Doc NYC

The largest documentary film festival in the US returns this November with movies, Q&As, roundtables and special presentations. Connect with your favorite filmmakers and discover new stories and diverse voices with 2022’s top documentary films, showing at the IFC Center, the SVA Theatre and Cinépolis Chelsea.

This year incorporates the Meet the Press Film Festival, a series of shorts and conversations divided into themes like “Changing the System” and “Pioneering Women” and moderated by NBC correspondents including Chuck Todd and Andrea Mitchell. 

Read on for a selection on each night of the festival: 

Riotsville, USA
November 9
Using training footage from fictional “Riotsville” villages in the 1960s built to stamp out civil disorder, this documentary by Sierra Pettingill explores the militarization of police in the US.

Retrograde
November 10
Filmmaker Matthew Heineman presents a firsthand look at the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.

Life in the Big Apple (shorts)
November 11
This program of shorts by various student directors shows slices of NYC life, from “stooping” to swimming laps around the island of Manhattan.

Beba
November 12
This intimate film follows director Rebecca “Beba” Huntt in a poetic take on coming of age in the City.

Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net
November 13
Go behind the scenes with Cirque de Soleil in Las Vegas, as the production returns after the pandemic. The screening is followed by a Q&A with the directors and Cirque de Soleil performers.

Kobra Self-Portrait
November 14
Get an immersive look at the genius of Brazilian street artist Kobra, who credits NYC as a source of inspiration. 

Who Is Stan Smith?
November 15
Meet the man “behind the shoe” in director Danny Lee’s in-depth film on this athlete, fashion icon and humanitarian.

New York, New York (shorts)
November 16
This collection of shorts from various directors peeks into the lives of delivery drivers, ticket scalpers, “old money” elites and other locals.

In Search of Bengali Harlem
November 17
Discover a layer of New York City history and modern cultural identity through the journey and assimilation of Bengali immigrants in Harlem. 

The festival continues online through November 27.