Full Frame announced the 16 titles that will screen as part of its 2012 Invited Program. This section features films screening out of competition. The Invited Program also includes the festival’s Center Frame screenings, which are premium events that feature moderated panel discussions following the films and take place in Fletcher Hall of the Carolina Theatre.

The US Premiere of Ross McElwee’s “Photographic Memory” will screen as a Center Frame on Friday, April 13. Fredrik Gertten’s “Big Boys Gone Bananas!*” and Macky Alston’s “Love Free or Die” will also screen as Center Frame programs on Saturday, April 14.  Filmmakers for all Center Frame programs will be in attendance. Additional special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.

As previously announced, the World Premiere of Laurens Grant’s “Jesse Owens” will screen on Opening Night.

The 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival will be held April 12-15, in Durham, N.C.

2012 Invited Program

OPENING NIGHT FILM Jesse Owens     (Director: Laurens Grant)
The African American track and field star triumphed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin but returned home to find that his brilliant start was not followed by easy opportunity. World Premiere

CENTER FRAME Big Boys Gone Bananas!*     (Director: Fredrik Gertten)
A David and Goliath story unfolds as Fredrik Gertten learns the premiere of his film has been hijacked by Dole’s lawsuit against him.

CENTER FRAME Love Free or Die     (Director: Macky Alston)
As the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church of America, Gene Robinson faces death threats and the possibility of schism.

CENTER FRAME Photographic Memory     (Director: Ross McElwee)
McElwee’s strained relationship with his young adult son leads him to France, where he seeks out the people he was once close to and reflects on his own life as a young man. US Premiere

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography     (Director: Stacy Peralta)
Members of the renowned skateboarding team share their stories of triumph and struggle in this touching return to form for director Stacy Peralta.

The Bus     (Director: Damon Ristau)
Hit the open road with VW bus devotees who rhapsodize about the siren call of freedom embodied by this distinctive counter culture icon. World Premiere

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel     (Director: Lisa Immordino Vreeland)
A richly layered and spirited tribute to the outspoken icon, whose vision steered both Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue through revolutionary periods in fashion history.

First Position     (Director: Bess Kargman)
Talented young dancers strive for scholarships and career-making acclaim as they perform in the world’s fiercest ballet competition.

Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present     (Director: Matthew Akers)
A three-month-long performance exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art tests the limits of the fearless artist and the audience alike.

Marley     (Director: Kevin Macdonald)
A comprehensive look at the music, and the life, loves and death, of reggae legend Bob Marley.

Putin’s Kiss     (Director: Lise Birk Pedersen)
A Russian woman’s extreme dedication to Nashi, a nationalistic youth movement, is threatened by her association with liberal journalists.

The Queen of Versailles     (Director: Lauren Greenfield)
A character-driven documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis.

Samsara     (Director: Ron Fricke)
This intoxicating cross-continental journey, captured on 70mm film, reveals a startling visualization of our world, from monasteries to meat-processing.

St-Henri, the 26th of August (À St-Henri le 26 août)     (Director: Shannon Walsh)
This kaleidoscopic romp through a Montreal neighborhood captures everyday life in the lively working-class community.

Under African Skies     (Director: Joe Berlinger)
Paul Simon returns to South Africa twenty-five years after the release of the historic Graceland album, to reunite with musicians and reconcile political debates.

Under Control (Unter Kontrolle)     (Director:  Volker Sattel)
A visually arresting, exquisitely articulated Cinemascope essay on the design, operation, and decommissioning of German nuclear plants.

Subscribe for Blog Updates

Sign up for our latest updates.