SilverDocs 2012

There seems to be some recurring themes this year at SilverDocs, the film festival devoted solely to documentaries. Two concerning cats, two about middle aged white guys marrying younger Asian mail order brides. The obligatory inner-city-school-plays-chess, musical docs, several about immigrants and several about senior citizens who have quirky pasts or do unconventional things. Several which take place in New York City, and as we know, "There are eight million stories in the naked city."

I looked over my last year's choices and of the 25, only five have been available to me here, of which I've seen two (Miss Representation and Pruitt-Igoe). Some of the others are short films I probably won't get a chance to see outside of a film festival.

For this year here's what looks interesting to me. I hope to find some of these by me in the coming year:

A Girl Like Her
Young single mothers in 1950s/60s were forced to give up their babies for adoption.

The Ambassador
This doc examines those ambassadorships that are bought by people for its cachet only.

Betting the Farm
A group of dairy farmers lose their big milk client, then band together as an organic cooperative instead to survive.

Brother's Keeper
An illterate man is accused of the mercy killing of his brother in upstate New York.

Canned Dreams
This doc looks at the process chain and materials needed to make canned foods.

Birders: The Central Park Effect
Birdwatchers in Central Park. I've read that Central Park is a sort of hidden gem when it comes to birding.

Crossed Out
The filmmaker asks why his aunt and uncle are obliterated in family photos.

Cutting Loose
A Scottish prison hairdresser reflects on the eve of his leaving prison as well as a big hairdressing competition.

Drivers Wanted
Profiles of New York City taxi drivers. I'm sure there will be a variety of personalities and stories from America's biggest metropolitan melting pot. Taking taxis here in Chicago I see some of them talking on the phone at 5 or 6 in the morning.  Are they communicating with relatives back home in some far away foreign country?

I Kill
A mobile slaughterhouse serves small, rural New Zealand clients.

Living Tiny
People with 100 square foot homes. Seems like a very current social awareness topic about consumerism as well as depletion of resources.

Manufactured Fortunes
About the making of fortune cookies.

Meaning of Robots
A man makes robots for porn, but other people have more normal uses for them.

Meet the Fokkens
Twin sisters, 70 years old, who still work in Amsterdam's Red Light district. Obviously the title is a play on the popular Ben Stiller comedy movie.

Paradise
Mexican immigrants work as Chicago high rise window washers.

Solo, Piano
A piano abandoned on a New York street is filmed as people interact with it.

Sun Kissed
Navajo siblings have a rare and dangerous allergy to the sun. Other Navajos do too. What is the link?

Unravel
Unused clothing is sent to India where they are unraveled and used for thread. Examines waste/recycling and consumer culture.