For decades, the life of American jazz musician Billy Tipton was framed as the sensationalistic story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. Now that history gets re-interrogated by trans artists as they try to reimagine Tipton’s life through acts of performance, reclaiming him as a trans icon. […]
WORLD PREMIERE | Dash Snow rejected a life of privilege to make his own way as an artist on the streets of downtown New York City in the late 1990s. Developing from a notorious graffiti tagger into an international art star, he documented his drug- and alcohol-fueled nights with the surrogate family he formed with […]
Just 70 miles north of the Mexican-US border is a land haunted by ghosts. Brooks County, Texas is a barren landscape designed as a deterrent to illegal crossings, but people continue to attempt to cross, and many die trying. The municipality lacks the resources to properly deal with this sad reality, and the numbers keep […]
Brothers and gifted musicians, pianist Aldo and violinist Ilmar were separated during childhood after Ilmar left their native Cuba to study abroad, beginning a lifetime of being physically apart, yet alway connected by music. Brief windows of open US/Cuban relations allow the brothers’ joyous reunions where they revel in each others’ company and create beautiful […]
US PREMIERE | In a dilapidated corner of Alexandria, an exceptional community of young female weightlifters is trained by the grumpy yet charismatic Captain Ramadan. His precarious but prestigious makeshift gym has been a breeding ground for Egypt’s world champions and Olympic athletes. Filmmaker Mayye Zayed intimately follows Zebiba and her coach in their challenging quest […]
DOC NYC 2020 AUDIENCE AWARD WORLD PREMIERE | Lorine Padilla rose to prominence as the “first lady” of the Savage Skulls gang in 1970s New York City. As the wife of one of its founders, Padilla’s position as surrogate mother led her to push her penchant for organizing into a life of community activism. After […]
US PREMIERE | After 45 years together, 69-year-old Jola finally is able to separate from her abusive, alcoholic husband. Leaving him behind in Italy, she returns to her native Poland, reunites with old friends, and begins to live life for herself—going to the beach, taking singing lessons, and attending a Latin dance class. There, she […]
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE | Filmmaker Mor Loushy (Censored Voices) examines the powerful pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), known for bipartisan loyalty in Washington, DC. Throughout its 60-year history, AIPAC has thrived on maintaining order in its ranks, but Loushy gains interviews with disaffected insiders who have deep-seated reservations about the policy-making under Prime Minister […]
Along with friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf grew from a graffiti artist into a major force in the 1980s NYC art scene. Obsessed with garbage, cartoons, and plastic, this playful Peter Pan’s roller coaster career flourished despite the decimation of the AIDS crisis and the fickle tastes of the art world. From […]
Rutland, Vermont, once a prosperous American town, is now ravaged by drugs, poverty, and a diminishing population. When the mayor attempts to welcome 100 Syrian refugees, communal discord erupts over resources and civic priorities. In all the noise, one woman stands apart. Stacie, a single mom struggling with sobriety and the demands of her family, […]