Documentary Movies 2016 List

With Roseanne Barr • Eric Weinrib

In 2012, Roseanne Barr ran for president of the United States. Although she enjoyed calling herself “the only serious comedian in the race,” the campaign was not a joke. Roseanne for President! is the hilarious, remarkable, moving, and illuminating film that documents how one of the most influential and controversial comedians of all time boldly and passionately extends her legacy as an advocate and symbol for everyday Americans. While peering behind the curtain to see the unusual and highly entertaining world of “other” party politics, Roseanne for President! is also a revealing look at Roseanne’s life and career, and how this bold, brash, Jewish grandmother from Utah made herself into a working class hero.

With Heidi Ewing • Rachel Grady

Arguably the most influential creator, writer, and producer in the history of television, Norman Lear brought primetime into step with the times. Using comedy and indelible characters, his legendary 1970s shows such as All In the Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, boldly cracked open dialogue and shifted the national consciousness, injecting enlightened humanism into sociopolitical debates on race, class, creed, and feminism.

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You is the definitive chronicle of Mr. Lear’s life, work, and achievements, but it is so much more than an arm’s-length, past-tense biopic; at 93, Mr. Lear is as vital and engaged as he ever was.

With Alex Gibney

A documentary thriller about the world of cyberwar. For the first time, the film tells the complete story of Stuxnet, a piece of self-replicating computer malware (known as a “worm” for its ability to burrow from computer to computer on its own) that the U.S. and Israel unleashed to destroy a key part of an Iranian nuclear facility, and which ultimately spread beyond its intended target. Zero Days is the most comprehensive accounting to date of how a clandestine mission hatched by two allies with clashing agendas opened forever the Pandora’s Box of cyberwarfare.

With Molly Thompson • Roger Ross Williams • Julie Goldman • Robert DeBitetto • Robert Sharenow • Ron Suskind.

The inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. This emotional coming-of-age story follows Owen as he graduates to adulthood and takes his first steps toward independence.

With Dinesh D'Souza

Dinesh D’Souza will expose the secret history of the Democrats and the true motivations of Hillary.

With Pierre Morath

Today, all anybody needs to run is the determination and a pair of the right shoes. But just fifty years ago, running was viewed almost exclusively as the domain of elite male athletes who competed on tracks. With insight and propulsive energy, director Pierre Morath traces running’s rise to the 1960s, examining how the liberation movements and newfound sense of personal freedom that defined the era took the sport out of the stadiums and onto the streets, and how legends like Steve Prefontaine, Fred Lebow, and Kathrine Switzer redefined running as a populist phenomenon.

With Dinesh D'Souza

Dinesh D’Souza will expose the secret history of the Democrats and the true motivations of Hillary.

With Ted Balaker • Zach Weissmueller

In the age of social media, nearly every day brings a new eruption of outrage. While people have always found something to be offended by, their ability to organize a groundswell of opposition to—and public censure of—their offender has never been more powerful. Today we’re all one clumsy joke away from public ruin. Can We Take A Joke? offers a thought-provoking and wry exploration of outrage culture through the lens of stand-up comedy, with notables like Gilbert Gottfried, Penn Jillette, Lisa Lampanelli, and Adam Carolla detailing its stifling impact on comedy and the exchange of ideas. What will future will be like if we can’t learn how to take a joke?

With Seth Gordon • Clay Tweel • Kimi Culp • Scott Fujita • Tom Lavia • Kevin Lake • Mary Rohlich • Thomas McEachin

The story of Steve Gleason, a former defensive back for the New Orleans Saints who was diagnosed with ALS at age 34 and given only five years to live. The doc uses his personal video journals to show just how inspirationally he lived following his diagnosis.

With Maurice Dekkers

In January 2015, Noma, recognized as the World’s Best Restaurant, and led by its charismatic chef René Redzepi, moved its entire team from Denmark to Japan. Known for his one-of-a-kind cooking and for distilling the Danish landscape and “time and place” onto a plate, can Redzepi and his team apply their philosophy to an entirely foreign experience, using ingredients that they’ve never seen before, all whilst under the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with running the world’s best restaurant? For the first time ever, this food filled documentary will offer a glimpse into the mind of one of the world’s most influential people (Time Magazine) and his international team, as they undertake one of the biggest challenges of their careers.