Earlier this year, the Tallgrass International Film Festival announced its new DOX Spotlight Section. This new competition features undistributed, feature-length documentaries directed by women. And now, its programming committee has chosen Dox Spotlight’s inaugural group for the 2017 fest.
Madeleine Gavin’s “City of Joy” follows a group of revolutionary women who have overcome sexual violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The doc recently screened as the Centerpiece film at the 2017 Athena Film Festival. Gavin works in both fiction and nonfiction, and recently edited Katherine Dieckmann’s “Strange Weather.”
Skye Borgman’s “Forever ‘B’” also explores violence, via the kidnapping of Idaho 12-year-old Jan Broberg. In a different vein, Robin Berghaus’ “Stumped” turns the camera on Will Lautzenheiser, a filmmaker who finds solace in stand-up comedy following a quadruple amputation.
The three documentaries will be judged by an all-female jury of industry professionals. This year’s jury members include Seattle International Film Festival’s Interim Artistic Director Beth Barrett, Women Make Movies Executive Director Debra Zimmerman, and award-winning documentary filmmaker Maisie Crow (“Jackson”).
Selected by the jury, the top film will receive special honors and will be individually showcased during the festival. All Dox Spotlight finalists are eligible for Tallgrass’ Audience Award for Best Documentary.
Co-Director of Programming Gretchen Mitchell hopes DOX Spotlight “helps to celebrate the women in the documentary trenches and inspire future female documentarians to record the accomplishments, the issues, and real life from a woman’s perspective.”
This year’s Tallgrass International Film Festival runs October 18–22 in Wichita, Kansas. Check out the films featured in the inaugural DOX Spotlight Section below. Summaries courtesy of Tallgrass Film Association.
City of Joy, directed by Madeleine Gavin (USA).
In Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an area waging one of the longest conflicts in history and ravaged by sexual violence — we discover The City of Joy. This ultimately uplifting film centers around Jane, a student in the first class at a center where women who have suffered unimaginable abuse come together to create a revolutionary community of leaders.
Forever ‘B’, directed by Skye Borgman (USA).
On October 17th, 1974, in the quiet town of Pocatello Idaho, 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her family’s best friend and neighbor. 18 months later, out on bail and awaiting trial for kidnapping, Robert Berchtold (Brother ‘B’ to Jan and her family) abducted Jan a second time, triggering a nationwide FBI manhunt. Through threats and brainwashing, Brother ‘B’ successfully turns Jan against her own family, while simultaneously manipulating her parents who paved the way for Jan’s abduction, in plain sight.
Stumped, directed by Robin Berghaus (USA).
When filmmaker Will Lautzenheiser’s limbs are amputated, his life is derailed and he turns to stand-up comedy as a therapeutic and creative outlet. Meanwhile, a world-famous medical team is performing transplants that restore bodies to unprecedented levels. Despite grave risks, Will agrees to undergo an experimental double-arm transplant in the hope of reclaiming his independence.
