FILM LIBRARY
Search ALL years, Documentary Short films by title (383)
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"Conversation", The
Dir: Archie Hancock Jack Zimmerman, Australia, 10 min, 2024, Documentary Short
For her whole life, Judith suspected she was secretly adopted, but was always too afraid to ask her mother. With the help of a few actresses, we gave Judit ... more »
1 FOR THE BOYS, 10 FOR THE GIRLS
Dir: Ingeborg Jansen, Netherlands, 15 min, 2001, Documentary Short
An 11 year old boy loves to play and giggle with his girlfriends and abhorrs soccer. All in all, he would rather be a girl himself. ... more »
10 YEARS TO NASHVILLE
Dir: Katarzyna Trzaska, Poland, 38 min, 2009, Documentary Short
Iza is a 33 year-old cleaning lady in a Polish railway station. Her friend Mariusz owns a railway toilet. Together, they dream of traveling to America, ... more »
10,082
Dir: Sinemaslave, United States, 6 min, 2001, Documentary Short
10,082 is a personal document on magician David Blaine and his sensationalistic act of burying himself alive for 7 days without food or water. Photograph ... more »
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Dir: Ed Hancox, United States, 16 min, 2015, Documentary Short
A chilling portrait of the inner workings of the death penalty in America, told by the man once known as "the face of executions". ... more »
24/7
Dir: Haneul Lee, United States, 15 min, 2022, Documentary Short
On a corner in Brooklyn, people come and go 24/7 at a grocery store, where offers produce and products from all over the world at any time of day. This fil ... more »
3 DAYS OF FREEDOM
Dir: Lukasz Borowski, Poland, 28 min, 2011, Documentary Short
Piotr has a pass to leave prison after fifteen years. Even the simplest activity is a real challenge for him. Lost and bewildered, yet fascinated, he tries ... more »
605 Adults 305 Children
Dir: Michael Mahaffie, South Africa, 13 min, 2018, Documentary Short
An immersive and intimate documentary filmed entirely by The Peoples Temple in Jonestown. ... more »
A Body Called Life
Dir: Spencer MacDonald, United States, 15 min, 2024, Documentary Short
A self-isolated young human known as "James" delves into the hidden world of microscopic organisms, forging a tender connection with these nearly invisible ... more »
A Touch of Kindness: Man of Fire
Dir: Justin Rowe Tolliver, United States, 7 min, 2022, Documentary Short
A documentary short that explores the effects that life on the job as a Long Beach firefighter has on engineer Ryan Sweeney's home life and overall mental ... more »
A Wild Kindness
Dir: Mattias Evangelista, United States, 24 min, 2024, Documentary Short
As summer draws to a close, fate pulls a young man to a small island in the Pacific Northwest. ... more »
ABC'S OF FOOTBALL, THE
Dir: Itamar Rotem, Israel, 25 min, 2000, Documentary Short
This film depicts the Israeli society as reflected through the behavior of football fans. The director had mingled with fans of teams from different reg ... more »
ABIGAIL DEVILLE'S HARLEM STORIES
Dir: Nick Ravich, United States, 7 min, 2014, Documentary Short
How does an artist acknowledge forgotten people? In this ART21 production, artist Abigail DeVille stalks the streets of Harlem with a trash-laden push cart ... more »
About A Home
Dir: Daniel Chein, Elizabeth Lo, United States, 9 min, 2020, Documentary Short
Precious Sarria and her family experienced housing insecurity for over two years. After successfully transitioning into housing, they volunteered to docume ... more »
Accidents & Emergencies
Dir: Mischa Jakupcak, United States, United Kingdom, 3 min, 2023, Documentary Short
After witnessing a fatal car accident in 2004, Mischa Jakupcak experienced an acute psychotic episode. She was admitted to the Mermaid Ward, a psychiatric ... more »
ADRIFT
Dir: Frederik Jan Depickere, Belgium, 8 min, 2013, Documentary Short
A random refugee wanders alone, without purpose or direction, 150 kilometer above the arctic circle. ... more »
Ai Baba: (Love Dad)
Dir: Connie Huang, China, United States, 6 min, 2019, Documentary Short
An intimate recording between a mother and her 7 year old daughter about divorce, as the daughter struggles with what she knows is right versus how she rea ... more »
Alchemy of David, The
Dir: Nicholas Woytuk, United States, 15 min, 2023, Documentary Short
David Michael Kennedy’s photography is more than art — it’s alchemy. Without the fickle, laborious process of printing with platinum and palladium, his com ... more »
Alejandro & Miguel
Dir: Joie Estrella Horwitz, Mexico, 9 min, 2020, Documentary Short
Multigenerational borders manifest both emotionally and vocationally in the relationship between Miguel Bencomo and his fourteen-year-old son Alejandro. In ... more »
ALIVE & KICKING: THE SOCCER GRANNIES OF SOUTH AFRICA
Dir: Lara-Ann de Wet, United States, 20 min, 2015, Documentary Short
Filmed in the heart of Limpopo, South Africa the village grannies "Vhakegula Vhakegula" lace up their soccer boots and start kicking their way through cent ... more »
All the Queens Houses
Dir: Sean Mowry, United States, 10 min, 2025, Documentary Short
The story of architect and artist Rafael Herrin-Ferri's work capturing the surprising beauty of New York City's largest borough. It's a personal story and ... more »
Alpha Mare
Dir: Victor Suarez, Mimi Wilcox, United States, 9 min, 2018, Documentary Short
A dreamlike meditation on mental health and the search for peace, Alpha Mare is the story of Karin Dilou told from the horses’ perspective. Karin is a sage ... more »
American Frontier, The
Dir: Edward Frumkin, United States, 17 min, 2021, Documentary Short
The American Frontier looks at Hollywood’s depiction of the Old West. With archival footage and scholarly interviews, the film examines the influence of We ... more »
American Seams
Dir: Carly Jakins, Jared Jakins, United States, 17 min, 2024, Documentary Short
The stories of three quilters reveal an intimate portrait of rural women in the American West. Featuring Brenda Bailey, Sara Buscaglia, and Susan "Traditio ... more »
ANIMAL MOVIES: FOX PAST
Dir: Judith Doyle, Canada, 13 min, 2000, Documentary Short
How do animal movies shape our experiences of nature? This is the theme of Alex Wilson's chapter Looking At The Non-Human in his book The Culture of Nature ... more »
Arrested at Delaney Hall
Dir: Louis Cacchione, United States, 20 min, 2025, Documentary Short
A standoff at an immigrant detention center in Newark leads to the arrest of Mayor Ras Baraka. ... more »
As Close as We Can
Dir: Ethan Fuirst, United States, 6 min, 2020, Documentary Short
A filmmaker compiles his friends' super 8, 8mm, 16mm and VHS footage from Summer 2020 to make sense of a difficult year. ... more »
ASHLEY ASHLEY
Dir: Ted Sananman, United States, 11 min, 2017, Documentary Short
Ashley Ashley is a documentary short about siblings, competitive spirit, drive and the ability to succeed in America. Motivated by an unorthodox and accomp ... more »
AWANA
Dir: William Silva Reddington & Guille Isa, United States, 11 min, 2015, Documentary Short
Awana follows the journey of a handmade scarf made by a weaver in a rural village in Peru. ... more »
BAMAKO CHICKEN
Dir: Habib Yazdi, Mali, 4 min, 2015, Documentary Short
Aba Diko prepares chicken dinner in Bamako, Mali. ... more »
Bananas Girl
Dir: Shayna Connelly, United States, 7 min, 2020, Documentary Short
Seven-year-old Bananas Girl asserts her independence, perfects the art of the non-sequitur and navigates the boundaries between herself and her mom. The fi ... more »
Barriga Llena, Corazón Contento (Full Belly, Happy Heart)
Dir: Jordana Rubenstein-Edberg, Marshall Hanig, United States, 17 min, 2026, Documentary Short
Barriga Llena, Corazón Contento (Full Belly, Happy Heart) is a chorus of stories from the organizers of Fenix Community Fridge, a grassroots food pantry in ... more »
BEAUTIFUL, I AM
Dir: Ora DeKornfeld, United States, 14 min, 2017, Documentary Short
A young traditional Sufi vocalist from Northern rural Pakistan has dreams of what it means to be a professional musician, making it big in America. When ... more »
BEG, BORROW OR STEAL
Dir: Andreas Koefoed, Denmark, 36 min, 2006, Documentary Short
Rahi has seen it all: 36 countries on three continents - on his bicycle from India! Now, 89 years of age and a self-appointed Professor of the World, he se ... more »
BEHIND THE SCENES OF P.
