Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video with the wonderful . It was incredible to learn more about Geeta’s early career, how she worked for the animator Suzan Pitt before (literally) chasing Spike Lee down and getting a job with him. This led to her working as the Emmy-winning lead editor on Lee’s seminal documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006), and her long-term creative collaboration with documentary legend Sam Pollard (with whom she founded Message Pictures).

We started out talking about how Geeta and I met in 2017 as fellow recipients of the Chicken & Egg Award (at that time, it was called the “Breakthrough Award”), an unrestricted grant for mid-career female and gender-expansive filmmakers. Around that time, Geeta was seeking to establish herself more as a director and less as an editor.

Geeta shared how The Perfect Neighbor came to exist out of necessity and grief, her personal connection to the story, how she knew there was a movie in the 30 hours of body cam and other evidentiary material she was given access to, how her independent film ended up on the Netflix Top 10, and what it was like to end up with one of the biggest docs of 2025, including her history-making turn as an Oscar nominee for both Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short (for The Devil is Busy) in the same year.

Geeta also generously shared a really emotional view of what the comedown from all of that feels like, how she might be just now finally processing her grief, and what she’s working on now.

Finally, check out Standing in the Gap Fund.

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I don’t know if I had unrealistic expectations for Sara Dosa’s Time and Water (it was number two on the list of my most-anticipated documentaries of 2026). I don’t love it as much as I do the filmmaker’s previous feature, Fire of Love. One thing I wasn’t expecting was for Time and Water to feel so much more of a personal film, not for Dosa but for its primary participant, Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason. I also wasn’t expecting it to feel so much like a climate-change issue film.

Magnason heavily narrates the documentary, which is inspired by his book On Time and Water and serves as an elegy for his grandparents and the Icelandic glaciers. There is a connection. His grandparents were co-founders of the Icelandic Glacial Research Society. He was commissioned to write an obituary for the OK Glacier after it was declared dead. I say the film serves as an elegy rather than a eulogy because it does feel more somber than celebratory of either his grandparents or the ice. He honors and memorializes them plenty, but the documentary is also slow and bleak.

Known for writing poetry and science fiction, Magnason makes Time and Water a poetic sci-fi documentary, sometimes speaking directly to the people of the future, who may be watching the film after all the glaciers have gone. This isn’t as effective here as Michael Madsen’s films Into Eternity and The Visit, maybe because it doesn’t seem terribly invested in the idea of being set in the future. It’s just invested in lamenting. At one point in the film, Magnason shows how he went overlong on a written obituary about his grandfather. The documentary has a similar problem.

Despite my clear dissatisfaction with Time and Water, I can’t say it’s a bad film. It’s a quality production, perfectly edited, and I absolutely love Dan Deacon’s score. I just don’t find Magnason, his family, or his concerns all that interesting, and I didn’t enjoy listening to him talk about any of it. Does that make the film a failure? I don’t think so. Dosa, her team, and, as far as I can tell, many viewers appreciate his words, and this documentary serves them well. If at another time I find him and his climate change woes more compelling, I am certain I’ll like Time and Water more.

I don’t know if I had unrealistic expectations for Sara Dosa’s Time and Water (it was number two on the list of my most-anticipated documentaries of 2026). I don’t love it as much as I do the filmmaker’s previous feature, Fire of Love. One thing I wasn’t expecting was for Time and Water to feel so much more of a personal film, not for Dosa but for its primary participant, Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason. I also wasn’t expecting it to feel so much like a climate-change issue film.

Magnason heavily narrates the documentary, which is inspired by his book On Time and Water and serves as an elegy for his grandparents and the Icelandic glaciers. There is a connection. His grandparents were co-founders of the Icelandic Glacial Research Society. He was commissioned to write an obituary for the OK Glacier after it was declared dead. I say the film serves as an elegy rather than a eulogy because it does feel more somber than celebratory of either his grandparents or the ice. He honors and memorializes them plenty, but the documentary is also slow and bleak.

Known for writing poetry and science fiction, Magnason makes Time and Water a poetic sci-fi documentary, sometimes speaking directly to the people of the future, who may be watching the film after all the glaciers have gone. This isn’t as effective here as Michael Madsen’s films Into Eternity and The Visit, maybe because it doesn’t seem terribly invested in the idea of being set in the future. It’s just invested in lamenting. At one point in the film, Magnason shows how he went overlong on a written obituary about his grandfather. The documentary has a similar problem.

Despite my clear dissatisfaction with Time and Water, I can’t say it’s a bad film. It’s a quality production, perfectly edited, and I absolutely love Dan Deacon’s score. I just don’t find Magnason, his family, or his concerns all that interesting, and I didn’t enjoy listening to him talk about any of it. Does that make the film a failure? I don’t think so. Dosa, her team, and, as far as I can tell, many viewers appreciate his words, and this documentary serves them well. If at another time I find him and his climate change woes more compelling, I am certain I’ll like Time and Water more.

I’ve been on holiday for the last few days, celebrating my 15th wedding anniversary. In fact, I’ll still be off when this newsletter goes out. The magic of scheduling tools! I mention this because I wasn’t able to watch all of this week’s new releases in time. Also, in case I’ve missed anything that popped up on the documentary release schedule late, you know the reason why.

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 the latest from Questlove!). 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 in need of coverage or a mention, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Time And Water (2026)

With its title and elegiac tone, Sara Dosa’s latest, Time and Water, sounds like a great follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2022 feature, Fire of Love (one of my favorites of that year). The new documentary might have even more in common with her 2019 film, The Seer and the Unseen. It’s a return to Iceland that again deals with environmental threats and even revisits the country’s myths of elves. Time and Water is a surprisingly personal film, however, not for Dosa but for her subject, the writer Andri Snær Magnason.

