Popular Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 235

Nagasaki Journey

1995

Nagasaki Journey

1995
Rashomon-like look at the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 10, 1945. Features color footage of the bomb's aftermath shown in public for the first time in over fifty years. The film features extremely rare footage of the atomic bombing, both black-and-white and color.
Baudouin, les derniers jours

2023

Baudouin, les derniers jours

2023
Alice Street

2020

Alice Street

2020
At the intersection of Alice and 14th Streets in the heart of downtown Oakland, California, tension is brewing between real estate developers and artists around the best present and future uses of a coveted historic space. Following the proposal, creation, and final result of a mural, this documentary shows how art can work as a tool for grassroots activism and underscores the power of coalition-building to disrupt the displacing forces of privilege.
Funeral Chants from the Georgian Caucasus

2007

Funeral Chants from the Georgian Caucasus

2007
A short film set in the mountainous province of Svaneti, documents the performance of polyphonic men’s funerary laments common to the region.
Otaiya: Japan's Hidden Christians

1997

Otaiya: Japan's Hidden Christians

1997
In the sixteenth century Portuguese Catholic missionaries introduced Christianity to Japan. The religion flourished for about fifty years, but by 1614 the Tokugawa government issued an edict that outlawed Christianity and expelled the missionaries from Japan. About 150,000 believers went underground and continued to practice their religion in secret. These people are known as the "Hidden Christians". Otaiya, meaning "Big Evening" is the Hidden Christian version of Christmas Eve. Through the occasion of this ceremony, the film tells the story of Japan's Hidden Christians. Made with the cooperation of contemporary Hidden Christians on the remote island of Narushima, the film features the only two remaining priests in the Goto Islands.
American Terrorist: Could the '08 Mumbai Attack Have Been Prevented?

2015

American Terrorist: Could the '08 Mumbai Attack Have Been Prevented?

2015
FRONTLINE investigates American-born terrorist David Coleman Headley, who helped plan the deadly 2008 siege on Mumbai. In collaboration with ProPublica, the film — an updated and expanded version of A Perfect Terrorist — reveals how secret electronic surveillance missed catching the Mumbai plotters, and how Headley planned another Charlie Hebdo-like assault against a Danish newspaper.
Charleen or How Long Has This Been Going On?

1977

Charleen or How Long Has This Been Going On?

1977
8
In Charleen, documentarian Ross McElwee looks at the life of a North Carolina poet and teacher who acts as a muse to a motley crew of artists and musicians.
Code Black

2014

Code Black

2014
6.8
Code Black follows a team of young, idealistic and energetic ER doctors during the transition from the old to the new L.A. County as they try to avoid burnout and improve patient care. Why do they persist, despite being under siege by rules, regulations and paperwork?
In the Name of Gerry Conlon

2023

In the Name of Gerry Conlon

2023
7.5
Two months before his death, the central figure of "The Guildford Four" Gerry Conlon meets Lorenzo Moscia to recount his remarkable life, from falsely imprisoned to world-famous human rights activist.
Hofmann's Potion: The Pioneers of LSD

2002

Hofmann's Potion: The Pioneers of LSD

2002
4.8
Long before Timothy Leary urged a generation to "tune in, turn on and drop out," lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, was being used by researchers trying to understand the human mind. This documentary is a fascinating look at the story of "acid" before it hit the streets. Featuring interviews with many LSD pioneers, Hofmann's Potion is much more than a simple chronicle of the drug's early days. With thoughtful interviews, beautiful music and stunning cinematography, it is an invitation to look at LSD, and our world, with a more open, compassionate mind.
Chained (Agora II)

2020

Chained (Agora II)

2020
7.2
For four and a half years, between 2015 – 2019, acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Avgeropoulos observed Greek society on multiple levels. As well as having exclusive access to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, he followed others, including a refugee couple from Syria and a mother whose child was murdered by Golden Dawn. The result is a unique and multiple story-lined film: a tale which evolves and unfolds with the characters over time as they face difficult decisions, even to partially achieve their goals.
Bill Hicks: Reflections

