What to Watch on IFC in May

The "death house" in Huntsville, Texas has had its share of highly publicized executions. In one case, it was the location of what was almost certainly the wrongful execution of Carlos DeLuna. On May 29th, IFC premieres an original doc, "At the Death House Door," which provides an inside look through the eyes of a former death house chaplain — Pastor Carroll Pickett. Directed by Steve James and Peter Gilbert, the filmmakers behind "Hoop Dreams," the documentary follows Pickett's difficult path in preparing an inmate for execution. Believing some, like DeLuna, were innocent, Pickett recalls his most intimate memories while serving as chaplain. "At the Death House Door" premiered at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival, and won the Inspiration Award at this year's Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Also in May, don't miss your ticket to eight days of movies that made their mark on one of the biggest film...

The “death house” in Huntsville, Texas has had its share of highly publicized executions. In one case, it was the location of what was almost certainly the wrongful execution of Carlos DeLuna. On May 29th, IFC premieres an original doc, “At the Death House Door,” which provides an inside look through the eyes of a former death house chaplain — Pastor Carroll Pickett. Directed by Steve James and Peter Gilbert, the filmmakers behind “Hoop Dreams,” the documentary follows Pickett’s difficult path in preparing an inmate for execution. Believing some, like DeLuna, were innocent, Pickett recalls his most intimate memories while serving as chaplain. “At the Death House Door” premiered at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival, and won the Inspiration Award at this year’s Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

Also in May, don’t miss your ticket to eight days of movies that made their mark on one of the biggest film events in the world — Cannes. Nominees, winners and other films that screened at the French soirée will air on IFC all week long beginning May 17th, during this year’s festival. Here’s a sampling of what’s on the bill: “Bowling for Columbine,” the Michael Moore documentary that stirred controversy with its look at the US gun system, and David Cronenberg’s “Crash,” which delves into a sexually twisted underground world of car crash victims. The ticket line forms here. (And online, don’t miss the exclusive IFC.com “Cannes Cam,” which will provide 24-hour live webcam coverage of the Cannes red carpet, along with other special video reports from the festival.)

Memorial Day Weekend, IFC presents a series of films to honor those who bravely lived through times of war. Beginning at 1:30pm ET/4:30pm PT on Sunday, May 25th, check out movies that span hundreds of years in battle, from the Civil War to the Bosnian War.

PREMIERING ON THE NETWORK THIS MONTH:

• “Maria Full of Grace” A Spirit Award winner that takes a brutally honest look at Colombian drug trafficking.
• “Last Days” Directed by Gus Van Zant, this film is loosely based on the final hours in the life of Kurt Cobain.
• “24 Hour Party People” Revolving around the guys who created Factory Records in Manchester during the 1970s, this film not only has a kick-ass soundtrack but also serves as a history lesson in how the British town became a mecca for music.
• “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story” How do you make a movie out of an impossible book? You make the movie about how hard it is to make the movie, in this delightful flick starring Steve Coogan as himself, sort of.
• “SubUrbia” Slacker auteur Richard Linklater directs this look at a night in the lives of five 20-somethings trapped in dead-end jobs, dreaming of escape. Sonic Youth composed the soundtrack.