He narrates the documentary, in which he laments the loss of his grandparents and Iceland’s glaciers, the latter to global warming. As I wrote in my review of Time and Water, I unfortunately “don’t find Magnason, his family, or his concerns all that interesting, and I didn’t enjoy listening to him talk about any of it.” Yet, it’s not a bad film at all. I conclude that “if at another time I find him and his climate change woes more compelling, I am certain I’ll like Time and Water more.” Also, I love the film’s score by Dan Deacon.

Time and Water will be released in theaters on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Bring Me The Beauties: A Model Cult (2026)

Chris Smith continues to prove himself as one of the busiest documentary filmmakers working today. His latest is a three-part docuseries about a cult-like spiritual group from the 1980s that primarily recruited good-looking people. I’ve only watched one episode of Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, but so far, I don’t see how this group was any different than the general superficial culture of the U.S. in the 1980s, and the series hasn’t really set up what was so bad about it yet. I confess, it hasn’t drawn me in.

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Gary Hustwit Documentaries

This week’s filmmaker in focus comes courtesy of a new Criterion Channel curation. The streamer is adding four Gary Hustwit documentaries to its library ahead of its mid-month premiere of the director’s latest, Eno. We’ll get to that one in a couple of weeks. For now, you can join Hustwit in his appreciation for design by watching Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams. The first three make up The Design Trilogy, focusing on typography, products, and urban spaces, respectively.

The fourth film is about industrial designer Dieter Rams, and since it’s probably the least seen, here’s an excerpt from our review:

“Elegantly made, and lovingly shot, this is the first documentary to focus on Rams, who has made a point of shunning his own celebrity. We trail Rams as he migrates from his Japanese-inspired garden to lectures, to exhibition openings, with interjections from the likes of designer Naoto Fukasawa and Rams’ collaborator Dietrich Lubs. Beautifully scored by Brian Eno, the film is primarily concerned with Rams’ iconic work at Braun and Vitsœ, where he revolutionized consumer product design by implementing an approach that placed functionality on a pedestal over the cheap and the chic. It’s gesamtkunstwerk for the modular minimalist’s soul; an attitude to art that is philosophy and vice versa.”

Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams all begin streaming on The Criterion Channel on Monday, June 1, 2026.

LGBTQ+ Documentaries

This week ushers in June, which is Pride Month. We always take this time (non-exclusively) to recommend the best documentaries about LGBTQ+ history and the best documentary portraits of LGBTQ+ culture. Certain streamers may also use the opportunity to highlight their LGBTQ+ offerings.

The Criterion Channel is one of them, as they’re reminding us that they carry such classic features as Portrait of Jason, Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, The Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, and Paris is Burning. But they’re also adding two essentials from Daniel Peddle focused on trans men of color: The Aggressives and its sequel, Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later.

They also want subscribers to know that they have many LGBTQ+ shorts available to watch, including a handful of documentaries. These include Rob Epstein’s Greetings from Washington, D.C., Mirha-Soleil Ross’s Gender Troublemakers, Cheryl Dunye’s Greetings from Africa, Twiggy Pucci Garçon’s MnM, and Matt Wolf’s Bayard & Me, I Remember: A Film About Joe Brainard, and Another Hayride.

Rafa (2026)

It’s been 13 years since Zach Heinzerling released his Oscar-nominated debut, Cutie and the Boxer, and he hasn’t made anything so memorable since. Instead, he continues to helm projects with big topics and even bigger subjects, and he does so with such polish that there’s no denying he deserved the Academy’s recognition out of the gate. Rafa is his latest, a four-part series about tennis icon Rafael Nadal. It’s so conventional that I felt like I’d seen it before, as it follows Nadal’s career with intimate new footage concentrated on his return to the sport in 2024 after his hip injury, plus additional focus on his decision to retire. It’s another athlete profile that’s strictly for the fans, yet it’s also another that exhibits adept verite filmmaking.

Rafa premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Storm Front In Mayo: The Story Of The D-Day Forecast (2019)

This week’s Doc Option is inspired by the war movie Pressure, which opens on May 29, 2026. Based on a stage play, the drama depicts the planning of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. I could recommend plenty of D-Day documentaries, from Stuart Legg’s Zero Hour and the Oscar-winning feature The True Glory to the more recent miniseries D-Day: The Unheard Tapes. But Pressure is specifically about the weather concerns for the operation, and so is the medium-length film Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast.

As far as I can tell, this is the only historical documentary of its kind to feature archival footage of meteorologist James Stagg (portrayed by Andrew Scott in Pressure) and focus on how weather science played a part in the Normandy invasion. Storm Front in Mayo also devotes a lot of its runtime to the distinction of Dwight Eisenhower (portrayed by Brendan Fraser in Pressure). What the drama doesn’t seem to have that the documentary does is recognition of Maureen Sweeney, an Irish postmistress who made the first weather observation warning related to the D-Day plans. She also appears in the film at age 96 to share her side of the story. Give it a watch for her.

Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast is available to stream for free on JustWatch via Plex.

Awards Highlights

News & Documentary Emmy Winners

Winners of this year’s News & Documentary Emmys were announced last week, with Prime Minister taking the awards for Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. Other big winners, some of them among our favorites of 2025, include Mstyslav Chernov’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka (available to stream via PBS), which was honored for Outstanding Direction, Cover-Up (available on Netflix), honored for Outstanding Editing, and National Geographic’s Underdogs (Disney+ and Hulu), honored for both Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Sound.

Another double winner was Secrets of the Penguins, which took the awards for Outstanding Nature Documentary and Outstanding Cinematography, the latter for its first episode, “Hearts of the Emperors.” National Geographic had a big presence at this year’s awards and also won with Lost in the Jungle, for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Turning Point: The Vietnam War won for Outstanding Research, HBO’s Critical Incident: A Death at the Border won for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, and the independent Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media won for Outstanding Business and Economy Documentary.

Subscribe now

Documentary Release Calendar 5/29/26 – 6/4/26

Friday, May 29, 2026

Brazil ’70: The Third Star (2026) – A five-part docudrama series about the 1970 Brazilian football team and their performance in the World Cup. (Netflix)

Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy (2026) – An installment of Great Performances narrated by Joel Grey about Jewish composers and lyricists. (PBS)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 4: “Hunger Game” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Rafa (2026) – A four-part docuseries about tennis star Rafael Nadal. See our highlights section for more info. (Netflix)

Time and Water – A documentary feature directed by Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) about Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason and his mission to preserve the memory of his nation’s glaciers. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a link to our review. (In Theaters)

With Hasan in Gaza (2025) – A documentary feature directed by Kamal Aljafari that revisits footage he shot in 2001 about his search for a man he met in prison years earlier. (In Theaters)

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose Episode 1 – The first installment of a five-part docuseries on what it means to be American. (CNN)

MGM Parade Show #6 (1955) – The sixth installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This short spotlights the movies Anna Christie and Quentin Durward. (TCM)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 6: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 31, 2026

The Food That Built America Season 7, Episode 7: “Chocolate in a Glass” – The latest installment of a docuseries about popular American foods. This episode looks at dangerous rides and activities. (History)

Hazardous History with Henry Winkler Season 2, Episode 7: “Thrills & Spills” – The latest installment of a docuseries about dangerous toys and household items that used to be common. This episode involves dangerous parts of homes. (History)

Jimi Hendrix (1973) – A documentary about the titular rock icon. (TCM)

The Killer Among Us Episode 3: “Death in the Dorms” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the murder of a student at a school for the deaf. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monterey Pop (1968) – A concert film by D.A. Pennebaker starring Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who, Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, and more as they perform at the titular music festival. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

Monday, June 1, 2026

The Aggressives (2005) – A documentary feature about trans men of color in New York City. (The Criterion Channel)

Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later (2023) – Sequel to the 2005 documentary The Aggressives about trans men. (The Criterion Channel)

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult (2026) – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the spiritual group Eternal Values. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (HBO and HBO Max)

Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders Season 2, Episode 1: “Waiting for the Darkness” – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving social media and influencers. (Investigation Discovery)

Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light (2024) – A documentary directed by Oscar winner Paul Wagner (The Stone Carvers) and narrated by Hugh Dancy about the titular painter. The film also stars Claire Danes as the voice of O’Keeffe. (VOD)

Helvetica (2007) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about the titular typeface. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren Episode 1 – The first part of a docuseries about the machines that shaped our world. (History)

If I Could Stay (2024) – A documentary about two mothers trying ot keep their families together and avoid deportation. (PBS)

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 3 – The third installment of a six-part spinoff of the docuseries In the Eye of the Storm that follows weather spotters and storm chasers as they record tornadoes. (Discovery Channel)

Kedi (2016) – A documentary feature that follows stray cats around Istanbul. Read our review of Kedi. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Lethally Blonde Season 2, Episode 1 – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving people pursuing beauty and fame. (Investigation Discovery)

Objectified (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about product design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Rams (2015) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about industrial designer Dieter Rams. Read our review of Rams. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Urbanized (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about urban design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Proof Is Out There: Unexplained Edition Season 2, Episode 1: “Demons & Angels” – The return of a docuseries about strange phenomena captured on camera. (History)

Running for the Mountains (2024) – A documentary feature about politics in West Virginia. (OVID)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 3: “Setting Boundaries” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) – A documentary feature about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (VOD)

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 4: “I Just Want a New Nose” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

Michael Jackson: The Verdict (2026) – A three-part docuseries about the criminal trial of Michael Jackson. (Netflix)

Grey Gardens (1975) – A documentary feature by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

On the Case with Paula Zahn Season 29, Episode 7: “Two Fires, One Match” – The latest installment of a true-crime documentary series starring journalist Paula Zahn. (Investigation Discovery)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Aida’s Secrets (2016) – A Holocaust documentary about reunited brothers who had been separated as babies during World War II. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 4 – The latest installment of a nonfiction series that follows actor Jason Momoa as he meets extraordinary people around the country. (HBO Max)

Welcome to Wrexham Season 5, Episode 5: “Holiday Spirit” – The latest installment of a docuseries about a Welsh soccer team co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. (FXX)

Share Nonfics

Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

6/5 – Groundswell – A Cannes-winning documentary sequel narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson about humanity’s relationship to land. The film is the third part of a trilogy that also includes Kiss the Ground and Common Ground. (Prime Video)

6/5 – Louis Malle: Le Révolté (2025) – A medium-length documentary about the titular filmmaker. (In Theaters)

6/7 – Best of the World with Antoni Porowski – A travel docuseries starring Antoni Porowski. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

6/7 – This Land – A six-part docuseries that explores the history of America through six defining frontiers. (CNN)

6/7 – Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World – A documentary directed by Questlove about the titular band. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/11 – Surviving Earth – An eight-part docuseries about extinct creatures. (NBC)

6/16 – Becoming Katharine Graham – A documentary feature about the titular Washington Post publisher. (PBS)

6/16 – Eno – A feature documentary directed by Gary Hustwit (Helvetica) about the music artist Brian Eno. (The Criterion Channel)

6/17 – Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul – A documentary about the titular singer-songwriter and musician. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/27 – Possibilities – A documentary about the legacy of Helen Keller. (VOD)

7/3 – Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World – A documentary feature about the titular poet and queer icon. (In Theaters)

8/21 – The Dynasty: UConn Huskies – A three-part docuseries directed by Matthew Hamachek (The Dynasty: New England Patriots) about the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. (Apple TV)

I’ve been on holiday for the last few days, celebrating my 15th wedding anniversary. In fact, I’ll still be off when this newsletter goes out. The magic of scheduling tools! I mention this because I wasn’t able to watch all of this week’s new releases in time. Also, in case I’ve missed anything that popped up on the documentary release schedule late, you know the reason why.

