One of the best festivals in the world DOC NYC starts Wednesday and we are better for it. New York’s annual celebration of all things documentary is hitting the screens of Manhattan and there was much rejoicing.
As this posts I’ve been watching films for about two weeks and I’ve barely made a dent into the massive slate. And because of real life concerns I’m not going to be able to come even close to what I did in years past and see everything. This year I’m going for all the things I really want to see and the trying to pick up everything else as I go. So far that’s resulted in a number of early favorites for best of the festival.
Designed as a year end summing up of the year in documentaries the festival both act as a launching pad for docs that will be rattling cages over the next year as well as bringing back a long list of films they think will be in the mix for the various awards. Their track record is excellent on both counts with their guess as the films in the awards mix being close to the Oscar short list.
I love this fest because not only does it show great films I’ve never heard of it allows me to pick up films I missed through the year. I catch so many films from the last 12 months I kind of just want to stop going during the year and just camp out on the DOC NYC festival sites.
And even with so many new films playing they are playing a ton of films we’ve covered before. Here is a the very long list of films we’ve previously reviewed:
LAKOTA NATION VS THE UNITED STATES
LITTLE RICHARD I AM EVERYTHING
And while you are checking out reviews of all of those films, here is a brief list of the absolute must see films.
UNCROPPED- Wonderful portrait of photographer James Hamilton, his photographs
and life. It’s a wonderful look a man, his art and the city he calls home.
THE WALK- narrative/documentary about a giant puppet walking
across Europe. Haunting. Magical. Glorious.
ANGEL APPLICANT one of the great films of 2023 has the
director connecting his own medical diagnosis with that of artist Paul Klee.
DECIDING VOTE The story of a good man who did the right
thing even though he knew it would cost him his career. We need more people
like this.
RAINBOW WARRIOR- the story of the sinking of the Greenpeace
ship Rainbow Warrior is an eye opening and amusing tale
TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROW- a cinematographer films a story
in Mongolia and find her heart is captured by a young boy…and then two others.
PSYCHELICIZED: THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS- the story of the
legendary Electric Circus in NYC which was the place to go and see all sorts of
acts. It’s the story of a place that shaped entertainment as we know it.
MEDIHA – Young woman who escaped from Isis records her life.
Wonderfully understated and full of well earned emotion.
MOTHER OF ALL LIES- The filmmaker and her father build a
replica of where they used to live in order to help themselves and their
friends remember what happened during a riot. It will reshape how you view your
memories..
36 SECOND PORTRAIT OF A HATE CRIME- One of the best films of
2023 examines a hate crime and clearly and shatteringly explains why it
happened (and why it will happen again)
LOOKING FORWARD- A meditation on the future using AI
generated images will make you reconsider where we are going
LUCHA: A WRESTLING TALE- Truly great film will bring tears
to your eyes as it tells the story of some high school girls who find home and
direction by wrestling
RIGHT TO FIGHT-one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen
concerns the history of women’s boxing as told by the ladies who fought.
BLACK GIRLS PLAY-One of the most joyous and best films of
2023 is the story of how hand games girls played on kids changed the world (no
really, they did)
SOMEONE LIVES HERE- a crushing look at a man making small shelters for homeless people in Toronto and how the city made sure he was stopped from doing so. It says a great deal (bad) about how cities are looking to handle homelessness.
JESSZILLA is an expansion of a great short portrait of young boxer Jesselyn Silva that is going to make you gasp and get misty.
And with that it’s time to head back into the trenches. Look for reports from myself and our newest reporter Wendy Feinberg.
For information and tickets go here
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