NEW VIEWS: Premiere Documentaries – Presented with Aspen Film

Tickets $16 available at the Wheeler Opera House, www.aspenshowtickets.com, or (970) 920-5770.

A renaissance of documentary filmmaking is underway in the United States. These films are having a major impact on American public life and politics. Presenting a series of critically acclaimed new documentaries on topics from politics and environment to the visual arts and music, each screening will be followed by a discussion with the director or special guest.

In this lively screen adaptation of economist Steven D. Levitt and author Stephen J. Dubner’s best-seller, an omnibus of powerhouse directors tackles provocative material for a singular cinematic experience. Alex Gibney (Casino Jack and the United States of Money) delivers a visually arresting look at the crumbling facade of Sumo wrestling. Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) offers a revealing angle on the repercussions of baby names. Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp) balance levity and candor with their eye-opening profi le of an unusual learning incentive. Finally, Eugene Jarecki (Why We Fight) investigates why crime rates dramatically dropped in the early ’90s.

Guest: Producer Chad Troutwine