Skip to main content
International Documentary Association (IDA) 40
IDA logo 40
  • Manage Sponsored Project
  • My Account
  • Donate
        
 
  • Manage Sponsored Project
  • My Account
  • Donate
  • My Account
  • The IDA
  • Events
  • For Creators
  • Advocacy
  • Documentary Magazine
  • Support
  • Become a Member
  • Join Our List
        
  • My Account
  • The IDA
      1. About
        1. Mission
        2. History
        3. Staff
        4. Board of Directors
        5. Jobs
        6. Contact
      2. Latest
        1. Blog
        2. Event News & Recaps
        3. Screen Time
        4. Essential Doc Reads
        5. Docs to Watch
        6. Press Center
      3. Our Impact
        1. Overview
        2. Grantees
        3. Sponsored Projects
        4. Annual Report
        5. Our Supporters
      4. Support Us
        1. Join Our List
        2. Become a Member
        3. Donate to IDA
        4. Donate to Sponsored Projects
        5. Volunteer
        6. Sponsor
        7. Advertise
  • Events
      1. Calendar
        1. All Events
        2. Calendar View
        3. Code of Conduct
      2. Seminars
        1. Panels
        2. Conversation Series
        3. Master Class
        4. What's New
      3. Screenings
        1. Screening Series
        2. Awards Spotlight
        3. Works-In-Progress
        4. DocuDay LA
        5. Past Screenings
      4. Conference
        1. About Getting Real
        2. 2020
        3. 2018
        4. 2016
        5. 2014
      5. Awards
        1. About IDA Documentary Awards
        2. Call for Entries
        3. 2021
        4. Past Winners
  • For Creators
      1. Getting Started
        1. Business
        2. Funding
        3. Creative
        4. Technical
        5. Journalism
        6. COVID-19
      2. Funding
        1. Fiscal Sponsorship
        2. IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund
        3. Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund
        4. IDA+XRM Media Incubator
        5. Global Emerging Filmmaker Award
        6. Core Application
        7. Grants Directory
      3. Artist Programs
        1. Getting Real Conference
        2. IDA Documentary Awards
        3. Educational Seminars
        4. DocuClub
        5. Field Research
        6. Traveling Initiatives
      4. IDA Membership
        1. Member Levels
        2. Networking
        3. Online Seminars
        4. Other Benefits
  • Advocacy
  • Documentary Magazine
      1. All Articles
        1. All
        2. Features
        3. Online Features
        4. Columns
        5. Topics
      2. Latest Issue
      3. All Issues
  • Support
      1. Advertise
        1. Overview
        2. Digital
        3. Print
      2. Institution
        1. Organizational Membership
        2. Institutional Membership
        3. Corporate Membership
        4. Foundation Giving
        5. Event Sponsorship
      3. Individual
        1. Join Our List
        2. Become a Member
        3. Donate to IDA
        4. Other Ways to Give
        5. Donate to Sponsored Projects
        6. Volunteer
  • Become a Member
  • Join Our List
  • My Account
  • The IDA
    • About
      • Mission
      • History
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Jobs
      • Contact
    • Latest
      • Blog
      • Event News & Recaps
      • Screen Time
      • Essential Doc Reads
      • Docs to Watch
      • Press Center
    • Our Impact
      • Overview
      • Grantees
      • Sponsored Projects
      • Annual Report
      • Our Supporters
    • Support Us
      • Join Our List
      • Become a Member
      • Donate to IDA
      • Donate to Sponsored Projects
      • Volunteer
      • Sponsor
      • Advertise
  • Events
    • Calendar
      • All Events
      • Calendar View
      • Code of Conduct
    • Seminars
      • Panels
      • Conversation Series
      • Master Class
      • What's New
    • Screenings
      • Screening Series
        • How to Screen
      • Awards Spotlight
      • Works-In-Progress
      • DocuDay LA
      • Past Screenings
    • Conference
      • About Getting Real
      • 2020
        • About
          • Keynote: Maria Agui Carter
          • Keynote: Sam Feder
          • Keynote: Zeng Jinyan
        • Conference Team
        • Schedule
        • #docsgetreal
        • Community Partners
        • Video Recordings
          • #BeyondResilience
          • Breaking It Down: The Documentary Interview
          • Documentary Working Groups: Behind the Scenes of Field Accountability and Possibility
          • Expanding Expression
          • Intersectionality in the Documentary Film Edit Room
          • Maria Agui Carter Keynote
          • Movements, Campaigns, & Political Power In Front Of & Behind the Camera
          • Reclaiming the Power of Public Media | Documentary Film for All
          • The Documentary Funding Ecosystem: Building Values-based Financial Strategies
          • Why Transitioning to Black Leadership Matters | Equitable Organizational Succession in Media Arts
          • Zeng Jinyan Keynote
      • 2018
        • About
        • Schedule
        • Photos
        • Sponsors
        • Video Recordings
      • 2016
        • About
        • Schedule
        • Photos
        • Sponsors
      • 2014
    • Awards
      • About IDA Documentary Awards
      • Call for Entries
      • 2021
        • Awards Ceremony
        • Honorees
          • Cecilia Aldarondo
          • Jean Tsien
          • Rintu Thomas & Sushmit Ghosh
          • Roger Ross Williams
          • Ronan Farrow
        • Member Voting
        • Judging Committees & Credits
      • Past Winners
        • 2020
          • Winners & Nominees
          • Watch Honoree Conversations
          • Shortlists
          • Judging Committees & Credits
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • History
  • For Creators
    • Getting Started
      • Business
      • Funding
      • Creative
      • Technical
      • Journalism
      • COVID-19
    • Funding
      • Fiscal Sponsorship
        • About
        • Application Guidelines
        • FAQ
        • Sponsored Projects
      • IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund
        • About the Fund
        • Production Grant Application Guidelines
        • Development Grant
        • Grantees
        • FAQ
      • Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund
        • About the Fund
        • Grant Application Guidelines
        • Grantees
        • FAQ
        • Watch Films of Pare Lorentz
          • The Fight for Life
          • The Plow That Broke the Plains
          • The River
      • IDA+XRM Media Incubator
        • About the Fund
        • Application Guidelines
        • FAQ
      • Global Emerging Filmmaker Award
      • Core Application
      • Grants Directory
    • Artist Programs
      • Getting Real Conference
      • IDA Documentary Awards
      • Educational Seminars
      • DocuClub
        • About
        • Submit Your Film
      • Field Research
      • Traveling Initiatives
        • Grant Writing Workshops
        • Here's What Really Happened
    • IDA Membership
      • Member Levels
      • Networking
      • Online Seminars
      • Other Benefits
  • Advocacy
  • Documentary Magazine
    • All Articles
      • All
      • Features
      • Online Features
      • Columns
      • Topics
    • Latest Issue
    • All Issues
  • Support
    • Advertise
      • Overview
      • Digital
      • Print
    • Institution
      • Organizational Membership
      • Institutional Membership
      • Corporate Membership
      • Foundation Giving
      • Event Sponsorship
    • Individual
      • Join Our List
      • Become a Member
      • Donate to IDA
      • Other Ways to Give
      • Donate to Sponsored Projects
      • Volunteer
  • Become a Member
  • Join Our List

