Latest Documentaries News

In ‘2000 Meters to Andriivka,’ Oscar winner takes viewers back to Ukraine’s front lines

Jan. 30, 2025 11:31 AM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — The day Mstyslav Chernov won the BAFTA for his documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” was the day he learned two soldiers he knew had been killed in combat. They were primary subjects of his new film “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a harrowing portrait of modern warfare that...

With leaked footage from the inside, Sundance doc shows horrifying conditions in Alabama prisons

Jan. 29, 2025 22:11 PM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Incarcerated men in the Alabama prison system risked their safety to feed shocking footage of their horrifying living conditions to a pair of documentary filmmakers. The result is “The Alabama Solution,” which premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival in Park...

A Sundance documentary called ‘The Stringer’ disputes who took AP’s 'napalm girl' photo in Vietnam

Jan. 26, 2025 19:25 PM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — After a half-century of public silence, a freelance photographer from Vietnam has asserted he took one of the most renowned and impactful photos of the 20th century — the image of a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack in South Vietnam that has long been credited to a staff...

For documentaries at Sundance, Oscar nominations (and wins) often follow

Jan. 24, 2025 15:52 PM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — The Sundance Film Festival welcomed back three Oscar-winning documentary filmmakers to help kick off the annual independent film showcase in Park City, Utah. On Thursday night at The Ray Theater, “20 Days in Mariupol” filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov, who won...

Marlee Matlin, a trailblazer for deaf actors, opens up in a new documentary

Jan. 23, 2025 23:57 PM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Marlee Matlin gives an unflinchingly honest account of her experiences as a deaf actor in the funny and revelatory documentary “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.” The film kicked off the 41st Sundance Film Festival Thursday, as the first major premiere in the Eccles...

'Saturday Night Live' has a rich, half-century musical history. Questlove's new documentary digs in

Jan. 23, 2025 12:44 PM EST

The startling “cold open” for a documentary about 50 years of “Saturday Night Live” music is proof that a musician — a specific kind of musician — had to put it together. It's a mashup of performances from artists that few people would think of putting together, like...

Sundance 2025: 13(ish) movies to look forward to

Jan. 23, 2025 11:10 AM EST

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — The Sundance Film Festival catalogue can be overwhelming to navigate, with around 90 feature films playing across 11 days. This year the Robert Redford-founded independent film festival has something for everyone: Comedies, dramas, horrors, documentaries, the...

A documentary on wildfires raised tough questions in 2021. People may now be more inclined to listen

Jan. 15, 2025 18:34 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — When Lucy Walker debuted her harrowing documentary about California wildfires, “Bring Your Own Brigade,” at Sundance in 2021, it was during peak COVID. Not the best time for a film on a wholly different scourge. “It was really hard,” the Oscar-nominated...

Melania Trump says she's packed and ready for the move back into the White House

Jan. 13, 2025 10:50 AM EST

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Incoming first lady Melania Trump says she's packed and ready to move back into the White House, where son Barron will have a bedroom, and she plans to revive her Be Best children's initiative. Trump also said in a taped interview broadcast Monday on...

For Elton John, 'Never Too Late' isn't just a documentary and song — it is a life mantra

Jan. 10, 2025 15:27 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Capturing Sir Elton John's 50-year career is a herculean task. Good thing his husband, David Furnish, and filmmaker R.J. Cutler were up for the challenge. “Elton John: Never Too Late,” one of The Associated Press' picks for the best music documentaries of 2024,...