November 13, 2016

A Sentimental Screening on the Power of Poetry

  Written by Eric Shea   This year’s screening of the 2010 film To Be Heard carried even more sentimentality and emotional weight than when it made its premiere at the inaugural DOC NYC six years ago. Earlier this year one of the film’s directors, Roland Legiardi-Laura, passed away after a battle with cancer and […]

November 13, 2016

Mass Incarceration and the Fight for Justice

  Written by Whitney Marin   The United States is 5% of the world’s population, yet holds 25% of the world’s prisoners. Mass incarceration and the criminalization of the African American identity is explored in the film 13th, directed by Golden Globe-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay. DOC NYC Artistic Director Thom Powers introduced 13th and moderated […]

November 13, 2016

Hostage Situations and Worst Case Scenarios

  Written by Megan Scanlon   DOC NYC headed into day two of the festival with a screening of the much anticipated Captive: Cola Kidnap. A preview of the first episode out of eight, the audience saw the world premiere of the upcoming docuseries to be aired on Netflix, “the only place that could have […]

November 13, 2016

A Big List of Brilliant Things

  Written by Eric Shea   Every Brilliant Thing captured the deeply emotional, yet at times comical, one-man play of the same name. The film focused on British actor Jonny Donahoe as he delivered a powerful performance of the play he co-wrote with Duncan Macmillan. The play’s central character, played by Donahoe, attempts to cope […]

November 13, 2016

L7: Still Loud, Fast, and Definitely Not Dead

  Written by Kate Hoos   How do you best capture the narrative of a larger than life, over the top rock band – a band known for members dropping their pants on live TV, trolling Motley Crue in the studio with naked pictures of men, and who once raffled off a one night stand […]

November 12, 2016

Female Vets Confront The War at Home

  Written by Kate Hoos   War is difficult. Coming back from it can be harrowing too. After Fire, directed by Brittnay Huckabee, made it’s world premiere at Doc NYC on Veteran’s Day 2016 and tells the story of three women coming to terms with their experiences and the trauma they lived through during their […]

November 12, 2016

A Piece of His Heart and a Whole Lot of Soul

  Written by Krystal Grow   You know the songs. They’re some of the most memorable pieces of music performed by some of the most legendary artists in the business. But you may not know that songs like “Piece of My Heart,” “Twist and Shout,” and “Cry Baby,” among many others, came from the heart […]

November 12, 2016

City of Joy Gives Congolese Women a New Life after War and Violence

  Written by Rebecca DeRosa   After experiencing the worst pain imaginable—excruciating sexual assault and the loss of their families and homes—Congolese women have a chance to heal at the City of Joy. This aptly named center and home for women in central Africa opened in 2011 and was founded by activist Christine Schuler-Deschryver, playwright […]

November 12, 2016

What Would Jane Jacobs Do?

  Written by Susan Keyloun   The Seventh Annual DOC NYC Festival kicked off its gala opening night with the U.S. premiere of Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, which was introduced with great fanfare by President of AMC Networks Josh Sapan, NY State Senator Brad Hoylman, who represents Chelsea and Greenwich Village, co-founder of Friends […]

November 11, 2016

Robert Mapplethorpe and The Art of Controversy

  Written by Krystal Grow   His photographs were shocking, powerful, and honest. They outraged conservative senators and incited federal lawsuits. But Robert Mapplethorpe’s images also had a raw beauty and a forceful and unflinching vision that made them impossible to ignore. Shown as part of DOC NYC’s 2016 Short List, Director of Programming Basil […]