A candid look at one of America's most innovative composers, an inspirational story of a Tibetan monk who survived decades of torture, and a gritty examination of notorious gangs are among the 18 feature and four short documentaries making up this year's edition of the International Documentary Assn.'s DocuWeek. Developed to give filmmakers an opportunity to qualify for Oscar consideration by providing the theatrical platform necessary to be considered for an Academy Award nomination, DocuWeek opens Friday and continues through Aug. 28 at the ArcLight theaters in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks. Twenty-five films featured in previous DocuWeek programming have gone on to garner Oscar nominations, with six winning the Academy Award, including Alex Gibney's 2007 film, "Taxi to the Dark Side." Highlights of the festival:
A festival for Oscar hopefuls works the docs
With the country in the grips of Olympic fever, this film explores the 26.2-mile running event -- in this case, the Chicago marathon -- offering a fascinating look at the reasons why people from every walk of life become marathon runners. Filmed on four continents by director Jon Dunham, the movie chronicles six runners -- including Deena Kastor, who won the Olympic bronze medal in Athens (but failed to finish the marathon in Beijing because of injury), and Gerald Meyers, a 70-year-old, four-time marathoner who runs for just fun.
Andrej Didyk's film follows 36-year-old North Korean defector Jung Sung San as he organizes an explosive theatrical play in Seoul about his experiences in a North Korean concentration camp. Though the musical numbers may seem repetitive to Western audiences, the refugees' harrowing stories are gripping.
'Spirit of the Marathon'
'Yodok Stories'
'Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts'
Australian filmmaker Scott Hicks, who received an Oscar nomination for directing the 1996 drama "Shine," about the troubled life of a gifted pianist, returns to the musical world with this intimate look at famed composer Philip Glass. The film gives a revelatory look at his composing, his life as a father of two young boys, the importance of his Buddhist religion and even his prowess as a pizza maker.
'Fire Under the Snow'
