‘Secret Mall Apartment': Art project as prank, with a profound twist
'Secret Mall Apartment' delivers on its title. In this straightforward documentary of a wild-eyed tale of transgression and transcendence, a group of art students burrow into the concrete bowels of their local shopping mall, where they set up a cozy little living nook, complete with dining table, TV and china cabinet.
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Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
‘Just Sing' Doc Shows The Heartfelt Real-Life World Of ‘Pitch Perfect'
When the filmmakers behind Just Sing first picked up their cameras, they weren't sure what story they were going to be telling. That's the risk — and to some, the thrill — of vérité documentary filmmaking. The only certain thing about the production was the subject: the SoCal VoCals, an elite college a cappella group from the University of Southern California, which is known for its powerhouse vocals, precision, showmanship, and an alumni roster that's packed with talented singers. But since the film's narrative is built around a competition, one which the filmmakers couldn't control, the outcome was impossible to script. 'It was part of the stress,' admits co-director Angelique Molina during a recent interview. 'If they had lost in the first round, we had to ask ourselves, 'where does the story go?'' That uncertainty hung over the production from the very beginning, and had to be a part of pitch meetings. Would the group advance through regionals? Would their stories resonate with everyone? Would there even be a satisfying emotional arc if none of these hardworking young singers got their moment in the spotlight? Thankfully, Just Sing does feature such an arc — one that isn't rooted solely in the outcome of the national championship, but rather in personal stories of the members of the SoCal VoCals. The audience is pulled in, and ultimately entertained, not just by the impeccable performances, but via an inside look at average, everyday people. That speaks to the openness of the singers, and the talent of the filmmakers. The documentary, which premieres at the Tribeca Festival on Friday (June 6), is ultimately joyful, as the camera follows the group of college students attempting to balance rehearsals, schoolwork, personal challenges, and the relentless drive to become not just good performers, but a winning team. Throughout that journey, the filmmakers capture quiet moments of vulnerability and celebration, including late-night practices, difficult conversations with parents who have given so much to see their children be able to sing, and the elation that comes with a life built around the arts – even if so many of them have no idea what's coming next and don't have a backup plan. Shot over the course of more than 100 days, Just Sing follows the SoCal VoCals from auditions and rehearsals through regionals, semifinals, and the finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella — the same contest that inspired Pitch Perfect, though the tone here is far more grounded. This is real. In between stellar a cappella renditions of tracks by superstars both modern and from the past, the viewer really gets to know the students. Some are coming to terms with their own identities, while others recognize the hardships their families went through to give them this opportunity. 'A cappella brought them together,' says co-director Abraham Troen, 'but they each had their own lives, dreams, and challenges. That's what made the story feel bigger than the competition.' For Troen and Molina, the real breakthrough came not from any single performance, but in those subdued moments — during one-on-one interviews, especially long conversations over coffee, where the filmmakers chose which students they wanted to focus on, in addition to telling the story of the group as a whole. 'We didn't try to steer or manufacture emotion,' says Molina. 'They felt that, and they responded with honesty.' Connecting with the students came naturally, but filming was never easy. The directors embedded themselves into the troupe's daily routine, following the students from early morning classes through evening rehearsals that stretched well past midnight. 'That physical exhaustion of constantly being present — that was a challenge,' Molina says. 'But it was joyful, too. Worth it.' The filmmakers had other hurdles to clear as well, including the incredibly complicated and fraught world of music licensing. The SoCal Vocal's set list throughout the competitions featured everything from Lady Gaga to Beyoncé to Bob Dylan, and anyone who knows anything about placing songs into visual media knows such choices don't come cheap. 'We're really proud of the music we licensed,' says producer Sarah Thomson. 'We had an amazing music supervisor, and thankfully, nearly everyone said yes.' The team's careful planning and early outreach helped avoid problems in the future, like having to replace important music in post-production – something that simply wasn't an option here. The filmmakers needed to show the performances, and the students got to pick their own tunes. If just one act had declined, that may have been the end of this movie. The final cut of this documentary feels perfectly polished, but according to those who made the film, the process was a little messy. 'You can't script life,' Troen says. 'We were directing and filming at the same time, passing the camera between us, deciding who goes home with whom, who gets miked up out of 16 people. It was like a dance.' Even the edit evolved slowly. 'We had to ask, where does the story go? It wasn't about who was 'better,' it was about which stories could move the narrative forward.' 'In a cappella, sure, there are leads,' says Molina, 'but to sound like one voice, you have to be on the same page. That's what we tried to do as filmmakers, too.' This documentary, which is, at its heart, about something fairly simple that thousands of students take part in every year, feels both triumphant and normal – as can so many things in a life. Whether the SoCal VoCals win or not becomes almost secondary, though of course there's plenty of tension. 'We think the film will feel both bittersweet and triumphant, no matter what,' says Troen. 'Because at the end, they graduate. That's the real emotional payoff.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘I Am: Celine Dion' will now compete for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking at Emmys — so what's the difference?
Prime Video's documentary I Am: Celine Dion, which chronicles the iconic pop singer's battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, has been accepted to compete in the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category at the 2025 Emmys, Gold Derby has confirmed. This juried award, presented at the Creative Arts Emmys since 2005, honors documentaries that "showcase an exceptional filmmaker's vision, compelling storytelling, artistic innovation, and the ability to inform, transport, impact, enlighten, and create a meaningful, indelible work that elevates the art of documentary filmmaking." Notably, films selected for this category are not eligible to compete in Best Informational Series or Special or Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special. More from GoldDerby How the longtime 'Severance' cinematographer wound up directing Season 2's standout episode 'We could do this show forever': 'Somebody Somewhere' creators on final season, heart, and the humor of Bridget Everett The Making of 'Out of My Mind': Inside the groundbreaking Disney+ film redefining disability representation on screen What's the difference between Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking and Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special? According to the 2025 Emmys rulebook, documentaries with an aggregate theatrical release exceeding 70 days must enter the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category. They are ineligible for competition in the Documentary or Nonfiction Special or Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special categories. The television broadcast or streaming debut of these documentaries must occur within one year of their initial public exhibition, excluding film festival screenings, which do not count as theatrical screenings. Programs nominated for an Oscar in any category are also barred from submitting. In essence, the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category was created to celebrate documentaries that had a robust theatrical run before airing on television. For example, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, another standout film that was in contention for last year's Best Documentary Feature Oscar, will also compete in this category. Speaking to Gold Derby last year, director Irene Taylor reflected on her initial surprise when approached about the project. "I did not know Céline before this film," she admitted. "In fact, I was a little bit surprised when a producer contacted me — someone who had worked closely with her and her management in the past. She said she was thinking of me for this possible film that Céline was open to. I was surprised because my films are very much character-driven, but I had never focused on someone with as much celebrity as Céline has." As the film delves into Dion's struggles with a long-hidden illness, Taylor speculated why the singer chose her for the project. "I think Céline was looking for someone she could tell her secret to. That's really what the film is about — this unfortunate lie that she had been telling the world." Filmed more than two years ago, Taylor sought to focus the most pivotal and deeply challenging period in Dion's life. "It would have been out of bounds just to do a straightforward biopic when her body was going through this tumultuous detox off of medications. She was trying to figure out what was happening with her vocal cords. She was also at home with her children, adjusting to having the kind of time she hadn't had for decades. It was very clear that the film needed to focus on this exceptional period of her life." A performer since childhood, Dion's identity has long been intertwined with her role as a global entertainer. "Céline began performing before she was even a teenager, so she didn't necessarily know how to step out of that role," Taylor explained. "I wanted the film to have some balance between the struggle and that essential talent and joyful person Céline is at heart," she explained, adding that these elements helped "brighten up the film a little bit." One of the film's most harrowing moments captures Dion experiencing a medical crisis while undergoing therapy for her illness. Reflecting on the scene, Taylor revealed, "We call it a medical episode because her body just goes into this rigid stance, and we didn't know if she was breathing." Initially, the crew prioritized Dion's safety, but it quickly became clear that she was in capable hands. "Her bodyguard and her physical therapist had a protocol given to them by doctors of exactly what to do," Taylor explained. Ultimately, they decided to continue filming. "Céline had told us, 'Don't shy away. Always film, and I'll tell you to stop.' Remarkably, Céline never asked to see the footage — she trusted us to document her truth." I Am: Celine Dion is streaming on Prime Video. Best of GoldDerby Chloë Sevigny on Kitty Menendez and 'Monsters' fascination: 'People are endlessly curious about those who have privilege and abuse it' Jason Isaacs relives filming 'The White Lotus' piña colada scene: 'It was one of the reasons I was worried about taking the job' Kaitlyn Dever on playing 'horrible' characters in 'Last of Us', 'Apple Cider Vinegar': 'I just don't see any other option but to give 100 percent' Click here to read the full article.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Washington Post
The Billy Joel movie premiere was sad, sweet and yet incomplete
