SILVERDOCS: Day Five

Day Five of SILVERDOCS 2008 brought special guests, award announcements, and the Closing Night film THEATER OF WAR.

Saturday exploded with live performances and events.  Athletes vying for a spot on the US Homeless World Cup team held an exhibition soccer match following yesterday’s screening of KICKING IT.  US Coach, Lawrence Cann attended.  Jason Crigler performed following LIFE. SUPORT. MUSIC, and audiences enjoyed discussions featuring Maura Reynolds, White House correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, British neurosurgeon Henry Marsh of THE ENGLISH SURGEON, and Hannah Bailey of AMERICAN TEEN.

THE ENGLISH SURGEON and THE GARDEN took home SILVERDOCS 2008’s big prizes.  Geoffrey Smith’s film won the Sterling World Feature Competition, while Scott Hamilton Kennedy’s THE GARDEN won the Sterling US Competition.  Click here (link) for more award-winners.

The Closing Night film THEATER OF WAR wrapped up SILVERDOCS Day Five.  Directed by John Walter (HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY), the film is a mesmerizing examination of the intersection of art and politics at the creation of The Public Theater’s 2006 outdoor performance of Bertolt Brecht’s anti-war play Mother Courage and Her Children. The play, directed by The Public Theater’s George C. Wolfe from a new translation by Tony Kushner features Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline.