12/25/20 | The Truffle Hunters
12/18/20 | The Dissident
12/02/20 | Mayor
THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS
Directed by Gregory Kershaw and Michael Dweck
THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS follows a handful of men, seventy to eighty years young, in Piedmont, Italy, on the search for the elusive Alba truffle. They’re guided by a secret culture passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly trained dogs. The documentary subtly explores the devastating effects of climate change and deforestation on an age-old tradition through a visually stunning narrative that celebrates life and exalts the human spirit.
IN SELECT THEATERS ON DECEMBER 25TH
THE DISSIDENT
Directed by Bryan Fogel
When Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappears in Istanbul, his fiancée and dissidents around the world piece together the clues to a murder and expose a global cover up.
IN SELECT THEATERS ON DECEMBER 18TH
Watch the IDA Screening and Q&A with Director Bryan Fogel on October 20th at 6:00 PM
MAYOR
Directed by David Osit
MAYOR is a real-life political saga following Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, during his second term in office. His immediate goals: repave the sidewalks, attract more tourism, and plan the city’s Christmas celebrations. His ultimate mission: to end the occupation of Palestine. Rich with detailed observation and a surprising amount of humor, MAYOR offers a portrait of dignity amidst the madness and absurdity of endless occupation while posing a question: how do you run a city when you don’t have a country?
FIND WHERE TO WATCH DECEMBER 2ND
THE ALL-AMERICAN CUBAN COMET
Directed by Gaspar González
The one-hour documentary recounts the story of Carlos Alvarez, who as a 10-year-old Cuban immigrant felt the sting of discrimination, but soon found a way to combat it: football. Excelling at a sport few Latinos played, “the Cuban Comet” became a record-smashing receiver at the University of Florida and an inspiration to others struggling to adapt to life in a new country, all while speaking out for athletes’ rights, civil rights, and against the war in Vietnam — no matter the cost. Carlos Alvarez proved All-American isn’t a title you earn just on the playing field.
PREMIERES ON OCTOBER 27 AT 8:30 PM ON THE SEC NETWORK
WALTER WINCHELL: THE POWER OF GOSSIP
Directed by Ben Loeterman
American Masters – Walter Winchell: The Power of Gossip traces the life and career of the syndicated columnist, radio news commentator and television host who pioneered the fast-paced, gossip driven, politically charged media culture that dominates today. At the height of his career, Winchell had a combined print and radio audience of 50 million and the power to make or break careers. He became the most feared and admired man in America, a man who transformed entertainment journalism and championed “Mr. and Mrs. America” in his daily columns and Sunday night radio program. Decades later, an alliance with Senator Joseph McCarthy and feuds with Josephine Baker and Ed Sullivan turned his audience against him and forced him into obscurity.
PREMIERES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 AT 9 P.M. ON PBS
TIME
Directed by Garrett Bradley
Fox Rich is a fighter. The entrepreneur, abolitionist and mother of six boys has spent the last two decades campaigning for the release of her husband, Rob G. Rich, who is serving a 60-year sentence for a robbery they both committed in the early 90s in a moment of desperation. Combining the video diaries Fox has recorded for Rob over the years with intimate glimpses of her present-day life, director Garrett Bradley paints a mesmerizing portrait of the resilience and radical love necessary to prevail over the endless separations of the country’s prison-industrial complex.
WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO OCTOBER 16TH
STREETLIGHT HARMONIES
Directed by Brent Wilson
It’s the unmistakable falsetto leads, lilting harmonies and deep backing vocals set to a bluesy street corner rhythm that created those unmistakable sounds “Up On The Roof” (The Drifters), Tears On My Pillow (Little Anthony & The Imperials), Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (The Platters), and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” (The Teenagers) all an endless jukebox of melodies and memories. No other genre of music can conjure up the innocence of a nation, or the pangs of love quite like the timeless sounds of Doo-Wop. An entertaining journey through bands, songs and harmonies that evoke both days gone by as well as current hits, Streetlight Harmonies uncovers a definitive period of music and the artists that defined it. Millions know the music but few know the artists and their history that laid the foundation for rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and built a bridge to the civil rights movement.
CLICK HERE TO FIND WHERE TO WATCH
SIEMPRE, LUIS
Directed by John James
The life of Puerto Rican migrant and relentless activist Luis Miranda (father of “Hamilton” mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda), as he moves to the United States and begins a decades-long fight for Latino communities.
THE COMEDY STORE
Directed by Mike Binder
This documentary series brings to life the legends, heartbreak and history created at The Comedy Store, which over the past 47 years has launched the careers of a breathtaking array of stars. As a Comedy Store alum, former stand-up comic Binder spotlights one of pop culture’s great laboratories with never-before-seen footage and incisive, emotional interviews with some of the biggest names in comedy.
WATCH ON SHOWTIME STARTING OCTOBER 4 AT 10/9C
OTTOLENGHI AND THE CAKES OF VERSAILLES
Directed by Laura Gabbert
Via London, Versailles, and Instagram, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles follows famous chef Yotam Ottolenghi on his quest to bring the sumptuous art and decadence of Versailles to life in cake form at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He assembles a team—a veritable who’s who of the dessert world, including Dominique Ansel and Dinara Kasko—to help bring his vision to life. The pastry chefs create a true feast of Versailles complete with a cocktail whirlpool and posh jello shots, architectural mousse cakes, chocolate sculptures, swan pastries, and an edible garden. Ottolenghi acts as our guide throughout, disassembling pastries to give us the history of ingredients that we now take for granted, like sugar and chocolate. Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles perfectly captures the heights of human achievement and the frailty of decadence, adding taste as one more sense with which to experience the Met.
WATCH IN THEATERS AND VOD SEPTEMBER 25TH
CHALLENGER: THE FINAL FLIGHT
Directed by Daniel Junge and Steven Leckart
Challenger: The Final Flight is a four-part docuseries that examines the 1986 Challenger space shuttle, which tragically broke apart 73 seconds after launch as millions of Americans watched live on television. Incorporating never-before-seen interviews and rare archival material, this series offers an in-depth look at one of the most diverse crews NASA assembled, including high school teacher Christa McAuliffe, who was selected to be the first private citizen in space.
THE WAY I SEE IT
Directed by Dawn Porter
The film follows the life of Pete Souza, the former Chief Official White House Photographer to former president Barack Obama, as photographer to president as Souza uses his photography as commentary to understand where America is now.
IN THEATRES NOW AND ON MSNBC OCTOBER 9TH
CONSOLE WARS
Directed by Blake J. Harris and Jonah Tulis
Console Wars takes viewers back to 1990 when Sega, a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of misfits to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pit brother against brother, kids against grownups, Sonic against Mario, and uniquely American capitalism against centuries-old Japanese tradition. For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation.
WATCH ON CBS ALL ACCESS SEPTEMBER 23RD
ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY
Directed by Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés
This film interweaves personal experiences with current activism and historical insight to expose a problem that has corrupted our democracy from the very beginning. With the perspective and expertise of Stacey Abrams, the former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, the documentary offers an insider’s look into laws and barriers to voting that most people don’t even know is a threat to their basic rights as citizens of the United States.
WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO SEPTEMBER 18TH
ESCAPE FROM EXTINCTION
Directed by Matthew R. Brady
The very web of life on Earth is being threatened in what scientists are calling a ‘Sixth Mass Extinction,’ The Escape from Extinction Team traveled the world documenting the work of the major zoological organizations that can only be called nature’s last arks of hope in preserving the rich legacy of life on our world. Without this help – and the global engagement of the public – the biological treasures we hoped to bequeath to our children and our grandchildren may disappear forever within a generation. This film is critical to mobilizing the support Earth’s animals need – and need now.
NARROWSBURG
Directed by Martha Shane
Narrowsburg tells the stranger-than-fiction story of a French film producer and her mafioso-turned-actor husband who attempt to turn a tiny town into the “Sundance of the East.”
NOW STREAMING ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
BLACK BOYS
Directed by Sonia Lowman
BLACK BOYS is a documentary film that celebrates the full humanity of Black men and boys in America. Utilizing conversations and stories around education, criminal justice, and sports, the film reveals the emotional landscape of those experiencing racism and invites us to reimagine an America in which Black boys experience true belonging and unlimited possibilities.
WATCH ON PEACOCK SEPTEMBER 10TH
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA
Directed by Jeff Orlowski
We tweet, we like, and we share— but what are the consequences of our growing dependence on social media? As digital platforms increasingly become a lifeline to stay connected, Silicon Valley insiders reveal how social media is reprogramming civilization by exposing what’s hiding on the other side of your screen.
WATCH SEPTEMBER 10TH ON NETFLIX
FEELS GOOD MAN
Directed by Arthur Jones
Artist Matt Furie, creator of the comic character Pepe the Frog, begins an uphill battle to take back his iconic cartoon image from those who used it for their own purposes.
Watch digitally on all major platforms September 4TH
GATSBY IN CONNECTICUT: THE UNTOLD STORY
Directed by Robert Steven Williams
Filmmaker Robert Steven Williams examines the claim that “The Great Gatsby” was inspired by the time F. Scott Fitzgerald spent living in Westport, Conn.
