In this time of social distancing and sequestration, Screen Time is here with a curated weekly guide to excellent documentaries and nonfiction programs that you can watch at home.
PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools, written and directed by Jacoba Atlas, exposes a new and troubling trend: African American girls are the fastest-growing population in the juvenile justice system and the only group of girls disproportionately experiencing harsh discipline at every educational level. PUSHOUT features heart-wrenching stories from girls ages 7 to 19 across the country as they narrate the personal challenges they have encountered in their learning environments and beyond. A project of IDA’s Fiscal Sponsorship program, PUSHOUT is executive produced and co-written by Dr. Monique W. Morris, founder and president of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute. The film premiers March 16 on PBS, then streams through March on PBS.org.
Premiering March 19 on HBO, then available on HBO On Demand, HBO NOW, HBO GO, After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News investigates the ongoing threat caused by the phenomenon of "fake news" in the US, focusing on the real-life consequences that disinformation, conspiracy theories and false news stories have on the average citizen. Directed by Andrew Rossi and executive produced by CNN's Brian Stelter, this documentary humanizes a phenomenon that Americans will confront in the coming election cycle and for years to come.
Now streaming on Netflix, Dirty Money Season 2, the investigative series from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, provides an up-close and personal view into untold stories of scandal, financial malfeasance and corruption in the world of business. This season offers a look inside Jared Kushner's real estate empire, the Wells Fargo banking scandal and Malaysia's 1MDB corruption case.
Available on Mubi through March 28, Suhaib Gasmelbri's Talking about Trees, which won Best Documentary honors at the 2019 Berlinale, follows four members of the Sudanese Film Club who embark on a journey to revive a cinema culture in their country. Facing stiff resistance in a crisis-ridden country, the four friends nonetheless persevere in an amiable resolve.
Premiering March 23 on POV, Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink's The Rescue List follows former child slaves in Ghana as they help their rescuer find others trapped in modern slavery.