It is known as the playground of the rich and famous. In fact, it is the preferred summer holiday destination for U.S. Presidents (including Barack Obama and his family just two weeks ago). It is the tony enclave of Martha's Vineyard, an island off Cap Cod, Massachussets, that is hosting its 5th annual film festival this weekend. The Festival is showcasing some of the strongest films from the festival circuit, bringing top flight independent and international films to both locals ...

For the first time in memory (if my faulting memory serves me well and it increasingly does NOT), the New Directors New Films showcase opened last evening with a documenary feature. This annual rite of the Spring film season, co-presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Film Department of the Museum of Modern Art, was ushered in by BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK, a fascinating look at the New York Times photographer and his love/hate obsession with the city he calls both his mu...

In a somewhat strange convergence, European documentaries were the overall winners in all categories at the Sundance Film Festival, which announced its awards Saturday evening. While this is certainly a boon for European non-fiction makers, the European dramatic films in the World Cinema competition were uniformly snubbed. . However, there was much love for European docs, which is certainly something to celebrate. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary section...

Thirty-four films were awarded prizes in 29 categories, honoring both veteran and first-time filmmakers from the U.S. to Spain, Cambodia, and beyond. First-year Festival Director John Cooper had branded the 2010 Festival a reboot, calling for a return to the Festival's rebellious roots, and the diversity of tonight's winners would seem to move toward satisfying that mission and complicate received notions of the homogenous "Sundance film." As he did throughout the week, Cooper broug...