Blackfish (2013)
Documentary
Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Starring: Tilikum, Dave Duffus, Samantha Berg
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Go Grandriders / Bu lao qi shi (2012)
Adventure | Documentary
Would you still dare to dream when you're 80 years old? On average, they are 81 years old, but with dreams only 18-year-old and they dare to dream. They would tell you, through life-long experience, 'Miracles do happen as long as you continue to dream!' Among these 17 'Grandriders', 2 have gone through cancers, 4 need hearing aids, 5 suffer from high blood pressure and 8 have coronary diseases. And every one of them has symptoms of joint degeneration. The challenges officially begin when they decide to straddle on their scooters: Objections from family members, taking driver's license at old age, aging bodies and bodily functions and every possible weather and road conditions along that 1178-kilometer long journey.
Director: Tian-Hao Hua
Wild Arabia (TV Mini-Series 2013)
Documentary
Extraordinary wildlife, landscapes and people – Arabia is a land of magic and surprise.
Starring: Alexander Siddig
Director: Alexander Siddig
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Crime | Documentary | Drama
In 2001, Andrew Bagby, a medical resident, is murdered not long after breaking up with his girlfriend. Soon after, when she announces she's pregnant, one of Andrew's many close friends, Kurt Kuenne, begins this film, a gift to the child. Friends, relatives, and colleagues say warm and loving things about Andrew, home movies confirm his exuberance. Andrew's parents, Kathleen and David, move to Newfoundland, Canada where the ex-girlfriend has gone. They await an arrest and trial of the murderer. They negotiate with the ex-girlfriend to visit their grandchild, Zachary, and they seek custody. Is there any justice; is Zachery a sweet and innocent consolation for the loss of their son?
Starring: Kurt Kuenne, Andrew Bagby, David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby, Zachary Andrew Turner
Director: Kurt Kuenne
Oxyana (2013)
Documentary | News
Tucked in the Appalachian mountains of Southern West Virginia, Oceana, is a small, once thriving coal-mining town that has fallen victim to the fast spreading scourge of prescription painkiller Oxycontin. As the coal industry slowly declined and times got tough, a black market for the drug sprung up and along with it a rash of prostitution, theft and murder. Soon its own residents had nicknamed the town Oxyana and it began to live up to its reputation as abuse, addiction and overdoses became commonplace. Oxyana is a harrowing front line account of a community in the grips of an epidemic, told through the voices of the addicts, the dealers and all those affected. It is a haunting glimpse into an American nightmare unfolding before our eyes, a cautionary tale told with raw and unflinching honesty.
Director: Sean Dunne
Documentary of AKB48: Show Must Go On (2012)
Documentary
Yasushi Akimoto created and produced theater idol group AKB48 in 2005. The group has gone on to become national idols. When the group held 3 concerts at the Seibu Dome, a total of 90,000 fans came to see their performances. Documentary of AKB48: Show Must Go On documents the girls up and close and introduces the audience to the problems they face as idols. The camera follows the group over a one-year period. Crafted from more than 1,000 hours of footage, including concerts, rehearsal sessions and interviews with band members, the documentary charts the complex balance of friendship and competition that exists between band members, and takes a look at the more personal side of a multimillion dollar music industry group.
Starring: AKB48
Director: Eiki Takahashi
The Motivation (2013)
Documentary | Sport
Eight of the world's best pro-skateboarders prepare for the upcoming Street League Championship in NYC. Each equally talented, they all must overcome unique challenges – family pressures, injuries, money, fame and their own internal struggles – for a chance to win $200,000 and the title of best street-skateboarder in the world. The Motivation is a non-fiction sports film from internationally acclaimed filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough (The Carter, Bomb the System) featuring the biggest names in professional skateboarding today.
Starring: Steve Berra, Chris Cole, Rob Dyrdek, Nyjah Huston, Eric Koston, Sean Malto
Director: Adam Bhala Lough
Brooklyn Castle (2012)
Documentary
Brooklyn Castle is a documentary about I.S. 318 – an inner-city school where more than 65 percent of students are from homes with incomes below the federal poverty level – that also happens to have the best, most winning junior high school chess team in the country. (If Albert Einstein, who was rated 1800, were to join the team, he'd only rank fifth best). Chess has transformed the school from one cited in 2003 as a "school in need of improvement" to one of New York City's best. But a series of recession-driven pubic school budget cuts now threaten to undermine those hard-won successes.
Starring: Alexis, Rochelle Ballantyne, Pobo Efekoro, John Galvin, Justus, Patrick, Fred Rubino, Elizabeth Vicary
Director: Katie Dellamaggiore
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010)
Documentary
100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well- with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health. With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle. While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets a truck driver who suffers from the same rare condition. Phil Staples is morbidly obese weighing in at 429 lbs; a cheeseburger away from a heart-attack. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well. What emerges is nothing short of amazing – an inspiring tale of healing and human connection. Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.
Starring: Joe Cross
Director: Joe Cross, Kurt Engfehr
Madagascar 3D (2013)
Documentary
In the Indian Ocean, 400 kilometers from the east coast of Africa, lies the so called "sixth continent": Madagascar. For millions of years, this island has been a sheltered and isolated habitat – incomparable to any other area on earth. This documentary takes you to the most remote and mysterious corners of the "sixth continent". "Madagascar 3D" delves into the dark and dense rainforests, accompanied by the feisty lemurs, and overcomes cracks and crevices in the majestic mountains of the island, showing you all the faces that Madagascar has to offer. Recorded in modern stereoscopic 3D, this documentary takes you deep into the beauty of Madagascar and makes for an unforgettable experience.
Starring: Benjamin Eicher, Timo Joh. Mayer
The Startup Kids (2012)
Biography | Documentary
The Startup Kids is a documentary about young web entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Europe. It contains interviews with founders of Vimeo, Dropbox, Soundcloud and more who talk about how they started their company and their lives as an entrepreneur. Along with that people from the tech scene speaks about the startup environment including the venture capitalist Tim Draper and MG Siegler, tech blogger at Techcrunch.
Starring: Trip Adler, Alexa Andrzejewski, Mike Butcher, Carter Cleveland, Leah Culver
Director: Vala Halldorsdottir, Sesselja Vilhjalmsdottir
The Greatest Movie Ever Rolled (2012)
Documentary
Two Comedians, Doug Benson and Graham Elwood. decide to make a movie detailing their lives on the road.
Starring: Doug Benson, Cameron Buchholtz, Lydia Demange, Graham Elwood
Director: Ryan Polito
Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
Biography | Documentary | Music
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez.
Starring: Malik Bendjelloul
Director: Malik Bendjelloul
Rape For Profit (2012)
Documentary | Drama
This documentary illuminates and explores the reality of sex trafficking and its root causes by following the stories of the victims, those who victimize and the ones trying to combat it. Set in Seattle, the #3 city for this activity in the country, the viewer gets a front row seat to the action as it is happening on the streets. Touching on controversial themes such as prostitution, lust and power, 'Rape For Profit' brings a new perspective to this modern day slavery.
Director: Eric Esau, Jason Pamer
Only the Young (2012)
Comedy | Documentary | Romance
In a small desert town just beyond the shadow of magic mountain, children are the gods of foreclosed homes and underpasses. Three teenagers find things to do in a place that offers nothing. They discover first love, friendship and avoid the realities of becoming an adult.
Starring: Garrison Saenz, Kevin Conway, Skye Elmore, Samantha MacDonald, Kristen Cheriegate, Shannon Hudson, Robin Levy
Director: Elizabeth Mims, Jason Tippet
American Autumn: An Occudoc (2012)
Crime | Documentary | News | War
What would a world look like that had a culture and an economic system that places human need above corporate greed, and how do we bring that world into being? Who cares what it is called. Call it Socialism, Call it Real Democracy Now, and Call it Chunky-Monkey-Cherry Garcia. The world needs to change radically, it needs to change dramatically, and it needs to change fast. This documentary is an invitation for you to participate in that positive change. Frankly, because, we need you. Yes, you.
Director: Dennis Trainor Jr.
Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians (2011)
Documentary
Holy Rollers follows the rise of arguably the largest and most well-funded blackjack team in America-made up entirely of churchgoing Christians. While they succeed in taking millions from casinos, how will they manage to find a place for faith and God in the arena of high stakes gambling?
Starring: Ben Crawford, Brad Currah, Michael Scott Foster, Colin Jones, Mark Treas, Dusty Wisniew
Director: Bryan Storkel
California, 90420 (2012)
Biography | Comedy | Documentary | Drama
A glimpse into the world of weed through the eyes of Oaksterdam University Students and OU Chancellor/Prop 19 Spokeswoman, Dale Sky Jones.
Starring: Dale Sky Jones, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Lee, Ix, John Hirsch, Amber Lund, Nicholas Lund
Director: Dean Shull
Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters (2011)
Documentary
A documentary that captures the greatest world record Tetris players as they prepare for the Classic Tetris World Championship. From the days of Thor Aackerlund and his historic victory at the 1990 Nintendo World Championships, right up to the present and Harry Hong's perfect "Max-Out" score, this documentary expertly chronicles over two decades of Tetris Mastery.
Starring: Thor Aackerlund, Pat Contri, Harry Hong, Jesse Kelkar, Robin Mihara, Ben Mullen, Jonas Neubauer
Director: Adam Cornelius
Rihanna: No Regrets (2013)
Documentary
She has been referred to as one of the most powerful celebrities of our time and has been characterised as one of the most influential people in the world. We are taken on a journey from humble beginnings in St. Michael in Barbados to her becoming the world class pop icon she is today. Rihanna is the first female artist from Barbados to have won a Grammy Award. She has received dozens of awards, produced songs with Ne-Yo, Stargate and Timberland and released seven albums. This film takes a look at the life of a singer from the view of the fans, industry experts and the singer herself as she talks about the heartaches and celebration of being one of the most talked about individuals in the music industry today. We also take an intimate look into her love/ hate relationship with singer Chris Brown and how this has lead to a positive change in her music, while the abuse she experiencedlead to a change that would stay with her forever. Including rare archive footage and music videos from a selection of her greatest hits including Pon de Replay, Umbrella, Rude Boy, We Found Love and more this a must see for any Rihanna fan!
Starring: Rihanna, Julia Montgomery Brown
Director: Tom O' Dowd
