In the 80s, Richard Berkowitz, his friend Michael Callen, and Stephen Sonnabend, a controversial AIDS scientist and virologist, begin a campaign of warning and informing people from gay communities about the dangers of unprotected anal sex. At that time the HIV virus wasn’t that well-known and gay people didn’t pay too much attention to their efforts, although many gay people were dying of AIDS.

Now HIV-positive, destitute and forgotten, Berkowits tells his story about love, death, betrayal and sex, from the perspective of a 50-year-old gay man who tried to make a difference in an indifferent world.

Release Date: March the 13^th, 2009

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Richard Berkowitz, Don Adler, Larry Kramer

Director: Daryl Wein

We are shown the eight characters from different perspectives: we see them through the eyes of their loved ones; in their hometowns with their families and friends; we see them talking about their life, dreams and future expectations, and, of course, about their common passion:  basketball. We see them as they progress from being clumsy and camera-shy to being used to the media attention, the make-up and spotlight.

Ultimately this documentary is about dreaming and living the dream. About how much you have to sacrifice in order to be among the best and, ultimately, about broken dreams, about winners and losers.

Release date: October the 10^th 2008

Genre: Documentary, Sports

Cast: Jerryd Bayless, Michael Beasley, Tyreke Evans, Donte Greene, Brandon Jennings, Kevin Love, Kyle Singler and Lance Stephenson

Director: Adam Yauch

Hunter S. Thompson was an icon in the 1960s and 70s, known for his genius and creativity as a writer, journalist and sociopolitical commentator but also for his decadent lifestyle, involving heavy drinking and alcohol.

In an effort to make an exhaustive recount of Thompson’s life and impact on the life of those closest to him and on his society at large, the documentary includes testimonials from Thompson’s family and friends, authentic materials (documentary footages, home movies, audio recordings) but also inspired reenactments to give the story a more personal touch.

Release Date: July 4th, 2008

Genre: Documentary, Drama

Cast: Johnny Depp, Sonny Barger, Sondi Wright, Jimmy Carter

Director: Alex Gibney

In this documentary Petit is given the chance to recount his own story: how he dreamt for six years of waking on a wire connecting the tallest buildings in the world at that time – the twin towers of World Trade Center. We find out how he prepared his stunt, the difficulties he had in carrying out his plan (he had to smuggle the rigging equipment into the buildings at night), and how his life changed after he had attained his goal of wire walking 1,300 feet above the ground.

The director offers archive footages, interviews and testimonials of the people involved in those events or who have witnessed them but also recreations to make the theatrical experience more intense.

Release Date: August 15th, 2008 (limited)

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Philippe Petit (as himself)

Director: James Marsh

It is set in Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee and it describes how Holocaust education hours influence the attending students.

They are so impressed to hear about the six million Holocaust victims that they decide to collect six million paper clips in order to deal better with the concept of crime against humanity.

Also, the students have met persons who survived that whole ordeal, and the film shows their entire journey towards knowledge.

Release Date: 8 September 2004

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Tom Bosley, Linda Hooper, Sandra Roberts, Dagmar Schroeder-Hildebrand, Peter Schroeder, David Smith

Director: Elliot Berlin, Joe Fab

If you want to get to places such as New Guinea, Southern Australia or even the Indo-Pacific region, this is the film to watch.

By watching this documentary, you will have the experience of seeing some of the most mysterious and stunning creatures of the sea.

This film offers the opportunity to explore the beauty and the natural wonder of the ocean. The movie will also present the impact of the global climate change.

Releasse Date: February 6, 2009

Genre: Documentary

Cast:

Jim Carrey (Narrator)

Director: Howard Hall

The movie, as its predecessors from the trilogy, is a non-verbal, non-narrative, documentary, and it is the “coldest” of the three of them.

‘Naqoyqatsi’ which means ‘war’, in Indian, as a way of life, has all th aspects that are related to the end of the world that you could think of.

Release Date: September 2, 2002

Genre: Documentary

Cast:

Marlon Brando (Himself)

Elton John (Himself)

Julia Dreyfus (Herself)

Director: Godfrey Reggio

If you can make it to the NBA, you’ll make it anywhere! But there is a long road to take before getting there, and a lot of work to stay in.

The film focuses on Chinese basketball player Yao Ming, a 7ft 6in phenomenon; he has managed to succeed in the NBA in his first year, despite all the cultural differences and the language issue.

We can all imagine that facing Shaquille O’Neal cannot be easy on anybody, let alone on a newcomer. So Yao Ming had to adapt well and fast; he had a lot of help from his American translator and did not forget, even for a second, that he was Chinese and that the wisdom of his culture was always a good place to search for solutions and advice.

After hard work, good faith and self confidence, Yao Ming became the sports idol of many people all around the world and definitely one of the best known Chinese public figures.

