DOC NYC: Films About Comics

This year, DOC NYC’s lineup includes a number of films about the practice of creating sequential art (otherwise known as comics).

PERSISTENCE OF VISION Striving to make the greatest animated film of all time, visionary animator Richard Williams of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT toiled for more than a quarter century on his masterpiece, only to have it torn from his hands. Filmmaker Kevin Schreck has woven together beautiful animation, rare archival footage, and exclusive interviews with key animators and artists who worked with Williams on his ill-fated magnum opus to bring this legendary story to the screen. A tale of creative genius gone horribly awry.

Expected to Attend: Kevin Schreck

FAR OUT ISN’T ENOUGH: THE TOMI UNGERER STORY US PREMIERE Tomi Ungerer rose to prominence in the late 1950s as the creator of acclaimed children’s books—”I dare say, no one was as original,” Maurice Sendak once ventured. Ungerer’s creativity also encompassed iconic 60s protest posters and lavish books of erotica; but when his work was banned, he risked fading into obscurity. This film performs a laudable act of rediscovery by capturing his incredible personality on camera and bringing his artwork to life through enchanting animated sequences.

WONDER WOMEN! THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICAN SUPERHEROINES Tracing the fascinating origins, evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman, this lively documentary takes you from the birth of the comic book superheroine in the 1940s to the blockbusters of today. A look behind the scenes with Lynda Carter (TV’s Wonder Woman), Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman), comic book writers and artists, and reallife superheroines such as Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Hanna and others, this film offers an enlightening and entertaining counterpoint to the male-dominated superhero genre.

Expected to Attend: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Kelcey Edwards