Documentary
Auschwitz-Birkenau was designed to kill. Four gas chambers murdered thousands at a time, belching out smoke and human ashes. Starvation, thirst, disease, and hard labor reduced the average lifespan to less than three months. More than 1-million people perished in the largest German Nazi concentration and extermination camp. Seventy years after her liberation, Kitty Hart-Moxon makes a final return to Auschwitz-Birkenau to walk among the crumbling memorial with students Natalia and Lydia, who, at 16, are the same age now as she was then. As Kitty tells them her story of daily existence, themes begin to emerge: the ever-present threat of death, resilience, friendship, human strength, resisting the Nazis’ constant lethal intent, and living like an animal while still remaining human. Natalia and Lydia ask questions; Kitty provides answers, passing her legacy to the next generation.
A documentary exploring how money and the trading of value has evolved, culminating in Bitcoin.
Using masterfully restored footage from recently declassified images, The Bomb tells a powerful story of the most destructive invention in human history. From the earliest testing stages to its use as the ultimate chess piece in global politics, the program outlines how America developed the bomb, how it changed the world and how it continues to loom large in our lives. The show also includes interviews with prominent historians and government insiders, along with men and women who helped build the weapon piece by piece.
From the onset of the AIDS epidemic, author Larry Kramer emerged as a fiery activist, an Old Testament-style prophet full of righteous fury who denounced both the willful inaction of the government and the refusal of the gay community to curb potentially risky behaviors. Co-founder of both the service organization Gay Men’s Health Crisis and the direct action protest group ACT UP, Kramer was vilified by some who saw his criticism to be an expression of self-hatred, while lionized by others who credit him with waking up the gay community — and, eventually, the government and medical establishment — to the devastation of the disease.
Selections include Kelley’s Plasticon Pictures, the earliest extant 3-D demonstration film from 1922 with incredible footage of Washington and New York City; New Dimensions, the first domestic full color 3-D film originally shown at the World’s Fair in 1940; Thrills for You, a promotional film for the Pennsylvania Railroad; Stardust in Your Eyes, a hilarious standup routine by Slick Slavin; trailer for The Maze, with fantastic production design by William Cameron Menzies; Doom Town, a controversial anti-atomic testing film mysteriously pulled from release; puppet cartoon The Adventures of Sam Space, presented in widescreen; I’ll Sell My Shirt, a burlesque comedy unseen in 3-D for over 60 years; Boo Moon, an excellent example of color stereoscopic animation…and more!
From directors Nick Doob and Shari Cookson, “Requiem for the Dead” is made entirely from found footage, including social media posts, 9-1-1 calls, news stories and police files. The film tells the stories of those who have been killed by gunfire, whether from accidental violence, random shootings, family disputes or suicide. Hear those stories of those who have died, which is only a fraction of the 32,000 people killed in America each year, 88 per day, from gun violence.
The cold war, the space race, and NASA’s moon landing are landmark events that defined an era. But they are also fodder for conspiracy theories.
In Houston, We Have a Problem! filmmaker Žiga Virc adds new material to the discussion on both fronts. This intriguing docu-fiction explores the myth of the secret multi-billion-dollar deal behind America’s purchase of Yugoslavia’s clandestine space program in the early 1960s.
Locked away from society in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Angulo brothers learn about the outside world through the films that they watch. Nicknamed ‘The Wolfpack’, the brothers spend their childhood reenacting their favorite films using elaborate home-made props and costumes. Their world is shaken up when one of the brothers escapes and everything changes.
Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a feature length documentary uncovering the history and the making of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II films.
Thorsten Schütte’s film is a sharply edited and energetic celebration of Zappa through his public persona, allowing us to witness his shifting relationship with audiences. Utilizing potent TV interviews and many forgotten performances from his 30-year career, we are immersed into the musician’s world while experiencing two distinct facets of his complex character. At once Zappa was both a charismatic composer who reveled in the joy of performing and, in the next moment, a fiercely intelligent and brutally honest interviewee whose convictions only got stronger as his career ascended.
