News: “Gasland” Sequel; “Food, Inc.” Continued; “Being Elmo” Release Plans

Which of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentaries has a sequel on the way? That would be Josh Fox’s “Gasland,” which has done wonders to out the issue of hydraulic fracking since its Sundance 2010 premiere. According to a recent article in Rolling Stone, Fox is currently shooting the follow-up for an early 2012 release, and this time he’s focusing on the politics involved with the issue, on all levels. It’s unclear if he’s doing the sequel first-person style, following in the footsteps of Michael Moore, who he’s been likened to, or if this could be like what the new doc sequel “Revenge of the Electric Car” is to its predecessor, “Who killed the Electric Car?” That could equally mean an improved style, but it could also be a more conventional one. And much of the favor for the first “Gasland” is in the amateur investigator angle. Either way, I’m looking forward to the continuing story. [via All These Wonderful Things]

– Another Oscar nominee (from last year) is having trouble moving on to a new topic, as well. While Robert Kenner isn’t shooting a sequel to “Food, Inc.,” he is continuing the film’s teachings and call for activism through a project he dubs the “Facebook of Food.” He writes, at Tribeca Film’s Future of Film blog:

Working closely with YouTube and using their annotations feature, we’ll funnel our viewers up the rungs of commitment. With a single click on the video, you’ll be able to learn more, tell your friends, write congressional leaders, donate to related NGOs, discover which brands to avoid, join regional or national activist groups, start your own community initiatives, etc.

I don’t see any info as to what the project is called or where we can locate it, so I guess it’s still early in the works. I guess stay tuned?

– Deadline reports that audience favorite “Being Elmo” will get an Oscar-qualifying theatrical release from Submarine Entertainment this year then will hit DVD courtesy of New Video’s Docurama Films label, then will air on PBS’ Independent Lens series.

– Documentarian Bruce Ricker died of pneumonia on May 13. Known for jazz docs specifically, he directed “The Last of the Blue Devils,” and produced Charlotte Zwerin’s “Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser.” See his obit in the New York Times.

– The greater film world is also mourning the loss of Kino International president Donald Krim, who died of cancer Friday. Kino’s role in documentary distribution is less thought of than its involvement in general foreign titles. Yet in addition to owning rights to many early actuality films, Kino has handled home video releases of “Man with a Movie Camera,” “The Good Fight” and “Winnebago Man,” among many others.

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