Documentary of the Week

Filmmakers Ashley Sabin and David Redmon explore the mystery of what happened to the famous collection of VHS tapes and DVDs from New York's beloved rental store Kim's Video that closed in 2008.

'In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon' explores six decades of the musician's career while following him in the studio for the making of his recent album 'Seven Psalms.'

'Carol Doda Topless at the Condor' profiles the San Francisco dancer who broke taboos with nude performances starting in 1964.

'Frida' profiles the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo by drawing upon her own words from diaries, letters and interviews.

'A Revolution on Canvas' explores the complicated history of Iranian artists Nicky Nodjoumi and Nahid Hagigat who are exiled in the United States.

The HBO series 'God Save Texas' presents three films bringing fresh perspectives on the state, inspired by the book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lawrence Wright.

'Breaking the News' follows the start-up of The 19th*, a non-profit journalism outlet focused on people marginalized by gender and race.

In 'Island in Between,' filmmaker S. Leo Chiang reflects on geopolitical tensions between Taiwan and China.

'Bobi Wine: The People's President' follows a Ugandan pop star who enters politics to oppose the authoritarian regime that's held power for over three decades.

'The ABCs of Book Banning' gives a platform to grade school students and others to reflect on what it means when titles are pulled off their library shelves.

'20 Days in Mariupol' follows Associated Press cameraman Mstyslav Chernov in the Ukrainian city that was on the front lines of Russia's invasion.

The short documentary 'Deciding Vote' looks back to 1970 when legalizing abortion in New York State hinged upon one assemblyman, George Michaels.

'The Disappearance of Shere Hite' explores the rise and fall of the sex researcher who emerged in the 1970s with best-selling books then faded into obscurity.

'Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled' profiles the actress-director-writer who will appear in person for the film's U.S. premiere at the DOC NYC festival on November 12.

'Another Body' explores the rising cases of non-consensual deepfake technology used in pornography, whereby an unsuspecting woman's face is digitally edited into explicit content.

Filmmaker Errol Morris profiles the renowned spy novelist David Cornwell - better known as John le Carré - in the documentary 'The Pigeon Tunnel.'

'Silver Dollar Road,' based on reporting by ProPublica and The New Yorker, explores the story of a family who fought developers to retain inherited property in North Carolina.

'Reality Winner' profiles the whistle-blower who leaked a secret NSA report about Russian attempts to interfere with the U.S. election.

'Joan Baez: I Am a Noise' profiles the folk singer whose career was intertwined with the civil rights and non-violence movements.

"Every Body" explores the history, science and politics of people who were born with reproductive anatomy that doesn't easily fit the categories of male or female. Filmmaker Julie Cohen profiles three people who went public with their stories.

"26.2 to Life" follows inmates at California's San Quentin prison as they train and compete for a marathon. Filmmaker Christine Yoo explores how each prisoner strives for their personal best, seeking different forms of redemption.

"The League" is a vibrant history of baseball's Negro leagues that rose up in the Jim Crow era and pushed the game in new directions. Filmmaker Sam Pollard ("MLK/FBI") covers legendary players such as Satchel Paige as well as behind the scenes figures such as Newark's club co-owner Effa Manley.

"Youth v Gov" follows young people suing the United State government to address the climate crisis. The film shows the depth of a larger activist movement that won a victory this past week in Montana's courts.

"Stephen Curry: Underrated" tells the origin story of the NBA All-Star from his college days at Davidson College when he grabbed the attention of fans with a series of March Madness upsets. Filmmaker Peter Nicks weaves that history together with Curry's storybook run at the NBA finals in 2022.

Sundance Film Festival prize winner "Kokomo City" is sexy, sassy and surprising in its portrait of four transgender sex workers. Hip-hop producer turned filmmaker D. Smith brings tremendous vitality to celebrating these lives in language that's mostly too raw for public radio.

"While We Watched" profiles India's TV news anchor Ravish Kumar as he faces death threats and other pressures while trying to practice journalism in an age of rising extremism. The film, directed by Vinay Shukla, has won multiple festival awards.

