nasrin” Premiere on BBC Persia Interview
مارسیا راس، تهیه کننده و جف کافمن، تهیه کننده و کارگردان فیلم «نسرین» از این فیلم مستند میگویند که در مورد نسرین ستوده، وکیل و فعال حقوق بشر ساختهاند. این فیلم قرار است فردا، هشت و نیم شب به وقت تهران از بی بی سی فارسی پخش شود.
Marcia Ross, producer and Jeff Kaufman, producer and director of "Nasrin", say the documentary is about Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist. The film is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC Farsi.
France 24 English Interview with the NASRIN Filmmakers
A conversation with the makers of #Nasrin, a film that gives a voice to one of #Iran’s most revered women’s rights defenders on this week’s @MEastMatters w/ @SanamF2. Sotoudeh, an honorary citizen of #Paris, was finally given furlough to receive medical treatment. @Anne_Hidalgo
Nasrin' Documentary Spotlights Life And Work Of Jailed Iranian Human Rights Lawyer
After a five-week hunger strike, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Iran's best-known human rights lawyer, faces a grave health crisis in Qarchak prison, a notoriously harsh facility south of Tehran. For more than two decades, Sotoudeh, 57, fought for some of Iran's most sensitive causes — the rights of women, children on death row, endangered minorities. She has won international acclaim, but her defiance has come at a heavy personal price: She is serving a 38-year prison sentence for "national security" crimes, after defending women who protested Iran's compulsory head-covering law.
"She is the closest thing that Iran has to Nelson Mandela, someone who has remained steadfastly committed to her principles at enormous sacrifice to herself," says Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. "One of the reasons that the Islamic Republic fears her so much is the fact that she is truly irrepressible." Continue Here
Unseen Films Review from Globe Docs
Portrait of Nasrin Sotoudeh an Iranian attorney who has been fighting for human rights, women's right, ad children's right for years despite she keeps getting thrown in jail for bucking the system. NASRIN is deeply moving look at one woman who who striving to help the downtrodden people of Iran. Always willing to fight she is always trying to balance her numerous cases with raising her family. She is in many ways the better self we should all aspire to be. What I love about the film is it is something more than just a portrait of Nasrin but there things as well. For example the film shows us this split in Iranian society with the ruling religious zealots at the top controlling everything and the rest of the people. Continue Here
نسرین ستوده؛ الگویی جهانی برای دفاع بیقید و شرط از حقوق بشر
نسرین ستوده، وکیل مدافع حقوق بشر و زندانی سیاسی، در حال راه رفتن در خیابانهای تهران، به دوردست نگاه میکند و خطاب به فیلمبردار میگوید شاید این تلاشها، در کوتاهمدت نتیجهبخش نباشد، اما همه سرمایهای انسانی است برای آینده، برای فرداها؛ و آرام و با طمأنینه به راه رفتن در خیابانهای خاکستری تهران ادامه میدهد. این صحنهی پایانی مستند «نسرین» است. مستندی کمنظیر دربارهی نسرین ستوده که یکی از شناختهشدهترین چهرههای مدافع حقوق بشر در ایران است. جف کافمن، کارگردان، طراح، نویسنده و تهیهکنندهی آمریکایی این مستند را کارگردانی کرده است و مارشیا راس تهیهکنندگی این مستند را برعهده دارد. مستندی که در جشنوارهی فیلمهای مستند «گلوب داک» آمریکا در ماه اکتبر ۲۰۲۰، برای اولینبار اکران شد.
در این مستند، گروه فیلمبرداری که نام آنها برای حفظ امنیتشان فاش نمیشود، روزها و هفتهها نسرین ستوده را در زندگی روزمرهاش دنبال کرده و از او فیلم میگیرند. ستوده را در دفتر کارش و گفتگو با موکلان و مهماناش میبینیم، او را در حال آشپزی در خانهاش میبینیم، پشت فرمان اتوموبیلاش، در راه دادگاه انقلاب برای دفاع از موکلی، در حال خرید هدیه برای بچههای دوستاناش، وقتی منتظر سرویس مدرسهی پسرش نیما ایستاده، وقتی میوهها را در ظرف مرتب میچیند، در نمایشگاه نقاشی، در اجرای تئاتر و … تصویرهایی بهغایت روزمره و انسانی از زنی که سالهاست برای حقوق انسانها میجنگد.
Continue Here/در اینجا ادامه دهید
Click Here for the English Translation
Voices of the Middle East and North Africa: The Toxic Legacy of War in Iraq; the documentary film on Nasrin Sotoudeh
This week, we are having a conversation with Kali Rubaii, an assistant professor of anthropology at Purdue University, about the toxic legacy of the war in Iraq and the underlying reasons for the high rates of birth defects in the city of Fallujah. we are also speaking with documentary filmmaker Jeff Kaufman about his latest film, titled “Nasrin”, which chronicles the life and work of Jailed prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. Listen Here
New doc features the life of Iran's leading human rights lawyer
For more than two decades, Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has fought for the rights of women, children and minorities in her country. Her work has won her international acclaim but also the wrath of the Iranian government. She has been arrested several times and is currently serving a 38-year sentence in prison. Her family has been detained and harassed as well. This month, a new documentary called “Nasrin” takes viewers inside the life of Sotoudeh. Hadi Ghaemi, founder and director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, describes Sotoudeh as “a child of the Iranian Revolution.” Born in 1963 in Langarud, Iran, Sotoudeh experienced the 1979 Revolution and its aftermath during her formative years, Ghaemi said. Sotoudeh was a bank employee before she became a journalist and later, decided to study law and become a lawyer. As part of her work, she provided pro bono services to minorities and prisoners of conscience. Continue Here
Iran’s Covid-19 Death Toll Is Rising. Show Mercy, Mr. Trump.
Many more political prisoners in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison remain incarcerated and at risk. Their plight has been highlighted by the recent hunger strike of the Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who refused food for nearly a month to demand the compassionate release of scores of her fellow human rights advocates and political dissidents. Ms. Sotoudeh, who is guilty of nothing more than defending a group of women who took off their head scarves in public to protest the law mandating head coverings, was sentenced to what would add up to a 38-year prison term. Continue Here
A Conversation with the Director and Producers of the New Documentary, “Nasrin"
Nasrin a new documentary scheduled for its world premiere on October 1, 2020, tells the important and fascinating story of Nasrin Sotoudeh, the imprisoned human rights lawyer who has endured years behind bars for defending basic civil and political rights in Iran. The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) recently spoke with Jeff Kaufman, director, producer and writer of Nasrin, and Marcia Ross, producer of the film. Following are extended excerpts from the conversion CHRI had with Jeff and Marcia.
CHRI: The Center for Human Rights in Iran is pleased to welcome Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross. Jeff is director, producer and writer for the new documentary Nasrin and Marcia Ross is producer of the film, which tells the story of the Iranian human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh. Nasrin is currently behind bars at Iran’s Evin Prison, sentenced to 38 years’ imprisonment for her peaceful work as a human rights attorney—12 years of which she must serve before becoming eligible for parole. Among her charges were “encouraging prostitution” for advocating against compulsory hijab and defending citizens’ rights to peaceful dissent. Continue Here
“Nasrin”: Speaking to the World From a Prison in Iran
On September 26, 2016, Farhang Amiri—a 63-year-old Baha’i man who was much loved in his community of Yazd, Iran—was found stabbed to death outside his home. Two brothers confessed to the murder, citing that they killed Amiri because he was an “apostate,” and they had been taught that killing apostates would send them to heaven. After their confession of murder, the brothers were arrested—but released two months later. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent human rights attorney in Iran, took up Amiri’s case on behalf of his family. A new feature documentary “Nasrin” has a remarkable scene that shows Sotoudeh speaking to the killers’ father. “How do you think Mr. Amiri’s family felt after his murder?,” she asks with cool calculation, “Put yourself in their shoes for a moment.”
