WORLD PREMIERE This entertaining documentary traces the evolution of Yacht Rock, a genre that rocks, but not too hard. Starting with Steely Dan in 1976 Los Angeles, the film highlights the rise of key players like Toto, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, and Christopher Cross, their sophisticated musicianship, and their collaborations with rock and R&B artists. […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE A prescient and urgent documentary that shows how climate change can directly lead to conflict; when resources dwindle, battles arise. In Laikipia, Kenya, the ranchers, mostly white descendants of British colonizers, and local nomadic pastoralists find themselves adrift when drought hits the land they share. Tensions that have been kept at bay for […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Our beloved city through the eyes of many. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with director and producer Joshua Charow, filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE – Left Behind illuminates the struggles of NYC schoolchildren with dyslexia, following a diverse group of parents who, frustrated by the lack of support, founded the Literacy Academy Collective. Driven by the stark reality that 1 in 5 people are dyslexic and nearly 50% of prison inmates share this diagnosis, these passionate advocates […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
This program documents what bonds and separates generations of a family. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
This collection of stories point to the hypocrisy of the American Dream. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
These powerful shorts identify the borders and institutions that divide us. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
A glimpse into the artistic process behind brilliant creators across disciplines. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
These stories are all about humans on the move. – Samah Ali The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and special guests. This film contains the following accessibility options for viewers: All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE As we face the climate crisis, the filmmakers look back to a hopeful period when leading scientists, government officials, heads of international conglomerates and, most importantly, the American people agreed there was a problem at hand. Spanning the presidential administrations of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush, the film uses archival […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE A timely, lyrical film that follows college students as they grapple with questions of sex, consent, identity, and power. The students spend a year creating an immersive play from their real-life experiences, building characters and scenes based on the sexual politics of their campus. A film that respectfully captures vulnerable and fascinating young […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE For nine years, nine months and nine days, track superstar Edwin Moses went unbeaten in the notoriously difficult 400-meter hurdles.The Olympic champion devised his method while a physics major at Morehouse College, calculating the appropriate steps needed to dominate the event. Featuring interviews with fellow Morehouse alums Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE From his harsh childhood in the burnt-out Lower East Side, musician Harley Flanagan burst onto the punk music scene at age 11 as drummer for his aunt’s band, the Stimulators. The founder of the Cro-Mags tells his inconceivable story, with interviews with hard rockers and icons like Flea, Ice-T, Henry Rollins, Michael Imperioli, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Disco’s Revenge traces the evolution of disco music from its roots in the 1970s New York underground gay club scene to its commercial peak with Studio 54 and Saturday Night Fever. Through interviews with influential DJs and musicians, the story explores the genre’s rise, the eventual backlash, and its reinvention as house music. […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE A renowned and successful record company CEO, known for his brilliance—and his combativeness, Harvey Schein lived a rags-to-riches story that embodied the American Dream. But over time he also became obsessed with how to pass on his wealth to his heirs while avoiding taxes. Director Justin Schein turns the camera on his father […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
US PREMIERE Edna O’Brien wrote a sexually charged 1960 debut novel, The Country Girls, becoming a literary sensation and awakening the wrath of patriarchal religious Ireland where the novel and its sequels were banned and burned. This inspiring film portrays O’Brien’s final testimonies at age 93, and brings her diaries to life, revealing her extraordinary […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE This rock doc traces Steppenwolf’s journey from their Little Richard- and blues-inspired beginnings in Toronto to their rise as hard-rock pioneers. Despite initial industry skepticism, the band evolved to become top performers with hits like “Born to be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride.” The film explores their genesis and triumphs, and the […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE An adoptee raised in the Netherlands, Mieke’s life is very different from the one she might have led if her Korean family had not been pressured to give her up as a baby. When her birth parents track down the adult Mieke, their reunion unleashes a whirlwind of guilt, joy, regret, and ambivalence. […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Concerned about escalating tensions between Jewish and Black Brooklynites, the spiritual leaders of Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope and Antioch Baptist Church in Bed-Stuy embark on a radical experiment to bring the change they hope to see in their communities. The rabbi and the pastor lead delegations to their places of worship […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Emmy-winning producer Wendy Lobel makes her feature debut with this side-splitting, piercingly perceptive look at anxiety through a group of contemporary comedians who channel their experiences into their acts…and their everyday lives. Part therapy, part behind-the-scenes take on stand-up acts, and all-brilliant, Lobel’s revelatory film is a rarity. – Jaie Laplante The first […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE An intimate portrait of a small community of iconic gauchos (cowboys and cowgirls) who proudly preserve their traditions despite changing modern customs.The sacred bond they share with their animals is forged while facing the rigors of the wild together. With superb black-and-white cinematography and exquisite sound design, directors Dweck and Kershaw conjure a […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE The intimate relationship that a photographer develops with the people whose photos he’s taking is at the heart of this film. New York-based Martin Schoeller won acclaim for his ultra close-up portraits of figures like George Clooney, Barack Obama, and Taylor Swift, yet here director Josephine Links focuses on his work featuring people […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Karina is a charismatic sex worker, a feminist, and activist who establishes a union for current and former sex workers in Uruguay. As she tries to find a different line of work, always taking on life’s difficulties with a sense of humor, this observational film follows her fight to prevent future workers from […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE Legendary aerial cinematographer Joe Jennings has spent decades soaring through the skies. A thrill-seeker since childhood, Jennings fell in love with skydiving, and parlayed his penchant for risk-taking into a career shooting mind-blowing visuals for commercials, television, and Hollywood blockbusters. Though he has lost multiple compatriots to the dangers of the work, Jennings, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE In China, Mrs. Li thought her personal life was on solid emotional ground, only to discover with a shock that her husband is having an affair with a younger woman. Feeling unmoored, she hires an agency to help save her marriage. The film unfolds like a novel, providing intimate details with remarkable candor; […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE This documentary paints a portrait of Paul Bridgewater, a quirky, charming, gay NYC art dealer who hitchhiked to Manhattan at 18, eventually becoming a beloved figure in the art world. As Paul preps gallery shows and cooks gourmet meals in his tiny East Village apartment, his passion for art shines. While his impeccable […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE With the help of golden retrievers and palomino horses at an animal therapy retreat, a group of Ukrainian children who had been abducted by the Russian army and rescued by their family members get a chance to heal. Deep in a forest by the Baltic Sea, the families portrayed in this tender and […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE A visually stunning documentary that explores humanity’s relationship with architecture and the environment. Italian architect Michele De Lucchi reflects on the need for a new concept of beauty, as traditional grandiose structures and disposable concrete buildings become unsustainable. Through mesmerizing imagery of ancient ruins, modern cityscapes, and natural quarries, the film invites viewers […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE When filmmaker Areeb Zuaiter lost her Palestinian mother, she lost her connection to Gaza. With all the memories from her childhood destroyed, she sets out on a quest to connect with a young man she sees in a video doing parkour among ruins in Gaza. With Ahmed as her guide, she explores life […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Janis Ian had one of the most remarkable debuts in modern music history. At the age of 13, she began performing her original songs at New York City gigs alongside future legends. From there, the precocious teenager turned fearless singer-songwriter built a career with many chapters–winning Grammys while navigating personal and professional highs […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE Mega-talented keyboardist and songwriter Billy Preston was often referred to as “the best musician in the room.” Stylistically influenced by the Black church, Preston’s illustrious career includes collaborations with Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, the Beatles, and more. A private man who turned to drugs to dull the pain of personal […]
US PREMIERE Following four young activists during the Sudanese revolution of 2019, director Hind Meddeb conjures a narrative about collective hope and possible seismic change. Armed with just their words, ideas, poetry, and art, the subjects of this documentary inspire themselves and the audience with their perseverance and clarity of their just demands. In a […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