Dir: Margarita Jimeno, Colombia, 2 min, 2005, Documentary Short
In a room of a brothel, a prostitute tells her friends some news that might change her life. ... more »
BEN : IN THE MIND'S EYE
Dir: Iva Radivojevic, United States, 14 min, 2012, Documentary Short
Ben is solipsistic. He finds home in music which keeps him alive and gives meaning to his life. Wanting desperately to express himself, he lends his though ... more »
Bent
Dir: Sam B. Jones, United States, 17 min, 2026, Documentary Short
A twelve-year-old boy from a family of demolition derby drivers tries to prove himself by competing in his first derby, but finds the validation he’s seeki ... more »
BEST THING I EVER DONE, THE
Dir: M. Emily Mackenzie, United States, 16 min, 2010, Documentary Short
Hailed as the 'godfather of Brooklyn pizza,' for forty-five years Domenico DeMarco, Italian emigre, has been slinging pizzas in his legendary pizzeria, Di ... more »
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Dir: Dee McLachlan, Australia, 7 min, 2002, Documentary Short
After 57 years of living as a male, Patrick, recovering from a bout of cancer, realised that it was time to face up to all of the fears associated with bec ... more »
BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW
Dir: Alexandra Gezentsvey, United States, 7 min, 2003, Documentary Short
Four immigrant teens from the former Soviet Union explore their often painful experiences of coming to America and the feeling of being stuck between two c ... more »
BEYOND THE VISION
Dir: Bruno Derlin & Mark Doyle, United States, 25 min, 2005, Documentary Short
Filmmakers Bruno Derlin and Mark Doyle combine event footage, miscellaneous film clips, and personal insight in a behind-the-scenes look at the history and ... more »
BIG RACE, THE
Dir: Phil Aupperle, United States, 5 min, 2004, Documentary Short
What do two boys in Madagascar do with a free day? Tulch and Noel, best friends with a day off from school, successfully illustrate that you don't need fan ... more »
Bindings
Dir: Susan Pinchiaroli, Lucy Spahr, United States, 20 min, 2025, Documentary Short
When the Scranton family began making purses out of old books, they never imagined the small business would become a lifeline for their adult son, Christia ... more »
Birdsong
Dir: Paul Szynol, United States, 11 min, 2021, Documentary Short
Motherpigeon and Jason Trachtenburg, formerly of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, stand up for bohemia and New York City’s birds. ... more »
Blake, The
Dir: Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato, United States, 15 min, 2022, Documentary Short
In 1995, an elementary school art teacher converted an old bus into a replica of the Challenger space shuttle and used it as a science laboratory to teach ... more »
BLOOD AND INCENSE
Dir: Carl Valiquet, Canada, 17 min, 2008, Documentary Short
In Bali, during certain ceremonies, blood must be spilled to pacify the bhutas, the evil spirits that live underground. A cockfighting arena is built next ... more »
BORN INTO THIS
Dir: Lea Scruggs & Sean Ryon, United States, 23 min, 2014, Documentary Short
Born Into This examines the American Dream told through an immigrant father and his son's attempt to break into the world of professional boxing. Junior 'S ... more »
BORN TO BE MILD
Dir: Andy Oxley, England, 15 min, 2014, Documentary Short
The modern world is constantly speeding up. But not for the Dull Men's Club - a group of men quite content with life's more sedate pleasures. ... more »
BRAVE BUNCH. THE UPRISING THROUGH CHILDREN'S EYES, A
Dir: Tomasz Stankiewicz, Poland, 30 min, 2015, Documentary Short
A Brave Bunch. The Uprising through children's eyes. When the Warsaw Uprising started in 1944, thousands of children lived in the city. Brave Bunch is abou ... more »
