Category: documentary

For my pretty mom. “Writing Hawa” (2024)

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directed by Najiba Noori
© 2024 Tag Film. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re in need of some women empowerment, here’s a beautiful story you should learn. The documentary was directed by Najiba Noori, an Afghan journalist and filmmaker, who decided to present the reality of Afghan women by telling the story of her own mother, Hawa. She had an arranged marriage when she was only 13 years old. Her husband is 30 years older than her, so imagine how difficult it must have been for such a young girl to play the role of a wife. Now, as Hawa is already a grandmother, she decides to put herself first and wants to learn how to read and write. You see, women there are not supposed to be educated, so lots of them are illiterate. In order to change that, Hawa asks her family to help her and with their support she’s finally learning to read and write. Unfortunately, in 2021 the US soldiers are told to leave Afghanistan, which leads to the Taliban taking over. And as you can imagine, whatever had got improved until then, had to change immediately. Women’s independence is non-existent in such circumstances. The director of the documentary doesn’t only show the reality of women in Afghanistan, but she also made the film to thank her mother for everything she’s done. Despite all the difficulties, pain, barriers – she managed to raise her children and make sure their future was better than her own. Indeed, Najiba is now a free and educated woman with a decent job and lots of perspectives. Yet, she cannot accept the fact that her mother still has to go through such hell. This film is both incredibly beautiful and horribly painful. Beautiful, because Najiba makes sure to praise Hawa for who she is, which all good parents deserve for sure. However, it’s painful, because after over 40 years nothing much has changed in the life of Afghan women. They are still considered objects that men manipulate with. They should be obedient wives, ready to give birth to many children (especially sons), and never disrespect their husbands. Even if they maltreat them, even if they hurt them, even if they rape them – a “good” woman should stay silent. As you know, I’m highly sensitive to such subjects and I cannot understand how in 2025 we still allow anyone to be treated this way. The documentary is hard to watch, but generally I’m thankful for it, because it shows the incredible power of women that should be reminded more and more often. Take some time to meet Hawa and learn her story.

My rating: 7/10
S.

She needs the audience like air to breathe. “Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present” (2012)

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directed by Matthew Akers & Jeff Dupre
© 2012 Show of Force. All Rights Reserved.

736 hours and 30 minutes without any word, without any movement, no food and drink, no toilet breaks. That’s what it took to create one of the most spectacular performances I’ve heard of. Marina Abramović is a famous artist of Serbian origin. Her life has been full of numerous adventures, unusual acquaintances, but mostly – crossing the line way too much. If you think something is impossible, Marina has probably already done it. When I first heard of her, it was at university and we were discussing her performances. At the beginning, I thought “who’s so crazy to risk their own life for some performance?”, and then I realised that even if I may not understand some of her drastic choices, I admire her bravery and strength as a woman, as a human, as an artist. I’ve read her autobiography and I know it’s not a book blog, but if you find some time – please read this one. Reading about her life was much more exciting than reading most fictional books, I swear. Anyway, today I’d like to recommend you a film about Marina’s important event. You will find out a bit about her life, but only a small fragment. Generally, we move to The Museum of Modern Art in New York where in 2010 Marina organised a big event presenting her most iconic pieces of art, which were re-enacted by other performers. All the presented performances had to be with the performer present in the piece, not just a bunch of objects to observe, so that’s why the whole event is called “The Artist is Present”. During the exhibition, Marina was about to perform herself – and that one was a huge challenge. She decided to put two chairs facing each other, sit on one of them and let people just sit on the other. The rules were simple: you just sit, not say a word, and look into each other’s eyes. As long as you need. At first, the organising team were worried that perhaps nobody would want to sit in front of Marina, but it turned out to be the opposite. People were queuing for hours to take part in the performance, some of them even several times. Marina spent many hours on just being present for her audience, which I personally find amazing. To me, she paid respect to people who admire her work, because each person could be there with her, one to one for at least a moment. As she was saying, she fully focused on the other person, she wasn’t noticing anyone around them, so she was truly there for that one on the second chair. I cannot even imagine what kind of emotions she was feeling during the performance, because even watching parts of it was fascinating. One of the big moments was when her ex partner, Ulay, sat on the other chair. They were a couple of artists performing together for many years, but finally decided to go separate ways. When Marina saw Ulay on the second chair, she started crying and broke the rules – she reached out with her hands to touch his. Did I cry at that moment? Maybe. Generally, I’m moved by what Marina has done as an artist in her life, so if you want to learn about someone truly special, make sure to see this documentary. And if you get inspired, then the book is waiting as well.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Entertainment based on disgusting crimes. “Predators” (2025)

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directed by David Osit
© 2025 MTV Documentary Films. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s documentary hit me hard, so get ready for some rollercoaster and a literal head explosion. But before I shake your brain like Shakira’s hips, let’s talk a bit about reality shows. To be absolutely honest, I watch them. Maybe not all of them, but there are some that really boost my serotonin level in the evening. And even though I enjoy watching such programs, I sometimes reflect on their influence on viewers. I mean, the participants of such shows are ordinary people, who suddenly become popular. We may laugh at their silly statements or some awkward situations, but we don’t think of the consequences. Perhaps such participant may feel ashamed and later deal with mental issues. Or the other way round – their actions might inspire viewers, who start behaving in some inappropriate way. Still, the reality shows that I watch are mostly about dating or solving puzzles (“The Traitors” are my top of the top!). However, in 2004 an unusual reality show was released in the USA, which I haven’t had a chance to see, but I learned about it thanks to today’s documentary. The show was called “To Catch a Predator” and its idea was to simulate meetings between minors and adults in order to prove the adult is committing a crime. Shortly speaking – this program was showing pedophiles being caught red-handed. Obviously, those men didn’t have a chance to touch the minor anyhow, but in the episode we could listen to disgusting conversations between the abuser and the victim. We could listen to the way those adults manipulate the children in order to use them. As I said, I didn’t see the full show, but in this documentary we get to see some parts. And that’s enough for me. As you can imagine, the program was a success, meaning a lot of people watched it and all those criminals were arrested. So why don’t we continue? Showing a pedophile feeling ashamed of his actions – isn’t that pure joy? Well, yes and no. As a person who would vote for even more serious punishment for such abusers, I wouldn’t enjoy watching this program. Because I don’t see the point of making a disgusting crime a source of entertainment. I’d be satisfied with such simulations being done without any cameras. There are some things that shouldn’t be used as a way to attract people and boost TV ratings. Not the most pleasant documentary, but horribly important, so I hope you’ll find time for it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Welcome to the fucking world. “Flophouse America” (2025)

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directed by Monica Strømdahl
© 2025 Fri Film. All Rights Reserved.

It’s not going to be a pleasant post, so if you need something uplifting, then keep scrolling. However, if you’re ready to see the consequences of American “freedom”, then have a seat. When I saw this film’s description, I was worried that my sensitivity may not handle it. But then, I highly appreciate such raw, realistic pictures showing what world we actually live in. So I pressed play and learnt a sad story. Mikal is just a little boy living with his parents in a motel. The family cannot afford anything else since money is a big issue. Plus, both of them struggle with addiction to substances, which isn’t cheap either, and which stops them from improving their life. This production is a result of about three years of documenting their reality, which doesn’t seem to differ from one year to another. We observe two adults stuck in their life, with absolutely no willingness to change anything, but also no strength to do that. And then, there’s Mikal, a child who was born into such reality, who just wants the same as other children: to have his own room, to go on trips with his parents, to get gifts for good behaviour. Or to simply feel loved and protected. My heart was aching from the beginning of this film as I’m incredibly sensitive about the topic of mistreating children. However, the critical moment was when Mikal lost his temper and screamed his opinion, his needs and his call for help to his father. The words coming from that little boy were nothing I’d expect from a child. That scene showed me that Mikal is way too grown up for his age (unhealthily), but also that he carries a lot of pain everyday. Did I cry? Don’t even ask… To me this is beyond imagination that we let children live in such families. I’m not saying his parents don’t love him – I bet they do. But those are two very lost adults who need help. The problem with overusing drugs and alcohol is way too common, especially in the USA. But no child deserves to be raised by addicts. And you know what troubles me the most? That a Norwegian filmmaker found such family and was with them for over 3 years, but during that time no social services decided to help the family. That Mikal was still stuck in a place where he had to be an adult taking care of 3 people. This is terrifying. The ending of the film is also difficult, so prepare for a demanding projection. Hope this film becomes a lesson to many people, especially those in charge who let it all happen. And let it all happen everyday.

My rating: 7/10
S.

For me, it’s art. “Riefenstahl” (2024)

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directed by Andres Veiel
© 2024 Vincent Productions. All Rights Reserved.

When I was a student of Film Studies, we had this one year-long course about documentaries. Personally, I loved each class of it because I learned a lot about the history of making such films. One day, we were discussing Leni Riefenstahl, a German filmmaker, and we got to see her productions. If you haven’t heard of her, let me just add that she was born in 1902, so do some maths and you’ll perhaps guess what kind of documentaries she was making. Yes, she was responsible for directing the films ordered by the one and only screaming man with a ridiculous moustache. Considering this fact, her work should have been banned, but the problem is that those productions are of magnificent quality. And here comes the main question film critics have been asking themselves for years: should we praise or despise her? Today’s documentary is presenting her whole life and work, including numerous interviews with Leni and difficult conversations around this topic. She was always saying that she’s a filmmaker who makes art, so she’s not supporting any political decisions and actions. However, by making a film about the greatness of Germany back then, she definitely supported the positive image of Hitler. And that puts us, viewers and film critics, in an uncomfortable position, because if she admitted she was a great filmmaker in the hands of the screaming guy, we would have a much easier job to do. What I mean is that if we got this statement from her, we would consider her a talented director among nazis. Period. I’m sure she’d still be disrespected by her personal choices, but we could say “yes, she was doing wrong, but technically her films are brilliant”. But since she’s always defended herself claiming she’s just an unaware artist, it complicates everything. Because it’s truly hard to imagine that she was making all those films unaware of what she’s supporting. I can believe that some people didn’t know what’s going on back then, because that’s how propaganda works – it makes you feel like we’re the good ones, and only those others are pure evil. However, in the documentary I’m recommending to you today, we get the evidence that Leni knew exactly what game she’s playing. I mean, if you witness a shooting of innocent people, then you must react to that. To be honest, I’m not angry that she was working for Hitler (either it was for money or for fame), but I’m angry about the fact she couldn’t stand up and admit it. To me, she was an artist, a horribly talented filmmaker, and she used her chance to make films. It wasn’t moral and right, but she took her chance. That’s my personal opinion. So it’s hard for me to respect her as a person, but when it comes to her films – those are indeed pieces of art and important elements of film history. Even if they are full of propaganda, she was a pioneer and I truly recommend you to see her work. And Leni herself… I’ll leave her for you to judge.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I’m a totally cool person. “Patrice: The Movie” (2024)

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directed by Ted Passon
© 2024 Cedar Road. All Rights Reserved.

This is the best documentary I’ve seen this year. Period. That should be enough for you to stop reading and go watch it. However, if you’re a picky little cinephile, then fine… I’ll continue the post, but don’t expect anything else than my full admiration. We get to know Patrice, a lovely woman in her 50s, who’s a human form of sunshine, joy and passion. I swear, if you spend even few minutes with her, you immediately cheer up. But Patrice’s life hasn’t been a bed of roses as she’s a person with a disability, who often had to fight for her rights, comfort and acceptance. She will tell you her life story in the film, so I’m not spoiling anything now. As an adult woman, she makes her dreams come true and uses the time on this planet to the fullest. What’s more, she has a loving partner named Garry, who’s also disabled. Despite their obvious struggles, they support each other and their relationship seems incredibly strong. I guess it’s not only because they are a good match based on their characters and interests, but also because they both understand what it is to be marginalised. Watching those two is heart-warming and gives me hope that true love still exists. So is this documentary a big positivity bomb? Not always. Patrice and Garry wish to finally get married, but the law puts them in a difficult position. You’ll find a more precise explanation in the film, but shortly speaking: if two people with disabilities get married, their social benefits are taken away. As if by getting married they proved that they aren’t actually in need of such benefits, because, perhaps, if they are able to get married, they are able to work and do other things to survive. So the couple has to decide – either they get married and find some way to support themselves financially, or they stay just a couple and keep their benefits. Some may say this isn’t such a big deal, it’s just a ceremony – and perhaps they’re right. But equality means that we’re all allowed to do the same things. And if the two lovers don’t hurt anyone by wearing a white dress and a suit and saying “yes” at the altar, then why should we limit them from doing that? Especially, since after getting married, Patrice and Garry wouldn’t have to be given more benefits than their original ones, so that makes the law even more ridiculous. Even though they are wonderful people full of joy, I was incredibly touched by the documentary. At one point I even started to cry – and it was the moment when Patrice was crying as well, so you’ll know which one. Life can be so unfair no matter how positive we stay. But I guess even if we get those well-known lemons, we should make a damn lot of lemonade (or throw the lemons at the people who hurt us, both ideas sound good to me). This documentary is an inspiring story, made in an attractive way, giving you a lot of motivation, but also food for thought. I’m truly amazed and I’m so glad I had to see it. Wishing all people discriminated by the law to stay strong and keep on being themselves!

My rating: 9/10
S.