"Casa Susanna" reflects on a haven for transgender expression in the Catskills that was kept secret for decades. French filmmaker Sébastien Lifshitz profiles four people whose lives were profoundly intertwined with this history.

"The Stroll" explores the history of transgender sex workers who worked the streets of New York's Meatpacking District before the neighborhood's gentrification. Directors Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker document the intense pressures, but also the activism, sisterhood and self-empowerment in the community.

"Victim/Suspect" follows reporter Rae de Leon as she investigates a pattern of cases where women reported sexual assault only to be accused by police of lying. Filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman explores the underlying biases behind this trend.

The actor, John Leguizamo takes a road trip to Latin American communities across the country in, "Leguizamo Does America." He engages prominent locals in lively conversations about their history, food, music and culture.

New York based-filmmaker Jon-Sesrie Goff traces his family's roots in the Gullah community of South Carolina in "After Sherman," a title evoking the Civil War general. The film is more poetic than didactic as it connects the past to the present.

"Being Mary Tyler Moore" explores how the actress compared and contrasted in real life to the characters she portrayed. Director James Adolphus chronicles how Moore was constantly evolving.

In "1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed," Director W. Kamau Bell interviews mixed race people across three generations to understand their challenges and insights. The film is an opportunity to listen and learn.

"32 Sounds" is a documentary essay that enlists composers, scientists, Hollywood effects specialists and others to contemplate how we listen. Filmmaker Sam Green has created an interactive experience best experienced in a movie theater.

"Little Richard: I Am Everything" brings a fresh perspective on the history of rock 'n' roll with insights from Mick Jagger and Billy Porter. Director Lisa Cortes explores what it meant to be Black and queer when both were subject to intense discrimination and violence.

"Wild Life" tells the love story of Doug and Kris Tompkins who gave up careers running North Face and Patagonia to devote themselves to conservation. Oscar-winning filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Free Solo") chronicle how the Tompkins orchestrated the largest national park land donation in history.

In "The First Step," we follow progressive activist Van Jones as forges an unlikely alliance with Jared Kushner in the Trump administration to pass criminal justice reform. The film-making brothers, Brandon and Lance Kramer show how political coalitions are hard to win and easy to lose.

The American soldiers who were interviewed 20 years ago for the documentary "Gunner Palace" about the war in Iraq, look back on their experiences today in "The Army We Had." While many Americans may want to forget the war, filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker keep the memories of these soldiers alive.

"Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV" profiles the ground-breaking video artist whose work in the 1970s and 80s anticipated numerous artistic and technological innovations that came afterward. Filmmaker Amanda Kim interviews Paik's friends and admirers who put his legacy in perspective.

"All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" profiles the artist Nan Goldin and her fight to have the Sackler family held accountable for the opioid epidemic. Oscar-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras explores Goldin's complex history as an artist and activist while chronicling her recent campaign to have art institutions disassociate themselves from the Sacklers as donors.

"Navalny" follows the Russian dissident Alexei Navalny as he investigates a Kremlin plot to assassinate him. Today, Navalny is in prison, but this film by Daniel Roher keeps his voice alive and is nominated for an Academy Award.

"Framing Agnes" brings to life archival interviews with transgender men and women from the 1950s. Filmmaker Chase Joynt leads a team of trans collaborators including Zackary Drucker, Angelica Ross and Max Wolf Valerio to shed light on this earlier generation.

"The 1619 Project" adapts the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism of Nikole Hannah-Jones into a six-part series on Hulu. Filmmaker Roger Ross Williams teams with The New York Times and Oprah Winfrey to reexamine Black American history.

"Nothing Lasts Forever" explores how the rise of synthetic diamonds is disrupting the longtime monopoly of the company De Beers. Filmmaker Jason Kohn interviews a wide range of industry insiders including jewelry designer and historian Aja Raden.

"Body Parts" explores Hollywood's complicated history of filming nudity and sexuality. We hear from actors such as Jane Fonda and Rose McGowan about their frequent experiences of being coerced into explicit scenes against their better judgment - and how they found their voice to push for change.

