Matteo Lane is a stand-up comedian, painter, singer, and now a Broadway performer. In this interview, we talk about how all of these skills come together in his impassioned creative process. To Matteo, all art comes from “the base of a tree and then it grows out in different places.” You never know how one artistic pursuit is going to feed into another.

We discuss his performance as Billy Flynn in Broadway’s “Chicago,” how he develops a comedy special from bar shows to international tours, the history of gay representation in comedy, the creative spark that led him to pursue painting and illustration at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, his passion for Maria Callas, and why he believes in “working towards the masterpiece, not on the masterpiece.”

In March, 1985, five years after his fellow British Columbian Terry Fox made his own journey to raise funds for cancer research, athlete and activist Rick Hansen set out on a journey that was global in scope. His Marathon of Hope-style trek would take him through 34 countries and more than 40,000km, from the top of mountains to ocean-side paths, all while traversing such terrain via wheelchair. Along with his teammates on this tour, including physiotherapist-turned fiancée Amanda Reid, Hansen spent over two years circumnavigating the globe raising awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research.

Some four decades after his wheeling odyssey, Hansen and his colleagues are able to fully share their tale. Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story is helmed by Adrian Buitenhuis who has made a career out of crafting biographical documentaries on the likes of Anne Murray, Heath Ledger, Burt Reynolds and more. Along with his producer partners Derik Murray and Ryan Reynolds, and an editing crew consisting of Graham Kew, Sandro Desaulniers, Freya Maude, the film uses archival materials long buried to provide a more fulsome portrait of what this experience was like from those on the inside.

Set to play as a Gala presentation at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, we spoke to Buitenhuis about the challenges of making a film about a childhood hero, wrangling all that archival material, and what it felt like personally to learn about certain unseen footage uncovered in the vaults of a superstar producer with a deep connection to Hansen’s fame.

POV: Jason Gorber

AB: Adrian Buitenhuis

The following had been edited for clarity and brevity

POV: When did you first hear of Rick Hansen?

AB: I grew up in Vancouver, and Expo ’86 and Rick are my first memories. He was someone who was talked about in school. The producer Derik Murray had a vision for this project before I came on board, but I knew there was a deeper story to tell. It was an international story about a Canadian hero that hasn’t been told in the depth of a proper documentary, so I argued this is a film I really want to be a part of.

POV: You have done a number of documentaries that are essentially biographical works, often about people who have passed. Can talk about the differences as a filmmaker between doing something in direct conversation with a subject, versus using strictly archival material to tell their story?

AB: It’s a different beast. When I’m preparing to make a film about someone who’s no longer with us, my biggest research is finding who the closest people are to them, like friends and family, but also the core people who were around them to help tell the story. Like with Heath Ledger, finding a lot of personal archive that helps, that’s unedited, and that allows a window into their lives.

In the opposite case, it is very different because obviously you have the person to talk to who is alive. But I make sure with any of my films, whether dealing with the estate, or with friends, or with the person, it has to be truthful, it’s going to be warts and all. I’m never going to make something that isn’t a completely human story. Everyone has their faults. Everyone has their moments where they’re not at their best. That’s what makes for a good film because it’s about being able to tell the whole human story.

I’m just very direct with the people I’m interviewing. With Rick, I let him know that I really wanted to dig in, and wasn’t going to make a puff piece.

At the same time, I’m not looking to make some sort of scandalous movie. There’s going to be things that I won’t put in the film because I don’t think they help the story. I want to tell about the challenges in people’s lives, but I think there’s a problem with media where they’re always going to try and dig and find the worst possible thing about someone, and make that the headline or whatever.

POV: Is that a conversation right at the beginning, or is that a conversation you have throughout the project?

AB: It’s a preliminary conversation with the subjects, explaining that we’re going to really dig in here, and we’re going to tell the story as it happened. I don’t think there was ever a point where we really pulled back, but you want to have a balance. It’s a tough go for Rick and the team for 90% of the movie. It is a huge struggle. Derik and I screened the film at an assembly point for Rick and Amanda, and they were obviously emotional watching the film. A lot of this stuff they hadn’t really heard or seen before either. And Rick said, “This is the first time I’ve ever felt someone has really captured the struggle.”

POV: And not just the physical struggle. The financial struggle, the logistical struggle, the emotional struggle…

AB: The lifetime struggle too. We talk about his childhood, we talk about trust issues, we talk about his struggles with relationships, and how that played out with Amanda. And we talk about the love story, to be so open about how they struggled on the tour. All of that was a lot of trust in us.  Even his people were surprised that Rick wanted to be so open. It’s also the right time to make this film. Rick is at a point in his life where he’s ready and the stars aligned. Of course, it’s the 40th anniversary, so there’s a big campaign behind that and breaking barriers and a big push from the foundation, so the timing is great for everyone involved. I don’t think there was anything in his audio archive that I left out. We really leaned into the struggle.

POV: Let’s talk about those archives, specifically the audio recordings. Those were recorded essentially as diaries as they’re presented, but who has been listening to these – where have those been? At what point in time in this project did you find out this even existed?

AB: I was reading the preface to the book that came out of the tour and there was a mention of audiotapes that Rick had recorded. So Derik and I had a meeting with Rick and Amanda as we were getting into pre-production, and in the conversation I told Rick I read that there’s some audio tapes. And he kind of took a beat, and said, “Yeah, I have those stored away.” No one other than Jim Taylor, with whom he wrote the book, had ever heard them before. They had been sitting in Rick’s personal storage at his house in a box for almost 40 years. I had to go physically pick them up, and we had to be really careful with them. Deeper into that meeting, Amanda said, “You know what, I also recorded a diary.” She has never listened to it. No one had ever listened to it. She basically was recording them as a diary, as it was her way of having someone to talk to about what she was feeling. Through some deliberation and time, she finally gave us the tapes.

POV: So she hadn’t listened to them, Rick hadn’t listened to them, nobody had listened to them, basically.

AB: I don’t think Rick had ever listened to his tapes, either.

POV: Was there a film crew following him? Were there other films you were drawing from, or was that simply broadcast footage?

AB: The biggest source would have been Fred Cawsey, who was working with the CBC. He pitched the CBC about paying him to go on tour, and they said no. They didn’t believe this guy Rick’s going to make it. So Fred funded himself and would do pieces for the CBC. He had a team and they were popping in and out, they weren’t with them all the time. A lot of those tape hardcopies are with the Museum of History in Ottawa, but the Hansen Foundation had a digital copy of them. Along the way, we’d find photographs and track people down, crew members would have photographs here and there. We used some various news sources, some in Europe. We got some footage from the Vatican.

POV: The big difference is the fact that you find this 35mm footage that has the name David Foster on it. That’s the same music producer, co-writer of the theme song David Foster?

AB: Same David Foster. Derik, founder of Network, which was the company that made this film, was with David in Los Angeles. We were talking to him about the song because that’s a big part of it, as obviously the song was inspired by Rick. David let him know that on the final day they shot some 35mm film, and that he had it in his storage somewhere.

POV: Hold on, I want to know as a filmmaker, as somebody who’s been working on this documentary for, I assume,  months, if not years—you find out that multiple-Grammy-award-winning, unlimited-funds “My Heart Will Go On: producer David Foster randomly has 35mm footage that fills in a missing piece. What does that feel like emotionally as a filmmaker?

AB: As a filmmaker when I heard that, I was like, wow. I don’t know if there’s better documentary capture of Vancouver from that period. It’s so rich. It’s the same stock as Raiders of the Last Ark, I think. And it’s like wow, and we scanned that locally in Vancouver.

POV: You even shot the telecine scan digitizing that print.

AB: That is the moment when this becomes digital and something everyone’s going to see. I wanted to capture that.

POV: Including Rick.

AB: Including Rick. And that’s what we did. When we interviewed him we use an eye-direct, where my face was projected onto the lens,

POV:You can call it “The Errol Morris Thing.” [Interrotron]

AB: We didn’t tell Rick through the whole interview, and then we projected the footage and played the Bill Callahan song for him to see for the first time. It’s a cool moment in the movie. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be him, the emotions of going through that, and the amount of people who were there, but to be able to see it turned back on you for the first time 40 years later. It was a special moment.

 With all of these people coming back together in this film, so many years later, it does feel like a full circle moment for all of these materials. All of this archive from a monumental event has been sitting, sleeping, just waiting for something to happen. As a documentary filmmaker, this was a huge dream to be able to have all of the access and the archives. It was a huge amount of work for my editors, to go through the transcriptions and to listen to the tapes. It was a lot of work for a very small team.

POV: Could you talk about how your relationship changed to someone who was a hero, and did you always have final cut?

AB: The relationship between Rick and myself grew a lot over the process. Rick has built this foundation and has a certain image out in the world that he’s allowing someone else to take on, to take on his narrative and relinquish control. I feel like that’s something that maybe he wouldn’t have done 10 years ago or 15 years ago with the same liberty. It also goes to the fact that Dave Doroghy and Derik Murray are people that he’s known for a long time and he has trust in them as well. The first time I really met Rick, we went sturgeon fishing. He does conservation work along the Fraser River and we went fishing for 12 hours in the winter and got to know each other.

POV: Without a camera, I’m assuming.

AB: Yeah, without a camera. We spent a lot of time in conversation before we got into filming. There was a lot of trust to allow someone in and give them that archive. Rick trusted us with the final cut. As I said, he watched an assembly rough cut, saw what we were doing, and said, “I want you to go and finish making the film how you want to make it, and I’ll see it when it’s done.”

