Articles | Schedule of Documentaries

Some of the best films in the festival are documentaries, where we get an intimate look at reality. Each documentary reveals a story most of us have never seen before. They also represent countless hours of dedication from filmmakers who capture real people in real situations.

The stories are diverse and vast - from a principal in the Bronx ("Whatever It Takes"), the Vietnamese American community's resolve to recover from Hurricane Katrina ("A Village Called Versailles"), a fascinating look at origami ("Between the Folds"), a woman's discovery of a ballet dancer in the villages of Cambodia ("Dancing Across Borders") to the first person of color in the NBA ("Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story") and even tales from North Korean refugees ("Kimjongilia"). Many of the documentary filmmakers will also be in attendance, so you'll get to hear the real story behind the real story too!

Also, during most shorts programs (especially those scheduled on weekends), you will get to meet and hear from the directors, cast, and crew behind some of the films. This year, we have shorts filmmakers traveling from as far away as Brazil and South Korea to attend their screening...so it means just as much to them to meet you as well.

Thanks to Target, we're offering a handful of FREE documentary programs at 4 PM this year. So come out to enjoy:

• "9500 Liberty" - about the explosive debate over immigration policy (Oct. 27 & 28)
• "Daddy Tran: A Life in 3D" - about a Vietnamese refugee and his love for 3-D photography (Oct. 20)
• "Long Story Short" - about vaudeville couple Larry and Trudie Long (Oct. 19)
• "The Love Market" - Hmong girls trying to make a living in Vietnam (Oct. 21)
• "My Beijing Birthday" - an American enrolls in comedy school in China (Oct. 23)
• "You Don't Know Jack" - about pioneering actor, Jack Soo, of Barney Miller (Oct. 15)