Documentaries

A devastating and heart-rending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzly bears in Alaska.

Two individuals, Jeff and Kelly, claim to be in love with the 80's pop singer Tiffany.

Conversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.

A scientist in the rain forest squares off against a land developer while trying to solve some unexplained deaths of his workers. An archaeologist, who's researching the jungle ruins of an extinct local tribe, might know more.

A picturesque fishermen village overlooking the Mediterranean, Paradise is a Palestinian enclave inside the state of Israel, with a history that ecoes stories of a massacre and deportation. When the director investigates the secret past of her village Paradise, she uncovers more than she expected. Before she knows it, she is warned by her mother: "don't be like Sou'ad" - referring to the sad story about a rebellious "bad girl" whose story became a myth in the village. Accused and imprisoned as a PLO activist back in the 70's, Sou'ad is more than just a role model for the young director. But when she deepening her research, her trouble really begins. A filmic-diary about recreating a lost history, and about re-defining modern womanhood within the traditional village life.

Follow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.

Documentary about an aspiring filmmaker's attempts to finance his dream project by finally completing the low-budget horror film he abandoned years before.

Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.

Shot in the Dark is a documentary on three blind photographers: Pete Eckert, Sonia Soberats and Bruce Hall. A documentary on three blind people who devote their lives to creating images. What do they see in their mind's eyes? Do they sense that which we sighted miss, overlook, or don't take into consideration? Their images, as we sighted can see, are extraordinary. "Even with no input the brain keeps creating images," says Pete Eckert. Sonia Soberats states, "I only understood how powerful light is after I went blind." Shot in the Dark is a journey into an unfamiliar yet fascinating realm. "My camera is like a bridge," claims Bruce Hall. All these photographers embrace fantasy, chance, and contingency at a fundamental level. Shot in the Dark enriches our understanding of perception and creation. We all close our eyes in sleep, the sighted and blind alike, and in our dreams - we see.

Even now, twenty-five years after German reunification, historians are still debating whether the GDR was an illegitimate state. In his current work, Jochen Hick tells the story of ex-GDR citizen Mario Röllig. Hick accompanies him as he visits his parents and his former colleagues but also the sites of his attempted flight from the GDR and his incarceration. Röllig was arrested in Hungary in 1987 for attempting to flee the German Democratic Republic; in 1988 the Federal Republic of Germany purchased his freedom. Today he regularly talks about his experiences in schools; he also volunteers as a guide at the former Stasi prison in Hohenschönhausen in Berlin that is now a memorial. Hick stays close to his subject at all times but remains neutral, instead observing and asking questions from behind the camera.

In Havana, transsexuals Odette, Juani and Malú wait for genital surgery - performed by European top surgeons and organized by the president's daughter, Mariela Castro. Castro is leading a sexual revolution combined with classic state socialism. New possibilities face old problems: will Cuban trans people find happiness despite intolerance, poverty and prostitution?

An examination of the life and work of the revered and controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

The Muppet Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet - the heart and soul of Elmo - Kevin Clash.

Documentary exploring the horrific Carrollton, Kentucky bus crash, which killed 27 people, mostly children, and injured many others. It was the worst drunk-driving related accident in US history.

Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders.

Iceland, 1976. Six suspects confess to two violent crimes. This is the strangest criminal investigation you've never heard of.

In America's basketball heartland, four boys from rural Medora, Indiana fight to end their high school's team's losing streak, as their dwindling town faces the threat of extinction.

L.A BURNING: The Riots 25 Years Later is a 2-hour documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.

Chicago basketball team faces tragedies. Coach Lou mentors Tyquone, an aspiring player, amid violence. Aiming for championship, Tyquone wrestles with dreams beyond hometown.

An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.

In 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets, two lives intersected and were forever altered.

Multimedia artist Laurie Anderson reflects on her relationship with her beloved terrier Lolabelle.

Acclaimed filmmaker Alan Berliner chronicles the deeply personal story of his mother's first cousin--well-known poet/translator/professor Edwin Honig--on his journey into the depths of Alzheimer's disease. Shot over the course of five years, the film presents an unflinching portrait of Edwin's work and life while documenting his slow mental deterioration through visits and interviews with Edwin and his friends, former students, and others, along with archival footage and more.

A look at the life and work of photographer Elsa Dorfman.

Op-Docs is The New York Times editorial department's award-winning section for short, opinionated documentaries, produced with wide creative latitude and a range of artistic styles, covering current affairs, contemporary life and historical subjects.