Documentary
Not Nude Though
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Not Nude Though

2002
Filmmaker Doris Kornish chronicles the fascinating life of Swiss-born photographer Rudy Burckhardt, who moved to New York to make a name for himself by taking portraits of his prominent friends. An important part of the modern art movement of the 1950s and '60s, Burckhardt snapped images of Jackson Pollock, Alex Katz, Joan Mitchell, Philip Guston and Willem de Kooning, as well as intricate shots of his adopted city and its architecture.

Directed by:

  • Doris Kornish
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Breakin' In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer
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    Breakin' In: The Making of a Hip Hop Dancer

    2005
    What does it take to make it as a hip-hop dancer? Blood, sweat, tears and true grit, judging by this documentary about three women -- Linda Boahen, Tracy Armstrong and Michelle Odle -- vying for video gigs in a world so sexualized it can break them. First-time filmmaker Elizabeth St. Philip trails the three Toronto-based dancers to and from auditions, hoping to uncover what motivates them to push on despite pervasive sexism and meager paychecks.

    Directed by:

  • Elizabeth St. Philip
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Girls Kissing
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    Girls Kissing

    2003
    Barbara Lee's fast-paced documentary explores lesbianism from a variety of angles, including how pop culture is changing society's outlook on the subject. Radio show host Sue Johanson ("Sunday Night Sex Show") comments on social and political issues, and Lee's film captures a range of personal experience and opinion on the subject through candid interviews with real-life couples, porn stars, gay activists, Christian crusaders and many others.

    Directed by:

  • Barbara K. Lee
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Far from Poland
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    Far from Poland

    1984
    Denied a visa to film in Poland, director Jill Godmilow crafts a docudrama about the Gdansk strike and the origins of the Solidarity movement through a mix of re-creations, documentary footage, autobiography and fictional characters. Actress Ruth Maleczech portrays crane operator Anna Walentynowicz, whose 1980 termination united shipyard workers, spurred the first strike in Gdansk and led to the formation of Poland's Solidarity trade union.

    Directed by:

  • Jill Godmilow
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    The Courageous, the Forgotten
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    The Courageous, the Forgotten

    2007
    Arriving in the Balkans in 1993 to set up educational programs in refugee camps during the Bosnian war, artist and photographer Cynthia Underwood soon found herself turning her lens on five refugee girls whom she befriended. This film is the result. Following the girls for 14 years -- from the time they fled their villages to escape "ethnic cleansing" to young adulthood -- the documentary reveals the lasting effects of war on children.

    Directed by:

  • Cynthia Underwood
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Wijdan: The Mystery of Gnawa Trance Music
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    Wijdan: The Mystery of Gnawa Trance Music

    2000
    Exiled by the Malian Empire and enslaved in Morocco during the 16th century, the Gnawa people are known around the world for their ritualistic trance music -- a sound that has had undeniable influence on blues and rock musicians for generations. Witness a historic meeting between Moroccan musician Brahim El Belkani and Mali's own Sibiri Samaké as the two luminaries discuss their musical roots and share insights on the future of Gnawan trance.

    Directed by:

  • Bella Le Nestour
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Hoover Street Revival
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    Hoover Street Revival

    2002
    This innovative documentary from director Sophie Fiennes is a powerful journey into the lives of worshippers from the congregation of the Greater Bethany Community Church, in the notorious district of South Central L.A. Focusing on the experiences and hardships which make up everyday reality for many community members, the film examines the impact of the sermons of the charismatic Bishop Noel Jones.

    Directed by:

  • Sophie Fiennes
    • rating:2.2.png 2.2 Average Rating


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    Al Manar TV: In the Name of the Hezbollah
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    Al Manar TV: In the Name of the Hezbollah

    2004
    Highly controversial, the Arab television station Al Manar has come under scrutiny for acting as the mouthpiece for the terrorist group Hezbollah, broadcasting incendiary reports and allegedly promoting anti-Semitism. This film goes behind the cameras to explore the practices, perceptions and audience of the station that offers a decidedly different view of Israel than what the Western media depict. Elisabeth Drevillon and Olivier Ferraro direct.

