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12 Angry Lebanese: the Documentary
Lebanon, 2009, 78 min.
For 15 months, 45 inmates in a notorious Lebanese prison worked together to present an adaptation of 12 Angry Men. This inspiring, affecting documentary demonstrates the efficacy of drama therapy and its positive effects on some of society’s most ostracized individuals. Winner, Best Documentary, Aud... more
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The Albanian
Germany, 2010, 104 min.
An Albanian illegal immigrant in Berlin tries to earn the dowry demanded by the family of his pregnant beloved back home in this social-issues drama. Winner, Best Actor, Special Jury Prize, Moscow Film Festival.... more
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All That I Love
Poland, 2009, 95 min.
In this warm and energetic film, four small town teenagers form a punk rock band. Their transition from boys to men takes place during the 1981 political turmoil and rise of the Solidarity movement. The emergence of censorship and repression forces them to face the ruthless reality of the communist ... more
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David wants To Fly
Germany, 2010, 96 min.
This sprightly documentary about finding your own artistic inspiration follows German writer-director David Sieveking on his road to enlightenment, a journey that involves cult director David Lynch, various headquarters of the Transcendental Meditation movement and the icy source of the Ganges.... more
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Desert Flower
United Kingdom, 2010, 124 min.
Daughter of a Somali shepherd, Waris Dirie went on to become a top supermodel and a spokesperson against the ongoing genital mutilation of African women. Hormann’s gorgeous biopic of this inspiring woman is anchored by supermodel Liya Kebede’s quietly determined turn in the lead.... more
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An Earthy Paradise for the Eyes
Czech Republic, 2010, 114 min.
This wry comedy chronicles the adventures of a Czech mother and her two daughters in the wake of the 1968 Russian invasion. It captures the euphoria of the liberalized Prague Spring that Soviet tanks were dispatched to repress as well as the solidarity in absurdity that persisted in the dark days fo... more
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Essential Killing
Poland, 2009, 83 min.
A Taliban member living in Afghanistan is taken captive by the Americans after killing three American soldiers. He is transferred to Europe for interrogation but escapes from his captors. Becoming a fugitive on a continent he does not know. Winner, Best Actor, Special Jury Prize and Youth Jury Prize... more
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Grace Paley: Collected Shorts
USA, 2010, 74 min.
A rich, inspiring portrait of writer, activist and New York icon Grace Paley (1922-2007). Winner, Audience Award, Woodstock Film Festival and Denver Film Festival.... more
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I am Sindhutai Sapkal
India, 2010, 110 min.
Known as the Mother Teresa of Maharashtra, the titular poor village girl made the leap from living on the streets to raising enough funds to shelter one thousand orphans and educate another two thousand children.... more
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The Light Thief
Kyrgyzstan, 2010, 80 min.
A warm, gentle comedy about an electrician in the remote Kyrgyz mountains who both helps his neighbors borrow electricity and serves as the town psychologist. A mix of poetry, naiveté and documentary that works thanks to the director/actor's profound humanity.... more
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Little Rose
Poland, 2010, 118 min.
Inspired by real events in mid-1960s Poland, this film à clef is a riveting exposé of how government agents infiltrated and informed on groups of writers and artists. Becoming progressively more gripping, it’s ultimately about the price one is willing to pay for love.... more
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Lula, The Son of Brazil
Brazil, 2009, 128 min.
Based on the novel of the same name written by Denise Parana, this portrait of Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva's early years, chronicles his family's immigration from Northeast Brazil to Sao Paulo, his years as a shoe-shine boy and his brother's arrest which drove him into trade union activism.... more
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My Life with Carlos
Chile, 2010, 82 min.
The director was only a year old when his father was brutally killed under the Pinochet regime. In this arresting documentary he revisits the legacy of the man he never knew and the regime that devastated the country.... more
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My So-Called Enemy
USA, 2010, 89 min.
When six Palestinian and Israeli teenagers travel to the United States to participate in a women's leadership program called Building Bridges for Peace, they find the experience complicates the next seven years of their lives. An ideal companion piece to Precious Life. Winner, Best Conflict and Reso... more
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The Names of Love
France, 2010, 102 min.
Young extrovert Bahia Benmahmoud lives by the classic motto: "Make love, not war." In order to convert them to her cause, she sleeps with her political enemies - which means a lot of men, because every conservative is her enemy. But when she meets middle-aged Jewish scientist Arthur, sparks unexpect... more
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Noy
Philippines, 2010, 104 min.
Forced to find a job to support his family, Noy (Coco Martin) fakes his credentials and is commissioned to make a documentary on the 2010 electoral campaign of his namesake, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III--the top contender for the presidential elections.... more
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October
Peru, 2010, 83 min.
If you enjoyed the deadpan dramedy of the Uruguayan film Whisky a few years back, don’t miss this bittersweet tale of a hard-hearted moneylender, a lonely spinster and the cutest-ever abandoned baby. Rendered in a brilliantly controlled expressionist style with numerous smartly handled running gags,... more
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Peepli Live
India, 2010, 106 min.
Faced with financial ruin, poor farmer Natha learns of a program that would benefit his family if he commits suicide. A media frenzy breaks out when news gets around that he is seriously considering this desperate option in this Capra-esque, Indian style comedy. A biting satire from Aamir Khan Produ... more
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The Pipe
Ireland, 2010, 83 min.
When gas was discovered off Ireland’s west coast, events were set in motion that soon had the locals up in arms against the Shell oil company. By focusing closely on the locals, director O’Domhnaill shows how individual action remains important in an increasingly corporate world. Winner, Best Docume... more
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Precious Life
Israel, 2010, 90 min.
Set against the backdrop of Israel's 2008-09 blockade of Gaza and its military offensive there, Israeli television correspondent Shlomi Eldar's personal, provocative documentary offers a feast for debate and was named to the long list of potential documentary Academy Award nominees.... more
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Reconciliation: Mandela's Miracle
USA, 2010, 88 min.
An artful and inspiring documentary about how Nelson Mandela chose the wise path of reconciliation over revenge when he became president of South Africa. Director Wilson’s wide-ranging amalgam of historical footage and contemporary interviews shows how the “miracle” became a reality.... more
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The Sons of Tennessee Williams
USA, 2010, 75 min.
Mardi Gras, drag balls and politics–-where else could these elements come together but in New Orleans? This lively documentary charts the evolution of the gay Mardi Gras krewe scene over the decades, illuminating the ways in which its emergence was a seminal factor in the cause of gay liberation in... more
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The Whistleblower
Canada, 2010, 112 min.
Based on a true story, this tough-minded and unsparing conspiracy thriller follows an American cop (Weisz) to Bosnia, where her job as a peacekeeper leads her to uncover a ring of human traffickers that includes fellow U.N. workers.... more
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The White Meadows
Iran, 2009, 93 min.
The striking visuals and pointed metaphors of Iron Island led to the eye-catching compositions and invented mythologies of this allegory. Shot on the otherworldly salt formations of Iran's Lake Urmia, it follows an itinerant collector of human tears who visits villages to hear peoples' sorrows. Winn... more
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