Documentary movies

A French school class from the provinces goes on a trip to the Centre Pompidou in Paris in a film that explores what art and culture mean – and to whom.

A nocturnal portrait of Havana and its inhabitants through the songs they listen to and sing.

A documentary film that follows the development of ballroom culture in Israel, a unique culture that creates a safe, free, and vibrant space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. It is a journey into a physical art form that bridges international tradition with local interpretation, revealing how dance becomes a language of identity and empowerment.

Nestled in a mountainous rainforest in Alaska is the town of Whittier, where nearly the entire population lives in a single apartment building. They bring new meaning to the idea of getting along with your neighbor.

In Russia, criticizing the war in Ukraine or Vladimir Putin’s regime has become a crime. Thousands of ordinary citizens are being arrested, tried, and imprisoned. They are called “Politzek”: political prisoners. Filmed clandestinely over the course of more than a year, Politzek gives a platform to those who, despite the fear, continue to speak out against Putin’s repressive Russia. Through the intersecting stories of a teenager sentenced to five years in prison for criticizing the government on social media, a young artist jailed for placing anti-war stickers, a human rights activist, and two theater directors facing Kafkaesque trials, the film unveils the machinery of state repression in Russia. With rare footage, broken yet unyielding voices, this is a story of silenced resistance.

Stoltz constructed Pinktoned and Pinktoned (Exploded View) using footage of passersby he filmed from his art studio in East Hollywood interspersed with still images from an archive of photographic slides he found at a rummage sale at the Echo Park Film Center. These images picture the streets of Los Angeles covered with wheat-pasted movie posters for Underground, a 1976 documentary about the Weather Underground.

This documentary examines Taiwan's role within the war machinery of East Asia, and how air-raid shelters have transformed from military defense structures into part of the everyday landscape. By guiding audiences through the often-overlooked landscapes of Chiayi, the film calls for renewed attention to historical sites and explores how war has shaped urban structures and collective memory. It also invites reflection on the lasting impact of war, reminding us that war is never as distant as it seems.

The long awaited sequel to the Muck Brothers cult classic film, Cellblock B

Using footage filmed in Peru in 1950 by a foreigner, Víctor writes a letter to his son to question the country he will inherit: among heartbeats and ruins, he searches for a hope that still endures amid disillusionment.

The Great Experiment is an ambitious cinematic time capsule of one of the most volatile and perplexing eras of American history; a project that serves as a historical document, non-fiction experiment and intimate observation of the changing state of American democracy and identity. A surprising time capsule of a nation grappling with its differences and diversity, and our experience and perceptions of conflict, survival and belonging.