Silence is not emptiness. “Viktor” (2024)

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directed by Olivier Sarbil
© 2024 Protozoa Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Since my last post was about the Deaf community, I’ve decided to continue this topic and recommend you one more film. This time, it’s a documentary that caught my attention during a festival and it was the first one I chose to see. Why? Because it tells the story of Viktor Korotovskyi, a Ukrainian man, presenting his everyday life during the Russian invasion of his country. I know that we’ve got many productions about the war happening there, but this one is quite unique because it’s told from the perspective of a deaf person. Viktor is a healthy and hard-working man, who wishes to support his nation and fight for Ukraine, just like other patriots there. However, no matter how much bravery and commitment he has to give, his lack of hearing becomes a significant problem. Perhaps in other jobs it’s manageable to co-work with such barrier, but not in the army. Hearing is extremely important on the battlefield, because each soldier has to be attentive and react as fast as possible, either it’s an order from the officer, an alarm or even a cry for help from another soldier. Even though it seems reasonable, during the documentary you may feel this hurtful injustice. Especially if you empathise with Viktor, who seems to be incredibly frustrated about the whole situation. And then you realise that there’s something worse than losing – it’s not being able to do anything. Despite your motivation and skills, you’re forced to sit and watch. And wait – either of victory or death. I’m aware that the story of Viktor is extreme, because it’s happening during an actual war, but this film should be a lesson to us all about the everyday life of people with different disabilities. We should understand that accessibility is horribly important, even if it’s for the minority. Once again, I totally understand the decision not to recruit a deaf person to be a soldier on the battlefield, because it’s dangerous and irresponsible. Still, adding subtitles to videos is not a big deal, and it already makes a difference. Building a ramp or putting a piece of information about the accessibility of the place? Also not so difficult, yet how helpful! Not rejecting people based on their disabilities but purely based on their actual skills? How simple! If I had to describe this documentary with one word, I’d say “helplessness”. And I believe it’s the most disgusting feeling you may experience. So let’s try not to make others feel this way, shall we? Also, except the story itself, this film is beautiful. I loved all the shots, the camera work, even the black and white pictures (even though I’m not such a fan of it nowadays). In fact, one of the producers is Darren Aronofsky and you can definitely see a pinch of his mind there. Sometimes, I even forgot I was watching a documentary, so if you’re not a fan of classic documentaries, this one should catch your attention. And of course – Slava Ukraini!

My rating: 7/10
S.

None of us can stand back and watch what’s going on. “Yintah” (2024)

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directed by Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell & Michael Toledano
© 2024 Yintah Film. All Rights Reserved.

Imagine you’re living your life, you feel safe and satisfied with what’s around you, you share time with people who want to live just like you do. And then, someone comes and says that everything will change, without letting you decide on yourself. Here I present you the story of “Yintah”. The Wet’suwet’en nation has been living on their own territories for many years. They have their own rules and traditions that let them coexist with each other and mother nature in peace. There’s a saying that money can’t bring you happiness, and perhaps that’s true. But what I know for sure is that money can destroy you. According to law, the Wet’suwet’en nation is responsible for their own territory and they are the ones who make decisions regarding it. Until some businessmen appear and choose to take that right away from them. One day, the people of Wet’suwet’en find out that Canadian authorities agreed to build gas pipelines going through their “yintah” – their land. As you can imagine, they protested and didn’t even let anyone cross the border. Unfortunately, banners and engaged owners of the territory won’t change a thing when there’s big money to be earned. So the builders are slowly trying to start the process, but they forget about one thing – whatever’s on the Wet’suwet’en territory automatically belongs to them. And this nation will not give up so easily. Wonderful documentary presenting a horrible war between indigenous people and big corportations. We hear lovely statements from politicians about respecting and supporting minorities, but then, the same people allow to destroy homes. Was it depressing to watch? Well, maybe I’ll surprise you, but no. Of course, I could see how unfair that war was, but at the same time I admired those people’s energy, courage and bravery to fight for their land. They kept searching for new ideas and ways to protect themselves, which really gave me hope that they could win in the end. Did they? Well, find out yourself! Surely, it’s one of the most powerful documentaries I’ve recently seen. To finish this post with a pinch of positivity, I’ve searched for some phrases in the language of the Wet’suwet’en and I found a perfect life motto: “Cas bighwësih tl’ok” – meaning “Never laugh at a grizzly bear.”

My rating: 7/10
S.

They were chosen by god, we were chosen by FBI. “Coexistence, My Ass!” (2025)

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directed by Amber Fares
© 2025 My Teez Production. All Rights Reserved.