POV: And what did that feel like?

AB: It felt pretty amazing. I think Derik and I were in the room with them, and then, to be, obviously they were very emotional, but to have that level of trust as a filmmaker is all you can ask for. But I also feel a great responsibility to get it right and to find the balance between the struggle and the hero, but I think ultimately a hero is someone who is not perfect.

POV: There’s a big Christopher Nolan movie about that right now.

AB: The imperfection and the struggle and human nature of the film, the humanity and the authenticity are what makes the film interesting. I don’t think I would ever go into a project that didn’t allow for that.

POV: Let’s talk specifically about your choices of delaying certain facts in order for them to not necessarily trump other information that’s being provided, such as the nature of his accident.

AB: That was important, to not make the film simply about the accident.

POV: An origin story.

AB: The origin story is important, obviously, and the people who don’t Rick’s story wouldn’t know it. But that’s not Rick’s story. Rick’s story is what he made of that moment, so we started from that, and put the incident deeper in the film. It’s important, [as is] the trauma and his desire to do everything to reach a goal at all costs, which is the crux of the film. That hinges on going back to that moment. The origin story tells you why he is the person he is now, and it’s important to reveal that the middle of act two.

Some people have asked why that isn’t at the beginning, but that’s not what the real story is. Also, for him, it was so important for this film to be as much about Team in Motion as much as it is Man in Motion. He was clear that he wanted his team to speak openly about how it was for them. Because this is the first time that the team has also been able to really share their stories.

POV: What does it mean to you to play Toronto? As a Gala, no less?

AB: A Gala, no less! I’ve been so deep in the process that I would honestly say one week out it hasn’t really hit because I’m so in it, we’ve been making this film up until very recently. It’s done, finally, but there are still things that I want to fix, but it’s too late for this cut.

I’ve never had a film at TIFF, so as a Canadian filmmaker, even as a global filmmaker, to open and play Roy Thomson Hall is a big deal, and I’m excited. I think it’s perfect for this movie. We’re going to play VIFF also, which is great, but Toronto’s a big one.

Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story premieres at TIFF on Sept. 11

Get all of POV‘s coverage from the festival here.

The post Rick Hansen Doc Shares a Hero’s Odyssey and the Team that Went All the Way appeared first on POV Magazine.

Venice: But you don’t need to be wine-drunk to savor the “The Truffle Hunters” directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw’s airy immersion into ancient French tradition.

Metal fans rejoice! A new doc will look at the highs and lows of the legendary band.

We begin this week with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, so I have to recommend the best documentaries on the attacks and their aftermath. Gédéon and Jules Naudet’s very quickly produced film 9/11 (co-directed with former FDNY firefighter James Hanlon) remains the most immersive look at the day’s events as they happened. Jim Whitaker’s Rebirth (available on Kanopy, Tubi, Fawesome, and Pluto TV) and Danielle Gardner’s Out of the Clear Blue Sky (available to rent on Apple TV) are the most memorable documentaries I’ve seen on what happened later. Rebirth deals with recovery from the trauma. The latter documentary tells the more interesting story of a CEO who lost nearly all his employees working in his firm’s headquarters in the North Tower of the World Trade Center and the difficult decisions that came next.

I will confess that I’ve only seen those documentaries once and have no desire to watch them again. The idea of a great film you only want to see once is the subject of a Stat Significant piece this week titled “What Makes People Never Want to Rewatch a Great Film?” that acknowledges several Letterboxd lists. They’re focused on works of fiction or dramatized true stories, but these films align with documentaries about 9/11 in that they’re mostly bleak, intense, and elicit a feeling of powerlessness. My own list of “10 Great Documentaries You Only Want to Watch Once” recognizes films that are difficult to watch but must be watched, as in witnessed. That’s how we feel about the Twin Towers footage from 9/11, though we have to rewatch it so we never forget. Anyway, the only 9/11-related film on my list is Fahrenheit 9/11 (Kanopy, Tubi, Pluto TV), and that’s for a different reason: “the first time [watched] it felt like something made for a specific window, aimed to be seen right before the 2004 presidential election.”

Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans (including new works by Alex Gibney, Amir Bar-Lev, Irene Taylor, and Lance Oppenheim). Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best-of lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail and let us know about its release plans.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Shoah (1985)

One of the all-time greatest documentaries that must be seen at least once and may never be rewatched is Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah. The problem is that it hasn’t been that accessible despite its stature as one of the best documentaries ever made. The film is 566 minutes long, sometimes divided into two parts, and consists of interviews about the Holocaust. Many of these testimonials from survivors, witnesses, and even perpetrators are tough to watch. But they are essential. Given that (presumably) everyone in the film has since passed away, it was necessary to record these anecdotal stories and memories and how and by whom they were told.

Shoah is being re-released on Blu-ray this week by The Criterion Collection after being out of print for a couple of years. The film is rarely available to stream or view on broadcast, even on The Criterion Channel, so this new four-disc set is your best option to see the epic-sized masterpiece, even if only once. It’s nearly the same release as Criterion has previously put out, but now includes an additional bonus making-of documentary by Guillaume Ribot titled All I Had Was Nothingness. Apparently, this feature-length extra has more never-before-seen footage shot for Shoah, which is remarkable considering all the other documentaries Lanzmann made from material he captured while making his magnum opus that didn’t make it into that film.

Shoah will be re-released on Blu-ray via The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Black Zombie (2026)

This scholarly look at the concept of the zombie in history and pop culture is best when it covers its origins in African and Haitian folklore and its significance to the continued discourse on slavery, colonialism, and Black representation. Unfortunately, the structure of Black Zombie is all over the place, as director Maya Annik Bedward keeps coming back to zombie movie and television clips with extraneous sequences. This seems like a desire to keep the audience interested in the subject matter, which is a shame because we all know about zombie media. That should just be looked at briefly as the starting point before getting into the truth about Vodou, Haiti, and the racism that is still relevant to the terror-driven portrayal of the undead on screen.

Black Zombie will be released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, September 11, 2026, via Kino Lorber.

Don’t Look Back In Anger (2026)

I was never an Oasis fan. I was on team Blur. That has made me less appreciative of the story and passionate fandom presented in Don’t Look Back in Anger. It’s got a well-focused and locked-in narrative, as it follows the reunion of Oasis after their 15-year breakup and estrangement of brothers and bandmates Liam and Noel Gallagher. I would have preferred a much shorter film, as its theme is terribly overstated, but certainly that wouldn’t be enough for the folks who do like the group’s music, which is spotlighted in plenty of concert-film sequences. I also would have preferred subtitles, as I couldn’t understand a lot of what the Gallaghers say in their interview with their thick Manchester accents. I may revisit this one when it hits Disney+ and Hulu.

Don’t Look Back in Anger is now playing in theaters and on IMAX screens nationwide via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

First They Came For My College (2026)

Another documentary worth watching for some but not all of its content, this film is also a reminder of why cultural studies works like Black Zombie are important. First They Came for My College reports on the story of a public liberal arts school in Florida that has been transformed by the governor in his ongoing war against academic freedom and awakening. It’s a vital political documentary that occasionally gets lost in its pacing and focus and in its following of various uninteresting characters. Similar to last year’s The Librarians, this film doesn’t play out with the sense of urgency it should while still capturing the moment of our steady fascist descent as a nation.

First They Came for My College will be released in theaters in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, September 17, before expanding to other cities later this month.

Ghost In The Machine (2026)

One of many scary films about AI this year, Ghost in the Machine has been the most eye-opening for me, as it concentrates on the links between artificial intelligence and eugenics and misogynistic elitism. Perhaps the rise of the machines will not lead to our deaths so much as the demise of civil liberties. Forget the human fascists, who’ve got nothing on the robot oppressors. We need to feed AI content like Black Zombie and First They Came for My College to allow it to have a proper academic awakening itself. Anyway, I reviewed this documentary during Sundance. Here’s an excerpt:

“Structurally, Ghost in the Machine is an effective, chaptered essay, even if its points may be narrow in their concerns. Aesthetically, there is more to be desired, only because the many talking heads providing their expertise on the matter appear via Zoom calls as if the documentary were made during the pandemic. I would think it better to present the human side of the film more directly, practically, and materially. Another visual issue comes with an otherwise sensible idea. Veatch adds a caption to every image, labeling it as either AI or not AI, but some of them seem incorrect. I think this is a substantial work, and I only wish that it had the appearance of one in order that it may be taken seriously.”

Ghost in the Machine will be broadcast on PBS on Monday, September 14, as an episode of Independent Lens.

Knife: The Attempted Murder Of Salman Rushdie (2026)

Adaptations of books can be tricky for documentaries, which are more often inspired by published works than truly based on them. Narration lifted from the source material typically sounds like excerpts from an audiobook. The tone of the narration in Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie doesn’t fit that of the rest of the film, and I felt like I should just be reading the original memoir, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, myself instead (if I cared enough to). But there is a lot presented in Alex Gibney’s film on Salman Rushdie that isn’t and couldn’t be presented in a book, specifically footage of his near-death attack and scenes of the author in his hotel room during his recovery, complete with images of his cut-up body and eye. Again, it’s material that is tough to watch but necessary to see, in part because it’s difficult.

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie will be released in theaters on Thursday, September 17, 2026, via Abramorama.

Lance Oppenheim Documentaries

With all the hype this week about Lance Oppenheim’s two new films — his dramatic narrative debut, Primetime, and his Nathan Fielder collaboration, You Can See Everything (previewed below) — he’s a good candidate for our latest director spotlight. I’ve been a fan of Oppenheim’s work since I saw his first feature, Some Kind of Heaven (now available on Kanopy and the DOX channel on Prime Video), which made my list of the best documentaries of 2021. Later, his series Ren Faire (HBO Max) ranked even higher on my list of the best documentaries of 2024, and I really liked his sophomore feature, Spermworld (Hulu), which was a Pick of the Week highlight when it was released the same year.

Oppenheim also produced The Python Hunt (now on VOD), which shares a lot aesthetically with his own directorial efforts and is one of my favorite documentaries of 2026 so far. You can watch his early short documentaries on his Vimeo page, including The Dogmatic, Quicksand, The Off-Season, Long Term Parking, No Jail Time: The Movie, and The Happiest Guy in the World, plus his later New York Times Op-Doc film, The Paradise Next Door, which is a spin-off supplement of Some Kind of Heaven. You can catch his latest documentary feature, You Can See Everything, in theaters beginning on October 16, 2026, via A24.

This Is Buzz (2026)

I can’t stand talking-head interviewees spouting about the importance of some other person, usually their friend or colleague, but even worse is the interviewee touting their own importance. Even if I agree that your work was culturally or historically significant, I can’t stand such a lack of modesty. This Is Buzz is a documentary by former music video auteur and U2 3D helmer Mark Pellington about what a pioneering program his and Jon Klein’s short-lived 1990 MTV show Buzz was. Back then, MTV was for montage what Sesame Street was for animation in terms of their influence on my generation’s experimental film interests and practices.

The funny thing is that nobody I went to school with who made videos and films that look like Buzz has ever heard of it (the show didn’t air in the U.S.). That makes the documentary more essential to fill in that history, though I don’t completely believe it was the bridge of influence they think it was. This Is Buzz is itself a work of collage that layers audio and visuals and presents a cut-up composition in ways that pay homage to the ADHD-suited series. I can appreciate that while also not enjoying the aesthetic. Still, none of that rubs as badly as Klein’s arrogance in particular.

This Is Buzz will screen in theaters through touring roadshow distribution beginning in San Diego on Saturday, September 12, 2026, via Antenna Releasing.

Awards Highlights

Cinema Eye Honors 20 Films / 20 Artisans

As a Cinema Eye Honors voter, I was invited to participate in a survey for the awards organization’s upcoming 20th edition. The results recognize what we believe to be the 20 most essential documentaries and the 20 most significant makers of nonfiction films (including directors, producers, composers, and editors) of the last 10 years.

The 20 honored titles that were chosen are: 20 Days in Mariupol (Kanopy), All That Breathes (HBO Max and Kanopy), All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (HBO Max and Kanopy), American Factory (Netflix), Cameraperson (HBO Max and The Criterion Collection), Collective (Tubi and Kanopy), Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV), Fire of Love (Hulu), Flee (Tubi), Free Solo (Hulu), Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Mubi and Kanopy), Honeyland (Tubi and Kanopy), I Am Not Your Negro (Kanopy), Minding the Gap (Hulu), Navalny (HBO Max), No Other Land (VOD), O.J. Made in America (VOD), The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix), Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Film Collection and Kanopy), and Strong Island (Netflix).

The 22 artisans who won in the poll (including two pairings, hence more than 20) are: directors Maite Alberdi, Mstyslav Chernov, Geeta Gandbhir, Steve James, Kirsten Johnson, Steven Maing, Raoul Peck, Laura Poitras, Sam Pollard, Nanfu Wang, Ryan White, and Jimmy Chin & Chai Vasarhelyi; producers Joslyn Barnes, Shane Boris, Nathan Fielder, Kellen Quinn, Jessica Hargrave, and Julie Goldman & Christopher Clements; composer Dan Deacon; and editor Nels Bangerter. The organization also gave an honorary salutation for Frederick Wiseman.

Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Winners

Last weekend, the Television Academy held the 78th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, with many documentaries and other nonfiction programs among the winners. My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, beating out its mostly fellow celeb doc competition, and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program, while Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. Other recognized documentaries in various categories, a few of them multiple winners, include Love on the Spectrum (Netflix), Tucci in Italy (Hulu), The Librarians (PBS and Kanopy), Inside the Pitt (HBO Max), Ocean with David Attenborough (Hulu), John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video), Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix), Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Max), and Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu).

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Documentary Release Calendar 9/11/26 – 9/17/26

Friday, September 11, 2026

102 Minutes: Inside the Towers (2026) – A documentary about survivors of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. (History)

Austin City Limits Season 52, Episode 2: “ACL 12th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Brandi Carlile” – The latest installment of a long-running music series. This episode stars Brandi Carlile. (PBS)

Black Zombie (2026) – A documentary about the history of zombie lore and its origins in Haitian spiritual traditions. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 3, Episode 4: “The Philippines” – The latest installment of a travel series starring Conan O’Brien. (HBO and HBO Max)

Daughters of 9/11 (2026) – A documentary about two women whose fathers died during the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center and their pursuit of justice in collaboration with an FBI agent. (CBS and Paramount+)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 17: “Raw Nerves” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Don’t Look Back in Anger (2026) – A documentary feature about the band Oasis as they reunite for their 2025 tour. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Ennio (2021) – Giuseppe Tornatore’s biographical documentary about film score composer Ennio Morricone. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

A Marble in the Jar (2025) – A documentary feature about surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb and her coach, Greg Browning. (In Theaters)

Mighty Manhattan, New York’s Wonder City (1949) – A short documentary narrated by James A. FitzPatrick that explores various neighborhoods in the titular New York City borough. (TCM)

Mighty Mary (2026) – A documentary feature narrated by Elizabeth Banks and Hugh Jackman about the first-ever all-women’s sailing crew to compete for the America’s Cup. (In Theaters)

This Is Buzz (2026) – A documentary feature directed by Mark Pellington (U2 3D) about the 1990s MTV series Buzz. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Bouchra – A hybrid film with some documentary elements about a queer Moroccan jackal living in New York City and his relationship with his mother in Casablanca. (Mubi)

Super Animals Season 4, Episode 4 – The latest episode of a nature docuseries for kids about animals with special traits. (National Geographic)

There’s Magick in Them Mountains (2026) – A documentary aimed at preserving the stories of Appalachian grannies while they’re still alive. (In Theaters)

Sunday, September 13, 2026

24 Hour Alert (1955) – An Oscar-nominated short docudrama about the importance of air defense. (TCM)

Grandpa Called It Art (1944) – A short documentary that looks at differences in tastes in art over generations. (TCM)

Spade Cooley: King of Western Swing (1945) – A short film showcasing the titular musician. (TCM)

Monday, September 14, 2026

Ghost in the Machine (2026) – A documentary feature by Valerie Veatch (Me at the Zoo) about AI’s background in eugenics and misogyny. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

MGM Parade Show #11 (1955) – This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases actress Susan Hayward and the MGM films Strange Testament and Let’s Talk Turkey. (TCM)

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

All I Had Was Nothingness (2025) – A documentary feature about the making of Shoah, including footage not used for the earlier film. Released as a supplement to Shoah. (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

All My Loving (1968) – A medium-length concert film by Tony Palmer presented as an episode of Omnibus featuring performances by Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Donovan, Frank Zappa, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who. (DVD)

All This and World War II (1976) – A documentary feature by Tony Palmer and Susan Winslow mixing World War II newsreel footage with covers of Beatles music. Re-released as The Beatles and World War II. Read our review. (DVD)

America’s Billion-Dollar War (2025) – A documentary feature about the legalization of cannabis and the industry that followed. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Chasing the Moon (2019) – A three-part PBS docuseries presented via American Experience about NASA’s goal to land a man on the Moon. (DVD)

Dolly Parton: Here I Am (2019) – A PBS documentary about Dolly Parton. (DVD)

The Donner Party (1992) – A PBS documentary directed by Ric Burns, presented as an episode of American Experience, about the titular group of American pioneers notorious for turning to cannibalism. (DVD)

Egypt’s Tombs of Amun (2025) – A medium-length PBS documentary presented as an episode of Nova about a long-lost ancient cemetery. (DVD)

Enongo (2025) – A partly animated documentary about rapper/producer/academic Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, a.k.a. Sammus. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter (2011) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about composer Gustav Holst. (DVD)

The Human Blueprint (2026) – A documentary about the Raelian Movement and their belief that aliens created humans. (DVD and Blu-ray)

In From the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton (1988) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about the titular actor. (DVD)

The Karski Report (2010) – A medium-length documentary by Claude Lanzmann about Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski using outtakes from Shoah. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Living Astrology (2026) – A documentary about astrology. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Lost Tombs of Notre Dame (2024) – A medium-length documentary presented as an episode of Nova about tombs discovered under the titular cathedral after the 2019 fire. (DVD)

Negro Limbo (2024) – A documentary feature (also known as Black Limbo) about the Franco regime in the former Spanish Guinea. (OVID)

Shoah (1995) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about the Holocaust. Many critics consider the film to be one of the greatest documentaries of all time. See our highlights section for more info. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Sobibór, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m. (2001) – A documentary feature by Claude Lanzmann about a prison uprising at the titular Nazi extermination camp in 1943. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Taking Back Detroit (1980) – A medium-length documentary about the election of two socialists to citywide office in Detroit. (OVID)

A Visitor from the Living (1999) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about a World War II Red Cross official who praised the conditions of a Jewish death camp. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Voice of Freedom (2021) – A PBS documentary feature presented as an episode of American Experience about opera singer Marian Anderson. (DVD)

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Ages of Ice (2026) – A three-part docuseries that follows scientists studying ice. (PBS)

ER: Caught on Camera Season 1, Episode 11 – The latest installment of a docuseries in which medical patients recall experiences in hospital emergency rooms. (TLC)

Expedition X Season 12, Episode 5: “Spirits of 1776” – The latest installment of a paranormal investigation series. This episode deals with Revolutionary War ghosts. (Discovery)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Baby Doe (2025) – A true-crime documentary about a woman accused of murdering her newborn baby. (VOD)

First They Came for My College (2026) – A documentary feature about a right-wing political coup at a public college in Florida. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

A Killer Story Episode 2: “Person of Interest” – The second episode of a three-part true-crime docuseries about a double murder, the ex-wife who allegedly committed the crime, and the citizen sleuths who believe she’s innocent. (HBO & HBO Max)

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (2026) – A documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about the titular author’s recovery from a knife attack. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Neirud (2023) – A documentary feature about a former circus wrestler known as “the Gorilla Woman.” (OVID)

Portrait of a Genius (1943) – A short documentary about Leonardo Da Vinci’s genius as an inventor. (TCM)

The Righteous Roadtrip (2026) – A short documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (Freeheld) that follows a humanitarian as he delivers Christmas trees to non-Jewish heroes of the Holocaust. (In Theaters)

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Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

9/18 – The History of Concrete – A documentary feature by John Wilson about concrete. (In Theaters)

9/22 – Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie – A documentary feature by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor about the titular deaf professional bodybuilder and actress. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO Max)

9/25 – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore? – A documentary feature directed by Garth Jennings and narrated by Jarvis Cocker about the titular British band. (Mubi)

9/25 – Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time – A three-part docuseries about the effort to rescue 33 miners trapped for 69 days. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

9/30 – The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part – A true-crime documentary feature by Chris Smith (The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann) about a man wed six times and widowed suspiciously in six of those marriages. (Netflix)

10/2 – Africa: Earth’s Wild Home – A seven-part nature series narrated by Wunmi Mosaku that showcases new and rare species of animals in Africa. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

10/2 – Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters: Los Angeles Release)

10/2 – The Last First: Winter K2 – A documentary feature by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) about the first successful winter summit climb of K2 (at least for the two-thirds of the people who attempted it), five years ago. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Apple TV)

10/9 – My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile – A documentary sequel directed by Julia Loktev that follows the characters from My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow after they leave Russia. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Musk – A nearly four-hour documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about Elon Musk. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Marília Mendonça: Sentimento Louco – A documentary feature about the titular Brazilian singer, who died in a plane crash in 2021. (Prime Video)

10/16 – You Can See Everything – A three-hour documentary feature by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim that follows Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the days before she went to prison. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

We begin this week with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, so I have to recommend the best documentaries on the attacks and their aftermath. Gédéon and Jules Naudet’s very quickly produced film 9/11 (co-directed with former FDNY firefighter James Hanlon) remains the most immersive look at the day’s events as they happened. Jim Whitaker’s Rebirth (available on Kanopy, Tubi, Fawesome, and Pluto TV) and Danielle Gardner’s Out of the Clear Blue Sky (available to rent on Apple TV) are the most memorable documentaries I’ve seen on what happened later. Rebirth deals with recovery from the trauma. The latter documentary tells the more interesting story of a CEO who lost nearly all his employees working in his firm’s headquarters in the North Tower of the World Trade Center and the difficult decisions that came next.

I will confess that I’ve only seen those documentaries once and have no desire to watch them again. The idea of a great film you only want to see once is the subject of a Stat Significant piece this week titled “What Makes People Never Want to Rewatch a Great Film?” that acknowledges several Letterboxd lists. They’re focused on works of fiction or dramatized true stories, but these films align with documentaries about 9/11 in that they’re mostly bleak, intense, and elicit a feeling of powerlessness. My own list of “10 Great Documentaries You Only Want to Watch Once” recognizes films that are difficult to watch but must be watched, as in witnessed. That’s how we feel about the Twin Towers footage from 9/11, though we have to rewatch it so we never forget. Anyway, the only 9/11-related film on my list is Fahrenheit 9/11 (Kanopy, Tubi, Pluto TV), and that’s for a different reason: “the first time [watched] it felt like something made for a specific window, aimed to be seen right before the 2004 presidential election.”

Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans (including new works by Alex Gibney, Amir Bar-Lev, Irene Taylor, and Lance Oppenheim). Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best-of lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail and let us know about its release plans.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Shoah (1985)

One of the all-time greatest documentaries that must be seen at least once and may never be rewatched is Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah. The problem is that it hasn’t been that accessible despite its stature as one of the best documentaries ever made. The film is 566 minutes long, sometimes divided into two parts, and consists of interviews about the Holocaust. Many of these testimonials from survivors, witnesses, and even perpetrators are tough to watch. But they are essential. Given that (presumably) everyone in the film has since passed away, it was necessary to record these anecdotal stories and memories and how and by whom they were told.

Shoah is being re-released on Blu-ray this week by The Criterion Collection after being out of print for a couple of years. The film is rarely available to stream or view on broadcast, even on The Criterion Channel, so this new four-disc set is your best option to see the epic-sized masterpiece, even if only once. It’s nearly the same release as Criterion has previously put out, but now includes an additional bonus making-of documentary by Guillaume Ribot titled All I Had Was Nothingness. Apparently, this feature-length extra has more never-before-seen footage shot for Shoah, which is remarkable considering all the other documentaries Lanzmann made from material he captured while making his magnum opus that didn’t make it into that film.

Shoah will be re-released on Blu-ray via The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Black Zombie (2026)

This scholarly look at the concept of the zombie in history and pop culture is best when it covers its origins in African and Haitian folklore and its significance to the continued discourse on slavery, colonialism, and Black representation. Unfortunately, the structure of Black Zombie is all over the place, as director Maya Annik Bedward keeps coming back to zombie movie and television clips with extraneous sequences. This seems like a desire to keep the audience interested in the subject matter, which is a shame because we all know about zombie media. That should just be looked at briefly as the starting point before getting into the truth about Vodou, Haiti, and the racism that is still relevant to the terror-driven portrayal of the undead on screen.

Black Zombie will be released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, September 11, 2026, via Kino Lorber.

Don’t Look Back In Anger (2026)

I was never an Oasis fan. I was on team Blur. That has made me less appreciative of the story and passionate fandom presented in Don’t Look Back in Anger. It’s got a well-focused and locked-in narrative, as it follows the reunion of Oasis after their 15-year breakup and estrangement of brothers and bandmates Liam and Noel Gallagher. I would have preferred a much shorter film, as its theme is terribly overstated, but certainly that wouldn’t be enough for the folks who do like the group’s music, which is spotlighted in plenty of concert-film sequences. I also would have preferred subtitles, as I couldn’t understand a lot of what the Gallaghers say in their interview with their thick Manchester accents. I may revisit this one when it hits Disney+ and Hulu.

Don’t Look Back in Anger is now playing in theaters and on IMAX screens nationwide via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

First They Came For My College (2026)

Another documentary worth watching for some but not all of its content, this film is also a reminder of why cultural studies works like Black Zombie are important. First They Came for My College reports on the story of a public liberal arts school in Florida that has been transformed by the governor in his ongoing war against academic freedom and awakening. It’s a vital political documentary that occasionally gets lost in its pacing and focus and in its following of various uninteresting characters. Similar to last year’s The Librarians, this film doesn’t play out with the sense of urgency it should while still capturing the moment of our steady fascist descent as a nation.

First They Came for My College will be released in theaters in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, September 17, before expanding to other cities later this month.

Ghost In The Machine (2026)

One of many scary films about AI this year, Ghost in the Machine has been the most eye-opening for me, as it concentrates on the links between artificial intelligence and eugenics and misogynistic elitism. Perhaps the rise of the machines will not lead to our deaths so much as the demise of civil liberties. Forget the human fascists, who’ve got nothing on the robot oppressors. We need to feed AI content like Black Zombie and First They Came for My College to allow it to have a proper academic awakening itself. Anyway, I reviewed this documentary during Sundance. Here’s an excerpt:

“Structurally, Ghost in the Machine is an effective, chaptered essay, even if its points may be narrow in their concerns. Aesthetically, there is more to be desired, only because the many talking heads providing their expertise on the matter appear via Zoom calls as if the documentary were made during the pandemic. I would think it better to present the human side of the film more directly, practically, and materially. Another visual issue comes with an otherwise sensible idea. Veatch adds a caption to every image, labeling it as either AI or not AI, but some of them seem incorrect. I think this is a substantial work, and I only wish that it had the appearance of one in order that it may be taken seriously.”

Ghost in the Machine will be broadcast on PBS on Monday, September 14, as an episode of Independent Lens.

Knife: The Attempted Murder Of Salman Rushdie (2026)

Adaptations of books can be tricky for documentaries, which are more often inspired by published works than truly based on them. Narration lifted from the source material typically sounds like excerpts from an audiobook. The tone of the narration in Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie doesn’t fit that of the rest of the film, and I felt like I should just be reading the original memoir, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, myself instead (if I cared enough to). But there is a lot presented in Alex Gibney’s film on Salman Rushdie that isn’t and couldn’t be presented in a book, specifically footage of his near-death attack and scenes of the author in his hotel room during his recovery, complete with images of his cut-up body and eye. Again, it’s material that is tough to watch but necessary to see, in part because it’s difficult.

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie will be released in theaters on Thursday, September 17, 2026, via Abramorama.

Lance Oppenheim Documentaries

With all the hype this week about Lance Oppenheim’s two new films — his dramatic narrative debut, Primetime, and his Nathan Fielder collaboration, You Can See Everything (previewed below) — he’s a good candidate for our latest director spotlight. I’ve been a fan of Oppenheim’s work since I saw his first feature, Some Kind of Heaven (now available on Kanopy and the DOX channel on Prime Video), which made my list of the best documentaries of 2021. Later, his series Ren Faire (HBO Max) ranked even higher on my list of the best documentaries of 2024, and I really liked his sophomore feature, Spermworld (Hulu), which was a Pick of the Week highlight when it was released the same year.

Oppenheim also produced The Python Hunt (now on VOD), which shares a lot aesthetically with his own directorial efforts and is one of my favorite documentaries of 2026 so far. You can watch his early short documentaries on his Vimeo page, including The Dogmatic, Quicksand, The Off-Season, Long Term Parking, No Jail Time: The Movie, and The Happiest Guy in the World, plus his later New York Times Op-Doc film, The Paradise Next Door, which is a spin-off supplement of Some Kind of Heaven. You can catch his latest documentary feature, You Can See Everything, in theaters beginning on October 16, 2026, via A24.

This Is Buzz (2026)

I can’t stand talking-head interviewees spouting about the importance of some other person, usually their friend or colleague, but even worse is the interviewee touting their own importance. Even if I agree that your work was culturally or historically significant, I can’t stand such a lack of modesty. This Is Buzz is a documentary by former music video auteur and U2 3D helmer Mark Pellington about what a pioneering program his and Jon Klein’s short-lived 1990 MTV show Buzz was. Back then, MTV was for montage what Sesame Street was for animation in terms of their influence on my generation’s experimental film interests and practices.

The funny thing is that nobody I went to school with who made videos and films that look like Buzz has ever heard of it (the show didn’t air in the U.S.). That makes the documentary more essential to fill in that history, though I don’t completely believe it was the bridge of influence they think it was. This Is Buzz is itself a work of collage that layers audio and visuals and presents a cut-up composition in ways that pay homage to the ADHD-suited series. I can appreciate that while also not enjoying the aesthetic. Still, none of that rubs as badly as Klein’s arrogance in particular.

This Is Buzz will screen in theaters through touring roadshow distribution beginning in San Diego on Saturday, September 12, 2026, via Antenna Releasing.

Awards Highlights

Cinema Eye Honors 20 Films / 20 Artisans

As a Cinema Eye Honors voter, I was invited to participate in a survey for the awards organization’s upcoming 20th edition. The results recognize what we believe to be the 20 most essential documentaries and the 20 most significant makers of nonfiction films (including directors, producers, composers, and editors) of the last 10 years.

The 20 honored titles that were chosen are: 20 Days in Mariupol (Kanopy), All That Breathes (HBO Max and Kanopy), All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (HBO Max and Kanopy), American Factory (Netflix), Cameraperson (HBO Max and The Criterion Collection), Collective (Tubi and Kanopy), Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV), Fire of Love (Hulu), Flee (Tubi), Free Solo (Hulu), Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Mubi and Kanopy), Honeyland (Tubi and Kanopy), I Am Not Your Negro (Kanopy), Minding the Gap (Hulu), Navalny (HBO Max), No Other Land (VOD), O.J. Made in America (VOD), The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix), Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Film Collection and Kanopy), and Strong Island (Netflix).

The 22 artisans who won in the poll (including two pairings, hence more than 20) are: directors Maite Alberdi, Mstyslav Chernov, Geeta Gandbhir, Steve James, Kirsten Johnson, Steven Maing, Raoul Peck, Laura Poitras, Sam Pollard, Nanfu Wang, Ryan White, and Jimmy Chin & Chai Vasarhelyi; producers Joslyn Barnes, Shane Boris, Nathan Fielder, Kellen Quinn, Jessica Hargrave, and Julie Goldman & Christopher Clements; composer Dan Deacon; and editor Nels Bangerter. The organization also gave an honorary salutation for Frederick Wiseman.

Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Winners

Last weekend, the Television Academy held the 78th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, with many documentaries and other nonfiction programs among the winners. My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, beating out its mostly fellow celeb doc competition, and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program, while Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. Other recognized documentaries in various categories, a few of them multiple winners, include Love on the Spectrum (Netflix), Tucci in Italy (Hulu), The Librarians (PBS and Kanopy), Inside the Pitt (HBO Max), Ocean with David Attenborough (Hulu), John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video), Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix), Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Max), and Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu).

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Documentary Release Calendar 9/11/26 – 9/17/26

Friday, September 11, 2026

102 Minutes: Inside the Towers (2026) – A documentary about survivors of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. (History)

Austin City Limits Season 52, Episode 2: “ACL 12th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Brandi Carlile” – The latest installment of a long-running music series. This episode stars Brandi Carlile. (PBS)

Black Zombie (2026) – A documentary about the history of zombie lore and its origins in Haitian spiritual traditions. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 3, Episode 4: “The Philippines” – The latest installment of a travel series starring Conan O’Brien. (HBO and HBO Max)

Daughters of 9/11 (2026) – A documentary about two women whose fathers died during the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center and their pursuit of justice in collaboration with an FBI agent. (CBS and Paramount+)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 17: “Raw Nerves” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Don’t Look Back in Anger (2026) – A documentary feature about the band Oasis as they reunite for their 2025 tour. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Ennio (2021) – Giuseppe Tornatore’s biographical documentary about film score composer Ennio Morricone. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

A Marble in the Jar (2025) – A documentary feature about surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb and her coach, Greg Browning. (In Theaters)

Mighty Manhattan, New York’s Wonder City (1949) – A short documentary narrated by James A. FitzPatrick that explores various neighborhoods in the titular New York City borough. (TCM)

Mighty Mary (2026) – A documentary feature narrated by Elizabeth Banks and Hugh Jackman about the first-ever all-women’s sailing crew to compete for the America’s Cup. (In Theaters)

This Is Buzz (2026) – A documentary feature directed by Mark Pellington (U2 3D) about the 1990s MTV series Buzz. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Bouchra – A hybrid film with some documentary elements about a queer Moroccan jackal living in New York City and his relationship with his mother in Casablanca. (Mubi)

Super Animals Season 4, Episode 4 – The latest episode of a nature docuseries for kids about animals with special traits. (National Geographic)

There’s Magick in Them Mountains (2026) – A documentary aimed at preserving the stories of Appalachian grannies while they’re still alive. (In Theaters)

Sunday, September 13, 2026

24 Hour Alert (1955) – An Oscar-nominated short docudrama about the importance of air defense. (TCM)

Grandpa Called It Art (1944) – A short documentary that looks at differences in tastes in art over generations. (TCM)

Spade Cooley: King of Western Swing (1945) – A short film showcasing the titular musician. (TCM)

Monday, September 14, 2026

Ghost in the Machine (2026) – A documentary feature by Valerie Veatch (Me at the Zoo) about AI’s background in eugenics and misogyny. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

MGM Parade Show #11 (1955) – This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases actress Susan Hayward and the MGM films Strange Testament and Let’s Talk Turkey. (TCM)

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

All I Had Was Nothingness (2025) – A documentary feature about the making of Shoah, including footage not used for the earlier film. Released as a supplement to Shoah. (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

All My Loving (1968) – A medium-length concert film by Tony Palmer presented as an episode of Omnibus featuring performances by Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Donovan, Frank Zappa, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who. (DVD)

All This and World War II (1976) – A documentary feature by Tony Palmer and Susan Winslow mixing World War II newsreel footage with covers of Beatles music. Re-released as The Beatles and World War II. Read our review. (DVD)

America’s Billion-Dollar War (2025) – A documentary feature about the legalization of cannabis and the industry that followed. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Chasing the Moon (2019) – A three-part PBS docuseries presented via American Experience about NASA’s goal to land a man on the Moon. (DVD)

Dolly Parton: Here I Am (2019) – A PBS documentary about Dolly Parton. (DVD)

The Donner Party (1992) – A PBS documentary directed by Ric Burns, presented as an episode of American Experience, about the titular group of American pioneers notorious for turning to cannibalism. (DVD)

Egypt’s Tombs of Amun (2025) – A medium-length PBS documentary presented as an episode of Nova about a long-lost ancient cemetery. (DVD)

Enongo (2025) – A partly animated documentary about rapper/producer/academic Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, a.k.a. Sammus. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter (2011) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about composer Gustav Holst. (DVD)

The Human Blueprint (2026) – A documentary about the Raelian Movement and their belief that aliens created humans. (DVD and Blu-ray)

In From the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton (1988) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about the titular actor. (DVD)

The Karski Report (2010) – A medium-length documentary by Claude Lanzmann about Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski using outtakes from Shoah. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Living Astrology (2026) – A documentary about astrology. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Lost Tombs of Notre Dame (2024) – A medium-length documentary presented as an episode of Nova about tombs discovered under the titular cathedral after the 2019 fire. (DVD)

Negro Limbo (2024) – A documentary feature (also known as Black Limbo) about the Franco regime in the former Spanish Guinea. (OVID)

