Festival Section: Viewfinders

Like a real-life Friday Night Lights, this emotional film paints an enthralling portrait, whether or not you care about football. Volunteer coach Bill Courtney takes over a beleaguered high school program in urban Memphis where players are more likely to go to … Continue reading →

SPOTLIGHT GALA and AWARDS PRESENTATION “One of the surprise hits to come out of Telluride and Toronto…a strong candidate for the Oscar documentary short list.” – Anne Thompson, Indiewire The Island President tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of … Continue reading →

As the number of routine—and sometimes required—vaccinations greatly increases, so do fears about the unintended consequences. The Greater Good gives a thoughtful analysis to this controversy, weaving together personal stories, in-depth reporting and lively graphics in a style reminiscent of Waiting for Superman. Essential … Continue reading →

Calling to mind Paradise Lost in its quest to re-open a murder conviction, Scenes of a Crime looks at the high-profile case of a child’s death in upstate New York. The filmmakers uncover troubling video footage from a 10-hour police interrogation that … Continue reading →

In a hilarious Borat-style experiment, director Vikram Gandhi poses as a guru, complete with a team of young, lithe female assistants, to make a point about blind faith. But the line between what’s fake and what’s real gets blurry when he attracts … Continue reading →

Co-presented by Cinema Tropical. US PREMIERE For six years, Colombian guerrillas held Ingrid Betancourt as a hostage in the jungle while supporters around the world campaigned for her release. Director Angus MacQueen gains remarkable access to Betancourt to uncover the mystery of … Continue reading →

WORLD PREMIERE By turning a bizarre motif into a poignant narrative, Flat Daddy gives a jolt of new energy to the wartime documentary. As American soldiers get shipped abroad, their families fill the void with life-size cardboard photos known as “Flat Daddies” … Continue reading →

In post-war Sierra Leone, the international community spent millions on a questionable justice system. But an alternative approach emerged at a grassroots level known as “fambul tok” (literally, “family talk”). Reviving an ancient tradition around campfires, villagers bring together victims and offenders for … Continue reading →