20 Essential Documentaries from 2012

This film offers a personal look at LCD Soundsystem's final performance on April 2, 2011. It documents both the band's energetic, three-hour farewell concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City and the 48 hours leading up to it,…

This documentary reveals the untold story of a desperate struggle for truth. Made by those who experienced it firsthand, the film offers unprecedented access to the defense's inner workings, showing the investigation, research, and appeals process in detail. It unveils…

This film chronicles the challenges faced by Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist renowned for his provocative art and outspoken political views, between 2008 and 2011. It follows his ascent to international recognition through online platforms, culminating in his widely reported…

Danish journalist Mads Brügger goes undercover as a Liberian Ambassador to undertake a risky and darkly humorous investigation into the illegal blood diamond trade in Africa.

At 19, aspiring rock star Jason Becker was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Doctors predicted he would lose his ability to make music and wouldn't live to be 25. Twenty-two years later, unable to move or speak, Jason is still…

This film chronicles the intense experiences of video game developers as they bring their creations to life and release them to players worldwide. It’s a story about the process of making video games, fundamentally exploring the act of creative expression…

Sarah Polley, a Canadian actress and filmmaker, explores hidden aspects of her mother's past. She interviews family and friends, but their accounts differ depending on their connection to the events. This creates a series of unanswered questions, as memory is…

Master sushi chef Jiro Ono relentlessly pursues perfection in his craft. His eldest son, Yoshikazu, struggles to measure up to his father's renowned legacy.

In rural southwestern China, athletic coaches search for talented but impoverished teenagers with a knack for fighting. These young people are taken to boxing training centers where they endure intense training designed to make them Olympic champions and prepare them…

This film offers an experimental look at the North American commercial fishing industry. The story is told entirely through footage captured by GoPro cameras mounted on a fishing boat working off the coast of New England.

This disturbing documentary features former Indonesian death squad leaders performing dramatizations of their past mass killings, using different film styles. The reenactments create a confusing mix of reality and fiction, revealing the lasting effects of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist violence and…

Detroit's history reflects a key story of the United States over the past century: African Americans' Great Migration away from racial segregation, the growth of industry and a prosperous middle class, a strong connection to cars, the pursuit of the…

Following a six-year prison sentence and a twenty-year ban from filmmaking and foreign interviews for his support of the 2009 Iranian election opposition, acclaimed director Jafar Panahi secretly filmed this movie. His close friend Mojtaba Mirtahmasb captured Panahi's daily life…

This lyrical documentary captures a single night in New Orleans through the eyes of three teenage brothers. They navigate the city's vibrant streets, encountering dancers, musicians, hustlers, and revelers bathed in lamplight. The film immerses viewers in the energy of…

"The Waiting Room" is a documentary film offering unprecedented access inside an American public hospital serving a community with limited insurance. Combining observational footage with personal stories, the film presents a revealing, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful portrayal of patients, staff,…

Britt, 77, dedicates her life to her cows. Even with a severely damaged back, she continues to milk them by hand and deliver the milk to Arla. Her sister Inger assists on the farm daily, though she finds milking unpleasant.

Born in the Tennessee mountains, Wayne White began his career as a cartoonist in New York City. He quickly gained recognition as a key creator of the Pee-wee's Playhouse TV show, followed by designing many memorable images in popular culture.…

Over five years and filmed in twenty-five countries across five continents, *Samsara* is shot on 70mm film. It takes viewers to diverse locations: sacred sites, disaster areas, industrial facilities, and natural landscapes.

'Low and Clear' explores friendship and life in the fading landscapes of the American West. Two men, once close, reconnect for a final fly fishing trip. As they spend time together, they confront how much they've both changed, and how…

In 1994, a 13-year-old boy vanished from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later, he's discovered alive in a Spanish village, recounting a harrowing tale of kidnapping and torture. His family rejoices at his return.…