DOC NYC SUMMER SELECTS Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Time: 7:30pm ETVenue: IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave, NYCTRT: 110 minutes As Petra Costa explored in her 2019 Academy-Award® nominated THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY, the concept of democracy in Brazil has been plagued by institutional corruption and populist mistrust almost since its restoration in the mid-1980s. In […]
Following up on her Oscar-nominated The Edge of Democracy, about the institutional corruption and populist mistrust plaguing Brazil’s democracy almost since its 1980s restoration, Costa explores the Christian fundamentalism seizing the nation’s political discourse. With stunning access to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, and others, Costa distills the recent chaos of […]
Winner of the 2025 Sundance World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Cutting Through Rocks is a stirring portrait of courage and conviction. In a remote Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi becomes the first elected councilwoman—with bold dreams of teaching teenage girls to ride motorcycles and halting child marriages. But when accusations question her motives, Sara finds […]
Disillusioned with politics, charismatic and engaging Noam Shuster Eliassi pivots to the world of stand-up comedy to communicate her “radical” message that Palestinians and Israelis deserve human rights equally. Amber Fares’ fascinating film, alternating between hilarity and bone-shaking gravity, intersperses clips from Noam’s funny stage performances with observational scenes of interactions with her parents and […]
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A groundbreaking comedy troupe takes the stage in Palestine, where laughter embodies survival and defiance. Following six comedians from Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, the Golan Heights, and beyond, the film captures intimate family moments, raw rehearsals, and daring performances amid the suffocating grip of occupation and escalating violence. Especially amid unprecedented attempts to erase […]
US PREMIERE In the shadows of the Catholic church, nuns and women have long endured abuse at the hands of priests—insidious and tactful grooming, silenced by confession, and hidden through systemic cover-ups. This investigative documentary uncovers both the harrowing details and the institutional indifference, from luxury retreats for accused clergy to the celebrated muralist Marko […]
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE In the tradition of the Tibetan religion Bon, a lama’s son inherits his title. In Lubra in northern Nepal, where a large population of Bon followers reside, an aging lama awaits his son’s return from the US—and fears the extinction of his culture. In a fast-globalizing world that demands assimilation, a community […]
WORLD PREMIERE In a remote Tibetan monastery, a young monk’s love for basketball and Michael Jordan sparks viral fame and quiet rebellion as he questions the weight of tradition and expectation. – Murtada Elfadl The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with director/producer Hanyun Zhang. All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones […]
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE After living in darkness for nearly 40 years, Ian Nichols, a blind Anglican priest, becomes one of the first people in the world to receive an experimental bionic eye implant. At 76 years old, Nichols grapples with the profound change, as the groundbreaking scientific advancement offers hope alongside perplexing technical limitations. Audiences […]
NYC PREMIERE What does a woman do when political institutions police every aspect of her life, from the way she dresses to what she does for a living? Filmmaker Farahnaz Sharifi takes her 8mm camera and records an alternate life, one lived behind closed doors where her family and friends choose for themselves. This powerful […]