Documentary of the Week

The documentary "Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool" profiles the trumpet player who left an indelible mark on 20th century music. Director Stanley Nelson celebrates Davis' soaring artistic achievement, but doesn't shy away from the more troubling sides of his personality in this complex portrait. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary "American Factory" covers the Chinese company Fuyao Glass that retools an abandoned GM Factory in Dayton, Ohio, raising hopes for local workers. Oscar-nominated filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert get deep access to both management in China and American workers on the factory floor. The film is the first acquisition by Barack and Michelle Obama's film company in partnership with Netflix. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In "One Child Nation," filmmakers Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang investigate the history of China's policy of restricting families to one child and its untold consequences. They interview people whose lives were affected by forced abortions, sterilizations, human trafficking and families separated by international adoption. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web sit.

D.A. Pennebaker died this month at the age of 94. He was a pioneer of the modern documentary with films like "Crisis," "Dont Look Back" and "Monterey Pop." The last four decades of his career were spent in collaboration with his wife Chris Hegedus on films such as "Town Bloody Hall," "The War Room" and "Unlocking the Cage." — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers Click here to listen to the full interview with Pennebaker on the Pure Non-Fiction podcast.

The documentary "Jay Myself" profiles acclaimed photographer Jay Maisel, who bought a six-story building in Manhattan, filled it with found objects for five decades and now has to move. Filmmaker Stephen Wilkes documents the wondrous 72-room former bank building that Maisel assembled like an art installation curated by a hoarder. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

"Mike Wallace is Here" profiles the "60 Minutes" star in an uniquely constructed film that relies on archives drawn from thousands of hours of his television interviews. Filmmaker Avi Belkin simultaneously explores how news coverage evolved and shaped the world during Wallace's career. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

"The Edge of Democracy" explores recent political upheavals in Brazil that resulted in the popular former President Lula going to prison, his successor being impeached and the rise of a new President who's been compared to Donald Trump. Filmmaker Petra Costa tells the story from a personal perspective of growing up with leftist parents who were persecuted under the country's previous military dictatorship. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary "Sea of Shadows" follows activists trying to save the rare totoaba fish from extinction, going up against poachers, smugglers and the mafia from Mexico to China. Filmmaker Richard Ladkani covers action by land and sea with the pacing a thriller. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In "Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love," filmmaker Nick Broomfield profiles Marianne Ihlen, who was Leonard Cohen's lover and the subject of his songs "So Long, Marianne" and "Bird on a Wire." The film captures an era of artistic expression, drugs and free love. Broomfield also had a relationship with Marianne, who inspired him to make his first film fifty years ago. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

"Maiden" is a documentary adventure story chronicling the first all-women sailing team to compete in an around-the-world race, defying sexist naysayers. Filmmaker Alex Holmes interviews the key players, including Skipper Tracy Edwards, and weaves their accounts with extraordinary footage shot on board the Maiden amidst ocean storms and accidents. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” profiles the Nobel Prize winning author of “Song of Solomon,” “Beloved” and other novels. Filmmaker and photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders frames Morrison speaking directly to the camera and gives her work context in interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis, Walter Mosley and others. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “XY Chelsea” profiles Chelsea Manning, alternately seen as a whistleblower or traitor, who spent seven years in prison — the longest any American ever has for leaking government secrets. Filmmaker Tim Travers Hawkins follows the transgender activist, who went to prison as Bradley and emerged as Chelsea. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Ghost Fleet” follows a modern anti-slavery crusader, Patima Tungpuchayakul, as she goes on a mission to remote islands to rescue escapees from illegal fishing boats. Filmmakers Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron expose a hidden system in the Thai fishing industry that’s estimated to keep tens of thousands in slave labor at sea. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Running with Beto” follows Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke over a year as he becomes a national political figure with an unexpectedly strong challenge against incumbent Senator Ted Cruz. Filmmaker David Modigliani captures how Beto energizes a new base of voters by taking strong left-wing positions on issues like immigration, gun control and police violence. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground” shines a light on the experimental filmmaker who moved in the circles of Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg. Filmmaker Chuck Smith chronicles how Rubin burst on the scene as a teenager to push boundaries of cinema, sexuality and drugs. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

“Walking on Water” documents the visionary artist Christo as he undertakes his biggest project since the death of his partner Jeanne-Claude, creating a floating bridge on Italy’s Lake Iseo. Filmmaker Andrey Paounov captures Christo’s attempt to create the impossible, aided by his nephew Vladimir Yavachev. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The family friendly documentary “The Biggest Little Farm” follows John and Molly Chester as they trade city life to create a biodiverse farm with multiple species of plants and animals. We watch their trials and tribulations for over seven years as the farm comes to life only to be threatened by drought and wildfires. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Knock Down the House” follows four working-class candidates running for Congress, including a young long shot from the Bronx named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Director Rachel Lears captures how Ocasio-Cortez emerged, from a movement supported by the organizations Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, to become a rising star. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

“Hail Satan?” is a documentary comedy profiling a network of pagan worshippers and political provocateurs in the Satanic Temple. Director Penny Lane follows co-founder Lucian Greaves and his band of merry Satanists as they challenge state governments over freedom of religion. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Screwball” looks at the colorful Miami characters involved in the baseball doping scandal that implicated Alex Rodriguez and other Major League Baseball players. Filmmaker Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys”) blends comedy with true crime, upholding Florida’s reputation as a sunny place for shady people. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

“Blowin’ Up” spends two years inside an innovative Queens court that focuses on prostitution and human trafficking. Filmmaker Stephanie Wang-Breal takes her title from slang that refers to leaving a pimp.The film covers both victories and setbacks in an effort to rethink the justice system. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

“The Brink” follows the divisive political strategist Steve Bannon after he’s ousted from the White House as he spends a year taking his nationalist agenda abroad. Filmmaker Alison Klayman (“Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry”) gets close access to Bannon as he meets with right wing leaders in multiple countries to create a new organization called The Movement. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Roll Red Roll” investigates a rape case in Steubenville, Ohio, where high-school football players documented their crime on social media. Filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman chronicles how the case changed public opinion after many local football supporters initially cast doubt on the victim. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In “The Eyes of Orson Welles,” filmmaker Mark Cousins looks into the sketchbooks of the fecund creator who revolutionized radio, theater and film. Cousins, known for his monumental history “The Story of Film,” succeeds at giving us a fresh perspective on how Welles saw the world. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

HBO’s four-part series “The Case Against Adnan Syed” follows investigators as they re-open the Baltimore murder case made famous by the Serial podcast. Filmmaker Amy Berg uncovers new details and testimonies that stir fresh questions over whether justice was served. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Apollo 11” brings a fresh perspective to the first voyage to the moon, with rare 70 mm archival footage and audio recordings from inside mission control. For the 50th year anniversary of the journey, filmmaker Todd Douglas Miller has created a suspenseful epic fit for the IMAX screen. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary "Wrestle" is set at a failing high school in Huntsville, Alabama, where Coach Chris Scribner mentors students to get scholarships for wrestling. Filmmakers Suzannah Herbert and Lauren Belfer follow four students who variously cope with absent parents, teenage pregnancy and run-ins with the law while trying to compete for the state championship. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “United Skates” looks at black communities formed around roller skating across America and the struggle to keep rinks open against a wave of closures. Filmmakers Dyana Winkler & Tina Brown capture a dazzling display of regional skating styles. The film won the Tribeca Audience Award and comes to HBO on February 18. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

"Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me" looks back at the life of the iconic singer who's rise was cut short by a tragic car accident. Director Olivia Lichtenstein delivers a definitive biography set to a soulful soundtrack. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

For the film “Of Fathers and Sons,” Syrian filmmaker Talal Derki returned from exile to embed with Islamic militants in his homeland for over two years. He captures the life of a member of Syria’s Al-Qaeda and how his philosophy of jihad is passed down to his sons. The film is one of five Oscar nominees for Documentary Feature this year. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists” profiles the legendary newspaper columnists Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill. Directed by the trio of Jonathan Alter, John Block and Steve McCarthy, the film traces the last five decades of New York history through the prism of these two vibrant voices. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In the documentary “What is Democracy?”, filmmaker Astra Taylor explores the meaning and challenges of our political system. She talks to thinkers such as Cornel West and Wendy Brown as well as average citizens ranging from Syrian refugees to American Trump supporters. Taylor explores the themes further in her forthcoming book “Democracy May Not Exist, But We’ll Miss it When it’s Gone.” — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In the documentary “Hillbilly,” filmmakers Ashley York and Sally Rubin look at the people of Appalachia and counter stereotypes of the region. Kentucky born authors Silas House and bell hooks are among the diverse voices who bring a deeper understanding of the region. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “People’s Republic of Desire” looks at live-streaming performers who attract hundreds of thousands of working-class fans as well as rich patrons. Filmmaker Hao Wu follows popular hosts and their followers for two years to better understand the secrets to this hidden world. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “The Sentence” follows a family of three girls who grow up while their mother Cindy serves multiple years in prison due to the controversial system of minimum mandatory sentencing. The filmmaker is Cindy’s brother, Rudy Valdez, who brings a personal perspective to one of the year’s most emotionally wrenching films. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

“Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes” examines how the creator of Fox News rose and fell by his quest for power. Filmmaker Alexis Bloom interviews a wide range of colleagues as well as women who accuse Ailes of sexual harassment over a span of several decades. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The film “Springsteen on Broadway” documents Bruce Springsteen's one-man show, in which he tells stories from his life and sings acoustic versions of his classic songs. Filmmaker Thom Zimny directs with an intimacy that brings us closer than the front row. Springsteen more than lives up to his reputation as a master storyteller. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Amazing Grace” captures Aretha Franklin recording her eponymous gospel album in a Los Angeles church in 1972. The footage was shot by camera crews led by Hollywood director Sydney Pollack. After Pollack’s death, former record producer Alan Elliott took over the project. Now it’s finally being released to the public 46 years after being recorded. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

“The Truth About Killer Robots” looks at cases where automation has caused human deaths and eliminated human jobs. Filmmaker Maxim Pozdorovkin surveys multiple incidents from a self-driving car accident to the law firm Robot, Robot & Hwang. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In the documentary, “The World Before Your Feet,” the camera follows Matt Green, a former civil engineer who’s on a mission to walk 8000 miles of New York City’s streets and parks. Filmmaker Jeremy Workman follows in Green’s footsteps and allows us to vicariously experience a multitude of the city’s wonders, including its people. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

“Under the Wire” tells the story of journalist Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy covering a deadly siege in the Syrian city of Homs. Filmmaker Chris Martin adapt’s Conroy’s book “Under the Wire: Marie Colvin’s Final Assignment” with harrowing footage of Conroy’s journey trying to escape Syria after being wounded in a bombing.

The documentary “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael” profiles The New Yorker's iconic film critic. Director Rob Garver unearths rare archival footage of Kael and skillfully interweaves classic film clips with quotes from her spiky articles read by Sarah Jessica Parker. The film premieres at the DOC NYC festival, followed by a panel of critics discussing her legacy. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film's festival page.

Composer, arranger and producer Quincy Jones looks back on a life of constant movement among America’s greatest musicians in the Netflix documentary “Quincy.” Directed by his daughter Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks, the film contains a Who’s Who of talent, including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and countless others whose careers were influenced by Jones. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In the Netflix documentary “Shirkers,” filmmaker Sandi Tan goes in search of a film she made in Singapore 25 years ago that was stolen by her collaborator. Winner of the Sundance World Documentary Directing Award, the film is full of mystery, beauty and originality.

The documentary “On Her Shoulders” profiles Nadia Murad, the Yazidi activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize this month for her work against sexual violence. Filmmaker Alexandria Bombach follows Murad at age 23 as she grows into her role of speaking on behalf of the Yazidis, a non-Muslim minority that suffered a genocidal campaign at the hands of ISIS. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In the documentary “Jane Fonda: A Life in Five Acts,” the Oscar-winning actress looks back on the multiple personas of her life — from ingenue to activist to exercise guru and beyond. Filmmaker Susan Lacy layers the films with clips from classic films such as “Barbarella,” “Coming Home” and “On Golden Pond.” But Fonda’s most complicated performance is finding herself. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “Studio 54” charts the rise and fall of the legendary nightclub and its creators, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. Filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer allows Schrager to tell his own tale, and uncovers never-before-seen footage capturing the club’s decadent spirit. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In the documentary “Free Solo,” mountain climber Alex Honnold tries to become the first person to climb the 3,200 cliff of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without safety ropes. Filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chinn conjure a visually stunning adventure with a compelling character at the center. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

In “Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco,” filmmaker James Crump celebrates the fashion illustrator who helped launch the careers of Jessica Lange, Jerry Hall, Grace Jones and others. Lopez’s vibrant life was cut short by AIDS in 1987, but this film keeps his memory burning brightly. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

In “Bisbee ’17,” residents of the mining town Bisbee, Arizona re-enact a dark chapter of history, when over 1200 immigrant workers were violently deported across state lines into the desert of New Mexico. Filmmaker Robert Greene artfully blurs the past and present to confront how the incident continues to stir strong emotions one hundred years later. — Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.