Documentary movies

Pass Time explores the passive absorption of breaking news and political discourse during one of the most charged elections in American history. How did we arrive at this moment, where truth and narrative blur? What forces have shaped our perceptions, and what consequences lie in wait as we drift through an ever-shifting landscape of information? Where are we headed, and can we even see it coming?

Documentary centers on how head coach Mark Few turned the small college program into a national powerhouse that became a regular contender in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament known as March Madness.

Within the quiet confines of a small courtroom—the first women’s Islamic-law court in Mumbai—Judge Khatoon and her team guide families and empower women to speak out against violence.

Collective singing calls for deep listening and mutual attunement – heard in the voices of the sisters of a historic convent, echoed in traditional male vocal ensembles, carried through football stadiums, and rising in the resounding protest chants of women’s marches.

For filmmaker Nordin Lasfar, who grew up in the Netherlands as the child of Moroccan parents, author Paul Bowles opened the door to literature and stories from the land of his forebears. In the 1960s and 70s, Tangier was a base for Western artists and writers of the Beat Generation, among them Bowles.

In an industrial corner of Busan, South Korea, stands the tiny Jangdaehyun School. It is home to 20 students, all of whom are North Korea defectors. With unprecedented access to a community never seen on film, SCHOOL FOR DEFECTORS gives voice to young people whom the world might otherwise overlook—illuminating not just what they’ve endured, but who they are about to become.

“On the Wave” plunges audiences into the breathtaking and perilous world of big wave surfing through the life of Sebastian Steudtner, the German outsider who rose to become the sport’s world record holder. Born in landlocked Nuremberg, Steudtner abandoned school at sixteen to chase the ocean — a decision that led him from windsurfing in Hawaii to confronting towering walls of water few humans would dare approach. Shunned at first by the insular surf world, mocked onstage after career-defining rides, and often left without sponsors, he refused to quit. His relentless pursuit carried him from the icy shores of Ireland to the legendary swells of Nazaré, Portugal — the wave that would not only catapult him into the history books but also shift the center of big wave surfing to Europe.

This music-packed documentary tells the story of Pene Pati and his brother Amitai Pati, and their against-the-odds journey from Samoa to platinum-selling success in the trio Sol3 Mio and on to the world’s greatest opera stages. Bursting with humour, heart and soaring performances, the film reveals the resilience born of adversity, the richness of family and culture, and the rewards that come from following an unlikely dream.

A passionate sea swimmer turned reluctant activist, Jo Bateman takes on one of the UK’s biggest water companies in a David-and-Goliath battle to protect our oceans from devastating sewage pollution. As Jo’s courage helps ignite a growing movement, this film exposes the dire state of our water system and asks: who will stand up for our right to swim in clean natural waters, for the species and communities that rely upon them?

In January 1968, the quiet life of Melbourne resident Colin Cameron was shattered following a mysterious encounter on Kew Boulevard. Obsessed with uncovering the truth, Colin documented strange phenomena and shared his experiences with those closest to him as the events grew increasingly intense and dangerous. Told through the eyes of those honouring a promise to share his story, THE MAN WHO SAW THEM ARRIVE recounts Colin’s journey, presents first-hand accounts of Australia’s most famous UFO sightings—including Westall 1966—and provides insights from leading UFO researchers. A haunting exploration of mystery, memory, and unanswered questions hidden in Melbourne’s backstreets.