Documentary of the Week

In the documentary, “The World Before Your Feet,” the camera follows Matt Green, a former civil engineer who’s on a mission to walk 8000 miles of New York City’s streets and parks. Filmmaker Jeremy Workman follows in Green’s footsteps and allows us to vicariously experience a multitude of the city’s wonders, including its people.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

“Under the Wire” tells the story of journalist Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy covering a deadly siege in the Syrian city of Homs. Filmmaker Chris Martin adapt’s Conroy’s book “Under the Wire: Marie Colvin’s Final Assignment” with harrowing footage of Conroy’s journey trying to escape Syria after being wounded in a bombing.

The documentary “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael” profiles The New Yorker's iconic film critic. Director Rob Garver unearths rare archival footage of Kael and skillfully interweaves classic film clips with quotes from her spiky articles read by Sarah Jessica Parker. The film premieres at the DOC NYC festival, followed by a panel of critics discussing her legacy.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

For more information, click here to visit the film's festival page.

Composer, arranger and producer Quincy Jones looks back on a life of constant movement among America’s greatest musicians in the Netflix documentary “Quincy.” Directed by his daughter Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks, the film contains a Who’s Who of talent, including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and countless others whose careers were influenced by Jones.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

In the Netflix documentary “Shirkers,” filmmaker Sandi Tan goes in search of a film she made in Singapore 25 years ago that was stolen by her collaborator. Winner of the Sundance World Documentary Directing Award, the film is full of mystery, beauty and originality.

The documentary “On Her Shoulders” profiles Nadia Murad, the Yazidi activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize this month for her work against sexual violence. Filmmaker Alexandria Bombach follows Murad at age 23 as she grows into her role of speaking on behalf of the Yazidis, a non-Muslim minority that suffered a genocidal campaign at the hands of ISIS.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

In the documentary “Jane Fonda: A Life in Five Acts,” the Oscar-winning actress looks back on the multiple personas of her life — from ingenue to activist to exercise guru and beyond. Filmmaker Susan Lacy layers the films with clips from classic films such as “Barbarella,” “Coming Home” and “On Golden Pond.” But Fonda’s most complicated performance is finding herself.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

The documentary “Studio 54” charts the rise and fall of the legendary nightclub and its creators, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. Filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer allows Schrager to tell his own tale, and uncovers never-before-seen footage capturing the club’s decadent spirit.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

In the documentary “Free Solo,” mountain climber Alex Honnold tries to become the first person to climb the 3,200 cliff of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without safety ropes. Filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chinn conjure a visually stunning adventure with a compelling character at the center.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers

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

In “Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco,” filmmaker James Crump celebrates the fashion illustrator who helped launch the careers of Jessica Lange, Jerry Hall, Grace Jones and others. Lopez’s vibrant life was cut short by AIDS in 1987, but this film keeps his memory burning brightly.

— Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers 

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