2015

Bill Hicks: Reflections

2015
6.6
Comedy Dynamics sits down with Bill Hicks' brother, Steve, who tells old stories, squashes old rumors and reveals the brother and son behind the late comedian. Told amidst old and rare footage, it’s a must watch for any fan.
Bipolarized: Rethinking Mental Illness

2014

Bipolarized: Rethinking Mental Illness

2014
BIPOLARIZED is about one man's personal journey to heal. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Ross' psychiatrist told him he would live with the disorder for the rest of his life and that he would have to take lithium to control symptoms. To Ross, taking the drug daily felt like a chemical lobotomy, leaving him in a foggy, drug-induced haze. Ross ultimately decided to resolve his symptoms outside of conventional medicine. He progressively reduced his use of the psychotropic drug lithium, at an experimental clinic in Costa Rica. What ensued was a self-exploration into alternative treatments to treat his condition and a journey delving into the root cause of his mental breakdown. The film uses Ross' personal experiences to tell a larger story about medication. It will reveal how we are labelling more and more people with mental illnesses and how, in tandem, we are prescribing more and more toxic psychotropic drugs to treat these illnesses.
Too Black to Be French?

2015

Too Black to Be French?

2015
Approximately, because so-called "ethnic" statistics are prohibited, there are an estimated 3.3 million black French citizens. Distant descendants of slaves from the Caribbean or "indigenous" peoples from the French colonial empire in Africa, they constitute a minority that is often discriminated against. Isabelle Boni-Claverie, a mixed-race woman raised in the affluent neighborhoods of Paris, daughter of an Ivorian politician and granddaughter of Alphonse Boni, a Black man who became a magistrate of the French Republic in the 1930s, examines what is blocking the social advancement of Black French people and the full recognition of their citizenship.
The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia

2002

The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia

2002
5.7
The meaning of art itself comes into question in this documentary about Shelby Lee Adams' controversial photos of families in Appalachia.
Pursuit of Happiness

1940

Pursuit of Happiness

1940
6.1
Photographer Rudy Burckhardt shows us the ebb and flow of people rushing about Manhattan. Equally exhilarating in his novel approach to snap images quickly on the run, a method he inaugurated and that continues to the present day. In film, he added slow and fast motion, split-screens and superimpositions to his repertory.
A People Uncounted: The Untold Story of the Roma

2013

A People Uncounted: The Untold Story of the Roma

2013
8.5
The Roma, commonly referred to as Gypsies, have been both romanticized and vilified in popular culture. Dozens of Roma from 11 countries—including Holocaust survivors, historians, activists, and musicians--bring Romani history to life through poetry, music, and compelling first-hand accounts.
Inside the Koran

2008

Inside the Koran

2008
3.7
In this eye-opening film, director Antony Thomas goes deep into the heart of the Muslim world to explore the history and current state of Islam. He attempts to ascertain what Islam's Holy Book actually says about such subjects as equality, punishment, peace, other faiths and suicide bombing. As with most holy books, the paradoxes contained within lead to an extremely wide range of interpretations, and as such can be "used for ultimate grace or as an alibi for appalling acts and beliefs." Thomas investigates how Islam's teachings in the Koran are very tactfully being employed by nations and powerful leaders alike to further their own political, cultural, and social norms.
Linie 41

2016

Linie 41

2016
"LINE 41" documents a Holocaust and Lodz Ghetto survivor's return back to today's Lodz (Poland). Until now, Grossmann had repressed his desire to learn about the fate of his brother he lost contact with in 1942. 70 years later, Grossmann starts a search for his missing brother. His search crosses paths with Jens-Jürgen Ventzki, son of the former Nazi Head Mayor of Lodz. Ventzki is pursuing his family's dark secret. In tracing their family histories, they inevitably confront each other.
Kristina Talking Pictures

1976

Kristina Talking Pictures

1976
3.4
Kristina, a self-named Hungarian female lion tamer, arrives in New York to become a dance choreographer. Kristina, now a middle-class NYC artist concerned about the environment, has a sailor lover named Raoul. The film, a collage work, an essay film, a fictional narrative and a documentary all rolled into one, is one of the most important independent American feminists films made during the 1970's.