"Roberta" chronicles how the singer of "Killing Me Softly" went from being a classically trained musician to a soul sensation. Director Antonino D'Ambrosio draws upon interviews with Roberta Flack and her contemporaries such as Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis along with music scholars Emily Lordi and Jason King.

"Angola Do You Hear Us?" follows Liza Jessie Peterson as she performs her one woman show, "The Peculiar Patriot" at Louisiana's Angola Prison. Filmmaker Cinque Northern captures how the event raises excitement for the inmates and tensions for the guards.

"38 at the Garden" looks back on Jeremy Lin's phenomenal scoring streak with the New York Knicks in 2012 and what it meant for Asian Americans. Filmmaker Frank Chi interviews Lin along with comedian Hassan Minaj, journalist Lisa Ling and others who reflect on how "Linsanity" became about more than just basketball.

In "Bad Axe," filmmaker David Siev documents his immigrant family running their restaurant during the 2020 challenges of COVID and a racial reckoning. When tensions rise, the family has to choose when and how to make a stand.

"Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb" looks at the relationship between Lyndon Johnson's biographer and his editor. Filmmaker Lizzie Gottlieb brings a personal perspective as the editor's daughter.

Joyce Chopra, who made the ground-breaking 1972 personal documentary "Joyce at 34," has published a new memoir called "Lady Director." A collection of her films is now available on Criterion.

"To the End" follows young activists with the Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats as they join forces with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to push the Green New Deal. Filmmaker Rachel Lears examines the idealism, road blocks and breakthroughs as the activists face pushback from the fossil fuel industry and its political supporters.

"2nd Chance" profiles the complicated life Richard Davis whose invention of body armor saved lives while he ducked scandals. Filmmaker Ramin Bahrani explores American myth-making around guns, retribution and redemption.

"Descendant" explores the legacy of the last known slave ship that arrived in Mobile, Alabama in 1860. Filmmaker Margaret Brown profiles the descendants of enslaved Africans who were aboard the ship and the family that financed it.

Before there was Robert Downey Jr., there was his namesake father, an underground filmmaker, who's profiled in "Sr." Documentarian Chris Smith follows the two generations of Downeys as they seek to become closer and the father feels his mortality.

"Fragments of Paradise" celebrates the life of Jonas Mekas, co-founder of New York's Anthology Film Archives, who left a lasting legacy on the New York film world. Directed by KD Davison, the film premieres among nearly 200 films at the DOC NYC festival in theaters and online. "Fragments of Paradise" premieres Saturday, Nov. 12 at DOC NYC.

"The Best Chef in the World" profiles Sally Schmitt, founder of the legendary restaurant The French Laundry. Oscar-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot captures her history as a trail blazer when it was rare for a woman to run a restaurant.

"Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues" explores the legendary trumpet player and singer in all his complexity. Filmmaker Sacha Jenkins draws upon Armstrong's private audio diaries and interviews to tell his own story.

Filmmaker Nausheen Dadabhoy interviews American Muslims from diverse backgrounds to create a mosaic of voices in "An Act of Worship." The film shows how love can serve as an antidote to discrimination and hate.

"The Last Out" follows several Cuban baseball players trying to emigrate to the United States to follow their major league dreams. We watch them be challenged physically and mentally in a competitive marketplace where raw talent alone isn't enough.

In "Last Flight Home," director Ondi Timoner chronicles her entrepreneur father Eli, creator of Air Florida, in the final weeks of his life. The film captures their family's experience as the 92-year-old patriarch chooses to exercise California's legal right to end his own life.

"The U.S. and the Holocaust" looks at the World War II era when many European Jews fleeing the Nazis were turned away by America. Filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein tell a story that deeply resonates today as the United States grapples with the arrival of asylum seekers.

In "The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales," filmmaker Abigail Disney examines how the corporation built by her grandfather Roy and great uncle Walt treats its workers today. The film delivers a broader study of how American business trends have widened economic inequality.

"Moonage Daydream" explores the artistry of David Bowie through his music, paintings, acting and interviews drawn from his private archives. Filmmaker Brett Morgen creates a visual spectacle as bold as his subject.

"We Met in Virtual Reality" takes a unique approach to documentary by filming on the platform VR Chat and interviewing users through their avatars. Filmmaker Joe Hunting puts the emphasis less on technology and more on the search for human connection.

The 3-part series "Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons" explores the legacy of the company's leader Leslie Wexner and his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein who died in prison awaiting trial on numerous accusations of sex trafficking. Filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer explores the rise and fall of the multi-billion dollar lingerie brand.

"The Last Movie Stars" is a six-part series exploring the 50-year marriage of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The filmmaker Ethan Hawke taps an archive of unpublished interviews along with extensive film clips to dive into their complexities.

"Free Chol Soo Lee" explores the legacy of a 1973 murder in San Francisco's Chinatown and a young Korean immigrant who was initially convicted of the crime. Filmmakers Julia Ha and Eugene Yi offer a nuanced profile of the complex man behind the slogan.

"Mija" follows talent manager Doris Muñoz and singer Jacks Haupt as they navigate the highs and lows of the music business. Filmmaker Isabel Castro captures them balancing family obligations while they forge their own identities.

The HBO documentary series "Mind Over Murder" explores why several people confessed to a crime they didn't commit. Filmmaker Nanfu Wang isn't focused on the "whodunit" as much as the more complicated question of how to find reconciliation after a tragedy.

The Netflix series "How to Change Your Mind" follows author Michael Pollan as he explores the psychedelic worlds of LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and mescaline. Filmmaker Lucy Walker and her team tell a story of how these drugs were once demonized but are now being reconsidered in a more positive light.

"Dreaming Walls" profiles the longtime residents of New York's legendary Chelsea Hotel who stayed during the many years the building went under reconstruction. Filmmakers Amélie van Elmbt and Maya Duverdier aren't attempting a comprehensive history, but rather a dreamy portrait of a place.

"The Martha Mitchell Effect" profiles the woman who played a key role in exposing the depths of Watergate and bringing down President Nixon. Filmmaker Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy use archival footage to trace how Martha Mitchell was maligned by the Nixon administration until people realized the truth of her statements.

The Oscar nominated documentary "Who Killed Vincent Chin?" examines a case from 40 years ago that galvanized Asian Americans to rally against racial violence. Filmmaker Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Peña delve into the background tensions of Detroit's auto industry in the 1980s that were a backdrop to a tragedy.

"The Janes" profiles a group of Chicago women who created a network to perform illegal abortions in the days before the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade decision. Filmmakers Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes capture the defiance and dedication of these women who operated under the threat of imprisonment.

"Joe Papp in Five Acts" profiles the founder of New York's Shakespeare in the Park and the Public Theater. The film includes interviews with Meryl Streep, James Earl Jones, Martin Sheen and others who explore Papp in all his complexity.

"Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres" profiles the music journalist known for his insightful interviews. Filmmaker Suzanne Joe Kai weaves Fong-Torres' own story in with his encounters with legends such as Jim Morrison, Ray Charles, Tina Turner and many others.

The Showtime series "Couples Therapy" returns for season three as Dr. Orna Guralnik treats four New York couples in long-term relationships going through a crisis. We watch as they dig into thorny issues of infidelity, addiction, childhood trauma and kitchen cleanliness.

"Sheryl" profiles the singer songwriter Sheryl Crow whose catchy hits such as "Soak Up the Sun" were sometimes at odds with her struggles behind the scenes. Filmmaker Amy Scott gives us a deeper appreciation for her talents and tribulations.

"White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch" explores allegations of racism, discrimination and sexual harassment at the clothing store marketed to the "cool kids." Filmmaker Alison Klayman. Interviews company insiders and outsiders to document how the CEO's self-declared mission to be "exclusionary" stopped working.

"La Madrina: The [Savage] Life of Lorine Padilla" profiles a member of the South Bronx gang the Savage Skulls who became a community activist. Filmmaker Raquel Cepeda uncovers a hidden history of Latinas who overcame multiple adversities.

Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt reflects on a Brooklyn schoolyard incident from 1965 in the Oscar nominated short documentary, "When We Were Bullies." He employs visual techniques of collage and stop motion animation to deconstruct and reconstruct the past.

