One of the Biggest Weeks of the Year Hits Full Steam in Sheffield Tonight

We're in the midst of a pretty momentous week for documentary film: imminently, two major, established international documentary fests kick off their latest edition, a promising newcomer unveils itself in New York City and we’ll be announcing this year’s Cinema Eye nominees.

When you think about it, this week also marks the beginning of perhaps the most jam-packed, three-month stretch during our documentary year.  Think about it, before the next 92 days are through we will know this year’s Oscar nominees, this year’s Spirit Award nominees and the Cinema Eye, IDA & Gotham award winners.  We’ll have gotten our first look at the major docs of 2011 via their premieres in Amsterdam and Park City.  And we’ll know the names of the films that are set to premiere in Austin.

It all begins today when the international documentary contingent braves the London tube strike to travel to Sheffield for the last November edition of Doc/Fest (it moves to June next year – yep, they’ve got another fest to plan starting right about yesterday).  Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK will launch this year’s Doc/Fest, with Stern, Sundberg and Rivers all in person.

Tomorrow night, at the Cinema Eye Roller Disco, we’ll announce the 2011 Cinema Eye nominees in 12 categories: 11 feature and the new award for Nonfiction Short Film.  Each year, the Cinema Eye nominators manage to come up with a pretty remarkable mix of big ticket docs and slightly less heralded, artistic efforts.  In a year heralded by many as the second coming of documentary (due to the huge number of major new works), it will be interesting to find out which films are called out on Thursday.

Nearly simultaneously to Sheffield’s kick-off, Thursday marks the return of one of our favorite nonfiction events of the year, CPH:DOX in Copenhagen.  Denmark’s dynamic documentary scene is at its best during CPH:DOX, an event that gleefully upends the conventions of what documentary is supposed to be (remember that TRASH HUMPERS won the grand jury prize last year – I’M STILL HERE is in competition this go ‘round).

Meanwhile, across the pond, Thom Powers latest documentary enterprise – DOC NYC – launches.  With the help of his Stranger Than Fiction collaborators Raphaela Niehausen, John Vanco and Harris Dew, Powers has put together a tight schedule of top docs, panels and special events.  Check out our interview with Thom from last week for more on this year’s inaugural event.

Finally, this week will also see the melancholy launch of this year’s Denver Film Festival, which has dedicated this edition to the memory of filmmaker George Hickenlooper, who died in the city on Saturday.  His film, CASINO JACK, opens the festival on Thursday.  George's cousin, John, the newly elected Governor of Colorado, was set to appear at the screening prior to his George Hickenlooper's death.