Documentary of the Week

The short documentary "Walk, Run, Cha-Cha" looks at a Vietnamese couple, separated by the war, who reunite in America and recover their lost youth in dancing. Filmmaker Laura Nix uses the beauty of dance to explore the experiences of immigration and reinvention.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

Click here to watch the film.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney traces the rise and fall of Russian oligarch-turned-dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The film plays like a thriller with dramatic twists and unsolved murders, delivering a compelling look into a complex country that sits at the center of world politics.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “The Woman Who Loves Giraffes” profiles Anne Innis Dagg, who was a pioneer at studying animals in the wild in the 1950s, preceding Jane Goodall in Africa. Filmmaker Alison Reid draws upon archival footage from Dagg’s giraffe research and examines how she was held back as a woman in her career development by the patriarchal university system in her home country of Canada.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers 

For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

The documentary “Advocate” profiles Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel, who defends Palestinians that many regard as terrorists. Filmmakers Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaiche trace her history over several decades and follow her as she continues to defend Palestinians today, including the case of a 13-year-old boy accused of attempted murder of a Jew. The film is on the short list of 15 competing for the five slots as Oscar nominees for best documentary —to be announced later this month. 

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

“Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” profiles the singer who made a success of multiple genres from rock and country to American standards and Mexican folk songs. Filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman deliver generous helpings of live performances from over the years and interview Ronstadt’s close associates including Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris and Don Henley.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story" profiles the Sesame Street puppeteer who died on December 8 after embodying the Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Ground for nearly 50 years. Filmmakers Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker trace how Spinney turned his childhood dreams of puppeteering into an adult reality.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The new documentary "Cunningham" makes beautiful use of 3D photography to convey the artistry of the choreographer Merce Cunningham. He belonged to a postwar wave of avant garde, and the film reminds us that their work was deeply divisive before it became canonized.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the official film web site.

Syrian filmmaker Waad al-Kateab chronicles four years of living in Aleppo during wartime in the documentary diary “For Sama” (titled after her daughter). The film, directed in collaboration with Edward Watts, contains unexpected moments of sweetness, humor, and comradery. It won the Cannes Golden Eye Award for documentary among many other festival prizes.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

The documentary “The Apollo” examines the history of Harlem’s famous theater and its efforts to stay vital in the 21st Century. Director Roger Ross Williams covers both the celebrity performers on its stage and the lesser known managers, fans, ushers and amateur night performers who are the soul of the institution.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers 

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.

"Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator” traces the rise and fall of the multi-millionaire hot yoga teacher Bikram Choudhury. Oscar-winning filmmaker Eva Orner documents the stories of former students who accused him of rape and how they’ve been disappointed by the criminal justice system.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers 

For more information, click here to visit the film web site.