DOC NYC — A–Z of films

Oscar shortlisted for Best International Feature and Best Documentary, this is an intense film with little respite even when no bullets are being fired.

While the screen is often overwhelmed by the male family members, the female perspective is gracefully displayed in the background.

Batiste and Jaouad are intensely grounded – they have to be – and as such, their humour and their joy have greater weight.

Most of the film has been assembled out of Zoom chats, but it’s so well done, and the story is so compelling, that it might take you a while to notice.

Glob confesses that she initially thought of Apolonia’s life as a fairy tale, something more like fiction than reality, but over the course of 13 long years she comes to recognise not only the humanity of her subject, but her own.

He’s not the first African American person to think like this, of course, and though the film does not elaborate on the history of such efforts, it makes room for him to express his concerns.

Beyond being nailbiting - a feeling driven by Hyun Seok Kim’s ‘heartbeat’ score that quickens our own - Gavin’s film is also an eye-opener.

Though we spend a good part of the film inside offices or private homes, there is also a lot of footage from the streets, where passions run high.

The ornate cinematic style highlights the strangeness of the procedure but never loses track of the emotional journey of those on the operating table.

An intriguing piece of work which probes the psychology of contestant, producers and viewers alike.

It’s tribute to the collaborative feel of this film that the documentary continually takes its lead from what Harris is saying rather than pushing him this way and that.

A film that lives in the moment.

This meticulously constructed film will leave you reflecting on the scale of that loss.

The special itself may exert a certain fascination but this documentary reveals that there was much more going on behind the scenes.

The close observation of Luan and the others reveals a multilayered image of struggle in an underdeveloped country.

Striking in its intimacy.

Although Fanny's music is allowed to sing out, we don't hear enough of her personal voice.

This film strikes one of those wonderful paradoxes, being simultaneously about holding on and letting go.

The exposure of the film’s underlying structures...invites audiences to think about the processes of storytelling and interpretation, which is important, because it’s a story which took the missing women away.

In her poem to her husband, Claire constantly directs the attention of the viewer to his personal life, as a way to understand his unique creative process.

Beyond its individual enjoyable moments, McCabe’s film is well-structured so that it builds to the magnificent spectacle of a successful trapping night and its aftermath.

Even non-football fans are likely to find themselves won over almost immediately by this tale of one team’s determination against the odds.

Beyond exploring the intricacies of a disturbing illicit business, the documentarist takes a deep interest in the women who take enormous risks for a shot at a better family future.

The purely descriptive editing undercuts the otherwise engaging narrative, leaving the impression of an ambitious but fragmented look at monastic life.

Beyond the stories that unfold within the vehicle, the tension of these journeys, often on dirt tracks in rural areas, is brought home.

There’s lot of video footage of her playing as a child, obviously very happy and doing the same kinds of things as any other kid her age.

It’s thrilling to watch a filmmaker like Smith throw a wrench in the gears and deliver an unapologetic ode to outcasts that’s every bit as punk rock as its subjects.

The film builds like thriller, its narrative supported by archive footage and interviews with Marzia and her fellow students.

For all the debt owed to Sister Rosetta Tharpe the essence here is not translation uncovered but transgression buried. That makes the decision not to further explore these hidden histories all the more surprising.

Through it all, Mediha remains a marvel, finding the inner strength to be there for her brothers at the same time as steeling herself to try to identify her kidnapper.

Whether you’re a fan of the company’s work specifically or simply interested in the history of cinema, this portrait of its longest-lasting partnership will delight and entertain you.

Everything about El Moudir’s film is unusual, from the structure to the mood.

An enthusiastic portrait that feels rushed and over-edited.

Among the vastness of the ruins, Kapralov offers glimpses of hope through contrasting images of nature.

This is a place of cleansing, not just of the body but so much more as this non-intrusive but immersive film gradually reveals.

Young takes his time, exploring the history of relevant publications and Hamilton's role in their growth.

In addition to attacks from the outside, Shukla shows the erosion from within.

Under the scrutiny of this intimate cinematic eye, the interviewees unpack their posts and retain responsibility for their footage.