http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs In more Cannes Market News, the 70mm documentary Samsara has sold to Hopscotch for Australian and New Zealand distribution. Filmed in 25 countries on five continents, Samara  is Ron Fricke's follow-up documentary to his 1992 non-narrative feature Baraka, also shot on 70mm film. He has described the film as “guided meditation on the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.” http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126167/t/Samsara-set-for-Australian-release http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126167/t/Samsara-set-for-Australian-release 23 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST So, Kony. I might be a little late to this party in blogging terms but since the video’s launch I’ve been chewing over the whole thing - the video, the backlash, the broader campaign. For anyone who’s been in solitary isolation for the past few months, a quick recap. On March 5th, the video Kony 2012 was launched online by US-based non-government organisation Invisible Children. The stated aim was to reveal to the world the crimes of Ugandan militant Joseph Kony in recruiting child soldiers, and thus create such international attention and pressure that efforts to catch him would be increased. Or, in the words of the video, to ‘make Kony famous’. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126169/t/Tackling-Kony-2012 http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126169/t/Tackling-Kony-2012 23 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST In Cannes Film Market news, production is set to begin on Altman, a feature documentary on American film director Robert Altman (1925 - 2006) to be directed and produced by filmmaker Ron Mann. Completion date is scheduled for mid-2013. Accompanying the documentary will be a touring exhibit, an illustrated companion book and film soundtrack. Mann and his team are seeking a buyer at Cannes. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126161/t/Robert-Altman-documentary-announced http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126161/t/Robert-Altman-documentary-announced 22 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST Here at SBS something we hear a lot is that people find it difficult to navigate their way through our TV schedule to find what they’re interested in. I thought that the best thing I could do to help would be to start up a regular weekly blog pointing out my own personal highlights and tidbits that you may have otherwise missed. My intention is to post every Monday and give SBS doco fans a guide to what’s on that week. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this format and on what you would like to know more about. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126155/t/SBS-s-weekly-programmer-picks-21-5 http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126155/t/SBS-s-weekly-programmer-picks-21-5 21 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST Film programmer Hussain Currimbhoy speaks with Kylie Boltin about the 2012 Sheffield Doc/Fest. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126157/t/Hussain-Currimbhoy-of-Sheffield-Doc-Fest http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126157/t/Hussain-Currimbhoy-of-Sheffield-Doc-Fest 21 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST Saving Face is the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary short about the devastating effects of acid violence in Pakistan. It follows two victims, Zakia and Rukhsana as they attempt to bring their assailants to justice and move on with their lives. It also follows the work of plastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Jawad who left his London practice to return to Pakistan to help the victims of such attacks. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy discusses her film on the eve of its screening at the New York Indian Film Festival in Lower Manhattan. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126145/t/Q-amp-A-with-Sharmeen-Obaid-Chinoy http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126145/t/Q-amp-A-with-Sharmeen-Obaid-Chinoy 18 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST 2012 marks the 30th edition of Outfest: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.  http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126138/t/Outfest-turns-30 http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126138/t/Outfest-turns-30 17 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST Crowdfunding sites are overflowing with countless documentaries in various stages of production looking for contributions. Rubbernaut is one of them - a documentary about forests in Cambodia being razed and replaced with rubber plantations, destroying the forest’s natural resources and trampling traditional land rights.  http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126140/t/Crowdfunding-in-support-of-Rubbernaut http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126140/t/Crowdfunding-in-support-of-Rubbernaut 17 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST A number of sessions at Input looked at the use of the web and mobile possibilities for public broadcasters. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126127/t/Input-3-The-future-is-on-the-web http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126127/t/Input-3-The-future-is-on-the-web 15 May 2012 | 07:00 AEST The major festivals, Sheffield Doc/Fest and BANFF World Media Festival have announced their 2012 schedules. http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126133/t/Sheffield-Doc-Fest-and-BANFF-schedules-are-out http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/126133/t/Sheffield-Doc-Fest-and-BANFF-schedules-are-out 15 May 2012 | 00:00 AEST