NewEnglandFilm.com

In 2010, three artists decided to work together to create an environment in which filmmakers could not only interact and network with one another, but also with the audience. This collaboration between Ben Fowlie of the Camden International Film Festival, Sara Archambault of the LEF Foundation and Sean Flynn of Principle Pictures became the DocYard, a documentary series aimed at promoting and strengthening the creative community in the region.

This month the DocYard heads into its second series, which is taking place at the historic Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA, will showcase seven films every other Tuesday from February 1st to April 26th. The founding trio recently sat down to reflect on how the series first came into being and how they see it contributing to the filmmaking community.

K. Correia: What was the motivation behind creating The DocYard discussion series?

Ben Fowlie, Sara Archambault and Sean Flynn: All three of us have a strong interest and commitment to strengthening the documentary film community both in Boston and internationally. We realized that for a city with such a commitment and history to documentary film, Boston had no real ongoing event that allowed filmmakers and film lovers to come together to support each other and discuss their craft with other leading filmmakers from outside the city. One of the joys of creating events like this is that we get to bring some of our favorite films and filmmakers home to Boston and see how they resonate with our audiences.

The DocYard is a great event for them to meet experienced filmmakers in the city and start building relationships that may lead to that first internship or job in the industry. For instance, we continuously hear about filmmakers meeting up at The DocYard and going on to collaborate together. That is exactly what we were hoping for when we started to dream about this.

KC: Now in its second year, how has The DocYard series grown and where do you see it going in the future?

Fowlie, Archambault and Flynn: Our first season ran from June through October 2010. We screened festival favorites like Last Train Home and classics like Fred Wiseman’s Hospital. What we noticed was that there was a growing audience with a passion about documentary films and a great interest in coming together to discuss the form. We saw a major increase in attendance towards the end of our summer season and are excited about being able to capitalize on that growth and share more new and exciting work with our audiences.

We see the act of going to the theatre as an event that brings a community together. We’re hoping to keep that community growing by attracting more film students with an interest in documentary. We try to maintain the excitement of a festival setting throughout the year by bringing in visiting filmmakers, hosting post-screening discussions and continuing conversations at nearby restaurants and bars. Ideally, we are striving to make The DocYard the definitive series in Boston for the world’s best nonfiction cinema.

KC: How are films chosen for the series?

Fowlie, Archambault and Flynn: At this point The DocYard is a completely curatorial event, meaning that we do not take submissions. Most of the films that we screen are ones that one of us has experienced on the festival circuit and feel strongly that it should have a screening in Boston.

Even in a city this size, with all its art houses, there are a number of great films — especially docs — that go unnoticed or undistributed. While we only have about 16-20 slots a year that we can fill, we do feel that we’re providing programming that otherwise might not be available to the general public in a movie theatre — where these films are meant to be seen!

The interesting thing is that all three of us have different backgrounds in the documentary film world. Some of us fund them, some of us make them and some of us promote and program them, so between the three of us, not many films go unnoticed. What we do share is an obsession with nonfiction storytelling – and our different perspectives and personal interests have really made for some unique and well-rounded programming.

KC: Of the seven films showcased in this series, do you have any you particularly recommend?

Fowlie: I’m looking forward to the screening of David Wants To Fly on March 15th. It is an extremely insightful and at times hilarious look at the fascinating transcendental meditation movement by emerging German filmmaker, David Sieverking. The film is beautifully shot and at its surface, is fun, but underneath, this documentary uncovers a lot and challenges its viewers on a very philosophical level.

I was lucky enough to catch the film at Hot Docs last year. It had a fantastic run throughout the European festivals and we held the film’s U.S. premiere last fall at the Camden International Film Festival. It’s one of those hidden gems we are happy to share.

Archambault: I think Amy Hardie’s The Edge Of Dreaming on March 1st is definitely worth checking out. It’s about a woman who dreams that she is going to die within the next year. Soon after the dream, she becomes sick with a hard to diagnose illness, and the story follows from there. What struck me about this film, were the creative decisions Amy made to portray her dreams and the far less visual inner anxieties she experienced about her perceived death sentence. Sequences like these can often be unintelligible, cliché, or just flat. Amy Hardie provides us with a vivid palette of images that bring her dreams and her fears to life, and inspires us to go with her.

Flynn: I’m really excited about screening Loot on March 29th. The film tells the story of an amateur treasure hunter from Utah named Lance Larson who is helping two aging World War II vets track down treasure that they buried during the war. It starts off almost like an absurd comedy, but gradually draws you into a much deeper reflection on war, memory and the relationships between three generations of men. It’s a complex, beautifully crafted film that will stay with you for a long time. We’ll be joined by director Darius Marder for this screening, so it should be a real treat.

KC: How do you see The DocYard contributing to the current society of New England filmmakers?

Fowlie, Archambault and Flynn: As filmmakers and industry professionals, we understand just how important it is to network and connect with peers on a regular basis, especially at a time when it is so challenging to get these films funded and finished. The DocYard helps facilitate that intangible support that comes from being part of a creative community. We connect people who have a passion for documentary with new films, filmmakers and hopefully friends that will inspire them in their own projects and careers. We want to make sure that Boston continues to be one of the best cities in the world to be a documentary filmmaker.