DOC NYC 2025 Continues to Dazzle

By Christine Connallon

For me, the end of summer is always tinged with sadness, but knowing DOC NYC is around the corner always brings back my energy. Walking through the Village as autumn leaves swirl around my sneakers, anticipating the slate of films ahead, has been a ritual of mine since the festival started well over a decade ago.

Now in its 16th year, DOC NYC proved once again why it’s such an essential staple of the fall film season. Anchored at local indie landmarks like the IFC Center and Village East Cinema, the 2025 lineup felt both fiercely curated and deeply personal. What keeps this festival special is its balance: it serves as a homecoming for legendary documentarians while giving urgent new directors a place to shine. The atmosphere this year was electric, driven by films that balanced massive global stakes with quiet, character-driven intimacy.

Here are the standouts that resonated with me most this year:

• Mr. Nobody Against Putin: David Borenstein’s co-directed film landed with a jolt—a gripping, essential look at political resistance that left the entire theater dead silent.

• Steal This Story, Please!: Directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, this inspiring Centerpiece film offers a kinetic tribute to independent journalism through the lens of Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman.

• Flophouse America: Monica Strømdahl’s devastating 74-minute feature is a raw, heartbreaking look at a family navigating modern poverty.

• Mistress Dispeller: Elizabeth Lo’s riveting documentary kept me hooked as it followed a real-world "mistress dispeller" working to save a collapsing marriage in contemporary China.

• Coexistence, My Ass!: Directed by Amber Fares, this doc brilliantly balances emotional weight with laugh-out-loud humor, following the stand-up comedy career of Noam Shuster Eliassi.

• Cutting Through Rocks: A standout NYC premiere by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, beautifully capturing an Iranian councilwoman's fierce personal fight against patriarchal traditions.

• Mata Hari: Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith deliver a fascinating, tragic piece of Hollywood history about David Carradine casting his own teenage daughter in an epic shot over two decades.

• Santacon: For a complete change of pace, Seth Porges’ wild world premiere captured the chaotic, raucous holiday energy unique to New York City.

• Sons of Detroit: Jeremy Xido’s vulnerable, genre-blurring detective story confronts race and chosen family in his hometown.

• Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk: A gorgeous, poetic testament to human resilience that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

• The Pink Pill: Aisling Chin-Yee’s thoughtful film sparked vital conversations around bodily autonomy.

• What We Inherit: Kacim Streets Azouz offers a personal, self-reflective reckoning that anchored a compelling pair of Canadian features at the festival.

• The Gas Station Attendant: Karla Murthy’s intimate project acts as a moving love letter to her father and the immigrant working class.

• Beyond: This compelling world premiere takes us inside the walls of Sing Sing, following a group of incarcerated men preparing for transformative lectures (executive produced by Sing Sing star Clarence Maclin).

• Street Smart: Ernie Bustamante’s delightful doc brought pure nostalgia to the screen, celebrating the trailblazing legacy of Sonia Manzano (Sesame Street’s Maria).

• Arrest the Midwife: Elaine Epstein’s urgent film takes a close look at reproductive rights as a rural Mennonite community fights back against government overreach to preserve their traditions.

DOC NYC 2025 offered a true catharsis for audiences. It was a clear reminder that the best documentaries don't just report on the world—they immerse us in it, expand our perspectives, and linger with us long after we leave the theater. Here’s looking forward to 2026!