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International Documentaries

Today's documentary makers tackle the controversial and traditional with verve, respect and expertise.

A Murder in Mansfield

Film Barbara Kopple A man revisits his mother’s brutal murder in this compelling true crime story, from Oscar-winner Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA, Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing).

Bisbee '17

Film Robert Greene A beautiful and haunting hybrid film from innovative US filmmaker Robert Greene (Kate Plays Christine, SFF 2016), that explores an American town’s shameful past.

Chef Flynn

Film Cameron Yates What makes a great chef? Follow teenage culinary sensation Flynn McGarry’s rapid ascent from the home kitchen to the cover of New York Times Magazine.

Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders

Film Joe Berlinger A highly detailed reconstruction of the infamous Clutter family murders, which inspired Truman Capote’s bestseller In Cold Blood, directed by Oscar nominee Joe Berlinger.

Ex Libris - The New York Public Library

Film Frederick Wiseman Multi-award-winning documentarian (including an Honorary Oscar) Frederick Wiseman’s riveting behind-the-scenes look at New York’s Public Library.

Filmworker

Film Tony Zierra Stanley Kubrick’s often neglected right-hand man, Leon Vitali, reveals his boundless devotion to the legendary director of 2001: A Space Odyssey in this intriguing documentary.

Genesis 2.0

Film Christian Frei, Maxim Arbugaev Winner of a Special Jury Award at Sundance, this striking documentary connects Siberian hunters of woolly mammoth remains with cutting edge 21st century cloning technology.

Habaneros

Film Julien Temple A music-filled tribute to Havana’s glorious history, by veteran rock filmmaker Julien Temple (The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners).

Half the Picture

Film Amy Adrion Why are there so few female filmmakers? Prominent US women directors, from Ava DuVernay (Selma) to Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World), debate this urgent question.

Inland Sea

Film Kazuhiro Soda The mesmerising beauty of Japan’s Inland Sea is the setting for this exquisite observational documentary about fading traditions, from Kazuhiro Soda (Oyster Factory, SFF 2015).

Inventing Tomorrow

Film Laura Nix Enterprising high school students from Indonesia, India, Mexico and Hawaii tackle environmental issues in their own backyard, as they prepare for the world’s largest science fair.

Jill Bilcock: Dancing the Invisible

Film Axel Grigor The extraordinary life and artistry of acclaimed film editor Jill Bilcock – award winner for Muriel’s Wedding, Moulin Rouge!, and The Dressmaker (to name a few!).

John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection

Film Julien Faraut Jean-Luc Godard’s observation that “movies lie, not sports” is the starting point for this playful cine-essay on John McEnroe’s performance at the 1984 French Open.

Kusama - Infinity

Film Heather Lenz Celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, aka the ‘Princess of Polka Dots’, is the subject of this appropriately colourful and beguiling documentary.

Lots of Kids, A Monkey and a Castle

Film Gustavo Salmerón A hugely charming portrait of a Spanish family headed by an eccentric matriarch, whose teenage dreams for lots of kids, a monkey and a castle came true.

McQueen

Film Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui A vibrant portrait of the late UK fashion icon Alexander McQueen, packed full of interviews with friends, lovers and family, and footage of his inspirational shows.

Of Fathers and Sons

Film Talal Derki A no-holds-barred portrait of a radical Islamic father and his sons. Shot over two years, it won Syrian filmmaker Talal Derki the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance.

On Her Shoulders

Film Alexandria Bombach The winner of the US Documentary Directing Award at Sundance follows a courageous young woman, and former ISIS captive, as she becomes an activist for her Yazidi community.

Over the Limit

Film Marta Prus An intense portrait, five years in the making, of a Russian gymnast as she faces the most difficult phase in her career – the lead-up to the Olympics.

Speak Up

Film Ladj Ly, Stéphane de Freitas A group of French college students prepare for an annual public speaking competition in the northern suburbs of Paris, in this entertaining and captivating documentary.

That Summer

Film Göran Hugo Olsson Big Edie and Little Edie, of the 1975 classic Grey Gardens, return to the big screen, in long-lost footage from the summer of 1972.

The Ancient Woods

Film Mindaugas Survila A magical ode to an ancient European forest, filmed in exquisite detail, this is a one-of-a-kind nature film that begs to be seen on the big screen.

The Cleaners

Film Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck The critical, controversial issue of internet censorship: from the tech workers employed to delete “inappropriate content” to the users impacted by their decisions.

The Deminer

Film Hogir Hirori, Shinwar Kamal The Deminer is an edge-of-your-seat portrait of a bomb disposal expert in Iraq. Winner of a Jury Prize at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).

The Distant Barking of Dogs

Film Simon Lereng Wilmont Simon Lereng Wilmot won the First Appearance Award at IDFA for this poignant story of life for a boy and his grandmother on the frontline of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

The Ice King

Film James Erskine The story of John Curry, dubbed the ‘greatest ice skater in the world’, and the first openly gay Olympian at a time when homosexuality was not even fully legal.

The Long Season

Film Leonard Retel Helmrich Multi-award-winning filmmaker Leonard Retel Helmrich (Shape of the Moon, Position Among the Stars, SFF 2011) focuses his camera lens on life in a Syrian refugee camp.

The Other Side of Everything

Film Mila Turajlic A mysterious locked door in a Belgrade apartment becomes a symbol of Serbia’s divisive history in this top prize winner at Amsterdam’s International Documentary Film Festival.

The Poetess

Film Stefanie Brockhaus, Andreas Wolff The first female finalist to compete in Million’s Poet – an Arabic-language equivalent of the Idol TV franchise – stirs up controversy as she stands for a progressive Islam.

The Prince of Nothingwood

Film Sonia Kronlund A hit at festivals worldwide, this highly entertaining story is about an irrepressible Afghan filmmaker shooting no-budget DIY films in a country that’s still a battle zone.

The Venerable W.

Film Barbet Schroeder Academy Award nominee Barbet Schroeder (Reversal of Fortune) continues his exploration of evil with this chilling look at a Buddhist monk stirring up hatred in Myanmar.

Three Identical Strangers

Film Tim Wardle The unbelievable-but-true tale of three strangers who discover they’re identical triplets separated at birth, with one of the most surprising twists you’ll ever encounter.

Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

Film Lorna Tucker The wonderfully eccentric, endlessly inventive Vivienne Westwood is the reluctant star of this fabulous documentary.

Whispering Truth to Power

Film Shameela Seedat A dramatic portrait of an inspirational woman, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, at the helm during a South African political crisis.

Wik vs Queensland

Film Dean Gibson A powerful insight into the High Court’s 1996 decision to grant native title to the Wik peoples of Cape York; and the dramatic political and cultural fallout that followed.

Yellow is Forbidden

Film Pietra Brettkelly Chinese designer Guo Pei’s determination to join the exclusive world of Haute Couture is captured with verve and intimacy in Pietra Brettkelly’s outstanding documentary.

Young Solitude

Film Claire Simon Acclaimed French director Claire Simon films teenagers as they swap stories of angst and idealism, in this astute documentary about adolescence.

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