Étienne Robial, un spécimen de caractère(s)

Documentary on the French graphic and visual artist and designer, editor, artistic director, and teacher who is known for his widely-used fonts.

The History of Typography

A short, educational animation about the history of fonts and typography. In a paper cutout stop-motion style, it begins with Gutenberg's creation of the first typeface, travels through the innovations of Jenson, Caslon, and Bodoni, to the modern creation of Futura and the democratization of fonts in the digital age. A charming, engaging film about a technology that is all around us, but few people know much about.

Everything Must Change: Piet Zwart

A fascinating documentary about Piet Zwart (1885–1977), an idiosyncratic and stubborn designer, who lived for innovation and prepared the way for the international success that is now known as Dutch Design. Piet Zwart worked as an interior and industrial designer, commercial typographer, photographer, critic and lecturer, playing a key role in defining the design climate in the Netherlands in the Twentieth Century. He is especially known for designing the famous ‘Piet Zwart’ kitchen for the Dutch company Bruynzeel: a kitchen that could be easily produced and consisted of standardized elements. His versatility and influence on present-day designers led the Association of Dutch Designers to award him the title of “Designer of the Century” in 2000.

Hollywood at Last!

Dedicated Dutch graphic designer Piet Schreuders visits Los Angeles to investigate all kinds of typeface as used in title-credits for movies and TV-series, letters on billboards, shop-windows or street-signs, the banner-headlines of The Los Angeles Times, and climbs finally to the giant letters of the HOLLYWOOD-sign. In the meantime he discovers, to his great satisfaction, the location and stairs where Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy shot their movie 'The Musicbox', by combining street-signs, partially shown on still-pictures of this movie: "…MONTE" and "…ENDOME", which turn out to be found on the street corner of Del Monte and Vendome in Culver City. This documentary is bluntly intercut with commercials, a phenomenon not yet known in the Netherlands in 1979. (Theo Uittenbogaard)

Máquinas de palabras

Lettera22

A documentary film about Adriano Olivetti.

Ake & Ch

Words that end in -ake and start with ch-. A typographic animation.

Letters O, P, and R

Words that start with the letter O, P, and R. A typographic animation.

Exiles

Having moved across the globe, a group of expatriates living in a small town in South Korea adapt to life abroad and navigate relationships with their peers.

Tell Your Friends! The Concert Film!

Liam McEneaney, creator of Tell Your Friends! hosts the film version of his weekly comedy show, as well as interviews the film’s headliners; giving us a personal look of their transitions from bar basements to mainstream entertainment. Includes comedians Christian Finnegan, Leo Allen, Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal, Rob Paravonian, and Reggie Watts emerge from the dark and dirty rock clubs of Lower Manhattan to perform in this insider event. The film also includes music from A Brief View of the Hudson, TFY’s resident house band. The film offers a backstage pass to the show, including 'behind the scenes' footage and interviews navigating the unfamiliar routes these artists took to become breakout successes.

The Giant Buddhas

Christian Frei's documentary traces the tragic tale of the giant Buddhas of Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley, which stood as monumental landmarks for 1,500 years until 2001, when the Taliban declared that all non-Islamic statues in the country be destroyed. Despite international protest, the statues were blown up. Through interwoven narratives from past and present, Frei's film sheds light on the disturbing consequences of religious fanaticism.

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons

From the A&E "Biography" series, a review of the birth, development and cinematic history of Betty Boop, the flapper cartoon character who has been a popular icon since the 1930s.

It Was a Wonderful Life

Documentary - They're clean, educated, articulate and rarely receive public assistance. But following a divorce, job loss or a long illness, a growing number of middle-class women are forced to live out of their cars. Directed by Michèle Ohayon (Colors Straight Up) and narrated by Jodie Foster, It Was a Wonderful Life chronicles the hardships and triumphs of six "hidden homeless" women as they struggle to survive, one day at a time. - Jodie Foster, Lou Hall, Reena Sands

Jesse James: American Outlaw

Documentary exploring the history of one of America's most notorious outlaws.

The Story of SM:TV Live

To celebrate 30 years on TV, Ant and Dec reunite with Cat Deeley to reminisce on the hit Saturday morning TV show that catapulted their careers into stardom.

Tuna Fishermen

Film director Branko Belan follows the journey of fishermen as they set out to catch tuna around the Velebit Channel.