Documentary which celebrates, over the period covering the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 60s, the phenomenon of the Everly Brothers, arguably the greatest harmony duo the world has witnessed, who directly influenced the greatest and most successful bands of the 60s and 70s – The Beatles, The Stones, The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel to name but a few.
Bulletproof Films investigates the dangerous world of toxic environmental mold in the new documentary film MOLDY. Produced by prominent biohacker, bestselling author, and Bulletproof Founder, Dave Asprey, and directed by Kee Kee Buckley and Eric Troyer, the film uncovers the frightening truth about this growing health crisis far more dangerous than asbestos and lead paint, and exposes risks, explains the effects, and shares solutions for keeping our families strong.
The Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon is recalled via the first-person accounts of Pentagon personnel, first responders, aviation experts and journalists. Included: Department of Defense footage from inside the Pentagon.
The Day the ’60s Died chronicles May 1970, the month in which four students were shot dead at Kent State. The mayhem that followed has been called the most divisive moment in American history since the Civil War. From college campuses, to the jungles of Cambodia, to the Nixon White House, the film takes us back into that turbulent spring 45 years ago.
Fifty Shades Uncovered is a brand new feature documentary filmed in London and New York which explores the twilight zone of submissive romance and the power of the Fifty Shades of Grey film and books. Featuring the latest interviews from authors, stars and fans, take an in-depth look into why this trilogy has become such a runaway success, whether classified as erotic fiction, adult romance or mommy porn, it lifts the lid on a cultural and sexual phenomenon that won’t be restrained as it reaches world domination!
The twenty four hours of four amateur women boxers as they step for the first time into the ring.
This portrait of Hilary Knight, the artist behind the iconic Eloise books, sees him reflecting on his life as an illustrator and his relationship to his most successful work.
Featuring interviews with key political figures including President George W Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and media heavy hitters Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Matthew Broderick, this documentary event examines 9/11 through the lens of the last 15 years. Brought to life by photos declassified in 2016, recently released documents from the 9/11 commission, and never before heard stories from photographers and first responders, a new perspective will arise to provide an unrivaled viewpoint of the historic attack.
In a crime-plagued neighborhood near Miami, brutal, bare-knuckled backyard fights give young men a chance to earn money — and self-respect.
Documentary exploring the human tendency to be dishonest. Inspired by the work of social scientist, Dan Ariely, the film interweaves personal stories, expert opinions, behavioral experiments, and archival footage to reveal how and why people lie.
Dubbed “The Cannibal Cop,” former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle was convicted of conspiring to kidnap and eat women in March 2013. Valle had argued it was all a fantasy, but the prosecution’s narrative convinced jurors otherwise. His story made headlines not only for its chilling details, but also because of its landmark decision regarding a man many consider “patient zero” in a growing thought-police trend across the nation. Featuring unprecedented, intimate interviews with Valle and his family, as well as insights from lawyers, journalists, psychological professionals and criminal experts, THOUGHT CRIMES: THE CASE OF THE CANNIBAL COP explores this complicated case, asking if someone can be found guilty for his or her most dangerous thoughts.
GameLoading Rise of the Indies is a feature documentary exploring the world of indie game developers, their craft, their games, their dreams, and how they have forever changed the landscape of games culture.
Michael Winterbottom, celebrated director of 24 Hour Party People, The Road to Guantanamo, and The Trip, joins forces with actor, comedian, and provocateur Russell Brand for that most unlikely of documentary approaches: an uproarious critique of the world financial crisis. Building on Brand’s emergence as an activist following his 2014 book Revolution, where he railed against “corporate tyranny, ecological irresponsibility, and economic inequality,” The Emperor’s New Clothes pairs archival footage with comedic send-ups conducted in the financial centers of London and New York. Brand spotlights not only how the crisis affected the working class around the world, but also how the uber-wealthy benefited from the downturn. With Winterbottom providing his signature ingenuity and pinpoint directorial control, they generate a riveting, boisterous, and, at times, cathartic riff on the extreme disparities between the haves and have nots in contemporary society.
