Prisoners of the War on Drugs

From its beginning during the Reagan years through current times, the War on Drugs has left many victims stranded in the prison system. PRISONERS OF THE WAR ON DRUGS reveals life behind bars in the nation’s prisons. Each prisoner has his or her own story, but for most, the story is predictably similar; they have been criminalized for drugs or drug related offenses, locked up with easy access to substances, and given little opportunity for rehabilitation. This film provides an inside look at the prison system, its prisoners and a war on drugs we do not seem to be winning.

Simplement Viola: Pour l’amour de la Sagouine

Viola Léger. The 86-year-old actress is famous for her performance of La Sagouine, a character of Antonine Maillet, whom she has lived for more than 45 years. As a tribute to this exceptional career, we invite you to watch the newly released Simpson Viola by Rodolphe Caron for free on NFB.ca. In this touching and intimate work shot last year, the filmmaker immortalizes the daily life of Viola, at 85 years old, while she was preparing - again and again! - for new shows.

Sport in America: Our Defining Stories

Athletes and fans explore the impact of sports on the lives of Americans.

Phil Collins: A Life Less Ordinary

A detailed profile of the life and career of musician Phil Collins.

A Film Called: Bummer

A surreal concert movie that documents Cleopatrick’s historic headline performance at the Danforth Music Hall in December of 2021

Happy on the Ground: 8 Days at Grammy Camp

Talented teen musicians from around the USA spend a week working with Grammy nominated professionals

Hoxsey: When Healing Becomes a Crime

In the 1920s, former coal miner Harry Hoxsey claimed to have an herbal cure for cancer. Although scoffed at and ultimately banned by the medical establishment, by the 1950s, Hoxsey's formula had been used to treat thousands of patients, who testified to its efficacy. Was Hoxsey's recipe the work of a snake-oil charlatan or a legitimate treatment? Ken Ausubel directs this keen look into the forces that shape the policies of organized medicine.

There is No Death For Me

It is a documentary story about five legends of russian cinema: Nonna Mordyukova, Tatyana Okunevskaya, Tatyana Samoylova, Lidiya Smirnova and Vera Vasileva. These wonderful women tell about their lifes and careers in hour interview.

Rocaterrania

A journey into the secret world of 76-year-old Renaldo Kuhler, a scientific illustrator who invented an imaginary country to survive his disaffected youth.

Gateways to the Mind

The film presents how the human body recognizes and becomes aware of its surroundings. The various information pathways to the brain such as sight, sound, smell, taste and touch are explored in a accurate but simple manner via human impression and cartoon characters!

Guten Tag, RDA !

Ray Davies: The World from My Window

Ray Davies, the cornerstone of the Kinks, is one of his country’s greatest songwriters. Over four decades he has provided a feast for all comers, regardless of social station, from the simple urgency of ‘You Really Got Me’ to the detached melancholy of “Come Dancing’ . Our film takes a look at a career that has spanned 40 years – we talk to Ray about his work, life and inspirations, featuring his music from the hits of the early 60’s through to work on his new album and upcoming musical ‘Come Dancing’. The programme includes interviews with David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Paul Weller, Bob Geldof, Chris Difford, Clive Davis and journalists, who all show their respect and admiration for a man who is globally celebrated. Our film, illustrated with archive footage, specially shot performances and stills, will give an insight into the unique creative world of one of Britain’s most successful and influential songwriters and performers.

Mermaids

In this tribute to the eternal allure of an ancient myth, colourful fins and swimming pools fill the lives of five modern-day women who strive to embody the mysterious siren as part of a growing “mermaiding” subculture.

It Is What It Is

"It Is What It Is" is the story behind the band The Breathing Light. Recorded over various periods in it's short period of 5 years, it gives viewers insight into the personalities and ideals that make up the band.

Variations of a Theme by Gustav Mahler

Documentary short about the title composer, born in what was called "Czechoslovakia" when the film was made.

The Making of Fallout 3: The Vault-Tec Files

Documentary exploring the making of the third installment of the popular post-apocalyptic roleplaying game series Fallout. The Making of Fallout 3 features behind the scenes footage, concept art and was only made available to people who had purchased the collectors edition of the game.

Grêmio - Heart and Soul

A documentary that tells the history of Grêmio Football Porto-Alegrense from its foundation in 1903 to the triumph of the 1997 Copa do Brasil. In addition to providing the historical panorama of the achievements of the club, the documentary explores the relationship between club and supporter through testimonies of players, coaching staff, former presidents and fans.

Come Worry with Us!

Acclaimed Montreal band Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra is one of a growing number of rock groups to have accepted an infant into their touring tribe. Touring with children is both costly and complicated, yet SMZ are determined to combine family life and being on the road with the band's deep political commitment.