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Olivia Colman-Narrated Documentary About Iranian Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh Acquired By Virgil Films
EXCLUSIVE: Virgil Films & Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Nasrin, a documentary about activist Nasrin Sotoudeh narrated by Oscar winner Olivia Colman. Sotoudeh is a human rights activists and an outspoken leader of Iran’s women’s rights movement. Last week, she cited serious health concerns in ending a six-week hunger strike in Evin Prison, where she has been serving a nearly four-decade sentence. Millions of people from around the world have called for her release. Secretly filmed in Iran by men and women who asked that they not be identified due to the high level of risk involved, Nasrin is directed, produced, written by Jeff Kaufman and produced by Marcia S. Ross. The pair earned Emmy nominations for Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life. The film features an original song by Tony-winning composers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, performed by Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo. Washington Post columnist and former political prisoner Jason Rezaian serves as one of the film’s executive producers. Nasrin features filmmaker Jafar Panahi, Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, journalist Ann Curry, and Nasrin’s husband and fellow-activist Reza Khandan. Continue Here
EVERY ACT OF LIFE
“We Stand On His Shoulders”: ‘American Masters’ Doc Reveals Historic Impact Of “Out” Playwright Terrence McNally
Playwright Terrence McNally’s death from coronavirus-related causes in late March deprived the theater world of one of its greatest talents, a four-time Tony Award winner known for Master Class and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, among many other works. Just how much he achieved in his 81 years comes into focus in the Emmy-contending documentary Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, directed by Jeff Kaufman and produced by Marcia Ross.“At every stage of Terrence’s life, he keeps pushing himself in a new direction,” Kaufman tells Deadline. “He never plays it safe. He’s a truth teller.”The film premiered on PBS last year as part of American Masters. That series, winner of 28 Emmys to date, is once again up for consideration as Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, and the Terrence McNally episode will appear on nomination ballots in the directing, editing, cinematography and sound categories. Kaufman demurs on what Emmy recognition would mean to him personally, but he doesn’t hold back about the series. Continue Here
Bravos to the Bard of Broadway
“Keep always the freshness of your viewpoint, the honesty of your so many ways,” says Audra McDonald, who played an aspiring soprano in the convictions. Your integrity is your armor,” Mrs. Maurine McElroy wrote to her talented student, who went on to become a trailblazing, four-time Tony He won a 1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Award–winning playwright, librettist and screenwriter. In such stereotype depicts busting hits as Love! Valour! Compassion!, McNally created multifaceted LGBTQ characters who were more than one-note jokes. He lived openly and proudly as a gay man when others shrank back for fear of repercussions. “He was always willing to take risks,” says Kaufman, who wrote, produced and directed Every Act of Life. The film, which premiered on PBS’s American Masters series in 2019, airs again June 14. Continue Here
How Much Watching Time Do You Have This Weekend?
This feature about the playwright Terrence McNally is overflowing with love and wit and archival photos and footage, just like you’d want from any reliable biographical documentary. While the doc covers some heavy topics — homophobia, AIDS, alcoholism, heartbreak — the vibe is quite sunny, and McNally comes across as warmly candid, pretty happy and self-aware. Would that everyone in the throes of an addiction crisis could get a life-changing talking-to from Angela Lansbury. Continue Here
Review: PBS documentary of playwright Terrence McNally celebrates a master of connection
If you can know a person by the company he keeps, you can judge a playwright by the talent that sticks by him. By this measure, Terrence McNally is one of the most important dramatists of the last 50 years. In “American Masters — Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life,” the documentary premiering Friday on PBS in honor of LGBTQ Pride month, Broadway luminaries such as Nathan Lane, Rita Moreno and F. Murray Abraham pay tribute to a writer who has given our private struggles the touching comic dignity they deserve. Continue Here
'Every Act Of Life' Is A Touching Documentary On Tony-Winning Playwright Terrence Mcnally
Most people probably don't know who Terrence McNally is, but if they are theater fans there is a good chance they have seen his work. And if they have a tween daughter there's a good chance they've been pressured into seeing his most recent Broadway hit show, Anastasia, for which he wrote the book. McNally is a four-time Tony Award–winning playwright and librettist, which, while making him famous in theater circles, probably would not affect his status in the witness protection program. Hopefully, Every Act of Life, Jeff Kaufman's insightful and moving documentary on McNally's life, will do something to rectify that. Continue Here
'Every Act of Life': Film Review | Provincetown 2018
Prolific Broadway playwright Terrence McNally receives a warm salute as a vital voice in the American theater and an LGBT activist who made the personal political. Even the notoriously prickly Larry Kramer gets cozy in Every Act of Life, an account of Terrence McNally's six decades in the theater that's less a documentary profile than a smoochfest. Though as far as subjects for hagiographic treatment go, the veteran playwright, musical librettist and pioneering voice of queer lives on the American stage is certainly not undeserving — his endurance alone is inspiring. Packed with fond observations from actors who have played McNally's characters over the years, among them Christine Baranski, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald, Chita Rivera and Edie Falco, Jeff Kaufman's conventional but briskly entertaining film will be met with heartfelt applause from theater-lovers and LGBT audiences. Continue Here
10 Movies You Can't Miss at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival
Poignant, incredibly inspiring, documentary by Jeff Kaufman about the career and life of Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally. Wildly diverse plays like The Ritz (1975), Love! Valour! Compassion! (1994), Master Class (1995), Frankie And Johnny In The Claire de Lune (1982), The Lisbon Traviata (1989), plus the books for musicals such as Kiss Of The Spiderman (1992) and Ragtime (1996) are only a fraction of his storied career. Never uptight about being openly gay in his personal life, this became a problem for some closeted boyfriends. His tempestuous early affair with playwright Edward Albee is sensitively examined along with his loving relationship with longtime partner Thomas Kirdahy, who McNally married in 2010 in Washington, D.C. One comes to admire McNally's attitude in the wake of painful flops and turbulent relationships. Not to mention coming to grips with his alcoholism (thanks to a concerned warning from Angela Lansbury). You just listen to the man and love him. For theater fans this movie is indispensable. Continue Here
VIDEO: Watch the Trailer for the Terrence McNally Documentary EVERY ACT OF LIFE
The official trailer has been released for the Terrence McNally documentary EVERY ACT OF LIFE. The film is a love letter to Terrence's storied career as a playwright and his work in the fight for LGBT rights. It will be released on digital platforms and VOD on November 6th. This star-studded documentary shares four-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally's six ground-breaking decades in the theatre, the fight for LGBTQ rights, triumph over addiction, the pursuit of love and inspiration at every age, and the power of the arts to transform society. "The STAKES are really high now, higher than ever. We need to bring barriers down, not build walls. We need to love one another more, and see how connected we really are. I think that's the message of art."- Terrence McNally Continue Here
Illustrated Screenplay for Terrence McNally Documentary Every Act of Life to Be Published
Every Act of Life, the new documentary about Tony Award–winning playwright Terrence McNally that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival April 23, will be published in printed form this fall. Productions In Print plans to publish the screenplay to the documentary in October. The illustrated screenplay will include additional stories and interviews that were not seen in the film, as well as rare photos and archival materials. Continue Here
Terrence McNally Documentary Sets Tribeca Film Festival Premiere Date and Post-Screening Talk
