Sama Alshaibi’s Four Series draws on historical sources, contexts, and techniques to articulate the definitions and exploitations of freedom.
politics
Posted inFilm
It’s Pete Buttigieg’s Turn to Get a Fawning, Uncritical Documentary
Mayor Pete tries to make the case for the bland presidential candidate whom few voted for as some kind of gamechanger.
Posted inFilm
How the Myth of Barack Obama Overtook the Man (and the Politician)
A new HBO film introduces a level of nuance to its depiction of the president that’s been sorely lacking in most portrayals.
Posted inFilm
Election Films to Stream to Take Your Mind Off the Upcoming Vote
Here are some movies that put the “fun” in “definitely functioning democracy!”
Posted inFilm
How a City Government Works, According to Frederick Wiseman
The venerable documentarian’s latest, City Hall, is an epic look at the workings of local civics in Boston, Massachusetts.
Posted inArt
Remembering the Great Political Art of Siah Armajani
Armajani passed away in his home on August 27. His last artworks focused on immigration and the threats to American liberty.
Posted inFilm
Donald Trump Is a Bad President. Let’s Leave Mental Illness Out of It.
The documentary #Unfit is the latest attempt to explain Trump’s destructive policies via psychology. This only ever causes more harm than good, especially for people with confirmed mental illnesses.
Posted inNews
Melania Trump’s Revamped Rose Garden Is Rough Around the Hedges
While Jackie O rose to the occasion, Melania’s redesign reinforced her reputation for severity in her style choices.
Posted inFilm
What Happens When a Thousand Teenage Boys Form Their Own Government
For the new documentary Boys State, directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine use a long-running youth program to examine US democracy. The result is is both comedy and horror.
Posted inNews
A Digital Archive of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, From Graffiti to Music
The rich online resource, spearheaded by researcher Nicola Pratt, reveals how culture was “an outlet” for political views during the revolution and its aftermath.
Posted inFilm
The Political Provocations of a Maverick Japanese Documentarian
Kazuo Hara’s epic Reiwa Uprising, screening at Doc Fortnight, follows members of a new progressive political party trying to shake up the system.
Posted inArt
Visions of the World as a Brutal Dystopia
Author Luke O’Neil will read passages from his brutal new book Welcome to Hell World, a text that starkly explores grim current events in the United States.