For Sama
This powerful account of the war in Syria and the systematic destruction of Aleppo is told from the first-person perspective of journalist Waad al-Kateab, providing a rare cinematic account of the female experience of war. Taking the form of a love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film’s profound humanity gives it universal resonance.
Displaced
This beautifully crafted and highly intelligent film explores the personal experience of a third-generation Holocaust survivor in Berlin. Remarkably honest and frank, the film asks fascinating questions, and is a great example of how the more specific an inquiry is, the more it can seem to generate a universal resonance.
Days of Cannibalism
A powerful portrayal of poverty-stricken rural Lesotho and the expanding Chinese presence there.
By All Means Necessary
By All Means Necessary is a feature-documentary that chronicles 50 years of Africa’s Liberation Movements from Algeria to South Africa. It commemorates the various sacrifices made by men and women across the continent.
Brown Skinned Girl
In a society where dark-skinned girls are not considered as beautiful, a young South African girl struggles to see beauty in her reflection until she holds her own “Brown Skinned Girl AA meetings” and reintroduces herself to herself.
Bellingcat
This remarkable film looks at a small group of self-appointed investigators who use publicly available resources on the internet to determine the truth about key recent news events such as the shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines plane over Ukraine. Bellingcat is an inspiring tribute to the power of citizen journalism – and its impact on mainstream reportage.
A New Country
25 years after the transition to democracy, South Africa is the most economically unequal country in the world. This heartbreakingly insightful film consists of remarkably frank interviews with a full spectrum of South Africans, moving from the early days of liberation to a contemporary society in which the culture of resistance and protest is as strong as ever.
Advocate
Advocate is an absorbing account of the life of Jewish-Israeli advocate Lea Tsemel, who has worked tirelessly for nearly 50 years defending Palestinians against charges laid by the Israeli state. Directed with compassion and restraint, this richly multi-layered exploration of Tsemel’s life is equal parts courtroom drama and character study.