This program presents two films appearing in our Short List: Shorts section recognizing some of the top documentary shorts films of the year. THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE DIR: Vanessa Roth 80 years ago, Xia Shuqin witnessed the murder of her family during the Nanjing Massacre. The Girl and the Picture uncovers how an American […]
In 1978, inspired by the popularity of NFL cheerleaders, Playboy organized a pictorial feature approved by team management happy for the media exposure. But when the resulting pictures set off a critical backlash, cheerleaders were fired, exposing society’s hypocrisy around female sexuality. Courtesy of A&E IndieFilms/Lifetime Films.
NYC PREMIERE War correspondent Marie Colvin repeatedly and selflessly put her life on the line to report the atrocities unfolding in conflict-ravaged Syria, specifically against its innocent civilians. This gritty adaptation of fellow correspondent Paul Conroy’s titular book puts the viewer under fire on the frontline alongside the intrepid journalists, using harrowing on-the-ground footage. A […]
WORLD PREMIERE This refreshing film offers a unique peek into the private lives of women who have survived unspeakable sorrow, yet blossom through the healing power of art. During a theater workshop in a Lebanese refugee camp, four Syrian women discover they have a lot in common with the ancient Greek heroine, Antigone, and experience […]
NYC PREMIERE In this winner of Best Film and Audience Award at Visions du Réel, filmmaker Jawad Rhalib documents diverse creative voices in the Muslim world—including his mother, a Moroccan dancer—who seek to free themselves from bonds of stereotypes and repression. The film forgoes conventional artist-profile tropes in favor of a weave of rehearsals, conversations, […]
Athletes, on and off the field. El Gallo (Mexico/USA, 14 min., Michael Medoway), one of Mexico’s most famous boxers, must overcome tremendous odds to regain lost glory. Climbing the Big Wall (Canada, 9 min., Jennifer Law-Smith) can be a meditative exercise of trust between climbers. Concussion Protocol (USA, 5 min. Josh Begley) tracks injuries sustained […]
Inspirational everyday women and girls who inspire. Aura is an immigrant, housekeeper, domestic violence survivor and real estate entrepreneur in De Colores (USA, 17 min., Luz Marina Zamora), while Ana is Surviving New York (USA, 20 min., Megan Miller), fighting for children?s rights. Quadruple amputee Beatrice (USA, 9 min., Lorena Alvarado) defies all odds as […]
True crime and the criminal justice Seeking justice in a flawed system. A man on death row survives Seven Dates With Death (USA, 11 min., Mike Holland). A day in the life of four electronic monitoring devices, whose wearers enjoy (Almost) Freedom (USA, 8 min., Puck Lo). 15-year-old Robert (USA, 8 min., Sarah Fleming, and […]
Part of our Bring a Friend special – get 2 tickets for the price of 1! America, before and after 11/8/16. Adversary (USA, 17 min., Scott Cummings) profiles the controversial chair of Trump’s New York campaign. The viewpoints of two voters on opposing sides are interwoven to make Purpleland (USA, 6 min., Carly Lieberman). Two […]
The past looms large in these stories. In Three Red Sweaters (USA, 10 min., Martha Gregory), the filmmaker combs through her grandfather’s 16mm family films, while Nantucket (USA, 8 min., Dylan Filingeri) recalls the director’s estranged father. The singer/songwriter for successful 1970s band Richard Twice (USA, 10 min., Matthew Salton) walks away from it all. […]