Sundance: It turns out that centenarians don’t make for the most riveting interview subjects, but Sam Green’s film gleans a real poignancy from what they have to say.
IDA Member Spotlight: Jeremy Power Regimbal
idastaff
Fri, 01/23/2026 – 13:29
IDA Member Spotlight: Jeremy Power Regimbal
idastaff
Fri, 01/23/2026 – 13:29
Our first roundup from Sundance 2026 features reviews of two shorts we included in our list of the most anticipated documentaries of 2026. One of them is a given since it’s co-directed by the master of short documentaries, Ben Proudfoot (The Queen of Basketball; The Last Repair Shop). The other is also by a familiar director, Cristina Costantini (Science Fair; Sally), whose latest is perfect for all the ICE haters out there.
La Tierra Del Valor (The Home Of The Brave) (2026)
Last year, Cristina Costantini was at Sundance with a biographical feature about Sally Ride, an iconic astronaut who sadly had to suppress the truth about her sexuality to maintain her career and legacy while alive. This year, the filmmaker returns to the festival with a short documentary about a woman who risked her career and legacy by not holding back, and instead being true to herself and her community. This isn’t to say that Ride wasn’t brave; it was a very different time and a different issue.
La Tierra del Valor (The Home of the Brave) briefly follows the story of NEZZA, a singer who gained notoriety, positively and negatively, for performing the U.S. National Anthem in Spanish (“El Pendón Estrellado”) at Dodger Stadium last summer, on Flag Day no less. While some of the criticism of the act presumes the defiance was self-serving as a way to get more attention and fame, the documentary allows NEZZA to explain herself better than even her social media defenses could. She begins with a hurried narration of her backstory as the child of two immigrants who met through their love of dance and music, shares her love and gratitude to the Latin community that makes up most of her fanbase, and expresses her disapproval of the Trump Administration’s terror against her community, particularly the ICE raids in L.A.
Yes, the performance wound up benefiting NEZZA’s career (though not enough that she’s easily found on the internet outside of articles about the National Anthem controversy; she doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page!). More so than it brought her serious repercussions. Even the immediate response she claims to have received from Dodger Stadium, stating she wouldn’t be welcome back, was only temporary due to the backlash the venue faced. But the film shows how such gains only come with genuinely good intentions that first and foremost benefit the community and the country. And such intentions only come with a touch of acceptable self-centeredness in the way of being true to one’s nature, artistry, integrity, and heart. NEZZA’s display of purity is even more pronounced than her courage, which makes her arguably even more inspiring here. It’s a difference that makes the documentary and NEZZA as a subject more affecting than profound, and all the better for it.
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The Baddest Speechwriter Of All (2026)
Two-time Oscar-winner in the Documentary Short Film category Ben Proudfoot has done it again, and this time he’s combined his proven interests in aging subjects, basketball, music, and Black history with The Baddest Speechwriter of All. His co-director on this short is NBA star Stephen Curry, who seems to be the primary interviewer for the film’s centerpiece conversation with now-95-year-old Clarence B. Jones. The documentary shares Jones telling stories of his background, meeting Martin Luther King Jr., his part in writing the “I Have a Dream” speech, and other biographical and professional anecdotes. He unsurprisingly has a way with words, but his telling of these stories is what makes the film so stimulating.
The single shot of Jones uttering his history could have easily been enough. He’s lively, entertaining, loose yet deliberate. Proudfoot and Curry still add supplementary and illustrative footage, some of it archival and some of it animation. But none of it has the usual feeling of being included just because the filmmakers thought they had to. The animation doesn’t so much provide filler for what doesn’t otherwise exist visually. It’s so precise in perspective, albeit impressionistically, that the images are more like depictions of Jones’s memories. The archival material is similarly specific, enhancing, not diverting. When Jones is talking about the March on Washington and the “I Have a Dream” speech, it’s vital to show clips of these events. The film needs footage of Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte, not just because they are characters in Jones’s stories, but because their perpetuated iconography is deserved.
The Baddest Speechwriter of All is a particularly dynamic film as a result, and every cut away from Jones is warranted, every inserted image relevant and appropriate. As someone who is easily distracted away from voiceover material due to (undiagnosed) auditory processing disorder, or simply a poor aural attention span, I appreciate such rationally selected and well-edited montage in documentaries of this sort. Despite Jones’s celebration of riffing here, it’s not the type of film that calls for improvisation. However, in accordance with the riffing theme, it still has the feeling of a freewheeling but determined solo, where Jones is the focal point, and the filmmakers are supporting him with rhythmic and other accessory accompaniment. What they do with the “I Have a Dream” scene is a perfect representation of what their purpose is when making a documentary around such a dominant core element as this one has.
Thanks for reading Nonfics! This post is public so feel free to share it.
Our first roundup from Sundance 2026 features reviews of two shorts we included in our list of the most anticipated documentaries of 2026. One of them is a given since it’s co-directed by the master of short documentaries, Ben Proudfoot (The Queen of Basketball; The Last Repair Shop). The other is also by a familiar director, Cristina Costantini (Science Fair; Sally), whose latest is perfect for all the ICE haters out there.
La Tierra Del Valor (The Home Of The Brave) (2026)
Last year, Cristina Costantini was at Sundance with a biographical feature about Sally Ride, an iconic astronaut who sadly had to suppress the truth about her sexuality to maintain her career and legacy while alive. This year, the filmmaker returns to the festival with a short documentary about a woman who risked her career and legacy by not holding back, and instead being true to herself and her community. This isn’t to say that Ride wasn’t brave; it was a very different time and a different issue.
La Tierra del Valor (The Home of the Brave) briefly follows the story of NEZZA, a singer who gained notoriety, positively and negatively, for performing the U.S. National Anthem in Spanish (“El Pendón Estrellado”) at Dodger Stadium last summer, on Flag Day no less. While some of the criticism of the act presumes the defiance was self-serving as a way to get more attention and fame, the documentary allows NEZZA to explain herself better than even her social media defenses could. She begins with a hurried narration of her backstory as the child of two immigrants who met through their love of dance and music, shares her love and gratitude to the Latin community that makes up most of her fanbase, and expresses her disapproval of the Trump Administration’s terror against her community, particularly the ICE raids in L.A.
Yes, the performance wound up benefiting NEZZA’s career (though not enough that she’s easily found on the internet outside of articles about the National Anthem controversy; she doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page!). More so than it brought her serious repercussions. Even the immediate response she claims to have received from Dodger Stadium, stating she wouldn’t be welcome back, was only temporary due to the backlash the venue faced. But the film shows how such gains only come with genuinely good intentions that first and foremost benefit the community and the country. And such intentions only come with a touch of acceptable self-centeredness in the way of being true to one’s nature, artistry, integrity, and heart. NEZZA’s display of purity is even more pronounced than her courage, which makes her arguably even more inspiring here. It’s a difference that makes the documentary and NEZZA as a subject more affecting than profound, and all the better for it.
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The Baddest Speechwriter Of All (2026)
Two-time Oscar-winner in the Documentary Short Film category Ben Proudfoot has done it again, and this time he’s combined his proven interests in aging subjects, basketball, music, and Black history with The Baddest Speechwriter of All. His co-director on this short is NBA star Stephen Curry, who seems to be the primary interviewer for the film’s centerpiece conversation with now-95-year-old Clarence B. Jones. The documentary shares Jones telling stories of his background, meeting Martin Luther King Jr., his part in writing the “I Have a Dream” speech, and other biographical and professional anecdotes. He unsurprisingly has a way with words, but his telling of these stories is what makes the film so stimulating.
The single shot of Jones uttering his history could have easily been enough. He’s lively, entertaining, loose yet deliberate. Proudfoot and Curry still add supplementary and illustrative footage, some of it archival and some of it animation. But none of it has the usual feeling of being included just because the filmmakers thought they had to. The animation doesn’t so much provide filler for what doesn’t otherwise exist visually. It’s so precise in perspective, albeit impressionistically, that the images are more like depictions of Jones’s memories. The archival material is similarly specific, enhancing, not diverting. When Jones is talking about the March on Washington and the “I Have a Dream” speech, it’s vital to show clips of these events. The film needs footage of Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte, not just because they are characters in Jones’s stories, but because their perpetuated iconography is deserved.
The Baddest Speechwriter of All is a particularly dynamic film as a result, and every cut away from Jones is warranted, every inserted image relevant and appropriate. As someone who is easily distracted away from voiceover material due to (undiagnosed) auditory processing disorder, or simply a poor aural attention span, I appreciate such rationally selected and well-edited montage in documentaries of this sort. Despite Jones’s celebration of riffing here, it’s not the type of film that calls for improvisation. However, in accordance with the riffing theme, it still has the feeling of a freewheeling but determined solo, where Jones is the focal point, and the filmmakers are supporting him with rhythmic and other accessory accompaniment. What they do with the “I Have a Dream” scene is a perfect representation of what their purpose is when making a documentary around such a dominant core element as this one has.
Thanks for reading Nonfics! This post is public so feel free to share it.
Our two new books… STORY QUESTIONS is currently 10% off! – https://payhip.com/b/ZTvq9
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0:00 – You Don’t Need Film School To Be A Filmmaker
30:52 – “I’ll Never Look At Football The Same” – Story Behind CONCUSSED: The American Dream
1:02:25 – What Filmmakers Know Before Flying A Drone
1:20:04 – First Steps To Editing A Movie
1:34:11 – First Steps To Making A Documentary Film
WATCH ‘CONCUSSED: THE AMERICAN DREAM’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uwlwiUE3PM
CONNECT WITH CONCUSSED: THE AMERICAN DREAM
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https://www.facebook.com/ConcussedMovie
MORE VIDEOS WITH RAY ROMAN
https://tinyurl.com/9ktmmrue
Filmmaker Raymond J. Roman is a Producer on the documentary Concussed: The American Dream. With more than two decades of experience in video production since 2000, Ray has refined his expertise across various roles. For this documentary, he not only Produced but also applied his creative talents as the Director of Photography and Drone Operator. In addition to his film work, his company, Ray Roman Media, specializes in capturing commercial and residential real estate listings throughout Southern California, as well as covering local stories from San Diego to Riverside County. Ray Roman is consistently working on new projects and looks forward to sharing upcoming stories with his audience.
CONNECT WITH RAY ROMAN
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MORE FILM COURAGE
First Steps To Making A Documentary Film – https://youtu.be/coCRrqCbojQ
Nnamdi Asomugha – From Football Star To Acting Star – https://youtu.be/j-TefGb8jnE
A Documentary Filmmaking Masterclass – https://youtu.be/JBCvpdEOkh4
Breaking Into Documentary Filmmaking – https://youtu.be/naFYHtiCj_w
How To Make A Documentary (With Little Money) – https://youtu.be/iYRoMaOnbOQ
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THE ANATOMY OF STORY: 22 Steps To Becoming A Master Storyteller
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THE ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING – Lajos Egri
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ON WRITING: A Memoir of the Craft
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#film #football #brainhealth
Conan O’Brien reacts to the work of Werner Herzog.
Source: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conan-obrien-needs-a-friend/id1438054347
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3u26tlz7A3WyWRtXliX9a9
The nominees for the 98th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning, with 12 different documentaries among those recognized. Five contenders each were named in the Documentary Feature Film and Documentary Short Film categories, with two more honored in the Music (Original Song) category.
Notable Oscar nominees in 2026 (honoring films released in 2025) include Geeta Gandbhir, who directed two of the nominees: Documentary Feature Film contender The Perfect Neighbor and Documentary Short Film contender The Devil is Busy (the latter co-directed with Christalyn Hampton). Otherwise, Gandbhir is a first-time Oscar nominee, as are most of the filmmakers in her category
The handful of return nominees includes one of The Alabama Solution directors, Andrew Jarecki, who was previously recognized by the Academy 22 years ago with his feature debut, Capturing the Friedmans. He is the only one back this year in the Documentary Feature Film category.
All the Empty Rooms directors Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones were previously nominated in the Documentary Short Film category three years ago with Stranger at the Gate. The legendary Sheila Nevins, who is nominated as the producer of the short Children No More: Were and Are Gone, was a nominee in the category two years ago as one of the nominees of The ABCs of Book Burning.
Of course, Dianne Warren earned her 17th Oscar nomination, this time for an original song written for the documentary about her, Dianne Warren: Relentless. She isn’t likely to win this time either, but she did receive an Honorary Oscar a few years ago.
Thanks for reading Nonfics! This post is public so feel free to share it.
While there were some surprise omissions in the Documentary Feature category, including our favorite film of the year, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, and the lengthy My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow, it’s great to see our number three doc of last year, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which was just finally released yesterday.
In all, only three of the five Documentary Feature Film nominees (and documentary nominees in total) previously appeared on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. Only two of the features were previously nominated at the 2025 Critics Choice Documentary Awards (which I produce). And only two of the shorts matched up with that event’s Best Short Documentary nominees.
The Perfect Neighbor is only the third winner of the Critics Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature since the start of the CCDAs to be nominated for an Oscar. Is the curse broken? We’ll have to see if the overlap continues next year. And we’ll have to see if it wins the Oscar too.
It’s not included below (I haven’t seen it yet, so I’m unsure if I’d consider it suited for this site), but I also want to acknowledge the Cinema Eye-winning hybrid film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which was nominated for Best International Feature Film. Its director, Kaouther Ben Hania, and producer, Nadim Cheikhrouha, were previously nominated in the Documentary Feature Film category in 2023 with Four Daughters.
Here are this year’s documentary Oscar nominees (and where to watch them):
Documentary Feature Film
The Alabama Solution
Nominees: Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman
Available to stream on HBO Max
Come See Me In The Good Light
Nominees: Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, and Stef Willen
Available to stream on Apple TV
Cutting Through Rocks
Nominees: Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni
Currently unavailable to watch
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominees: to be determined
Available to stream on Kino Film Collection, and now playing in theaters
The Perfect Neighbor
Nominees: Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, and Sam Bisbee
Available to stream on Netflix
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Documentary Short Film
All The Empty Rooms
Nominees: Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Available to stream on Netflix
Armed Only With A Camera: The Life And Death Of Brent Renaud
Nominees: Craig Renaud and Juan Arredondo
Available to stream on HBO Max
Children No More: Were And Are Gone
Nominees: Hilla Medalia and Sheila Nevins
Currently unavailable to watch
The Devil Is Busy
Nominees: Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir
Available to stream on HBO Max
Perfectly A Strangeness
Nominee: Alison McAlpine
Currently unavailable to watch
Music (Original Song)
“Dear Me” – Diane Warren: Relentless
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Available to stream on Kanopy
Listen to the song via Kesha’s YouTube channel here:
“Sweet Dreams Of Joy” – Viva Verdi!
Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike
Currently unavailable to watch
Listen to the song via Nicholas Pike’s YouTube channel here:
The nominees for the 98th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning, with 12 different documentaries among those recognized. Five contenders each were named in the Documentary Feature Film and Documentary Short Film categories, with two more honored in the Music (Original Song) category.
Notable Oscar nominees in 2026 (honoring films released in 2025) include Geeta Gandbhir, who directed two of the nominees: Documentary Feature Film contender The Perfect Neighbor and Documentary Short Film contender The Devil is Busy (the latter co-directed with Christalyn Hampton). Otherwise, Gandbhir is a first-time Oscar nominee, as are most of the filmmakers in her category
The handful of return nominees includes one of The Alabama Solution directors, Andrew Jarecki, who was previously recognized by the Academy 22 years ago with his feature debut, Capturing the Friedmans. He is the only one back this year in the Documentary Feature Film category.
All the Empty Rooms directors Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones were previously nominated in the Documentary Short Film category three years ago with Stranger at the Gate. The legendary Sheila Nevins, who is nominated as the producer of the short Children No More: Were and Are Gone, was a nominee in the category two years ago as one of the nominees of The ABCs of Book Burning.
Of course, Dianne Warren earned her 17th Oscar nomination, this time for an original song written for the documentary about her, Dianne Warren: Relentless. She isn’t likely to win this time either, but she did receive an Honorary Oscar a few years ago.
Thanks for reading Nonfics! This post is public so feel free to share it.
While there were some surprise omissions in the Documentary Feature category, including our favorite film of the year, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, and the lengthy My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow, it’s great to see our number three doc of last year, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which was just finally released yesterday.
In all, only three of the five Documentary Feature Film nominees (and documentary nominees in total) previously appeared on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. Only two of the features were previously nominated at the 2025 Critics Choice Documentary Awards (which I produce). And only two of the shorts matched up with that event’s Best Short Documentary nominees.
The Perfect Neighbor is only the third winner of the Critics Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature since the start of the CCDAs to be nominated for an Oscar. Is the curse broken? We’ll have to see if the overlap continues next year. And we’ll have to see if it wins the Oscar too.
It’s not included below (I haven’t seen it yet, so I’m unsure if I’d consider it suited for this site), but I also want to acknowledge the Cinema Eye-winning hybrid film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which was nominated for Best International Feature Film. Its director, Kaouther Ben Hania, and producer, Nadim Cheikhrouha, were previously nominated in the Documentary Feature Film category in 2023 with Four Daughters.
Here are this year’s documentary Oscar nominees (and where to watch them):
Documentary Feature Film
The Alabama Solution
Nominees: Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman
Available to stream on HBO Max
Come See Me In The Good Light
Nominees: Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, and Stef Willen
Available to stream on Apple TV
Cutting Through Rocks
Nominees: Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni
Currently unavailable to watch
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominees: to be determined
Available to stream on Kino Film Collection, and now playing in theaters
The Perfect Neighbor
Nominees: Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, and Sam Bisbee
Available to stream on Netflix
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Documentary Short Film
All The Empty Rooms
Nominees: Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Available to stream on Netflix
Armed Only With A Camera: The Life And Death Of Brent Renaud
Nominees: Craig Renaud and Juan Arredondo
Available to stream on HBO Max
Children No More: Were And Are Gone
Nominees: Hilla Medalia and Sheila Nevins
Currently unavailable to watch
The Devil Is Busy
Nominees: Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir
Available to stream on HBO Max
Perfectly A Strangeness
Nominee: Alison McAlpine
Currently unavailable to watch
Music (Original Song)
“Dear Me” – Diane Warren: Relentless
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Available to stream on Kanopy
Listen to the song via Kesha’s YouTube channel here:
“Sweet Dreams Of Joy” – Viva Verdi!
Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike
Currently unavailable to watch
Listen to the song via Nicholas Pike’s YouTube channel here:
Sundance is still the gold standard launching pad for docs, but filmmakers and producers are plotting self-release strategies early rather than wait for a mega worldwide deal.