Andre Singer Retrospective & Masterclass

Andre Singer Retrospective & Masterclass

Documentary Masterclass With André Singer: Lessons from 50 years in documentaries

Thursday, February 22nd
5:45pm – 7:15 pm Masterclass

Hosted at The Avalon Theater, Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase

GGet tickets here!

In this masterclass André will discuss how anthropology led him into documentary filmmaking beginning with his time at Granada Television’s landmark series Disappearing World, where he started as a researcher. André has worked his way up from producer and director, to running the BBC Documentary Department’s Independent Unit and setting up Fine Cut – which later became the internationally acclaimed Storyville. André Singer’s significant contributions to the documentary film industry was acknowledged with the appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Few filmmakers in the world of documentaries have been as influential as Emmy-winning André Singer. He has directed landmark films, produced works by major authors like Werner Herzog, commissioned and exec-ed projects by legends such as D.A. Pennebaker and Frederick Wiseman, and overseen the production of hundreds of documentaries for both cinema and television.

We will learn how as a director and executive producer, he approaches sensitive and historically important subjects in feature documentaries such as the Peabody and Emmy-winning Night Will Fall, to the surreal and astonishing Joshua Oppenheimer diptych The Act of Killing (Oscar-nomination & BAFTA winner) and The Look of Silence (Oscar-nomination) to the intriguing portrait of the last leader of the Soviet Union in Meeting Gorbachev, which André co-directed with Werner Herzog. André will provide insight in working with world renowned filmmakers such as Jean Rouch, Mike Grigsby, DA Pennebaker, Robert Drew, and Fred Wiseman among others. Of particular significance is André’s remarkable 31-year collaboration with Werner Herzog, encompassing an impressive repertoire of 17 productions.

The Films of André Singer: A Retrospective

Special Preview Screenings:

Meeting Zelensky

(With interviews by Liev Schreiber)

Wednesday, February 21st
7:15pm
At JCC

Get tickets here!

(Those wishing to attend please use the donate button for $15 per ticket through DCIFF with MEETING ZELENSKY in the COMMENT line)

(UK/2024/90mins)
Q&A with Director Andre Singer

Until 2019, he was an entertainment super-star and mega successful businessman.
Then in a remarkable move, Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned his attention to politics at a
time when corruption and economic struggle at home were rife, and the shadow of a
sword-rattling neighbour was falling increasingly heavily over Eastern Ukraine.
Following a landslide election victory, he found himself Ukraine’s President, and soon
after that the Russian threat exploded into a full-scale invasion. Putin expected a quick
and easy victory but he miscalculated – the comedy President turned out to be a skilled
and determined adversary. Suddenly, the world wanted to know more about this
enigmatic man. This film answers those questions – unearthing his story from childhood
under USSR domination to the heady days of show business stardom, always
surrounded and supported by devoted friends, family and colleagues. Through an
extended and personal in depth interview with actor-filmmaker Liev Schreiber, we gain
new insights into one of the most extraordinary characters of our age.

Where the Wind Blew

Friday, February 23rd
Afternoon
At the Regal Theater

(UK/2017/110mins)
Q&A with Director Andre Singer

The story of how the Cold War super powers, in their race to develop more and more deadly bombs, spent forty years developing weapons capable of wiping out entire nations, while sacrificing their own vulnerable populations in the name of national security. Using archive and testimony from both those affected and those participating in these escalating events, Where the Wind Blew shows not only how ordinary people were allowed to suffer in ignorance, but also how, with personal fortitude and courage they defied their governments. They helped change the course of history by joining forces, first nationally, then across the world to finally triumph against the testing of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan became, in 1989, the first nation to close its test site, leading the way to an international test ban treaty. The story does not, of course, end with this victory. Despite treaties and promises, today sees the super powers (and some not-so-super powers) once again build up their nuclear arsenals. With global tensions on the increase, and the real fear that nuclear arms are increasingly available to unstable regimes and groups, we more than ever need reminding about the lessons of history. We may have become complacent about nuclear testing – but the Doomsday Clock which warns us about the threat of how nuclear global destruction takes us closer to Armageddon, is ticking steadily towards midnight.