In 1967 Canadian filmmaker Hugh O'Connor came with a crew to eastern Kentucky to make a film showing people from all walks of life in the United States. They finished the day by filming coal miners and their families in rental houses. As the filmmakers were leaving, Hobart Ison, the owner of the property, drove up and fired three shots, killing Hugh O'Connor. Elizabeth Barrett, from Kentucky herself, explores why this happened by trying to understand the people and culture of eastern Kentucky.
The Lie: The Murder of Grace Millane (2024)
The shocking murder of 21-year-old British backpacker, Grace Millane, in New Zealand grabbed headlines around the world in 2018, as did the ensuing investigation and trial. This chilling true-crime documentary revisits the night of her tragic murder with previously unseen footage and expert analysis, exploring the alarming, regressive attitudes laid bare in the subsequent trial, and highlighting important, broader issues of violence against women in today’s society.
Two Spirits (2009)
Fred Martinez was a Navajo youth slain at the age of 16 by a man who bragged to his friends that he 'bug-smashed a fag'. But Fred was part of an honored Navajo tradition - the 'nadleeh', or 'two-spirit', who possesses a balance of masculine and feminine traits.
Alice is Still Dead (2019)
In an intimate and unflinching account dealing with grief, 'Alice is Still Dead' tells the story of a murdered loved one from the victim's family perspective. From the detective's notification to her family to facing the killer in court, we see the pain, anger and heartbreak a family must endure while the nightmare is investigated. The filmmaker is the brother of the late Alice Stevens and, in this tribute, ultimately asks if it's even possible to move forward after such a traumatic event.
Interview With A Murderer (2016)
A famed criminologist reexamines the evidence in this powerful interview with murderer Bert Spencer, suspected in the killing a paperboy in 1978.
Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert (2023)
For the first and last time, Amber Hagerman’s mother details her daughter’s shocking murder and shares chilling documentary footage that captures the 9-year-old’s final days; Amber’s legacy is an alert system that has saved over a thousand children.
Cicada (2008)
Cicada is the immersive story of a five-year-old child who witnessed a murder. Daniel P Jones confronts a traumatic memory in an incendiary, visceral monologue.
Detainment (2018)
Two ten year-old boys are detained by police under suspicion of abducting and murdering a toddler.
Amanda Knox (2016)
This gripping, atmospheric documentary recounts the infamous trial, conviction and eventual acquittal of Seattle native Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of a British exchange student in Italy.
Justice for Joy (1995)
Special documentary examining the death of Joy Gardner in 1993 and the subsequent public campaign that culminated in the trial at the Old Bailey of those accused of causing her death.
Mob Stories (1993)
They're the real 'goodfellas': 'Joe Dogs' Iannuzzi, Tommy DelGiorno, 'Big Dom' Lofaro. For the first time on television, Mafia turncoats give personal accounts of life inside the Mob. In this shocking documentary, five high-ranking informants tell tales of murder, brutality, greed and vanity--and why they broke the Sicilian code of honor. The first generation of the American Mafia stood on the foundation of loyalty and a code of silence. The second and third generations traded their Sicilian traditions for government protection and instant personal gain. MOB STORIES presents five chilling narratives from five members of the underworld, most of whom are overwhelmed with fear and paranoia with the exception of “Fat Jackie”, a loyal lifelong mobster. Father and son team, Alan and Marc Levin, direct and produce an honest and personal portrayal of the demise of the Mafia.
13th (2016)
An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
Picture Proof (2023)
Examines the intergenerational impact of addiction by chronicling the love, labor, loss, and uncertainty of one woman’s struggle to live a life of sobriety. Weaving together moments of glee, fulfillment, acceptance, sorrow, and disappointment, this documentary takes an intimate look at the bonds that hold one family together and a disease that threatens to tear them apart.
The Weird World of LSD (1967)
The 60s equivalent of Reefer Madness and all those other 30s drug exploitation flicks. Apparently, dropping acid leads to stripteases, cat fights, promiscuous sex, playing with kittens, and being convinced your dinner is much larger than it actually is. This is all illustrated in a series of silent sketches accompanied by a droll narrator who seems positively doped out of his mind.
Faces of Death III (1985)
The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
In 2001, Andrew Bagby, a medical resident, is murdered not long after breaking up with his girlfriend. Soon after, when she announces she's pregnant, one of Andrew's many close friends, Kurt Kuenne, begins this film, a gift to the child.
Murder in Scottsdale (2003)
An overview of the murder of Bob Crane and an assessment of the investigation which was carried out.
Let's Kill Mom (2015)
Mother of two Susan Bailey is found dead in her own home with 27 stab wounds to her body. Her 17-year-old daughter Jennifer and Jennifer's 16-year-old boyfriend Paul Henson are found guilty of murder and sentence to 60 years.