AFI Docs: Features
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- DirectorHope LitoffStarsRuth LitoffHope LitoffShe's beautiful, artistic, loved and can't stand to be alive. 32 PILLS traces the fascinating life and mental illness of my sister, New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff, and my struggle to come to terms with her tragic suicide.
- DirectorReuben AtlasSam PollardStarsJohn AtlasGlenn BeckBon BonA hidden-camera video involving a fake prostitute threatens to destroy ACORN, America's largest grassroots anti-poverty organization. World Premiere Tribeca Film Festival.
- DirectorDavid BarbaJames PelleritoStarsMarcelo GomesA documentary portrait of Brazilian ballet star Marcelo Gomes.
- DirectorRebecca CammisaStarsDawn ChapmanDouglas ClemensRobbin Ellison DaileyA terrifying look at the corruption that's destroying our nation and our planet. This should shake every American citizen. Citizens of an American city fight back against corruption and greed and try to save their own lives.
- DirectorDavid AlvaradoJason SussbergStarsNeil deGrasse TysonBill NyeAnn DruyanA famous television personality struggles to restore science to its rightful place in a world hostile to evidence and reason.
- DirectorViktor JakovleskiEcstatic ritual, danger and the absolute beauty of fireworks.
- DirectorErik MoralesStarsRaeesMaharoofAazimA bunch of indian riders play being demigods defying any logic: They drive bikes and cars around on the walls of a wooden cylinder. The short documentary "Riders of the Well of Death", a personal project by Erik Morales produced by CANADA and Early Man Films, brings us to an unknown world full of danger and beauty.
- DirectorJeff UnayStarsVernon BeachCallie CarmanDelanee CarmanA blue-collar family man breaks the promise he'd made to never fight again. Now forty years old, with a wife and four children who need him, Joe Carman risks everything to go back into the fighting cage and come to terms with his past.
- DirectorCatherine GundDaresha KyiStarsEugenia LeónJesusa RodríguezTania LibertadThe life of pioneering singer Chavela Vargas, from her birth in Costa Rica in 1919 to her death in Mexico in 2012.
- DirectorRicardo MartensenFelipe TomazelliStarsFrancisco Augusto Prado TellesChico has dedicated his whole life to CINE SAO PAULO. The building, inherited from his father, is now badly deteriorated. Refurbish it, in order to make the old movie theater get back to work, becomes his great obsession.
- DirectorMatthew HeinemanStarsAbdelaziz AlhamzaMohamad AlmusariHamoud AlmousaA documentary that follows the efforts of "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. With deeply personal access, this is the story of a brave group of citizen journalists as they face the realities of life undercover, on the run, and in exile, risking their lives to stand up against one of the greatest evils in the world today.
- DirectorAntonio SantiniDan SicklesStarsDina BunoScott LevinFrank CostanzoAn eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
- DirectorPeter BrattStarsDolores HuertaMartin Luther KingLuis ValdezIn the 1950's, a working-class wife and mother of eleven children helps to establish a farmer's union, which later develops into a platform for feminism and gender equality.
- DirectorChico PereiraStarsPaca Molera PereiraMamen Gómez HerediaManuel Molera AparicioManolo and his donkey Gorrión plan a journey to the West.
- DirectorReiner HolzemerStarsDries Van NotenIris ApfelPamela GolbinDRIES - an intimate Portrait of the Fashion Designer Dries Van Noten. This film offers an insight into the life, mind and creative heart of a Master Fashion Designer who, for more than 25 years, has remained independent in a landscape of fashion consolidation and globalization. Reiner Holzemer follows him for one year and witnesses the creation of four collections.
- DirectorJoshua BonnettaJ.P. SniadeckiAn immersive experience of the Sonoran Desert on the U.S.-Mexico border.
- DirectorEmer ReynoldsStarsFrank DrakeCarolyn PorcoJohn CasaniIt is one of humankind's greatest achievements. More than 12 billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space - the first human-made object ever to do so.
- DirectorJeremy S. LevineLandon Van SoestStarsDaje SheltonA junior high school student sees her chances of a better future jeopardized after she gets in a fight and is expelled.
- DirectorPeter NicksStarsCat BrooksJonathan CairoBen McBrideTHE FORCE goes inside an embattled urban police department struggling to rebuild trust in one of America's most violent yet promising cities.
- DirectorFrank PopperJim KirchherrA black high school guidance counselor, whose father was murdered while growing up in a dangerous inner-city neighborhood, is on a mission to save the lives of young black men who share his story. A drill sergeant with a heart, he molds them into a nationally recognized 'step' team and a brotherhood that bonds them for life.
- DirectorAlice SchmidStarsLaura Larissa RöösliThom Straumann-LachappelleDon't look down Loch Änzi or you might turn into a ghost.
- DirectorErik NelsonStarsDavid CrowleyDanny August MasonAlex JonesA documentary about the mysterious death of fringe political filmmaker David Crowley, who was found dead alongside members of his family in their suburban Minnesota home in January of 2015.
- DirectorIngeborg JansenTasos Pafralides and his sister Evdokia run a business selling heating oil to their fellow citizens in Thessaloniki. With the crisis ever deepening, fewer and fewer Greeks can afford to buy oil and keep themselves warm. Therefore Tasos and Evdokia face a sharp dilemma every day: should they really refuse heating oil to people who don't have the money, leaving them in the cold? As their customers struggle to make ends meet, Tasos and Evdokia struggle to keep their business going. In their daily encounters and in the whole of Greek society, relationships between the people are at stake. How warm or cold can relationships between people be when a deep crisis forces everyone to fend for themselves?
- DirectorMaite AlberdiStarsRita GuzmánAndrés MartínezAna RodriguezA group of friends with Down Syndrome have been attending the same school for 40 years, they have passed all the courses, all the teachers and, even their parents who were with them, are now gone. They must now fight to get a better job, to make money like any other person, to learn to take care of themselves and to make it to their 50's. No one looks at them as children. They will do everything to prevent anyone from interfering with their adult dreams.
- DirectorTrish AdlesicGeeta GandbhirStarsGail AbarbanelRichard BellJoe BidenAn investigation into the way sexual assault cases are handled by police departments across the United States.
- DirectorBryan FogelStarsBryan FogelDave ZabriskieDon CatlinWhen Bryan sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.
- DirectorBonni CohenJon ShenkStarsAl GoreCory BookerGeorge W. BushA decade after An Inconvenient Truth (2006) brought climate change to the heart of popular culture, the follow-up shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution.
- DirectorKhushboo RankaVinay ShuklaStarsArvind KejriwalSaurabh BhardwajPrashant BhushanA non-fiction drama chronicling the most outrageous political debut in the largest democracy in the world, "An Insignificant Man" follows Arvind Kejriwal and his insurgent party as they look to shake up Indian politics while struggling to keep their own idealism alive.
- DirectorLucija StojevicStarsLa ChanaFélix Comas ItchartAntonio CanalesThe film brings us under the skin and into the mind of La Chana, a talented Gypsy flamenco dancer as she returns to the stage to give a final seated performance after a 30-year break. Along the way, La Chana reveals the secret behind her disappearance when she was at the peak of her career.
- DirectorEverardo GonzálezA documentary about the violence in Mexico told from the word of those who have suffered the pain and those who make the pain.
- DirectorThomas RiedelsheimerStarsAndy GoldsworthyHolly GoldsworthyLeaning into the Wind follows artist Andy Goldsworthy on his exploration of the world and himself through ephemeral and permanent workings on the landscape, cities and with his own body.
- DirectorDieudo HamadiColonel Honorine worked in Bukavu's police force for years as part of the Child Protection and Anti-Sexual Violence Unit, highly regarded for its effectiveness and the confidence it has able to restore in the community. But when Colonel Honorine is transferred to Kisangani, she must start over from scratch. Shortly after arriving in her new post, dozens of victims of sexual violence from the 6-Day War between Rwandan and Ugandan troops, land in her office. Thus begins a new challenge for the Colonel who is determined to fight for the recognition and support of these forgotten women, these outdated lives.
- DirectorSu RynardStarsJeremy RennerHow mosquitoes spread deadly diseases worldwide and what is being done to stop them.
