what (not) to doc

WHO KILLED ALEX ODEH?
The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today.

Directors:
Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans

Producers:
Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J Chalfen

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.

SOUL PATROL
From deep behind enemy lines, a hidden chapter of American military history is uncovered, prompting the question of whether reckoning with the past can bring peace to those who lived it. The Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to tell their story.

Director:
JM Harper

Producers:
Sam Bisbee, Danielle Massie, JM Harper, Nasir Jones, Peter Bittenbender

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.

SEIZED
When the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner, a fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution.

Director:
Sharon Liese

Producers:
Sharon Liese, Sasha Alpert, Paul Matyasovsky

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.

PUBLIC ACCESS
An unprecedented look inside one of the greatest media experiments to hijack American screens. Rare archives from New York’s underground capture a world of creators who shattered rules, defied censors, and transformed our televisions into a free-speech battleground where anyone could be a star.

Director:
David Shadrack Smith

Producers:
Sara Crow, Anne-Marcelle Ngabirano

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.

NUISANCE BEAR
A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape.

Directors:
Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman

Producers:
Michael Code, Will N Miller, Teddy Leifer

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.

THE LAKE
An environmental nuclear bomb looms in Utah. Two intrepid scientists and a political insider race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe.

Director:
Abby Ellis

Producers:
Fletcher Keyes, Abby Ellis

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.

JOYBUBBLES
Joybubbles discovers he can manipulate the telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind and yearning for connection, his early obsession unwittingly lays the groundwork for a subculture that shapes the future of hacking and technology.

Director:
Rachael J Morrison

Producer:
Sarah Winshall

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.

BARBARA FOREVER
An archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer.

Director:
Brydie O’Connor

Producers:
Elijah Stevens, Brydie O’Connor, Claire Edelman

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.

AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ
Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story.

Director:
David Alvarado

Producers:
David Alvarado, Lauren DeFilippo, Everett Katigbak, Amanda Pollak

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.

AMERICAN DOCTOR
When three American doctors — Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian — enter Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics, risking everything to expose the truth.

Director:
Poh Si Teng

Producers:
Poh Si Teng, Kirstine Barfod, Reem Haddad

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.