Popular Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 311

The Cult of JT LeRoy

2014

The Cult of JT LeRoy

2014
5.3
A feature documentary about the writer JT LeRoy - Ethically charged, controversial, and confusing, JT’s life and death sprang open a Pandora’s box of powerful questions about literature and culture, identity and celebrity, and the reality of the society we live in. Fraud? Art? Mental illness? Complicity? The Cult of JT Leroy will be a testament to this bizarre and elaborate story that has captured the attention and fascination of the world’s media, and perplexes to this day.
Eagles of Mercy

2014

Eagles of Mercy

2014
D-Day: American medics Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore from the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) set up an aid station inside a small 12th-Century church in Normandy, France. Over 36 hours, Wright and Moore help anyone brought into the church, even German soldiers. Seven decades later, the blood of the injured remains on the pews as a reminder of the compassion, courage and humanity shown there.
James McNeill Whistler and the Case for Beauty

2014

James McNeill Whistler and the Case for Beauty

2014
Caustic wit, man about town, James McNeill Whistler was the original art star. Famous for his patent leather shoes, monocle, and uptown swagger, Whistler's theatrics attracted the curiosity of buyers and the attention of the critics. But beneath the high gloss and mannered style, the struggle of this pioneering genius to find his own voice resulted in a breakaway style that moved painting towards abstraction and would revolutionize the art world in his time-and beyond. Best known for the groundbreaking portrait of his mother, Whistler had become one of the most recognized artists in Europe by the time of his death. He is now placed in the first rank of modern painters, his work compared to that of Velazquez and Rembrandt. Dramatic re-creations, art, graphics, and interviews combine to profile this fascinating character.
Yangsi

2012

Yangsi

2012
Jigme Lhundrup is the "Yangsi", the reincarnation of a greatly revered Tibetan Buddhist spiritual master. In this documentary film, director Mark Elliott follows a journey spanning fourteen years, culminating in the Yangsi's introduction to the world as a young man, when he must fully assume the mantle of his predecessor.
The Gray Seasons

2013

The Gray Seasons

2013
Saint Louis University women's basketball is a longstanding program with a lack of success. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, a young, dynamic coach with a history of playing & coaching success, is brought in to turn things around.
Urban Roots

2011

Urban Roots

2011
6
URBAN ROOTS is a documentary that tells the story of the spontaneous emergence of urban farming in the city of Detroit. Detroit, once an industrial powerhouse of a lost American era, is a city devastated by the loss of half its population due to the collapse of manufacturing. By the looks of it, the city has died. But now, against all odds, in the empty lots, in the old factory yards, and in-between the sad, sagging blocks of company housing, seeds of change are taking root.
Light from the East

2005

Light from the East

2005
A troupe of American actors travels to the former Soviet Ukraine to participate in the first cultural exchange theatre project in history and find themselves trapped at the epicenter of a political revolution.
Without a Home

2011

Without a Home

2011
6.5
Filmmaker Rachel Fleischer spent four years creating this extraordinary documentary that enters the lives of six homeless individuals in her hometown of Los Angeles. The film's subjects include families in temporary housing, a street performer who depends on banjo-playing for income, and a heroin-addicted man living in Skid Row - an area of the city that contains one of the largest homeless populations in the U.S. Intertwined with each tale is the story of Fleischer herself, as she attempts to walk the fine line between telling the stories of her subjects and helping those in need. As the film's intimate and powerful stories confront our preconceived notions regarding homelessness, Fleischer's journey unflinchingly reveals the challenges and triumphs that arise when we choose to help those without a home.
Songs From the North

2015

Songs From the North

2015
7
Interweaving footage from the director’s three visits to North Korea with songs, spectacle, popular cinema and archival footage, Songs from the North takes a different look at this enigmatic country typically seen through the distorted lens of jingoistic propaganda and derisive satire. Challenging the meaning of freedom, love, patriotism and ultimately the human condition, it tries to understand, on their own terms, the psychology and popular imaginary of the North Korean people and the political ideology of absolute love which continues to drive the nation towards its uncertain future.
Sourlands

2012

Sourlands

2012
One green spot on a map, in an age of high land prices, high temperatures, and hungry deer.
Turner at Tate

2006

Turner at Tate

2006
The artist J.M.W. Turner is widely recognised as England’s greatest painter. Tate has the world’s finest and most extensive collection of his work. Turner at Tate explores Turner’s art through many of his best-known canvases and exquisite sketches and watercolours, all newly and exceptionally filmed in HDTV from the original artworks. Incorporating the landscapes and places that inspired the works, the film provides an overview of Turner’s life and - in an accessible and engrossing way - of critical approaches to his art. The film’s focus is Turner and England, and his work is considered against the radical social and political changes of the early nineteenth century. Turner at Tate is a film about ideas and history and landscape, a film about colour and light. Contributors include Tate curators Ian Warrell and David Blayney Brown, and art historians Sam Smiles and Barry Venning. Also featured on the DVD are ten additional short films, each of which considers in detail a major work.
Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas

2008

Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas

2008
From the communal councils of Venezuela to constitutional assemblies, grassroots movements and cooperatives, filmmakers Silvia Leindecker and Michael Fox explore the many incarnations of democracy across the Americas. The documentary examines democracy in nations such as Brazil, Colombia and Canada, and features interviews with journalists, cooperative and community members, elected representatives, academics and activists.
Desert Heart

2008

Desert Heart

2008
After 40 years in exile, Yulparitja elders take Daniel Walbidi, their most promising young artist, back to the desert heartland they left behind. In the remote Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga a new art movement has emerged. At its helm is a young Aboriginal man who is well on the way to international fame and possible fortune. Daniel Walbidi paints the desert country that his parents walked out of 40 years ago. Now, with the rock holes, sandhills and salt lakes of their country revitalized through the creation of the paintings, they are determined to go back and show Daniel their desert country for the first time.
Gold Star Children

2011

Gold Star Children

2011
A cross-generational story of how the gold star children of Vietnam are mentoring the gold star children from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a one hour film of resilience, hope and the power of sharing.
Capoeira: Fly Away Beetle

2011

Capoeira: Fly Away Beetle

2011
Documentary - Roque Batista, Ted Golder, Mestre Cobra Mansa
The Distracted Mind

2011

The Distracted Mind

2011
Hosted by renowned neuroscientist and M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Adam Gazzaley, The Distracted Mind delves deeply into attention, distraction, the myth of multi-tasking, and how to use the latest research to possibly improve our skills and abilities at any point during our lives. While the brain can seem almost boundless in its potential, it has limitations, such as processing speed, attentional limitations, working memory limitations, and sensitivity to interference, which can be both internal and external. Dr. Gazzaley explores the impact that multi-tasking has on our safety, memory, education, careers and personal lives. Most importantly, The Distracted Mind tells us what we can do to improve our attentional abilities and our focus as we age, and as media continues to dominate our landscape. From changing our behaviors, to literally changing our brains, Dr. Gazzaley shares information you need to survive and thrive in the information age.
End of the Rainbow

2007

End of the Rainbow

2007
A large multinational and industrial gold mining company has arrived in a remote area of Guinea, West Africa. This desperately poor region has a long history of economic reliance on gold. This film is a melancholic portrait of the changes brought by the mine, and of the universal human desire for a better life. How do local people respond to the opportunities and economic divisions the mine creates? How do the local jobseekers and expatriate staff, attracted by gold and the possibilities it offers, understand one another? In case of difficulties, the mine calls in the military. Conflict over the mine's presence is escalating. The gold will be dug from the ground, but at what cost? End of the Rainbow reveals a world that is changing forever, and intimately portrays the people who are grappling to respond to those changes.
Talking Through Walls

2008

Talking Through Walls

2008
Chronicles the true story of how one man's struggle to build a mosque in a New York suburb post 9/11 helped unite an interfaith community.
To Be Heard

2011

To Be Heard

2011
A verité film intimately shot over four years, To Be Heard is the story of three teens from the South Bronx whose struggle to change their lives begins with writing poetry. As writing and reciting become vehicles for their expressions of love, friendship, frustration, and hope, these three youngsters emerge as accomplished self-aware artists, who use their creativity to alter their circumstances.
The Forest for the Trees

2005

The Forest for the Trees

2005
Story of the fight to clear activist Judi Bari's name after her car was bombed and she was arrested as a terrorist by the Oakland police. Convinced the FBI conspired to discredit her and her organization, Judi decided to sue.