BROOKLYN BRIDGE, THE
Dir: Derek Garcia, United States, 3 min, 2010, Documentary Short
A Portrait of The Brooklyn Bridge from day to night. ... more »
Brother Move On
Dir: Antshi von Moos, India, 8 min, 2018, Documentary Short
Geeta is one of the few female taxi drivers in India. Her service "for women by women" enables women to move freely in the city at any time. Her hope is th ... more »
Brothers – A Family Film
Dir: Valentin Merz, Switzerland, France, 18 min, 2020, Documentary Short
After twenty years of separation, brothers Adi and Valentin spend a week together. Adi is 32 years old, doesn't work and lives with his parents. Valentin, ... more »
Bus Savior, The
Dir: Fanny Ben David, Israel, 16 min, 2021, Documentary Short
Amit Shahar is a bus driver that collects old buses. He grew up in Moshav Hatzeva and when his parents divorced he moved to the center of Israel with his m ... more »
BUZZ
Dir: Nina Ruggero, United States, 5 min, 2025, Documentary Short
A retired 70-year-old, affectionately known as “Buzz,” finds ways to distract himself from the persistent noise in his ears. ... more »
CAFFE CAPRI
Dir: Casimir Nozkowski, United States, 6 min, 2012, Documentary Short
Caffe Capri is a movie about an Italian coffee shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, run by a brother and sister-in-law for almost 40 years. A truly one-of-a-kin ... more »
CAGE, THE
Dir: Bram Fj Van Alphen, Netherlands, 3 min, 2011, Documentary Short
A visual, poetic portrayal of the basketball court "the Cage" at West 4Th street in NYC. Bystanders stop for a brief minute in their daily rushed life and ... more »
CASTING IN JAGUEY GRANDE
Dir: Thomas Winston, Cuba, 15 min, 2017, Documentary Short
Just a few clicks north of Bay of Pigs' pristine mangrove flats - some of the best bonefish habitat in the world - lies Jaguey Grand, Cuba. A surprising sc ... more »
Cat Man Eshete, The
Dir: Laura Checkoway, United States, Ethiopia, 25 min, 2025, Documentary Short
The extraordinary story of Eshete, who escaped Ethiopia’s civil war on foot as a young man and is now a devoted caretaker of a feral cat colony in Brooklyn ... more »
CAVEDIGGER
Dir: Jeffrey Karoff, United States, 40 min, 2013, Documentary Short
Ra Paulette digs cathedral-like, 'eighth wonder of the world' art caves into the sandstone cliffs of Northern New Mexico. Each creation takes years to comp ... more »
CHARGE FOR THAT
Dir: Chris Cassidy, United States, 7 min, 2006, Documentary Short
The streets of New York City have been an endless palette for artist Mark Nilsen. Dog piss, enthusiastic passers-by, and everything in between as Nilsen br ... more »
CHI RAQ
Dir: Will Robson Scott, United States, 12 min, 2013, Documentary Short
Chicago's nickname 'Chi Raq' refers to the city's epidemic of violence, where the annual homicide rate rivals the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq and ... more »
Clinic, The
Dir: Elivia Shaw, United States, 16 min, 2018, Documentary Short
Amidst a devastating opioid epidemic, a needle exchange and free clinic operates in the shadows of Fresno, California. ... more »
CLOSER
Dir: Tina Gharavi, England, 24 min, 2000, Documentary Short
An experimental documentary which has at its heart a poignant character study of a 17 year-old lesbian living in Newcastle, England, Closer innovatively ex ... more »
CLYDE
Dir: Måns Månsson, United States, 5 min, 2001, Documentary Short
A black homeless man's response to 9/11. ... more »
COCAIS, THE REINVENTED TOWN
Dir: Ines Cardoso, Brazil, 15 min, 2008, Documentary Short
A poetic documentary film made with the patients and employees of an asylum town in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This is the story of a town that reinve ... more »
COFFIN MAKER
Dir: Theo Anthony, Congo, 8 min, 2014, Documentary Short
