October 29, 2020

THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS

The white Alba truffle is the most expensive–and elusive–ingredient in the world. Found only in the forests of Northern Italy, its secrets have been guarded for generations by a select group of older Italian men and their canine companions: the truffle hunters. Filmmakers Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw enter their singular world, discovering truly one-of-a-kind […]

October 29, 2020

THE HUMAN FACTOR

Filmmaker Dror Moreh proved himself an expert navigator of powerful figures in his Oscar®-nominated film The Gatekeepers, about the leaders of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency. Now he employs his talents to probe the American-led negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians in 2000. The main insiders on camera are six top American diplomats who testify to […]

October 26, 2020

Monday Memo: Quibi Shutters After 6 Months, True Story Launches, IDA Enterprise Production Grant Recipients Announced

With Quibi already shutting down after just 6 months, filmmakers and consumers have lost a potentially fruitful place to release and find short form nonfiction. On the flipside, a new nonfiction streaming platform called True Story has launched with some interesting offerings right off the bat, including a partnership with Open City Documentary Fest and a […]

October 20, 2020

DOC NYC Road Trip

Join us on Facebook Live Monday, Oct. 26th-Friday, Oct. 30th, as we set off on an online DOC NYC Road Trip to check in with filmmaking hubs across the country. Hear from filmmakers, festivals, and supporters as they share documentary news and preview some of DOC NYC’s 2020 slate. Co-presented by Netflix.

October 19, 2020

Monday Memo: RIP James Redford, New IDFA plans, $100k prize for Alanis Obomsawin & more

DOC NYC’s Thom Powers here filling in for Monday Memo’s Jordan M. Smith while he’s on vacation. We are mourning the death of James Redford at age 58. DOC NYC showed his films Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution and Toxic Hot Seat. In other news this week, Alanis Obomsawin was awarded a $100k prize, IDFA has new plans, and DOC NYC announced its 2020 line-up available […]

October 19, 2020

COLLECTIVE (Colectiv)

Two men speak, one out of focus, the other in a white dress shirt and glass with his hand on his forehead.

2020 SHORT LIST: SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR TRUTH TO POWER Journalism’s role of exposing corruption has rarely been as dramatically portrayed as in Collective. Filmmaker Alexander Nanau follows a team of Romanian reporters in real time as they doggedly uncover a deadly scandal that reaches the highest levels of government. Like a real-life version of […]

October 15, 2020

2020 Film Lineup Revealed

The eleventh edition of DOC NYC is running online November 11-19 and available to viewers across the US. The 2020 festival includes 107 feature-length documentaries among over 200 films and dozens of events. Included are 23 World Premieres, 12 international or North American premieres, and 7 US premieres. Fifty-seven features (53% of the lineup) are […]

October 12, 2020

YOUTH V GOV

A group of teenagers cheering on steps.

Runner Up: Audience Award DOC NYC 2020 WORLD PREMIERE | How can we bring accountability over the climate crisis? This inspiring story of youth activism documents 21 activists from across the nation as they file a groundbreaking lawsuit against the United States. The case reveals evidence that the government has endangered their constitutional rights to life, […]

October 12, 2020

THE WALRUS AND THE WHISTLEBLOWER

A man with a megaphone stands still in the middle of a crowd of people with signs to "Save Smooshi."

Phil Demers, an eccentric free spirit, becomes an unexpectedly popular trainer at Niagara Falls’ Marineland after forming a bond with the park’s first walrus, Smooshi. For the next decade Demers cares for Smooshi and other animals in increasingly decrepit conditions. After he quits as a result of these concerns—and is accused of plotting to steal […]