Ivory Tower (2014 film)

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Ivory Tower
Ivory Tower poster.jpg
Film Poster
Directed by Andrew Rossi
Written byAndrew Rossi
Produced byAndrew Rossi
Kate Novack
Cinematography Andrew Coffman
Andrew Rossi
Bryan Sarkinen
Edited by Chad Beck
Christopher Branca
Andrew Coffman
Andrew Rossi
Music by Ian Hultquist
Production
company
Distributed by Participant Media
Paramount Pictures
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Release dates
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$106,771 [1]

Ivory Tower is a 2014 American documentary film written, directed and produced by Andrew Rossi. [2] [3] The film premiered in competition category of U.S. Documentary Competition program at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2014. [4]

Contents

After its premiere at Sundance Film Festival, Participant Media, Paramount Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired distribution rights of the film. The film had a theatrical release on June 13, 2014 in United States by Samuel Goldwyn Films. [5] Paramount Pictures will handle the international release of the film, while Participant Media will handle the campaign for film's theatrical release. [6] [7] The film was first broadcast on CNN on November 20, 2014. [8]

Synopsis

The film questions the value of higher education in an era when the price of college has increased more than any other service in the United States. It explores the different types of higher education around the nation. These include: community colleges, four year universities, vocational schools, online courses, and less traditional forms of education. The film argues that the high cost of tuition is at a breaking point.

Reception

The film was named one of the best documentaries of 2014 by Indiewire. [9] Frank Bruni of The New York Times called the film "an astonishingly thorough tour of the university landscape." [10] Matt Goldberg in his review for Collider said that "Ivory Tower almost seems ambivalent about the college crisis, but it’s never cold or emotionless." [11] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, calling it "a stimulating and upsetting look at how high tuition and huge student loans have created a perfect storm over American colleges." [12] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an aggregate score of 83% based on 43 positive and 9 negative critic reviews. The website’s consensus reads: "Although Ivory Tower makes it clear that there isn't enough room in a 90-minute film to tackle spiraling student loan debt, it also serves as a compelling call for deeper investigation." [13]

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References

  1. "Ivory Tower (2014)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  2. "2014 Sundance Docs in Focus: IVORY TOWER". whatnottodoc.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  3. "Meet the 2014 Sundance Filmmakers #19: Andrew Rossi's 'Ivory Tower' Explores the Perils of the American Educational System". IndieWire. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  4. "Sundance 2014: U.S. Documentary Competition". IndieWire. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  5. "Preview Of Hollywood Movies Releasing On 13th June 2014". moviedisclosure.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  6. "CNN Films' Documentary 'Ivory Tower' Gets Distribution". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  7. "CNN Films' Documentary 'Ivory Tower' Gets Distribution". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  8. "Ivory-tower". cnn.com. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  9. "The Best Documentaries of 2014 So Far: 'Actress,' 'The Case Against 8,' and 'Concerning Violence' Join the List". www.indiewire.com. IndieWire. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  10. "Class, Cost and College". The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  11. "Sundance 2014: IVORY TOWER Review". Collider. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  12. "Ivory Tower: Sundance Review". The Hollywood Report. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  13. "Ivory Tower - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. June 13, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2023.