DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has announced its full lineup for its 16th edition, featuring 116 feature-length documentaries and 113 shorts across four main sections: Shortlist: Features, Shortlist: Shorts, Winner’s Circle, and the new Select Encore.
The festival will be held in person from November 12th to 20th at the IFC Center, SVA Theater, and Village East by Angelica, and online until November 30th. The schedule includes 30 world premieres and 34 U.S. premieres, with many filmmakers participating in person.
“This year’s selections reflect global urgency, personal courage and artistic innovation at the highest level,” said Artistic Director Jaye Laplante.
The complete list is below.
“Walk with your soul in your hands”
Cannes ACID
Short list: Features
Launched in 2012, DOC NYC’s flagship section has built a strong reputation as a beacon of awards. Thirteen of the last fourteen Oscar-winning documentaries have been screened in this section. LaPlante and special projects director Tom Powers will oversee the 2025 plan.
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” — Director: Mstislav Chernov. Producers: Mstislav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Lainie Aronson-Russ. After his Oscar-winning 20 Days in Mariupol, Chernov returns to Ukraine and sees the second year of the war through a humanist lens.
“Tropical Apocalypse” — Director: Petra Costa. Producer: Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino. A chilling look at the rise of Christian fundamentalism in Brazil and its impact on political discourse.
“Coexist, ass!” — Director: Amber Fares. Producer: Rachel Leah Jones, Amber Fares. Israeli comic Noam Shuster Eliassi uses stand-up comics to push his message of equality between Palestinians and Israelis.
“Come See Me in the Good Light” — Director: Ryan White. Producers: Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Steph Willen. A love story in which poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Farry confront terminal illness with humor and intimacy.
“Cover-Up” — Director: Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus. Producers: Yoni Golijov, Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus, Olivia Streisand. Explore Seymour Hersh’s groundbreaking investigation into U.S. government deception.
“Cutting Through Rocks” (New York Premiere) — Director/Producer: Sarah Karki, Mohammad Reza Eini. In rural Iran, a lawmaker uses his motorcycle to empower girls and spark a personal fight against patriarchy.
“Enhanced Surveillance” — Director: Sam Feder. Producers: Amy Schholder, Sam Feder, Paola Mendoza. He became the first trans man to argue before the Supreme Court, following ACLU attorney Chase Strangio.
“Mistress Dispera” — Director: Elizabeth Law Producers: Emma D. Miller, Elizabeth Law, Maggie Rhee. In China, a woman hires a professional “mistress breakup” to save her marriage and exposes her gender-based despair.
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (New York Premiere) — Directors: David Borenstein, Pasha Tarankin. Producer: Helle Faber; A Russian teacher secretly documents the militarization of education during wartime propaganda.
“My Mama Jane: A Mariska Hargitay Movie” — Director: Mariska Hargitay. Producer: Mariska Hargitay, Trish Adresic. Hargitay traces the legacy of his mother, Jane Mansfield, through rare footage and family archives.
“Orwell: 2+2=5” — Director: Raoul Peck. Producers: Alex Gibney, Raoul Peck, George Chignell, Nick Shoemaker. A comprehensive film essay on power, propaganda, and George Orwell’s prophetic warnings.
“The Perfect Neighbor” — Director: Gita Gundbil. Producers: Alisa Payne, Gita Gundbir, Nikon Kwantu, Sam Bisbee. Police body camera footage captures a Florida neighborhood dispute that escalates into a deadly one, challenging “stand your ground” laws.
“Predators” — Director: David Ossitt. Producers: Jamie Gonsalves, Kellen Quinn, David Ossit. This film reimagines To Catch a Predator and questions the media’s complicity in voyeurism and justice.
“Walk with your soul in your hands” — Director: Sepideh Farusi. Producers: Javad Djavahery, Annie Ohayon-Dekel. A series of video calls between Farsi and a young Palestinian photojournalist unfold into a meditation on resistance and witness.
“Sillian’s Story” — Director: Tamara Kotevska. Producers: Tamara Kotevska, Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Giordanko Petkowski. A Macedonian folk tale about the friendship between a man and an injured stork takes flight with magical realism.
Short story list: short story
“All the Empty Rooms” — Director: Joshua Seftel.
A photojournalist documents the bedrooms of children killed by gun violence, turning grief into testimony.
“All the Walls Come Down” — Director: Ondi Timoner.
Timoner, who lost her home in the California wildfires, exposes the inequalities that disaster has exacerbated.
“Am I the thinnest person you’ve ever seen?” — Director: Eisha Marjala.
A shared dietary agreement between two sisters leads one sister into a battle with an eating disorder.
“Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renault” — Directors: Brent Renault, Craig Renault.
A memorial work to the fallen journalist, completed by his brother after Brent’s death in Ukraine.
“Children No More: We Gone” — Director: Gila Medaria.
Activists in Tel Aviv hold a silent vigil for Gaza’s children, confronting public hostility with quiet resilience.
“The Devil is Busy” — Director: Crystallyn Hampton, Geeta Gambhir.
A woman protects staff and patients during chaos at an Atlanta abortion clinic.
“The Last Days of Trinity Lake” — Director: Charlotte Cooley.
Three single women fight eviction from a South Florida trailer park and come together to protect their homes and dignity.
“Maybe it’s just rain” — Director: Rena Bonta.
A Filipino-American soccer player revisits his heritage through World Cup victories and family memories.
“Oh yeah!” — Director: Nick Canfield.
Trace the story behind the global hit “Oh Yeah,” from its avant-garde roots to its pop ubiquity.
“Cozzuni: People of the Lake” — Director: Gaston Zilberman, Michael Salama.
Bolivia’s Ulu Murato people are grappling with the disappearance of Lake Puopo and their cultural identity.
“The Reality of Hope” — Director: Joe Hunting.
A friendship forged in virtual reality becomes a real-world bond when one donates a kidney to the other.
“Songs of Black Folk” — Director: Justin Emeka, Hayley Watson.
Juneteenth Concerts unite generations through music of resilience and liberation.
“Tessitura” — Director: Lydia Cornett, Britt Fryer.
A transgender opera singer takes back the stage and transforms gender and artistic norms.
“Tiger” — Director: Lauren Waters.
A Muscogee Creek artist rebuilds his life and art after family loss and illness.
“We were the landscape” — Director: Christopher Radcliffe.
Survivors of the Vietnam War recover their history through home movies and collective memory.
Winners Circle
Launched in 2019, this section recognizes festival award winners who have already made headlines worldwide.
“Under the Clouds” — Director: Gianfranco Rosi.
A black and white portrait of Naples where memory and history come together. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival.
“Holding Liat” — Director: Brandon Kramer.
A family searches for their kidnapped loved one during the turmoil in the Middle East. Winner of the Berlin Documentary Award.
“The Librarians” — Director: Kim A. Snyder.
Librarians across the country take on censorship and book banning. Winner of the Best Documentary Feature Award at the Dallas International Film Festival.
“The Life After” — Director: Reed Davenport.
An in-depth look at the ethics of assisted dying and disability. Winner of the U.S. Documentary Jury Special Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Secret Mall Apartment” — Director: Jeremy Workman.
Eight Rhode Island artists secretly build a home inside the mall. Winner, Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, IFF Boston.
“Seeds” — Director: Brittany Shine.
A poetic depiction of black farmers and heritage in the American South. Winner, U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, Sundance.
Select encore
Debuting in 2025, this new section will revisit standouts from DOC NYC’s year-round select program.
“It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” — Director: Amy Berg.
A moving look at the late musician’s art and legacy through family archives.
“Monk in Pieces” — Director: Billy Shaver, David C. Roberts.
A cinematic portrait of performance artist Meredith Monk featuring Björk and David Byrne.
“One to One: John & Yoko” — Director: Kevin McDonald, Sam Rice-Edwards.
Featuring restored concert footage, it reveals John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Greenwich Village days.
“Suburban Fury” — Director: Robinson Dever.
Reexamining the assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford through the lens of the turmoil in America.