Release Date: 29 April 2005

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Charles Barkley, Frank Deford, Steve Francis, Michael Irvin, Ernie Johnson, Cuttino Mobley, Shaquille O’Neal, Colin Pine, Glen Rice, Kenny Smith, Ming Yao

Director: Adam Del Deo, James D. Stern

Nanking

‘Nanking’ is a documentary movie, that tells the story of the rape of Nanking, one of the most tragic events in history.

In 1937, the invading Japanese army murders over 200,000 Chinese people.They also rape tens of thousands of Chinese. Everything turns into horror.

A small group of Western expatriates try to save together 250,000 people. They show an act of heroism that is meant to draw attention.

‘Nanking’ shows the tremendous impact that individuals can make on the course of history. This movie brings an event unknown outside of Asia, to the global audience.

Release Date: October 19, 2007

Genre: Documentary, History

Cast:

Hugo Armstrong (John Magee)

Rosalind Chao

Stephen Dorff

John Getz

Woody Harrelson

Director:

Dan Sturman

Bill Guttentag

Blessed is the Match

From the beginning, let me tell you the entire title of this movie. Maybe this way, you’ll make a better idea about it: ‘Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh’.

As you guessed it, this is a documentary film. It is the story of Hannah Senesh, a Hungarian poet.

The story of her life is very interesting because she was captured by the Nazis, while trying to rescue Jews, including her mother, during the Second World War.

Hannah tries to rescue the Jewish people involved in the Holocaust.

Mary Roth plays the protagonist Hannah Senesh. This documentary movie was rated by viewers with a very good score.

Release Date: 2008

Genre: Documentary

Cast:

Meri Roth (Hannah Senesh)

Marcela Nohynkova (Catherine Senesh)

Director: Roberta Grossman

Call + Response Poster

You might say that civilization has evolved in time and some of the bad “habits” such as slavery, remained in the past.

Unfortunately, slavery is very much alive even if in 21st century. Over 27 million people are in bondage in the entire world. Over 2.2 million children are sold into sex trade every year,

Believe it or not, there are more slaves today than any other time in history.

For this cause, a collection of musicians – Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Matisyahu, Talib Kweli, Cold War Kids, Five For Fighting, Emmanuel Jal, Switchfoot – gather together to make a stand for justice.

Intellectual Cornel West, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, actresses Ashley Judd and Daryl Hannah lend their perspectives in this documentary that offers a provocative call to action.

Words are useless, the images are more than sufficient to understand that this trade must be abolished!

Release Date:  10 October 2008 (USA)

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Cornel West, Switchfoot

Director: Justin Dillon

Sacred Planet

“Sacred Planet” tries to present in 45 minutes the most wonderful nature wonders that we have on our planet.

Using the newest technology, this project shows us surprising images of lost tribes from Africa, unique species of plants or animals, breathtaking views that most people only dream to see them.

The musical composition is unrivaled and makes the audience to enjoy at maximum the extraordinary images.

This is the perfect way of seeing the impressive world that we are living in without spending too much money from our wallets.

If you want to see the most exotic and beautiful landscapes, from Alaska’s glaciers to Namibia’s deserts passing through white sand beaches from New Zealand this documentary is what are you looking for.

From the last remaining forests of British Columbia, the red rock canyons of Utah and Arizona, the tropical jungles and underwater mysteries of Borneo to the ancient ruins of Thailand, all gathered in a single piece of art.

Don’t you want to know your world better and to value it even more?

Release Date:  22 April 2004 (USA)

Genre: Documentary, Short

Cast: Robert Redford, Arapata McKay, Tsaan Ciqae, Mae Tui, Cy Peck Jr., Mutang Urud

Director: Jon Long

Fahrenheit 9/11 Poster

This film is the vision of Michael Moore on George W. Bush and on his war against terrorism.

Moore thinks Bush is a failure of a business man, with strong connections to the Saudi Arabian royalty and to the bin Laden family. He came to be president under strange circumstances and he continued to mess things up, ignoring all the people who warned him that his partners will betray him.

In relation to the 9/11 events, Moore states Bush did not protect his country, he selfishly used it to serve his own purposes.

Through facts, images and interviews, Moore illustrates his point of view and how Bush got America into the big trouble it is in now and also suggests what attitude should the American people take.

Release Date: 25 June 2004

Genre: Documentary, Comedy, Drama, History, War

Cast: Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder, George W. Bush,  Ricky Martin, Al Gore, Condoleezza Rice, Osama Bin Laden

Director: Michael Moore

Naked Fame Poster

Rapidly going towards their 40s, former porn movie stars Colton Ford and Blake Harper decide to cease their activity in this industry.

They start paying more attention to the ones they are truly interested in – one wants to become a singer and the other one a male nurse.

