DOC NYC Returns for 17th Year with Massive 115-Film Documentary Lineup

POLICY WIRE — New York, USA — DOC NYC, the premier festival for American documentary cinema, is kicking off its 17th annual season. Screenings across Manhattan are scheduled to begin this Wednesday and run through November 19, while the digital program continues online until November 29.

This year’s program features more than 115 feature-length documentaries, many of which are marking their world, U.S., or New York City premieres. In addition to short film programs, the DOC NYC Pro Conference will host workshops and panel discussions focused on the distribution and craft of nonfiction filmmaking.

The festival opens with the American premiere of The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs. This film follows an Indigenous artist in the Peruvian Amazon who utilizes her creative work to protect her community and ancestral lands. The project previously earned the award for best international documentary at the São Paulo International Film Festival.

A major highlight of the event is “Union Town” by two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple. The film chronicles three distinct stories of American workers struggling for improved labor conditions. Kopple is widely recognized for her acclaimed films “Harlan County, U.S.A.” and “American Dream.”

The festival will conclude with “Totality,” a film that examines public reaction to the 2024 total solar eclipse. The project was assembled by 21 different film crews located throughout the United States.

Viewers can also catch glimpses of notable nonfiction releases slated for 2026, such as “You Can See Everything,” “Once Upon a Time in Harlem,” “NAZA,” “Musk,” “American Doctor,” “Everybody to Kenmure Street,” “Nuisance Bear,” and “One In a Million.”

The festival’s official website provides comprehensive schedules, ticket pricing, day pass options, and information regarding online screenings.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)