Browse Movies : 2021 : Documentary

STRAY explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal, a shy puppy living on the outskirts of a construction site, finds companions in the security guards who care for her. The strays’ disparate lives intersect when they each form intimate bonds with a group of young Syrians with whom they share the streets. Director Elizabeth Lo’s award-winning film is a critical observation of human civilization through the unfamiliar gaze of dogs and a sensory voyage into new ways of seeing.

Technology laced documentary uncovers the real costs of the platform economy through the lives of workers from around the world for companies including Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo.

Frank Stallone has remained one of the most versatile talents in Hollywood for over four decades. His music career has earned him three Platinum Albums, ten Gold Albums, five Gold Singles and seen him top the charts worldwide. His movie soundtracks have audiences across the globe gripped to some of the most iconic movies; including The Expendables 2, Rocky I, II and III, Rambo II, Paradise Alley, Over the Top and the Saturday Night Fever sequel Staying Alive, which earned him Golden Globe and Grammy Nominations. All the while Frank’s on-screen career has seen him act in over 60 films and TV shows, including Tombstone and the cult hit Barfly. So why does Frank remain one of the least known famous faces in Hollywood? Find out as we go behind the scenes of Hollywood's elite, in this fascinating documentary, told by Frank himself and those that know him best.

Project Recover, a small team of accomplished scientists, historians, and military veterans, scour the depths of the ocean and the farthest corners of the earth, to search for and recover the remains of the more than 80,000 Americans missing in action since World War II, delivering closure, solace, and kinship to MIA families who’ve gone generations without answers.

For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.

Homeroom follows Oakland High School’s class of 2020 as they confront an unprecedented year. Anxiety over test scores and college applications gives way to uncertainty springing from a rapidly developing pandemic. Efforts to eliminate the school district’s police force unfold against the backdrop of growing nationwide demands for systemic change.

Suge Knight, the former CEO of legendary rap music label Death Row Records was recently sentenced to 28 years imprisonment. This film takes a look at Death Row and how L.A.’s street gang culture had come to dominate its business workings.

Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American experiences. Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Investigates the case of alleged Wikileaks courier and Anonymous hacker Matt DeHart, an alleged whistleblower who believes he was the target of a U.S. government conspiracy.

An explosive video goes viral, showing a white school resource officer in South Carolina pull a Black teenager from her desk. One woman uproots her life to support the girl and dismantle the system, including facing the police officer.

Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ray Baretto, Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach and more.

Explores Nepal’s deep connection to high-altitude mountaineering through the eyes of Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja, a fearless, fun-loving Nepali climber on a quest he dubs “Project Possible”—to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter mountains in just seven months, breaking the previous record of seven years. With a team of skilled Sherpas, he traverses Mount Everest, K2, and other iconic peaks through extreme weather, life-or-death decisions, and the emotional weight of his mother’s illness back home.

How far do you have to travel to find yourself? And what sacrifices are you willing to make to get there? Veiga Grétarsdóttir is the first person in the world to attempt to kayak the 1,300 mile circumference of Iceland, counter-clockwise and against the current, an achievement that has been compared to climbing K2. Veiga’s personal journey is no less remarkable. She was born 44 years ago as a boy in a fishing village on the far west coast of Iceland. By the age of 38 Veigar had a wife and family but decided that she could no longer live as a man and decided to undergo gender reassignment. The inner struggle for Veigar to become Veiga was a journey as difficult if not more so than the solo kayak expedition she undertakes. These two stories of conflict and struggle are intertwined as the film follows her amazing 103 day journey around Iceland, with the magical, rugged coastline of the country a backdrop to the story of Veiga’s transition.

Emmy® award-winning filmmaker Michael Barnett's urgent and subsuming sports documentary illuminates what many have called the civil rights issue of our time: transgender inclusion in sports. Changing The Game takes us into the lives of three high school athletes-all at different stages of their athletic seasons, personal lives, and unique paths as transgender teens. Their stories span across the U.S. - from Sarah, a skier and teen policymaker in New Hampshire, to Andraya, a track star in Connecticut openly competing on the girls track team. The film centers on Mack Beggs, who made headlines when he became the Texas State Champion in girls wrestling - as a boy.

American jazz musician Billy Tipton developed a reputable touring and recording career in the mid-twentieth century, along with his band The Billy Tipton Trio. After his death in the late 80s, it was revealed that Tipton was assigned female at birth, and his life was swiftly reframed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career.

Shot over five years, the documentary reveals the unwavering fight led by Jon Stewart, John Feal and Ray Pfeifer as they take on the U.S. government to get healthcare and benefits for the thousands of responders who are suffering with life-threatening and financially devastating illnesses from toxins released at Ground Zero after 9/11.

Everyone has a unique father story. Whether positive or painful, it's always personal and can deeply affect the core of our identity and direction of our lives. Featuring a variety of amazing, true stories, this captivating movie takes audiences of all ages on an inspiring and emotional cinematic journey.

Half a century into their marriage, Chicago artists Jackie and Don Seiden approach the fragility of their elderly lives in their own distinct ways. Jackie, notorious for her unbound energy, is constantly on the move, inspired to create works of art while also maintaining the couple’s multistory, eccentric Victorian house. Don steadily sketches in his notebook while facing alarming interruptions to his health.

Marc-André Leclerc climbs alone, far from the limelight. On remote alpine faces, the free-spirited 23-year-old Canadian makes some of the boldest solo ascents in history. Yet, he draws scant attention. With no cameras, no rope, and no margin for error, Leclerc's approach is the essence of solo adventure. Nomadic and publicity shy, he doesn’t own a phone or car, and is reluctant to let a film crew in on his pure vision of climbing. Veteran filmmaker Peter Mortimer (The Dawn Wall) sets out to make a film about Leclerc but struggles to keep up with his elusive subject. Then, Leclerc embarks on a historic adventure in Patagonia that will redefine what is possible in solo climbing.

Tells the inside story behind the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting ever sold at $450 million, claimed to be a long-lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci. From the moment it is purchased from a shady New Orleans auction house, and its buyers discover masterful brushstrokes beneath its cheap restoration, the fate of the Salvator Mundi is driven by an insatiable quest for fame, money and power. But as its price soars, so do questions about its authenticity. Is this multi-million dollar painting actually by Leonardo – or do certain power players simply want it to be?