SilverDocs 2011

As I type, I am standing in line for a film called THE REDEMPTION OF GENERAL BUTT-NAKED. Only at a porn theater or a film festival. The fact I’m saying this publicly should tell you which one it is.

I am certain that GENERAL BUTT-NAKED is a legitimate film which my confessor will not have to hear about. It’s about a recent African warlord whose method of intimidating his enemies was to fight — well, I think the title gives away how. I dunno whether the film will be good; have no sense of the “buzz.” And I might not even get in, though I probably will (I’m 4th in the queue for last-minute tickets, which usually is close enough to cover cancellations, people not picking up online orders, corporate bloc-buys not all being used, etc.)

But all that is the fun of a film festival, in this case SilverDocs, an annual showcase for nonfiction films (mostly) at the AFI Silver theatre in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring, MD.

I also plan on getting in line tomorrow after work for THE INTERRUPTERS by Steve James, who also has made a film about inner-city black struggles that you may have heard of (it’s called HOOP DREAMS).

And from Thursday on, my schedule is set, though I may add another film or two if buzz says I should and I can get into the queue early enough.

THURSDAY

GRANDE HOTEL
10:15 AM (70 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 2

WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM
12:15 PM (90 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 3

THE LOVING STORY
2:45 PM (77 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

BETTER THIS WORLD
5:00 PM (93 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE (1967-1975)
10:00 PM (93 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

FRIDAY

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN (EL VELADOR)
11:00 AM (72 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 3

INCENDIARY: THE WILLINGHAM CASE
1:15 PM (101 min.)
Discovery HD Theater

CATCHING HELL
4:30 PM (103 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

HOT COFFEE
7:15 PM (95 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

FAMILY INSTINCT
10:00 PM (58 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 3

SATURDAY

THE FIRST MOVIE
10:15 AM (76 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 2

FIRE IN BABYLON
5:45 PM (82 min.)
Discovery HD Theater

LIFE IN A DAY
10:00 PM (90 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

SUNDAY

AT THE EDGE OF RUSSIA
10:00 AM (72 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 3

PROJECT NIM
11:30 AM (93 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR
4:15 PM (90 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1

SOUND IT OUT
8:45 PM (78 min.)
AFI Silver Theater 1