Documentary of the Week

In "The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales," filmmaker Abigail Disney examines how the corporation built by her grandfather Roy and great uncle Walt treats its workers today. The film delivers a broader study of how American business trends have widened economic inequality.

"Moonage Daydream" explores the artistry of David Bowie through his music, paintings, acting and interviews drawn from his private archives. Filmmaker Brett Morgen creates a visual spectacle as bold as his subject.

"We Met in Virtual Reality" takes a unique approach to documentary by filming on the platform VR Chat and interviewing users through their avatars. Filmmaker Joe Hunting puts the emphasis less on technology and more on the search for human connection.

The 3-part series "Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons" explores the legacy of the company's leader Leslie Wexner and his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein who died in prison awaiting trial on numerous accusations of sex trafficking. Filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer explores the rise and fall of the multi-billion dollar lingerie brand.

"The Last Movie Stars" is a six-part series exploring the 50-year marriage of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The filmmaker Ethan Hawke taps an archive of unpublished interviews along with extensive film clips to dive into their complexities.

"Free Chol Soo Lee" explores the legacy of a 1973 murder in San Francisco's Chinatown and a young Korean immigrant who was initially convicted of the crime. Filmmakers Julia Ha and Eugene Yi offer a nuanced profile of the complex man behind the slogan.

"Mija" follows talent manager Doris Muñoz and singer Jacks Haupt as they navigate the highs and lows of the music business. Filmmaker Isabel Castro captures them balancing family obligations while they forge their own identities.

The HBO documentary series "Mind Over Murder" explores why several people confessed to a crime they didn't commit. Filmmaker Nanfu Wang isn't focused on the "whodunit" as much as the more complicated question of how to find reconciliation after a tragedy.

The Netflix series "How to Change Your Mind" follows author Michael Pollan as he explores the psychedelic worlds of LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and mescaline. Filmmaker Lucy Walker and her team tell a story of how these drugs were once demonized but are now being reconsidered in a more positive light.

"Dreaming Walls" profiles the longtime residents of New York's legendary Chelsea Hotel who stayed during the many years the building went under reconstruction. Filmmakers Amélie van Elmbt and Maya Duverdier aren't attempting a comprehensive history, but rather a dreamy portrait of a place.

"The Martha Mitchell Effect" profiles the woman who played a key role in exposing the depths of Watergate and bringing down President Nixon. Filmmaker Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy use archival footage to trace how Martha Mitchell was maligned by the Nixon administration until people realized the truth of her statements.

The Oscar nominated documentary "Who Killed Vincent Chin?" examines a case from 40 years ago that galvanized Asian Americans to rally against racial violence. Filmmaker Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Peña delve into the background tensions of Detroit's auto industry in the 1980s that were a backdrop to a tragedy.

"The Janes" profiles a group of Chicago women who created a network to perform illegal abortions in the days before the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade decision. Filmmakers Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes capture the defiance and dedication of these women who operated under the threat of imprisonment.

"Joe Papp in Five Acts" profiles the founder of New York's Shakespeare in the Park and the Public Theater. The film includes interviews with Meryl Streep, James Earl Jones, Martin Sheen and others who explore Papp in all his complexity.

"Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres" profiles the music journalist known for his insightful interviews. Filmmaker Suzanne Joe Kai weaves Fong-Torres' own story in with his encounters with legends such as Jim Morrison, Ray Charles, Tina Turner and many others.

The Showtime series "Couples Therapy" returns for season three as Dr. Orna Guralnik treats four New York couples in long-term relationships going through a crisis. We watch as they dig into thorny issues of infidelity, addiction, childhood trauma and kitchen cleanliness.

"Sheryl" profiles the singer songwriter Sheryl Crow whose catchy hits such as "Soak Up the Sun" were sometimes at odds with her struggles behind the scenes. Filmmaker Amy Scott gives us a deeper appreciation for her talents and tribulations.

