Documentary fans have their werk cut out for them as Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival returns this weekend. Canada’s biggest and gayest showcase of queer cinema spotlights true stories at a time when LGBTQ+ people could use a break. (How often have we written that line?) This year’s festival includes a mix of queens and everyday icons as Inside Out uses the power of visibility to ensure that a wide variety of audiences are seen and heard in the stories on screen. The festival includes a heavy dose of Drag Race content, including two documentary profiles among the ever-growing canon of RuGirl docs. For audiences looking beyond the yassification of queer culture, the festival also salutes figures in history from musicians to athletes who helped pave the way for cinephiles seated in the theatre today.

Here are some of the documentary highlights at this year’s Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival:

Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions

Sat, May 23

Get an audience with the Pope herself as this Hot Docs favourite gets a Toronto encore! POV cover girl Carole Pope joins director Michelle Mama for a special screening of Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions. The documentary frequently surprises with its portrait of the Rough Trade rocker who broke barriers for queer representation, but rode a fickle road of success after trying to make it solo. Antidiva shows audiences that Pope remains one of the most truly “punk” rockers in the business as she keeps hustling from gig to gig with passion that never fades. Read more about the film in our current cover story and review from Hot Docs.

A Deeper Love: The Story of Miss Peppermint

Sat, May 23

It’s a RuPaul’s Drag Race eleganza edition of Inside Out. The film boasts several queens from the hit competition series, including in the opening night screening of the comedy Stop! That! Train!, but season nine fan favourite Miss Peppermint gets her own spotlight. She’s the latest queen in a line of Drag Race alumni to receive a doc portrait. It’s fitting, too, since Peppermint plays a significant role in the franchise’s rocky history of trans representation, and her story drew attention to the stigma that trans queens face when gender binaries rear their ugly heads in drag. The film looks at the queen who scored a runner-up spot while competing on the show, but it also provides an intimate perspective on Peppermint’s work and activism that makes her a winner worthy of a crown.

Hunky Jesus

Sun, May 24 + online

Anyone who likes a well-hung Jesus should say “Amen!” to Hunky Jesus. This fun documentary by Jennifer M. Kroot (To Be Takei) observes the annual Easter ritual held by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in San Francisco. The drag sisters invite San Franciscans to join their passion play, which crowns a “Hunky Jesus” annually along with a memorable (and probably not-so-virginal) “Foxy Mary.” The popular event serves as one case of the Sisters’ charity work, but also an important reminder that faith and queerness aren’t mutually exclusive facets of identity. It just might not rock every congregation’s boat to praise an “Oily Jesus” or a “Twink Jesus.” But every good church deserves a cross that doubles as a stripper pole.

In the Closet

Sun, May 24

The National Film Board of Canada ventures into the world of lifestyle programming with this non-fiction web series from filmmaker/comic Ajahnis Charly. They invite various non-binary Canadians to open the doors to their fashion-forward forms of self-expression. Guests include Two-Spirit Canada’s Drag Race contestant Chelazon Leroux, who drew both snaps and shade for wearing comfortable knitwear on the runway. The series uses a variety of tastes to illustrate how there’s no one-size fits all look for queer folks.

Give Me the Ball!

Sat, May 23

Queer superstar Billie Jean King serves tennis icon realness in this smash documentary from Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff. A standout at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Give Me the Ball! offers the documentary return to the biopic Battle of the Sexes, which starred Emma Stone as the tennis pro who changed the game for women’s sports. The film chronicles King’s fight for pay equity on the tennis courts as she and other women captured the world’s attention through their mean backhand and intense rallies. While women’s tennis grew, pay gaps widened and the battle of the sexes intensified as the women spoke up to the men’s dismay. King provides a terrific subject with engaging interviews, great style, and a knack for colourful details.

My Brother’s Killer

Sat, May 23

This true crime documentary offers a chilling reminder of the many tragic narratives that haunt LGBTQ+ history. Director Rachel Mason opens the cold case of Billy London, a gay adult film actor who was brutally murdered in 1990. The film investigates the ongoing dangers of sex work and the ways in which both queer people and sex workers are abandoned by the justice system. The film revisits previous evidence and suspects, but reveals how some persistent amateur investigation work led to a breakthrough for friends and family members seeking justice for Billy.

Out Laws

Sat, May 30 + online

The spectre of a serial killer haunts this documentary about the fight over the criminalization of same sex relationships in Namibia. Director James Lewis and Lexi Powner follow the stories of three activists pushing for change. Among the participants is Friedel Dausab, a Namibian gay rights activist who spent 25 years fighting the unconstitutionality of the country’s “buggery” law. The film situates the present efforts of activists like Dausab within the larger colonial context that shape a society to the benefit of certain citizens at the expense of the rights and freedoms of others–and asks what threats we continue to pose by positioning anyone as lesser than.

What Will I Become?

Sat, May 30 + Online

Directors Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos share a remarkably intimate and nuanced portrait of mental health among transgender men. The film considers how nearly fifty percent of trans men attempt suicide, and Bean and Rozos use their own stories as jumping off points to honour and interrogate the lives of trans men who are no longer here to share their experiences. What Will I Become? focuses on two men, Homecoming king Blake Brockington and sensitive soul Kyler Prescott, who both died by suicide after coming out. Blake and Kyler’s lives are very different on the surface, as one took the spotlight as an outspoken activist and the other was a soft-spoken teen who was only beginning to find his voice. The film, a double prize-winner at Berlin, nimbly straddles an incredibly difficult high-wire act tonally and emotionally by reflecting the challenges that transpeople face while finding levity in the joys they experienced, if only too briefly.

Heals

Sat, May 30

Inside Out goes out with its heels on, so to speak, as Drag Race Thailand judge Pangina Heals shares her story in this bio doc. The festival hosts the world premiere of Heals’ story, and it’s a pretty bold move of her to debut her movie in Canada after sending both the Canadian queens packing in Drag Race’s cutthroat first season of UK vs. the World. It’s sure to be an emotional screening as that strategy led to one of the most shocking—and, in this writer’s opinion, most dramatically satisfying eliminations ever in the series. Expect an earnest bid for an All Stars comeback and a Q&A with lots of tea and shade.

Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival runs May 22 to 31.

The post Documentaries Slay the House Down at Inside Out appeared first on POV Magazine.

This Memorial Day weekend, let us remember the war documentaries I share every year, including With the Marines at Tarawa, The Battle of Midway, The Mills of the Gods, Hearts and Minds, and Restrepo. Also, in case I haven’t been spotlighting the late Frederick Wiseman enough lately, I urge you to take advantage of the latest sale at the Zipporah Films store (note: we have not received any request to promote this sale). You can get Basic Training (a huge influence on Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket), Manouevre, Missile, and High School, all of them involving military service in some capacity, each with 10 percent off using the code MEMORIAL2026.

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 directed by Chris Smith and 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: Everybody To Kenmure Street (2026)

You can’t judge a documentary by its synopsis. Everybody to Kenmure Street sounds like a simple, conventional political film when all you have to go on is what it’s about (a day-long spontaneous protest in the titular location in Glasgow in 2021 after two locals are detained in an immigration raid). For this exceptional documentary, you need to know how it’s about it. That’s where we critics come in. Not just to tell you more, like how it’s a combination of archival footage, interviews, and dramatizations. That definitely doesn’t sell this brilliantly constructed film, which will be added to our ongoing list of the best documentaries of 2026.