US PREMIERE With a free-wheeling, irreverent approach, author/chef/TV personality/cultural commentator Eddie Huang embarks on a biting look at the rise and fall of the NYC-based Vice Media empire, which was at one time valued at over $4 billion before falling into bankruptcy in 2023. For Huang it’s personal: Of his multitudinous ventures, his own series […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE In the world of superstar fashion designers, Thom Browne stands apart with his theatrical runway shows, dramatic ready-to-wear creations, and eye-popping originality. From his headquarters in New York City’s Fashion District, Browne recounts his early breaks in the fashion world, how his work garnered support from celebrity fans such as Michelle Obama, Billie […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE In the 1970s, Satish Bhaskar became a turtle walker: He walked nearly the entire coastline of India and the spectacular Andaman and Nicobar Islands in search of sea turtles. Carrying a camera and a notepad, he documented turtles’ nesting areas and tried to save them from extinction. Then the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE This music-filled documentary follows The Black Keys, from their parents’ garages in Ohio to global fame. Geeky Pat and popular Dan develop a unique musical chemistry and style influenced by Mississippi blues, and embark on tour in a minivan. During their rise, they gain fans, wives, acclaim, and well-timed boosts from collaborators like […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
US PREMIERE The spectre of the Confederacy stands high over Stone Mountain, Georgia, engraved in granite. The community lives in the shadow of a controversial carving, larger than a football field, of rebel leaders Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Stone Mountain is shot with a vivid cinematic approach that captures intimate conversations […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE This documentary exposes housing injustice in NYC, following the David-and-Goliath battles between ordinary renters and powerful developers. Through stories from neighborhoods across the boroughs, the film reveals the harsh realities of unsafe housing, unethical landlords, and an overwhelmed housing court system. It also uncovers a troubling pattern of desirably located properties being seized […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Linda and Carla each care for their beloved spouses who are living with Lewy body dementia. Eager to learn and share information with others, Linda starts a podcast with Curry, who has the disease, and a community of support groups begins to grow. Linda and Jim decide to go on an epic road […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
US PREMIERE In 2020-21, Indian farmers mounted a protest against the government, demanding the repeal of exploitative farm laws. Braving surging COVID numbers, inclement weather, and state-sponsored violence, millions of farmers remain undeterred as they leave their homes and set up tents on the fringes of New Delhi. In this film, Nishtha Jain, one of […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE Fueled by the disillusionment of Kent State and Vietnam War, the ?70s music sensation Devo channeled its “organized absurdity” into an entertaining satire of modern society. Rising to fame during the Reagan era, the counterculture quintet became iconic with their hit “Whip It,” cutting-edge MTV videos, and outlandish headwear. Told through the voices of […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE As an awkward, bullied yet rebellious kid, Diane Warren found refuge in music and went on to become one of the most prolific and successful songwriters in America, as legendary for her eccentric personality as for her exceptional talent. A laundry list of America’s top singers, and Diane herself, recount the joys and […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE Debra Granik’s forthcoming limited series Conbody vs Everybody is at once a story of the school-of-tough-knocks education of a charismatic ex-con, Coss Marte, as he tries to rebuild his life, and a portrait of the teeming life and energy of New York City’s Lower East Side, captured with the authenticity of atmosphere that […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE This insightful documentary delves into the life and work of Art Spiegelman, the Queens-raised artist who revolutionized comics by exploring dark, complex themes. Shaped by his Holocaust-survivor parents and inspired by MAD magazine’s irreverent satire, Spiegelman’s most famous work, MAUS, is a poignant Holocaust narrative that redefined the medium. The film showcases his […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NY PREMIERE Sheila Turner Seed was an award-winning New York City-based, journalist in the 1970s who interviewed such photography luminaries as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, and Lisette Model. When she passed away suddenly and tragically, she left behind an infant daughter, Rachel. More than 30 years later, Rachel has herself become a filmmaker, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Bertolt Brecht asked whether there would be singing in the dark times. In the throes of war, the United Ukrainian Ballet Company defiantly insists there will be dancing, too. Far from the land they call home, young dancers take quiet comfort from art. For a while, their work feels like the old days, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE In 1982, Kenneth Cole burst onto the American fashion scene. Unable to afford a traditional showroom during the New York Shoe Expo, the enterprising founder registered his footwear business as a film production, enabling him to sell thousands of pairs of shoes out of a trailer in midtown Manhattan. Cole’s unwavering determination fueled […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE In 1982, a whale collided with Steven Callahan’s single man sailboat, Napoleon Solo, leaving him stranded on a life raft in the Atlantic Ocean. This first-person account, from executive producer Ang Lee, based on a New York Times bestseller, details Callahan’s life alone at sea for nearly three harrowing months. Forced to reckon […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Yankee Stadium has seen a plethora of legends over the franchise’s storied history, but few have left a legacy as unique as Jim Abbott’s. On September 4, 1993, the pitcher, who was born without a right hand, threw a no-hitter in front of the Yankee faithful. This astonishing achievement is merely one in […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Astronaut Eileen Collins is the first woman to pilot and command the space shuttle. From her small town beginnings, she went on to smash many glass ceilings at NASA in her career, culminating in four dramatic and dangerous space shuttle missions. Through sensational archival materials and intimate interviews, Hannah Berryman’s nail-biting film considers […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE This harrowing documentary embeds with three Trump supporters—a new father, a conservative Latino ex-military, and a Proud Boy—leading up to and following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The film chillingly captures the raw, unsettling scenes of the rioters, steeped in pro-Trump zeal. Through rallies touting MAGA values and conspiracy theories, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE When Polish couple Asia and Marek decide to move to a remote cabin in Bialowieza Forest and home-school their children Marysia, Ignacy, and Franek, they imagine an innocent paradise far from the modern world’s problems. The woods are a mysterious, magical place to explore and learn, and the children delight in images […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE Just north of New York City, Sing Sing Correctional Facility is one of the country’s most notorious prisons. Veteran crime reporter Dan Slepian forges a bond with Jon-Adrian Velazquez, a man serving a 25-to-life sentence in the facility, that leads him on a two-decade-long journey for justice. Directed by Dawn Porter, this multi-part […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NY PREMIERE Liz Carpenter was a trailblazing Texas journalist, White House advisor, activist, and feminist who knocked down gender barriers in American politics. Five-time DOC NYC alumna Abby Ginzberg teamed up with Christy Carpenter for this thoroughly delightful remembrance of Christy’s mother. Liz’s humor, candor and legendary persuasive abilities are brought back to vivid immediacy […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Will & Harper follows comedian Will Ferrell and his friend Harper Steele taking a road trip across America. Harper, a former Saturday Night Live writer, recently came out as a woman and wonders how her transition might affect her friendships. On their journey, Harper experiences moments of acceptance in unexpected places, but also acts of […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Confined to a wheelchair and suffering from a degenerative muscular disease, a young Norwegian man was believed to be living in relative isolation in a physically limited world. Yet as Ibelin, his alter ego inside the World of Warcraft online game, Mats Steen created a full universe for himself, where he lived, loved, strove and […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Against incredible odds and immense opposition, a group of current and former Amazon workers form a labor union and petition the formidable corporate behemoth for more dignified and humane treatment at the company’s Staten Island warehouse. Steve Maing and Brett Story provide stunning moments of observation of the union group as they stumble through early […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
WORLD PREMIERE The Bibi Files is an urgent journalistic exposé, based on never-before-seen leaked footage and new interviews with key Israeli figures. The film details the corruption cases that resulted in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being indicted for charges of breach of trust, bribery, and fraud in 2019. Many Israelis believe that Netanyahu’s attempts […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
This collection of films will bring you to tears and have you rooting for everyone on screen. PLEASE NOTE: The Turnaround is not included in the online screening of this shorts program.
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Patrice Jetter found the love of her life in Garry Wickham. They’re eager to get married, but they learn of a penalty in US law that threatens to cut off Social Security and Medicaid benefits if two people with disabilities move in together. Their situation is dire, but Patrice confronts it with optimism and creativity, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
NYC PREMIERE Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck has done it again. In this rousing, elegant documentary, Peck opens the life and works of a seminal artist of the 20th century, South African photographer Ernest Cole. Denouncing apartheid with the publication of his 1967 photo book House of Bondage, Cole then lived in exile in the US, […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Emmy-nominated editor and first-time feature director Carla Gutiérrez takes the unusual lstep of using the iconic twentieth-century Mexican artist Frida Khalo’s own words, gleaned from diaries, letters, interviews, and other sources. Mixing lyrical animation of Kahlo’s influential works with expressive voice-over by several artists, Frida is a definitive film. “If you only see one filmic […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
Angela Patton found a way for young girls whose fathers were incarcerated to connect: A prison-hosted dad/daughter dance. The event was about more than just the day. For the fathers, seeing the impact of their absence from their daughter’s lives provides an unrivaled emotional redemption opportunity. Working with co-director Natalia Rae to showcase the now […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM
A journalist upends Japan’s entrenched codes of silence when she brings sexual assault charges against a well-connected member of the Japanese media elite. Against the wishes of many of those closest to her, Shiro Ito presses on with her case, bravely confronting an entire system. Her case becomes a landmark in Japan, and her choices […]
Wed Dec 31, 1969, 7:00 PM