+ COMING TO THEATERS
Oscilloscope’s theatrical release of MISTRESS DISPELLER starts next Wednesday, October 22 in New York City! The film opens Oct. 25 in Los Angeles and Oct. 29 in San Francisco, with more theaters to come in November. Tickets are now on sale for IFC CENTER in NYC, Laemmle Monica and Laemmle NoHo in LA, and the Roxie in SF. To see the full list of theaters, visit Oscilloscope’s website.
Special Q&A Screenings at IFC Center
Wednesday, October 22, 6:35pm ET
Q&A with director Elizabeth Lo, moderated by Penny Lane
Thursday, October 23, 6:35pm ET
Q&A with director Elizabeth Lo, moderated by Constance Wu
Director: Elizabeth Lo 罗宝
Producers: Elizabeth Lo 罗宝, Emma D. Miller, Maggie Li 李琪
About the film:
In China, rampant adultery has given rise to a new industry devoted to helping couples stay married in the face of infidelity. Wang Zhenxi is part of this growing profession, a “mistress dispeller” who is hired to maintain the bounds of marriage—and break up affairs—by any means necessary. MISTRESS DISPELLER follows a real, unfolding case of infidelity as Teacher Wang attempts to bring a couple back from the edge of crisis, offering strikingly intimate access to private lives usually hidden behind closed doors. Their story shifts our sympathies between husband, wife, and mistress to explore the ways emotion, pragmatism, and cultural norms collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
For more updates, follow MISTRESS DISPELLER’s Instagram.
+ FESTIVALS
DOC NYC
This week, DOC NYC announced its prestigious Short List program, and we are thrilled that Impact Partners’ APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS and MISTRESS DISPELLER were among the 15 films chosen. As previously announced, IP’s ASK E. JEAN directed by Ivy Meeropol, will be DOC NYC’s Closing Night film. Congratulations to the filmmakers and to all the films screening at the festival!
DOC NYC runs from November 12-20. Visit DOC NYC’s website for their full festival program and to purchase tickets.
IDFA
IDFA, the world’s largest documentary film festival, takes place November 12-23 in Amsterdam. WE ARE PAT will have its European Premiere in the Frontlight section and REMAKE will screen in the Signed section. Congrats to both these film teams! Check out IDFA’s program to see this year’s full lineup.
We are also proud supporters of two films pitching at the IDFA Forum: Untitled Petra Costa Project, and Untitled Watermelon Pictures Project. Congrats to those teams, and good luck at the pitch!
+ AWARDS
Critics Choice Documentary Awards
Nominees for the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards were announced earlier this week. Petra Costa’s APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s FOLKTALES, and Elizabeth Lo’s MISTRESS DISPELLER all received nominations:
APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS
Best Documentary Feature
Best Director (Petra Costa)
Best Narration (Petra Costa)
Best Political Documentary
FOLKTALES
Best Cinematography
MISTRESS DISPELLER
Best Cinematography
FOLKTALES directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady will also receive the Pennebaker Award. Congrats to all of the filmmakers! You can visit the Critics Choice Association website for the full list of nominees. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on November 9.
+ NOW STREAMING
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE celebrated its broadcast premiere this week on PBS’s American Masters. You can now watch the film for free on their Youtube Channel. Ahead of the premiere, the film was featured in Entertainment Weekly, Forbes and CNN’s Hollywood Minute. PBS also published thoughtful pieces exploring language deprivation and Marlee’s role in the history of closed captioning.
+ IDA AWARD
We are honored that Impact Partners will receive the Pioneer Award at the 41st IDA Documentary Awards! Thank you to the IDA for this recognition and congratulations to the other honorees—Julie Goldman and Brittany Shyne.You can learn more about the other honorees in this Deadline article.