Documentary
The Roman Empire in the First Century
rating:3.5.png

The Roman Empire in the First Century

2002
This PBS-produced documentary sweeps through history as the Roman Empire reigns in the 1st century. But for the Romans, being in control meant dealing with a spate of social problems: coups, power struggles and crimes. Out of the ashes of disorder, however, rose a Phoenix-like empire even stronger than its original version -- thanks to the work of thinkers, fighters, noblemen and peasants.

Directed by:

  • Margaret Koval
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Little Man
    rating:3.5.png

    Little Man

    2005
    Turning the camera lens on her own life, lesbian filmmaker Nicole Conn captures the heart-wrenching process of having a surrogate child with her life partner, political activist Gwen Baba, only to have the baby be born 100 days too early. Weighing just 1 pound with a heart the size of a cashew, the tiny infant Nicholas fights valiantly for his own survival while his parents fight to keep their commitment alive.

    Directed by:

  • Nicole Conn
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    La Sierra
    rating:3.5.png

    La Sierra

    2005
    Colombia-based journalists Scott Dalton and Margarita Martinez introduce us to a nation at civil war by hitting the streets of Medellín, a dangerous city ruled by a fierce paramilitary gang. By focusing on three vastly different personalities -- Edison, a gang leader; Cielo, a widowed teenage mother; and Jesus, a drug-using thug -- the filmmakers draw us into their world and capture startling moments of truth and sorrow.

    Directed by:

  • Scott Dalton
  • Margarita Martinez
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Kid Stays in the Picture
    rating:3.5.png

    The Kid Stays in the Picture

    2002
    Based on the 1994 autobiography of film producer Robert Evans, this documentary follows Evans's career as he went from fresh-faced clothing executive to Hollywood actor to Paramount executive to legendary producer (Marathon Man, Chinatown). We also follow Evans through a cocaine controversy, into disreputation and low times, and finally to his comeback producing several 1990s films. Evans himself provides the narration.

    Directed by:

  • Nanette Burstein
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    National Geographic: The FBI
    rating:3.5.png

    National Geographic: The FBI

    2003
    With worries about the state of our national security increasing, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been under more intense scrutiny than ever. This penetrating documentary offers high-security access behind the scenes at the FBI. Rare footage and interviews with agents combine to offer insight as to how the Bureau really operates.

    Directed by:

  • Barbara Leibovitz
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Yo Soy Boricua, Pa'Que Tu Lo Sepas!
    rating:3.5.png

    Yo Soy Boricua, Pa'Que Tu Lo Sepas!

    2005
    Actress Rosie Perez makes a stunning directorial debut in this heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rican pride, in which she takes an in-depth look at the complex and often controversial history of Puerto Rican-U.S. relations. By turns shocking and celebratory, this wide-ranging documentary examines such rich themes of the Puerto Rican experience as family, language and racism, all with careful consideration of historical context.

    Directed by:

  • Rosie Perez
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Air Guitar Nation
    rating:3.5.png

    Air Guitar Nation

    2006
    If your bedroom has become too small a stage for your air guitar antics, take inspiration from the competitors featured here as they battle their way from the inaugural U.S. Air Guitar Championship to the world championship in Oulu, Finland. Along the way, filmmaker Alexandra Lipsitz documents the fierce rivalries that develop as would-be rock legends vie for top honors in technical accuracy, stage presence and "airness."

    Directed by:

  • Alexandra Lipsitz
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story
    rating:3.5.png

    Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

    1996
    Hollywood caricaturist Al Hirschfeld turned simple pencil-to-paper drawings into lively cartoons of some of the entertainment industry's most popular names. His unique style is easily recognizable, down to the famous hidden placement of his daughter Nina's name on every drawing. This Academy Award-nominated documentary takes a look at Hirschfeld's career and features the likenesses of Lauren Bacall, Robert Goulet, Carol Channing and more.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Warms Dryfoos
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Lightning!: Nova
    rating:3.5.png

    Lightning!: Nova

    1989
    "Nova" takes you on a high-voltage trip into the most electrically charged weather in the world, culminating in a dazzling lightning show set to music. Join scientists as they tempt nature by creating the world's tallest lightning rod, which triggers awe-inspiring thunderbolts a few hundred feet from observers and creates a chunk of "petrified" lightning. Then, visit with some of lightning's tragic victims who thought they were out of harm's way.

