EXCLUSIVE: DC/DOX, the prestigious documentary film festival in the nation’s capital, today announced the full slate for its third edition.
The cinematic event will include a dozen world premieres including The Last Class, a documentary about former Secretary of Labor – and ardent Trump opponent – Robert Reich; the sex trafficking documentary The Right Track, directed by Shareen Anderson; A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons Of Pat Oliphant, a film about the famed political cartoonist directed by Bill Banowsky, and Immutable, a feature on the Washington Urban Debate League directed by Charlie Sadoff and Gabriel London.
As previously announced (and reported by Deadline), DC/DOX will kick off with the world premiere of Steal This Story, Please!, a documentary about Democracy Now! host and author Amy Goodman, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin.
DC/DOX, running June 12-15, boasts a slate of 59 features and 35 shorts from more than two dozen countries. Scroll for the full lineup.
The festival unfolds in a Washington where President Trump announces head spinning policies on a daily basis, like his new proposal to impose a 100 percent tariff on movies filmed overseas and then imported to the U.S. Ostensibly, that’s meant to fortify Hollywood, but at the same time the administration has slashed funding to organizations that directly support filmmakers and film festivals.
“This year’s DC/DOX lineup is a powerful reminder of documentary film’s unique ability to illuminate the world around us—its beauty, its heartbreak, and its complexity,” said DC/DOX co-founder and festival director Sky Sitney. “At a time when so many forces are working to render certain stories invisible—be it the pressures of a rapidly changing industry or suppression from the highest levels of political power—these films boldly insist on bringing truth into the light. From uncovering overlooked realities to reframing narratives we thought we understood, they exemplify the urgency and artistry of the form. We can’t wait for audiences to experience them.”
‘2000 Meters to Andriivka’
CPH:DOX
Many documentaries in the DC/DOX lineup are sure to factor in the next Oscar race:
- 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov’s follow up to the Oscar-winning 20 Days in Mariupol.
- The Perfect Neighbor, directed by Geeta Gandhir, winner of the prize for documentary directing at Sundance.
- Apocalypse in the Tropics, Brazilian filmmaker Petra Costa’s follow up to her Oscar-nominated The Edge of Democracy.
- Predators, David Osit’s expose on the NBC crime show To Catch a Predator.
- Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, which Apple TV+ recently acquired.
- River of Grass, director Sam Wortzel’s “lyrical ode to the Florida Everglades.”
- Coexistence, My Ass!, director Amber Fares’s award-winning documentary about Israeli comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi, who advocates for complete equality between Palestinians and Israelis.
- Sally, the National Geographic documentary about the late astronaut Sally Ride, directed by Cristina Costantini.
- Seeds, directed by Brittany Shyne, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary at Sundance.
- Holding Liat, directed by Brandon Kramer, a film about a woman kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas sneak attack on Israel. It won the top prize for documentary at the Berlin Film Festival.
Barbara Walters
Ida Mae Astute/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
DC/DOX will screen Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything, a film about the late pioneering newswoman, directed by Jackie Jesko. The documentary holds its world premiere just before DC/DOX at Tribeca Festival.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
Among other intriguing titles are Deepfaking Sam Altman, a film about the OpenAI CEO. Director Adam Bhala Lough, frustrated in his attempts to interview the real Altman, chats with a digital facsimile of the tech mogul instead.
DC/DOX will host the world premieres of the shorts Coach, Edge Of Daybreak, La Orquesta, To Your Hands, And Vs. Goliath: Appalachia, the international premiere of the short A Color I Named Blue, the North American premiere of Lift Lady, and the U.S. premiere of Into The Dark.
In a statement, DC/DOX co-founder Jamie Shor commented, “As we gather in the nation’s capital for our third edition, DC/DOX kicks off another fantastic year in a city that’s as vital for documentary film as it is for politics, and this year’s slate is a powerful reminder that art and engagement do go hand in hand.”
DC/DOX 2025 PROGRAM
Signature Screenings
Opening Night Screening: Thursday, June 12
STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE!: DIRS Carl Deal and Tia Lessin. PRODS Karen Ranucci, Tia Lessin, and Carl Deal. USA.
Amy Goodman’s personal story, her warm and radical spirit, and her utterly fearless reporting are interwoven with the monumental events she has covered over decades, spotlighting the critical role of journalism in shaping our understanding of truth—and in compelling action at a time when independent journalism is under attack.
World Premiere.
‘The Alabama Solution’
HBO Documentary Films
Centerpiece Screening: Friday, June 13
THE ALABAMA SOLUTION: DIRS Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman. PRODS Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman. USA.
Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in America’s deadliest prison system.
Courtesy of HBO.
Closing Night Screening: Saturday, June 14
BODYGUARD OF LIES: DIR Dan Krauss. PRODS Alex Gibney, Brad Hebert, Ahmad Sharifi, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Susan Zirinsky, and Terence Wrong. USA.
Through shocking testimonies from government insiders, confidential documents, and private audio recordings from the highest level of the military, BODYGUARD OF LIES exposes the tangled web of deception fed to the American public by the U.S. government during its 20-year war in Afghanistan.
Courtesy of See It Now Studios / Paramount+.
Spotlight Screening: Sunday, June 15
STATE OF FIRSTS: DIR Chase Joynt. PRODS Jenna Kelly and Justin Lacob. USA.
A portrait of Sarah McBride’s historic run to become the first trans member of Congress, the backlash that ensues, and her fight for change amidst intensifying political extremism.
Features
2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA: DIR Mstyslav Chernov. PRODS Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, and Raney Aronson-Rath. Ukraine.
Amid the failing counteroffensive, a journalist follows a Ukrainian platoon on their mission to traverse one mile of heavily fortified forest and liberate a strategic village from Russian occupation. But the farther they advance through their destroyed homeland, the more they realize that this war may never end.
Courtesy of PBS FRONTLINE, AP.
ANDY KAUFMAN IS ME: DIR Clay Tweel. PRODS Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz, Ross Dinerstein, and Shannon E. Riggs. USA.
With never-before-heard audio tapes and unique insights from those within his inner circle, ANDY KAUFMAN IS ME offers a fascinating view inside the mind of enigmatic performer Andy Kaufman.
Courtesy of Fifth Season.
ANY PROBLEM IS NO PROBLEM: DIRS Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink. PRODS Robyn Kopp and Kate McLean. USA.
In a high-stakes race for the future of the internet, three visionary web3 startups battle for investment at Demo Day, hoping to secure their place in the tech world’s most prestigious incubator.
East Coast Premiere.
APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS: DIR Petra Costa. PRODS Petra Costa and Alessandra Orofino. Brazil.
When does a democracy end, and a theocracy begin? APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS investigates the increasingly powerful grip that faith leaders hold over politics in Brazil. Weaving past and present, it holds up an uncanny mirror to the rest of the world.
Courtesy of Netflix.
ARREST THE MIDWIFE: DIR Elaine Epstein. PROD Robin Hessman. USA.
The arrest of trusted midwives ignites an unexpected rebellion, as Amish and Mennonite women break from tradition and emerge as fierce political activists — joining the broader fight for reproductive justice.
Courtesy of ITVS.
BABY DOE: DIR Jessica Earnshaw. PROD Holly Meehl Chapman. USA.
After new forensic evidence emerges, a churchgoing mother of three in Ohio is arrested for murder decades after abandoning a child she says was stillborn.
BARBARA WALTERS TELL ME EVERYTHING: DIR Jackie Jesko. PRODS Marcella Steingart, Jackie Jesko, Sara Bernstein, and Meredith Kaulfers. USA.
In a career that reshaped American journalism, Barbara Walters’ bold and trailblazing journey is revealed in this raw and intimate documentary, exploring her remarkable legacy through her own words. Courtesy of ABC News.
COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!: DIR Amber Fares. PRODS Amber Fares, Rachel Leah Jones, and Valérie Montmartin. USA, France.
Shot over five tumultuous years, COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! follows Israeli activist-comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she creates a comedy show of the same name, tracing her personal, professional, and political journey alongside the region’s steady deterioration.
COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT: DIR Ryan White. PRODS Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White, Tig Notaro, and Stef Willen. USA.
In this unexpectedly funny and joyful love story, poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley navigate life and mortality in the face of an incurable diagnosis.
CREEDE U.S.A.: DIR Kahane Corn Cooperman. PRODS Innbo Shim and Kahane Corn Cooperman. USA.
Creede, a remote Colorado mining town nestled at 9,000 feet, has no stoplight—yet it’s home to a thriving theater company. With a unique mix of miners, ranchers, and theater people among its 300 residents, Creede offers a striking reflection on the divisions—and surprising connections—shaping America today.
CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS: DIRS Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni. PRODS Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni. USA, Qatar, Chile, Germany, Iran, Netherlands, Canada.
As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi fights to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and working to end child marriages.
DEAR TOMORROW: DIR Kaspar Astrup Schröder. PRODS Maria Helga Stürup and Katrine A. Sahlstrøm. Denmark, Sweden, Japan.
In Japan, loneliness has turned into a national crisis, encouraging the government to create a Ministry of Loneliness. With the help of a volunteer chat service, compassionate connections, government initiatives, and even pet owls, they attempt to reclaim their lives from this very contemporary affliction.
DEEPFAKING SAM ALTMAN: DIR Adam Bhala Lough. PRODS Kevin Hart, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Bryan Smiley, and Harold Berón III. USA.
Director Adam Bhala Lough sets out to understand the technology and people at the center of AI. His quest sends him on a path towards OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman. When he can’t sit down with Altman, Adam travels to India to create an AI version of him to interview instead. Hartbeat partners with Vox Media Studios and Lough for this documentary based on reporting from New York Magazine.
Courtesy of Vox Media Studios.
EVEREST DARK: DIR Jereme Watt. PRODS Merit Jensen Carr, Michael Bodnarchuk, and Jereme Watt. Canada.
As the death toll on the world’s highest peak rises, one of Nepal’s most legendary climbers leads an elite team of Sherpas on a life-threatening mission to retrieve fallen climbers from Everest’s Death Zone.
North American Premiere.
FACING WAR: DIR Tommy Gulliksen. PRODS Anne Marte Blindheim and Danielle Turkov Wilson. Norway.
This epic documentary chronicles Jens Stoltenberg’s pivotal final year as NATO Secretary General during a period of unprecedented global tension. With remarkable behind-the-scenes access, the film captures Stoltenberg navigating the complex diplomatic landscape amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
U.S. Premiere.
FOLKTALES: DIRS Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. PRODS Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. USA.
On the precipice of adulthood, teenagers converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway. Dropped at the edge of the world, they must rely on only themselves, one another, and a loyal pack of sled dogs as they all grow in unexpected directions.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY: DIR Sam Feder. PRODS Amy Scholder, Sam Feder, and Paola Mendoza. USA.
Amid the surge in anti-trans legislation that Chase Strangio battles in the courtroom, he must also fight against media bias, exposing how the narratives in the press influence public perception and the fight for transgender rights.
HOLDING LIAT: DIR Brandon Kramer. PRODS. Darren Aronofsky, Lance Kramer, Yoni Brook, Ari Handel, and Justin A. Gonçalves. USA.
After Liat Beinin Atzili is kidnapped on October 7th, her Israeli-American family faces their own conflicting perspectives to fight for her release and the future of the places they call home.
HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE: DIR Eleanor Mortimer. PROD Jacob Thomas. United Kingdom.
With deep-sea mining looming, biologists race to collect and name the undiscovered species of the abyss, the last wilderness on earth.
I WAS BORN THIS WAY: DIRS Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard. PRODS Wellington Love, Daniel Junge, and Jed Alan. USA.
When Archbishop Carl Bean sang the 1977 Motown hit and gay anthem “I Was Born This Way,” it was the start of his mission to change the world. I WAS BORN THIS WAY explores the life and legacy of Bean and his resounding message: “Love is for everyone.”
IMMUTABLE: DIRS Charlie Sadoff and Gabriel London. PRODS Keith M. Brown, Charlie Sadoff, and Gabriel London. USA.
In the shadow of power and privilege, students in the Washington Urban Debate League push themselves to become top-tier debaters, determined to change the course of their lives.
World Premiere.
Courtesy of PBS WETA. Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
IN WAVES AND WAR: DIRS Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen. PRODS Jessica Anthony, Bonni Cohen, and Jon Shenk. USA.
Three Navy SEALs leave their tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with treatment-resistant, unrelenting psychological pain. They find themselves at the cutting edge of a different frontline: a lifesaving psychedelic therapy that brings healing to a community in urgent need.
THE INQUISITOR: DIR Angela Lynn Tucker. PRODS Moira Griffin and Trevite Willis. USA.
With an electrifying voice and unwavering moral clarity, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan captivated the nation during President Nixon’s impeachment hearings. From Houston’s 5th Ward to the halls of Congress, her remarkable journey offers a compelling blueprint for bridging a divided America through a turbulent political era.
