‘Riefenstahl’ Review: A Timely and Perturbing Excavation of Leni Riefenstahl’s Estate
Utilizing a vast array of archival materials from the Riefenstahl estate with a masterful hand, Andres Veiel’s latest documentary delivers a topical vision of an enduring yet contradictory figure who denies their complicity in the structures of power that profit them.
‘Sudan, Remember Us’ Review: Hind Meddeb Platforms the Poetry, Music, and Youthful Spirit That Motivate the Future of a War-Torn Nation
Taking her camera to the streets of Khartoum, Meddeb concentrates on the youthful spirits at the epicenter of the nation’s evolving situation, filming between 2019 and 2023 to bring a fully developed impression of the nation’s descent into upheaval to the silver screen through the experiences of its young adult subjects.
‘Collective Monologue’ Review: Jessica Sarah Rinland’s Latest Is a Brilliantly Immersive Examination of Human-Animal Connections
For her latest cinematic experiment, multidisciplinary artist Jessica Sarah Rinland explores the tacit connections between animals and their keepers in several Argentine animal sanctuaries undergoing significant transformation. Enigmatic in form but moving in the sensations it so skillfully captures, Collective Monologue stands out as one of the year’s most mesmerizing documentaries.
‘Life After’ Review: Sundance-Winning Documentary Investigates the System’s Sinister Grip on the Disabled Community
A long-forgotten account from a disabled Californian woman is reborn in Life After, serving as the North Star in documentarian Reid Davenport’s latest socio-political exploration of the disabled community’s experiences within the modern world and the legal and healthcare system’s authority over their autonomy.
‘Afternoons of Solitude’ Review: Albert Serra Examines the Savage Beauty of Spain’s Bullfighting Traditions
Far from operating with the glossy, sensationalized style that is becoming so prevalent in documentary cinema, Serra injects his unique examinations of time into his latest work while also probing the deep-rooted cultural ties that leave some still enamored with the barbaric traditions and practices of bullfighting.
‘The Taste of Mango’ Review: A Deeply Personal Exploration of Familial Trauma and Connection from First-Time Filmmaker Chloe Abrahams
With a sensitively essayistic approach, Abrahams turns to her mother and grandmother to confront the social and generational challenges that have shaped their enduring familial bond, creating an emotionally moving work of documentary filmmaking.
‘Happy Campers’ Review: Amy Nicholson Documents the Final Summer of a Working Class Paradise
Through her subjective and intimate approach to her latest work, the Baltimore native builds a beautifully emotional portrait of place and its inextricable connections to memory and community.