    Directed by:

  • Linda Garmon
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye
    rating:3.5.png

    The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye

    2011
    Featuring home movies, interviews and more, this documentary chronicles the deep love between visionary musician Genesis P-Orridge and his wife, Lady Jaye, a couple devoted to "pandrogyny" -- using plastic surgery to make themselves look alike.

    Directed by:

  • Marie Losier
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
    rating:3.5.png

    Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

    2003
    Documentarian Nick Broomfield trains his lens on infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who began her murder spree in 1992. A highway prostitute at the age of 13, Wuornos was convicted of killing six truck drivers who she insisted tried to rape her.

    Directed by:

  • Nick Broomfield
  • Joan Churchill
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Marshall University: Ashes to Glory
    rating:3.5.png

    Marshall University: Ashes to Glory

    2000
    In 1979, a plane carrying the Marshall University football team crashed, leaving no survivors. This film documents how a young coach and the five remaining players achieved one of the most heroic comebacks of all time. Combining archival footage with interviews of individuals close to the tragedy, Ashes to Glory tells a tale of remarkable courage in the face of adversity, in the process honoring the memory of those who perished.

    Directed by:

  • Deborah Novak
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    A Life Without Pain
    rating:3.5.png

    A Life Without Pain

    2005
    Documentarian Melody Gilbert follows the daily lives of three girls -- a 3-year-old Minnesotan, a 7-year-old Norwegian and a 10-year-old German -- who share an extremely rare disease: congenital insensitivity to pain. Despite the efforts of their vigilant parents, these girls live in constant threat of bodily injury. This moving film was an official selection of the 2005 South by Southwest festival and was featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

    Directed by:

  • Melody Gilbert
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    A Small Act
    rating:3.5.png

    A Small Act

    2009
    When Swedish citizen Hilde Back sponsors the education of Kenyan student Chris Mburu, she not only educates one child, but she sparks a lifelong love of learning. As an adult, Chris establishes a scholarship program in his home village. Later, when political violence threatens Kenya's educational system, Chris is determined to change it. One person's power to make an impact on the world is powerfully illustrated in this heartwarming documentary.

    Directed by:

  • Jennifer Arnold
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    The World According to Sesame Street
    rating:3.5.png

    The World According to Sesame Street

    2006
    Traveling to areas marked by poverty, unrest and disease -- including Bangladesh, Kosovo and South Africa -- this insightful documentary looks at efforts to regionalize "Sesame Street" for maximum social, cultural and educational impact. Can Cookie Monster be an agent of global change? You bet, according to the show's producers, who work to localize the beloved children's series for different parts of the world.

    Directed by:

  • Linda Hawkins
    • rating:3.5.png 3.5 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Have You Seen Andy?
    rating:3.4.png

    Have You Seen Andy?

    2003
    Still haunted by the disappearance of childhood friend Andy Puglisi more than two decades earlier, filmmaker Melanie Perkins investigates the events of the day he vanished, uncovering new evidence and shocking errors made during the initial inquiry. Featuring interviews with police officers, forensics experts and Andy's relatives, this Emmy-winning documentary explores the possible involvement of several suspects in the unsolved case.

    Directed by:

  • Melanie Perkins
    • rating:3.4.png 3.4 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Now and Then
    rating:3.8.png

    Now and Then

    1995
    Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty in this tender coming-of-age tale, four childhood girlfriends -- Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta -- recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more. Lesli Linka Glatter directs; Gaby Hoffmann, Ashleigh Aston Moore, Cloris Leachman, Thora Birch and Christina Ricci co-star.

    Directed by:

  • Lesli Linka Glatter
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


    Find On Amazon
    Now and Then (1995)
    A heartwarming movie about four childhood girlfriends who, in adulthood reunion, relive their experience of the life-changing summer of 1970, including a mystery death, divorce, standing up to the boys, first kiss, and the meaning of true friendship. Each explores her unique identity amidst family and friends. Beautifully directed by Lesli Linka Glatter.
    - Frances   
    We periodically update our movie database by adding new female directors and their movies. If you would like to receive notice of these new additions when they happen, please email us at:
    frances 'at' femaledirectors.com