Coming to PBS’s American Experience tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3:
THE LIE DETECTOR
Director:
Rob Rapley
World Premiere:
American Experience (January 2023)
About:
A recounting of the often dark history of the polygraph machine.
Coming to PBS’s American Experience tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3:
THE LIE DETECTOR
Director:
Rob Rapley
World Premiere:
American Experience (January 2023)
About:
A recounting of the often dark history of the polygraph machine.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SHERE HITE
Shere Hite’s 1976 bestselling book, The Hite Report, liberated the female orgasm by revealing the most private experiences of thousands of anonymous survey respondents. Her findings rocked the American establishment and presaged current conversations about gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy. So how did Shere Hite disappear?
Director/Producer:
Nicole Newnham
Producers:
Molly O’Brien, RJ Cutler, Elise Pearlstein, Kimberley Ferdinando, Trevor Smith
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
More Info:
Check out the Sundance website for more details, including screening info, by clicking on the film title above.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens today, Monday, January 2:
CHILDREN OF LAS BRISAS
Director:
Marianela Maldonado
World Premiere:
Sheffield 2022
Select Festivals:
DMZ Docs, DOC NYC
About:
Nine years in the lives of young Venezuelans whose musical talent offer a chance for them to escape poverty.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

BAD PRESS
When the Muscogee Nation suddenly begins censoring its free press, a rogue reporter fights to expose her government’s corruption in a historic battle that will have ramifications for all of Indian country.
Directors:
Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, Joe Peeler
Producers:
Conrad Beilharz, Garrett F Baker, Tyler Graim
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
More Info:
Check out the Sundance website for more details, including screening info, by clicking on the film title above.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

AUM: THE CULT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
On the morning of March 20, 1995, a deadly nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway sent the nation and its people into chaos. This exploration of Aum Shinrikyo, the cult responsible for the attack, involves the participation of those who lived through the horror as it unfolded.
Directors/Producers:
Ben Braun, Chiaki Yanagimoto
Producers:
Dan Braun, Josh Braun, Rick Brookwell
Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
More Info:
Check out the Sundance website for more details, including screening info, by clicking on the film title above.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3:
SIRENS
Director:
Rita Baghdadi
World Premiere:
Sundance 2022
Select Festivals:
True/False, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Thessaloniki Doc, BFI Flare, Cleveland, Sun Valley, Florida, BAFICI, Krakow, Guadalajara, Sydney, Frameline, Outfest, BAMcinemaFest
About:
On the outskirts of Beirut, Lilas and Shery, co-founders and guitarists of the Middle East’s first all-female metal band, wrestle with friendship, sexuality, and destruction in their pursuit of becoming thrash metal rock stars.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
The 39th Sundance Film Festival will run January 19-29, returning to in-person screenings in Utah, with a robust selection of titles also available online. So far, we have announced 101 features, 4 indie episodic projects, and 64 new short films as part of the lineup.
In my role as a Senior Programmer for the Festival, I’m looking forward to sharing this slate with audiences next month. As I did last year, I’m devoting the next few weeks of this space to spotlighting each of our feature docs and long-form episodic nonfiction offerings with simple, individual pointers to each of these projects. Sundance Don’t Miss Docs begins this coming Monday.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to CNN this Sunday, January 1:
DIONNE WARWICK: DON’T MAKE ME OVER
Director:
Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner
World Premiere:
Toronto 2021
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Montclair, Santa Barbara, Annapolis
About:
In this career-spanning portrait, richly illustrated with vintage musical performances, Dionne Warwick is a marvelous raconteur sharing candid stories behind her hit songs.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

Coming to VOD this Sunday, January 1:
MCCURRY: THE PURSUIT OF COLOUR
Director:
Denis Delestrac
World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021
Select Festivals:
Glasgow, Málaga, Docs Against Gravity
About:
Travel the world through Steve McCurry’s eyes and discover what these journeys can teach us about our place in the universe.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

Coming to HBO Max this Friday, December 30:
THIS PLACE RULES
Director:
Andrew Callaghan
World Premiere:
HBO Max (December 2022)
About:
A gonzo style investigation into the undercurrents that led to the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases