Documentary
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti
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Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

1985
Maya Deren's fascinating footage captures Haitian voodoo dances and rituals from 1947 to 1951. Edited 20 years after Deren's death, this documentary reveals Rada, Petra, and Congo possession rites, as well as Rara and Mardi Gras celebrations.

Directed by:

  • Teiji Ito
  • Cherel Ito
  • Maya Deren
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Stagedoor
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    Stagedoor

    2005
    Summer camp is usually filled with activities and crafts, but for the kids of Stagedoor Manor, camp is all song and dance, literally. Spawning superstar alumni such as Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Jason Leigh and Felicity Huffman, Stagedoor Manor is a breeding ground for talent. Director Alexandra Shiva follows five dedicated campers through rigorous rehearsals to a theatrical performance that rivals professional productions.

    Directed by:

  • Alexandra Shiva
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Great Directors
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    Great Directors

    2009
    New York-based businesswoman and filmmaker Angela Ismailos offers this collection of in-depth interviews with David Lynch, John Sayles, Catherine Breillat, Bernardo Bertolucci and six other internationally acclaimed film directors. Touching on everything from the creative process and the history of cinema to the necessity of balancing art and commerce, Ismailos's interviews also include sit-downs with Liliana Cavani, Ken Loach and Agnès Varda.

    Directed by:

  • Angela Ismailos
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Mysterious Life of Caves: Nova
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    Mysterious Life of Caves: Nova

    2002
    Join noted scientists as they explore some of the world's most inaccessible caves in search of evidence to support a radical new theory of cave formation. Delve into the depths of Carlsbad Caverns and Lechuguilla in New Mexico and Cueva de Villa Luz in Mexico to discover how the presence of deadly chemicals and bacteria may give clues to unique geological processes on earth and even to the possibility of life on other planets.

    Directed by:

  • Sarah Holt
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Lioness
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    Lioness

    2008
    Through first-person interviews, journal entries and archival footage, filmmakers Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers present the rarely told stories of the first female Army support soldiers sent into direct ground combat in Iraq. The film profiles five of these so-called "lionesses," who share their candid observations about serving their country under pioneering circumstances in decidedly uncertain times.

    Directed by:

  • McLagan / Sommers
  • Meg McLagan
  • Daria Sommers
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare
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    Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare

    2012
    This documentary starkly outlines the crises the United States faces in its quest to provide affordable medical care to the nation's citizens. In response to these problems, the filmmakers propose lower-cost alternatives to high-tech medicine.

    Directed by:

  • Matthew Heineman
  • Susan Froemke
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Mother Teresa: The Legacy
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    Mother Teresa: The Legacy

    2005
    Mother Teresa is well-known and well-loved throughout the world for her work with the needy and less fortunate. This look at her final day on earth, her passing and her touching funeral, attended by thousands of people from around the world, is a testament to the spiritual way she led her life. Through Mother Teresa's own words in exclusive footage, discover the profound wisdom of the woman who captured the heart of everyone she touched.

    Directed by:

  • Ann Petrie
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Charlotte Rampling: The Look
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    Charlotte Rampling: The Look

    2011
    Actress Charlotte Rampling largely tells her own story in this unconventional self-portrait conceived by filmmaker Angelina Maccarone. Highlights include conversations between Rampling and her friends, along with clips from her most famous films.

    Directed by:

  • Angelina Maccarone
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Forgiveness: A Time to Love & A Time to Hate
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    Forgiveness: A Time to Love & A Time to Hate

    2011
    Documentarian Helen Whitney continues her examination of spiritual and emotional issues with this in-depth look at how forgiveness is practiced by society and by individuals, and how the reality of atoning can diverge from idealized concepts of it. Among the varied cases profiled are reconciliations achieved after personal betrayals such as adultery, and societal efforts to heal after events such as mass discrimination and genocide.

    Directed by:

  • Helen Whitney
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    I Love Hip Hop in Morocco
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    I Love Hip Hop in Morocco

    2007
    Documentary filmmakers Joshua Asen and Jennifer Needleman journey to Morocco, where local hip-hop artists such as H-Kayne and Fnaire labor to stage a monumental traveling "I Love Hip Hop in Morocco" festival for their fans. Stymied by their conservative culture, the pioneering Moroccan organizers nevertheless pull off a multi-city event that blends an upbeat and courteous Moroccan sensibility with American hip-hop style.

    Directed by:

  • Joshua Asen
  • Jennifer Needleman
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Payback
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    Payback

    2012
    Drawing from Margaret Atwood's book, documentarian Jennifer Baichwal examines the role of debt throughout human history. The film holds religion, politics, literature and sociology up to the light, finding every aspect of culture touched by debt.

    Directed by:

  • Jennifer Baichwal
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Cancer Warrior: Nova
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    Cancer Warrior: Nova

    2001
    Join Dr. Judah Folkman as he shares his 40-year quest for a radically new cancer treatment, including the development of the much-touted drug Endostatin. As a young doctor, Dr. Folkman proposed that a tumor could not grow to be life-threatening if the blood supply to it were blocked. Now, Folkman invites cameras into his lab for a first-person look at the groundbreaking clinical research that offers hope to cancer patients.

    Directed by:

  • Nancy Linde
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Hidden Heroes
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    Hidden Heroes

    1999
    Through narratives, period film and still photographs, this compelling documentary chronicles the harrowing stories of Dutch Jews who were persecuted and methodically isolated at the hands of the Nazis. The subjects -- all children during World War II -- recount their resonating tales of terror and subsequent deliverance thanks to the brave Dutch souls of the resistance, who saw the fallacy in Adolf Hitler's extermination plan.

    Directed by:

  • Karen Pascal
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Army of One
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    Army of One

    2003
    In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a well-to-do stockbroker, a high school dropout and an aspiring modern dancer enlist in the Army with varying degrees of success in this riveting, heartbreaking documentary. Filmmaker Sarah Goodman's award-winning feature debut follows the three young recruits -- Thaddeus Ressler, Nelson Reyes and Sara Miller -- through basic training and deployment over the course of two years.

    Directed by:

  • Sarah Goodman
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Diana: Life Through a Lens
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    Diana: Life Through a Lens

    2007
    Photographer Jayne Fincher shares her experiences as part of Princess Diana's press corps in this documentary. Fincher, who photographed Diana for 17 years, reveals behind-the-scenes insight into the media phenomenon surrounding the famous royal. Often called "the Most Photographed Woman in the World," Diana was under the media's constant glare, but who created her public image -- the monarchy, the press, her devoted fans or Diana herself?

    Directed by:

  • Emma Sayce
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Brother Born Again
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    Brother Born Again

    2001
    Seeking to renew her relationship with her born-again Christian brother, documentary filmmaker Julia Pimsleur traveled to a remote Alaskan island, where brother Marc has lived for 10 years with his spiritual family. The resulting film captures Pimsleur -- a bisexual Jewish New Yorker -- as she searches for an understanding of her sibling's chosen life path, and in the process, delves into the definition of family and explores family dynamics.

    Directed by:

  • Julia Pimsleur
    • rating:3.1.png 3.1 Average Rating


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    Now and Then
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    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


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    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   
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