Here comes a fact that you don’t know about me and it’s somehow connected to today’s recommendation. When I was yet a student, I took part in a course of Hebrew language. I spent a few months learning this quite exotic language (at least to me) and realised there’s no way I could master it. One of the things I found incredibly difficult was that they don’t write vowels, so basically their words consist of consonants and you need to know where to add a vowel while speaking. Mind-blowing, so all I remember is שׁלום (“shalom”), which is used as a greeting, but also means “peace”. And that’s something we really need nowadays… During that course I also had a chance to learn more about the culture of Israel and my wonderful professor also covered the topic of Israeli-Palestinian relations. I still remember one video she showed us, in which both sides were talking about friendships beyond borders or any political choices. I could see families which were living in both places, or neighbours who despite their religious differences were playing chess and enjoying a sunny day. Maybe I don’t speak Hebrew, but thanks to that course I know that the problem is not people – the problem is politics. In today’s documentary you’ll meet Noam Shuster-Eliassi, an Israeli comedian, who has been known for her hilarious stand-up performances, during which she often emphasises her dream of peace. She speaks both Hebrew and Arabic, which allows her to reach both sides of the conflict. Her energy and charisma really gives hope that thanks to such people, the unity is just a matter of time. But then, 2023 happens and even such brilliant comedian loses her smile. What’s happening in Gaza is beyond my imagination, even though I keep seeing pictures and videos from there. So many people (including children) have been dying and the world just observes. As an emphatic human being, I feel helpless and frustrated that there’s nothing I can do. Of course, I can join protests in my country, but the next day even more people will lose their lives there. When I was watching this documentary and saw Noam at such protest, I knew exactly how she felt. Thankfully, she has many followers and a big audience watches her videos. She hasn’t changed her mind about trying to reach peace and coexist. But coexistence is not possible if one side is being used or maltreated by the other. There must be mutual respect and safety guaranteed. Until then, coexistence my ass! I’m glad I had a chance to see this film and learn about Noam. She’s an inspiration and I really hope that one day, those two neighbours, one speaking Hebrew, another one speaking Arabic, will sit again to play chess together.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Maybe one day you can be a dead soldier too. “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (2025)

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directed by David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin
© 2025 Made in Copenhagen. All Rights Reserved.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, most people’s eyes are focused on what’s happening in Ukraine and with Ukrainians – either those who have stayed in their country or those who have escaped. However, we don’t really think about the other side. I guess that’s because some information might be limited and certain media don’t want to share any specific news from Russia. Also, I feel like most of us don’t even want to know what’s there since we see the horrible pictures and videos from Ukraine. However, today’s documentary is coming from Russia and I definitely recommend you to see it. Perhaps you’ll end up with similar reflections to mine. The person we’re following in this film is Pasha, a Russian teacher, who lives and works in Karabash, one of the most polluted places in the country. It’s a small town with not the most beautiful views, but to Pasha it’s home and he has a strong connection with it. He’s an open-minded teacher who wishes to educate his students in the way he always wanted to be taught. He gives them space to express themselves, to find their hobbies and to share their thoughts without being judged. Despite the country Pasha lives in, he manages to actually create such atmosphere for his students and feel satisfied with his actions. Until the war begins… At that point, a lot changes in Russia, including their education system. The teachers are forced to share propaganda and students are required to repeat it without asking any questions. Pasha is known for being the school filmmaker, so he owns the footage showing the background of some lessons and activities at school. Some Russians might feel confused, but even if they don’t agree with those changes, they politely follow the orders. There are also those who agree with the idea of reforming education system and turning schools into war recruitment centres. Thanks to Pasha, we may experience all kinds of situations and listen to different opinions, which are sometimes impossible to imagine or understand. I guess the most terrifying moment to me was when they were showing children how noble it is to die for your country and that later they would be praised for being killed. The title of this post is coming from that particular moment of the film. I’m speechless and it’s difficult for me to comment on such disgusting propaganda. Surely, I admire Pasha for his work, effort and bravery, because he literally risked his life recording all those scenes. As he mentions in the documentary, there’s no way we can compare the situation of Ukrainians and Russians, but let’s remember that there are children everywhere. Some of them had to hide in bunkers or escape to another country, some of them are at home, but they’re manipulated into believing that murdering is a way to become a hero and succeed in life. You cannot compare harm, but you can admit it is what it is. A fantastic film made by a wonderful human, so you simply must see it. And let’s hope together that children will finally be left in peace to enjoy their childhood. No matter where they’re from.

My rating: 8/10
S.