NEW YORK — A documentary about the life and career of Billy Joel, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival at the legendary Beacon Theatre — it's hard to get more New York than that. Yet what was long planned as a night of career celebration took on unexpected poignance after Joel, 76, revealed two weeks ago that he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder — and canceled all of his concerts scheduled over the next 13 months. He also had to miss the opening night of the festival, which kicked off its 24th year Wednesday with a screening of Part 1 of 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' a sprawling film airing on HBO in July. Festival co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal made a brief appearance praising the singer-songwriter for five decades of capturing the rhythm and spirit of the city. De Niro dubbed the Long Island native as the 'poet laureate of New York.' 'Billy wanted to be with us tonight. But as you may have heard, he is dealing with a health issue and had to postpone his performances, including this one tonight. We know you join us in wishing him a speedy recovery,' Rosenthal said. A few moments later, directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin read a message from Joel that he wanted to convey to the audience in his classic wry manner: 'Getting old sucks, but it's still preferable to getting cremated.' 'He will be back,' Lacy said, to loud applause from the crowd. In an increasingly fractured culture, Joel's music and lyrics unite the generations, the filmmakers said, with a relatability that made him one of the top-selling musical acts in history. Just ask his ex-wife. 'Bill can take a kernel of something that happened and create a story that is universal, and he would get to the DNA of the human experience,' Elizabeth Weber, who was also the star's manager back in the day, says in the film. Nearly 55 years after his debut album, Joel was still filling stadiums — before the tour cancellation, he was scheduled to play another 17 shows in the United States and Britain, alongside a rotating crew of partner acts: Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks and Sting. And for a decade, fans packed his monthly concerts at Madison Square Garden, until the unique residency ended this past summer. He never had to change up the act much. The familiarity of the repertoire — 'Piano Man,' 'New York State of Mind,' 'Uptown Girl' — was the big draw for attendees who hollered along to every word. 'There's a handful of folks that can both play and compose and write the lyrics to these songs that, I'm sorry, as soon as you hear a couple of phrases, you're singing the whole damn thing,' Tom Hanks, one of the executive producers of the documentary, told the AP at the screening. The rigorous tour schedule took its toll. Joel's recent diagnosis, normal pressure hydrocephalus, was 'exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,' his team said in a statement. During his last show in February, he took a startling fall. Joel is a more complicated celebrity than fans might expect from his songbook of karaoke staples. Levin told the audience that when she met him, she proudly told him how much she loved his lesser-known 'Streetlife Serenade' record from 1974, confident that he would clock her as a true fan. Instead, he said, 'That's probably my least favorite album.' 'His response was my first clue that there was a lot more to Billy Joel,' Levin said. Lacy, who said she had a 'cursory knowledge' of him before the film, found Joel to be a complex and layered figure. Part 1 — which ran about 2½ hours, with interviews with Joel's family, friends, band members and fellow stars, including Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks — chronicles his struggle to break through as a solo artist, his move to California and then back to his beloved New York. When he experienced life-changing fame with the 1977 smash album 'The Stranger,' he found himself mocked for being too popular, an uncool 'balladeer' in an era of anti-authoritarian punk rock. The criticism stung Joel, who saw himself as a scrappy kid from Hicksville, Long Island, scratching his way out of a tough childhood. He always felt like he was struggling, he says in the film, even while enjoying astonishing success. 'I learned life is a fight,' he says. The Beacon audience cheered every New York reference in the documentary — such as the introductions of Joel's Long Island-bred backup musicians — as well as moments when the hometown hero triumphed over the music-label suits. Like the time he declined to work with a Beatles producer because it would have meant replacing his band. Or when then-manager Weber insisted that unenthused record executives release 'Just the Way You Are' as a single. It went on to win record and song of the year at the 1979 Grammy Awards. Joel famously endured some dark moments — depression, rehab, divorce — and his loved ones describe them unflinchingly. While in the late-1960s duo Attila with his close friend Jon Small, Joel had an affair with the drummer's wife. That was Weber. When the love triangle self-destructed, the piano player was so consumed by guilt and heartbreak that he tried to end his life. After a stint in a psychiatric facility, he recovered by channeling his emotion into songs — and reconnected with Weber, who helped guide him to superstardom. Small, who has moved past the affair debacle, joins their mutual ex-wife as one of the primary talking heads interviewed in the film. Part 1 ends with Weber and Joel's own explosive breakup in the early 1980s, after he started drinking heavily and using drugs to cope with the pressures of fame. But Joel has always been candid about his mistakes and trying to learn from them — another reason fans have remained so devoted for so long, and why it's difficult to imagine him out of the spotlight. The film opens with Joel talking about his early days working on an oyster boat, when he would gaze with envy at an enormous beachfront mansion. Years later, he bought that very house, though it was still undergoing construction. 'It's not finished yet,' Joel said. 'But neither am I.'