‘Naked Fame’ will show us everything they had to go through on their way from being porn stars to singers and nurses.

The director of the film, Chris Long, also has a past in the gay porn industry, but not as an actor. He used to own several night clubs in Washington DC, New York and Miami, and he created an important circuit of gay parties.

Release date: 2005

Genre: Documentary, Biography

Cast: Colton Ford, Blake Harper, Chi Chi La Rue, Pepper Mashay, Bruce Vilanch.

Director: Chris Long

NASCAR

If you’re passionate about racing and you are interested in a documentary movie, here’s a very famous one: NASCAR 3D: The Imax Experience

This film is a big-screen insight into one of America’s most successful industries, NASCAR racing.

‘NASCAR 3D: The Imax Experience’ is a sports documentary, which captures the experience of driving with 190 kph. For all you racing fans out there, this is the movie for you to watch with the whole gang!

Release Date: March 12, 2004

Genre: Documentary, Short, Sport

Cast:

Tony Steward (Himself)

Matt Kenseth (Himself)

Jeff Gordon (Himself)

Ryan Newman (Himself)

Director: Simon Wincer

Jackass 2.5

The crew from Jackass 2.0 continues the series with another movie called ‘Jackass 2.5′.

This time Wee Man uses a ‘pee’ gun, runs with a mini motor bike in a grocery mall and tries a sperm test.

The film includes also three episodes of the crew’s hilarious adventures in India, like drinking beer off of several feet long fingernails. One of the crew members lies on a bed os nails with two snakes: one on his chest and one between the legs.

Release Date: December 19, 2007

Genre: Documentary, Comedy

Cast:

Bam Margera (Himself)

Preston Lacy (Himself)

Dave England (Himself)

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Religulous

‘Religulous’ is a very controversial documentary film, whose title is a combination of the words ‘religious’ and ‘ridiculous’.

The movie presents the point of view of the famous comedian, writer and HBO producer, Bill Maher, about the different religions of the world.

Known for his anti-religious attitude, Bill Maher, interviews on the way to religious destinations like Jerusalem or Vatican, people who belong to different religions, cults or sects.

He talks to Muslims, Christians, Jews, satanists, members of the Jews for Jesus organization, etc.

Bill Maher also has an interesting conversation with the scientist, Andrew Newberg, researcher at the Pennsylvania University and the author of the work ‘Why we believe what e believe’. Newberg’s experiment scans the brain of people while they are praying or meditating.

Release Date: October 3, 2008

Genre: Documentary

Cast:

Bill Maher (Himself)

Andrew Newberg (Himself)

Director: Larry Charles

Ultimate X: The Movie

In August 2001, in Brotherly Love city, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the most talented athletes in extreme sports, like motocross and skateboarding, get together to show their talent in the Summer X Games competition.

The movie is a documentary in which we can admire the most spectacular moments of the competition.

The extreme sports presented in the film are BMX riding, motocross, skateboarding and street lugging.

Let yourself impressed by the spectacular moments of this competition.

Release Date: May 6, 2002

Genre: Documentary, Short, Sport

Cast:

Tony Hawk (Himself)

Carey Hart (Himself)

Brian Deegan (Himself)

Director: Bruce Hendricks

CSNY:Deja Vu

‘CSNY: Deja Vu’ is a musical documentary about Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, a 60’s band.

Being a very famous band, CSNY become the leaders of their generation.

CSNY are remembered not only for their love songs, but also for their political beliefs. ‘CSNY: Deja Vu’ presents the band heading out on their ‘Freedom of Speech 2006′ Tour.

The film also presents the events surrounding the Tour in the crucial election season of 2006.

The entire movie is about songs from the Tour that are mixed together with archival material, news footage and audience reactions.

The film examines the issues concerning the integration of politics and art.

Release Date: January 25, 2008

Genre: Documentary, Music

Cast:

Stephen Colbert (Himself)

David Crosby (Himself)

Graham Nash (Himself)

Stephen Stills (Himself)

Neil Young (Himself)

Director: Neil Young

The Beautiful Truth

‘The Beautiful Truth’ is a quite strange film on the healing power of unconventional therapies.

It explains how modern medicine is somehow acting against the patient, only to make money out of people’s illnesses.

In the film we see Garrett, a 15-year old boy who lives in Alaska, and takes care of many orphaned animals.

When his mother dies, his world collapses and he cares about nothing, which made his father decide to home-school him.

The boy starts researching about a diet therapy that is supposed to cure cancer and thus gets the interest of some of his neighbors as well. Along with Charlotte Gerson and Howard Strauss, he starts looking for the beautiful truth in this cruel world.

Will he manage to find what he is looking for?

Release Date: 2008

Genre: Documentary

Cast: Charlotte Gerson, Garrett Kroschel, Howard Strauss

Director: Steve Kroschel