Documentary
The Real Las Vegas: The Complete Story of America's Neon Oasis
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The Real Las Vegas: The Complete Story of America's Neon Oasis

2000
This documentary dishes up the story of Las Vegas, Entertainment Capital of the World, from its inauspicious origins as a desert watering hole to the hustling, bustling center of pleasure and excess it is today. Interviews with Vegas players such as Steve Wynn and Wayne Newton and archival footage give an insider's look at the role of the mob, the legacy of the Rat Pack, the neon development of the Strip, the rise of mega-resorts and much more.

Directed by:

  • Jim Milio
  • Melissa Peltier
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    Ballot Measure 9
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    Ballot Measure 9

    1995
    Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, this documentary chronicles the fight over Oregon's State Ballot Measure 9, an amendment put forth by the conservative group Oregon Citizen's Alliance in 1992. Intended to revoke current laws and prohibit the passing of future laws protecting homosexuals from discrimination, Measure 9 provoked an explosive battle between the gay community and conservative factions before its ultimate defeat.

    Directed by:

  • Heather MacDonald
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    Enemies of Happiness
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    Enemies of Happiness

    2007
    In this potent award-winning documentary, Danish filmmaker Eva Mulvad profiles Malalai Joya, a gutsy, uncompromising Afghan as she runs for parliament in a war-ravaged nation struggling to form a democracy. Standing up to ruthless warlords, Joya continually faces danger on the campaign trail, such as death threats and assassination attempts. The film also offers an illuminating look at Afghanistan's culture, political climate and harsh living conditions.

    Directed by:

  • Anja Al-Erhayem
  • Eva Mulvad
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    Naked in Ashes
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    Naked in Ashes

    2005
    In this fascinating documentary, filmmaker Paula Fouce, a practicing Buddhist, explores India's yogis and holy men who lead lives of meditation and devotion in search of the divine. Footage captures rituals performed on the banks of the Ganges, sacred pilgrimages to the Himalayas and the indescribable Kumbh Mela celebration. Plus, watch an unbelievable feat in which a yogi pulls a car with his an unexpected body part.

    Directed by:

  • Paula Fouce
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    Something Ventured
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    Something Ventured

    2011
    This engrossing documentary traces the genesis of some of the world's most revolutionary companies, such as Apple, Intel and Genentech, and how their investors' visionary practices transformed the way the modern world communicates and does business.

    Directed by:

  • Dayna Goldfine
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    Chaïm Soutine: 20th Century Expressionist Artist
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    Chaïm Soutine: 20th Century Expressionist Artist

    2008
    Famously tormented and secretive, Jewish Expressionist painter Chaim Soutine has remained a somewhat mysterious figure in the world of art since his 1943 death. With this documentary, filmmakers Valerie Firla and Murielle Levy set out to change that. Drawing on information from a handful of old books, an ancient film and Paris's Montparnasse cemetery, the film sheds light on both the man and his work, revealing the deep ties between the two.

    Directed by:

  • Murielle Levy
  • Valerie Firla
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    Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel
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    Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel

    2007
    Featuring photos taken by paparazzi and others who happened on the scene, this documentary examines the tragic 1997 car accident in which Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed died, and tells the story of the photographers who were arrested. Produced by the U.K.'s Channel 4, the program reveals a never-before-scene photographic record of the events that transpired in the hour following the crash in Paris's Pont de l'Alma tunnel.

    Directed by:

  • Janice Sutherland
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    Mussolini: Italy's Nightmare
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    Mussolini: Italy's Nightmare

    1995
    In this revealing DVD, rare photos and newsreels tell the story of Benito Mussolini's life, from his days as a class bully to the creation of the dreaded black shirt brigades. Eyewitness experts reveal how the Italian dictator's alliance with Hitler ultimately destroyed his country and led to his execution and mutilation by Italian partisans. Contemporary observers explore his renewed popularity and the shocking return of fascism to Italy today.

