DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary film festival, takes over Chelsea Nov 9-17, with many films streaming online through Nov. 27. It’s always thrilling to have the international documentary community in our neighborhood, and as usual we have many MFA Social Documentary Film filmmakers a part of the festival this year.

We are co-presenting a panel: “Producing, Directing & Ethical Dilemmas” in the PRO Conference this year. The discussion (on Friday Nov. 11) includes alumna producer Sarah Rachael Wainio (2016), a member of the Documentary Producers’ Alliance Ethics Committee, as well as Camilla Hall, director of SUBJECT, a fascinating look at the lasting effects a documentary has on a film’s participants, and others. Join us for this essential conversation!

Current SocDoc students are showing their first year films in the DOC NYC U program, which exhibits some of the best documentaries being made at NYC film schools. These films include:

DOC NYC U: All About Love, Thursday, Nov. 10, 11:30a - CRUSH ICEBERGS, dir. Hannah Rafkin (2023); REFLECTION NO. 1, dir Jessy Price (2023)

DOC NYC U: What Bonds Us, Thursday, Nov. 10, 1:45p - LIFE WITH COFFEE, dir. Sohee Jeon (2023)

DOC NYC U: Portraits, Thursday, Nov. 10, 4:00p - THE FABRICATOR, dir. Frank Vitale (2023); BACKYARD BARBER, dir. Mengyu Yan (2023)

DOC NYC U: The Artists, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022 11:15a - FIRST SAKÉ BREWERY IN NEW YORK, dir. Xiaoying Su (2023)

Hannah Rafkin (2023) has a second film in the festival, her SocDoc 'process film', THE CLOCKMAKER screening the festival’s main slate. Other SocDoc alumni shorts in the festival include director Sosena Solomon’s (2011) LIVING WHILE AMERICAN: A freshman Philadelphia city councilman brings police to the table to reduce traffic stops, reducing unnecessary interactions between officers and civilians.

Features