Bondi Icebergs is the most photographed pool in the world. This gorgeously shot documentary about the pool and the diverse community for whom it is a place of challenge, solace, meditation and connection shows there’s still much left to be revealed beneath its surface.
Far from a standard career retrospective, this is instead an unhurried, intimate portrait of a man who described himself as living in two worlds, created in collaboration with its subject as he approached the end of his extraordinary life.
An Oscar-winning documentary as brilliant and blistering as writer James Baldwin, around whom it is built, this tells the story of race in America, from the nation's beginning to now. It contains a wealth of sharply chosen archival and recent footage, and Samuel L. Jackson narrates.
A fascinating and beautifully shot backstage view of the unexpected challenges for both creators and performers when Czech dance stars Jiří and Otto Bubeníček are invited by the Royal New Zealand ballet to turn their short work based on the film The Piano into a full-length ballet.
At first this seems like a straightforward Nat Geo-style portrait of endearing census-taker Amber, asking people about their happiness in Bhutan, famed for its Gross National Happiness. But the filmmakers have tapped into something much deeper and more affecting.
A must for film-lovers, as the director of Cinema Paradiso delves into the career of cinema composer maestro Morricone. This richly entertaining documentary delivers a feast of memorable clips from The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Days of Heaven, The Mission, The Hateful Eight and many more.
Istanbul is famed for many things, including its street cats. This beautifully shot documentary reveals the city’s life and heart through seven of its distinct feline characters and the people who interact with them.
A ‘true-crime’ story like you’ve never seen, this is the brilliantly told story of how four US college students decided to steal books worth millions and what happened next. Exciting, sure-handed and frequently surprising, it stars Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan in one of his first major roles.
An immersive, sometimes heart-stopping spectacle that demands to be seen on the big screen, this documentary from the director of Gunda has no narration. It lets its incredible visuals and audio tell the story of water in all its forms on our planet.
A poetic portrait of environmentalist Bob Brown and the forest that draws on emerging science and Brown’s experiences of activism to inspire a new chapter in our relationship with trees. Rated M
Growing old amid flickering memories, one of the oldest amateur film clubs in the world is teetering on the brink of survival. Desperately clinging to their dreams, and to each other, this hilarious and moving portrait of artistic folly speaks to the delusional escapist dreamer in us all. Rated M
A music documentary that captures Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin as she records the most successful gospel album of all time, Amazing Grace, at The New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972. Rated G
A reconconstruction of the true story of Tunisian mother of four Olfa Hamrouni, this riveting film unpacks a complex family history through intimate interviews and performance to examine how her two eldest daughters became radicalised. Rated M
A primary school headmaster in Belfast’s Ardoyne housing estates invokes the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers to fight poverty, drug dealers and the IRA – restoring hope in the heart of a battered community. Read more