THE LAST CLASS: DIR Elliot Kirschner. PRODS Heather Kinlaw Lofthouse and Josh Melrod. USA.
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has always considered teaching his true calling. As he faces his final class, he wrestles with the dual realities of his own aging and his students inheriting a world out of balance.
World Premiere.
THE LIBRARIANS: DIR Kim A. Snyder. PRODS Kim A. Snyder, Janique L Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, and Jana Edelbaum. USA.
As an unprecedented wave of book banning sweeps through Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege unite as unlikely defenders, fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.
LIFE AFTER: DIR Reid Davenport. PROD Colleen Cassingham. USA.
A gripping personal investigation that exposes the tangled web of moral dilemmas and profit motives surrounding assisted dying. Disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport uncovers shocking abuses of power while amplifying the voices of the disability community fighting for justice and dignity in an unfolding matter of life and death.
MAINTENANCE ARTIST: DIR Toby Perl Freilich. PROD Judith Mizrachy. USA.
“After the Revolution, who’s going to pick up the garbage on Monday morning?” challenged Mierle Laderman Ukeles, the New York City Sanitation Department’s first artist-in-residence. MAINTENANCE ARTIST tells the stirring story of an unsalaried public artist who championed maintenance workers and became a revolutionary force in contemporary art.
MIDDLETOWN: DIRS Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine. PRODS Teddy Leifer, Florrie Priest, Jesse Moss, Amanda McBaine, and Danny Breen. USA.
Inspired by an unconventional teacher, a group of teenagers in upstate New York in the early 1990s make a student film and uncover a vast conspiracy that is poisoning their community. Thirty years later, they revisit their film and confront the legacy of this transformative experience.
MONK IN PIECES: DIRS Billy Shebar and David C. Roberts. PRODS Billy Shebar, Susan Margolin, and David C. Roberts. USA, France, Germany.
Visionary composer and performer Meredith Monk overcame hostile critics to become one of the great artists of her generation. In her seventh decade of creativity, she ponders how such singular work can go on without her.
MOVE YA BODY: THE BIRTH OF HOUSE: DIR Elegance Bratton. PRODS Chester Algernal Gordon and Elegance Bratton. USA, United Kingdom.
Out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement.
MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN: DIR David Borenstein. CO-DIR Pavel Talankin. PROD. Helle Faber. Denmark, Czech Republic.
As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, primary schools across Russia are transformed into recruitment stages for the war. Facing the ethical dilemma of working in a system defined by propaganda and violence, a brave teacher films what’s really happening in his own school.
MY SWEET LAND: DIR Sareen Hairabedian. PRODS Azza Hourani and Sareen Hairabedian. USA, Jordan, Ireland, France.
For 11-year-old Vrej, life in his homeland, Artsakh, is like a paradise, but when war starts again, can he carry a nation’s hopes on his young shoulders?
NATCHEZ: DIR Suzannah Herbert. PRODS Darcy McKinnon and Suzannah Herbert. USA.
NATCHEZ captures an unsettling clash between history and memory through a small Mississippi town reliant on antebellum tourism to survive. Who gets to tell America’s story?
Courtesy of ITVS.
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR: DIR Geeta Gandbhir. PRODS Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, and Sam Bisbee. USA.
A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida’s “stand your ground” laws.
Courtesy of Netflix.
PREDATORS: DIR David Osit. PRODS Jamie Gonçalves and Kellen Quinn. USA.
“To Catch a Predator” was a popular television show designed to hunt down child predators and lure them to a film set, where they would be interviewed and eventually arrested. PREDATORS is a surprising exploration of the scintillating rise and staggering fall of the show, and the world it helped create.
Courtesy of MTV Documentary Films.
REMAINING NATIVE: DIR Paige Bethmann. PROD Jessica Epstein. USA.
Seventeen-year-old Ku Stevens grapples with his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school weaves the past, present, and future together.
THE RIGHT TRACK: DIR Shareen Anderson. PRODS Jessica Xanthe Cran and Po Kutchins. USA.
Through the eyes of survivors, THE RIGHT TRACK exposes the fight to end sex trafficking across North America, highlighting the courage to escape “the life” and the momentum needed for justice and change.
World Premiere.
RIVER OF GRASS: DIR Sasha Wortzel. PRODS Danielle Varga and Sasha Wortzel. USA.
