EL CANTO DE LAS MANOS

US PREMIERE The premise is shattering enough: A mother in Georgia becomes a surrogate to provide for her young daughter. Yet filmmaker Ketevan Vashagashvili’s intimate portrait derives its strength from the perceptive ways she captures the relationship between the two women. What starts as a means to make money evolves into a personal crisis, challenging the limits of familial devotion. This is an unflinching yet tender exploration of resilience and love through unimaginable circumstances. - Murtada Elfadl

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Ketevan Vashagashvili, and producers Anna Khazaradze and Nino Chichua.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

Accessibility alert for November 16 and November 18 screenings of 9-Month Contract: We have been recently informed by Village East Cinemas that the room where this screening takes place is currently only accessible via a short flight of eight stairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, the film is available to view at home as part of DOC NYC’s online festival. Please reach out to ticketing@docnyc.net with any questions.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Vivid dreams and ghostly visits from Brazilian director João Vieira Torres’ grandmother compel him to explore the stories of the women in his family, many of whom were victims of violence. With intimate family conversations, haunting photos, and his coming-of-age story, João traces his journey to uncover a tragic legacy. In the process, he weaves a poignant, powerful narrative of generational trauma and the triumph of love in the face of Brazil’s racism and sexism. - Karen McMullen

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director João Vieira Torres.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

Accessibility alert for November 14 and November 17 screenings of Aurora: We have been recently informed by Village East Cinemas that the room where this screening takes place is currently only accessible via a short flight of eight stairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, the film is available to view at home as part of DOC NYC’s online festival. Please reach out to ticketing@docnyc.net with any questions.

US PREMIERE Visiting a Chechen community that escaped the unrelenting wars of their homeland and settled in nearby Georgia, filmmaker Déni Oumar Pitsaev ponders pressure from his divorced parents about returning to live among his own people and raise a family. While the pull of roots is undeniable, Déni wonders whether his Muslim family and neighbors will value his artistic dreams and somewhat untraditional views. Winner of Best Documentary at Cannes 2025, Imago is a moving exploration of the impact that our immediate families and our cultural heritages can play in both supporting and limiting our lives - depending on how we handle those influences. – Jaie Laplante

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Déni Oumar Pitsaev.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

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 struggles to hold on to its distinctive customs. Simultaneously, a filmmaker observes the decline of traditions that defined his formative years. - Bedatri D. Choudhury

The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with the following members of the Tibetan community in NYC: Tsering Bista, Nawang Tsering Gurung, and Yeshi Choedon.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

US PREMIERE A complex power structure of casteism, oppression, and corruption governs the lives of Dalit poppy farmers. Vardibhai, older and traumatized by casteist abuse, believes the way out is through hard work and resilience. Her son Mangilal chooses the political route to organize and agitate toward a resistance. The Hot Docs Best International Feature Documentary award-winning film shows the limitations of both approaches within a system that is inherently broken and biased. - Bedatri D. Choudhury

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director/producer Vivek Chaudhary.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

Accessibility alert for November 18 screening of I, Poppy: We have been recently informed by Village East Cinemas that the room where this screening takes place is currently only accessible via a short flight of eight stairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, the film is available to view at home as part of DOC NYC’s online festival. Please reach out to ticketing@docnyc.net with any questions.

US PREMIERE Take a trip beyond headlines and meet the hyperactive boy who would go on to be a TV mogul and actor, all before becoming the president of Ukraine and the subject of global attention in leading the country’s defense against Russian aggression. With interviews with those who knew Volodymyr Zelensky before he became one of the most famous men in the world, the documentary combines interviews and archival material to show us the Zelensky we don’t know. - Bedatri D. Choudhury

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director/writer Yves Jeuland, writer Ariane Chemin, and producer Guilaine Chenu.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Pedro, a claims adjuster navigating Mexico’s corrupt insurance industry, spends his days probing tragedies while resisting pressure to manipulate the truth. Seeking escape, he turns to contemporary art and theater, befriending artist Miguel Calderón, only to confront a parallel world of vanity and deceit. Blurring observation, reenactment, and performance, the film intertwines insurance and art as twin arenas of predation. Calderón's dark humor and biting critique satirize power, corruption, and the fragile search for meaning. - Ruth Somalo

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Miguel Calderón and producer Andrea Paasch.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

Accessibility alert for November 17 screening of Loss Adjustment: We have been recently informed by Village East Cinemas that the room where this screening takes place is currently only accessible via a short flight of eight stairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, the film is available to view at home as part of DOC NYC’s online festival. Please reach out to ticketing@docnyc.net with any questions.