Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 51

Bhutto

2010

Bhutto

2010
5.6
BHUTTO is the definitive documentary that chronicles the life of one of the most complex and fascinating characters of our time. Hers is an epic tale of Shakespearean dimension. It’s the story of the first woman in history to lead a Muslim nation: Pakistan. Newsweek called it the most dangerous place in the world, and the home of nuclear war heads and the Taliban.
Jesus, You Know

2005

Jesus, You Know

2005
6.9
Six Catholics share their thoughts and problems with Jesus in different churches. The camera accompanies them.
William Eggleston in the Real World

2005

William Eggleston in the Real World

2005
6.4
Documentary about William Eggleston, a famous modern American photographer.
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

1988

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

1988
7.4
This documentary offers a rare glimpse of the legendary Soviet filmmaker, Andrei Tarkosvky, at work. Tarkovsky made only seven films in his brief, but brilliant, career; Michal Leszczylowski's respectful movie chronicles him at work on his last film, The Sacrifice. Offering insight into Tarkovsky's working methods and transcendental aesthetics, the movie is a compelling account of the difficulties of film production. In the case of an uncompromising and visionary filmmaker like Tarkovsky, the practical problems of filmmaking are only magnified, as cast and crew struggle to realize the ambitious concepts in Tarkovsky's mind.
The Devil's Miner

2005

The Devil's Miner

2005
6.7
'The Devil's Miner' tells the story of 14-year-old Basilio who worships the devil for protection while working in a Bolivian silver mine to support his family.
The Garden

2008

The Garden

2008
6.6
From the ashes of the L.A. riots arose a lush, 14-acre community garden, the largest of its kind in the United States. Now bulldozers threaten its future.
After Stonewall

1999

After Stonewall

1999
5.5
This sequel to "Before Stonewall" documents the history of gay and lesbian life from the riots at Stonewall in 1969 to the present. Narrated by Melissa Etheridge, the film explains the work, struggles, victories, and defeats the gay community has weathered to become a vibrant and integral part of North American society.
The Real Dirt on Farmer John

2006

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

2006
7
An outcast in his community, Farmer John bravely stands amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and violence. By melding the traditions of family farming with the power of art and free expression, this powerful story of transformation and renewal heralds a resurrection of farming in America. Through highly personal interviews and 50 years of beautifully textured footage, filmmaker Taggart Siegel shares Farmer John’s haunting and humorous odyssey, capturing what it means to be wildly different in a rural community.
The Order of Myths

2008

The Order of Myths

2008
6.1
In 2007 Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras is celebrated... and complicated. Following a cast of characters, parades, and parties across an enduring color line, we see that beneath the surface of pageantry lies something else altogether.
10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

2006

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

2006
7
How do you reconcile a commitment to non-violence when faced with violence? Why do the poor often seem happier than the rich? Must a society lose its traditions in order to move into the future? These are some of the questions posed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by filmmaker and explorer Rick Ray. Ray examines some of the fundamental questions of our time by weaving together observations from his own journeys throughout India and the Middle East, and the wisdom of an extraordinary spiritual leader. This is his story, as told and filmed by Rick Ray during a private visit to his monastery in Dharamsala, India over the course of several months. Also included is rare historical footage as well as footage supplied by individuals who at great personal risk, filmed with hidden cameras within Tibet.
The Witch of Kings Cross

2020

The Witch of Kings Cross

2020
6.2
Sydney, in the 50s. Rosaleen Norton is a painter specialised in occult themes, infernal sabbatical visions exuding wanton sexuality. In conservative Australia, the Witch of King's Cross was soon accused of obscenity, and of taking part in satanic rituals, orgies and whatnot...
Tiny Tim: King for a Day

2020

Tiny Tim: King for a Day

2020
6.1
The story of Tiny Tim’s improbable rise to stardom is the ultimate fairytale - and so is that of his downfall. For a brief time, the shy and truly unusual outsider artist was the biggest star in the world.
Tiananmen: The People Versus the Party

2019

Tiananmen: The People Versus the Party

2019
8
The true story of the seven weeks that changed China forever. On June 4, 1989, pro-democracy demonstrations were violently and bloodily repressed. Thousands of people died, but the basis for China's future was definitely planted.
The Grand Bizarre

2018

The Grand Bizarre

2018
6.6
A kinetic journey through the graphic motifs of textiles paired with figures and landscapes to explore the technological development of fabric production and consumption alongside systems of visual and spoken language. The piece investigates recurring graphic symbols and how their cross-cultural appropriation functions within a global economy.
Obscuro Barroco

2018

Obscuro Barroco

2018
6.5
A stream of consciousness from Brazil’s underground flows straight into the heart of the city’s street carnival. In between the masks and the make-up, the young, naked and new bodies and a spectacular firework display, people come into view who have undergone a transformation that makes it difficult to clearly ascribe them to any gender.
Our New President

2018

Our New President

2018
6.5
The story of Donald Trump's election told entirely through Russian propaganda. By turns horrifying and hilarious, the film is a satirical portrait of Russian meddling in the 2016 election that reveals an empire of fake news and the tactics of modern day information warfare.
Betty: They Say I’m Different

2017

Betty: They Say I’m Different

2017
7.2
An aspiring songwriter from a small steel town, Betty Mabry Davis arrived on the scene to break boundaries for women with her daring personality, iconic fashion style and outrageous funk. She befriended Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, wrote songs for the Chambers Brothers and The Commodores and married Miles Davis, turning him from jazz to funk and then went on to ignite stages in the 70s with her sassy sexed up mix of hard rock and bluesy funk, inspiring artists from Prince to Erykah Badu to Karen 0 and Peaches. Then she vanished…
At the Drive-In

2017

At the Drive-In

2017
7
Unable to purchase a $50,000 digital projector, a group of film fanatics in rural Pennsylvania fight to keep a dying drive-in theater alive by screening only vintage 35mm film prints and working entirely for free.
Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat

2018

Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat

2018
7.1
Exploring the pre-fame years of the celebrated American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and how New York City, its people, and tectonically shifting arts culture of the late 1970s and '80s shaped his vision.
Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story

2020

Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story

2020
7
An in-depth profile of the life and career of Willy T. Ribbs - the controversial Black driver who shattered the color barrier of professional auto-racing and became the first Black qualifier in the storied history of the Indy 500.