You are here

  1. Home ›
  2. The IDA ›
  3. Latest ›
  4. Essential Doc Reads

Essential Doc Reads

A weekly feature in which the IDA staff recommends recent pieces about the documentary form and its processes. 

  • Luma is a cow with black-and-white patches on its body. She is standing in a cowshed and we can see only the front portion of her body. From Andrea Arnold’s ‘Cow.’ Courtesy of Cow Films Ltd. An IFC Films release.
    May 13, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of May 9, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • A silhouette of a woman holding a child against a sunset sky. From Hnin Ei Hlaing’s 'Midwives,' which recently played at Hot Docs. Courtesy of Hot Docs.
    May 6, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of May 2, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • Members of the film crew—consisting of three white men and two women—of ‘Who We Are’ filming Jeffery Robinson—a Black man in a black blazer and pants—in front of Memphis’ Lorraine Motel. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.
    April 9, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of April 4, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • Shaista is a young Afghan man singing and dancing along with two other male friends in a refugee camp in Kabul. From Elizabeth and Gulistan Mirzaei’s Oscar-nominated short, ‘Three Songs for Benazir.’Courtesy of Netflix.
    March 18, 2022

    Essential Documentary Reads: Week of March 14, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • Volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft are a white couple seen here wearing blue jackets, against volcanoes emitting smoke. From Sara Dosa’s ‘Fire of Love.’ Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
    March 12, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of March 7, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  •  A black-and-white archival photograph of two young Black customers at the Automat. From Lisa Hirwitz’s ‘The Automat.’ Courtesy of Film Forum.
    March 4, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of February 28, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  •  Mr. Bachmann is an elderly German school teacher, seen here with two smiling female students. From Maria Speth’s ‘Mr. Bachmann and his Class.’ Courtesy of Madonnen Film
    February 25, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of February 21, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  •  Stunt performer Johnny Knoxville is seen getting hit by a bull in a stunt. From Jeff Tremaine’s ‘Jackass Forever.’ Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
    February 18, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of February 14, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • A group of Trump supporters storm the US Capitol Building on January 6, 2022. From The New York Times Visual Investigations’ 'Days of Rage. 'Courtesy of The New York Times
    January 15, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of January 10, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • John Wilson is a white male filmmaker wearing a colorful sun umbrella around his head. He is holding a video camera with palm trees in the background. From ‘How To with John Wilson.’ Image courtesy of Joe Buglewicz/HBO.
    January 8, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of January 3, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads is our curated selection of recent features and important news items about the documentary form and its processes, from around
    Read more
  • View more

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertise with Us

Join Our Email List

Would you like to receive event invitations, funding news, and other updates from the International Documentary Association?

Sign up Now!

Filter By

Docs to Watch

Essential Doc Reads

Funder Friday

IDA Events

Inside the IDA

Screen Time

Member Spotlight

All Blogs

Latest

View More
  • Online Feature
    May. 18, 2022

    Andrea Arnold's 'Cow': The Searing Romance and Reality of Nature

    Read more
  • Online Feature
    May. 17, 2022

    New Voices Stand Out at SFFILM, America's Longest-Running Film Festival

    Read more
  • Blog
    May. 16, 2022

    Screen Time: Week of May 16, 2022

    Read more
  • Blog
    May. 13, 2022

    Essential Doc Reads: Week of May 9, 2022

    Read more
  • Online Feature
    May. 11, 2022

    Death Comes for the Filmmaker: John Zaritsky, Oscar-winning Documentarian

    Read more

Follow us:

  • The IDA
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Support Us
  • Email Sign-up
  • Contact
  • Funding
    • Fiscal Sponsorship
    • Pare Lorentz Doc Fund
    • IDA Enterprise Doc Fund
    • Our Grantees
    • Other Grants Directory
  • SEMINARS
    • IDA Conversation Series
    • Master Class
    • What's New
    • Panels
    • Doc U Online
  • Screenings
    • Fall Screening Series
    • DocuDay LA
    • Awards Spotlight
    • DocuClub
    • Past Screenings
  • Getting Real
    • 2020
    • 2018
    • 2016
    • 2014
  • Awards
    • Call for Entries
    • Vote
    • Past Winners
  • Magazine
    • Latest Issue
    • All Articles
    • All Issues
© 2022 International Documentary Association. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy