The final section of feature films in my DOC NYC preview offers up our picks of some of the best nonfiction released this year, fifteen docs in the running for Awards Season accolades: Short List
Short List
13TH
Director: Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay (SELMA) explores troubling links between race and incarceration in America.I previously profiled the doc here.
AMANDA KNOX
Directors: Rod Blackhurst & Brian McGinn
The 2007 murder of a British exchange student in Perugia, Italy is a case study in the vagaries of crime and punishment.I previously profiled the doc here.
CAMERAPERSON
Director: Kirsten Johnson
Acclaimed cinematographer Kirsten Johnson constructs a globetrotting memoir that serves as a testimony to the power of image-making.I previously profiled the doc here.
FIRE AT SEA
Director: Gianfranco Rosi
Winner of the Berlin Film Festival’s top prize, the Golden Bear, FIRE AT SEA takes an observational look at the waves of refugees landing on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa.I previously profiled the doc here.
GLEASON
Director: Clay Tweel
After former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason receives a devastating diagnosis of ALS, he turns the camera on himself.I previously profiled the doc here.
I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO
Director: Raoul Peck
A stunning, topical film essay adapted from James Baldwin’s unfinished book about three martyrs of civil rights: Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers.
INTO THE INFERNO
Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog teams with a noted volcanologist to travel the world for a meditation on volcanoes and their meaning.
THE IVORY GAME
Directors: Kief Davidson & Richard Ladkani
A suspenseful chronicle about the battle to save the African elephant.
JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY
Director: Brian Oakes
Unwilling to allow American photojournalist James Foley to be remembered only by his death at the hands of ISIS, his childhood friend celebrates his life and work.I previously profiled the doc here.
LIFE, ANIMATED
Director: Roger Ross Williams
Ron Suskind discovers that Disney animated films provide the key to connecting with his severely autistic son Owen.I previously profiled the doc here.
MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES
Directors: Randy Barbato & Fenton Bailey
A portrait of Robert Mapplethorpe, who emerged from the vibrant 1970s New York art scene to become a celebrated, controversial photographer.I previously profiled the doc here.
MISS SHARON JONES!
Director: Barbara Kopple
Two-time Oscar®-winner Barbara Kopple follows Sharon Jones – “the female James Brown” – as she faces adversity.I previously profiled the doc here.
OJ: MADE IN AMERICA
Director: Ezra Edelman
More than 20 years later, Ezra Edelman revisits not only OJ Simpson’s infamous “trial of the century,” but the story of his entire life.I previously profiled the doc here.
TRAPPED
Director: Dawn Porter
Dawn Porter, this year’s Robert and Anne Drew Award-winner at DOC NYC’s Visionaries Tribute, tells the story of two Southern reproductive-health clinics struggling to stay open against a wave of restrictive legislation.I previously profiled the doc here.
WEINER
Directors: Josh Kriegman & Elyse Steinberg
With remarkable inside access, WEINER captures the impact of Anthony Weiner’s sexting scandal on his mayoral campaign.I previously profiled the doc here.
Why You Should Attend:
DOC NYC’s Short List has consistently been on point, predicting the majority of Academy shortlisted doc features and the eventual winners since the inception of this programming section. Viewers who missed these exceptional films upon their initial release, or who want the opportunity to revisit these likely contenders, also can enjoy Q&A sessions with attending filmmakers, plus a day-long series of panels focused on this strand at DOC NYC PRO this Friday, November 11, Short List Day.
More Info:
For full descriptions, a list of expected special guests, and to purchase tickets, click on the individual titles above, and follow links for ticketing, where still available. Or consider purchasing one of DOC NYC’s Pass options for access to a variety of programming.
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