The Queen Phenomenon

Retrospective documentary about the British rock band "Queen", from the 1970s till the death of Freddie Mercury, victim of AIDS. Includes interviews with the band members, friends and fans, behind the scenes material, the making of music videos, concerts and lots of music.

Hugo Pratt, trait pour trait

Several key words emerge from Hugo Pratt's work, inseparable from his life: travel, adventure, erudition, esotericism, mystery, poetry, melancholy... and of course, Corto Maltese, his hero and alter ego, who established him as one of the greatest names in comic books. Born in Italy in 1927 and dying in Switzerland sixty-eight years later, Hugo Pratt, born without an H and with only one T, grew up in the shadow of a fascist father who took him at a very young age to Ethiopia, which was occupied by Mussolini's forces. The teenager developed a fascination for the wide-open spaces of Africa, soon followed by an irresistible attraction to the Indian world. This was the starting point for a life of travel, success, conquests, rare failures, and marked by his veneration for the American cartoonist Milton Caniff, his absolute master.

Cobain: Montage of Heck

Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen expertly blends Cobain's personal archive of art, music, never seen before movies, animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest friends.

Elton John: Never Too Late

Sir Elton John looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career in this emotionally charged, full-circle journey. As he prepares for his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium, Elton takes us back in time and recounts his struggles with adversity, abuse, and addiction, and how he overcame them to become the icon he is today.

Everybody’s Everything

The story of artist Lil Peep from his birth in Long Island and meteoric rise as a genre blending pop star & style icon, to his death due to an accidental opioid overdose in Arizona at just 21 years of age.

Whitney: Can I Be Me

The life and tragic death of Whitney Houston.

Amy

A documentary on the life of Amy Winehouse, the immensely talented yet doomed songstress. We see her from her teen years, where she already showed her singing abilities, to her finding success and then her downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs.

Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated

A personal and intimate look into Demi Lovato's life as not only a regular 25 year old, but also one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

TINA

Tina Turner overcame impossible odds to become one of the first female Black artists to reach a mainstream international audience. Her road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity. It’s the ultimate story of survival – and an inspirational story of our times.

Sympathy for the Devil

While The Rolling Stones rehearse "Sympathy for the Devil" in the studio, an alternating narrative reflects on 1968 society, politics and culture through five different vignettes.

Becoming Led Zeppelin

The individual journeys of the four members of the band, as they move through the music scene of the 1960s, playing small clubs throughout Britain and performing some of the biggest hits of the era, until their meeting in the summer of 1968 for a rehearsal that changes their lives forever.

How the Beatles Changed the World

The fascinating story of the cultural, social, spiritual, and musical revolution ignited by the coming of the Beatles. Tracing the impact that these four band members had, first in their native Britain and soon after worldwide, it reappraises the band and follows their path from young subversives to countercultural heroes. Featuring fresh, revealing interviews with key collaborators as well as a wealth of rarely-seen archival footage, this is a bold new take on the most significant band in the history of music and their enduring impact on popular culture.

The House I Live In

In the past 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world's largest jailer, and destroyed impoverished communities at home and abroad. Yet drugs are cheaper, purer, and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong?

Chaos: The Manson Murders

In August 1969, Charles Manson's followers killed seven people on his orders. Why? Explore a conspiracy of mind control, CIA experiments, and murder.

Dig!

A documentary on the once promising American rock bands The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols. The friendship between respective founders, Anton Newcombe and Courtney Taylor, escalated into bitter rivalry as the Dandy Warhols garnered major international success while the Brian Jonestown Massacre imploded in a haze of drugs.

The Sparks Brothers

Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band.

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

A cheap, powerful drug emerges during a recession, igniting a moral panic fueled by racism. Explore the complex history of crack in the 1980s.

Whitney

Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Let's Get Lost

Documentary about jazz great Chet Baker that intercuts footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker, he of the beautiful face, in California and in Italy, where he appeared in at least one movie and at least one jail cell (for drug possession). And, we see the aged Baker, detached, indifferent, his face a ruin. Includes interviews with his children and ex-wife, women companions, and musicians.

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

An immersive look at the eventful life and brilliant artistic career of visionary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991).

The Wrecking Crew

A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew." a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and Bing Crosby.

The Filth and the Fury

Julien Temple's second documentary profiling punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols is an enlightening, entertaining trip back to a time when the punk movement was just discovering itself. Featuring archival footage, never-before-seen performances, rehearsals, and recording sessions as well as interviews with group members who lived to tell the tale--including the one and only John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten).