Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 99

New Secrets Of The Terracotta Warriors

2013

New Secrets Of The Terracotta Warriors

2013
7.8
With exclusive access to research conducted by University College London and the Terracotta Army Museum, this documentary uncovers new secrets of China's fabled warriors. The discovery of China's famous Terracotta Army in 1974 captured the imagination of the world. But that first dig only revealed a fraction of this enormous and extraordinary treasure. Since then, scientists have resumed work on the site, and their research has turned up a series of new discoveries about the warriors and the people who made them over two millennia ago.
A Trip to the Country

2000

A Trip to the Country

2000
6.5
Cameroonian filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno directs this impassioned documentary about the slow crumbling of traditional morals and values caused by colonialism and globalization. The film traces Teno's journey from his base in France to Cameroon's capital Yaounde to his hometown of Mbieng. In the process, he captures images of corroding infrastructures and corrupt officials.
Pressing On: The Letterpress Film

2017

Pressing On: The Letterpress Film

2017
6.8
Why has letterpress printing survived? Irreplaceable knowledge of the historic craft is in danger of being lost as its caretakers age. Fascinating personalities intermix with wood, metal, and type as young printers save a traditional process in Pressing On, a 4K feature-length documentary exploring the remarkable community keeping letterpress alive.
Extraordinary Ordinary People

2017

Extraordinary Ordinary People

2017
5.5
Alan Govenar's doc introduces a little-known NEA program honoring masters of folk arts and music.
Red Trees

2017

Red Trees

2017
7
Award-winning filmmaker, Marina Willer (Cartas da Mãe), creates an impressionistic visual essay as she traces her father’s family journey as one of only twelve Jewish families to survive the Nazi occupation of Prague during World War II. Photographed by Academy Award® nominee César Charlone (City of God), the film travels from war-torn Eastern Europe to the color and light of South America and is told through the voice of Willer’s father Alfred (as narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith, Quantum of Solace), who witnessed bureaucratic nightmares, transportations and suicides but survived to build a post-war life as an architect in Brazil. As the world struggles with the current refugee crisis, RED TREES is a timely look at a family besieged by war who finds peace across an ocean.
A Mother Brings Her Son to Be Shot

2017

A Mother Brings Her Son to Be Shot

2017
6.2
Five years in the making, this brave and level-headed documentary exposes paramilitary activity in present day Northern Ireland during a supposed time of peace.
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille

2016

The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille

2016
5.2
Filmmaker Peter Brosnan digs up the set of the 1923 film 'The Ten Commandments', long buried in the sands of California's Central Coast.
All the Rage (Saved by Sarno)

2016

All the Rage (Saved by Sarno)

2016
8
America is experiencing an epidemic of pain. One man has the answer to the problem yet the medical establishment has ignored him. For nearly 50 years, Dr. John Sarno has been single-handedly battling the pain epidemic by focusing on the mind-body connection and the nature of stress and the manifestation of physical ailments. With a renowned practice in rehabilitative medicine at NYU he is also a bestselling author of numerous books that deal with psychosomatic disorders. Filmmaker Michael Galinsky's family has a long history with Dr. Sarno and their experience will be woven into the fabric of the film, alongside well known patients, including Howard Stern, John Stossel, Jonathan Ames, Larry David, and many others.
The Gardener

2018

The Gardener

2018
7.2
Created over 75 years and three generations, Les Quatre Vents stands as an enchanted place of beauty and surprise, a horticultural masterpiece of the 21st century. See how Frank Cabot gave birth to one of the greatest gardens in the world.
Finding the Gold Within

2014

Finding the Gold Within

2014
7.8
Six young black men from Akron, Ohio, enter college, determined to redefine society's images and low expectations. Despite their confidence, the stark reality of being away from home brings a series of crises. Well trained in critical and metaphorical thinking, and unusually articulate about their inner lives, each of the protagonists guides us to his core. Since sixth grade, they have been part of an innovative mentoring program called 'Alchemy, Inc.' that uses mythological stories, drumming and writing. In the twice-yearly reunion workshops everyone speaks of his trials and his triumphs with authenticity, intelligence, honesty and heart. In turns quiet, thoughtful and exuberant, the six protagonists grow before our eyes, whether navigating racial provocations, or seeking support with new friends, estranged fathers and wise grandmothers.
Workplace

2016

Workplace

2016
6
Workplace is a documentary made by Gary Hustwit, in association with R/GA, for the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale.Workplace is about the past, present, and future of the office. It looks at the thinking, innovation, and experimentation involved in trying to create the next evolution of what the office could be. The film follows the design and construction of the New York headquarters of digital agency R/GA (in collaboration with architects Foster + Partners) who have been experimenting with how physical and digital space can better interact. Digital technology has radically changed how and where most of us work, but the physical spaces we work in haven’t kept up with that transformation.
L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

2017

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

2017
7.5
Documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.
Sensitive: The Untold Story

2015

Sensitive: The Untold Story

2015
6.3
A groundbreaking documentary about the temperament trait of high sensitivity found in 20% of the population in both men and women. Based on the findings of bestselling author-psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron ("The Highly Sensitive Person").
El Maíz en Tiempos de Guerra

2017

El Maíz en Tiempos de Guerra

2017
8.8
Maize in times of war traces the yearly cycle of four Indigenous maize plots in different regions of Mexico. This film illustrates the exceptional process of maize, the delicacy of selecting seeds, preparing the soil, the tenacity and the nuances involved in the whole process, then when the harvest arrives after months of work the families enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Elián

2017

Elián

2017
6.5
The story of Elián Gonzalez, a five-year-old Cuban boy plucked from the Florida Straits, and how the fight for his future changed the course of U.S.-Cuba relations. Featuring personal testimony, interviews, and a news archive, this documentary recounts Elián’s remarkable rescue on Thanksgiving Day in 1999, after his mother and 10 others fleeing Cuba perished at sea, and the custody battle between the boy’s Cuban father and his Miami-based relatives.
Hero With A Thousand Faces

2016

Hero With A Thousand Faces

2016
6.8
The story of those who risked everything to defeat the deadliest epidemic of our time.
Lindy Lou, Juror Number 2

2017

Lindy Lou, Juror Number 2

2017
7.1
Documentary about the jurors in a murder trial who handed out the death sentence to the defendant, and how their attitudes have changed 20+ years later.
Country: Portraits of an American Sound

2015

Country: Portraits of an American Sound

2015
7.5
'Country: Portraits of an American Sound' is a documentary film that explores the history and culture of country music through the lens of photography, which has portrayed the ideals, lifestyle and personalities of country music artists for over 80 years. The film features imagery and commentary from Grand Ole Opry photographer Les Leverett, the late celebrity photographer Leigh Wiener, documentary photographer Henry Horenstein, iconic music photographers Henry Diltz and Raeanne Rubenstein, and contemporary photographers David McClister and Michael Wilson. Over a dozen country music artists also appear, including Rosanne Cash, Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Charley Pride, LeAnn Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, The Band Perry and Keith Urban. The film weaves iconic images, historical footage and over 25 country music hits into a dynamic look at this uniquely American sound.
Dieste [Uruguay]

2017

Dieste [Uruguay]

2017
4.2
The final part of Heinz Emigholz’s "Streetscapes" series is again a triptych. A prologue examines three buildings from the 1930s designed by Julio Vilamajó in Montevideo which could have inspired the work of Eladio Dieste, the subject of the main part of the film. The industrial and functional buildings presented span the period from 1955 to 1994; their organic brick construction is astonishing and inspiring.
Nana

2016

Nana

2016
6.2