Documentary of the Week

"The Meaning of Hitler" is a documentary essay enlisting writers such as Martin Amis and Francine Prose to make connections between the past and the present. Filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker explore how Hitler tapped into chaos and victimhood, laying down strategies that demagogues still use today.

"Whirlybird" profiles transgender journalist Zoey Tur, who — along with her then-spouse, Marika Gerrard — pioneered helicopter news coverage in Los Angeles, covering car chases, street violence, natural disasters — and the police pursuit of OJ Simpson. Amidst all the action, filmmaker Matt Yoka creates space for self-reflection amidst a high adrenaline lifestyle that went awry.

"Enemies of the State" investigates the complex case of Matt DeHart, a hacker with the group Anonymous who was arrested for child pornography. Director Sonia Kennebeck teams with executive producer Errol Morris to follow a story that continuously calls into question how we establish the truth.

"No Ordinary Man" examines the life of jazz musician Billy Tipton, who became an inspiration to the transgender community after his death in 1989. Filmmakers Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt explore how Tipton's story was at first sensationalized and now re-framed by a new generation.

"Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters" follows a group of young dancers as they stage a new production of a work that debuted in response to the AIDS epidemic. Filmmakers Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz show how Jones' work, "D Man in the Waters," remains as powerful today as it was in 1989.

"The One and Only Dick Gregory" profiles the comedian who took America to task over civil rights, the Vietnam war and unhealthy diets. Filmmaker Andre Gaines taps a deep archive and interviews contemporary comedians including W. Kamau Bell, Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes for their perspectives.

"Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)" taps into a rich musical archive that went unseen for 50 years capturing the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Filmmaker Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson celebrates the Black performers who took the stage.

"Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide" profiles the street artist who emerged in the 1980s alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Directed by Kenny's daughter, Malia Scharf, as well as Max Basch, the film explores the artist's evolution over four decades.

"Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It" profiles the trail-blazing artist whose wide-ranging work includes "West Side Story," "The Electric Company" and "Oz." Filmmaker Mariem Pérez Riera explores the highs and lows of Moreno's professional and personal life.

The Showtime series "Couples Therapy" follows three New York couples as they work through conflicts with the counseling of Dr. Orna Guralnik. It may sound voyeuristic, but as we watch these couples experience breakthroughs in self-awareness, it becomes therapeutic.

The Netflix series "High on the Hog" explores the wide-ranging influence of African-American food traditions. Host Stephen Satterfield talks to chefs and historians throughout West Africa and the United States for an eye-opening and mouth-watering journey.

"Five Years North" profiles two figures on the opposite sides of immigration struggles in New York City: an undocumented Guatemalan teenager and an ICE agent. Filmmakers Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci deepen our understanding of the human effects of America's policies. The documentary opens theatrically this weekend at New York’s Film Forum.

The new documentary The Crime of the Century studies how Purdue Pharma and other companies fostered an opioid epidemic. Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney interviews author Patrick Radden Keefe ("Empire of Pain") and others to expose the secrets that Big Pharma tried to conceal.

“The Boy From Medellin” follows reggaeton superstar J Balvin as he prepares the biggest concert of his career against the backdrop of political turmoil in Colombia. Oscar-nominated director Matthew Heineman follows Balvin over a dramatic week as he grapples with how to use his voice in a time of protest.

In “Duty Free,” filmmaker Sian-Pierre Regis takes his mom on a bucket list journey after she loses her job at age 75. Well-timed for Mother’s Day, the emotional film explores what happens when an elderly parents have to rely on their adult children.

The eight-part series “Philly D.A.” follows District Attorney Larry Krasner as he carries out a progressive agenda to reduce incarceration in Philadelphia. The series invites comparisons to “The Wire” for its dramatic twists and turns as Krasner tries to live up to his principles against fierce opposition.

“Down a Dark Stairwell” examines how Black and Asian activists were galvanized in different ways over the 2014 New York police shooting of Akai Gurley. Filmmaker Ursula Liang covers the complex case from multiple viewpoints.

“Oliver Sacks: His Own Life” profiles the neurologist and best-selling author of “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.” Filmmaker Ric Burns examines the life experiences that influenced Sacks and how he reinvigorated the literary genre of scientific case histories.

“WeWork: or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn” dissects the company that soared on the charisma of its co-founder Adam Neumann until its bubble burst. Filmmaker Jed Rothstein (“The China Hustle”) interviews WeWork insiders and journalists to tell a story of financial chicanery that fits alongside recent documentaries on the Fyre festival and Theranos.

“Tina” draws upon rare archives and new interviews to profile Tina Turner with a fresh perspective on her iconic story. Oscar-winning filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (“Undefeated”) capture the star’s power on stage and vulnerability behind the scenes.

“Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” tells the story of Rick Singer who helped rich parents use bribes to get their kids into elite schools. Filmmaker Chris Smith (“Fyre”) uses actors, including Matthew Modine as Singer, to artfully recreate the FBI wiretaps that led to arrests.

Filmmaker Leon Gast died this week at age 84 leaving a rich legacy of work including his documentary “When We Were Kings” about Muhammad Ali in Africa. Gast took over 20 years to complete the film. It won an Oscar and he produced a follow up called “Soul Power.”

“Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art” tells the story of the New York gallery that sold over 60 forgeries attributed to art superstars such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Motherwell for over $80 million. Filmmaker Barry Avrich profiles the con artists, the duped collectors, and the master forger.

The documentary “’Til Kingdom Come” explores why American Evangelicals are preoccupied with Israel. Filmmaker Maya Zinshtein travels from Jerusalem to Washington to Kentucky to study the confluence between religion and politics that supports the right wing policies of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Softie” follows Kenyan journalist Boniface Mwangi and his wife Njeri as their family faces death threats when he runs for Parliament. Filmmaker Sam Soko explores both the political and personal challenges of standing up for your beliefs.

"Black Art: In the Absence of Light," directed by Sam Pollard, profiles a range of artists of different generations—from 90-year-old Faith Ringgold to President Obama’s portrait painter Kehinde Wiley. Visually, the film dazzles with painting, photography, collage, sculpture, conceptual art and more. Official trailer:

“9to5: The Story of a Movement” tells the history of the women’s labor movement that inspired the Hollywood comedy and Dolly Parton’s song. Oscar-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar (“American Factory”) interview women from across the country who describe their battles over sexual harassment, child care, and equal pay. Official trailer:

The four-part series “We Are the Brooklyn Saints” looks at a grade school football team in East New York. Filmmaker Rudy Valdez profiles Coach Gawuala and other mentors who inspire young players for challenges on and off the field. Official trailer:

“How It Feels to Be Free” profiles six Black women entertainers who broke barriers of racial discrimination. Filmmaker Yoruba Richen traces the histories of Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Pam Grier. Official trailer:

The documentary “Assassins” investigates the bizarre 2017 plot to murder Kim Jong-Nam, the half brother to North Korea’s Supreme Leader. His killing was carried out in a Malaysian airport lobby by two young women who thought they were performing for a TV prank show. Official trailer:

“The Dissident” investigates the plan by Saudi Arabia's government to murder journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Oscar-winning director Bryan Fogel, who made “Icarus” about the Russian Olympic doping program, brings a strong commitment of speaking truth to power. Official trailer:

In “David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet,” the acclaimed nature documentary maker combines stunning visuals of wildlife with a passionate appeal for humans to rescue the planet. Attenborough outlines how humans need to make changes to how we eat, farm and get energy in order to preserve our future. Official trailer:

"Giving Voice” celebrates the legacy of August Wilson by looking at a competition of high school students performing his monologues on a Broadway stage. Filmmakers James D. Stern and Fernando Villena also bring in the perspectives of actors like Viola Davis and Denzel Washington who are well-versed in Wilson’s work. Official trailer:

“40 Years a Prisoner” follows Mike Africa Jr. as he seeks to reunite with his parents after they were imprisoned for the 1978 shootout between Philadelphia’s police and the radical group MOVE. Filmmaker Tommy Oliver interviews eyewitnesses from multiple sides to explore the tragic dynamics that led to the violent confrontation and the flawed system of justice that followed. Official Trailer:

"Through the Night” pays tribute to working mothers by looking at a 24-hour child care facility run by Deloris “Nunu” Hogan and and her husband Patrick in New Rochelle, NY. Filmmaker Loira Limbal won DOC NYC’s Special Jury Prize for the Ethics of Care for her poignant treatment of these essential workers. Official trailer:

The documentary “76 Days” was filmed inside hospitals in Wuhan, China during the city's lockdown at the outbreak of Covid-19. A rare independent documentary given China’s tight media control, the trio of directors Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous present an unprecedented period of history with the pacing of a thriller. Official trailer:

“Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds” takes a global journey to study meteors from the past and present. Directed by Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, the film interviews people obsessed with fallen bits of stardust from Norwegian jazz musician Jon Larsen to planetary scientist Meenakshi Wadhwa. Official trailer:

"I Am Greta” follows teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg over the year she rose from obscurity to becoming the voice of a generation. Swedish filmmaker Nathan Grossman had unique access to Thunberg, including her trip by sailboat across the Atlantic to speak at the United Nations in 2019. The film is streaming on Hulu. Official Trailer:

“MLK/FBI” returns us to a time when J. Edgar Hoover led a campaign of surveillance and harassment against Martin Luther King, Jr. The film is being previewed online at the DOC NYC festival where filmmaker Sam Pollard is being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. DOC NYC Trailer:

Journalist Robert Fisk, who died at 74 this week, is profiled in “This Is Not A Movie” covering his long career in the Middle East. Filmmaker Yung Chang follows Fisk on reporting trips to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine’s West Bank, and more. Official Trailer: The film is currently screening at Anthology Film Archives.

Master documentarian Frederick Wiseman continues his 50-year project of observing institutions with a look at Boston in “City Hall.” At the center of the film is Mayor Marty Walsh as he takes on issues of immigration, racial justice, and job creation. The film is now streaming at Film Forum. Here is the official trailer.

The documentary “Time” focuses on Fox Rich, an ex-convict turned successful entrepreneur, as she raises her family and struggles to get her husband Rob freed from prison. Filmmaker Garrett Bradley draws upon 20 years worth of family archives for a poetic and profound look at the impact of incarceration on a family. Official Trailer:

“Totally Under Control” takes a sobering look at why Covid-19 had a more devastating impact in the United States than in other countries. Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney leads a film team that interviews Trump administration insiders and frontline health experts to understand what went wrong. The official trailer:

Filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz travels the United States to explore a broad spectrum of political perspectives for "The Latino Vote." He covers different nuances between the young vs old, light-skinned vs dark-skinned, and how religious convictions can skew either liberal or conservative.

“Kingdom of Silence” explores the life of journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was murdered by Saudi operatives on Oct. 2, 2018. Filmmaker Richard Rowley investigates the politics behind Khashoggi’s life and death with contributions from journalist Lawrence Wright, human rights activist Mohamed Soltan, former U.S. Deputy of National Security Ben Rhodes and others.

“Women Make Film” is a 14-part documentary series narrated by Tilda Swinton and others that showcases the immense contribution of women filmmakers from around the globe. Turner Classic Movies is rolling out the series every Tuesday from now until December, alongside a collection of 100 related films directed by women.

In the Showtime series “Love Fraud,” filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady conduct an investigation into a con man who has romanced women and stolen their money for twenty years. We watch his former victims band together to seek justice, turning their pain into a purpose.

The whimsical documentary “The Mole Agent” looks at an amateur spy in Chile who’s recruited to investigate a nursing home. Acclaimed filmmaker Maite Alberdi (“Tea Time”) combines humor and poignancy to study an older generation searching for connections. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Mr. Soul!” profiles Ellis Haizlip who hosted a ground-breaking television series about Black culture starting in 1968. He was the uncle of filmmaker Melissa Haizlip who covers his life with nuance and complexity while serving up an astonishing archive featuring a Who’s Who of Black musicians, writers, activists, dancers and others from that era. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In 1972, the pioneering filmmaker William Greaves captured the National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana for his documentary “Nationtime - Gary.” The work has gone unseen for decades, but has now been restored by IndieCollect. It will have a rare screening online at the Blackstar Film Festival. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.