"White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch" explores allegations of racism, discrimination and sexual harassment at the clothing store marketed to the "cool kids." Filmmaker Alison Klayman. Interviews company insiders and outsiders to document how the CEO's self-declared mission to be "exclusionary" stopped working.

"La Madrina: The [Savage] Life of Lorine Padilla" profiles a member of the South Bronx gang the Savage Skulls who became a community activist. Filmmaker Raquel Cepeda uncovers a hidden history of Latinas who overcame multiple adversities.

Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt reflects on a Brooklyn schoolyard incident from 1965 in the Oscar nominated short documentary, "When We Were Bullies." He employs visual techniques of collage and stop motion animation to deconstruct and reconstruct the past.

"Sub Eleven Seconds" captures Sha'Carri Richardson, one of the fastest women to ever run the 100 meter race, as she competes to qualify for the Olympics in 2021. In the span of a short documentary, the 28-year-old filmmaker and photographer, Bafic, combines athleticism and artistry for a poignant meditation on time.

"The Andy Warhol Diaries" is a six-part series capturing the artist's personal life in his own words — using AI technology to recreate his voice. Filmmaker Andrew Rossi brings a fresh perspective to understanding the mercurial icon and his times.

"Calendar Girl" profiles Ruth Finley who created the Fashion Calendar that was an indispensable resource for designers. Filmmaker Christian D. Bruun illuminates a hidden history through interviews with fashion icons such as Carolina Herrera, Nicole Miller and Diane von Furstenberg.

"Dear Mr. Brody" takes us back to 1970 when a 21-year-old heir to a fortune in Scarsdale, New York promised to give away his money - causing thousands of people to write him letters describing their needs. Filmmaker Keith Maitland explores the mystery of Brody and the contents of those letters.

"The Automat" tells a lively history of the restaurant chain Horn & Hardart through the memories of famous customers like Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Colin Powell. Filmmaker Lisa Hurwitz explores the changing demographics of urban culture that caused the Automat's fortunes to rise and fall.

"We Need to Talk About Cosby" grapples with the legacy of the once-beloved comedian who's been accused by over 60 women of rape and sexual assault. Director W. Kamau Bell interviews a wide range of people including Cosby's accusers, former colleagues, and journalists for the four-part series streaming on Showtime.

"Ronnie's" tells the history of London's legendary jazz club and its co-founder, tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott. Filmmaker Oliver Murray weaves in vintage performances by Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and other musical greats recorded at the club.

"Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back" profiles the dancer who was a child performer with his younger brother Gregory before they took divergent paths. Filmmaker John Carluccio explores their history that had a fictional parallel in the characters they portrayed in "The Cotton Club."

Christine Turner's short documentary "Lynching Postcards" examines the history of racial terror lynchings in America that were memorialized with photographic souvenirs. Historians Terry Anne Scott, Yohuru Williams and Leigh Raiford explain how the postcards flourished and were eventually used as evidence by anti-lynching activists.

The Netflix phenomenon "Cheer" returns for a second season, following the college cheerleading squad Navarro as they compete against rival Trinity Valley for a national championship. The show's success is now part of the story as the teams cope with fame, COVID and criminal charges against a beloved Navarro cheerleader.

Lawyer Jeffery Robinson delivers a version of history different from what's taught in schools in "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America." Filmmakers Sarah and Emily Kunstler travel with Robinson to American landmarks where he interviews figures who connect the past to the present.

"American Insurrection" on PBS's Frontline investigates vigilante groups active in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Correspondent A.C. Thompson of ProPublica studies how groups such as the Proud Boys and Boogaloo Boys are constantly shifting.

"Fauci" profiles the doctor who's served as an adviser to seven American presidents as he grapples with the science and politics of Covid-19. Filmmakers John Hoffman and Janet Tobias look at Dr. Anthony Fauci's full career — including his previous work as an AIDS researcher.

"Reopening Night" captures the cast and crew of Shakespeare in the Park as they produce "Merry Wives" after the pandemic shutdown. The new production adapted by playwright Jocelyn Bioh sets the romantic misadventures of Falstaff in modern day Harlem.

"Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street" looks at the origins of the groundbreaking children's television show. Documentary maker Marilyn Agrelo profiles both famous figures such as Jim Henson and Frank Oz as well as lesser-known people behind the scenes.

The half-hour documentary "Takeover" recounts how the radical Puerto Rican group the Young Lords took over a South Bronx hospital in 1970. Filmmaker Emma Francis-Snyder conducts new interviews with Young Lords members to reconstruct what happened through archival footage and recreations.

The documentary "Listening to Kenny G" profiles the saxophonist whose instrumental hits helped popularize the radio format of smooth jazz and created a backlash. Filmmaker Penny Lane explores a bigger question: how do we decide what music is good or bad?

"The First Wave" profiles hospital workers in Queens during the early months of Covid-19 and the street protests against police violence. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman ("Cartel Land") and his crew capture the perseverance of New Yorkers during one of the city's darkest periods.

"Hold Your Fire," premiering at the DOC NYC festival, looks at the longest hostage siege in NYPD history in 1973. Filmmaker Stefan Forbes teams with producer Fab Five Freddy to cover multiple perspectives, and mysteries that linger decades later. The documentary "Hold Your Fire" reexamines a 1973 hostage siege in New York City. (Courtesy of "Hold Your Fire" film.)

"Queen of Basketball" profiles Lusia Harris who was a star basketball player in the 1970s. Filmmaker Ben Proudfoot interviews Harris about her experiences winning college championships, going to the Olympics and being the first and only woman ever drafted by NBA.

"Attica" tells the story of the largest prison uprising in U.S. history that took place in upstate New York in 1971. Director Stanley Nelson and co-director Traci Curry interview dozens of participants and unearth extensive archival film and audio to tell a chapter of history that resonates strongly today.

"Becoming Cousteau" is a complex portrait of the explorer who helped the world fall in love with oceans. Oscar-nominated director Liz Garbus ("What Happened, Miss Simone?") traces Cousteau's journey from adventurer to environmentalist.

Filmmaker Todd Haynes tells the story of "The Velvet Underground" and the artistic milieu of 1960s New York. He draws upon new interviews with living band members and eyewitnesses along with a treasure trove of archival material.

"The Rescue" profiles the cave diving hobbyists who came from around the world to help save a Thai boys soccer team trapped underground. Oscar winning filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Free Solo") gain access to extraordinary footage from inside the mission.

"My Name is Pauli Murray" profiles the multi-hyphenate activist, lawyer, poet and priest who had a non-binary gender identity and was a pioneer in civil rights and feminism. Filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West, who previously directed the Oscar-nominated "RBG," show how Murray set precedents for later chapters of history that became famous.

"Homeroom" chronicles the senior class of Oakland High School through the tumultuous school year of 2019-2020. For filmmaker Peter Nicks, this look at education completes a thematic trilogy preceded by "The Waiting Room" on health care and "The Force" on policing. All three films are streaming on Hulu.

"Pray Away" profiles several former leaders of the movement that advocated to convert LGBTQ people to become straight. Filmmaker Kristine Stolakis examines how many of them now renounce the movement that continues without them.

"The Capote Tapes" draws upon conversations with Truman Capote's friends and admirers to document his complex personality. Filmmaker Ebs Burnough explores Capote's career highlights including "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "In Cold Blood," and his unfinished final work "Answered Prayers."

Award-winning filmmaker Nanfu Wang ("One Child Nation") investigates how the Chinese and the United States governments tried to shape public perceptions ofCOVID-19 in her film "In the Same Breath." Wang creates a powerful essay drawing upon the work of independent Chinese journalists and never-before-seen footage from the early days of the outbreak.

"Lily Topples the World" follows a 20-year-old domino artist known as Lily Hevesh through a pivotal year of her life. Filmmaker Jeremy Workman captures her dazzling creations of domino structures that take days to build — and seconds to fall down.