Documentary
A Finished Life: The Goodbye & No Regrets Tour
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A Finished Life: The Goodbye & No Regrets Tour

2008
For nearly half his 48 years, Gregg Gour combated his HIV with medications that made him sicker than the disease itself. This documentary follows Gour as he abandons the drugs and spends his last six months facing death on his own terms. After heartfelt reconciliations with family and friends, he gives away everything he owns, buys an RV and hits the road with his beloved dog, Cody. Along the way, he discusses his disease, life and death.

Directed by:

  • Michelle Boyaner
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    A Bookshelf on Top of the Sky
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    A Bookshelf on Top of the Sky

    2002
    German filmmaker Claudia Heuermann reveals her devotion to musician John Zorn in this fresh and unique documentary (screened at the Montreal International Film Festival and the Munich International Film Festival) that traces the artist's influences. But Heuermann's approach has a multilayered, complex style that doesn't follow a chronological trajectory and mimics, in a way, Zorn's own celebrated approach to music.

    Directed by:

  • Claudia Heuermann
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    In the Family
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    In the Family

    2008
    After testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation at the age of 27, Chicago filmmaker Joanna Rudnick faces an agonizing decision: Should she have her breasts and ovaries removed or risk developing cancer? Turning the camera on her own dilemma, Rudnick reaches out to other women in similar situations as she ponders her own priorities about life, love and family in this informative and deeply affecting documentary.

    Directed by:

  • Joanna Rudnick
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman
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    Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman

    1995
    This Oscar-nominated documentary combines archival footage, candid interviews and animation to chronicle the groundbreaking career of conductor Antonia Brico, who wielded the baton before several of the world's premier symphony orchestras. Director Jill Godmilow and singer Judy Collins reveal the extraordinary strength of spirit that allowed Brico to overcome the obstacles she faced as a woman in a thoroughly male-dominated profession.

    Directed by:

  • Jill Godmilow
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Our Times
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    Our Times

    2002
    Renowned Iranian director Rakshan Bani-Etemad fashions a captivating account of the 2002 elections -- and the role of women -- in her native country. The story begins with the preparations made by a handful of women with political aspirations; they dream of leading their nation into a new era, one in which women are treated as men's equals. The dream is most dear to one candidate in particular, who aims for the highest office: president.

    Directed by:

  • Rakhshan Bani-Etemad
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    The Lost Gods
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    The Lost Gods

    2008
    Irish author Christy Kenneally is the writer and host of this six-part series that examines the religious systems of the ancient world. Each segment examines the fate and spiritual beliefs of a single ancient culture -- the Egyptians, Greeks, Celts, Romans, Maya and Inca -- through its art, architecture and stories. Journeys to ancient sites and modern cities provide a fascinating glimpse of what remains of these ancient belief systems.

    Directed by:

  • Christy Kenneally
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    The Jim Rose Circus Show
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    The Jim Rose Circus Show

    1993
    Seattle-based performer Jim Rose and his troupe of weirdos (who really test audience limits) inflict all manner of pain to their own bodies in front of a capacity hometown crowd. Here, you can see him with his original band of freaks in a highly original, incredibly entertaining -- and occasionally stomach-turning -- stage show!

    Directed by:

  • Valerie Faris
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Dinner with the President
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    Dinner with the President

    2007
    An insightful look into the political climate of Pakistan, this documentary interviews experts, everyday people on the streets and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to gauge what kind of role democracy may have in the country. A leader who gained power through a military coup, Musharraf addresses his political past, his plans for the future and the apparent contradictions of his government.

    Directed by:

  • Sabiha Sumar
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Malls R Us
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    Malls R Us

    2009
    This provocative documentary from filmmaker Helene Klodawsky examines the ways that shopping malls transcend their profane function as centers of commerce to become -- for better or worse -- de facto sacred spaces in modern life. Drawing on illustrations from malls across the globe and insights from architects, activists and shoppers, Klodawsky explores how social interaction in these public spaces is redefining cultural values.

    Directed by:

  • Helene Klodawsky
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Vito After
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    Vito After

    2005
    With this compelling film, documentarian Maria Pusateri captures the moving story of Vito Friscia, an NYPD cop whose heroic acts during Sept. 11 have thrown him into an impending life-threatening battle with the toxic aftereffects of ground zero exposure. By chronicling Friscia's personal struggle, Pusateri offers insight into the plight of first responders who continue to confront the physical, mental and emotional fallout of that fateful day.

    Directed by:

  • Maria Pusateri
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    Astronaut Pam: Countdown to Commander
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    Astronaut Pam: Countdown to Commander

    2009
    Blast off on a journey of a lifetime as this high-flying documentary takes you aboard the space shuttle &NFi;Discovery&NFi_; with Comm. Pam Melroy and crew and into orbit for a rendezvous with the International Space Station. Traveling to more than 220 miles above the Earth's surface, the seven-member &NFi;Discovery&NFi_; team carries out its 2007 mission and stills find time for some zero-gravity fun before returning to Earth at a top speed of mach 25.

    Directed by:

  • Mary Jo Godges
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    New York Memories
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    New York Memories

    2010
    In this filmic memoir, German director Rosa von Praunheim returns to New York, a city he knew and loved in the woolly 1970s, to see what he might find and also to check in on the colorful protagonists of his 1989 documentary, Überleben in New York. Both a personal journey and a historical survey, New York Memories captures a transformed city by charting the shifting course of gay life, from Warhol Factory figures to the AIDS ravaged, within it.

    Directed by:

  • Rosa von Praunheim
  • rating:2.8.png 2.8 Average Rating


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    On Hostile Ground
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    On Hostile Ground

    2001
    Jenny Raskin and Liz Mermin's documentary, produced by Catherine Gund, explores the issues faced by U.S. doctors who perform abortions amid a climate of violent protest. The film -- which aims to challenge the anti-abortion movement -- focuses on three dedicated providers who risk their lives on a daily basis. Interviews with families, colleagues and patients present a humanistic portrait of these strongly principled health care professionals.

    Directed by:

  • Liz Mermin
  • Jenny Raskin
  • Catherine Gund
  • rating:2.7.png 2.7 Average Rating


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    Robsessed: Inside the Life of Robert Pattinson
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    Robsessed: Inside the Life of Robert Pattinson

    2009
    Fanatically loved by hordes of young people, teen heartthrob and paparazzi magnet Robert Pattinson (Twilight, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) reveals his inner world to devotees in this documentary directed by Irene Antoniades.

    Directed by:

  • Irene Antoniades
  • rating:2.7.png 2.7 Average Rating


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    Liberty Bound
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    Liberty Bound

    2004
    This entertaining and provocative film documents the fear, ignorance, lies and hypocritical rhetoric characterizing the post-9/11 national scene and the controversial federal legislation that restricts civil liberties in the name of homeland security. Filmmaker Christine Rose embraces every controversy, using original and archival footage and interviews with leading activists, questioning if the land of the free is slowly becoming a police state.

    Directed by:

  • Christine Rose
  • rating:2.7.png 2.7 Average Rating


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    H2 Worker
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    H2 Worker

    1990
    Filmmaker Stephanie Black journeys fearlessly into the grim world of Jamaican farm workers who labor in Florida's sugar plantations under temporary H-2 visas, often enduring inhumane conditions and corrupt employers for very low pay. Black also examines the nuanced economic problems faced by Washington bureaucrats, their Jamaican counterparts and troubled American farms. The incisive film won the Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize in 1990.

    Directed by:

  • Stephanie Black
  • rating:2.7.png 2.7 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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