"Sub Eleven Seconds" captures Sha'Carri Richardson, one of the fastest women to ever run the 100 meter race, as she competes to qualify for the Olympics in 2021. In the span of a short documentary, the 28-year-old filmmaker and photographer, Bafic, combines athleticism and artistry for a poignant meditation on time.

"The Andy Warhol Diaries" is a six-part series capturing the artist's personal life in his own words — using AI technology to recreate his voice. Filmmaker Andrew Rossi brings a fresh perspective to understanding the mercurial icon and his times.

"Calendar Girl" profiles Ruth Finley who created the Fashion Calendar that was an indispensable resource for designers. Filmmaker Christian D. Bruun illuminates a hidden history through interviews with fashion icons such as Carolina Herrera, Nicole Miller and Diane von Furstenberg.

"Dear Mr. Brody" takes us back to 1970 when a 21-year-old heir to a fortune in Scarsdale, New York promised to give away his money - causing thousands of people to write him letters describing their needs. Filmmaker Keith Maitland explores the mystery of Brody and the contents of those letters.

"The Automat" tells a lively history of the restaurant chain Horn & Hardart through the memories of famous customers like Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Colin Powell. Filmmaker Lisa Hurwitz explores the changing demographics of urban culture that caused the Automat's fortunes to rise and fall.

"We Need to Talk About Cosby" grapples with the legacy of the once-beloved comedian who's been accused by over 60 women of rape and sexual assault. Director W. Kamau Bell interviews a wide range of people including Cosby's accusers, former colleagues, and journalists for the four-part series streaming on Showtime.

"Ronnie's" tells the history of London's legendary jazz club and its co-founder, tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott. Filmmaker Oliver Murray weaves in vintage performances by Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and other musical greats recorded at the club.

"Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back" profiles the dancer who was a child performer with his younger brother Gregory before they took divergent paths. Filmmaker John Carluccio explores their history that had a fictional parallel in the characters they portrayed in "The Cotton Club."

Christine Turner's short documentary "Lynching Postcards" examines the history of racial terror lynchings in America that were memorialized with photographic souvenirs. Historians Terry Anne Scott, Yohuru Williams and Leigh Raiford explain how the postcards flourished and were eventually used as evidence by anti-lynching activists.

The Netflix phenomenon "Cheer" returns for a second season, following the college cheerleading squad Navarro as they compete against rival Trinity Valley for a national championship. The show's success is now part of the story as the teams cope with fame, COVID and criminal charges against a beloved Navarro cheerleader.

Lawyer Jeffery Robinson delivers a version of history different from what's taught in schools in "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America." Filmmakers Sarah and Emily Kunstler travel with Robinson to American landmarks where he interviews figures who connect the past to the present.

"American Insurrection" on PBS's Frontline investigates vigilante groups active in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Correspondent A.C. Thompson of ProPublica studies how groups such as the Proud Boys and Boogaloo Boys are constantly shifting.

"Fauci" profiles the doctor who's served as an adviser to seven American presidents as he grapples with the science and politics of Covid-19. Filmmakers John Hoffman and Janet Tobias look at Dr. Anthony Fauci's full career — including his previous work as an AIDS researcher.

"Reopening Night" captures the cast and crew of Shakespeare in the Park as they produce "Merry Wives" after the pandemic shutdown. The new production adapted by playwright Jocelyn Bioh sets the romantic misadventures of Falstaff in modern day Harlem.

"Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street" looks at the origins of the groundbreaking children's television show. Documentary maker Marilyn Agrelo profiles both famous figures such as Jim Henson and Frank Oz as well as lesser-known people behind the scenes.

The half-hour documentary "Takeover" recounts how the radical Puerto Rican group the Young Lords took over a South Bronx hospital in 1970. Filmmaker Emma Francis-Snyder conducts new interviews with Young Lords members to reconstruct what happened through archival footage and recreations.

The documentary "Listening to Kenny G" profiles the saxophonist whose instrumental hits helped popularize the radio format of smooth jazz and created a backlash. Filmmaker Penny Lane explores a bigger question: how do we decide what music is good or bad?