America’s largest documentary film festival will be screening For the Love of Rutland—the new documentary feature by UCSC associate professor of film and digital media Jennifer Maytorena Taylor—online throughout the U.S. this month.
Limited tickets are available to watch the film from Nov. 11-19, as part of the 11th edition of the DOC NYC film festival. Included with the ticket is an exclusive pre-recorded Q&A with director/producer Taylor and guests, immediately following the film.
Taylor noted that this is an opportunity to view the film while it’s still on the festival circuit, as it is not yet in wide release.
Created in 2010, DOC NYC showcases new achievements in documentary film, along with panels and conversations. Normally based at the West Village’s IFC Center, Chelsea’s SVA Theater and Cinema, the festival has moved to a primarily online format for 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Described by the Wall Street Journal as “an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking,” the festival will screen over 300 films this year and host more than 100 special guests.
Past guests have included Martin Scorsese, Michael Moore, Jim Carrey, Susan Sarandon, Oliver Stone, Jonathan Franzen, Michel Gondry, and Hillary Clinton, as well as notable attendees such as Rosario Dawson, Fred Armisen, Jim Jarmusch, Michael Stipe, Katie Couric, Russell Simmons, Darren Aronofsky, Cornel West, and Naomi Watts.
Taylor’s film is about Rutland, Vermont, a once prosperous American town that is now ravaged by drugs, poverty, and a diminishing population. When the mayor attempts to welcome 100 Syrian refugees, communal discord erupts over resources and civic priorities. Throughout all the noise, one woman stands apart, a single mom struggling with addiction and the demands of her family, who despite all her hardships, emerges as an unexpected town leader through her empathy for others.
More information and tickets for online screenings can be found on the DOC NYC web site.