Jeff Kaufman’s documentary Every Act of Life, about Tony Award–winning playwright Terrence McNally, will make its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival April 23. The first of four festival screenings will be followed by a conversation with director Kaufman and McNally, as well as actor and Tony-winning director Joe Mantello, two-time Tony winners Nathan Lane, Chita Rivera, and Christine Baranski, as well as Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham. New York Magazine’s Frank Rich will moderate the conversation. Continue Here
Playwright Terrence McNally is living NYC history
Most people in the theater world run to the spotlight. Not Terrence McNally. Modest, shy and industrious, he’s let his work speak for itself. Fortunately, his plays — “Lips Together, Teeth Apart,” “Love! Valour! Compassion!” and “Master Class” among them — have plenty to say. But lately he’s been trailed by microphones, cameras and lights as the subject of the documentary “Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life,” for which director Jeff Kaufman interviewed many of McNally’s friends and colleagues, including Nathan Lane, Angela Lansbury, Audra McDonald, John Kander and Chita Rivera. Continue Here
The Successes and Losses of a Prolific Playwright on “American Masters” with ‘Terence McNally: Every Act Of Life’
Twice now, prominent actresses have pulled Terrence McNally (top) aside to tell him something important: He was making a big, lunkheaded mistake. "I heard both women profoundly," said McNally, 80, the playwright who is profiled Friday on PBS. One was Christine Baranski, who told him frankly that his play (Lips Together, Teeth Apart) was no good. "It was the first time, maybe, an actor had been that candid .... I went home and stayed up probably 48 hours and did the work, and it turned out pretty good." The other was Angela Lansbury, who critiqued something bigger: His life was no good. "I didn't know her well," he said. "I revered her as an actress, had all my life, and we were at a party." As Lansbury tells it in the PBS film, Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, this was the only time she did this – pulling someone aside to tell him he was ruining himself with alcohol and drugs. He soon transformed his life. Continue Here
THE STATE OF MARRIAGE
'The State of Marriage': Provincetown Review
While last year's The Case Against 8 provided an emotional chronicle of the five-year battle to overthrow California's ban on same-sex marriage, Jeff Kaufman's The State of Marriage assembles a similarly comprehensive account of the two-decade struggle that came before in Vermont, opening the door for other states to follow. Impassioned and yet admirably even-handed in presenting both sides of the argument, this is a densely informative record of the groundbreaking legal, political and social campaign led by two small-town lawyers. With the Supreme Court about to issue its federal ruling on marriage equality, the film serves as an invaluable record of how the movement got started. Continue Here
Hollywood's road to marriage equality, from The Golden Girls to Modern Family
Americans rejoiced last week when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage across the country. But while Hollywood elite took to Twitter and Instagram to express their excitement on the historic day, pop culture has actually been exploring marriage equality for decades. Continue Here
New Documentary Depicts Vermont Lawyers' Fight For Same-Sex Marriage
The new documentary The State of Marriage tells the story of a prominent civil rights attorney and two small-town Vermont lawyers whose legal battle paved the way for same-sex marriage in Vermont and across the county.The documentary airs this week at the Providence International Film Festival, and will be coming to Burlington in the upcoming months. The story centers on Vermont lawyers Beth Robinson and Susan Murray, who – along with prominent civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto – filed a lawsuit in Vermont on behalf of three gay couples seeking to marry. The documentary recounts the two decades of grassroots campaigning, heated town hall meetings and statewide debate. Continue Here
“The State of Marriage” details how lesbians won same-sex marriage for Vermont
If you had asked folks back in the early ‘90s if they thought little Vermont would be at the heart of the battle for same-sex partnership rights, they would’ve probably scoffed at the thought. And yet today, in 2015, we look back in gratitude of the Green Mountain State. There could be no better tribute to the remarkable work done in Vermont and the three women at the center of it than The State of Marriage, a new documentary directed by Jeff Kaufman. Continue Here
FATHER JOSEPH
What This Haitian Priest Can Teach The Rest Of Us About Faith
Father Joseph Philippe has the kind of vision and indomitable spirit that might earn someone a Nobel Peace Prize or an Academy Award. But his name probably isn’t one many have heard before.That may change, though, with the release of “Father Joseph,” a new documentary about the remarkable priest who has spent a lifetime fighting to improve the lives of the poor in Haiti. Continue Here
Haitian Priest Stands in the Path of the Storm
On Oct. 7, the Boston Foundation, in conjunction with the Haiti Development Institute, screened “Father Joseph.” The documentary was directed by Jeff Kaufman, whose previous film, “The State of Marriage,” was in last year’s GlobeDocs Film Festival. “Father Joseph” is about a Haitian priest who organized the isolated, rural community of Fondwa to establish a micro-credit bank for the poor, a K-14 school, an orphanage, a clean-water project, a reforestation program, a health clinic, a radio station, a home-construction effort, and a university. Despite sometimes murderous opposition, all these projects thrived. Then the 2010 earthquake leveled it all.
