Documentary
Non-fiction features and programs, often stranger than fiction, and just as dramatic or comical…
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Hemingway (2021)- Dir. Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
- Expansive 3-part documentary on the life of American writer Ernest Hemingway, exploring both his life and his extraordinary writing, which had a profound influence on 20th century fiction.
Ken Burns and long-time collaborator Lynn Novick explore the person and the myth in great depth, unafraid of…
Mole Agent, The (2020)- Dir. Maite Alberdi
- An Academy Award-nominated documentary set in a nursing home in Chile, where a private investigator has hired a charismatic 83-year-old called Sergio to investigate whether one of the residents are being mistreated.
It turns out to be a wryly amusing and compassionate reflection on old age, mounted…
James & Isey (2021)- Dir. Florian Habicht
- Kiwi director Florian Habicht's deeply moving tribute to Northland life and aroha in the form of a documentary portrait of Isey and her son James, who live on a small farm in Kawakawa and are descendants of the Ngati Manu sub tribe of Ngapuhi.
Filmed over one week leading up to Isey's 100th birthday,…
White Riot (2020)- Dir. Rubika Shah
- A frighteningly still-relevant documentary about "Rock Against Racism", a movement that was formed in 1976, as a result of a far-right political uprising and famously controversial comments made by Eric Clapton.
Blending fresh interviews with archive footage, the film recreates the hostile environment of…
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999)- Dir. St. Clair Bourne
- Documentary exploring the life and career of Paul Robeson, the singer, actor and political activist whose distinctive bass baritone is heard on some of the most famous African American spirituals, along with many other styles of song.
A two-hour deep dive covering his biography from birth to death, and…
Norman McLaren: The Collector's Edition (1948-1968)- Dir. Norman McLaren, Donald McWilliams
- A collection of 14 films from Norman McLaren, the visionary Canadian filmmaker who pioneered innovative techniques to blend animation and experimental film, including drawn-on-film animation, visual music, graphical sound and pixilation.
Tracklist: Neighbours, Begone Dull Care, Pas de Deux,…
Girl on the Bridge, The (2020)- Dir. Leanne Pooley
- A brave and heart-wrenching documentary breaking the silence around New Zealand's mental health crisis, from the perspective of suicide survivor and mental health campaigner Jazz Thornton as she works to complete her award winning 2019 web series Jessica’s Tree.
Leanne Pooley, director of…