Shoah (1995) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about the Holocaust. Many critics consider the film to be one of the greatest documentaries of all time. See our highlights section for more info. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Sobibór, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m. (2001) – A documentary feature by Claude Lanzmann about a prison uprising at the titular Nazi extermination camp in 1943. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Taking Back Detroit (1980) – A medium-length documentary about the election of two socialists to citywide office in Detroit. (OVID)

A Visitor from the Living (1999) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about a World War II Red Cross official who praised the conditions of a Jewish death camp. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Voice of Freedom (2021) – A PBS documentary feature presented as an episode of American Experience about opera singer Marian Anderson. (DVD)

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Ages of Ice (2026) – A three-part docuseries that follows scientists studying ice. (PBS)

ER: Caught on Camera Season 1, Episode 11 – The latest installment of a docuseries in which medical patients recall experiences in hospital emergency rooms. (TLC)

Expedition X Season 12, Episode 5: “Spirits of 1776” – The latest installment of a paranormal investigation series. This episode deals with Revolutionary War ghosts. (Discovery)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Baby Doe (2025) – A true-crime documentary about a woman accused of murdering her newborn baby. (VOD)

First They Came for My College (2026) – A documentary feature about a right-wing political coup at a public college in Florida. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

A Killer Story Episode 2: “Person of Interest” – The second episode of a three-part true-crime docuseries about a double murder, the ex-wife who allegedly committed the crime, and the citizen sleuths who believe she’s innocent. (HBO & HBO Max)

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (2026) – A documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about the titular author’s recovery from a knife attack. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Neirud (2023) – A documentary feature about a former circus wrestler known as “the Gorilla Woman.” (OVID)

Portrait of a Genius (1943) – A short documentary about Leonardo Da Vinci’s genius as an inventor. (TCM)

The Righteous Roadtrip (2026) – A short documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (Freeheld) that follows a humanitarian as he delivers Christmas trees to non-Jewish heroes of the Holocaust. (In Theaters)

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Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

9/18 – The History of Concrete – A documentary feature by John Wilson about concrete. (In Theaters)

9/22 – Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie – A documentary feature by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor about the titular deaf professional bodybuilder and actress. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO Max)

9/25 – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore? – A documentary feature directed by Garth Jennings and narrated by Jarvis Cocker about the titular British band. (Mubi)

9/25 – Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time – A three-part docuseries about the effort to rescue 33 miners trapped for 69 days. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

9/30 – The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part – A true-crime documentary feature by Chris Smith (The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann) about a man wed six times and widowed suspiciously in six of those marriages. (Netflix)

10/2 – Africa: Earth’s Wild Home – A seven-part nature series narrated by Wunmi Mosaku that showcases new and rare species of animals in Africa. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

10/2 – Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters: Los Angeles Release)

10/2 – The Last First: Winter K2 – A documentary feature by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) about the first successful winter summit climb of K2 (at least for the two-thirds of the people who attempted it), five years ago. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Apple TV)

10/9 – My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile – A documentary sequel directed by Julia Loktev that follows the characters from My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow after they leave Russia. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Musk – A nearly four-hour documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about Elon Musk. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Marília Mendonça: Sentimento Louco – A documentary feature about the titular Brazilian singer, who died in a plane crash in 2021. (Prime Video)

10/16 – You Can See Everything – A three-hour documentary feature by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim that follows Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the days before she went to prison. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

We begin this week with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, so I have to recommend the best documentaries on the attacks and their aftermath. Gédéon and Jules Naudet’s very quickly produced film 9/11 (co-directed with former FDNY firefighter James Hanlon) remains the most immersive look at the day’s events as they happened. Jim Whitaker’s Rebirth (available on Kanopy, Tubi, Fawesome, and Pluto TV) and Danielle Gardner’s Out of the Clear Blue Sky (available to rent on Apple TV) are the most memorable documentaries I’ve seen on what happened later. Rebirth deals with recovery from the trauma. The latter documentary tells the more interesting story of a CEO who lost nearly all his employees working in his firm’s headquarters in the North Tower of the World Trade Center and the difficult decisions that came next.

I will confess that I’ve only seen those documentaries once and have no desire to watch them again. The idea of a great film you only want to see once is the subject of a Stat Significant piece this week titled “What Makes People Never Want to Rewatch a Great Film?” that acknowledges several Letterboxd lists. They’re focused on works of fiction or dramatized true stories, but these films align with documentaries about 9/11 in that they’re mostly bleak, intense, and elicit a feeling of powerlessness. My own list of “10 Great Documentaries You Only Want to Watch Once” recognizes films that are difficult to watch but must be watched, as in witnessed. That’s how we feel about the Twin Towers footage from 9/11, though we have to rewatch it so we never forget. Anyway, the only 9/11-related film on my list is Fahrenheit 9/11 (Kanopy, Tubi, Pluto TV), and that’s for a different reason: “the first time [watched] it felt like something made for a specific window, aimed to be seen right before the 2004 presidential election.”

Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans (including new works by Alex Gibney, Amir Bar-Lev, Irene Taylor, and Lance Oppenheim). Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best-of lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail and let us know about its release plans.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Shoah (1985)

One of the all-time greatest documentaries that must be seen at least once and may never be rewatched is Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah. The problem is that it hasn’t been that accessible despite its stature as one of the best documentaries ever made. The film is 566 minutes long, sometimes divided into two parts, and consists of interviews about the Holocaust. Many of these testimonials from survivors, witnesses, and even perpetrators are tough to watch. But they are essential. Given that (presumably) everyone in the film has since passed away, it was necessary to record these anecdotal stories and memories and how and by whom they were told.

Shoah is being re-released on Blu-ray this week by The Criterion Collection after being out of print for a couple of years. The film is rarely available to stream or view on broadcast, even on The Criterion Channel, so this new four-disc set is your best option to see the epic-sized masterpiece, even if only once. It’s nearly the same release as Criterion has previously put out, but now includes an additional bonus making-of documentary by Guillaume Ribot titled All I Had Was Nothingness. Apparently, this feature-length extra has more never-before-seen footage shot for Shoah, which is remarkable considering all the other documentaries Lanzmann made from material he captured while making his magnum opus that didn’t make it into that film.

Shoah will be re-released on Blu-ray via The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Black Zombie (2026)

This scholarly look at the concept of the zombie in history and pop culture is best when it covers its origins in African and Haitian folklore and its significance to the continued discourse on slavery, colonialism, and Black representation. Unfortunately, the structure of Black Zombie is all over the place, as director Maya Annik Bedward keeps coming back to zombie movie and television clips with extraneous sequences. This seems like a desire to keep the audience interested in the subject matter, which is a shame because we all know about zombie media. That should just be looked at briefly as the starting point before getting into the truth about Vodou, Haiti, and the racism that is still relevant to the terror-driven portrayal of the undead on screen.

Black Zombie will be released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, September 11, 2026, via Kino Lorber.

Don’t Look Back In Anger (2026)

I was never an Oasis fan. I was on team Blur. That has made me less appreciative of the story and passionate fandom presented in Don’t Look Back in Anger. It’s got a well-focused and locked-in narrative, as it follows the reunion of Oasis after their 15-year breakup and estrangement of brothers and bandmates Liam and Noel Gallagher. I would have preferred a much shorter film, as its theme is terribly overstated, but certainly that wouldn’t be enough for the folks who do like the group’s music, which is spotlighted in plenty of concert-film sequences. I also would have preferred subtitles, as I couldn’t understand a lot of what the Gallaghers say in their interview with their thick Manchester accents. I may revisit this one when it hits Disney+ and Hulu.

Don’t Look Back in Anger is now playing in theaters and on IMAX screens nationwide via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

First They Came For My College (2026)

Another documentary worth watching for some but not all of its content, this film is also a reminder of why cultural studies works like Black Zombie are important. First They Came for My College reports on the story of a public liberal arts school in Florida that has been transformed by the governor in his ongoing war against academic freedom and awakening. It’s a vital political documentary that occasionally gets lost in its pacing and focus and in its following of various uninteresting characters. Similar to last year’s The Librarians, this film doesn’t play out with the sense of urgency it should while still capturing the moment of our steady fascist descent as a nation.

First They Came for My College will be released in theaters in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, September 17, before expanding to other cities later this month.

Ghost In The Machine (2026)

One of many scary films about AI this year, Ghost in the Machine has been the most eye-opening for me, as it concentrates on the links between artificial intelligence and eugenics and misogynistic elitism. Perhaps the rise of the machines will not lead to our deaths so much as the demise of civil liberties. Forget the human fascists, who’ve got nothing on the robot oppressors. We need to feed AI content like Black Zombie and First They Came for My College to allow it to have a proper academic awakening itself. Anyway, I reviewed this documentary during Sundance. Here’s an excerpt:

“Structurally, Ghost in the Machine is an effective, chaptered essay, even if its points may be narrow in their concerns. Aesthetically, there is more to be desired, only because the many talking heads providing their expertise on the matter appear via Zoom calls as if the documentary were made during the pandemic. I would think it better to present the human side of the film more directly, practically, and materially. Another visual issue comes with an otherwise sensible idea. Veatch adds a caption to every image, labeling it as either AI or not AI, but some of them seem incorrect. I think this is a substantial work, and I only wish that it had the appearance of one in order that it may be taken seriously.”

Ghost in the Machine will be broadcast on PBS on Monday, September 14, as an episode of Independent Lens.

