DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has unveiled the full lineup for its 16th edition, featuring 116 feature documentaries and 113 shorts across four key sections: Short List: Features, Short List: Shorts, Winner’s Circle and the new Selects Encore.
The festival runs in person Nov. 12–20 at IFC Center, SVA Theatre and Village East by Angelika, and continues online through Nov. 30. The slate includes 30 world premieres and 34 U.S. premieres, with many filmmakers attending in person.
“This year’s selections reflect global urgency, personal courage and artistic innovation at the highest level,” said Artistic Director Jaie Laplante.
The complete list is below.
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
Cannes ACID
Short List: Features
DOC NYC’s flagship section, launched in 2012, has built a strong reputation as an awards bellwether: 13 of the last 14 Oscar-winning documentary features have screened in this section. Laplante and Director of Special Projects Thom Powers oversee the 2025 slate.
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” — Director: Mstyslav Chernov. Producers: Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath; After the Oscar-winning “20 Days in Mariupol,” Chernov returns to Ukraine to capture the war’s second year through a humanistic lens.
“Apocalypse in the Tropics” — Director: Petra Costa. Producers: Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino; A chilling look at the rise of Christian fundamentalism in Brazil and its grip on political discourse.
“Co-Existence, My Ass!” — Director: Amber Fares. Producers: Rachel Leah Jones, Amber Fares; Israeli comic Noam Shuster Eliassi uses stand-up to push her message of equality for Palestinians and Israelis.
“Come See Me in the Good Light” — Director: Ryan White. Producers: Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen; A love story between poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, facing terminal illness with humor and intimacy.
“Cover-Up” — Directors: Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus. Producers: Yoni Golijov, Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus, Olivia Streisand; An exploration of Seymour Hersh’s groundbreaking investigations into U.S. government deception.
“Cutting Through Rocks” (NYC Premiere) — Directors/Producers: Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni; In rural Iran, a councilwoman empowers girls through motorcycles, sparking a personal battle with patriarchy.
“Heightened Scrutiny” — Director: Sam Feder. Producers: Amy Scholder, Sam Feder, Paola Mendoza; Following ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, the first trans man to argue before the Supreme Court.
“Mistress Dispeller” — Director: Elizabeth Lo. Producers: Emma D. Miller, Elizabeth Lo, Maggie Li; In China, a woman hires a professional “mistress dispeller” to save her marriage, exposing gendered desperation.
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (NYC Premiere) — Directors: David Borenstein, Pasha Talankin. Producer: Helle Faber; A Russian teacher secretly documents the militarization of education amid wartime propaganda.
“My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay” — Director: Mariska Hargitay. Producers: Mariska Hargitay, Trish Adlesic; Hargitay retraces her mother Jayne Mansfield’s legacy through rare footage and family archives.
“Orwell: 2+2=5” — Director: Raoul Peck. Producers: Alex Gibney, Raoul Peck, George Chignell, Nick Shumaker; A sweeping cinematic essay on power, propaganda and George Orwell’s prophetic warnings.
“The Perfect Neighbor” — Director: Geeta Gandbhir. Producers: Alisa Payne, Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Sam Bisbee; Police bodycam footage captures the deadly escalation of a Florida neighborhood dispute, challenging “stand your ground” laws.
“Predators” — Director: David Osit. Producers: Jamie Gonçalves, Kellen Quinn, David Osit; Revisiting “To Catch a Predator,” the film interrogates media complicity in voyeurism and justice.
“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” — Director: Sepideh Farsi. Producers: Javad Djavahery, Annie Ohayon-Dekel; A series of video calls between Farsi and a young Palestinian photojournalist unfolds into a meditation on resistance and witness.
“The Tale of Silyan” — Director: Tamara Kotevska. Producers: Tamara Kotevska, Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Jordanco Petkovski; A Macedonian folktale of friendship between a man and an injured white stork takes flight with magical realism.
Short List: Shorts
“All the Empty Rooms” — Director: Joshua Seftel.
