DOC NYC 2023 is America’s largest documentary film festival, and one of the best in the world.
Like other New York film festivals, this is not only about seeing new films before everyone else does. It’s more about entering the conversation with actors, filmmakers, and film fans. There are lots of Q&As with the filmmakers.
Filmmaking used to cost a lot of money, but now you can even make films from your phone. You just have to get started, and DOC NYC is a great place to find your vision.
DOC NYC 2023
DOC NYC 2023, America’s largest documentary film festival, is at IFC Center in the West Village, SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Village East by Angelika and Bar Veloce in the East Village; from Wednesday, November 8-26, 2023. From $20. Passes available. 🇺🇸 🇧🇷 🇨🇲 🇨🇺 🇯🇲 🇲🇽 🇪🇸 🇻🇪
The Opening Night film is the New York Premiere of “The Contestant.” Clair Titley directs the story of a Japanese comedian, known as Nasubi, whose reality TV challenge is to live alone in an apartment on only what he can win from magazine sweepstakes. He didn’t know he was being live streamed (in 1998), and eventually the isolation takes its toll. Screens at SVA Theatre in Chelsea; on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 6:45pm. $30. docnyc.net 🇯🇵
The Centerpiece film is the World Premiere of “Uncropped.” D.W. Young directs the story of New York photographer James Hamilton, whose iconic portraits of New York legends like Patti Smith, Liza Minnelli, Lou Reed, George Romero (Night of the Living Dead), and Wes Anderson (Grand Budapest Hotel) tell New York stories of the last fifty years. Screens at IFC Center in the West Village; on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 6:30pm. $30. docnyc.net 🗽
The Closing Night Film is the World Premiere of “South to Black Power.” Sam Pollard and Llewellyn M. Smith direct this story based on New York Times opinion columnist Charles M. Blow’s calls for a reverse Great Migration back to the South as a means of reclaiming Black Power. Blow is a great writer. The value of his idea comes from unity which is the source of all human power. Screens at SVA Theatre in Chelsea; on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 6:30pm. docnyc.net 🇺🇸
Latin Films
Latin films (at least in our concept) are spread across African/African-American, Caribbean, Indigenous/Native Americans/First Peoples, and Latinx/Latin-American (these links go to docnyc.net).
Native American Film
“One with the Whale” is the New York Premiere of Peter Chelkowski and Jim Wickens’ story of a teenage Native Alaskan hunter whose community survives on the whale hunt, but gets severely bullied on social media for his hunting prowess. Indigenous peoples live in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the land and the sea, and don’t take more than they need to survive. Screens with co-director Q&As on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 4:15pm. $20. docnyc.net 🇺🇸
Brazilian Bossa Nova Film
“They Shot the Piano Player” is the New York City Premiere of Spanish artists Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal’s (Chico & Rita), animated film about the origins of Brazilian bossa nova (samba jazz). It turns on the 1976 disappearance of piano virtuoso Francisco Tenório Júnior, one of the best pianists of his generation, during the Brazilian dictatorship. Screens at Village East by Angelika in the East Village; on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 8pm. $20. docnyc.net 🇪🇸 🇧🇷
Cuban Film
“Patria y Vida: The Power of Music” is multiple Grammy winner Beatriz Luengo’s story about the San Isidro Movement, a group of Cuban artists, journalists, and academics whose protests against government censorship inspired a rap song “Patria y Vida” (Homeland and Life). The song’s title turns the Cuban revolutionary slogan “Patria o Muerte” into something positive. It went viral globally, inspired more protests in Cuba, and won the Latin Grammy for song of the year. One of the composers Maykel Osorbo (Michael Castillo), is rotting in a Cuban jail. These artists love their country. “Patria y Vida.” Screens with Q&A with the director and composer Yotuel Romero, at Village East by Angelika in the East Village; on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 9pm. $20. docnyc.net 🇨🇺
Cameroonian Film
“Le Spectre de Boko Haram” (The Ghost of Boko Haram) is the U.S. Premiere of Cyrielle Raingou’s story about how three children live in fear of being kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers for Boko Haram in Kolofata, a small town in Northern Cameroon. Screens at Village East by Angelika in the East Village, on Saturday, November 11, 2023. $20. docnyc.net 🇨🇲
There are many more great documentaries. Regular screenings are $20 in-person and $13 online. Film passes are available from $49.
For tickets, passes, and more information, visit docnyc.net