In a country where bella figura is a national pastime, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the maestro of media manipulation. Having risen to political primacy with the aid of his Mediaset empire, he now controls 90% of the bel paese’s television channels including the state-run RAI network. Quantity, it seems, does not equal quality. Fed on a diet of semi-naked dancing girls, inane competitions and rickety reality shows built around the most ridiculous of premises, is it any wonder that Italians are becoming a nation of fame-hungry wannabes?
Night and Fog (1959)
Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.
The Silent Village (1943)
The true story of the massacre of a small Czech village by the Nazis is retold as if it happened in Wales.
Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus (2006)
Filmmaker and evolutionary biologist Randy Olson tries to figure out if it is the Darwinists or Intelligent Design supporters who will become a flock of dodos.
The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.
The Order of Myths (2008)
In 2007 Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras is celebrated... and complicated. Following a cast of characters, parades, and parties across an enduring color line, we see that beneath the surface of pageantry lies something else altogether.
Fados (2007)
A series of musical performances showcasing the diverse facets of fado, a musical genre from Lisbon.
The Assemblage of the Crystal Sphere: A D&D Story (2008)
In this Mockumentary, a film crew follows and documents a group of Dungeons and Dragons players in the last 3 months of their five year adventure campaign.
Party Monster: The Shockumentary (1998)
Tells the story of the rise and fall of Michael Alig, a kid from Middle America who aspired to take the place of Andy Warhol. Michael quickly rose to become the biggest party promoter in New York and King of the so-called Club Kids. But after spiraling into drug addiction, Michael brutally murdered his roommate Angel Melendez.
The Masters of Terror (2004)
The Masters of Terror details the execution of the September 11th attacks and the ensuing whitewash, the cashless society control-grid, implanted microchips, mind-control, militarization of police, concentration camps, foreign troops massing on US soil, the USA Patriot Act, and Homeland Security taking over the states.
Ruhr (2009)
Seven entirely static shots make up James Benning's quiet reflection on existence in the Ruhr Valley.
Dirty Country (2007)
Larry Pierce is a family man and factory worker who lives in Middletown, Indiana with his wife Sandy. Outside of his regular nine-to-five job, Pierce has also been writing and recording raunchy country albums since 1994. After being forced to retire from his job after thirty-one years, the 53-year-old Pierce hooks up with the rock group -itis and performs his first concert in front of a live audience.
The Brothers Warner (2008)
An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.
Instrument (1999)
The band Fugazi is documented over a period of more than ten years (1987-1998) through performance footage and interviews with the band and their fans. Director Jem Cohen's relationship with band member Ian MacKaye extends back to the 1970s when the two met in high school in Washington, D.C.. The film takes its title from the Fugazi song of the same name, from their 1993 album, In on the Kill Taker. Editing of the film was done by both Cohen and the members of the band over the course of five years. It was shot from 1987 through 1998 on super 8, 16mm and video and is composed mainly of footage of concerts, interviews with the band members, practices, tours and time spent in the studio recording their 1995 album, Red Medicine. The film also includes portraits of fans as well as interviews with them at various Fugazi shows around the United States throughout the years.
River of Gold (2016)
Narrated by Academy Award winners Sissy Spacek and Herbie Hancock, River of Gold is the disturbing account of a clandestine journey into Peru's Amazon rainforest to uncover the savage unraveling of pristine jungle. What will be the fate of this critical region of priceless biodiversity as these extraordinarily beautiful forests are turned into a hellish wasteland?
The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights (2009)
In 2007 the legendary American duo White Stripes toured Canada. Besides playing the usual venues they challenged themselves and played in buses, cafés and for Indian tribal elders. Music video director Emmett Malloy followed the band and managed to capture both the special tour, extraordinary concert versions of the band's minimalist, raw, blues-inspired rock songs and the special relationship between the extroverted Jack White and the introspective Meg White - a formerly married couple who for a long time claimed to be siblings. The film makes striking use of the band's concert colors: red, white and black.
Bukowski: Born Into This (2003)
Director John Dullaghan’s biographical documentary about infamous poet Charles Bukowski, Bukowski: Born Into This, is as much a touching portrait of the author as it is an exposé of his sordid lifestyle. Interspersed between ample vintage footage of Bukowski’s poetry readings are interviews with the poet’s fans including such legendary figures such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joyce Fante (wife of John), Bono, and Harry Dean Stanton. Filmed in grainy black and white by Bukowski’s friend, Taylor Hackford, due to lack of funding, the old films edited into this movie paint Bukowski’s life of boozing and brawling romantically, securing Bukowski’s legendary status.
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)
Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.
American Swing (2009)
Chronicles the rise and fall of 1970s New York City nightclub Plato's Retreat.