Doug Block is a New York-based documentary maker. TIFF was proud to present the world premiere of his film 51 Birch Street in 2005. It went on to make the 2006 list of top ten films in the New York Times.  Block also produced Esther Robinson's award-winning 2007 doc, A Walk Into The Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory.  He's currently in post-production on Almost Gone, a sequel of sorts to 51 Birch Street.  He is the founder and co-host of The D-Word, an online discussion forum for documentary filmmakers from around the world.

He answered our request to name the TIFF docs he's most anticipating with the following titles:

There are few things more fun and exciting than going to a top international film festival and poring through the catalogue to decide which films to see.  Haven't seen any of the films in the TIFF doc sections, so these are the ones that would be at the top of my All-Access wish list:
 
Waltz with Bashir (pictured above right) because I was such a huge fan of Persepolis, and I think animation -- or incorporating animation --  is one of the most exciting directions documentary is going in.

Les Plages d'Agnès because I loved The Gleaners. Agnès Varda is easily one of the most cinematic and entertaining film essayists in the world.

A Time to Stir because I was in high school at the time and have always been fascinated by the student protests and anti-war movement of the 60's.  I think it would be particularly interesting to re-visit it from a historical perspective, and in the context of a current war that isn't being protested with nearly the same fervor.
 
American Swing not just because it's an obviously sexy topic, but to see how the filmmaker uses an apparently frivolous subject to get at a more serious social concern.  Could be great or it could fall flat.
 
Blood Trail because I find almost any longitudinal doc fascinating to watch, especially when there's a great character to follow.  Here's hoping.  
 
It Might Get Loud because I love films about artists and the artistic process (like the recent Philip Glass and Patti Smith docs).  And it sounds like great fun. 

 Upstream Battle partly because the director, Ben Kempas, is my great friend and longtime co-host of The D-Word.  But also because I've been following his quest to make the film for years now and I know what a gifted cinematographer and filmmaker Ben is.  There's nothing more special than rooting friends on at their premieres.