Knife: The Attempted Murder Of Salman Rushdie (2026)

Adaptations of books can be tricky for documentaries, which are more often inspired by published works than truly based on them. Narration lifted from the source material typically sounds like excerpts from an audiobook. The tone of the narration in Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie doesn’t fit that of the rest of the film, and I felt like I should just be reading the original memoir, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, myself instead (if I cared enough to). But there is a lot presented in Alex Gibney’s film on Salman Rushdie that isn’t and couldn’t be presented in a book, specifically footage of his near-death attack and scenes of the author in his hotel room during his recovery, complete with images of his cut-up body and eye. Again, it’s material that is tough to watch but necessary to see, in part because it’s difficult.

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie will be released in theaters on Thursday, September 17, 2026, via Abramorama.

Lance Oppenheim Documentaries

With all the hype this week about Lance Oppenheim’s two new films — his dramatic narrative debut, Primetime, and his Nathan Fielder collaboration, You Can See Everything (previewed below) — he’s a good candidate for our latest director spotlight. I’ve been a fan of Oppenheim’s work since I saw his first feature, Some Kind of Heaven (now available on Kanopy and the DOX channel on Prime Video), which made my list of the best documentaries of 2021. Later, his series Ren Faire (HBO Max) ranked even higher on my list of the best documentaries of 2024, and I really liked his sophomore feature, Spermworld (Hulu), which was a Pick of the Week highlight when it was released the same year.

Oppenheim also produced The Python Hunt (now on VOD), which shares a lot aesthetically with his own directorial efforts and is one of my favorite documentaries of 2026 so far. You can watch his early short documentaries on his Vimeo page, including The Dogmatic, Quicksand, The Off-Season, Long Term Parking, No Jail Time: The Movie, and The Happiest Guy in the World, plus his later New York Times Op-Doc film, The Paradise Next Door, which is a spin-off supplement of Some Kind of Heaven. You can catch his latest documentary feature, You Can See Everything, in theaters beginning on October 16, 2026, via A24.

This Is Buzz (2026)

I can’t stand talking-head interviewees spouting about the importance of some other person, usually their friend or colleague, but even worse is the interviewee touting their own importance. Even if I agree that your work was culturally or historically significant, I can’t stand such a lack of modesty. This Is Buzz is a documentary by former music video auteur and U2 3D helmer Mark Pellington about what a pioneering program his and Jon Klein’s short-lived 1990 MTV show Buzz was. Back then, MTV was for montage what Sesame Street was for animation in terms of their influence on my generation’s experimental film interests and practices.

The funny thing is that nobody I went to school with who made videos and films that look like Buzz has ever heard of it (the show didn’t air in the U.S.). That makes the documentary more essential to fill in that history, though I don’t completely believe it was the bridge of influence they think it was. This Is Buzz is itself a work of collage that layers audio and visuals and presents a cut-up composition in ways that pay homage to the ADHD-suited series. I can appreciate that while also not enjoying the aesthetic. Still, none of that rubs as badly as Klein’s arrogance in particular.

This Is Buzz will screen in theaters through touring roadshow distribution beginning in San Diego on Saturday, September 12, 2026, via Antenna Releasing.

Awards Highlights

Cinema Eye Honors 20 Films / 20 Artisans

As a Cinema Eye Honors voter, I was invited to participate in a survey for the awards organization’s upcoming 20th edition. The results recognize what we believe to be the 20 most essential documentaries and the 20 most significant makers of nonfiction films (including directors, producers, composers, and editors) of the last 10 years.

The 20 honored titles that were chosen are: 20 Days in Mariupol (Kanopy), All That Breathes (HBO Max and Kanopy), All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (HBO Max and Kanopy), American Factory (Netflix), Cameraperson (HBO Max and The Criterion Collection), Collective (Tubi and Kanopy), Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV), Fire of Love (Hulu), Flee (Tubi), Free Solo (Hulu), Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Mubi and Kanopy), Honeyland (Tubi and Kanopy), I Am Not Your Negro (Kanopy), Minding the Gap (Hulu), Navalny (HBO Max), No Other Land (VOD), O.J. Made in America (VOD), The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix), Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Film Collection and Kanopy), and Strong Island (Netflix).

The 22 artisans who won in the poll (including two pairings, hence more than 20) are: directors Maite Alberdi, Mstyslav Chernov, Geeta Gandbhir, Steve James, Kirsten Johnson, Steven Maing, Raoul Peck, Laura Poitras, Sam Pollard, Nanfu Wang, Ryan White, and Jimmy Chin & Chai Vasarhelyi; producers Joslyn Barnes, Shane Boris, Nathan Fielder, Kellen Quinn, Jessica Hargrave, and Julie Goldman & Christopher Clements; composer Dan Deacon; and editor Nels Bangerter. The organization also gave an honorary salutation for Frederick Wiseman.

Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Winners

Last weekend, the Television Academy held the 78th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, with many documentaries and other nonfiction programs among the winners. My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, beating out its mostly fellow celeb doc competition, and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program, while Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV) won for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. Other recognized documentaries in various categories, a few of them multiple winners, include Love on the Spectrum (Netflix), Tucci in Italy (Hulu), The Librarians (PBS and Kanopy), Inside the Pitt (HBO Max), Ocean with David Attenborough (Hulu), John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video), Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix), Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Max), and Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu).

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Documentary Release Calendar 9/11/26 – 9/17/26

Friday, September 11, 2026

102 Minutes: Inside the Towers (2026) – A documentary about survivors of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. (History)

Austin City Limits Season 52, Episode 2: “ACL 12th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Brandi Carlile” – The latest installment of a long-running music series. This episode stars Brandi Carlile. (PBS)

Black Zombie (2026) – A documentary about the history of zombie lore and its origins in Haitian spiritual traditions. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 3, Episode 4: “The Philippines” – The latest installment of a travel series starring Conan O’Brien. (HBO and HBO Max)

Daughters of 9/11 (2026) – A documentary about two women whose fathers died during the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center and their pursuit of justice in collaboration with an FBI agent. (CBS and Paramount+)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 17: “Raw Nerves” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Don’t Look Back in Anger (2026) – A documentary feature about the band Oasis as they reunite for their 2025 tour. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Ennio (2021) – Giuseppe Tornatore’s biographical documentary about film score composer Ennio Morricone. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

A Marble in the Jar (2025) – A documentary feature about surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb and her coach, Greg Browning. (In Theaters)

Mighty Manhattan, New York’s Wonder City (1949) – A short documentary narrated by James A. FitzPatrick that explores various neighborhoods in the titular New York City borough. (TCM)

Mighty Mary (2026) – A documentary feature narrated by Elizabeth Banks and Hugh Jackman about the first-ever all-women’s sailing crew to compete for the America’s Cup. (In Theaters)

This Is Buzz (2026) – A documentary feature directed by Mark Pellington (U2 3D) about the 1990s MTV series Buzz. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Bouchra – A hybrid film with some documentary elements about a queer Moroccan jackal living in New York City and his relationship with his mother in Casablanca. (Mubi)

Super Animals Season 4, Episode 4 – The latest episode of a nature docuseries for kids about animals with special traits. (National Geographic)

There’s Magick in Them Mountains (2026) – A documentary aimed at preserving the stories of Appalachian grannies while they’re still alive. (In Theaters)

Sunday, September 13, 2026

24 Hour Alert (1955) – An Oscar-nominated short docudrama about the importance of air defense. (TCM)

Grandpa Called It Art (1944) – A short documentary that looks at differences in tastes in art over generations. (TCM)

Spade Cooley: King of Western Swing (1945) – A short film showcasing the titular musician. (TCM)

Monday, September 14, 2026

Ghost in the Machine (2026) – A documentary feature by Valerie Veatch (Me at the Zoo) about AI’s background in eugenics and misogyny. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

MGM Parade Show #11 (1955) – This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases actress Susan Hayward and the MGM films Strange Testament and Let’s Talk Turkey. (TCM)

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

All I Had Was Nothingness (2025) – A documentary feature about the making of Shoah, including footage not used for the earlier film. Released as a supplement to Shoah. (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

All My Loving (1968) – A medium-length concert film by Tony Palmer presented as an episode of Omnibus featuring performances by Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Donovan, Frank Zappa, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who. (DVD)

All This and World War II (1976) – A documentary feature by Tony Palmer and Susan Winslow mixing World War II newsreel footage with covers of Beatles music. Re-released as The Beatles and World War II. Read our review. (DVD)

America’s Billion-Dollar War (2025) – A documentary feature about the legalization of cannabis and the industry that followed. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Chasing the Moon (2019) – A three-part PBS docuseries presented via American Experience about NASA’s goal to land a man on the Moon. (DVD)

Dolly Parton: Here I Am (2019) – A PBS documentary about Dolly Parton. (DVD)

The Donner Party (1992) – A PBS documentary directed by Ric Burns, presented as an episode of American Experience, about the titular group of American pioneers notorious for turning to cannibalism. (DVD)

Egypt’s Tombs of Amun (2025) – A medium-length PBS documentary presented as an episode of Nova about a long-lost ancient cemetery. (DVD)

Enongo (2025) – A partly animated documentary about rapper/producer/academic Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, a.k.a. Sammus. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter (2011) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about composer Gustav Holst. (DVD)

The Human Blueprint (2026) – A documentary about the Raelian Movement and their belief that aliens created humans. (DVD and Blu-ray)

In From the Cold? A Portrait of Richard Burton (1988) – A documentary by Tony Palmer about the titular actor. (DVD)

The Karski Report (2010) – A medium-length documentary by Claude Lanzmann about Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski using outtakes from Shoah. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Living Astrology (2026) – A documentary about astrology. (DVD and Blu-ray)

Lost Tombs of Notre Dame (2024) – A medium-length documentary presented as an episode of Nova about tombs discovered under the titular cathedral after the 2019 fire. (DVD)

Negro Limbo (2024) – A documentary feature (also known as Black Limbo) about the Franco regime in the former Spanish Guinea. (OVID)

Shoah (1995) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about the Holocaust. Many critics consider the film to be one of the greatest documentaries of all time. See our highlights section for more info. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Sobibór, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m. (2001) – A documentary feature by Claude Lanzmann about a prison uprising at the titular Nazi extermination camp in 1943. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Taking Back Detroit (1980) – A medium-length documentary about the election of two socialists to citywide office in Detroit. (OVID)

A Visitor from the Living (1999) – A documentary by Claude Lanzmann about a World War II Red Cross official who praised the conditions of a Jewish death camp. Released as a supplement to Shoah. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Collection Blu-ray)

Voice of Freedom (2021) – A PBS documentary feature presented as an episode of American Experience about opera singer Marian Anderson. (DVD)

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Ages of Ice (2026) – A three-part docuseries that follows scientists studying ice. (PBS)

ER: Caught on Camera Season 1, Episode 11 – The latest installment of a docuseries in which medical patients recall experiences in hospital emergency rooms. (TLC)

Expedition X Season 12, Episode 5: “Spirits of 1776” – The latest installment of a paranormal investigation series. This episode deals with Revolutionary War ghosts. (Discovery)

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Baby Doe (2025) – A true-crime documentary about a woman accused of murdering her newborn baby. (VOD)

First They Came for My College (2026) – A documentary feature about a right-wing political coup at a public college in Florida. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

A Killer Story Episode 2: “Person of Interest” – The second episode of a three-part true-crime docuseries about a double murder, the ex-wife who allegedly committed the crime, and the citizen sleuths who believe she’s innocent. (HBO & HBO Max)

Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (2026) – A documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about the titular author’s recovery from a knife attack. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Neirud (2023) – A documentary feature about a former circus wrestler known as “the Gorilla Woman.” (OVID)

Portrait of a Genius (1943) – A short documentary about Leonardo Da Vinci’s genius as an inventor. (TCM)

The Righteous Roadtrip (2026) – A short documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (Freeheld) that follows a humanitarian as he delivers Christmas trees to non-Jewish heroes of the Holocaust. (In Theaters)

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Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

9/18 – The History of Concrete – A documentary feature by John Wilson about concrete. (In Theaters)

9/22 – Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie – A documentary feature by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor about the titular deaf professional bodybuilder and actress. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO Max)

9/25 – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore? – A documentary feature directed by Garth Jennings and narrated by Jarvis Cocker about the titular British band. (Mubi)

9/25 – Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time – A three-part docuseries about the effort to rescue 33 miners trapped for 69 days. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

9/30 – The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part – A true-crime documentary feature by Chris Smith (The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann) about a man wed six times and widowed suspiciously in six of those marriages. (Netflix)

10/2 – Africa: Earth’s Wild Home – A seven-part nature series narrated by Wunmi Mosaku that showcases new and rare species of animals in Africa. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

10/2 – Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. Read our review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters: Los Angeles Release)

10/2 – The Last First: Winter K2 – A documentary feature by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) about the first successful winter summit climb of K2 (at least for the two-thirds of the people who attempted it), five years ago. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Apple TV)

10/9 – My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile – A documentary sequel directed by Julia Loktev that follows the characters from My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow after they leave Russia. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Musk – A nearly four-hour documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about Elon Musk. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

10/16 – Marília Mendonça: Sentimento Louco – A documentary feature about the titular Brazilian singer, who died in a plane crash in 2021. (Prime Video)

10/16 – You Can See Everything – A three-hour documentary feature by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim that follows Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the days before she went to prison. Watch the new teaser for the film below. (In Theaters)

“Screen Talk” co-hosts Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio convene after seeing a ton of movies in Colorado and Italy. What played well, and what didn’t?

Low Lies the Land

(Denmark/Italy, 90 min.)

Dir. Emanuele Gerosa

Prod. Sigrid Jonsson Dyekjær, Harry Vaugh, Fleur Engels

Programme: TIFF Docs (World premiere)

Wine documentaries generally come in three varieties. In one barrel, one finds a batch that really dives into the palette. These films savour the tasting notes of different wines and make amateur sommeliers of us all. Who didn’t uncork a bottle in search of “old lady purse” after enjoying Somm? In another barrel are stories about the hands that bring the grapes to the bottles as families pass down traditions. These are stories about the how terroir and heritage create the flavours that winos discern before spitting.

In barrel the third, one finds documentaries about the economics of wine. These are films like Mondovino and Sour Grapes that explore the larger dynamics about the commercial practices surrounding the heavenly bottles.

Low Lies the Land cultivates a fine blend of these three varieties. It swirls together a heavenly vintage that invites audiences to breathe deeply and savour the bouquet while appreciating the personal and collective histories that lend the wines their deep flavours. But it’s equally concerned with the economic and environmental circumstances that add texture to each glass and the idiosyncrasies of the families and lands that make each terroir unique.

Director Emanuele Gerosa captures the labour of love that goes into making wine as he observes families in Piemonte, Italy. The northern region, familiar to doc fans for the aromatic offerings in The Truffle Hunters, boasts a distinct climate and character. Piemonte delivers hearty reds—the guys of Somm might discern well-worn leather and first-edition books among their tasting notes—and these deep flavours reflect the complexity of the region. Cutting between the daily labours of the Chiappone, Adamo, Agatiello, and Bertolino families, Low Lies the Land observes tradition and resilience as the flavours of these grapes evolve. Each family in Low Lies the Land has a unique situation, although their circumstances echo with shared concerns as climate change makes the unpredictable trade especially precarious.

Two consecutive years of drought are especially hard on the region. The growers till their land and observe cakes of white earth crumble to dust. It’s not an especially hospitable year. The growers point out that parched vines will slake their thirst with the liquid from the grapes. The vines therefore yield dry fruits that aren’t even worth picking.

Add to the climate the winds of generational change, and some vintages could be the wineries’ last. The aging farmers observe that younger people don’t necessarily want to learn the art and craft of making wine. Meanwhile, changes to labour complicate the number of hands that can harvest grapes on the cheap. People really need to care about the family business if winemaking yields relatively little even though it’d harder work.

Gerosa finds a novel dramatic agent to navigate these thorny circumstances. Enter Roberto Garberoglio, a commercial real estate broker introduced simply as “The Broker.” He receives a visit from a lawyer who represents a client interested in buying vineyards. She won’t disclose the client’s identity, but the broker cautions her that the old stock types of Piemonte will resist trade with foreign investors. Tradition dominates the region, as is evident by the cobblestone streets and old houses that, like the vines, have weathered generations. Garberoglio nevertheless accepts the challenge. He stalks the land with binoculars in hand and assesses best bets based on his own knowledge of the region and its challenges. He makes house calls to the wineries. At each stop, he gives the same rehearsed pitch about delicate times of economic hardship and a generous offer unlikely to be repeated.

As Low Lies the Land observes each family either refuse the offer or weigh its value, the film captures what the prospect of selling means in a land with distinct character grown over time. Piemonte is the birthplace of slow food, after all, and Gerosa marinates in the handsome complexity of the land. These vintners understand the long game and they appreciate tradition. Moreover, there’s a great moral and philosophical dynamic to the offer. Selling to a foreign and anonymous investor essentially evokes a renunciation of the land and their heritage. The money might solve their immediate problems and alleviate some stress for future generations, but the bid undercuts the priceless elements of family history passed down with each vintage.

Gerosa uncorks something great by taking a cue from the hard-working ethic of these families. Low Lies the Land soaks up the complexity of the land as Gerosa and cinematographer Alvise Tedesco exquisitely capture the inclined hillsides that make the harvests arduous work, but rewarding ones. The camera weaves through the rows of vines, observing as thirsty grapes contrast with the sweaty foreheads of the busy hands that cut the grapes and ready them for pressing. Folksy music by Jonas Struck offers a leisurely whistles that evoke a relaxed process reared on patience.

As the film draws upon the culinary techniques of the region and leans into a good simmer, the story unfolds delicately as Piemonte finds itself amid cycles of renewal. Young men come home and return to the work cycle that has them waking with the crowing rooster. The film observes the families’ wise adage that everything has cycles and that hard years bring rewards, even if they’re not immediate ones.

It’s easy to see why one would onto their roots as hard as they can, and why newcomers might be eager to plant. Low Lies the Land inspires audiences to swirl the fruits of these farmers’ labour. Give it a good sniff and drink deep.

Low Lies the Land premieres at TIFF on Sept. 11.

Get all of POV’s coverage from the festival here.

Read more about the film in our interview with Emanuele Gerosa.

The post Low Lies the Land Review: A Heavenly Vintage with Tasting Notes of Eco Doc appeared first on POV Magazine.

I cannot lie. This movie made me very happy. Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, Morgan Spurlock’s fluffy and consistently funny (and shockingly not first-person) look at San Diego Comic-Con, is not just a puff piece advertising this huge event, which doesn’t really need help attracting crowds anyway. It’s a puff piece, no doubt, but it’s also an endearing profile of a phenomenon that non-geeks may think is impossible to understand or relate to.

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