A lyrical ode to the Florida Everglades, celebrating both its past and present, and the people today who call the region home.
SALLY: DIR Cristina Costantini. PRODS Lauren Cioffi, Cristina Costantini, Dan Cogan, and Jon Bardin. USA.
Sally Ride became the first American woman to blast off into space, but beneath her unflappable composure was a secret. Sally’s life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, reveals their hidden romance and the sacrifices that accompanied their 27 years together.
Courtesy of National Geographic Documentary Films.
A SAVAGE ART: THE LIFE & CARTOONS OF PAT OLIPHANT: DIR Bill Banowsky. PROD Paul O’Bryan. USA.
A portrait of renowned political cartoonist Patrick Oliphant, whose five-decade career spanned ten US presidents. The film explores the rise of political partisanship and corporate control of the media, and shows how Oliphant used biting wit and masterful draftsmanship to take on the powers that be.
World Premiere.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
THE SECRET OF ME: DIR Grace Hughes Hallett. PRODS Flora Stewart and James Rogan. United Kingdom.
When 19-year-old Kristi discovers a secret her doctor and parents have kept from her all her life, her search for truth uncovers a radical psychological experiment, a global media scandal, and a legacy of harm towards intersex people.
SEEDS: DIR Brittany Shyne. PRODS Danielle Varga and Sabrina Schmidt Gordon. USA.
A lyrical portrait of Black generational farmers in the American South, exploring the struggle to preserve legacy and the enduring significance of land ownership.
THE SHADOW SCHOLARS: DIR Eloïse King. PRODS Anna Smith Tense, Bona Orakwue, and Tabs Breese. United Kingdom.
Tens of thousands of young and well-educated Kenyans are hired online by undergraduates and doctoral students at Western universities to write their essays and theses, in a multi-billion-dollar underground industry. Oxford professor Patricia Kingori embarks on a search for these ‘shadow scholars.’
SHUFFLE: DIR Benjamin Flaherty. PRODS Carra Greenberg, Harris Fishman, and Scott Paskoff. USA.
Through the lens of his own recovery, a filmmaker offers an unflinching look inside the billion-dollar addiction treatment industry where young people are bought and sold for their insurance policies and ushered into a system designed to keep them sick.
SPEAK.: DIR Jennifer Tiexiera. CO-DIR Guy Mossman. PRODS Pamela Griner, Guy Mossman, and Jennifer Tiexiera. USA.
Five top-ranked high school oratory students spend a year crafting spellbinding spoken word performances with the dream of winning one of the world’s largest and most intense public speaking competitions.
THE SPIES AMONG US: DIRS Jamie Coughlin Silverman and Gabriel Silverman. PRODS Jamie Coughlin Silverman and Gabriel Silverman. USA.
Thirty years after the end of the Cold War, a former political prisoner of the East German secret police searches for the truth after learning his brother spied on him for the regime, and discovers the lasting effects of living in a surveillance state.
THE STRINGER: DIR Bao Nguyen. PRODS Fiona Turner and Terri Lichstein.
A two-year investigation uncovers a scandal behind the making of one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century. Five decades of secrets are unraveled in the search for justice for a man known only as “the stringer.”
TAKE NO PRISONERS: DIRS Adam Ciralsky and Subrata De. PRODS Adam Ciralsky, Gene Klein, and Subrata De. USA.
A gripping inside look at the secretive, high-stakes world of hostage negotiations, following America’s top envoy as he races to free a young attorney held as a political pawn by a rogue regime.
THE TALLEST DWARF: DIR Julie Forrest Wyman. PRODS Jonna McKone, Shaleece Haas, and Lindsey Dryden. USA.
When a filmmaker with a rare form of dwarfism seeks out people with bodies like hers, she enters a community in flux. She joins forces with little people artists to trace a troubled history of being put on display. Together they forge a vision of disabled beauty and power.
UNDERLAND: DIR Robert Petit. PRODS Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Lauren Greenwood, and Jessica Harrop. USA, United Kingdom.
This mesmerizing documentary follows three intrepid “astronauts of the underworld” as they explore sacred caves, flooded storm drains, and underground laboratories, revealing the hidden wonders and knowledge of the earth beneath our feet.
UVALDE MOM: DIR Anayansi Prado. PRODS Ina Fichman, Anayansi Prado, and David Goldblum. USA.