- DirectorRina CastelnuovoTamir EltermanStarsMuhammad El-FarrahHamuda Abu Naim El FarrahBuma InbarFor the past seven years Muhi, a boy from Gaza has been living in an Israeli hospital, unable to return home. He is saved and raised in paradoxical circumstances that transcend identity, religion and the conflict that divides his world.
- DirectorDustin Harrison-AtlasTwo chefs in DC struggle to open their first restaurants. Against all odds, one becomes the most famous new chef in America. Starring Aaron Silverman (Rose's Luxury) and Frank Linn (Frankly...Pizza!). Feat. Michel Richard & Danny Meyer.
- DirectorDavid ByarsFrom inception to deadly conclusion, director David Byars immerses audiences in the 2016 Malheur rebellion with exclusive access into the Oregon compound. No Man's Land is a portrait of the fringe and doesn't flinch when the bullets fly.
- DirectorBrian KnappenbergerStarsA.J. DaulerioHulk HoganCharles HarderThe courtroom and publicity battles between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media explode in a sensational trial all about the limits of the First Amendment and the new no holds barred nature of celebrity life in an internet dominated society.
- DirectorZaradasht AhmedStarsAbu FallahHans HusumMudhafar"Nowhere to Hide" follows a man - the medic and father Nori Sharif - through 5 years of dramatic change in the war-torn Diyala-province; one of the most dangerous provinces in the middle of Iraq. From the time of the American retreat to the fall of Nori's home town, we follow him filming stories of survivors. In a world trapped between ISIS and the different Iraqi Militias, his integrity and humanitarian vision is the only thing that drives him to continue against all odds. Even when, as last man standing, he is forced to turn the camera towards himself. We are given a unique insight into one of the worlds most dangerous and inaccessible areas - the "triangle of death" in central Iraq. We get to know and hear the stories of the people who live there; survivors of this 'new war" that has become the norm - where the enemy is invisible, and there is nowhere to hide.
- DirectorHollie FiferAn indigenous community in Papua New Guinea is forced to fight back before they are cruelly evicted from their land in favor of a five star tourist hotel.
- DirectorJean-Stéphane BronStarsStéphane LissnerBenjamin MillepiedMikhail TimoshenkoA behind-the-scenes look at the Paris Opera, under the direction of Stephane Lissner.
- DirectorJonathan OlshefskiStarsChristopher RaineyChristine'a RaineyP.J. RaineyA husband and wife live in an impoverished neighborhood in north Philadelphia while they raise their daughter and run a recording studio in their basement.
- DirectorSierra PettengillPacho VelezStarsRonald ReaganNancy ReaganMikhail GorbachevMade up entirely of archival news and White House footage, this documentary captures the pageantry, absurdity, and mastery of the made-for-TV politics of Ronald Reagan.
- DirectorAdel Khan FarooqUlrik Imtiaz RolfsenStarsAnjem ChoudaryAdel Khan FarooqUbaydullah HussainFor three years a well-known Norwegian extremist gives unique access to his everyday life encouraging jihadists in Europe until he is arrested for supporting terrorism by recruiting for ISIS. This extremely timely film highlights the tension between free societies and those who take advantage of their values while seeking to undermine them. Recruiting for Jihad is especially resonant and newsworthy given the deadly incidents in Stockholm, London, Berlin, Nice, San Bernardino, Paris and elsewhere.
- DirectorCarlo Guillermo ProtoStarsDenis HartingLauviah HartingPeggy RouxWith passion, the three members of the Harting family make a living singing a cappella ballads in the Montreal metro. All three are blind and haunted by the tragic drowning death of the only seeing member of their family, Hassan. Enter Russian mystic and cult-like leader Grigori Petrovich Grabovoi, who promises to help his followers regenerate and resurrect the dead. For the Hartings, Hassan's resurrection is their only hope for completing their family once more. With intimate access and unflinching observations, the film chronicles the Hartings' attempts at dealing with their collective grief. What emerges is a highly unusual family portrait of three complex yet lovable characters.
- DirectorCatherine BainbridgeAlfonso MaioranaStarsGeorge ClintonRobbie RobertsonGary GiddinsA documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history.
- DirectorTommy HainesAndrew SherburneStarsMichael ZahsSerge BrombergGreg PrickmanIn rural Iowa, a beloved history teacher uncovers the century-old showreels of one of America's first motion picture impresarios and sets out to premiere the films at the world's oldest continuously operating movie theatre.
