Online sales have ended, but the event is NOT SOLD OUT.

Tickets will be sold ON SITE at The Cinefamily beginning at 7pm.

Monday, May 16, 2011 
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Discussion & Audience Q&A: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Wine Reception to Follow

The Cinefamily
611 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Many of us have incredible stories to tell from our personal and family lives. But few of us have the guts to lay ourselves and our loved ones bare in front of the camera's lens. Doug Block, acclaimed director of 51 Birch Street and The Kids Grow Up, has made a career out of doing just that.

A self-shooter, who also appears in his own films, Doug does not shy away from exploring his family's stories, even when it becomes uncomfortable. His lyrical, beautiful cinematic films invite us all into his family's inner dialogue, and allow us to reflect to how closely they mirror our own.

How did his filmmaker journey lead him to making personal documentaries? What are the hardest moments he's had to face while making work about his family? How has he developed the ability to still make strong directorial choice when the subject of his films is, quite literally, so close to home? How does he navigate production as a self-shooter who is in the film?

Join moderator Marjan Safinia on May 16th for an intimate conversation with Doug Block, and learn more about the risks and rich rewards of making a personal documentary film, and the wisdom he's gained from a lifelong career as a documentary filmmaker.

Doug Block
Doug Block is a New York-based director, producer and cameraman whose credits include some of the most acclaimed personal documentaries of recent years.

His most recent film, The Kids Grow Up is currently in theatrical release and will be broadcast on HBO on Fathers Day, 2011. His previous film 51 Birch Street made numerous Ten Best lists of 2006, including the New York Times, and was selected as one of the outstanding documentaries of the year by the National Board of Review. Block also directed The Heck With Hollywood! (1991) and the pioneering transmedia documentary Home Page (1999, Emmy nomination).

In addition to his own films, Doug's credits as producer include: Silverlake Life (Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Peabody, Prix Italia), Jupiter's Wife (Sundance Special Jury Prize, Emmy) and A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory (top prizes at Berlin and Tribeca). He is currently producing Amy Hardie's personal doc The Edge of Dreaming (POV, 2010) and the Sundance 2011 award-winner, Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles.

Doug is also the founder and co-host of The D-Word (www.d-word.com), a popular online discussion forum for documentary professionals worldwide.

Marjan Safinia
Marjan Safinia is an Iranian documentary filmmaker. Her films, BUT YOU SPEAK SUCH GOOD ENGLISH (UK), and SEEDS (US) have played at over 70 International film festivals including opening the pre-eminent US documentary festival, SilverDocs. SEEDS has been broadcast in the US, UK, New Zealand, Jamaica and across the Arab world.

Currently, Marjan is most focused on her new endeavor, The Department of Expansion (DepartmentofExpansion.com). Born out of a desire to enrich public dialogue, Department of Expansion specializes in short-form, high-production value documentary content, designed to support great ideas and get them out into the world. Clients include foundations, scientists, environmentalists and others engaged in world-changing work. By bringing a keen documentary story perspective to the table, coupled with an understanding of the online space, Department of Expansion helps these great ideas spread in major media outlets online by creating highly shareable, intelligent short films that help build a following.

Marjan is a well-known figure in the documentary community, and serves on the Executive Board of Directors of the International Documentary Association where she is co-chair of their Advocacy efforts, as well as co-hosting the pre-eminent documentary community online, The D-Word.

The evening's on-stage conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A, and a reception on the Cinefamily's backyard Spanish patio!

IDA members: $15  •  Non-members: $20

Seating is limited so buy your tickets now to be guaranteed admission.

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(Purchase admissions above.)

What:

Doc U: The Art of the Personal Documentary
A Conversation with Doug Block

When:

Monday, May 16, 2011
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Discussion & Audience Q&A: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Wine Reception to Follow

Where:

The Cinefamily
611 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Parking:

Metered parking available for free after 6pm, and non-permitted parking
in neighborhoods behind The Cinefamily

Doc U is the International Documentary Association's series of educational seminars and workshops for aspiring and experienced documentary filmmakers. Taught by artists and industry experts, participants receive vital training and insight on various topics including: fundraising, distribution, licensing, marketing, and business tactics.

Special support provided by: