Docs
Salman Rushdie on Sundance Doc ‘Knife’
The author on the savage attack that almost killed him: 'People should see what terrorism looks like.'
Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff on Why Billie Jean King's Story Needed to Be Told in 'Give Me the Ball': 'We Need Heroes. We Need People Who Have Fought the Hard Fight'
Tennis icon and legend Billie Jean King has had documentaries, articles and even a movie, “Battle of the Sexes,” tell her story.“Give Me the Ball,” which premieres Monday at…
Kim Gordon and Kathleen Hanna on 'The Best Summer' Doc: Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Beck, Bikini Kill at Alternative Rock's Peak
It’s a time capsule from the hard-rocking halcyon days before iPhones, “American Idol” and the MP3 audio format changed everything about the music business.“The Best Summer,”…
Documentary Classics
'No Other Land' Review: A Frank, Devastating Protest Against Israel's West Bank Occupation
Young Palestinian activist Basel Adra teams with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham to chronicle the despair of the displaced in his home territory — the resulting film could open eyes and change…
‘Sugarcane’ Review: Enlightening and Infuriating Look Into Systematic Abuse at an Indian Residential School
It’s altogether likely that many non-Indigenous people knew nothing about the abuse and disappearances of Native American children that occurred over decades in residential Indian…
'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story' Review: A Superbly Made and Supremely Moving Portrait of the Actor's Fall and Rise
"Super/Man: The Story of Christopher Reeve" is a moving, wrenching, compellingly well-made documentary about Reeve's life that inevitably ends up centering on his accident and its aftermath.
Documentary News
John Wilson, Sara Dosa Among Speakers in Lineup for CPH:DOX’s Conference and Summit Program
The industry section of Copenhagen documentary festival CPH:DOX has unveiled the Summit and Conference program, which runs March 16-19. Featured speakers include U.S. filmmaker…
Oscar Nominees ‘Perfect Neighbor,’ ‘Mr. Nobody’ Compete for Fipresci’s Documentary Grand Prix
The International Federation of Film Critics, also known as Fipresci, and the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival have revealed the nominees for the inaugural Documentary…
CPH:DOX Unveils Competition Lineups, Including 53 World Premieres
CPH:DOX, also known as Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, has unveiled its competition lineup, featuring 53 world premieres, 17 international premieres and four European…
Laura Poitras to Be Special Guest at Opening of Visions du Réel’s Industry Program, ‘Cover-Up’ to Screen at Documentary Festival
U.S. filmmaker Laura Poitras will be the Special Guest at the opening of the 24th edition of VdR–Industry, documentary festival Visions du Réel’s program for industry…
MetFilm Boards Sundance Awards Winner ‘To Hold a Mountain’ for International Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
MetFilm Sales has acquired international sales rights to Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić’s feature documentary “To Hold a Mountain,” which recently received its world premiere…
Dogwoof Boards ‘The Cycle of Love,’ From ‘White Helmets’ Director, Executive Produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (EXCLUSIVE)
Documentary sales, distribution and production company Dogwoof has boarded international sales rights to “The Cycle of Love,” directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, who was Oscar…
‘Bucks Harbor’ Picked Up by Indox Ahead of Berlinale World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Indox, the non-fiction festival agency led by Luke Brawley, has taken on worldwide festival rights to “Bucks Harbor,” the debut feature documentary from filmmaker Pete Muller. The…
HiddenLight, Universal Pictures Content Group Partner on Sam Pollard’s Berlin-Bound Documentary ‘Tutu’
HiddenLight has partnered with Universal Pictures Content Group to co-produce Sam Pollard’s feature-length documentary “Tutu,” which makes its world premiere in the Berlin…
‘Between Brothers’ Launches Trailer as Director Talks ‘Ethical Traps’ of Following ‘A Family Affair’ With Another Family Doc (EXCLUSIVE)
After spending years uncovering his family’s complicated dynamics in “A Family Affair,” Dutch filmmaker Tom Fassaert thought he was done turning the camera on his home life. Alas…
Lists
The Best Documentaries of 2024
Tales of hope and daring, of fighting back, of art and inspiration, of the heroism of ordinary people…and extraordinary people.
The 25 Best Documentaries About Hollywood, Ranked
Variety editors ranked top documentaries about Hollywood -- films that examine productions gone out of control and key figures behind the scenes.
Documentary Video
Why Marlee Matlin Insisted a Deaf Person Direct the Documentary About Her Life
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
‘The Vow’ Director Breaks Down Nancy Salzman’s Finale Reveal and How Prison Has Changed Her
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Director Margaret Brown On What’s Next for the Clotilda Descendants
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
Shaunak Sen on the ‘Blunt Power’ of Boredom in ‘All That Breathes’ and Finding Hope Through the Fog
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!
‘A Sexplanation’ Director Alex Liu Unpacks the Failures of Sex Education in America
Perfection is rarely achieved in movies, but this heaven-sent concert doc hits the sweet spot. Over two days in January 1972, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin — she was 29 at the time — sweeps into the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts in front of a congregation and testifies to God in song. The blessed thing took nearly half a century to come out because director Sydney Pollack failed to sync the image with the sound. Then digital angels stepped in, and glory, glory, hallelujah!