The Homer Theatre is gearing up for a film festival at the End of the Road. The ninth annual Homer International Documentary Film Festival takes place Sept. 20-27 and will feature nine films from across the globe.
Each of the previous eight documentary fests have included the eventual Oscar winner in the category, and this year’s selections includes one that was nominated for the award in February (“Pina”). A few of the films have screened in Anchorage (“Marley,” “Bully,” “Pina” and “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”), so a road trip to Homer might be your last chance to catch them on the big screen.
An opening ceremony is planned Thursday, Sept. 20, for those who purchase a full festival pass ($50 for adults, $40 for children, seniors, military and Peace Corps), with food and a screening of “Marley” followed by a live reggae band. Tickets for each individual screening are $8 for adults, $6 for children, seniors, military and Peace Corps. Show times will be posted at homertheatre.com early next week.
Below are trailers for each movie playing at this year's festival.
“Marley”
The story of Bob Marley’s early days and the reggae icon’s rise to international stardom
“Bully”
The documentary follows five kids and families over the course of a school year, offering insight into the lives of children bullied by their peers.
“Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry”
The film portrays internationally renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, who in recent years has garnered attention as much for his political provocations as his ambitious artwork.
“Pina” (3-D)
This dance film features the unique art of choreographer Pina Bausch, who died in 2009.
“The Waiting Room”
A raw and intimate look at how trauma patients, the indigent, the uninsured and their doctors and caregivers cope with disease, bureaucracy and hard choices.
“Queen of Versailles”
A character-driven documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis, the film begins with the family triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America. Over the next two years, their sprawling empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.
“Samsara”
Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, “Samsara” travels to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites and natural wonders to investigate the nterconnection that runs through our lives while dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text.
“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”
The 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono carries his business in the basement of a Tokyo office building, the world’s first sushi restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars.
“The House I Live In”
"Why We Fight" director Eugene Jarecki shifts his focus from the military industrial complex to the War on Drugs in this documentary exploring the risks that prohibition poses to freedom, and the tragedy of addicts being treated as criminals.