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Rebuilding Haiti: Documentary 'Father Joseph' shows power of faith in restoring troubled nation
Father Joseph Philippe does not consider himself to be a hero — nor a particularly interesting subject for a documentary. However, filmmaker Jeff Kaufman believed otherwise, and followed the Haitian Catholic priest for years as he worked tirelessly to increase education and financial opportunities for poor, rural Haitians — especially women. “I’m not somebody who really wants to talk about myself, to talk about what I’m doing,” Father Philippe told The Washington Times. “When I see something to be done, if I can do it, I just do it. I was very resistant [to the film]. But Jeff was so persistent.” Continue Here
THE SAVOY KING
The Savoy King: Film Review
Thanks perhaps to a life that was painfully brief in comparison to peers like Duke Ellington, Swing Era bandleader Chick Webb is under appreciated by casual music lovers. Jeff Kaufman's enjoyable, convincing The Savoy King seeks to remedy that, and will likely draw some attention solely for the startling lineup of actors providing voice-over talent. Though unlikely to see many big-screen bookings outside the fest circuit, the doc is rewarding for any Swing fan and, given some colorful and heartstring-pulling elements, will likely inspire filmmakers in the audience to wonder about biopic rights. Continue Here
The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music That Changed America
Vivid archival clips of Harlem in the ’30s illuminate “The Savoy King,” Jeff Kaufman’s lively portrait of bandleader/drummer Chick Webb, whose music intersected with and rivaled that of jazz’s most illustrious names. Although Webb suffered from spinal TB, which made him a hunchbacked midget, his immense popularity helped topple racial barriers as he became the King of Swing at Harlem’s only racially integrated nightclub. Crammed with remarkable found footage and encomiums from the likes of Andy Garcia, Danny Glover and Janet Jackson, this jubilant docu invites limited theatrical exposure before inevitable tube play. Continue Here
NYFF Daily Reviews: Room 237 and The Savoy King
This morning, Nick Schager dishes about two worthwhile documentaries off the Main Slate: Room 237, that copyright-braving examination of the complexities of The Shining, and The Savoy King, the story of swing-great Chick Webb and his Harlem stompers. Continue Here
Chick Webb: He was ‘King’ when Swing was the thing
When documentarian Jeff Kaufman set out to produce a film on Swing era drummer Chick Webb six years ago, he had no idea the wealth of findings he would come across. "Up until the very end," Kaufman says, "Chick grew in stature for me with every discovery as I went along." Kaufman knew that Webb, a short man who walked with a hunched back, had brought Ella Fitzgerald to national fame with the hit "A Tisket A Tasket" in 1938. But another event inspired Kaufman to take this journey, during which more than 1,000 images were licensed for use in the documentary. Kaufman read about a famous 1937 battle of the bands between Benny Goodman and Webb at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. It was said that Webb's orchestra "wiped the floor" with Goodman's band. Mind you, Goodman's band was then the most famous in the land. Kaufman says Gene Krupa, Goodman's drummer, even bowed to Webb's group to pay homage. Continue Here
Music Film Webb: Swinging with the Savoy King
In the 1930s, Baltimore-born drummer William Henry “Chick” Webb led the house band at Harlem’s storied Savoy Ballroom, from the stage of which his outfit out-swung Benny Goodman’s and Count Basie’s in headline-making battles of the bands. Webb had a national radio show, refined swing percussion into an art (Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich put him at the top of the pyramid), and, for good measure, discovered and launched a teenage singer named Ella Fitzgerald. He was, in his day, one of the giants of jazz. Continue Here