Documentary
Paris Is Burning
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Paris Is Burning

1990
Penetrating the tight-knit community of minority drag queens living in New York City, Jennie Livingston's acclaimed documentary offers an early glimpse at the art of "voguing," the underground dance style later popularized by Madonna in her hit song. The film also explores issues such as racism, homophobia and AIDS, while offering a detailed examination of the intricate Ball culture, in which queens are judged for their style and expression.

Directed by:

  • Jennie Livingston
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Graphic Sexual Horror
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    Graphic Sexual Horror

    2009
    If you think office politics are bad at your workplace, take a look at this shocking documentary that offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the power dynamics and personalities that drive the notorious bondage site Insex.com. Featuring revealing interviews with the creator, models, members and staff of the violent porn Web site, the film exposes a world that inextricably intertwines bondage, sadomasochism and money.

    Directed by:

  • Barbara Bell
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story
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    Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story

    2009
    In this documentary, filmmaker Sarah Townsend chronicles the winding path that cross-dressing British comic Eddie Izzard has taken on his journey from showbiz obscurity to the heights of international stardom on the stage and silver screen. Interspersed with revealing personal moments, home movies and plenty of performance clips, Izzard himself reflects on the relentless determination that has seen him through the up and downs of his career.

    Directed by:

  • Sarah Townsend
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo
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    The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo

    2005
    Rita Moreno narrates this documentary that chronicles the life of artist Frida Kahlo. The biography reveals Kahlo's story in conjunction with events that defined the times in which she lived and that shaped her life and artwork. Kahlo's tragedies and triumphs are examined, from her childhood through to her debilitating accident, her moving self-portraits, an affair with Russian radical Leon Trotsky and a tumultuous marriage to muralist Diego Rivera.

    Directed by:

  • Amy Stechler
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Evolution
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    Evolution

    2002
    Covering all facets of the evolutionary process, this comprehensive PBS documentary -- narrated by actor Liam Neeson -- looks at everything from the genesis of Charles Darwin's natural selection theory to the clash between science and spirituality. Via computer animation, dramatic re-creations, film clips and expert interviews, the seven-part series presents a definitive view of how evolution has changed our perceptions of the world.

    Directed by:

  • David Espar
  • Susan K. Lewis
  • Alastair Reid
  • Joel Olicker
  • Kate Churchill
  • Richard Hutton
  • Gail Willumsen
  • Noel Buckner
  • Robert Whittlesey
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Shut Up & Sing
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    Shut Up & Sing

    2006
    Directed by Barbara Kopple (of Harlan County, U.S.A. fame), this documentary centers on country music's The Dixie Chicks and their nationwide vilification over critical statements they made about President Bush in 2003. Over a three-year period, the singers went from darlings of the industry to political targets, receiving constant death threats and being demonized by the national media and denounced by their fans. Cecilia Peck co-directs.

    Directed by:

  • Cecilia Peck
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Through Deaf Eyes
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    Through Deaf Eyes

    2007
    Emmy-winning actress Stockard Channing narrates this documentary that chronicles the history of deaf culture in America from the 19th century to the present day. Interviews with actress Marlee Matlin, community leaders and other deaf Americans provide an up-front and diverse perspective of this segment of society. Short films created by deaf artists are interspersed throughout the in-depth program.

    Directed by:

  • Diane Garey
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Fidel
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    Fidel

    2002
    This documentary by director Estela Bravo takes a look at the political and social impact the immensely powerful Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has had on the world during the 40-plus years he's been in power. Through interviews with politicians (Nelson Mandela, Arthur Schlesinger), friends (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), and other cultural experts (Alice Walker), Fidel's personality and work are explored and discussed.

    Directed by:

  • Estela Bravo
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision
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    Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision

    1995
    In this Oscar-winning documentary, director Freida Lee Mock captures the genius of architect Maya Lin, who vaulted to fame at age 21 when her sparse, modern and controversial design was chosen to memorialize the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C. While many voiced displeasure with her design and Asian heritage, the memorial has become one of the most powerful in the world. The film also highlights Lin's Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Ala.

    Directed by:

  • Freida Lee Mock
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Dancing Dreams: Teenagers Perform Kontakthof by Pina Bausch
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    Dancing Dreams: Teenagers Perform Kontakthof by Pina Bausch

    2009
    Late choreographer Pina Bausch makes her final filmed appearance in this engrossing documentary, which tracks a group of German teens over the course of a year as they learn the moves of Bausch's daunting dance work, "Kontakthof." With the venerated instructor as their guide, the students develop the intense physical skills required and also discuss the emotional strides they've made, both in the studio and in daily life.

    Directed by:

  • Anne Linsel
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Frontline: A Death in Tehran
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    Frontline: A Death in Tehran

    2009
    PBS's influential documentary series "Frontline" tackles a heartrending subject in this exploration of the death of Neda Agha Soltan, an Iranian woman killed while watching a protest of the controversial 2009 Iranian presidential election. Soltan's death was filmed on a camera phone and uploaded to the Internet, documenting the extent of the political turmoil in Iran and how new methods of communication are changing the way news is reported.

    Directed by:

  • Monica Garnsey
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Kicking It
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    Kicking It

    2008
    Filmmaker Susan Koch's touching documentary follows six homeless soccer players battling poverty and addiction as they prepare to compete in the Fourth Annual Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. Hailing from places as far reaching as Afghanistan, Kenya, Ireland, Spain, Russia and North Carolina, 500 dispossessed athletes use the level playing field of competitive sports to regain their dignity and transform their lives.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Koch
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Benjamin Franklin
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    Benjamin Franklin

    2002
    This compelling PBS miniseries follows Benjamin Franklin's impressive career -- from scientist and revolutionary to founding father and American diplomat -- drawing on Franklin's own writings and those of his contemporaries. The narrative is set against the breathtaking events in which Franklin played a central role: the age of scientific discovery, the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutionary War and the Constitutional Convention.

    Directed by:

  • Ellen Hovde
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Beyond Belief
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    Beyond Belief

    2006
    Two strangers, Patti Quigley and Susan Retik, formed a common bond in their grief when both lost their husbands on Sept. 11, 2001. This documentary chronicles how the two coped with their unimaginable loss, traveling to Afghanistan to meet women there who were also widowed by violence. Director Beth Murphy follows Quigley and Retik as they discover that they share a kinship with their Middle Eastern counterparts, even though they're worlds apart.

    Directed by:

  • Beth Murphy
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Body of War
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    Body of War

    2007
    Tomas Young left for Iraq a gung-ho soldier. He returned home paralyzed, struggling to deal with his physical limitations and his changing feelings about the war. This eye-opening documentary looks at the raging debate over the war in Iraq through the eyes of this courageous young hero who signed up for the military two days after Sept. 11, only to be sent to Iraq where a bullet shattered his life physically and emotionally.

    Directed by:

  • Phil Donahue
  • Ellen Spiro
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 Average Rating


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    Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train
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    Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

    2004
    Matt Damon narrates this documentary chronicling Howard Zinn's commitment to social change through archival materials, commentary from Zinn and interviews with contemporaries Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Tom Hayden and Alice Walker, among others.

    Directed by:

  • Deb Ellis
    • rating:3.7.png 3.7 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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