More than 20 years after the media spectacle of the “trial of the century,” O.J. Simpson continues to fascinate the public. In this expansive, ambitious and provocative project, Ezra Edelman revisits not only the murder of Simpson’s ex-wife and its infamous aftermath, but the story of O.J.’s entire life, before and after. Encompassing America’s complicated […]
Robert Mapplethorpe emerged from the vibrant 1970s New York art scene where he bonded with Patti Smith and partnered with art collector Sam Wagstaff. Mapplethorpe’s photography spanned explicit gay sadomasochistic sex, but also stunning pictures of flowers. In 1989, the year he died of AIDS, he was denounced in Congress by Senator Jesse Helms. Filmmakers […]
Sharon Jones has been called “the female James Brown” for the energy she brings to stage backed by The Dap-Kings. We follow her on an emotional journey as she fights cancer and struggles to mount a comeback show at the Beacon Theater. The story finds its perfect match in director Barbara Kopple, another soulful talent […]
The 2007 murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy is a case study in the vagaries of crime and punishment. Seattle native Amanda Knox was convicted for the crime and spent four years in prison before being exonerated. This gripping, atmospheric film revisits the story with unprecedented access to its key players […]
Two years after American photojournalist James Foley went missing in Syria, the graphic video of his public execution served as the shocking introduction of ISIS to the world. Unwilling to allow his childhood friend to be remembered only by his death, Brian Oakes celebrates Foley’s life through intimate, revealing interviews with family members and friends. […]
Winner of the Berlin Film Festival’s top prize, the Golden Bear, Fire at Sea takes an observational look at the waves of refugees landing on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa. Renowned filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi has long been celebrated in Europe (winning the Venice Film Festival for his film Sacro GRA) and his reputation is […]
Having previously investigated rape in the military in the Oscar-nominated The Invisible War, Kirby Dick turns his attention to another insidious bastion of sexual assaults: the college campus. While 20 percent of female college students experience sexual violence, few report the crime, and their perpetrators typically suffer no consequences. The Hunting Ground lays bare the […]
Years in the making, this film delivers an in-depth portrait of the Nirvana singer-songwriter like nothing before. Oscar-nominated director Brett Morgen (On the Ropes, The Kid Stays in the Picture) gains access to personal archives of art, music and never-before- seen home movies, interwoven with animation and candid interviews with his closest friends and family. […]
Malala Yousafzai gained world attention at age 15 when she spoke out for girls’ education from her home in Pakistan’s Swat Valley and survived being shot in the head by Taliban militants. Oscar-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) gives a close-up portrait of this strong-willed teenager and her family. The title’s “he” refers to […]
Based on Lawrence Wright’s book of the same name, Alex Gibney’s latest film is a provocative exposé of the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. Balancing insightful history – including the origins of the controversial organization and a profile of its founder, science fiction author L Ron Hubbard – with revelatory interviews with former […]