That Gal…Who was in That Thing: That Guy 2
Before he became one of the world’s greatest boxers, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was a young boy living a hand-to-mouth existence, trying to survive from one day to the next. When he discovers his natural talent for boxing, he embarks on a brutal and intense journey that takes him from the mountains of the Philippines to the streets of Manila, and must risk everything to become a champion – for himself, his family, and his country.
One record company has been a constant presence in popular music throughout our lives. EMI brought The Beatles to the world and in every decade since has been instrumental in producing some of Britain’s most celebrated and enduring music.
Fighter pilot, inventor, spy – the life of Roald Dahl is often stranger than fiction. Through a vast collection of his letters, writings and archive, the story is told largely in his own words with contributions from his last wife Liccy, daughter Lucy and biographer Donald Sturrock.
Dr Michael Mosley investigates Britain’s most secretive and controversial military research base, Porton Down, on its 100th anniversary. He comes face to face with chemical and biological weapons old and new, reveals the truth about shocking animal and human testing, and discovers how the latest science and technology are helping to defend us against terrorist attacks and rogue nations.
An inside look at the making of the movie Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), featuring footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers.
Trevor Phillips confronts some uncomfortable truths about racial stereotypes, as he asks if attempts to improve equality have led to serious negative consequences.
Documentary that goes behind the stats to reveal the story of Kobe Bryant’s basketball career, exploring the mentorships, allies and rivalries that have helped shape his stellar 18-year tenure in the NBA, and offering access to his daily experiences, his lifelong inspirations and the battle with his greatest personal challenge yet
A study of the dark legends that surround the Camp Hero Air Force Base in Montauk, Long Island.
A behind-the-scenes look at the popular boy band, Backstreet Boys.
An experimental documentary that explores Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the U.S. and the role this has played in the war in Afghanistan.
Documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only ‘talking’ gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson. Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. Penny has now been with Koko for over 40 years and claims Koko can reveal fresh insights into the workings of an animal’s mind. Koko’s unique life with Penny has been filmed every step of the way. Over 2,000 hours of footage chart the most dramatic moments – Penny’s battle to keep Koko from being taken back to the zoo in which she was born, Penny’s clash with academic critics who doubted her claims and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten.
Follow the lives of the elderly survivors who were forced into sex slavery as “Comfort Women” by the Japanese during World War II. At the time of filming, only 22 of these women were still alive to tell their story. Through their own personal histories and perspectives, they tell a tale that should never be forgotten to generations unaware of the brutalization that occurred.
In Rio de Janeiro, close to the mythical Maracana stadium, venue for the grand final of the World Cup 2014, we find an ordinary football field in the Sampaio neighborhood. There, football happens as a genuine expression of Brazilian culture. With the games on Sundays, the annual slum football league has 14 teams. Each represents the colors and rituals of their community. Geração x Juventude contest the final.
Some 200 women defiantly cling to their ancestral homeland in Chernobyl’s radioactive “Exclusion Zone.”
Can the Holy Spirit direct a movie? In this emotional follow up to the popular and controversial Holy Ghost, Director Darren Wilson continues his journey around the world in his quest to make a movie that is completely led by the Holy Spirit.
A revealing look into the lives of students who put it all on the line to be selected, proving that a free education is never without a cost. ‘Selected’ is a documentary about the challenges of public urban education. Through unprecedented access in a Chicago public school, ‘Selected’ explores leadership, triumphs and losses in one of the most culturally and economically diverse schools in the country. ‘Selected’ investigates the impact of being educated in a true melting pot environment and the effect it has on education, acceptance, tolerance and a worldview. It illustrates what is possible when great leadership, diverse cultures and extraordinary minds come together. These interwoven stories highlight the benefits, and unintended consequences, of select schools and society’s constant struggle with urban education.