    Directed by:

  • Elisabeth Drevillon
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    History of a Secret
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    History of a Secret

    2003
    As a child, French filmmaker Mariana Otero grew up thinking her vanished mother was working in Paris. As an adult, she learned the truth from her father: Mariana's mother died in a back-alley abortion. Otero fearlessly explores this dark family secret in this documentary, which looks at the abortion issue from an intensely personal standpoint. The wrenching film won Best Documentary at the 2003 Valladolid International Film Festival.

    Directed by:

  • Mariana Otero
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    Coronation St.: Ken & Me
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    Coronation St.: Ken & Me

    2006
    Filmmaker Jane Treays explores actor William Roache's life away from the cameras, touching on his beliefs, his aspirations and everything in between through candid interviews with him and his friends, family and co-workers in this documentary. For nearly 50 years, Roache has been playing Ken Barlow on the United Kingdom television show "Coronation St." aka the "world's longest-running soap." Actor Johnny Briggs is also highlighted.

    Directed by:

  • Jane Treays
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    Bump! Eastern Europe
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    Bump! Eastern Europe

    2008
    Shannon McDonough explores the most gay- and lesbian-friendly locales that Eastern Europe has to offer in this entry of the exciting series designed to help gay vacationers get the most out of their travel experience. Highlights include a look at Prague's exquisite architecture and world-class nightlife, a journey through the international melting pot that is Budapest, Hungary, and a stop by one of Vienna's ultraexclusive gay parties.

    Directed by:

  • Michelle Mama
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    All or Nothing: A Moscow Detour
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    All or Nothing: A Moscow Detour

    2004
    Traveling to Moscow from New York, fledgling documentarian Gabby (director Gabrielle Bloch) arrives with camera in tow to record her short trip to visit her father, Alexander, before his much anticipated return to the States. But once she discovers her father's so-called temporary position has evolved into a full-fledged permanent gig, Gabby's film takes her on a hilarious journey through the historic Russian capital.

    Directed by:

  • Gabrielle Bloch
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    Cancer Stories
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    Cancer Stories

    2009
    Driven by her own experience with cancer, art teacher and video producer Nancy Hamilton Myers assembles profiles of a broad swath of people who have battled the disease -- and relied on their Christian faith throughout the ordeal. The subjects of these sensitively drawn portraits include a NASA engineer, a star athlete, children, mothers, fathers and more, each navigating the challenges of the disease in their own courageous way.

    Directed by:

  • Nancy Hamilton Myers
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    The Joy of Life
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    The Joy of Life

    2005
    Exploring the darker side of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge -- namely, its reputation as a "suicide landmark" -- filmmaker Jenni Olson also turns inward to examine her choice to live life as a masculine "butch" lesbian. Blending traditional documentary and experimental film techniques, Olson's unique and intimate feature portrays the universal search for joy in life -- and how the failure to find it can lead some to choose death.

    Directed by:

  • Jenni Olson
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    A Little Family Conversation
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    A Little Family Conversation

    1999
    Directed by French actress Helene Lapiower, this fascinating documentary chronicles a seven-year odyssey into her family's Jewish roots and history, including their emigration from Poland to France decades before. More than a mere family album, the film raises broader cultural and religious questions: How is a family's sense of itself transmitted from generation to generation? How do its religious beliefs change over time?

    Directed by:

  • Helene Lapiower
    • rating:2.1.png 2.1 Average Rating


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    Promised Lands
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    Promised Lands

    1974
    Set in Israel during the final days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, this powerful documentary -- initially barred by Israel authorities -- from writer-director Susan Sontag examines divergent perceptions of the enduring Arab-Israeli clash.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Sontag
    • rating:2.0.png 2.0 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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