Filmed throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final days of a devastating three-year war, 'Coffin Maker' weaves together three separate journey ... more »
COLLECTION
Dir: Marcin Polar, Poland, 19 min, 2017, Documentary Short
Mieczyslaw lives with his wife, Wladzia, in a small, lost village. Being on the edge of life he lives a simple life, taking care of his disabled wife. In h ... more »
Come & Take It
Dir: PJ Raval, Ellen Spiro, United States, 25 min, 2018, Documentary Short
This short documentary film captures the transformation of a young woman to leadership of America’s most irreverent anti-gun violence movement called #Cock ... more »
COMIC BOOK HEAVEN
Dir: E.j. Mcleavey-Fisher, United States, 12 min, 2014, Documentary Short
This short documentary follows 81 year old Joe Leisner, owner of Comic Book Heaven in Sunnyside, Queens, NY as he cantankerously assesses the status of his ... more »
Complicating Danny
Dir: Zoe Mathewson, United States, 8 min, 2023, Documentary Short
Two sisters discuss their incredibly creative and complex father and ruminate on the challenge of rendering someone who no longer exists in a complete imag ... more »
Cowgirl
Dir: Chase Musslewhite, United States, 15 min, 2023, Documentary Short
Hailing from a long line of cowboys and cowgirls, Krishaun Adair has paved her own way in the rodeo world as both a competitor and a rodeo host. We follow ... more »
Coywolf
Dir: Lucy Adams, United States, 12 min, 2024, Documentary Short
A short documentary about coyotes in New York City. ... more »
CRAZY FOR YOU
Dir: Marcelo Kiwi Beiger, Chile, 11 min, 2015, Documentary Short
Elias is a shy and lonely guy, while Carolina is sociable, cheerful and lives without prejudices, two people living together in one body. This is a portrai ... more »
CRISANTO STREET
Dir: Paloma Martinez, United States, 12 min, 2017, Documentary Short
In the shadow of Silicon Valley, a hidden community thrives despite difficult circumstances. For one resident, eight-year-old Geovany Cesario, impending ch ... more »
CROWN, THE
Dir: Isabel Vega & Amanda Micheli, United States, 40 min, 2007, Documentary Short
The contestants in this beauty pageant are thieves, murderers, and guerillas. The runnerup wipes her tears with a tattooed hand when the tiara is not place ... more »
CRYSTAL PHOTOGRAPHER, THE
Dir: T&T Dreijer, Denmark, 10 min, 1999, Documentary Short
A short film about the hidden mysterious world of microscopic crystals, seen through the lens of "The Crystal Photographer." ... more »
DADDY
Dir: John Gallen, Alex Faoro, United States, 30 min, 2017, Documentary Short
Daddy tells the story of youth basketball coach and drug trafficker Curtis Malone. In 1993 Curtis founded the DC Assault, an AAU basketball team whose miss ... more »
DAGHWAH
Dir: Moe Najati, United Arab Emirates, 10 min, 2015, Documentary Short
Daghwah is a traditional fishing method that is still being used by the locals of Kalba in the United Arab Emirates. The documentary, narrated by fisherman ... more »
DANCE LIKE YOUR OLD MAN
Dir: Gideon Obarzanek & Edwina Throsby, Australia, 10 min, 2007, Documentary Short
Six women imitate their dads' dancing in a film about fathers as seen through the eyes of their daughters. The unseen men come to life through the dances a ... more »
DANCE OR DIE
Dir: Nathalie De Lopez, France, 7 min, 2020, Documentary Short
Female director Nathalie De Lopez presents "Dance or Die", a short film featuring dancer and choreographer Kevin Bago. Conceived as a portrait film, "Dance ... more »
DAVID'S VOICE
Dir: Graham Hill, United States, 14 min, 2018, Documentary Short
David Worobec is a classically trained vocalist who performs musical theater on miniature stages. Not content to play merely one character, he sings and pe ... more »
DAY IN. DAY OUT.
Dir: Carl Valiquet, Indonesia, 29 min, 2011, Documentary Short
This short film is a montage of still and moving images that visually depict the laborious struggle of workers living on different islands of Indonesia. It ... more »
DAY WE DANCED ON THE MOON, THE
Dir: Tristan Daws, Germany, 11 min, 2011, Documentary Short
THE DAY WE DANCED ON THE MOON tells the story of THE CHANNEL ONE BAND, a reggae band of mental health patients, as they journey to the West Coast of Irelan ... more »
Days of Hate
Dir: Oliver Shahery, United States, 16 min, 2024, Documentary Short
A broken-hearted filmmaker finds meaning as he documents punk band Show Me The Body record their latest album. ... more »
Dear Watsonville
Dir: Sandra Lucille, United States, 18 min, 2024, Documentary Short
"Dear Watsonville" is a mixed-media documentary offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of the manong generation, the first generation of Filipino migr ... more »
Death and Her Compass
Dir: Annie Munger, United States, 17 min, 2020, Documentary Short
"Death isn't given time; the time that is needed." Molly, a death doula and lover of the woods, works with clients nearing the end of their lives to confro ... more »
DEATH ON A FRIENDLY BORDER
Dir: Rachel Antell, United States, 26 min, 2001, Documentary Short
since the mid-1990s when the United States began militarizing its southern border, an average of one person a day has died crossing inot the USA. "Death on ... more »
Deerwoods Deathtrap
Dir: James Gannon, United States, 9 min, 2021, Documentary Short
50 years ago Jack and Betty were hit by a train and survived. This is their story.While on a trip to Cape May New Jersey in 1971, Jack and Betty ... more »
Dene Drum Songs in Gahnįhthah
Dir: Jonathan Antoine, Canada, 12 min, 2021, Documentary Short
A short documentary on the Dene Drum in Gahnı̨hthah (Rabbitkettle). ... more »
DEPARTURE FROM A LOVE
Dir: Ishmael Islam, United States, 9 min, 2009, Documentary Short
A Brooklyn resident writes a letter of departure for his lady, which in reality is his hometown of Brooklyn, NY. ... more »
Deporting Myself
Dir: Julia Neumann, United States, 11 min, 2018, Documentary Short
Deporting Myself is a documentary about Zsuzsanna, an undocumented New York housekeeper, who’s been living and working in the U.S illegally for almost 20 y ... more »
Devil Is Busy, The
Dir: Geeta Gandbhir, Christalyn Hampton, United States, 31 min, 2024, Documentary Short
As the director of operations and security of an abortion clinic in Atlanta, Tracy doesn't take any chances when it comes to the safety of both the patient ... more »
DIAMOND CUTTER, THE
Dir: Nicholas Weissman, United States, 5 min, 2014, Documentary Short
In New York City's diamond district, behind the glistening jewelry markets and through a maze of narrow corridors, sits a ninety-two-year-old diamond cutte ... more »
DIMMER
Dir: Talmage Cooley, United States, 12 min, 2004, Documentary Short
Dimmer is a glimpse into the life of Mike, a blind teenager growing up with a gang of blind friends amid the decaying rust belt factories and neighborhoods ... more »
Distant Voice
Dir: Alix Spence, United States, 14 min, 2018, Documentary Short
Rob Magill is an experimental musician living in the small town of Ojai, California. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at 17, he's limited in his ability to tra ... more »
DO YOU WANT THE ELEPHANT MUSIC
Dir: Leslie Dektor, United States, 17 min, 2005, Documentary Short
The ring allows us to see the lives and feelings of circus performers and how they mirror our own lives. ... more »
DON ROBERTO'S SHADOW
Dir: Juan Diego Spoerer & Hakan Engstrom, Chile, 27 min, 2007, Documentary Short
A boy travels to a saltpeter office with his family, to the city of Chacabuco in the Chilean desert, where he walks along the old buildings. The years pas ... more »
Door Away, A
Dir: Alex H. Rafi, United States, 10 min, 2020, Documentary Short
Still living in his childhood home, twenty-five year old DeVaughn reflects on his relationship with his family as he continues to build a life of meaning. ... more »
DOPO YUMEmories
Dir: Jordan Galland, United States, 14 min, 2022, Documentary Short
The short documentary explores Dopo Yume, a NYC-based rock band that gained traction in the late 90s, early 00s, but never quite took flight. Told through ... more »
Doreen Garner's Invisible Man Tattoo
Dir: Nick Ravich, United States, 7 min, 2019, Documentary Short
In early 2018, at the height of the excitement surrounding the film “Black Panther,” artist Doreen Garner hosts “Invisible Man Tattoo,” a pop-up tattoo sho ... more »
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