Bruce Franks Jr., a 34-year-old Ferguson activist and battle rapper who was elected to the overwhelmingly white and Republican Missouri House of Representatives, must overcome both personal trauma and political obstacles to pass a bill critical for his community. Courtesy of MTV. Co-presented by Film Fatales, NYWIFT & ROOFTOP FILMS
2019 SHORT LIST: SHORT DIRECTING AWARD An underdog fencer from Brooklyn overcomes a gauntlet of hardships on the road to the Olympics. Courtesy of New York Times Op-Docs/POV Shorts.
A revealing look at the terrible human cost of Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, following a group of fearless photojournalists known as the Manila Nightcrawlers on their mission to expose the truth. Courtesy of National Geographic Documentary Films.
A week in the peculiar lives of a middle-class suburban Mumbai household, which is turned topsy-turvy when the family adopts a chicken as a pet. Courtesy of New York Times Op-Docs.
In 1963, more than 250,000 students boycotted Chicago’s public schools to protest racial segregation. Combining period footage with reflections from participants, ‘63 Boycott links the past with present-day concerns around inequality in the education system. Courtesy of Kartemquin.
In 1968, the first image of the Earth was captured from space, an iconic photograph that had an immediate and transformative impact around the globe. Earthrise explores the memories of the Apollo 8 astronauts responsible for the image, and their experience of awe in viewing the Earth framed against the void of space. Courtesy of […]
A moving film about the passage from life to death, End Game is a portrait of the last days of those in palliative care in two San Francisco Bay Area medical facilities pioneering new paradigms for end-of-life decisions. Courtesy of Netflix.
80 years ago, Xia Shuqin witnessed the murder of her family during the Nanjing Massacre. The Girl and the Picture uncovers how an American missionary’s camera serendipitously captured Xia and her sister, binding his family and theirs forever. Courtesy of USC Shoah Foundation/Cause & Affect Media
A meditative portrait of two women who confronted great adversity with a profound bond and remarkable positivity, The Head & The Hand presents a rich exploration of disability, independence and sisterhood. Courtesy of Lost Time Media
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting, local priest Father Bob Weiss connects with Father Basil O’Sullivan of Dunblane, Scotland, from a community which could uniquely relate to Newtown’s trauma. Kim A. Snyder’s film explores the power of resilience through the bond forged between these two priests. Courtesy of Netflix.