Documentary Movies

Art and the Cold War. Esthetic Resistance

A story about the relationship between independent Soviet art and the West. It recalls a time when art was larger and more important than life itself. On one side, there are independent Soviet artists who lack not only the output but also the finances to complete their works. On the other side, there is the tempting West whose ambassadors (in the literal sense) take active interest in the Soviet underground art market. Selling one’s works to the West is a tricky business since the almighty KGB stands between the two mutually interested parties. Nevertheless, an incredible quantity of mainly Estonian and Moscovian visual art is sold and taken across the border. This is facilitated mainly by Western diplomats, behind whose coordinated actions stands none other than the CIA.

¿Tienes fuego?

Film critic Alejandro G. Calvo traces an audiovisual journey through the work of David Lynch trying to find clues to decipher his enigmatic universe.

The Elk

The Elk sculpture is a beloved icon in Portland, Oregon, but it was sidelined during the 2020 protests. Six years later, it returns, this time to a city and a nation divided over who or what belongs on a pedestal. As protest consumed Portland, Ore. in 2020, the city removed a beloved elk sculpture for safekeeping. Six years later, the elk is the first of the city's damaged monuments to return, and the only sculpture without controversy. But in a city that never really stopped protesting, people remain divided over why the elk went away—and what it means for the dinged-up but refurbished symbol to finally return. Set in an American city reckoning with its symbols of westward expansion, the unfolding fate of the elk and the other sculptures tells the story of a nation divided over who and what belongs on a pedestal.

Queendom

In defiance of Russia’s anti-LGBTQ laws, a queer, 21-year-old artist risks her life performing in surreal costumes throughout Moscow. Jenna Marvin’s radical public performances blend artistry and activism in this SXSW documentary.

I'm a Porn Star: Gay 4 Pay

Welcome to the curious, surprising and always outspoken world of straight men who go Gay4Pay. Curiously, there is a disproportionate percentage of men working in gay porn who identify as straight. Why would a straight man do gay porn? What motivates him to try this or make a career of it? Why is there such keen interest and debate into the sexuality and personal lives of these men? And what does it say about us, the viewer that so much of gay porn is dominated by images of straight men?

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

The story of Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight boxing champion.

Marvel's Behind the Mask

A documentary special that explores the power of identity behind the iconic superheroes we know and love today. These legendary Marvel creations and stories have not only reflected the world outside our window – they have become a reflection of our own identities and who we truly are.

The Making of 'The Fellowship of the Ring'

A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of 2001's "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." Created by filmmaker Costa Botes, personally selected by director Peter Jackson, this documentary uses raw footage to reveal the inside story on how the greatest adventure film franchise was born.

Spirits in the Forest

A look at Depeche Mode's final moments of their 2017 Global Spirit Tour, featuring intimate stories from select fans.

Black Sabbath: Live in Paris 1970

This footage—the earliest known of a complete Black Sabbath concert—was originally shot at Théâtre 140 in Brussels, Belgium on October 3rd, 1970 for Yorkshire Television. Bootleggers have long repeated a fictional claim that the show was recorded in Paris; while this claim has long since been debunked, the film continues to be referred to by that name.

Hotel Yugoslavia

A journey through the times and spaces of the Hotel Jugoslavija.

Belmondo by Belmondo

Jean-Paul Belmondo returns to the settings of a fantastic career, accompanied by his son Paul. Over a career spanning 50 years, Jean-Paul Belmondo’s movies drew over 130 million people into cinemas. This logbook takes us back to sets and countries, from where we can revisit the films in reference and find out about his fruitful collaborations with various directors. Paul Belmondo will lead the investigation, meeting the stars and his father’s friends (eye-witnesses all) and questioning his father about his journey, sharing it with us so we can discover the man and his story like never before.

Jakarta Unfair

According to Jakarta Legal Aid Institute report, Jakarta Provincial Government had conducted 113 evictions in 2015 and 325 more places are threatened by eviction in 2016. At least 70% of evictions were carried out unilaterally and without any proportionate solutions. Now, some evicted area had been flattened. The rationale is still the same: public order and environmental protection (green open space, normalization of reservoir or river) for the sake of a better life. Jakarta Unfair tries to challenge the government thesis of "a better life after eviction."

El Campeón

Interview about the life of Horacio Vásquez.

Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood

A retrospective of the films of Britain's Hammer Studios, renowned for making stylish horror films in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Included are clips from Hammer productions and interviews with actors, actresses, directors and producers who worked on these films.

GEA

Riot: From Rebellion to Redemption

This feature-length documentary offers a chilling look at the long-term effects of urban conflict on a city, its people, and its neighbors. More than just a dusty history lesson, this program brings viewers face-to-face with not only the racism and violence of the event, but the heartbreak that followed, and the ensuing determination of the people who refused to let the riot define or defeat them.

Totally FKT

Centered around the Pennine Way fastest known time. Great Britain’s oldest – and arguably toughest – National Trail, incorporating around 37,000ft of grueling ascent. In 2020 two friends and elite ultra runners John Kelly and Damian Hall take on Mike Hartley’s intimidating record with their dedicated crews and pacers as they take on the most challenging task of their sporting careers to date.

DJ Punk: The Photographer Daniel Josefsohn

Nobody captured the atmosphere of 1990s Berlin better than German photographer Daniel Josefsohn, who died in 2016 at the age of 54, leaving his mark in advertising with his irreverent aesthetic and punk sensibility. It was his spontaneous, imperfect images shot for an MTV campaign in 1994 that first made him famous.

Andre the Giant

An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.