Madonna to debut documentary in Traverse City Film Festival

Madonna va lancer son documentaire au Festival du Film de Traverse City.


By John SerbaThe Grand Rapids Press

Madonna has arrived, and along with her, the Traverse City Film Festival.
Of course, the festival is no slouch on the film-fest circuit, being spearheaded by famed documentary filmmaker and Flint native Michael Moore.
But one can assume he wielded his considerable influence to get the trendsetting, Michigan-born pop star to debut the documentary "I Am Because We Are" in Traverse City, and therefore put the festival -- now in its fourth year -- on the map.
The film, written and executive-produced by Madonna, examines the effect the AIDS epidemic has had on the African nation of Malawi, the world's second-poorest country. She will present the film at 8 p.m. Saturday in Traverse City's State Theatre, but obtaining tickets at this point will involve eBay and a good chunk of disposable income.
Although she's the obvious big-star attraction this year, the TCFF offers its share of noteworthy films.
Here are my picks for the best reasons to trek up north to watch some movies:

'Vicky Christina Barcelona'
7 p.m. Tuesday, State Theatre
and City Opera House
Critics and audiences at Cannes loved Woody Allen's new comedy, which is the TCFF's opening-night offering.
It stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem ("No Country for Old Men"), Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson and has yet to open nationally.

'Tell No One'
6 p.m. Friday, State Theatre
9 p.m. Friday, Lars Hockstad Auditorium
Critic Richard Roeper hailed this French thriller, about a man wrongfully accused of murdering his wife, as one of the year's best films. It's based on American author Harlan Coben's bestseller.

'Religulous'
9 p.m. Friday, State Theatre
3 p.m. Saturday, Lars Hockstad Auditorium
Comedian Bill Maher and director Larry Charles ("Borat") stoke the fires of controversy by ruthlessly poking fun at various religions. I saw clips of this at last year's Toronto Film Festival -- this movie will leave you outraged or roaring with laughter, depending on your point-of-view.

'Encounters at the End of the World'
Noon Friday, Old Town Playhouse
9 p.m. Aug. 3, State Theatre
Werner Herzog is one of the greatest living filmmakers and admits to staging scenes in his documentaries in order to get at more "ecstatic" truths. And this doc certainly had me ecstatic -- Herzog ventures to Antarctica to meet the people who live and work there, and muses about our inevitable apocalypse. An intellectually and visually resplendent work.

'Man on Wire'
6 p.m. Wednesday, Old Town Playhouse
2:45 p.m. Saturday, State Theatre
If you missed this exhilarating documentary -- about Philippe Petit's breathtaking 1974 tightrope walk between the World Trade Center towers -- at the Waterfront Film Festival, here's your chance. It's a fascinating, emotionally involving rumination on art and inspiration.

'Ghost Busters'
Dusk Tuesday, the Open Space
One of several classics playing, I can't imagine a better film for the collective, nonexclusive experience of a free outdoor screening. I'm not alone in proclaiming this eminently quotable 1984 comedy a personal favorite: "Back off, man. I'm a scientist."

Movies From People Who Want To Kill Us
Various films, times and locations
What a great theme: five films (features and documentaries) by Jordanian, Iranian, Iraqi and Pakistani filmmakers, grouped together to further educate us about life in Muslim countries. Check out the film descriptions at traversecity-filmfest.org and tell me you're not enthralled with the concept.

Festival information
When: Tuesday through Aug. 3
Where: Various venues, downtown Traverse City
For tickets and full schedule: traversecity-filmfest.org or (231) 929-1627

Source: mlive.