film essay

The husband-and-wife filmmaking team question the recent idea that activism must play a direct role in documentary cinema.

This documentary about Jerry Sandusky and the Penn State sex abuse scandal prompts a thoughtful, brave and very personal take on the subject matter.

A lover of all things wintry and festive — not to mention a devoted cinephile — identifies the qualities that make us connect to holiday movies.

Christopher Nolan is one of the major filmmakers trying to keep celluloid alive, but does film truly provide a superior viewing experience to digital?

From watching a film about favelas in Rio to Ferrara's vision of Pasolini in Rome, how do we experience movies when dialogue doesn't get in the way?

The cinematographer-turned-director looks back on a life and career in film through the prism of serendipitous coincidence.

The veteran director recalls making a movie about the Vietnam War in the Philippines — where a real conflict was taking place at the very same time.

The actor and writer-director reveals the way family and filmmaking mingle for him, and how his daughter unwittingly became an overnight TV star.

The non-fiction filmmaker recounts playing his latest feature in Tijuana and ponders the real-world value of issue-driven documentaries.

A filmmaker delves into the murky nighttime world of New York public access TV station MNN and reports back on its weird delights.

The Brooklyn-based filmmaker revisits Roberto Rossellini's neorealist classic at home and abroad as she seeks to understand its enduring power.

The British first-time filmmaker takes in the City of Angels on foot as he pays tribute to Thom Andersen's seminal collage film.