Documentary Channel

The views and thoughts of Canadian writer Margaret Atwood have never been more relevant than today. Readers turn to her work for answers as they confront the rise of authoritarian leaders, deal with increasingly intrusive technologies, and discuss climate change. Her books are useful as survival tools for hard times. But few know her private life. Who is the woman behind the stories? How does she always seem to know what is coming?

Some people grapple with the moral challenges of treating human beings decently. Others are just… assholes. Inspired by Aaron James’ New York Times bestseller of the same name, this documentary investigates the breeding grounds of contemporary ‘asshole culture’ — and locates signs of civility in an otherwise rude and nasty universe. Venturing into predominantly male domain, this film moves from Ivy League frat clubs to the bratty princedoms of Silicon Valley and the bear pits of international finance. Why do assholes thrive in certain environments? What explains their perverse appeal? And how do they keep getting elected?

The geographical dead center of North America and the beloved birthplace of Guy Maddin, Winnipeg, is the frosty and mysterious star of Maddin’s film. Fact, fantasy and memory are woven seamlessly together in this work, conjuring a city as delightful as it is fearsome.

The unbelievable true story of Chelly Wilson, who escaped the Holocaust and built a porn cinema empire in New York City in the 1970s. Chelly was a Greek-born, Christmas-celebrating, Jewish grandma, who married men but was openly gay. This documentary charts her unlikely rise to wealth as a shrewd businesswoman on “The Deuce,” aka New York’s infamous 42nd Street.

A short film in which Isabella Rossellini discusses the life and work of her father, Roberto Rossellini.

Traces the life and mental illness of New York artist and photographer Ruth Litoff, and her sister's struggle to come to terms with her tragic suicide.

Brendan is a pastor in a small, evangelical church, and he has a secret. He doesn't believe in God anymore. His wife is still a true believer - and she just told the wrong person. Losing Our Religion is a feature length documentary about preachers who are not believers, and what atheists do when they miss church. Allowed access to the 600 members of The Clergy Project - a safe haven for preachers from all faiths who no longer believe - the documentary follows ex-members and clergy who are still undercover. They are not just losing their religion, for many they are losing their friends, community and even family. As well as their job. As events unfold that change lives forever, their stories also connect with secular communities that are growing in surprising places. New groups are experimenting in ways to have church without god, and asking the same question as unbelieving clergy - "what's next?"

A filmmaker's investigation reveals that the use of pesticides around the world may have farther reaching consequences than he had ever imagined. The only hope he sees for a brighter future lies with the incredible people he encounters along the way.

Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 2006. Photojournalist Louie Palu, who is covering a suicide bombing, suddenly finds himself in the middle of a pile of corpses, shocked by the smell of burning flesh. Louie does not yet know that he will spend the next five years documenting the tragedy of war.

Meat the Future ushers the viewer into a world vexed by the impacts of modern day industrial animal agriculture and zeros in on a solution-focused story. Revealing challenges and breakthroughs and posing a myriad of questions about the future, this 90-minute character-driven documentary explores the advent of real meat without the need to raise and slaughter animals. Spanning three years, Meat the Future chronicles the potentially game-changing birth of a new food industry referred to as “cell-based” “clean” and “cultured” meat – a term hotly debated as the industry approaches commercialization

The Artists explores the first three decades of video game history through the stories of the designers and programmers who laid the groundwork to redefine pop culture. For a massive audience, video games are the films of the 21st century and a primary source of storytelling. How did that happen? An entertaining account of this stunning success story, The Artists is the saga of how video games became such an influential cultural force.