- DirectorNeasa Ní ChianáinDavid RaneStarsDermot DixAmanda LeydenJohn LeydenLong careers are drawing to a close for John and Amanda, who teach Latin, English, and guitar at a stately home-turned-school, where they are legends with a mantra: "Reading. 'Rithmetic. Rock 'n' roll!" But leaving is the hardest lesson.
- DirectorJeff MalmbergChris ShellenStarsAndrea CrestiChiara Del CiondoloGianna FioreOnce upon a time there was a tiny hill town in Tuscany that found a remarkable way to confront their issues - they turned their lives into a play. "Spettacolo" is a portrait of this 50-year-old tradition, where their piazza becomes their stage and every villager from 6 to 90 plays a part - the role of themselves.
- DirectorAmanda LipitzStarsGari McIntyreAmanda LeonardBlessin GiraldoSTEP documents the senior year of a girls' high-school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore.
- DirectorJian FanStarsYu XiuhuaZhou JinxiangYu WenhaiIt is true that there is still tomorrow, what a pity that there is still tomorrow.
- DirectorStefan AvalosStarsDaniel HouckRazvan StoicaDavid CampbellA young hillbilly from Ohio meets a famous European concert violinist over the internet and convinces him that he can make a perfect copy of the most famous violin that ever existed - even though he has no formal training in violin making and has never even seen the actual violin. Fighting time, poverty and himself, he attempts to deliver on his brash promise in time for an important concert.
- DirectorYance FordStarsYance FordHarvey WalkerKevin MyersWhen filmmaker Yance Ford investigates the 1992 murder of a young Black man, it becomes an achingly personal journey, since the victim, 24-year-old William Ford Jr., was the filmmaker's brother.
- DirectorSarita KhuranaSmriti MundhraStarsSima TapariaA Suitable Girl follows three young women in India struggling to maintain their identities and follow their dreams amid intense pressure to get married. The film examines the women's complex relationship with marriage, family, and society.
- DirectorRory KennedyStarsNick CarrollDarrick DoernerLaird HamiltonFilmmaker Rory Kennedy examines the career of American Laird Hamilton, a man who has spent his life conquering untameable walls of water and changed the sport of big wave surfing forever.
- DirectorHenry RooseveltW.B. ZulloStarsAmber BanaszewskiJacquet BazemoreJack BodellTen years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, two karate promoters and their fighters, a rough group of barroom brawlers, bikers, teachers and steel workers, pioneered the first mixed-martial arts league in the nation.
- DirectorChristina ClusiauShaul SchwarzStarsTim BlackPhilip GlassChristo GomesThis in-depth look into the powerhouse industries of big-game hunting, breeding and wildlife conservation in the U.S. and Africa unravels the complex consequences of treating animals as commodities.
- DirectorJennifer BreaStarsJennifer BreaOmar WasowJessica l e TaylorWhen Harvard Ph.D. student Jennifer Brea is struck down by a fever that leaves her bedridden, she sets out on a virtual journey to document her story as she fights a disease that medicine forgot.
- DirectorKaspar Astrup SchröderThe story of China's abandoned children longing for their imprisoned parents.
- DirectorCullen HobackStarsErin Brockovich-EllisMarc EdwardsRahul GuptaIn this scandalous political thriller, an investigation into a chemical spill spirals into an indictment of the entire system meant to protect drinking water, revealing cover-ups at the highest levels of government.
- DirectorNick BroomfieldRudi DolezalStarsWhitney HoustonMichael BakerWayne LindseyTells the story of Whitney Houston's extraordinary life and tragic death.
- DirectorJairus McLearyGethin AldousStarsBrian NazarofChris RentonAlvin 'Bud' WheelerSet inside a single room in Folsom Prison, three men from the outside participate in a four-day group-therapy retreat with a group of incarcerated men for a real look at the challenges of rehabilitation.
- DirectorJohn DorseyStarsAnthony AllenDoug AllenBobby BeathardDuring the strike of the 1987 American football season, NFL owners look to fill their rosters with replacements of anyone willing to play, even if it means players risking their reputation by crossing a picket line.