When a school mass shooting rocks the small town of Uvalde, Texas, a single mother desperate to save her kids is reluctantly thrust into the public eye. She bravely speaks out against a broken system and exposes the officials who failed to protect the community’s most vulnerable—its children.
VIKTOR: DIR Olivier Sarbil. PRODS Olivier Sarbil, Darren Aronofsky, Dylan Golden, Brendan Naylor, Sigrid Dyekjær, and Philippe Levasseur. Denmark, Ukraine, France, USA.
Offering a deeply personal perspective on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, VIKTOR is a poignant audiovisual journey of a young man living in Kharkiv, who sets out to find his place in a war he cannot hear and is denied the chance to fight.
WIDOW CHAMPION: DIR Zippy Kimundu. PRODS Heather Courtney and Zippy Kimundu. Kenya.
Thrown off her land by her in-laws, a resilient Kenyan widow transforms into a fierce advocate for women’s land rights in a highly patriarchal community. Rodah spearheads a courageous movement, rallying fellow widows to reclaim their rightful property. Amidst the clash of tradition and progress, her narrative unfolds, depicting the tension between an ingrained culture and a rapidly evolving world.
WRITING HAWA: DIR Najiba Noori. CO-DIR Rasul Noori. PRODS Christian Popp, Hasse van Nunen, and Renko Douze. France.
Forty years after being married off as a child, Hawa begins to envision an independent life, driven by a desire to become literate and start her own business. However, with the return of the Taliban to power, her dreams—along with those of her daughter and granddaughter—are shattered.
WTO/99: DIR Ian Bell. PRODS Laura Tatham, Ian Bell, and Alex Megaro. USA.
Told entirely through archival material, WTO/99 reanimates the clash between the emerging World Trade Organization (WTO) and the more than 40,000 people who took to the streets of Seattle to protest its anticipated impacts on labor, the environment, and the future of globalization.
Shorts
ARMED ONLY WITH A CAMERA: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BRENT RENAUD: DIRS Craig Renaud and Brent Renaud. PRODS Juan Arredondo and Christof Putzel. USA.
Brent Renaud was the first American journalist killed in Ukraine. Known for filming on the front lines of conflict, he was driven by a deep empathy for the people caught in the crossfire. With his camera, he didn’t just capture war—he fought for peace.
Courtesy of HBO.
THE BIRDS: DIRS David Allen and Martin Dohrn. PRODS Gaby Bastyra and Amber Beattie. United Kingdom.
Facing the twilight of his career, a filmmaker turns his well-honed cinematic skills skyward to decipher the murmuration of thousands of seabirds put into play by a lone falcon.
CAMILLE A. BROWN: GIANT STEPS: DIRS Michelle Parkerson and Shellée M. Haynesworth. PROD Shellée M. Haynesworth. USA.
Five-time Tony-nominated choreographer and director Camille A. Brown elevates the possible with bold explorations of everyday movement and Diasporic dance. From her Jamaica Queens neighborhood to Broadway and beyond, the film captures her visionary talent—affirming urban youth, Black female identity, and the power of community.
Courtesy of PBS American Masters / WNET.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
CLASSROOM 4: DIR Eden Wurmfeld. PRODS Yael Bridge and Eden Wurmfeld. USA.
Inside a prison classroom, college students and incarcerated individuals come together to study the history of crime and punishment in America—sparking unexpected conversations, hard truths, and a deeper understanding of justice and humanity.
COACH: DIRS Clifford Nash and Griffin Nash. PRODS Ian McFarland, Mark DiCristofaro, and Colby Cote. USA.
While NHL standout T.J. Oshie fights for the Stanley Cup, his father, Tim “Coach” Oshie, battles to remember his son’s greatest achievements. Their parallel fights—one for glory, the other against the grip of Alzheimer’s—reveal a moving portrait of courage, legacy, and the unbreakable bond between them.
World Premiere.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
A COLOR I NAMED BLUE: DIR Sybilla Patrizia. PRODS Mai Hosomura and Sybilla Patrizia. Japan.
In Japan’s lush countryside, a colorblind artisan and an indigo dyer obsessed with creating the perfect shade of blue, join forces and uncover what it truly means to see.
International Premiere.
THE CONSCIENCE FILES: DIR Brian Bolster. PROD Brian Bolster. USA.
For some nature lovers, the phrase “You can’t take it with you” is more than a saying about possessions and the afterlife; it’s a cautionary reminder of what not to take in the present—and the consequences that follow when you do.
CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG: DIR Hao Zhou. PROD Tyler Hill. Germany, USA.
A filmmaker submits to a series of home remedies and spiritual rituals as their family attempts to purge their gender-fluid identity.
DANIELLE SCOTT: ANCESTRAL CALL: DIRS Sonia Kennebeck and Tetiana Anderson. PRODS Tetiana Anderson and Sonia Kennebeck. USA.
Danielle Scott, a legally blind Afro-Cuban, Polish-Jewish, and Asian mixed-media artist at the cusp of international fame, risks her own well-being by exposing herself to the intergenerational trauma of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Courtesy of PBS American Masters / WNET.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
DEATH EDUCATION: DIR Yuxuan Ethan Wu. PROD Yuxuan Ethan Wu. China.
In China, a high school teacher has introduced a death education class for young students. On the traditional Tomb Sweeping Day, they bury unnamed ashes at a public cemetery where they contemplate and contextualize the meaning of death.
EDGE OF DAYBREAK: DIR Dawn Porter. PROD Asako Gladsjo. USA.
In 1979, inmates at a maximum-security prison in Virginia came together to record an album of original music, rediscovered decades later and used in the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight,” attesting to the power of the creative spirit even within prison walls.
World Premiere.
Courtesy of A&E Network.
HEARTBEAT: DIRS Jay Rosenblatt and Stephanie Rapp. PRODS Jay Rosenblatt and Stephanie Rapp. USA.
Shot over 25 years ago, this emotionally raw and intimate documentary follows a couple—the filmmakers themselves—on their complex journey to bring a new life into the world.
HOLD ME CLOSE: DIRS Aurora Brachman and LaTajh Simmons-Weaver. PRODS Chicken & Egg Pictures and American Documentary. USA.
A chronicle of the power and complexity of the relationship between Corinne and Tiana, two Queer Black womxn who experience cycles of life’s joys and pains together in the home they share.
Courtesy of POV|Shorts.
HOOPS, HOPES & DREAMS: DIR Glenn Kaino. PROD Michael Latt, Alexys Feaster, Glenn Kaino, Afshin Shahidi, and Jesse Williams. USA.
The untold story about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and an all-star team of civil rights activists took to basketball courts to connect with young voters, and how their strategy echoed in contemporary politics through President Obama’s historic campaign.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
HOUSTON’S WHITEBEAM: DIRS Alex Darby and Jake Morris. PROD Alex Darby. United Kingdom.
At 80 years old, climber, botanist, and poet Libby Houston continues her pioneering work, scaling the 300-foot cliffs of Bristol’s Avon Gorge to study rare plants.
THE HUSTLE OF FUNNY: DIR Kendra Pittman. PROD Kelsi Evans. USA.
Beneath the spotlight of DC’s underground comedy scene, six aspiring comedians grind, grow, and get real—revealing how chasing laughs can uncover deeper truths and connect us all.
World Premiere.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
INTO THE DARK: DIR Fiona Otway. USA.
In deep darkness, an artist forms an extraordinary creative collaboration with fireflies, unlocking hidden landscapes illuminated by their glowing light.
US Premiere.
LIFT LADY: DIR Marcin Modzelewski. PRODS Munk Studio – Polish Filmmakers Association. Poland.
Brutalist architecture of Tbilisi, a toll elevator and surreal environment are the daily life of Mzia, a former sniper overseeing the only such route in the world.
North American Premiere.
LOOKING FOR A DONKEY: DIR Juan Vicente Manrique. PRODS Juan Vicente Manrique and María Benítez. Mexico, Venezuela.
After posting a satirical video featuring a donkey as Venezuela’s president, two Andean firefighters were imprisoned. As locals remain tight-lipped about the incident, rumors swirl about the mysterious fate of the donkey in this secluded mountain town.
LOVE BIRDS: DIRS Elliott Kennerson and Angel Morris. PRODS Perfect Four Productions,
Original Voices Shorts, NBCU Academy, and NBC News Studios. USA.
A research expedition to a remote island. An observation that changed gay history. The love story that made it all possible.
Courtesy of NBC News Studios.
MAKING SPACES: THE LEGEND OF UNION ARTS: DIR Jamal Toye. PROD Jamal Toye. USA.
A tribute to a lost creative haven, this film revisits the final year of a beloved DC arts space—capturing its vibrant spirit and the fight to save it from gentrification.
