Documentary of the Week

“Tina” draws upon rare archives and new interviews to profile Tina Turner with a fresh perspective on her iconic story. Oscar-winning filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (“Undefeated”) capture the star’s power on stage and vulnerability behind the scenes. 

“Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” tells the story of Rick Singer who helped rich parents use bribes to get their kids into elite schools.

Filmmaker Chris Smith (“Fyre”) uses actors, including Matthew Modine as Singer, to artfully recreate the FBI wiretaps that led to arrests.

Filmmaker Leon Gast died this week at age 84 leaving a rich legacy of work including his documentary “When We Were Kings” about Muhammad Ali in Africa. 

Gast took over 20 years to complete the film. It won an Oscar and he produced a follow up called “Soul Power.”

“Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art” tells the story of the New York gallery that sold over 60 forgeries attributed to art superstars such as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Motherwell for over $80 million. Filmmaker Barry Avrich profiles the con artists, the duped collectors, and the master forger.

The documentary “’Til Kingdom Come” explores why American Evangelicals are preoccupied with Israel. Filmmaker Maya Zinshtein travels from Jerusalem to Washington to Kentucky to study the confluence between religion and politics that supports the right wing policies of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Softie” follows Kenyan journalist Boniface Mwangi and his wife Njeri as their family faces death threats when he runs for Parliament. Filmmaker Sam Soko explores both the political and personal challenges of standing up for your beliefs.

"Black Art: In the Absence of Light," directed by Sam Pollard, profiles a range of artists of different generations—from 90-year-old Faith Ringgold to President Obama’s portrait painter Kehinde Wiley. Visually, the film dazzles with painting, photography, collage, sculpture, conceptual art and more.

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“9to5: The Story of a Movement” tells the history of the women’s labor movement that inspired the Hollywood comedy and Dolly Parton’s song.

Oscar-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar (“American Factory”) interview women from across the country who describe their battles over sexual harassment, child care, and equal pay.

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The four-part series “We Are the Brooklyn Saints” looks at a grade school football team in East New York. Filmmaker Rudy Valdez profiles Coach Gawuala and other mentors who inspire young players for challenges on and off the field.

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“How It Feels to Be Free” profiles six Black women entertainers who broke barriers of racial discrimination. Filmmaker Yoruba Richen traces the histories of Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Pam Grier.

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