    Directed by:

  • Molly Thompson
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    Bird by Bird with Annie: A Film Portrait of Writer Anne Lamott
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    Bird by Bird with Annie: A Film Portrait of Writer Anne Lamott

    2009
    Directed by award-winning filmmaker Freida Lee Mock, this arresting documentary chronicles a year in the life of best-selling author and humorist Anne Lamott, best known for titles such as Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith and Hard Laughter. From her life as a recovering alcoholic and single mother to her transformation as a progressive political activist and writer, Lamott's story is one of redemption, faith and creativity.

    Directed by:

  • Freida Lee Mock
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    Inside the Circle
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    Inside the Circle

    2007
    For four years, filmmaker Marcy Garriott followed three young break-dancers -- Omar, Josh and Romeo -- as they struggled to be the best. The result is this kinetic documentary that showcases explosive performances as well as the b-boy lifestyle. Though beset with legal troubles, poverty and limited practice time, the guys put heart and soul into their quest for stardom. Grupo Fantasma's Adrian Quesada provides the pulsating soundtrack.

    Directed by:

  • Marcy Garriott
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    Who's Afraid of Kathy Acker?
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    Who's Afraid of Kathy Acker?

    2008
    Trace the extreme life of outlaw writer, performance artist and punk icon Kathy Acker through this vibrant documentary portrait, which chronicles her controversial career challenging society's assumptions about gender and sexuality. Through animation, archival footage, interviews and dramatic reenactments, director Barbara Caspar explores Acker's colorful history, from her well-heeled upbringing to her role as the scribe of society's fringe.

    Directed by:

  • Barbara Caspar
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    Orphans of Apollo
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    Orphans of Apollo

    2008
    After President Nixon nixed the NASA Apollo Moon program, a group of entrepreneurs grew tired of the decline in space activity and took matters into their own hands -- by negotiating a deal with the Russians to commandeer the Mir Space Station. With a business plan that is truly out of this world, the mavericks behind MirCorp set out to cash in on the final frontier in this extraordinary documentary of a little-known chapter in space history.

    Directed by:

  • Michael Potter
  • Becky Neiman
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    Insect
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    Insect

    1994
    Martin Sheen narrates a fascinating trip into the world of insects in this entertaining and educational entry in the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness series, featuring amazing close-up shots of insects in action and super-slow footage of bugs in motion. Learn how crickets hear with their knees, why their size helps insects thrive and many other fascinating facts about the most abundant class of life on this planet.

    Directed by:

  • Alisa Robbins
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    Draquila: Italy Trembles
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    Draquila: Italy Trembles

    2010
    Despite allegations of blackmail, bribery and worse, Silvio Berlusconi remains one of the most popular prime ministers in Italian history. In this sardonic documentary, satirist Sabina Guzzanti seeks to discover why he continues to be elected. At the heart of this 2010 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection is L'Aquila, an earthquake-ravaged small town that Guzzanti views as representative of the shift in Italian life under Berlusconi's leadership.

    Directed by:

  • Sabina Guzzanti
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    Mr. Bing and L'Art Nouveau
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    Mr. Bing and L'Art Nouveau

    2004
    Françoise Levie's documentary examines the influential career of art patron, dealer and critic Siegfried Bing. Considered the father of the late 19th century art nouveau movement, Bing helped shape a new visual sensibility by exhibiting the works of artists such as Münch and Toulouse-Lautrec, promoting decorative arts and talented unknowns and exposing Europe to the beauty and refinement of Asian art. Also includes a slide show gallery.

    Directed by:

  • Francoise Levie
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    Listen Up! The Lives of Quincy Jones
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    Listen Up! The Lives of Quincy Jones

    1990
    Steering clear of convention, this affecting documentary pays tribute to the life and work of composer, musician and producer Quincy Jones, one of the best-known and most respected men in the music industry. Highlights include interviews with a long list of celebrities -- from Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson and Flavor Flav -- who weigh in on Jones' widespread influence

    Directed by:

  • Ellen Weissbrod
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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
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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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