Documentaries part of film fest

Lineup includes films focusing on Roman Polanski, Hunter S. Thompson and world poverty

ELIAS MAGLINIS

The following are just a few of the issues featured in a selection of documentaries to be screened at the upcoming event and the 14th Athens International Film Festival Opening Nights Conn-X – acclaimed director Roman Polanski and the scandal caused by the rape charges brought by Samantha Geimer in the 1970s; Hunter S. Thompson, author of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” becoming the focus of a special edition of Rolling Stone magazine following his suicide; Turkish homosexuals’s struggle for equal rights in Istanbul; the nightmare of living in Baghdad as recorded by four Iraqi youths and, finally, a study on ending poverty.

Scheduled to run from September 17 to September 28, the event showcases an exciting lineup of films created by leading documentary directors, among them Oscar-winning Alex Gibney with “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson.”

Marina Zenovich has directed “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” a film that examines both the public and private aspects of the scandal that caused the Polish director to flee the United States.

In search of the truth behind the rape charges, Zenovich’s documentary is ripe with testimonials and archive material from 1970s Hollywood giants. The documentary paints a serious and honest portrait of one of the most controversial figures in international cinema.