Steven Cantor

This 70 minute HBO documentary profiles animal rights leader Ingrid Newkirk, founder of activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Though interviews with Newkirk, as well as with her peers at PETA, the film explores how the animal rights advocate came to believe so strongly in the humane treatment of all creatures. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Named "America's Best Photographer" in 2001 by none other than Time Magazine, Lexington-based photographer Sally Mann captures images that challenge both the values and moral attitudes of the viewer. It was 1992's "Immediate Family" series that first propelled Mann into the public eye - the enigmatic pictures of her three children striking a deep chord in art critics and aficionados. Now those children have all grown up, and filmmaker Steve Cantor turns his lens on the shutterbug who's used to being on the other side of the camera. In fact, Cantor has been documenting Mann's work since the early 1990s; his documentary short Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally Mann having played at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Here Cantor expands on many of the ideas only hinted at in that abbreviated profile of the artist. In addition to highlighting the controversy surrounding Mann's divisive body of work, Cantor expands his scope to focus more on her artistic output. From the southern landscapes that followed her original portraits to the photos of death and decay that dominated her later work, the filmmaker never shies away from uncomfortable details of the artist's personal and professional lives. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

HBO's first Prime Time reality-documentary series, the 10-part Family Bonds concentrated on the Evangelista family of Long Island. Headed by tough but tender Tom Evangelista, the family was in charge of a thriving "bounty hunter" service, specializing in tracking down bail jumpers, defaulting debtors, errant spouses and other such scofflaws. Though the Evangelistas were capable of dispensing violence, often as not they preferred more humanitarian methods to hunt down their targets, and on a few occasions soft-hearted Tom would extend the necessary funds to get the fugitive off the hook with the law. In true TV-series fashion, each of the family members was cast in a "role", drawn from life. Tom Evangelista was "The Boss", Flo Evangelista was "The Wife", Chris Evangelista was "The Nephew", Dana Evangelista was "The Daughter" (actually, the Married Daughter--and by series' end, the New Mother), and Sal Evangelista was "The Kid." Seen as "The In-Laws" were Dawn Carfora, Jimmy Carfora and Kim Persinger, while trusted family friend Dan Boswith was billed as "No Relation" (though he was as close to the Evangelistas as any relative). Through it all, the family laughed, cried, quarreled, negotiated, celebrated and in general acted like most everybody in the audience--except with a lot more profanity and tattoos. Famed documentarian Steven Cantor was both producer and director of Family Bonds, which began its HBO run on September 19, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Oscar-nominated documentarian Steven Cantor makes his full-length debut with this look at the trials and tribulations of the testosterone-pumped men who keep the rabble out of Manhattan's poshest nightspots. Among Cantor's interview subjects are Terence Buckley, who dreams of patrolling bigger and better Gotham haunts; the legendary Lenny McLean, who made his name in London; and a set of twin brothers who aspire to be just like Sylvester Stallone. Throughout, Cantor reveals the sensitive side of this group of skilled tradesmen who are often viewed merely as intimidating thugs. The film's hard-driving score comes courtesy of Samantha Maloney, drummer for the rock band Hole. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide