#HIFF2013: Focus On Media Issues

If you love delving into all the drama and machinations of modern media, you’ll want to make sure to check out these documentaries as part of our 2013 slate:

A Fragile Trust is a shocking and fascinating look at Jayson Blair’s downward spiral through the hallowed halls of the New York Times’ news department. “The Blair Affair,” which coincided with the trajectory of newsrooms going digital, not only rocked the Paper of Record, but shook the foundations of journalism and unleashed questions of ethics, accountability, race, representation, and power in media.

The Shooting Gallery was one of the premier production companies for independent film in the 1990s, responsible for art-house hits like Laws of Gravity, Sling Blade, and You Can Count on Me. After the success of fellow alum Hal Hartley, a cabal of grads from SUNY Purchase decided to start a fast-paced company with a can-do, DIY attitude. But success came at a cost. Director Whitney Ransick, one of the original crew, retells a fascinating, universal story about the “Enron of independent films.”

Photojournalist John G. Morris began his career as a photo editor for some of the world’s most important publications in the 1930s. Documenting every major event and catastrophe from World War II onwards, Morris shows the stunning images he helped bring to the public’s attention decade after decade and shares the stories of those who captured them. Get the Picture reveals the fascinating story of war photographers—a group so concerned with documenting humanity they’ve risked everything to reveal conflicts at their most extreme.