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 the latest from Questlove!). 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 in need of coverage or a mention, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Time And Water (2026)

With its title and elegiac tone, Sara Dosa’s latest, Time and Water, sounds like a great follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2022 feature, Fire of Love (one of my favorites of that year). The new documentary might have even more in common with her 2019 film, The Seer and the Unseen. It’s a return to Iceland that again deals with environmental threats and even revisits the country’s myths of elves. Time and Water is a surprisingly personal film, however, not for Dosa but for her subject, the writer Andri Snær Magnason.

He narrates the documentary, in which he laments the loss of his grandparents and Iceland’s glaciers, the latter to global warming. As I wrote in my review of Time and Water, I unfortunately “don’t find Magnason, his family, or his concerns all that interesting, and I didn’t enjoy listening to him talk about any of it.” Yet, it’s not a bad film at all. I conclude that “if at another time I find him and his climate change woes more compelling, I am certain I’ll like Time and Water more.” Also, I love the film’s score by Dan Deacon.

Time and Water will be released in theaters on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Bring Me The Beauties: A Model Cult (2026)

Chris Smith continues to prove himself as one of the busiest documentary filmmakers working today. His latest is a three-part docuseries about a cult-like spiritual group from the 1980s that primarily recruited good-looking people. I’ve only watched one episode of Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, but so far, I don’t see how this group was any different than the general superficial culture of the U.S. in the 1980s, and the series hasn’t really set up what was so bad about it yet. I confess, it hasn’t drawn me in.

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Gary Hustwit Documentaries

This week’s filmmaker in focus comes courtesy of a new Criterion Channel curation. The streamer is adding four Gary Hustwit documentaries to its library ahead of its mid-month premiere of the director’s latest, Eno. We’ll get to that one in a couple of weeks. For now, you can join Hustwit in his appreciation for design by watching Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams. The first three make up The Design Trilogy, focusing on typography, products, and urban spaces, respectively.

The fourth film is about industrial designer Dieter Rams, and since it’s probably the least seen, here’s an excerpt from our review:

“Elegantly made, and lovingly shot, this is the first documentary to focus on Rams, who has made a point of shunning his own celebrity. We trail Rams as he migrates from his Japanese-inspired garden to lectures, to exhibition openings, with interjections from the likes of designer Naoto Fukasawa and Rams’ collaborator Dietrich Lubs. Beautifully scored by Brian Eno, the film is primarily concerned with Rams’ iconic work at Braun and Vitsœ, where he revolutionized consumer product design by implementing an approach that placed functionality on a pedestal over the cheap and the chic. It’s gesamtkunstwerk for the modular minimalist’s soul; an attitude to art that is philosophy and vice versa.”

Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams all begin streaming on The Criterion Channel on Monday, June 1, 2026.

LGBTQ+ Documentaries

This week ushers in June, which is Pride Month. We always take this time (non-exclusively) to recommend the best documentaries about LGBTQ+ history and the best documentary portraits of LGBTQ+ culture. Certain streamers may also use the opportunity to highlight their LGBTQ+ offerings.

The Criterion Channel is one of them, as they’re reminding us that they carry such classic features as Portrait of Jason, Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, The Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, and Paris is Burning. But they’re also adding two essentials from Daniel Peddle focused on trans men of color: The Aggressives and its sequel, Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later.

They also want subscribers to know that they have many LGBTQ+ shorts available to watch, including a handful of documentaries. These include Rob Epstein’s Greetings from Washington, D.C., Mirha-Soleil Ross’s Gender Troublemakers, Cheryl Dunye’s Greetings from Africa, Twiggy Pucci Garçon’s MnM, and Matt Wolf’s Bayard & Me, I Remember: A Film About Joe Brainard, and Another Hayride.

Rafa (2026)

It’s been 13 years since Zach Heinzerling released his Oscar-nominated debut, Cutie and the Boxer, and he hasn’t made anything so memorable since. Instead, he continues to helm projects with big topics and even bigger subjects, and he does so with such polish that there’s no denying he deserved the Academy’s recognition out of the gate. Rafa is his latest, a four-part series about tennis icon Rafael Nadal. It’s so conventional that I felt like I’d seen it before, as it follows Nadal’s career with intimate new footage concentrated on his return to the sport in 2024 after his hip injury, plus additional focus on his decision to retire. It’s another athlete profile that’s strictly for the fans, yet it’s also another that exhibits adept verite filmmaking.

Rafa premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Storm Front In Mayo: The Story Of The D-Day Forecast (2019)

This week’s Doc Option is inspired by the war movie Pressure, which opens on May 29, 2026. Based on a stage play, the drama depicts the planning of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. I could recommend plenty of D-Day documentaries, from Stuart Legg’s Zero Hour and the Oscar-winning feature The True Glory to the more recent miniseries D-Day: The Unheard Tapes. But Pressure is specifically about the weather concerns for the operation, and so is the medium-length film Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast.

As far as I can tell, this is the only historical documentary of its kind to feature archival footage of meteorologist James Stagg (portrayed by Andrew Scott in Pressure) and focus on how weather science played a part in the Normandy invasion. Storm Front in Mayo also devotes a lot of its runtime to the distinction of Dwight Eisenhower (portrayed by Brendan Fraser in Pressure). What the drama doesn’t seem to have that the documentary does is recognition of Maureen Sweeney, an Irish postmistress who made the first weather observation warning related to the D-Day plans. She also appears in the film at age 96 to share her side of the story. Give it a watch for her.

Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast is available to stream for free on JustWatch via Plex.

Awards Highlights

News & Documentary Emmy Winners

Winners of this year’s News & Documentary Emmys were announced last week, with Prime Minister taking the awards for Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. Other big winners, some of them among our favorites of 2025, include Mstyslav Chernov’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka (available to stream via PBS), which was honored for Outstanding Direction, Cover-Up (available on Netflix), honored for Outstanding Editing, and National Geographic’s Underdogs (Disney+ and Hulu), honored for both Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Sound.

Another double winner was Secrets of the Penguins, which took the awards for Outstanding Nature Documentary and Outstanding Cinematography, the latter for its first episode, “Hearts of the Emperors.” National Geographic had a big presence at this year’s awards and also won with Lost in the Jungle, for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Turning Point: The Vietnam War won for Outstanding Research, HBO’s Critical Incident: A Death at the Border won for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, and the independent Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media won for Outstanding Business and Economy Documentary.

Subscribe now

Documentary Release Calendar 5/29/26 – 6/4/26

Friday, May 29, 2026

Brazil ’70: The Third Star (2026) – A five-part docudrama series about the 1970 Brazilian football team and their performance in the World Cup. (Netflix)

Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy (2026) – An installment of Great Performances narrated by Joel Grey about Jewish composers and lyricists. (PBS)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 4: “Hunger Game” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Rafa (2026) – A four-part docuseries about tennis star Rafael Nadal. See our highlights section for more info. (Netflix)

Time and Water – A documentary feature directed by Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) about Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason and his mission to preserve the memory of his nation’s glaciers. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a link to our review. (In Theaters)

With Hasan in Gaza (2025) – A documentary feature directed by Kamal Aljafari that revisits footage he shot in 2001 about his search for a man he met in prison years earlier. (In Theaters)

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose Episode 1 – The first installment of a five-part docuseries on what it means to be American. (CNN)

MGM Parade Show #6 (1955) – The sixth installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This short spotlights the movies Anna Christie and Quentin Durward. (TCM)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 6: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 31, 2026

The Food That Built America Season 7, Episode 7: “Chocolate in a Glass” – The latest installment of a docuseries about popular American foods. This episode looks at dangerous rides and activities. (History)

Hazardous History with Henry Winkler Season 2, Episode 7: “Thrills & Spills” – The latest installment of a docuseries about dangerous toys and household items that used to be common. This episode involves dangerous parts of homes. (History)

Jimi Hendrix (1973) – A documentary about the titular rock icon. (TCM)

The Killer Among Us Episode 3: “Death in the Dorms” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the murder of a student at a school for the deaf. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monterey Pop (1968) – A concert film by D.A. Pennebaker starring Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who, Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, and more as they perform at the titular music festival. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

Monday, June 1, 2026

The Aggressives (2005) – A documentary feature about trans men of color in New York City. (The Criterion Channel)

Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later (2023) – Sequel to the 2005 documentary The Aggressives about trans men. (The Criterion Channel)

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult (2026) – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the spiritual group Eternal Values. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (HBO and HBO Max)

Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders Season 2, Episode 1: “Waiting for the Darkness” – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving social media and influencers. (Investigation Discovery)

Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light (2024) – A documentary directed by Oscar winner Paul Wagner (The Stone Carvers) and narrated by Hugh Dancy about the titular painter. The film also stars Claire Danes as the voice of O’Keeffe. (VOD)

Helvetica (2007) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about the titular typeface. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren Episode 1 – The first part of a docuseries about the machines that shaped our world. (History)

If I Could Stay (2024) – A documentary about two mothers trying ot keep their families together and avoid deportation. (PBS)

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 3 – The third installment of a six-part spinoff of the docuseries In the Eye of the Storm that follows weather spotters and storm chasers as they record tornadoes. (Discovery Channel)

Kedi (2016) – A documentary feature that follows stray cats around Istanbul. Read our review of Kedi. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Lethally Blonde Season 2, Episode 1 – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving people pursuing beauty and fame. (Investigation Discovery)

Objectified (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about product design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Rams (2015) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about industrial designer Dieter Rams. Read our review of Rams. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Urbanized (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about urban design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Proof Is Out There: Unexplained Edition Season 2, Episode 1: “Demons & Angels” – The return of a docuseries about strange phenomena captured on camera. (History)

Running for the Mountains (2024) – A documentary feature about politics in West Virginia. (OVID)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 3: “Setting Boundaries” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) – A documentary feature about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (VOD)

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 4: “I Just Want a New Nose” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

Michael Jackson: The Verdict (2026) – A three-part docuseries about the criminal trial of Michael Jackson. (Netflix)

Grey Gardens (1975) – A documentary feature by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

On the Case with Paula Zahn Season 29, Episode 7: “Two Fires, One Match” – The latest installment of a true-crime documentary series starring journalist Paula Zahn. (Investigation Discovery)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Aida’s Secrets (2016) – A Holocaust documentary about reunited brothers who had been separated as babies during World War II. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 4 – The latest installment of a nonfiction series that follows actor Jason Momoa as he meets extraordinary people around the country. (HBO Max)

Welcome to Wrexham Season 5, Episode 5: “Holiday Spirit” – The latest installment of a docuseries about a Welsh soccer team co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. (FXX)

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Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

6/5 – Groundswell – A Cannes-winning documentary sequel narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson about humanity’s relationship to land. The film is the third part of a trilogy that also includes Kiss the Ground and Common Ground. (Prime Video)

6/5 – Louis Malle: Le Révolté (2025) – A medium-length documentary about the titular filmmaker. (In Theaters)

6/7 – Best of the World with Antoni Porowski – A travel docuseries starring Antoni Porowski. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

6/7 – This Land – A six-part docuseries that explores the history of America through six defining frontiers. (CNN)

6/7 – Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World – A documentary directed by Questlove about the titular band. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/11 – Surviving Earth – An eight-part docuseries about extinct creatures. (NBC)

6/16 – Becoming Katharine Graham – A documentary feature about the titular Washington Post publisher. (PBS)

6/16 – Eno – A feature documentary directed by Gary Hustwit (Helvetica) about the music artist Brian Eno. (The Criterion Channel)

6/17 – Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul – A documentary about the titular singer-songwriter and musician. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/27 – Possibilities – A documentary about the legacy of Helen Keller. (VOD)

7/3 – Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World – A documentary feature about the titular poet and queer icon. (In Theaters)

8/21 – The Dynasty: UConn Huskies – A three-part docuseries directed by Matthew Hamachek (The Dynasty: New England Patriots) about the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. (Apple TV)

I’ve been on holiday for the last few days, celebrating my 15th wedding anniversary. In fact, I’ll still be off when this newsletter goes out. The magic of scheduling tools! I mention this because I wasn’t able to watch all of this week’s new releases in time. Also, in case I’ve missed anything that popped up on the documentary release schedule late, you know the reason why.

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 the latest from Questlove!). 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 in need of coverage or a mention, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.

Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Time And Water (2026)

With its title and elegiac tone, Sara Dosa’s latest, Time and Water, sounds like a great follow-up to her Oscar-nominated 2022 feature, Fire of Love (one of my favorites of that year). The new documentary might have even more in common with her 2019 film, The Seer and the Unseen. It’s a return to Iceland that again deals with environmental threats and even revisits the country’s myths of elves. Time and Water is a surprisingly personal film, however, not for Dosa but for her subject, the writer Andri Snær Magnason.

He narrates the documentary, in which he laments the loss of his grandparents and Iceland’s glaciers, the latter to global warming. As I wrote in my review of Time and Water, I unfortunately “don’t find Magnason, his family, or his concerns all that interesting, and I didn’t enjoy listening to him talk about any of it.” Yet, it’s not a bad film at all. I conclude that “if at another time I find him and his climate change woes more compelling, I am certain I’ll like Time and Water more.” Also, I love the film’s score by Dan Deacon.

Time and Water will be released in theaters on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Other Documentary Highlights

Bring Me The Beauties: A Model Cult (2026)

Chris Smith continues to prove himself as one of the busiest documentary filmmakers working today. His latest is a three-part docuseries about a cult-like spiritual group from the 1980s that primarily recruited good-looking people. I’ve only watched one episode of Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, but so far, I don’t see how this group was any different than the general superficial culture of the U.S. in the 1980s, and the series hasn’t really set up what was so bad about it yet. I confess, it hasn’t drawn me in.

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Gary Hustwit Documentaries

This week’s filmmaker in focus comes courtesy of a new Criterion Channel curation. The streamer is adding four Gary Hustwit documentaries to its library ahead of its mid-month premiere of the director’s latest, Eno. We’ll get to that one in a couple of weeks. For now, you can join Hustwit in his appreciation for design by watching Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams. The first three make up The Design Trilogy, focusing on typography, products, and urban spaces, respectively.

The fourth film is about industrial designer Dieter Rams, and since it’s probably the least seen, here’s an excerpt from our review:

“Elegantly made, and lovingly shot, this is the first documentary to focus on Rams, who has made a point of shunning his own celebrity. We trail Rams as he migrates from his Japanese-inspired garden to lectures, to exhibition openings, with interjections from the likes of designer Naoto Fukasawa and Rams’ collaborator Dietrich Lubs. Beautifully scored by Brian Eno, the film is primarily concerned with Rams’ iconic work at Braun and Vitsœ, where he revolutionized consumer product design by implementing an approach that placed functionality on a pedestal over the cheap and the chic. It’s gesamtkunstwerk for the modular minimalist’s soul; an attitude to art that is philosophy and vice versa.”

Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, and Rams all begin streaming on The Criterion Channel on Monday, June 1, 2026.

LGBTQ+ Documentaries

This week ushers in June, which is Pride Month. We always take this time (non-exclusively) to recommend the best documentaries about LGBTQ+ history and the best documentary portraits of LGBTQ+ culture. Certain streamers may also use the opportunity to highlight their LGBTQ+ offerings.

The Criterion Channel is one of them, as they’re reminding us that they carry such classic features as Portrait of Jason, Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, The Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, and Paris is Burning. But they’re also adding two essentials from Daniel Peddle focused on trans men of color: The Aggressives and its sequel, Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later.

They also want subscribers to know that they have many LGBTQ+ shorts available to watch, including a handful of documentaries. These include Rob Epstein’s Greetings from Washington, D.C., Mirha-Soleil Ross’s Gender Troublemakers, Cheryl Dunye’s Greetings from Africa, Twiggy Pucci Garçon’s MnM, and Matt Wolf’s Bayard & Me, I Remember: A Film About Joe Brainard, and Another Hayride.

Rafa (2026)

It’s been 13 years since Zach Heinzerling released his Oscar-nominated debut, Cutie and the Boxer, and he hasn’t made anything so memorable since. Instead, he continues to helm projects with big topics and even bigger subjects, and he does so with such polish that there’s no denying he deserved the Academy’s recognition out of the gate. Rafa is his latest, a four-part series about tennis icon Rafael Nadal. It’s so conventional that I felt like I’d seen it before, as it follows Nadal’s career with intimate new footage concentrated on his return to the sport in 2024 after his hip injury, plus additional focus on his decision to retire. It’s another athlete profile that’s strictly for the fans, yet it’s also another that exhibits adept verite filmmaking.

Rafa premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Storm Front In Mayo: The Story Of The D-Day Forecast (2019)

This week’s Doc Option is inspired by the war movie Pressure, which opens on May 29, 2026. Based on a stage play, the drama depicts the planning of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. I could recommend plenty of D-Day documentaries, from Stuart Legg’s Zero Hour and the Oscar-winning feature The True Glory to the more recent miniseries D-Day: The Unheard Tapes. But Pressure is specifically about the weather concerns for the operation, and so is the medium-length film Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast.

As far as I can tell, this is the only historical documentary of its kind to feature archival footage of meteorologist James Stagg (portrayed by Andrew Scott in Pressure) and focus on how weather science played a part in the Normandy invasion. Storm Front in Mayo also devotes a lot of its runtime to the distinction of Dwight Eisenhower (portrayed by Brendan Fraser in Pressure). What the drama doesn’t seem to have that the documentary does is recognition of Maureen Sweeney, an Irish postmistress who made the first weather observation warning related to the D-Day plans. She also appears in the film at age 96 to share her side of the story. Give it a watch for her.

Storm Front in Mayo: The Story of the D-Day Forecast is available to stream for free on JustWatch via Plex.

Awards Highlights

News & Documentary Emmy Winners

Winners of this year’s News & Documentary Emmys were announced last week, with Prime Minister taking the awards for Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. Other big winners, some of them among our favorites of 2025, include Mstyslav Chernov’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka (available to stream via PBS), which was honored for Outstanding Direction, Cover-Up (available on Netflix), honored for Outstanding Editing, and National Geographic’s Underdogs (Disney+ and Hulu), honored for both Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Sound.

Another double winner was Secrets of the Penguins, which took the awards for Outstanding Nature Documentary and Outstanding Cinematography, the latter for its first episode, “Hearts of the Emperors.” National Geographic had a big presence at this year’s awards and also won with Lost in the Jungle, for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Turning Point: The Vietnam War won for Outstanding Research, HBO’s Critical Incident: A Death at the Border won for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, and the independent Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media won for Outstanding Business and Economy Documentary.

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Documentary Release Calendar 5/29/26 – 6/4/26

Friday, May 29, 2026

Brazil ’70: The Third Star (2026) – A five-part docudrama series about the 1970 Brazilian football team and their performance in the World Cup. (Netflix)

Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy (2026) – An installment of Great Performances narrated by Joel Grey about Jewish composers and lyricists. (PBS)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 4: “Hunger Game” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Rafa (2026) – A four-part docuseries about tennis star Rafael Nadal. See our highlights section for more info. (Netflix)

Time and Water – A documentary feature directed by Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) about Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason and his mission to preserve the memory of his nation’s glaciers. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a link to our review. (In Theaters)

With Hasan in Gaza (2025) – A documentary feature directed by Kamal Aljafari that revisits footage he shot in 2001 about his search for a man he met in prison years earlier. (In Theaters)

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose Episode 1 – The first installment of a five-part docuseries on what it means to be American. (CNN)

MGM Parade Show #6 (1955) – The sixth installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This short spotlights the movies Anna Christie and Quentin Durward. (TCM)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 6: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 31, 2026

The Food That Built America Season 7, Episode 7: “Chocolate in a Glass” – The latest installment of a docuseries about popular American foods. This episode looks at dangerous rides and activities. (History)

Hazardous History with Henry Winkler Season 2, Episode 7: “Thrills & Spills” – The latest installment of a docuseries about dangerous toys and household items that used to be common. This episode involves dangerous parts of homes. (History)

Jimi Hendrix (1973) – A documentary about the titular rock icon. (TCM)

The Killer Among Us Episode 3: “Death in the Dorms” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the murder of a student at a school for the deaf. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monterey Pop (1968) – A concert film by D.A. Pennebaker starring Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, The Who, Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, and more as they perform at the titular music festival. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

Monday, June 1, 2026

The Aggressives (2005) – A documentary feature about trans men of color in New York City. (The Criterion Channel)

Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later (2023) – Sequel to the 2005 documentary The Aggressives about trans men. (The Criterion Channel)

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult (2026) – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the spiritual group Eternal Values. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (HBO and HBO Max)

Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders Season 2, Episode 1: “Waiting for the Darkness” – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving social media and influencers. (Investigation Discovery)

Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light (2024) – A documentary directed by Oscar winner Paul Wagner (The Stone Carvers) and narrated by Hugh Dancy about the titular painter. The film also stars Claire Danes as the voice of O’Keeffe. (VOD)

Helvetica (2007) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about the titular typeface. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren Episode 1 – The first part of a docuseries about the machines that shaped our world. (History)

If I Could Stay (2024) – A documentary about two mothers trying ot keep their families together and avoid deportation. (PBS)

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 3 – The third installment of a six-part spinoff of the docuseries In the Eye of the Storm that follows weather spotters and storm chasers as they record tornadoes. (Discovery Channel)

Kedi (2016) – A documentary feature that follows stray cats around Istanbul. Read our review of Kedi. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Lethally Blonde Season 2, Episode 1 – The return of a true-crime docuseries involving people pursuing beauty and fame. (Investigation Discovery)

Objectified (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about product design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Rams (2015) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about industrial designer Dieter Rams. Read our review of Rams. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Urbanized (2009) – A documentary feature by Gary Hustwit about urban design. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Proof Is Out There: Unexplained Edition Season 2, Episode 1: “Demons & Angels” – The return of a docuseries about strange phenomena captured on camera. (History)

Running for the Mountains (2024) – A documentary feature about politics in West Virginia. (OVID)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 3: “Setting Boundaries” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) – A documentary feature about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (VOD)

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 4: “I Just Want a New Nose” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

Michael Jackson: The Verdict (2026) – A three-part docuseries about the criminal trial of Michael Jackson. (Netflix)

Grey Gardens (1975) – A documentary feature by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)

On the Case with Paula Zahn Season 29, Episode 7: “Two Fires, One Match” – The latest installment of a true-crime documentary series starring journalist Paula Zahn. (Investigation Discovery)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Aida’s Secrets (2016) – A Holocaust documentary about reunited brothers who had been separated as babies during World War II. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 4 – The latest installment of a nonfiction series that follows actor Jason Momoa as he meets extraordinary people around the country. (HBO Max)

Welcome to Wrexham Season 5, Episode 5: “Holiday Spirit” – The latest installment of a docuseries about a Welsh soccer team co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. (FXX)

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Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon

6/5 – Groundswell – A Cannes-winning documentary sequel narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson about humanity’s relationship to land. The film is the third part of a trilogy that also includes Kiss the Ground and Common Ground. (Prime Video)

6/5 – Louis Malle: Le Révolté (2025) – A medium-length documentary about the titular filmmaker. (In Theaters)

6/7 – Best of the World with Antoni Porowski – A travel docuseries starring Antoni Porowski. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)

6/7 – This Land – A six-part docuseries that explores the history of America through six defining frontiers. (CNN)

6/7 – Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World – A documentary directed by Questlove about the titular band. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/11 – Surviving Earth – An eight-part docuseries about extinct creatures. (NBC)

6/16 – Becoming Katharine Graham – A documentary feature about the titular Washington Post publisher. (PBS)

6/16 – Eno – A feature documentary directed by Gary Hustwit (Helvetica) about the music artist Brian Eno. (The Criterion Channel)

6/17 – Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul – A documentary about the titular singer-songwriter and musician. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/27 – Possibilities – A documentary about the legacy of Helen Keller. (VOD)

7/3 – Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World – A documentary feature about the titular poet and queer icon. (In Theaters)

8/21 – The Dynasty: UConn Huskies – A three-part docuseries directed by Matthew Hamachek (The Dynasty: New England Patriots) about the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. (Apple TV)

For editors working at the highest levels of unscripted television, the job is as much about shaping a story as it is about cutting one. Few understand that better than the team at Outpost, the St. Louis-based post-production company behind HBO’s sprawling docuseries “U.S. Against the World.” Lucas Harger, a film and commercial editor and partner at Bruton Stroube Outpost, talks about the editorial process behind a large-scale docuseries, how the company balances work across TV, film and commercials, and why operating out of the Midwest has become less of an anomaly — and more of an advantage.

What is your process as an editor working across a large-scale docuseries for a platform like HBO? How did you work alongside the docuseries’ directors to craft episodes?

Yes, our team at Outpost was involved from the very beginning on “U.S. Against the World,” so before we ever dove into cutting episodes, we had many conversations with Park Stories (the show’s production team) to discuss the shape and structure, as well as the emotional and relationship arcs, and key story points.

Then, our internal team would huddle, get into the edit and establish a first cut as quickly as possible – something that we knew would at least give us the foundation we need to continue honing and sharpening the story. 

Once we have a first cut, we’re then collaborating again with the filmmakers on next steps and the direction we want to take the episod 

Outpost works across the TV, film and commercial spaces — what’s the internal process like for your team in terms of attacking that work? Does the entire team work across every medium, or are there different leads in different categories?

I’m proud to say that we have an amazing team with an incredibly diverse skillset at Outpost. So while everyone has capabilities working across different mediums, it’s also true that each editor has their own path, interests and areas of focus. Some cutters have a particular talent and creative eye for shortform content, while others really spread their wings in the music video world, and others in feature docs, scripted comedies, etc.

When I’m assigning projects to the team, I’m always considering their skillset first and foremost, but also their trajectory as creatives and the direction they want to go. 

What are the main differences between editing for scripted and unscripted projects?  

Documentaries are definitely more challenging and demanding. Not to say scripted projects are a cakewalk, but by default, you’re starting with more structure. You have a script, and you’re working based off what’s on the page. There are still challenges, decisions to be made and problems to solve, but the sandbox is a lot smaller.

For a documentary project – especially one like “U.S. Against the World,” which was years in the making – you have to be more comfortable swimming in an ocean of unknowns for a while. There is far more responsibility, and in turn creative space, for an editor to discover and shape the story being told.

Bruton Strobe and Outpost are based in St. Louis. What do you feel are the key differences and advantages of operating from the Midwest?

We love our homebase in St. Louis. It’s definitely intentional that we’re here and not in one of the major hubs, whether that’s LA, New York or even Atlanta. I think one of the key advantages is having the ability to operate from this 50,000 square foot studio, which just wouldn’t be possible in LA or New York – our entire creative team collaborates under the same roof. Another advantage is having this creative haven in the Midwest for really impressive and skilled post-production minds who, for whatever reason, aren’t interested in living on the coasts. It’s also become a great creative playground for our partners – filmmakers, producers – that are either east coast or west coast-based to escape to and work for extended periods of time, away from the usual noise and distractions.

Especially since 2020, we have clients and partners based all over the country, and any stigma around needing to be in LA or NYC to be successful just doesn’t exist anymore. 

The post The Art of the Edit appeared first on Chief Marketer.

Director Diane Ventura and frontman Ely Buendia discuss the new documentary Eraserheads: Combo on the Run, which traces the band’s formation — and reunion — amid political upheaval

Director Diane Ventura and frontman Ely Buendia discuss the new documentary Eraserheads: Combo on the Run, which traces the band’s formation — and reunion — amid political upheaval

Markus Persson, the billionaire creator of Minecraft, tells FORBES why he sold independent gaming company for $2.5 billion to Microsoft in an exclusive interview. (Source: Forbes)

The post Why Minecraft Went Corporate appeared first on Channel Nonfiction.