Doc Memo | May 4, 2016. POV’s daily list of essential reading for the documentary and independent filmmaking community.
FRONTLINE: Benghazi in Crisis, and Yemen under Siege
Newest FRONTLINE aired last night (Tuesday) takes viewers inside two major conflict zones. From the chaos of battle, to abandoned schools, to hospitals caught in the crossfire, explore Benghazi in Crisis and Yemen Under Siege. A report from inside the war-torn city of Benghazi — the birthplace of Libya’s uprising, now besieged by ISIS and warring militias. Plus, Journalist Safa Al Ahmad makes a dangerous trip to report on the fighting in Yemen and the stunning human cost of the war.
Watch and read more | FRONTLINE »
Why today’s global warming has roots in Indonesia’s genocidal past — Joshua Oppenheimer
There has been tremendous concern over the ways climate change will affect human rights, but little attention to how human rights abuse affects our global climate. According to Joshua Oppenheimer, directors of The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence, the mass killings in 1965 live on in global emissions from forced forest fires — and through human rights abuses in the palm oil fields.
Read more | The Guardian »
Want to Know What Facebook Really Thinks of Journalists? Here’s What Happened When It Hired Some.
Depending on whom you ask, Facebook is either the savior or destroyer of journalism in our time. An estimated 600 million people see a news story on Facebook every week, and the social network’s founder Mark Zuckerberg has been transparent about his goal to monopolize digital news distribution. But if you really want to know what Facebook thinks of journalists and their craft, all you need to do is look at what happened when the company quietly assembled some to work on its secretive “trending news” project. But the results aren’t pretty.
Read more | Gizmodo »
Google VR And The Quest For Wireless, Affordable Virtual Reality
Google Cardboard is the most affordable VR headset around. Made literally out of cardboard, simply insert a smartphone and Google will take you halfway around the world or to a museum. But the company is starting to get serious about virtual reality. Google’s Clay Bavor opened up about what Google is prioritizing in a possible follow-up product, emphasizing mobility, comfort and ease of use.
Read more | Popular Science »
Upcoming festivals and deadlines
This Week
- Documentamadrid 4/27-5/8
- Hot Docs Festival 4/28-5/8
- DOK.fest-International Documentary Film Festival Munich 5/5-5/15
- Taiwan International Documentary Festival 5/6-5/15
- Deadline: ITVS Digital Open Call 5/2
Next Week
- Festival de Cannes 5/11-5/22
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