Everybody to Kenmure Street begins with an archival montage traversing centuries of political protests in Glasgow before landing on the date in focus. To show what happened, director Felipe Bustos Sierra sourced video of the Kenmure Street protest from cellphones and media. To tell what happened, a variety of eyewitnesses, participants, activists, and local leaders are interviewed in some of the most uniformly well-designed talking-head shots I’ve seen in a long time. A few individuals are anonymously portrayed in dramatized scenes by actresses Emma Thompson (who is also an executive producer), Kate Dickie, and Keira Lucchesi, who speak their counterparts’ words while acting out moments from the protests. Thompson’s role has her lying under a police van the entire movie, in place of the unknown man she plays.

Those dramatization scenes reminded me of Clio Barnard’s The Arbor, while the rest of the film had me recalling Jose Padilla’s Bus 174. The latter is similarly about a crisis involving a vehicle surrounded by police, media, and many others, in a way that was heavily captured on camera and therefore beneficial to filmmakers looking to piece together images of the day. We get to feel like we’re watching events unfold in real time, albeit condensed. We may even feel like we’re there with the community coming together, and that’s perfect since the film isn’t just about that day; it’s also a reminder of the unity in community. It’s a reminder, emphasized by a centerpiece archival history montage, that the rich and powerful try to divide those they wish to exploit to keep them from rising against them.

There’s really only one element to Everybody to Kenmure Street, and that’s fantastic filmmaking. The various approaches on display are so cohesive that it’s like they’re one. From the outsourced footage to the interviews and the dramatizations, it’s incredibly fluid. I really can’t stop thinking about the beautifully composed interviews, especially one with a protester wearing the same outfit he wore on the day, adding to the consistency of all the material. If there’s any part that breaks that flow, it’s the middle montage, which plays like a parenthetical flashback. But it also provides deep historical context about the setting, elevating the film from an experience to a revelation. It’s a creative work in addition to being important and inspiring, and that makes the latter traits more effective.

Everybody to Kenmure Street will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Icarus Films. We also recommend you check out our interview with director Felipe Bustos Sierra about the documentary.

Other Documentary Highlights

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse (2013) & Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (2022)

The documentary filmmaker Brian Lindstrom died last weekend at the age of 65. His work was not widely known, but I reviewed his final feature, Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill, two years ago for its theatrical release. I acknowledged that it provides plenty of evidence that its equally obscure titular subject was a genius singer-songwriter. “Lost Angel, like Sill’s albums,” I wrote, “is primarily a film for music theory aficionados and fellow songwriters, who will also delight in seeing and hearing from Graham Nash and Jackson Browne on the subject of her sound.” It needn’t make you into a new fan.

His earlier and more acclaimed effort, and the only other that seems available to watch now in his memory, is Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse. The documentary is about a man with schizophrenia who was killed by police officers in Portland in 2006. It’s more broadly about perceptions of mental health issues, excessive force by authorities, and accountability. It’s not a music documentary in the same way as Lost Angel, but it does involve a music scene. Better linking the two features is this quote from Lindstrom on the Alien Boy website: “What draws me to documentary film is the opportunity to shed light on the hidden lives of people who have been dealt a hard hand in life and somehow find the strength to carry on.”

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, Cineverse, Fawesome, Flix Fling, and Philo. Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill is available to rent digitally on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango at Home.

Ask E. Jean (2025)

While E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit against President Donald Trump continues to be in the news, the documentary Ask E. Jean plays as a supplement to current events. That might be okay if this were a film focused solely on that part of her story, but I can’t help but think Carroll wants to be remembered for her life’s work more than someone Trump sexually assaulted, who may or may not eventually collect the $83 million awarded her in the case.

I admit I wasn’t familiar with the journalist and advice columnist before the lawsuit made headlines. And I confess I’ve already forgotten much of what made her so significant because the Trump stuff takes over. I did take note that Carroll didn’t seem to take her own advice regarding the Trump encounter after it happened, and I wish that contradiction had been given more discussion in the film. Not to make it out to be a fault on her part, so much as a real issue for women faced with the reality of certain situations.

As I’m still focused on the case after watching the otherwise fully biographical documentary, I’m also even more curious to see what happens next for Carroll’s payout compared to the one expected to go to Trump’s allies as a settlement for his IRS lawsuit. If there were any justice, survivors of a man’s abuses would receive more restitution than the loyal fans who have assaulted our nation in his name.

Ask E. Jean will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Abramorama.

Hollywood On Trial (1976)

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Hollywood on Trial. The Oscar-nominated documentary covers the history of the filmmakers blacklisted during the 1947 House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, and it’s narrated by John Huston, who had left the U.S. in the 1950s due to his disapproval of such witch hunts. It’s your typical mix of talking heads and archival footage from the time, with most of the surviving members of the Hollywood Ten interviewed about their experience. You won’t be surprised that this film lost the Oscar to Harlan County, U.S.A., but you should appreciate why it was a contender.

Hollywood on Trial is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, and Fawesome.

Robert Greene Documentaries

This week’s documentary filmmaker in focus is Robert Greene, who celebrates his birthday on May 25. Greene, who also wrote some essays for Nonfics in its early days, has been a champion of cinematic nonfiction while being among the most creative documentarians of the last 20 years. His films and collaborations sometimes blur lines of authenticity, as many show an interest in performance, whether it’s in the careers of his participants (Fake it For Real; Actress; Kate Plays Christine; Pavements, which he produced and edited) or the healing reenactments of history or abuse (Bisbee ‘17; Procession). He recently curated a program at Full Frame of like-minded works, but now it’s time to celebrate his own, wherever they may be available.

Fake it For Real is on Kanopy, OVID, Cineverse, Philo, and GuideDoc.
Actress is on Cineverse and Philo.
Kate Plays Christine is on Philo.
Bisbee ‘17 is on Cineverse.
Procession is on Netflix.
Pavements is on Kanopy and Mubi.

Third Act (2025)

More than a year after debuting at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Tadashi Nakamura’s Third Act is finally being officially released. The feature is yet another documentary by a director about his filmmaker parent, but as I wrote in my review last year, it’s “fortunately one of the better examples of this long, strange practice in nonfiction cinema.” I also celebrated the family tradition that it continues: the director’s dad, Robert A. Nakamura, once made a documentary about his own father. “It’s ultimately about both filmmakers,” my review continues, “their once-ashamed Japanese American identity, and the father-son bond they now have. It’s a beautiful multi-generational portrait.”

Third Act will make its broadcast debut on PBS as an episode of Independent Lens on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Two Faces…Behind The Scenes (2013)

This week’s Doc Option is an unconventional choice inspired by an unconventional filmmaker. Rather than recommending one of several Star Wars documentaries in honor of the release of the (very disappointing) The Mandalorian and Grogu, I’m inspired by Boots Riley, whose latest film also hits theaters Friday. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes has nothing to do with that new film, I Love Boosters, but it was something shared by Riley that connects to his work as a director. He tweeted, “10 Years Ago, I had never seen a feature being made. I had only been involved with music videos. In my search to educate myself, I watched this feature-length behind-the-scenes video of Two Faces of January. It’s amazing and beautiful. It gave me so much.”

It’s not your typical behind-the-scenes or making-of documentary. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is essentially an alternative version of Two Faces of January, with behind-the-scenes bits inserted between actual sequences that exist in the dramatic feature. Riley added, “It demystified a lot for me. I believe it’s by the director’s brother. It is the narrative of the movie, but from behind the scenes of every scene in order. With the score from the movie as well. It’s an amazing document and is a piece of art in itself.”

Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is available to stream below via Vimeo.

The Yogurt Shop Murders (2025-2026)

The first four episodes of Margaret Brown’s Gotham and Critics Choice Award-nominated true-crime series The Yogurt Shop Murders were released last August. In my review posted at the time, I celebrated the documentary as “another work that subverts true-crime tropes while delivering every desired angle.” I also wrote, “Brown chronicles the handling of the investigation and the trials of two men charged with the murders while concentrating on the parents and siblings of the girls, the detectives, and the officers of the court whose lives have been affected by the case.”

Since then, new developments have been made in the case, warranting an update. So, a fifth episode has been produced. But the new information — that the real killer of the four girls in an I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt shop in Austin in 1991 has been identified — is not the main focus of this installment. Instead, Brown continues to be interested in the surviving individuals whose lives have been affected by the case, especially the four men who were previously accused of the murders. She asks the parents of the victims and one of the original investigators what they think of these men now, and their answers are somewhat surprising.

In my review of the series, I mention that I couldn’t help but think of the West Memphis Three (and the films about them, including the Paradise Lost trilogy, and West of Memphis) while watching The Yogurt Shop Murders. It’s only fitting, then, that this new feature-length episode has a lot in common with Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, which similarly deals with the exoneration of alleged killers. This is another reminder of how justice is finally being achieved after decades of wrongful arrests and convictions, not just because of advances in evidence testing, but more so due to proper detective work involving great care and collaborative effort, not coercion.

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Documentary Release Calendar 5/22/26 – 5/28/26

Friday, May 22, 2026

Ask E. Jean (2025) – A documentary feature about the advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 3: “Stack Fire” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)

Great Performances: An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger (2026) – An installment of Great Performances presenting Nicole Scherzinger’s Royal Albert Hall concert debut. (PBS)

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)

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” – A new feature-length bonus installment of a true-crime docuseries by Margaret Brown about the killing of four girls at a frozen yogurt shop in 1991. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (HBO Max)

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Summer of ‘94 (2026) – A documentary feature about the U.S. soccer team during the 1994 World Cup. (Fox)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 5: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 24, 2026

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 2: “Mile-Wide EF5”- The second 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)

The Killer Among Us Episode 2: “Fatal Friend Group” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the killing of a 20-year-old girl in Alabama. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monday, May 25, 2026

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 1 – The first installment of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Third Act (2025) – A documentary feature by Tadashi Nakamura about his father, the artist and activist Robert A. Nakamura. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

World War II With Tom Hanks Episodes 1-3: “The Beginning,” “Blitz,” & “Barbarossa” – The first three installments of a 20-part historical docuseries covering the entirety of the Second World War. (History)

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Ancient Astronauts III (2026) – A documentary about humanity’s alleged alien ancestors. (DVD)

A Body to Live In (2025) – A documentary about artist Fakir Musafar. (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Hands That Feed Us (2026) – A documentary about Canadian farmers. (DVD)

Jae-seok’s B&B Rules! (2026) – A nonfiction series following comedian Yu Jae-seok as he starts a bed and breakfast. (Netflix)

London’s Last Wilderness (2026) – A sci-fi documentary hybrid about an alien explorer. (DVD)

Lost Emulsion (2016) – A documentary feature about lost silent films. (DVD)

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 2 – The second half of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Motel Drive (2023) – A documentary about a family that lives in a motel. (Blu-ray)

Sabu (2025) – A documentary feature about the titular wrestler. (Blu-ray)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 2: “Flying High” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Stagebound: Robert “Silk” Mason’s Journey to Opening Night of “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” (2026) – The latest installment of a Great Performances series that looks behind the scenes at Broadway productions. (PBS)

Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows (2022) – A documentary feature about Ghyslain Raza, the internet icon known as the “Star Wars Kid.” (Blu-ray)

Unwelcomed (2025) – A documentary about Venezuelan refugees in Chile. (OVID)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Biocentrics (2023) – A documentary about biomimicry. (OVID)

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 3: “I Miss My Old Face” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

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

The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire (2026) – A two-part documentary on the history of the Roman Empire. (History)

Room to Move (2025) – A documentary executive-produced by Amy Schumer about choreographer Jenn Freeman and her recent autism diagnosis. (Netflix)

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Blue Scuti: Tetris Crasher (2025) – A documentary about the 13-year-old who beat the video game Tetris. (Wonder Project)

Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed (2025) – A documentary about the dangers of Roblox. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 3 – 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 4: “Wales Forever” – 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

5/29 – 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. (In Theaters)

6/1 – Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the cult-like spiritual group Eternal Values. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (HBO and HBO Max)

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. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/8 – Ocean Dreams – An IMAX nature documentary narrated by Shailene Woodley about Earth’s oceans. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/10 – In the Company of Wolves: An American Journey – A documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges about wolves and other animals throughout American history. (In Theaters)

6/12 – Flag Day – A verite documentary of life in Three Oaks, Michigan, home of the largest Flag Day parade. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

This Memorial Day weekend, let us remember the war documentaries I share every year, including With the Marines at Tarawa, The Battle of Midway, The Mills of the Gods, Hearts and Minds, and Restrepo. Also, in case I haven’t been spotlighting the late Frederick Wiseman enough lately, I urge you to take advantage of the latest sale at the Zipporah Films store (note: we have not received any request to promote this sale). You can get Basic Training (a huge influence on Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket), Manouevre, Missile, and High School, all of them involving military service in some capacity, each with 10 percent off using the code MEMORIAL2026.

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 directed by Chris Smith and 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: Everybody To Kenmure Street (2026)

You can’t judge a documentary by its synopsis. Everybody to Kenmure Street sounds like a simple, conventional political film when all you have to go on is what it’s about (a day-long spontaneous protest in the titular location in Glasgow in 2021 after two locals are detained in an immigration raid). For this exceptional documentary, you need to know how it’s about it. That’s where we critics come in. Not just to tell you more, like how it’s a combination of archival footage, interviews, and dramatizations. That definitely doesn’t sell this brilliantly constructed film, which will be added to our ongoing list of the best documentaries of 2026.

Everybody to Kenmure Street begins with an archival montage traversing centuries of political protests in Glasgow before landing on the date in focus. To show what happened, director Felipe Bustos Sierra sourced video of the Kenmure Street protest from cellphones and media. To tell what happened, a variety of eyewitnesses, participants, activists, and local leaders are interviewed in some of the most uniformly well-designed talking-head shots I’ve seen in a long time. A few individuals are anonymously portrayed in dramatized scenes by actresses Emma Thompson (who is also an executive producer), Kate Dickie, and Keira Lucchesi, who speak their counterparts’ words while acting out moments from the protests. Thompson’s role has her lying under a police van the entire movie, in place of the unknown man she plays.

Those dramatization scenes reminded me of Clio Barnard’s The Arbor, while the rest of the film had me recalling Jose Padilla’s Bus 174. The latter is similarly about a crisis involving a vehicle surrounded by police, media, and many others, in a way that was heavily captured on camera and therefore beneficial to filmmakers looking to piece together images of the day. We get to feel like we’re watching events unfold in real time, albeit condensed. We may even feel like we’re there with the community coming together, and that’s perfect since the film isn’t just about that day; it’s also a reminder of the unity in community. It’s a reminder, emphasized by a centerpiece archival history montage, that the rich and powerful try to divide those they wish to exploit to keep them from rising against them.

There’s really only one element to Everybody to Kenmure Street, and that’s fantastic filmmaking. The various approaches on display are so cohesive that it’s like they’re one. From the outsourced footage to the interviews and the dramatizations, it’s incredibly fluid. I really can’t stop thinking about the beautifully composed interviews, especially one with a protester wearing the same outfit he wore on the day, adding to the consistency of all the material. If there’s any part that breaks that flow, it’s the middle montage, which plays like a parenthetical flashback. But it also provides deep historical context about the setting, elevating the film from an experience to a revelation. It’s a creative work in addition to being important and inspiring, and that makes the latter traits more effective.

Everybody to Kenmure Street will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Icarus Films. We also recommend you check out our interview with director Felipe Bustos Sierra about the documentary.

Other Documentary Highlights

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse (2013) & Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (2022)

The documentary filmmaker Brian Lindstrom died last weekend at the age of 65. His work was not widely known, but I reviewed his final feature, Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill, two years ago for its theatrical release. I acknowledged that it provides plenty of evidence that its equally obscure titular subject was a genius singer-songwriter. “Lost Angel, like Sill’s albums,” I wrote, “is primarily a film for music theory aficionados and fellow songwriters, who will also delight in seeing and hearing from Graham Nash and Jackson Browne on the subject of her sound.” It needn’t make you into a new fan.

His earlier and more acclaimed effort, and the only other that seems available to watch now in his memory, is Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse. The documentary is about a man with schizophrenia who was killed by police officers in Portland in 2006. It’s more broadly about perceptions of mental health issues, excessive force by authorities, and accountability. It’s not a music documentary in the same way as Lost Angel, but it does involve a music scene. Better linking the two features is this quote from Lindstrom on the Alien Boy website: “What draws me to documentary film is the opportunity to shed light on the hidden lives of people who have been dealt a hard hand in life and somehow find the strength to carry on.”

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, Cineverse, Fawesome, Flix Fling, and Philo. Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill is available to rent digitally on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango at Home.

Ask E. Jean (2025)

While E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit against President Donald Trump continues to be in the news, the documentary Ask E. Jean plays as a supplement to current events. That might be okay if this were a film focused solely on that part of her story, but I can’t help but think Carroll wants to be remembered for her life’s work more than someone Trump sexually assaulted, who may or may not eventually collect the $83 million awarded her in the case.

I admit I wasn’t familiar with the journalist and advice columnist before the lawsuit made headlines. And I confess I’ve already forgotten much of what made her so significant because the Trump stuff takes over. I did take note that Carroll didn’t seem to take her own advice regarding the Trump encounter after it happened, and I wish that contradiction had been given more discussion in the film. Not to make it out to be a fault on her part, so much as a real issue for women faced with the reality of certain situations.

As I’m still focused on the case after watching the otherwise fully biographical documentary, I’m also even more curious to see what happens next for Carroll’s payout compared to the one expected to go to Trump’s allies as a settlement for his IRS lawsuit. If there were any justice, survivors of a man’s abuses would receive more restitution than the loyal fans who have assaulted our nation in his name.

Ask E. Jean will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Abramorama.

Hollywood On Trial (1976)

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Hollywood on Trial. The Oscar-nominated documentary covers the history of the filmmakers blacklisted during the 1947 House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, and it’s narrated by John Huston, who had left the U.S. in the 1950s due to his disapproval of such witch hunts. It’s your typical mix of talking heads and archival footage from the time, with most of the surviving members of the Hollywood Ten interviewed about their experience. You won’t be surprised that this film lost the Oscar to Harlan County, U.S.A., but you should appreciate why it was a contender.

Hollywood on Trial is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, and Fawesome.

Robert Greene Documentaries

This week’s documentary filmmaker in focus is Robert Greene, who celebrates his birthday on May 25. Greene, who also wrote some essays for Nonfics in its early days, has been a champion of cinematic nonfiction while being among the most creative documentarians of the last 20 years. His films and collaborations sometimes blur lines of authenticity, as many show an interest in performance, whether it’s in the careers of his participants (Fake it For Real; Actress; Kate Plays Christine; Pavements, which he produced and edited) or the healing reenactments of history or abuse (Bisbee ‘17; Procession). He recently curated a program at Full Frame of like-minded works, but now it’s time to celebrate his own, wherever they may be available.

Fake it For Real is on Kanopy, OVID, Cineverse, Philo, and GuideDoc.
Actress is on Cineverse and Philo.
Kate Plays Christine is on Philo.
Bisbee ‘17 is on Cineverse.
Procession is on Netflix.
Pavements is on Kanopy and Mubi.

Third Act (2025)

More than a year after debuting at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Tadashi Nakamura’s Third Act is finally being officially released. The feature is yet another documentary by a director about his filmmaker parent, but as I wrote in my review last year, it’s “fortunately one of the better examples of this long, strange practice in nonfiction cinema.” I also celebrated the family tradition that it continues: the director’s dad, Robert A. Nakamura, once made a documentary about his own father. “It’s ultimately about both filmmakers,” my review continues, “their once-ashamed Japanese American identity, and the father-son bond they now have. It’s a beautiful multi-generational portrait.”

Third Act will make its broadcast debut on PBS as an episode of Independent Lens on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Two Faces…Behind The Scenes (2013)

This week’s Doc Option is an unconventional choice inspired by an unconventional filmmaker. Rather than recommending one of several Star Wars documentaries in honor of the release of the (very disappointing) The Mandalorian and Grogu, I’m inspired by Boots Riley, whose latest film also hits theaters Friday. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes has nothing to do with that new film, I Love Boosters, but it was something shared by Riley that connects to his work as a director. He tweeted, “10 Years Ago, I had never seen a feature being made. I had only been involved with music videos. In my search to educate myself, I watched this feature-length behind-the-scenes video of Two Faces of January. It’s amazing and beautiful. It gave me so much.”

It’s not your typical behind-the-scenes or making-of documentary. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is essentially an alternative version of Two Faces of January, with behind-the-scenes bits inserted between actual sequences that exist in the dramatic feature. Riley added, “It demystified a lot for me. I believe it’s by the director’s brother. It is the narrative of the movie, but from behind the scenes of every scene in order. With the score from the movie as well. It’s an amazing document and is a piece of art in itself.”

Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is available to stream below via Vimeo.

The Yogurt Shop Murders (2025-2026)

The first four episodes of Margaret Brown’s Gotham and Critics Choice Award-nominated true-crime series The Yogurt Shop Murders were released last August. In my review posted at the time, I celebrated the documentary as “another work that subverts true-crime tropes while delivering every desired angle.” I also wrote, “Brown chronicles the handling of the investigation and the trials of two men charged with the murders while concentrating on the parents and siblings of the girls, the detectives, and the officers of the court whose lives have been affected by the case.”

Since then, new developments have been made in the case, warranting an update. So, a fifth episode has been produced. But the new information — that the real killer of the four girls in an I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt shop in Austin in 1991 has been identified — is not the main focus of this installment. Instead, Brown continues to be interested in the surviving individuals whose lives have been affected by the case, especially the four men who were previously accused of the murders. She asks the parents of the victims and one of the original investigators what they think of these men now, and their answers are somewhat surprising.

In my review of the series, I mention that I couldn’t help but think of the West Memphis Three (and the films about them, including the Paradise Lost trilogy, and West of Memphis) while watching The Yogurt Shop Murders. It’s only fitting, then, that this new feature-length episode has a lot in common with Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, which similarly deals with the exoneration of alleged killers. This is another reminder of how justice is finally being achieved after decades of wrongful arrests and convictions, not just because of advances in evidence testing, but more so due to proper detective work involving great care and collaborative effort, not coercion.

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Documentary Release Calendar 5/22/26 – 5/28/26

Friday, May 22, 2026

Ask E. Jean (2025) – A documentary feature about the advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 3: “Stack Fire” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)

Great Performances: An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger (2026) – An installment of Great Performances presenting Nicole Scherzinger’s Royal Albert Hall concert debut. (PBS)

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)

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” – A new feature-length bonus installment of a true-crime docuseries by Margaret Brown about the killing of four girls at a frozen yogurt shop in 1991. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (HBO Max)

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Summer of ‘94 (2026) – A documentary feature about the U.S. soccer team during the 1994 World Cup. (Fox)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 5: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 24, 2026

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 2: “Mile-Wide EF5”- The second 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)

The Killer Among Us Episode 2: “Fatal Friend Group” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the killing of a 20-year-old girl in Alabama. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monday, May 25, 2026

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 1 – The first installment of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Third Act (2025) – A documentary feature by Tadashi Nakamura about his father, the artist and activist Robert A. Nakamura. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

World War II With Tom Hanks Episodes 1-3: “The Beginning,” “Blitz,” & “Barbarossa” – The first three installments of a 20-part historical docuseries covering the entirety of the Second World War. (History)

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Ancient Astronauts III (2026) – A documentary about humanity’s alleged alien ancestors. (DVD)

A Body to Live In (2025) – A documentary about artist Fakir Musafar. (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Hands That Feed Us (2026) – A documentary about Canadian farmers. (DVD)

Jae-seok’s B&B Rules! (2026) – A nonfiction series following comedian Yu Jae-seok as he starts a bed and breakfast. (Netflix)

London’s Last Wilderness (2026) – A sci-fi documentary hybrid about an alien explorer. (DVD)

Lost Emulsion (2016) – A documentary feature about lost silent films. (DVD)

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 2 – The second half of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Motel Drive (2023) – A documentary about a family that lives in a motel. (Blu-ray)

Sabu (2025) – A documentary feature about the titular wrestler. (Blu-ray)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 2: “Flying High” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Stagebound: Robert “Silk” Mason’s Journey to Opening Night of “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” (2026) – The latest installment of a Great Performances series that looks behind the scenes at Broadway productions. (PBS)

Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows (2022) – A documentary feature about Ghyslain Raza, the internet icon known as the “Star Wars Kid.” (Blu-ray)

Unwelcomed (2025) – A documentary about Venezuelan refugees in Chile. (OVID)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Biocentrics (2023) – A documentary about biomimicry. (OVID)

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 3: “I Miss My Old Face” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

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

The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire (2026) – A two-part documentary on the history of the Roman Empire. (History)

Room to Move (2025) – A documentary executive-produced by Amy Schumer about choreographer Jenn Freeman and her recent autism diagnosis. (Netflix)

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Blue Scuti: Tetris Crasher (2025) – A documentary about the 13-year-old who beat the video game Tetris. (Wonder Project)

Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed (2025) – A documentary about the dangers of Roblox. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 3 – 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 4: “Wales Forever” – 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

5/29 – 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. (In Theaters)

6/1 – Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the cult-like spiritual group Eternal Values. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (HBO and HBO Max)

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. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/8 – Ocean Dreams – An IMAX nature documentary narrated by Shailene Woodley about Earth’s oceans. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/10 – In the Company of Wolves: An American Journey – A documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges about wolves and other animals throughout American history. (In Theaters)

6/12 – Flag Day – A verite documentary of life in Three Oaks, Michigan, home of the largest Flag Day parade. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

This Memorial Day weekend, let us remember the war documentaries I share every year, including With the Marines at Tarawa, The Battle of Midway, The Mills of the Gods, Hearts and Minds, and Restrepo. Also, in case I haven’t been spotlighting the late Frederick Wiseman enough lately, I urge you to take advantage of the latest sale at the Zipporah Films store (note: we have not received any request to promote this sale). You can get Basic Training (a huge influence on Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket), Manouevre, Missile, and High School, all of them involving military service in some capacity, each with 10 percent off using the code MEMORIAL2026.

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 directed by Chris Smith and 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: Everybody To Kenmure Street (2026)

You can’t judge a documentary by its synopsis. Everybody to Kenmure Street sounds like a simple, conventional political film when all you have to go on is what it’s about (a day-long spontaneous protest in the titular location in Glasgow in 2021 after two locals are detained in an immigration raid). For this exceptional documentary, you need to know how it’s about it. That’s where we critics come in. Not just to tell you more, like how it’s a combination of archival footage, interviews, and dramatizations. That definitely doesn’t sell this brilliantly constructed film, which will be added to our ongoing list of the best documentaries of 2026.

Everybody to Kenmure Street begins with an archival montage traversing centuries of political protests in Glasgow before landing on the date in focus. To show what happened, director Felipe Bustos Sierra sourced video of the Kenmure Street protest from cellphones and media. To tell what happened, a variety of eyewitnesses, participants, activists, and local leaders are interviewed in some of the most uniformly well-designed talking-head shots I’ve seen in a long time. A few individuals are anonymously portrayed in dramatized scenes by actresses Emma Thompson (who is also an executive producer), Kate Dickie, and Keira Lucchesi, who speak their counterparts’ words while acting out moments from the protests. Thompson’s role has her lying under a police van the entire movie, in place of the unknown man she plays.

Those dramatization scenes reminded me of Clio Barnard’s The Arbor, while the rest of the film had me recalling Jose Padilla’s Bus 174. The latter is similarly about a crisis involving a vehicle surrounded by police, media, and many others, in a way that was heavily captured on camera and therefore beneficial to filmmakers looking to piece together images of the day. We get to feel like we’re watching events unfold in real time, albeit condensed. We may even feel like we’re there with the community coming together, and that’s perfect since the film isn’t just about that day; it’s also a reminder of the unity in community. It’s a reminder, emphasized by a centerpiece archival history montage, that the rich and powerful try to divide those they wish to exploit to keep them from rising against them.

There’s really only one element to Everybody to Kenmure Street, and that’s fantastic filmmaking. The various approaches on display are so cohesive that it’s like they’re one. From the outsourced footage to the interviews and the dramatizations, it’s incredibly fluid. I really can’t stop thinking about the beautifully composed interviews, especially one with a protester wearing the same outfit he wore on the day, adding to the consistency of all the material. If there’s any part that breaks that flow, it’s the middle montage, which plays like a parenthetical flashback. But it also provides deep historical context about the setting, elevating the film from an experience to a revelation. It’s a creative work in addition to being important and inspiring, and that makes the latter traits more effective.

Everybody to Kenmure Street will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Icarus Films. We also recommend you check out our interview with director Felipe Bustos Sierra about the documentary.

Other Documentary Highlights

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse (2013) & Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (2022)

The documentary filmmaker Brian Lindstrom died last weekend at the age of 65. His work was not widely known, but I reviewed his final feature, Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill, two years ago for its theatrical release. I acknowledged that it provides plenty of evidence that its equally obscure titular subject was a genius singer-songwriter. “Lost Angel, like Sill’s albums,” I wrote, “is primarily a film for music theory aficionados and fellow songwriters, who will also delight in seeing and hearing from Graham Nash and Jackson Browne on the subject of her sound.” It needn’t make you into a new fan.

His earlier and more acclaimed effort, and the only other that seems available to watch now in his memory, is Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse. The documentary is about a man with schizophrenia who was killed by police officers in Portland in 2006. It’s more broadly about perceptions of mental health issues, excessive force by authorities, and accountability. It’s not a music documentary in the same way as Lost Angel, but it does involve a music scene. Better linking the two features is this quote from Lindstrom on the Alien Boy website: “What draws me to documentary film is the opportunity to shed light on the hidden lives of people who have been dealt a hard hand in life and somehow find the strength to carry on.”

Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, Cineverse, Fawesome, Flix Fling, and Philo. Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill is available to rent digitally on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango at Home.

Ask E. Jean (2025)

While E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit against President Donald Trump continues to be in the news, the documentary Ask E. Jean plays as a supplement to current events. That might be okay if this were a film focused solely on that part of her story, but I can’t help but think Carroll wants to be remembered for her life’s work more than someone Trump sexually assaulted, who may or may not eventually collect the $83 million awarded her in the case.

I admit I wasn’t familiar with the journalist and advice columnist before the lawsuit made headlines. And I confess I’ve already forgotten much of what made her so significant because the Trump stuff takes over. I did take note that Carroll didn’t seem to take her own advice regarding the Trump encounter after it happened, and I wish that contradiction had been given more discussion in the film. Not to make it out to be a fault on her part, so much as a real issue for women faced with the reality of certain situations.

As I’m still focused on the case after watching the otherwise fully biographical documentary, I’m also even more curious to see what happens next for Carroll’s payout compared to the one expected to go to Trump’s allies as a settlement for his IRS lawsuit. If there were any justice, survivors of a man’s abuses would receive more restitution than the loyal fans who have assaulted our nation in his name.

Ask E. Jean will be released in theaters on Friday, May 22, 2026, courtesy of Abramorama.

Hollywood On Trial (1976)

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Hollywood on Trial. The Oscar-nominated documentary covers the history of the filmmakers blacklisted during the 1947 House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, and it’s narrated by John Huston, who had left the U.S. in the 1950s due to his disapproval of such witch hunts. It’s your typical mix of talking heads and archival footage from the time, with most of the surviving members of the Hollywood Ten interviewed about their experience. You won’t be surprised that this film lost the Oscar to Harlan County, U.S.A., but you should appreciate why it was a contender.

Hollywood on Trial is available to stream on Kanopy, Tubi, and Fawesome.

Robert Greene Documentaries

This week’s documentary filmmaker in focus is Robert Greene, who celebrates his birthday on May 25. Greene, who also wrote some essays for Nonfics in its early days, has been a champion of cinematic nonfiction while being among the most creative documentarians of the last 20 years. His films and collaborations sometimes blur lines of authenticity, as many show an interest in performance, whether it’s in the careers of his participants (Fake it For Real; Actress; Kate Plays Christine; Pavements, which he produced and edited) or the healing reenactments of history or abuse (Bisbee ‘17; Procession). He recently curated a program at Full Frame of like-minded works, but now it’s time to celebrate his own, wherever they may be available.

Fake it For Real is on Kanopy, OVID, Cineverse, Philo, and GuideDoc.
Actress is on Cineverse and Philo.
Kate Plays Christine is on Philo.
Bisbee ‘17 is on Cineverse.
Procession is on Netflix.
Pavements is on Kanopy and Mubi.

Third Act (2025)

More than a year after debuting at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Tadashi Nakamura’s Third Act is finally being officially released. The feature is yet another documentary by a director about his filmmaker parent, but as I wrote in my review last year, it’s “fortunately one of the better examples of this long, strange practice in nonfiction cinema.” I also celebrated the family tradition that it continues: the director’s dad, Robert A. Nakamura, once made a documentary about his own father. “It’s ultimately about both filmmakers,” my review continues, “their once-ashamed Japanese American identity, and the father-son bond they now have. It’s a beautiful multi-generational portrait.”

Third Act will make its broadcast debut on PBS as an episode of Independent Lens on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Two Faces…Behind The Scenes (2013)

This week’s Doc Option is an unconventional choice inspired by an unconventional filmmaker. Rather than recommending one of several Star Wars documentaries in honor of the release of the (very disappointing) The Mandalorian and Grogu, I’m inspired by Boots Riley, whose latest film also hits theaters Friday. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes has nothing to do with that new film, I Love Boosters, but it was something shared by Riley that connects to his work as a director. He tweeted, “10 Years Ago, I had never seen a feature being made. I had only been involved with music videos. In my search to educate myself, I watched this feature-length behind-the-scenes video of Two Faces of January. It’s amazing and beautiful. It gave me so much.”

It’s not your typical behind-the-scenes or making-of documentary. Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is essentially an alternative version of Two Faces of January, with behind-the-scenes bits inserted between actual sequences that exist in the dramatic feature. Riley added, “It demystified a lot for me. I believe it’s by the director’s brother. It is the narrative of the movie, but from behind the scenes of every scene in order. With the score from the movie as well. It’s an amazing document and is a piece of art in itself.”

Two Faces…Behind the Scenes is available to stream below via Vimeo.

The Yogurt Shop Murders (2025-2026)

The first four episodes of Margaret Brown’s Gotham and Critics Choice Award-nominated true-crime series The Yogurt Shop Murders were released last August. In my review posted at the time, I celebrated the documentary as “another work that subverts true-crime tropes while delivering every desired angle.” I also wrote, “Brown chronicles the handling of the investigation and the trials of two men charged with the murders while concentrating on the parents and siblings of the girls, the detectives, and the officers of the court whose lives have been affected by the case.”

Since then, new developments have been made in the case, warranting an update. So, a fifth episode has been produced. But the new information — that the real killer of the four girls in an I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt shop in Austin in 1991 has been identified — is not the main focus of this installment. Instead, Brown continues to be interested in the surviving individuals whose lives have been affected by the case, especially the four men who were previously accused of the murders. She asks the parents of the victims and one of the original investigators what they think of these men now, and their answers are somewhat surprising.

In my review of the series, I mention that I couldn’t help but think of the West Memphis Three (and the films about them, including the Paradise Lost trilogy, and West of Memphis) while watching The Yogurt Shop Murders. It’s only fitting, then, that this new feature-length episode has a lot in common with Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, which similarly deals with the exoneration of alleged killers. This is another reminder of how justice is finally being achieved after decades of wrongful arrests and convictions, not just because of advances in evidence testing, but more so due to proper detective work involving great care and collaborative effort, not coercion.

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Friday, May 22, 2026.

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Documentary Release Calendar 5/22/26 – 5/28/26

Friday, May 22, 2026

Ask E. Jean (2025) – A documentary feature about the advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)

Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 3: “Stack Fire” – The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)

Everybody to Kenmure Street (2026) – A Sundance-winning documentary feature about residents of Glasgow coming together against deportation threats. See our Pick of the Week section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)

Great Performances: An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger (2026) – An installment of Great Performances presenting Nicole Scherzinger’s Royal Albert Hall concert debut. (PBS)

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)

The Yogurt Shop Murders Episode 5: “The End of Wondering” – A new feature-length bonus installment of a true-crime docuseries by Margaret Brown about the killing of four girls at a frozen yogurt shop in 1991. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (HBO Max)

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Summer of ‘94 (2026) – A documentary feature about the U.S. soccer team during the 1994 World Cup. (Fox)

Tucci in Italy Season 2, Episode 5: “Veneto” – The latest episode of a docuseries starring Stanley Tucci as he explores Italy through its cuisine. (National Geographic)

Sunday, May 24, 2026

In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers Episode 2: “Mile-Wide EF5”- The second 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)

The Killer Among Us Episode 2: “Fatal Friend Group” – The latest installment of a docuseries hosted by Alan Cumming about murders in close-knit communities. This episode involves the killing of a 20-year-old girl in Alabama. (Oxygen True Crime)

Monday, May 25, 2026

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 1 – The first installment of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Third Act (2025) – A documentary feature by Tadashi Nakamura about his father, the artist and activist Robert A. Nakamura. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)

World War II With Tom Hanks Episodes 1-3: “The Beginning,” “Blitz,” & “Barbarossa” – The first three installments of a 20-part historical docuseries covering the entirety of the Second World War. (History)

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Ancient Astronauts III (2026) – A documentary about humanity’s alleged alien ancestors. (DVD)

A Body to Live In (2025) – A documentary about artist Fakir Musafar. (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Hands That Feed Us (2026) – A documentary about Canadian farmers. (DVD)

Jae-seok’s B&B Rules! (2026) – A nonfiction series following comedian Yu Jae-seok as he starts a bed and breakfast. (Netflix)

London’s Last Wilderness (2026) – A sci-fi documentary hybrid about an alien explorer. (DVD)

Lost Emulsion (2016) – A documentary feature about lost silent films. (DVD)

The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle Episode 2 – The second half of a two-part documentary about a criminal who claimed to be suffering from amnesia. (Investigation Discovery)

Motel Drive (2023) – A documentary about a family that lives in a motel. (Blu-ray)

Sabu (2025) – A documentary feature about the titular wrestler. (Blu-ray)

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 2: “Flying High” – The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)

Stagebound: Robert “Silk” Mason’s Journey to Opening Night of “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” (2026) – The latest installment of a Great Performances series that looks behind the scenes at Broadway productions. (PBS)

Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows (2022) – A documentary feature about Ghyslain Raza, the internet icon known as the “Star Wars Kid.” (Blu-ray)

Unwelcomed (2025) – A documentary about Venezuelan refugees in Chile. (OVID)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Biocentrics (2023) – A documentary about biomimicry. (OVID)

The Face Doctors Season 2, Episode 3: “I Miss My Old Face” – The latest installment of a nonfiction series about facial reconstruction specialists and their patients. (TLC)

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

The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire (2026) – A two-part documentary on the history of the Roman Empire. (History)

Room to Move (2025) – A documentary executive-produced by Amy Schumer about choreographer Jenn Freeman and her recent autism diagnosis. (Netflix)

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Blue Scuti: Tetris Crasher (2025) – A documentary about the 13-year-old who beat the video game Tetris. (Wonder Project)

Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed (2025) – A documentary about the dangers of Roblox. (OVID)

On the Roam Season 2, Episode 3 – 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 4: “Wales Forever” – 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

5/29 – 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. (In Theaters)

6/1 – Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult – A three-part docuseries directed by Chris Smith (Tiger King) about the cult-like spiritual group Eternal Values. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (HBO and HBO Max)

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. (HBO and HBO Max)

6/8 – Ocean Dreams – An IMAX nature documentary narrated by Shailene Woodley about Earth’s oceans. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

6/10 – In the Company of Wolves: An American Journey – A documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges about wolves and other animals throughout American history. (In Theaters)

6/12 – Flag Day – A verite documentary of life in Three Oaks, Michigan, home of the largest Flag Day parade. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)

Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear has been a fixture of film and television for decades, bringing warmth, wit, and emotional depth to beloved classics like “As Good as It Gets,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” Most recently, he stars in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” the acclaimed new television series that recently wrapped its first season.

In this episode, Greg Kinnear reflects on his circuitous path from radio and talk shows to becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors. He explains why he believes that same path may no longer exist in today’s entertainment industry. He opens up about the changing economics of Hollywood in the age of AI and the collapse of the industry’s “middle class.” Funny, thoughtful, and philosophical, Kinnear shares why he still believes there’s something fundamentally human about great acting that technology can’t replicate.

Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear has been a fixture of film and television for decades, bringing warmth, wit, and emotional depth to beloved classics like “As Good as It Gets,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” Most recently, he stars in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” the acclaimed new television series that recently wrapped its first season.

In this episode, Greg Kinnear reflects on his circuitous path from radio and talk shows to becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors. He explains why he believes that same path may no longer exist in today’s entertainment industry. He opens up about the changing economics of Hollywood in the age of AI and the collapse of the industry’s “middle class.” Funny, thoughtful, and philosophical, Kinnear shares why he still believes there’s something fundamentally human about great acting that technology can’t replicate.

For 40 years after his flight from Prague, Rafael Kubelik was a non-person in his home country.

But players in his orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, now reveal that he stayed in touch with them, one way or another.

A revealing interview by our partners at OperaPlus.

The post New doc: How Rafael Kubelik kept contact with Czech Philharmonic appeared first on Slippedisc.

Exclusive: Filmmakers and siblings Meghan and Justin Ross’ latest project explores how people process their fear of the end and why we avoid talking about it — particularly in an Arab family like theirs.

Everybody to Kenmure Street is the documentary we all need right now, for its inspirational showcase of solidarity and effective peaceful protest, as well as for its refreshingly creative choices that blend crowdsourced footage, aesthetically conscious interviews, historical context, and staged elements featuring familiar actors. The award-winning film is primarily about an impromptu demonstration of community action responding to a deportation raid in Glasgow in May 2021. Thousands of locals surrounded a van holding two of their neighbors, blocking its departure. One man even stationed himself underneath the van to keep it from moving at all. Spoiler alert: the protest was successful, resulting in the release of the two men.

The film is concentrated on that singular event in that singular location, but it’s also about anywhere in the world that could use some hope and harmony. It’s a reminder that protests work and, more importantly, communities can make an impact when they come together, not allowing those in power to divide them. It’s a reminder of the allies who are there with you in the present and throughout the past as you challenge morally corrupt authorities. Everybody to Kenmure Street is a call for everyone to watch and experience the Kenmure Street protest as if seeing it or being part of it as it unfolds. I recommend doing so in the theater for an optimally intimate and collective appreciation of the story and the artistry involved in its telling.

Felipe Bustos Sierra is the central artist behind Everybody to Kenmure Street. The filmmaker is himself an immigrant residing in Scotland, having been born and raised in Belgium, and is the son of an exiled Chilean immigrant. His first feature, Nae Pasaran, was about Scottish factory workers who went on strike in solidarity with Chileans during the Pinochet dictatorship. Everybody to Kenmure Street is his second feature and continues some of the same themes. This week, I spoke to Bustos Sierra about the new documentary, the impact it’s had on him and its various audiences, and some of the fresh ideas behind its production. Below is our conversation, mostly in full, edited for clarity.

I read that before the day that you document in the film, you had given up on protests. Did you immediately change your mind after the event, or while making the film, or since making the film?

I’d lost faith in mass protest. Bodies on the street. It didn’t feel like it was having the impact it used to have anymore. Part of it was the research for my previous film, Nae Pasaran, and talking to civil servants in the UK government’s Home Office and Foreign Office. One of the comments that stayed with me was at the Foreign Office. In London, a million people walked past their window during the protest of the War in Iraq, back in the day. Their reaction was that somebody just basically shut the only window that was open to cover the noise they were making. It didn’t seem to have any sort of register in their consciousness. There’s that quote from Kwame Ture that peaceful protest only works if your position registers some kind of consciousness.

There is something different about Kenmure Street. They’re not just protesting in the street. They’re physically blocking the streets, so they became a force to be reckoned with. But [my loss of faith had] stopped me from going. I just assumed if there was any sort of resistance, it’d be cleared very quickly and very violently. That’d been the case for this sort of peaceful, silent vigil in the run-up to Kenmure Street. Or, that by the time enough people turned up to make a difference, the van would have gone. I guess that was the information I had first thing in the morning. Then, watching it unfold on social media, I realized something different was happening.

At first, my thinking was not to make a documentary about this. My first instinct was how did I miss out on this physically. I didn’t express my solidarity. I didn’t get to feel what people felt that day as a massive expression of collective joy. They all got to feel something they created themselves. I will never feel that. That’s something I’ve never gotten to feel in my life. Few people get to feel that in their lives. Part of making the film was working out: what did I miss that I hadn’t seen before? And do we need to change our perspective on how we look at protests? But also, is there maybe a way to emotionally connect to what happened that day through making a film about it? That first week of doing research and talking to people who lived in my neighborhood, I was very charged up, and by the end, I was like, there was a different way to talk about protests in our day and age.

Read more

Everybody to Kenmure Street is the documentary we all need right now, for its inspirational showcase of solidarity and effective peaceful protest, as well as for its refreshingly creative choices that blend crowdsourced footage, aesthetically conscious interviews, historical context, and staged elements featuring familiar actors. The award-winning film is primarily about an impromptu demonstration of community action responding to a deportation raid in Glasgow in May 2021. Thousands of locals surrounded a van holding two of their neighbors, blocking its departure. One man even stationed himself underneath the van to keep it from moving at all. Spoiler alert: the protest was successful, resulting in the release of the two men.

The film is concentrated on that singular event in that singular location, but it’s also about anywhere in the world that could use some hope and harmony. It’s a reminder that protests work and, more importantly, communities can make an impact when they come together, not allowing those in power to divide them. It’s a reminder of the allies who are there with you in the present and throughout the past as you challenge morally corrupt authorities. Everybody to Kenmure Street is a call for everyone to watch and experience the Kenmure Street protest as if seeing it or being part of it as it unfolds. I recommend doing so in the theater for an optimally intimate and collective appreciation of the story and the artistry involved in its telling.

Felipe Bustos Sierra is the central artist behind Everybody to Kenmure Street. The filmmaker is himself an immigrant residing in Scotland, having been born and raised in Belgium, and is the son of an exiled Chilean immigrant. His first feature, Nae Pasaran, was about Scottish factory workers who went on strike in solidarity with Chileans during the Pinochet dictatorship. Everybody to Kenmure Street is his second feature and continues some of the same themes. This week, I spoke to Bustos Sierra about the new documentary, the impact it’s had on him and its various audiences, and some of the fresh ideas behind its production. Below is our conversation, mostly in full, edited for clarity.

I read that before the day that you document in the film, you had given up on protests. Did you immediately change your mind after the event, or while making the film, or since making the film?

I’d lost faith in mass protest. Bodies on the street. It didn’t feel like it was having the impact it used to have anymore. Part of it was the research for my previous film, Nae Pasaran, and talking to civil servants in the UK government’s Home Office and Foreign Office. One of the comments that stayed with me was at the Foreign Office. In London, a million people walked past their window during the protest of the War in Iraq, back in the day. Their reaction was that somebody just basically shut the only window that was open to cover the noise they were making. It didn’t seem to have any sort of register in their consciousness. There’s that quote from Kwame Ture that peaceful protest only works if your position registers some kind of consciousness.

There is something different about Kenmure Street. They’re not just protesting in the street. They’re physically blocking the streets, so they became a force to be reckoned with. But [my loss of faith had] stopped me from going. I just assumed if there was any sort of resistance, it’d be cleared very quickly and very violently. That’d been the case for this sort of peaceful, silent vigil in the run-up to Kenmure Street. Or, that by the time enough people turned up to make a difference, the van would have gone. I guess that was the information I had first thing in the morning. Then, watching it unfold on social media, I realized something different was happening.

At first, my thinking was not to make a documentary about this. My first instinct was how did I miss out on this physically. I didn’t express my solidarity. I didn’t get to feel what people felt that day as a massive expression of collective joy. They all got to feel something they created themselves. I will never feel that. That’s something I’ve never gotten to feel in my life. Few people get to feel that in their lives. Part of making the film was working out: what did I miss that I hadn’t seen before? And do we need to change our perspective on how we look at protests? But also, is there maybe a way to emotionally connect to what happened that day through making a film about it? That first week of doing research and talking to people who lived in my neighborhood, I was very charged up, and by the end, I was like, there was a different way to talk about protests in our day and age.

Read more