Analog celluloid strips are disappearing. Is film dying, or just changing? Are the world's film archives on the brink of a dark age? Renowned filmmakers, museum curators, historians, and engineers help dramatize the future of film and the cinema in the age of digital moving pictures.
Ink & Ivory (NaN)
An in-depth documentary on renowned film producer James Ivory, co-founder of globally acclaimed Merchant Ivory Productions.
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema (2007)
This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.
Prayers to the Gods of Guerrilla Filmmaking (2019)
A crew of filmmakers shoot undercover on the streets of Hong Kong with hidden microphones and no permits. The city becomes a giant set as mounting tension and ego clashes push tempers to breaking point.
Full Tilt Boogie (1998)
A documentary about the production of From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and the people who made it.
The Voice of Silence (2013)
Based on a true story, this is a subtle tale of re-affirmation of the identity of the artist following the Armenian Diaspora. It is an encounter with his alter-ego, a dialogue with his own conscience, a gradual dawning of the truth and an authentic glance at life... themes understandable by all. The film is an episode in the life of the director, a life full of surprises, and all the more so for being a cosmopolitan Armenian-American now standing on his native soil, his ultimate source of creative energy and ideas.
Pollinator (2022)
A dystopian future set in a totalitarian world , where a young man's life is about to change.
Audience of One (2007)
The film follows the story of a San Francisco Pentecostal minister Richard Gazowsky on his quest to shoot a groundbreaking fantasy film called Gravity: The Shadow of Joseph (described by him as "Star Wars meets The Ten Commandments"). The film follows him and members of his church as they go through pre-production and fly to Alberobello, Italy, for initial shooting that turns out to be marred with difficulties.
The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? (2015)
The Death of 'Superman Lives': What Happened? feature film documents the process of development of the ill fated "Superman Lives" movie, that was to be directed by Tim Burton and star Nicolas Cage as the man of steel himself, Superman. The project went through years of development before the plug was pulled, and this documentary interviews the major filmmakers: Kevin Smith, Tim Burton, Jon Peters, Dan Gilroy, Colleen Atwood, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and many many more.
Cinematographer (2020)
The life of Donald M. Morgan, one of Hollywood’s most prolific artists, is a unique, rags-to-riches story about a man who’s had a life-changing effect on the people around him, both personally and professionally. By sharing stories of his lengthy career, working with filmmakers like Robert Zemeckis, John Carpenter and Joseph Sargent, Morgan recounts pivotal moments in the art of filmmaking for over four decades, through interviews with fellow greats Owen Roizman (The Exorcist) and Jack N. Green (Unforgiven). But at the heart of the film is an emotional journey along the road to recovery in an industry that is ripe with dysfunction and addiction. Inspiring, heartbreaking, and funny, “Cinematographer” shares the story of one of the film industry's finest human beings.
Manila... A Filipino Film (1975)
Making-of documentary about Lino Brocka's 1975 film "Manila in the Claws of Light," featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
François Truffaut: 25 Years, 25 Films (1993)
François Truffaut (1932-1984), once the most influential critic of the French New Wave, became a brilliant, prolific, and uncompromising director, creating 25 films in 25 years. Internationally honored and beloved for his poignant, often irresistibly wry view of the human condition, Truffaut embodied the auteur's intimate grasp of the film medium. This documentary package -- a special supplement to Truffaut's films in The Criterion Collection -- is a multi-feature tribute that includes Truffaut's rare 1957 film, Les Mistons -- which foreshadowed The 400 Blows.
Recce (NaN)
When a renowned film director, clashes with the young son of a house she's using as a filming location, a power struggle ensues, forcing the director to confront her own arrogance.
Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red (2022)
A feature length documentary about the all-women team at the helm of Pixar's original feature, Turning Red. With unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Director Domee Shi and her core leadership crew, this story shines a light on the powerful professional and personal journeys that brought this incredibly comical, utterly relatable, and deeply heartfelt story to the screen.
Coup de Cinema (2011)
A film crew hijacks their company's current production and improves it behind the director's back.
Drama Out of a Crisis: A Celebration of Play for Today (2020)
Marking Play for Today’s 50th anniversary, Drama Out of a Crisis is a compelling exploration of the series, its origins, achievements, controversies and legacies. Featuring a rich and surprising range of archive extracts and original interviews with many who created the series, including producers Kenith Trodd, Margaret Matheson and Richard Eyre, and directors Mike Leigh, David Hare and Ken Loach.
Salaam Cinema (1995)
Makhmalbaf puts an advertisement in the papers calling for an open casting for his next movie. However when hundreds of people show up, he decides to make a movie about the casting and the screen tests of the would-be actors.
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (2001)
From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdom, he turned his dreams into entertainment for the ages. Now, learn his real story. Through exclusive footage and interviews with friends and family, this documentary traces the complicated life of legendary animator Walt Disney.