The Contestant

Freedom for the Wolf

2017 · ★ 10

The Real Story of Fake Democracy. Filmed over three years in five countries, FREEDOM FOR THE WOLF is an epic investigation into the new regime of illiberal democracy. From the young students of Hong Kong, to a rapper in post-Arab Spring Tunisia and the viral comedians of Bollywood, we discover how people from every corner of the globe are fighting the same struggle. They are fighting against elected leaders who trample on human rights, minorities, and their political opponents.

JDM Insider vol 4: The Kanto Tuners

2006

An in-depth look at the world of Japanese street racing.

Bon Odori

Bon Odori dives into the world of karaoke and the ways this Japanese tradition has taken root and evolved in Brazil. Through an event that brings together young Japanese-Brazilian descendants and participants with no prior connection to Japanese culture, the documentary reveals encounters, memories, and exchanges across generations. Amid touching stories, striking voices, and charismatic personalities, the film crafts a sensitive portrait of belonging, respect, and cultural preservation—celebrating the power of the connections that emerge when differences are embraced.

Más allá de la alambrada: la memoria del horror

2005 · ★ 8

No synopsis available.

Pelican: 74 Years of Japanese Tradition

2019 · ★ 6

Pelican, a bakery located at Asakusa, Tokyo, becomes crowded every morning. There are only two types of bread sold. It looks ordinary but meet a bakery that has been loved for 74 years with a taste you won't get tired of even if you eat it everyday!

Good Grief

2014

Good Grief is a short stop motion animated documentary that explores the lessons we learn from dealing with grief and loss. Five real people share their true stories of losing something precious and what it has taught them about living.

Grizzly Man

2005 · ★ 7.5

Follows the story of "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in his attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into the spirit of a man who sacrificed himself for nature.

My Blue Heaven

2024

A son films his elderly mother as she cares for his ailing father on his deathbed.

Hafu

2013 · ★ 6.8

A journey into the intricacies of mixed-race Japanese and their multicultural experiences in modern day Japan. For some hafus, Japan is the only home they know, for some living in Japan is an entirely new experience, and the others are caught somewhere between two different worlds.

Jackass 4.5

2022 · ★ 6.4

Through outrageous, never-before-seen footage, witness the making of the Jackass crew's last go at wild stunts.

Heart of the Country

1997 · ★ 7

"Heart of the Country" is the story of Shinichi Yasutomo, the extraordinary principal of a rural elementary school in Kanayama, central Hokkaido, Northern Japan. Yasutomo is a man driven by his vision for learning and his passion for educating the heart as well as the mind. The film follows Yasutomo, his teachers and staff, students and their families over the course of one entire school year. The film is also the story of the families of Kanayama. Parents and elders of this once impoverished town embrace Yasutomo's vision, but not without wary glances back to the past. This small community, bound together by love for its children, is also defined by its journey through the cultural upheavals of postwar Japan.

Ah-So Graham Norton

2001 · ★ 7

This one-off TV special follows the exploits of camp comic Graham Norton on a visit to Tokyo. Staying with a Japanese family, he explores the city's seedy side, visits the home of a famous Japanese make-up artist, and has an embarrassing experience with an electronic toilet/bidet.