A photojournalist documents the bedrooms of children lost to gun violence, transforming grief into testimony.
“All the Walls Came Down” — Director: Ondi Timoner.
After losing her home in a California wildfire, Timoner exposes inequities magnified by disaster.
“Am I the Skinniest Person You’ve Ever Seen?” — Director: Eisha Marjara.
Two sisters’ shared diet pact spirals into one’s battle with an eating disorder.
“Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud” — Directors: Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud.
A tribute to a fallen journalist, completed by his brother after Brent’s death in Ukraine.
“Children No More: Were and Are Gone” — Director: Hilla Medalia.
Tel Aviv activists hold silent vigils mourning Gaza’s children, confronting public hostility with quiet resilience.
“The Devil Is Busy” — Directors: Christalyn Hampton, Geeta Gandbhir.
At an Atlanta abortion clinic, one woman defends her staff and patients amid chaos.
“Last Days on Lake Trinity” — Director: Charlotte Cooley.
Three single women fight eviction from a South Florida trailer park, rallying to preserve their home and dignity.
“Maybe It’s Just the Rain” — Director: Reina Bonta.
A Filipino American soccer player revisits her heritage through a World Cup victory and family memory.
“Oh Yeah!” — Director: Nick Canfield.
The story behind the global hit song “Oh Yeah,” tracing its avant-garde roots to pop ubiquity.
“Qotzuñi: People of the Lake” — Directors: Gastón Zilberman, Michael Salama.
Bolivia’s Uru-Murato people grapple with the disappearance of Lake Poopó and their cultural identity.
“The Reality of Hope” — Director: Joe Hunting.
A friendship formed in virtual reality becomes a real-world bond when one donates a kidney to the other.
“Songs of Black Folk” — Directors: Justin Emeka, Haley Watson.
A Juneteenth concert unites generations through the music of resilience and liberation.
“Tessitura” — Directors: Lydia Cornett, Brit Fryer.
Transgender opera singers reclaim the stage, transforming gender and artistic norms.
“Tiger” — Director: Loren Waters.
A Muscogee Creek artist rebuilds her life and art following family loss and illness.
“We Were the Scenery” — Director: Christopher Radcliff.
Vietnamese war survivors reclaim their own history through home movies and collective memory.
Winner’s Circle
Launched in 2019, this section honors festival award winners who have already made waves globally.
“Below the Clouds” — Director: Gianfranco Rosi.
A black-and-white portrait of Naples blending memory and history. Winner, Special Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival.
“Holding Liat” — Director: Brandon Kramer.
A family’s search for a kidnapped loved one amid Middle East turmoil. Winner, Berlinale Documentary Award.
“The Librarians” — Director: Kim A. Snyder.
Librarians across the U.S. confront censorship and book bans. Winner, Best Documentary Feature, Dallas International Film Festival.
“Life After” — Director: Reid Davenport.
A probing look into assisted dying and disability ethics. Winner, U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award, Sundance.
“Secret Mall Apartment” — Director: Jeremy Workman.
Eight Rhode Island artists secretly build a home inside a mall. Winner, Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, IFF Boston.
“Seeds” — Director: Brittany Shyne.
A poetic portrait of Black farmers and legacy in the American South. Winner, U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, Sundance.
Selects Encore
Debuting in 2025, this new section revisits standout works from DOC NYC’s year-round Selects program.
“It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” — Director: Amy Berg.
A moving reflection on the late musician’s art and legacy through family archives.
“Monk in Pieces” — Directors: Billy Shebar, David C. Roberts.
A cinematic portrait of performance artist Meredith Monk, featuring Björk and David Byrne.
“One to One: John & Yoko” — Directors: Kevin Macdonald, Sam Rice-Edwards.
A revealing look at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Greenwich Village years, featuring restored concert footage.
“Suburban Fury” — Director: Robinson Devor.
Reexamines the attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford through the lens of American unrest.
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