The New Yorker Documentary
What Do Adopted Children Owe Their Birth Parents?
In “Filho,” the filmmaker Tomas Ponsteen, who was adopted from Brazil, grapples with whether or not to search for his biological mother.
Deadlifting in Your Nineties, in “Strong Grandma”
An elderly powerlifter trains for competition, in Cecilia Brown and Winslow Crane-Murdoch’s short documentary.
How an L.G.B.T.Q. Helpline Became a Lifeline
Volunteers for Switchboard reflect on the conversations they make with callers, whether reaching out from the depths of a crisis or looking for connection and advice.
“The Last of the Nightingales” Tells the Story of How Soundscapes Change After a Fire
Masha Karpoukhina’s documentary follows a soundscape ecologist who lost everything in a California wildfire.
A Young Girl Questions Wearing a Head Scarf in “Rizoo”
Azadeh Navai’s short film follows a rebellious girl who asks questions about when and why she needs to wear a hijab.
One Conductor’s Mission to Diversify Music in “The Orchestra Chuck Built”
Christopher Stoudt’s film tells the story of a conductor leading the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles and of the transformative power of music.
A Ninety-Nine-Year-Old Lawyer’s Final Case in “Frank”
Frank Lucianna spent most of his life as a criminal-defense lawyer from New Jersey; even as he pushed a hundred, he didn’t wish to retire.
“Goodbye, Morganza” Follows the Legacy of a Black Family’s Property Loss
Devon Blackwell’s short documentary explores how her great-grandparents lost the house they had owned since 1892, and the impact of that loss on generations of her family.
Offering Dignity for Those Who Die Alone in “People Like Us”
Pedro Samper’s short film follows a woman who operates a cemetery in Colombia for people who die, mostly Venezuelan migrants, without anyone to see their burial.
A Family Reckons with a Father’s Wish to Be Preserved Using Cryonics in “Eternal Father”
In Ömer Sami’s documentary short, a man’s wish to be cryogenically frozen after death raises questions for his wife and children.