Documentary Weekly

Jan 13

Jan 13 5 films on why we should never take democracy for granted

The liberal democratic model is at a crossroads. Elections and political unrest around the world have exposed the cracks in our individualist, utilitarian path towards progress. As democracy recedes, people are turning towards authoritarian and theocratic leaders. It is sometimes hard to see this tide turning, but thankfully, documentaries are here to help. Doc Weekly was in attendance at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) to pick out five of the of the most urgent films on the subject, including new 2024 and 2025 releases from Petra Costa and Asif Kapadia.

Oct 26

Oct 26 Quarantining Inside an MMA Gym in Sao Paulo

Documentary Weekly

Free of the Week, Short of the Week, Film

‘Clinch’ is an intimate portrait of a group of Mixed Martial Artists, struggling together during the Covid-19 quarantine in São Paulo, Brazil - a tricky situation that remains only partially resolved today.

Feb 29

Feb 29 When Our Memories Burn - The Aftermath of Rio’s Museum Fire

Marta Miskaryan

Free of the Week, Film, Article

In 2018 Latin America’s largest collection of natural and scientific history, the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, burned to the ground in a what is now known to have been a wholly preventable fire. Director Marta Miskaryan became fascinated by this tragedy which has had a traumatic effect on the people of Rio, not only wiping the building from the map, but also taking with it generations of emotional attachment and fond memories.

Jan 10

Jan 10 "It was a hard day to be filming" - Capturing Brazil's social turmoil on election day

Benjamin Hollis

Interview, Festival

At this year's International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), we sat down with directors Rica Saito and Caio Castor to discuss their short film “Batalha” or “Battle”.