
With cinemas and film festivals in Canada, Germany and across the world currently closed or postponing their live programming, we are discovering the virtues of streaming. Among the offerings, one of the best is
Kanopy. The platform is an award-winning video streaming service providing access to more than 30,000 independent and documentary films ─ titles of unique social and cultural value from The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Media Education Foundation, and thousands of independent filmmakers.
You can use it for free for example through the Toronto Public Library. Download the Kanopy app, log in with your (also free) library account, and a portal of high-quality global content awaits.
To sift through the catalogue, I will curate a little series of my personal film recommendations here and on social media #MyKanopyKanon. #Docs #features #shorts #femalefilmmakers #arthouse #mainstream ... Let me know your favourites and film viewing experiences and let's turn social distancing into social connecting.
☆ A contemporary classic
by New German Cinema legend & Goethe-Institut Toronto visitor Wim Wenders. He uniquely featured the no less legendary Wuppertal dancer-choreographer Pina Bausch, who tragically died during the making of the film, in his Oscar-nominated homage PINA. Not in all its 3D glory on Kanopy but still a quirky & creative & life-affirming documentary masterpiece.
☆ Feel the need to up your survival game? Take a page out of ICEMAN's book (or a scene out of this thriller) & learn the ropes of Neolithic warfare. Actually, this is the fictional story of the real celebrity 5000-year-old alpine ice mummy Ötzi! "A striking combination of revenge drama and speculative archaeology," judged Movie Talk.
More recommendations next week! Stay safe & keeping on watching.
by
@JuttaBrendemuhl
image courtesy Neue Road Movies