Doc Shorts Dig Deep
Oscar-nominated films spotlight local heroes, urgent issues and a couple of grandmothers who make everything all right
The ABCS of Book Banning
In her directorial debut, documentary titan Sheila Nevins and co-directors Trish Adlesic and Nazenet Habtezghi examine the rising wave of book banning across America. The MTV Documentary Films short chronicles 100-year-old Grace Linn’s fight against the removal of more than 2,500 books, including Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” from numerous U.S. school district libraries. The short weaves together a montage of young students and authors who share their reactions to books being taken away from readers. “Access to truthful information is under threat. This not only affects one of us but all of us in all countries,” says Nevins.
The Barber of Little Rock
John Hoffman and Christine Turner explore America’s widening racial wealth gap in “The Barber of Little Rock.” The film follows Arlo Washington, a local barber in Little Rock who founded People Trust — a nonprofit community bank that creates economic opportunities for people facing economic and racial inequality. Produced by Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus’ Story Syndicate and executive produced by Dwyane Wade, it was acquired by the New Yorker Studios in November. “The real power of this beautiful nomination is the bright light it shines on Arlo Washington and the Little Rock community he’s dedicated his life to lifting up,” Hoffman and Turner said in a joint statement. Wade adds, “Arlo is a true hero and inspiration to the Black community. He is changing lives with his dedication and passion to help those who are failed by the racial disparities in our country. He is fighting to ensure that race is no longer a barrier to success and that Black people are no longer left behind.”
Island in Between
In “Island in Between,” Taiwanese American director S. Leo Chiang captures the daily lives of those living on the rural outer islands of Kinmen, which sit just two miles off the coast of China. The short weaves together vignettes of tourists visiting the island and local life, along with Chiang’s own narrative revolving around his father, who served on the island as a soldier. The New York Times Op-doc lyrically illustrates the uncertain relationship between Taiwan, Kinmen and China. “Two weeks ago, Taiwan elected a new president — who the Chinese government doesn’t approve of,” says Chiang. “We know that China will act soon in response to this, but we don’t know what they will do. I feel a sense of urgency to share my story, in order to give the world a glimpse of how we Taiwanese carry on under this constant pressure and uncertainty.”
The Last Repair Shop
Kris Bowers and Oscar-winning director Ben Proudfoot spent four years working on “The Last Repair Shop,” a docu about technicians maintaining student instruments in Los Angeles — one of the last cities in the country that provides free and freely repaired musical instruments to its public schoolchildren. The
L.A. Times Studios and Searchlight Pictures film, which follows four devoted craftspeople who keep more than 80,000 student instruments in good repair, also captures how the instruments have transformed students’ lives. “This film is about magnifying love and the people whose love makes the world go around,” Bowers and Proudfoot said jointly. “The fixers. The helpers. Those who lift us up with song. It is our duty to support and encourage and applaud them.”
Năi Nai and Wài Pó
In the spring of 2021, as hate crimes targeting Asian people dominated headlines, first-generation Taiwanese American Sean Wang began filming his maternal and paternal grandmothers, Năi Nai and Wài Pó. The result is a Disney+ docu that reflects on the beauty of lives lived. “Despite being a combined 182 years old, Năi Nai and Wài Pó have infectious youthful spirits, and together we made a film that humanizes and honors them,” Wang says. As for his grandmothers, they jointly said: “When our grandson asked if he could make a film about us, we thought he was crazy… And now, the fact that the film has brought joy to so many, it’s a happiness we could have never imagined. We feel so seen and loved.”