A major showcase of documentary films, San Francisco DocFest, June 5-19, offers: "To provide a manageable amount of the truth." Venues are San Francisco's Roxie and Brava theaters, Oakland School of the Arts’ Marion E. Greene Black Box Theater.
This 13th annual event has some shorts, features, and events having to do with music and dance. Among them:
- Andrew Garrison's Trash Dance, documenting choreographer Allison Orr's project joining city sanitation workers on their daily routes to listen, learn, and ultimately to try to convince them to collaborate in a unique dance performance. On an abandoned airport runway, thousands of people show up to see how in the world a garbage truck can dance. Dates are June 14 and 19 at the Roxie. "A powerful ode to resilience, humor, professionalism, and human dignity," said the Washington Post.
- A "mass karaoke," "Oh Snap! The ‘90s Sing-a-long Party" takes place at 9:15 p.m. on June 5, with lyrics from indie and pop hits from the ‘90s projected on the big screen for the audience to sing along.
- We Always Lie to Strangers, by AJ Schnack and David Wilson, on June 6 and 10, explores the remote Ozark town of Branson, MO, which has long been a popular tourist attraction, drawing 7.5 million visitors to attend its more than 100 family-oriented musical/ variety shows.
- Jeff Krulik's Led Zeppelin Played Here goes back to 1969, the time of moon landing, Woodstock, Sesame Street's debut — and the alleged Led Zeppelin appearance in the gym of the Wheaton Youth Center in front of 50 teenagers on the night of Richard Nixon's inauguration. Did it happen? Let the documentary decide. June 8 and 14.
- On June 13, it's time for the Roller Disco Party (really!), complete with photo booth and full bar. Bring your own or rent skates, and participate ... but you must be over 21.
- For something completely different, see a video ode to the theramin on June 14 and 18, as When My Sorrow Died recounts theremin master Armen Ra's "dynamic journey in this life-spanning documentary that mixes rare concert performances, candid interviews, and archive material."