World Premiere.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
MAMA MICRA: DIR Rebecca Blöcher. CO-DIR Frédéric Schuld. PROD Fabian Driehorst. Germany.
For the last ten years of her life, the filmmaker’s mother lived out of a Nissan Micra—washing each morning in hotel bathrooms and sneaking into breakfast rooms for food. Her freedom came at a cost: she lost contact with her daughter, who offers a contrasting perspective on her mother’s account.
A MAN WHO KNITS: DIR Ian Powell. PROD Ian Powell. USA.
A male knitter honors his late grandmother, defying gender norms and finding spiritual renewal through the art of needlework and yarn-making.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
THE NEW YORKER THEATER: A TALBOT LEGACY: DIR Sergio Maza. PRODS Maria Politano, Cara Yeates, and Sergio Maza. USA, Argentina.
In 1960, Dan and Toby Talbot opened the New Yorker Theater on the then-dangerous Upper West Side of New York City. With no money or experience, the Talbots transformed this 900-seat theater into one of America’s most influential repertory and arthouse cinemas, launching a remarkable six-decade career in film exhibition and distribution.
LA ORQUESTA: DIRS Monica Villavicencio and Stephanie Liu. USA.
A retired music teacher embarks on a mission to create Georgia’s first youth orchestra for undocumented and mixed-status families.
World Premiere.
THE PEOPLE COULD FLY: DIR Imani N. Dennison. PROD Bryn Silverman. USA.
An intimate, poetic portrait of the ritual of roller skating and how roller rinks in Louisville, Kentucky, emerged as magical sanctuaries for Black culture.
PERFECTLY A STRANGENESS: DIR Alison McAlpine. Canada.
Three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe.
PROJECTING PROTEST: DIR Tom Clement. USA.
Does projecting a message onto a building count as free speech? Light projection is increasingly being used as a form of protest by both the far right and the left. Despite their opposing ideologies, both sides argue for the legality—and necessity—of this emerging tool of political expression.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
THE SPECTACLE: DIR Yasmin van Dorp. PRODS The Small Worlds Collective. Sweden.
Across Europe, serene landscapes transform into bustling tourist attractions, shaped by the rhythms of modern tourism. THE SPECTACLE reflects on what remains truly seen and felt amidst the curated snapshots of our adventures.
SUNSET AND THE MOCKINGBIRD: DIR Jyllian Gunther. PRODS Kali Holloway, Adam Kahan, and Jyllian Gunther. USA.
As the memory of a jazz legend fades, his soulmate discovers that their connection is timeless, preserved in the music that shaped their love. Through shared melodies, love is redefined, and music becomes their enduring bond.
TESSITURA: DIRS Lydia Cornett and Brit Fryer. PRODS American Documentary and Chicken & Egg Pictures. USA.
Three trans opera singers refine their unique vocal talents and contemporize the history of gender-fluid performances in the art form.
TO YOUR HANDS: DIR Ana Mouyis. PRODS Elyse Kelly, Ana Mouyis and Fox Schwach. USA, Cyprus.
On the divided island of Cyprus, the quiet motion of hands shaping lace and making cheese sheds new light on a decades-old conflict. Through intimate imagery and hand-painted animation, the film reflects on how shared culture endures beyond political borders.
World Premiere.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
VS. GOLIATH: APPALACHIA: DIR. Maggie Lemere. PRODS. Nate Birnbaum, Pulkit Datta, and Maggie Lemere. USA.
An army veteran enlists in the battle against a massive gas pipeline that cuts through his community in the mountains of Appalachia— joining with neighbors near and far in a showdown against a shadowy corporation and some of the nation’s most powerful politicians.
World Premiere.
Screening as part of DC/FRAME.
WELCOME HOME FRECKLES: DIR Huiju Park. PROD Huiju Park. United Kingdom.
After four years apart, a daughter returns home to confront unresolved family conflicts and the deep-rooted domestic violence that plagued her childhood. She uncovers a generational cycle of abuse and comes to terms with the fact that she alone can break it.
YOUR OPINION, PLEASE: DIR Marshall Granger. PRODS Alana Waksman and Marshall Granger. USA. Weaving together voices from hundreds of unfiltered radio calls to the Yellowstone Public Radio show Your Opinion, Please!, the film captures a decade of raw public debate across Montana, revealing a state grappling with questions of identity, community, and free expression.
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