Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 166

Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst

2006

Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst

2006
7
A Colourful Life is a Docu/Drama based on the colourful life of flamboyant design pioneer Florence Broadhurst.
People Say I'm Crazy

2003

People Say I'm Crazy

2003
8
John Cadigan, an artist with schizophrenia, presents a documentary about "the world inside my head. It's a chaotic world filled with paranoia, creativity, fear and desire. A world in which I'm struggling every day, trying to know what is real and what is not."
Two Towns of Jasper

2002

Two Towns of Jasper

2002
7
Using two separate filmmaking teams (an all-white crew filming white residents and an all-black camera crew filming black residents), TWO TOWNS OF JASPER captures very different racial views by townsfolk in Jasper, Texas, the location for a racially motivated murder of an African American man in 1998.
Soul of a Banquet

2014

Soul of a Banquet

2014
3
Documentary about Cecilia Chiang, "the mother of the true Chinese cuisine."
The Zen Mind

2007

The Zen Mind

2007
8
In the last fifty years the culture of Zen has spread far beyond Japan. Zen centers and zen retreats have sprung up throughout America and Europe. When Dogen, the founder of Soto Zen, brought Zen to Japan from China 800 years ago, it quickly took root and became an integral part of Japanese life. Yet what do we know about zen practice in Japan today? The Zen Mind is a fascinating journey across Japan to explore zen in its natural habitat.
Mothers of Bedford

2011

Mothers of Bedford

2011
10
Eighty percent of women in US prisons today are mothers of school-age children. Filmmaker Jenifer McShane spent four years visiting Bedford Hills and following the women and their families. A mother herself, Jenifer was drawn to the universal themes of motherhood and the staggering power of the mother-child relationship. In all walks of life, mother and child care for each other. As we watch the mothers inside Bedford trying to become their better selves, we see parts of our own selves - and that gives us all hope.
A Quiet Inquisition

2014

A Quiet Inquisition

2014
8
At a public hospital in Nicaragua, Ob/Gyn Dr. Carla Cerrato must choose between following a law that bans all abortions and endangers her patients or taking a risk and providing the care that she knows can save a woman's life. In 2007, Dr. Cerrato’s daily routine took a detour. The newly elected government of Daniel Ortega, a former Marxist revolutionary who converted to Catholicism to win votes, overturned a 130-year-old law protecting therapeutic abortion. The new law entirely prohibits abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, or when a woman’s life is at stake. As Carla and her colleagues navigate this dangerous dilemma, the impact of this law emerges—illuminating the tangible reality of prohibition against the backdrop of a political, religious, and historically complex national identity. The emotional core of the story—the experiences and situations of the young women and girls who are seeking care—illustrate the ethical implications of one doctor's response.
Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene

2013

Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene

2013
1
The documentary uses Graham Greene's own words from his books and recordings, as well as photographs and clips from his many films, to reveal the fascinating life of one of the great writers of the twentieth century.
Mystical Brain

2006

Mystical Brain

2006
7
Documentary / Other - Is it possible to shed light on the states of grace experienced by mystics and meditators? Mystical Brain shows us the most recent discoveries of scientific research on this phenomenon in North America and abroad. It seems that mystical ecstasy is a profoundly transformative experience. It could contribute to people's psychic and bodily health, treat depression and speed up the healing process in patients who combine meditation with conventional medicine.
D-Day: The Price Of Freedom

2006

D-Day: The Price Of Freedom

2006
6
D-Day, June 6, 1944, was a turning point in the history of the world and thousands of young Americans played an important role that day. Travel with several of these men as they return to the beaches of Normandy to tell their stories of survival.
Who's Afraid of Kathy Acker?

2007

Who's Afraid of Kathy Acker?

2007
7
Documentary tracing the extreme life of outlaw writer, performance artist and punk icon, Kathy Acker. Through animation, archival footage, interviews and dramatic reenactments, director Barbara Caspar explores Acker's colorful history, from her well-heeled upbringing to her role as the scribe of society's fringe.
Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World

2011

Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World

2011
6
This ninety-minute film takes audiences on an epic journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years of history. It explores themes such as the Word, Space, Ornament, Color and Water and presents the stories behind many great masterworks of Islamic Art and Architecture. Narrated by Academy Award winning performer Susan Sarandon, this dazzling documentary reveals the variety and diversity of Islamic art. It provides a window into Islamic culture and brings broad insights to the enduring themes that have propelled human history and fueled the rise of world civilization over the centuries
Pig Business

2009

Pig Business

2009
8
An investigative documentary into the corporate takeover of pig farming and the devastating impacts this is having on our environment, local communities, small farmers, human health and animal welfare.
Further Off the Straight and Narrow

2006

Further Off the Straight and Narrow

2006
0.5
Takes a close look at sitcoms, reality shows, and premium cable programming as it explores how representations of GLBT characters have become more complex and varied in recent years.
Dirty Energy

2012

Dirty Energy

2012
This documentary tells the personal story of those directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010, who are now struggling to rebuild their lives amidst the economic devastation and long-term health risks.
Made in India

2010

Made in India

2010
6
This eye-opening doc explores the phenomena of "outsourcing" surrogate mothers to India. Weaving together personal stories within a growing international industry, the film reveals the clash of reproductive technology and choice from a global perspective.
Thomas Sankara

1991

Thomas Sankara

1991
6
Captain Thomas Sankara was the leader of the Burkinabe Revolution. This film is a biographical profile of the revolutionary, the improvements he generated in his country and the new socio-political dimension he instituted in Burkina Faso.
Search for Paradise

1957

Search for Paradise

1957
6
Lowell Thomas travels across Europe and the Middle East on his way to attend the coronation of King Mahendra in Nepal.
The American Nurse

2014

The American Nurse

2014
6
THE AMERICAN NURSE is a heart-warming film that explores some of the biggest issues facing America - aging, war, poverty, prisons - through the work and lives of nurses. It is an examination of real people that will change how we think about nurses and how we wrestle with the challenges of healing America. THE AMERICAN NURSE is an important contribution to America's ongoing conversation about what it means to care. The film follows the paths of five nurses in various practice specialties including Jason Short as he drives up a rugged creek to reach a home-bound cancer patient in Appalachia. Tonia Faust, who runs a prison hospice program where inmates serving life sentences care for their fellow inmates as they're dying. Naomi Cross, as she coaches an ovarian cancer survivor through the Caesarean delivery of her son. Sister Stephen, a nun who runs a nursing home filled with goats, sheep, llamas and chickens, where the entire nursing staff comes together to sing for a dying resident.
The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes Of The United Farm Workers Movement

2014

The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes Of The United Farm Workers Movement

2014
10
The Delano Manongs tells the story of farm labor organizer Larry Itliong and a group of Filipino farm workers who instigated one of the American farm labor movement’s finest hours – The Delano Grape Strike of 1965 that brought about the creation of the United Farm Workers Union (UFW). While the movement is known for Cesar Chavez’s leadership and considered a Chicano movement, Filipinos played a pivotal role. Filipino labor organizer, Larry Itliong, a cigar-chomping union veteran, organized a group of 1500 Filipinos to strike against the grape growers of Delano, California, beginning a collaboration between Filipinos, Chicanos and other ethnic workers that would go on for years.