This week’s documentary highlights are all essentially add-ons. The top pick is a series with its first new episodes in 23 years. Another we review is kind of a feature-length spinoff of a TV show. There’s also a concert film, a biography, and a historical feature that all feel like supplements to earlier documentaries. We also spotlight some older films, two of them complementary to one another, and a third that is getting new life thanks to its appearance in a new release.
Speaking of older documentaries, a 2023 series I haven’t seen and didn’t get a chance to highlight is worth noting this week because its soundtrack has just been released. The industry is really hyping Dan Deacon this year, with his scores for Time and Water and The Dark Wizard already put out as full albums in recent months. Now his score for Great Photo, Lovely Life is available too. You can watch the series on HBO Max and listen to the new soundtrack via your favorite digital music platform here.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best-of lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail and let us know about its release plans.
Nonfics Pick Of The Week: New York: A Documentary Film (1999-2026)
What a pleasant surprise it was to learn (somewhat by accident — I’d received no promotion of this release) that New York: A Documentary Film is returning this week with two new episodes. Ric Burns’s documentary series on the history of New York City has been a favorite of mine for decades (and it tops our list of the best documentaries about New York City). Initially released in 1999 with five episodes that only covered up to 1931, two more installments arrived in the fall of 2001, with an eighth part released two years later to pay tribute to the history of the Twin Towers. Now Episodes 9 and 10, titled “Shadows of the Past” and “The Future of Cities,” have been produced to reflect on the first quarter of the 21st century.
The first of these new episodes is more of a recap of much of the 20th century, overlapping with Episodes 7 and 8, which similarly cover the city’s history since World War II. In some ways, it returns to that period to highlight moments that have become more significant and that matter more now in hindsight. “Shadows of the Past” celebrates the Big Apple’s immigration policies and trends and the diversity of its people, recognizing its accommodation and embrace of outsider communities such as LGBTQ people and artists, as well as the melting pot of Jackson Heights. It showcases the New York origins of salsa and rap music. And perhaps to appeal to the true-crime audience, it also touches on the Son of Sam killings.
“Shadows of the Past” also sets up what’s covered in “The Future of Cities” by addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, decaying waterfronts, New York’s financial troubles (and successes, particularly represented by those of Michael Bloomberg and Donald Trump), and the wealth disparity of its people. The first of these can be compared to the COVID pandemic, while the others trace forward to improvements, disasters, and continued problems of the last 25 years. Episode 10 mostly looks at this recent period as a time of four enormous blows to the city — the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, the 2008 financial crisis, Superstorm Sandy, and the pandemic — to stress the vulnerability and resilience of New York and its citizens.
These additions to New York: A Documentary Film fit well with the rest of the series, even with Robert Sean Leonard replacing the late David Ogden Stiers as narrator. There are a few spots where the writing of that narration is flawed, especially as it can be repetitive in its wording and overstated in its points. The section on Sandy is interesting for presenting the irony of New York City being one of the greenest places on Earth and taking such a hit from the results of climate change, though the rhetoric of this correlation feels slightly out of place, as does the apparent idolization of Mayor Bloomberg (who appears as one of the expert interviewees, but so do Mayors Dinkins, De Blasio, and Adams). The series might love him even more than it does La Guardia.
As someone who no longer lives in New York City but did for many years in different spurts and grew up as not a true New Yorker but a fringe/adjacent resident and lifelong fan, I am grateful for the continuation of a series that digs into its past and carries forth its character with insight that’s both factual and perpetuating of the lore. The history of New York, a metropolis so big and so important to the rest of the world, is also a major part of the history of the U.S. in a way that no other series specific to one location could be. For that reason, these episodes (and the series as a whole) also offer perfect commemorations of both the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 250th anniversary of America, better than many programs tied to just one or the other.
The first eight episodes of New York: A Documentary Film are available to stream via the PBS Documentaries channel on Prime Video. Episode 9 premieres on PBS on Monday, September 21. Episode 10 premieres on PBS on Tuesday, September 22. Both new episodes will also be available to stream on pbs.org and the PBS App.
Other Documentary Highlights
The History Of Concrete (2026)
Having never watched How To with John Wilson, I was not prepared for the style of The History of Concrete. John Wilson’s feature documentary debut is a lot like the later seasons of his HBO series, complete with third-person-fashioned first-person narration that uses “You” instead of “I” (does anyone else think of Laura Numeroff’s children’s books while listening to him?) and a very dry comedic attention to incongruity. He might be this generation’s Chris Marker or Agnès Varda, but he doesn’t quite have the mind of the former or the heart of the latter. Compared to his awkwardly absurdist contemporaries, he’s not as much of an acquired taste as Tim Robinson, but he’s not as focused and fascinating as Nathan Fielder.
This essay film, also complementing Viktor Kossakovsky's recent documentary Architecton and somewhat relevant to the history of New York City recommended above, uses the idea of the titular building material as a way to talk about other things, broad and specific. It plays as a random stream-of-consciousness in its collection of thoughts tied to the history of concrete, but it never feels disjointed in its seemingly loose associations. There’s ultimately a sense of cohesion, though it’s still difficult to explain what the film is really about or what one central point Wilson means to make. I didn’t find The History of Concrete to be hysterical in the least, though I do recognize and get its humor, but I have to commend Wilson for his wit as well as the nonliteral way he plays with words and pictures to make for a truly cinematic experience.
The History of Concrete will be released in theaters on Friday, September 18, via
Hitler Lives (1945) & The True Glory (1945)
Last week, we published another installment of our ongoing column about Oscar-winning documentaries with a look at the two 1946 winners. The short Hitler Lives and the feature The True Glory both have to do with the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II, with the former cautioning against letting a Fourth Reich rise from the ashes. In my review of both, I note that the latter “could be seen as a great lead-in to its shorter fellow Oscar recipient” and that they “do their part to cap off the conflict as well as documentary cinema’s concentration on that subject. They were a pair for their time.”
Hitler Lives is available to stream via the Internet Archive, among other free online platforms. The True Glory is available to stream for free with ads on Tubi.
Our Latin Thing (1972)
One of the many great things New York: A Documentary Film does with its new episodes is shine a light on salsa music, which was said to be born in New York City. In that segment, as part of a general acknowledgement of increases in the representation and mixing of certain cultures in the city in the 1970s, the series includes several clips of the little-known concert film Our Latin Thing, which features the salsa supergroup the Fania All-Stars. The documentary marked the directorial debut of Leon Gast, who would go on to make a sort of follow-up titled Salsa before eventually finding Oscar-winning success with When We Were Kings. When an old documentary is used as reference material for a new documentary, that only proves how vital this mode of film is as historical record.
Our Latin Thing is available to stream for free on YouTube in HD via Fania Records.
Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore? (2026)
Imagine if a band’s encore entailed them replaying a song they performed earlier, only with different visuals? Pulp: What Do You Do For an Encore? is a concert film capturing the titular British group during their recent reunion tour, and while it’s a must for their fans, it also might not tell them much about Pulp or its frontman, Jarvis Cocker, that they don’t already know. Between songs, the film chronicles the life of Cocker and the history of the band by way of the singer’s deep-voiced narration. The visuals during these breaks combine a lot of creative elements, including never-before-seen footage, and it’s all directed by Garth Jennings, who helmed a lot of Pulp and other Britpop music videos before making such movies as Son of Rambow and Sing.
Compared to the 2014 film Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets, this one looks and sounds better but lacks a lot of the character that made the earlier documentary one of our favorites of the year. My main takeaway from Pulp: What Do You Do For an Encore? is that Cocker is and always has been kind of obsessed with television. I also wish I’d seen the group when they came to Atlanta last year, as this film only partially makes up for it with a sense of what that would have been like. As far as it being about a British band’s reunion tour, it also has the misfortune of coming out at the same time as the Oasis documentary Don’t Look Back in Anger, which has a more tuned-in narrative and theme. I do prefer Pulp’s music, though.
Pulp: What Do You Do For an Encore? will be released in theaters for one night only on Thursday, September 24, 2026, before making its streaming debut on Mubi on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Siren: The Voices Of Shelley Beattie (2026)
After getting to know Marlee Matlin better last year through her own documentary spotlight (Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore), I was pleased to see her show up as a guide to the subject of Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie. Matlin wasn’t familiar with Shelley Beattie, a.k.a. Siren on American Gladiators, so her curiosity carries through to the audience. Beattie was also a Deaf celebrity, albeit not as famous and primarily a bodybuilder rather than a screen performer. Part of me wishes that Matlin was in this film more, instead of disappearing in spurts, and part of me wishes she didn’t steal the focus at times when she does emerge. Her involvement does, however, give the documentary one of its most emotional moments near the end.
Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie is directed by Oscar nominee Irene Taylor, whose own personal connection to deafness could have been enough of a gateway to her latest subject. Her films include Hear and Now and Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements, which are about her deaf son and parents. Either way, she’s still made a valuable biographical record of Beattie’s life and a tribute to her beauty, talent, self-advocacy, and hard-fought struggle with mental illness.
Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way) (2025)
I guess it says something about the otherwise easily dismissible celebrity documentary Marty, Life is Short that it introduced me to the story of the legendary 1972 Toronto run of Godspell so concisely and adequately that a feature-length telling of that tale gave me very little new essential information. If you didn’t see Marty and aren’t familiar with the production, it was a launching pad for a lot of great Canadian comedic talents, including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Dave Thomas, all of them later SCTV regulars, plus Paul Shaffer and Gilda Radner. It’s fitting that such an appendable film would have an overlong title like You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way).
I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this documentary, though, as an extraneous supplement. Director Nick Davis manages to get everyone who is still alive on camera for an interview and collectively in a reunion party scene. And these are mostly all entertaining personalities whose input into the oral history — illustrated on occasion by cartoon animations since so little archival footage exists — is always lively and often amusing. However, some interviewees who weren’t involved in the production, including younger comedians and a comedy historian, are expendable. It’s not essential viewing, but you won’t be disappointed. It’s for the same reason that I’m looking forward to yet another upcoming documentary that will surely reference the production, SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Heard Of, no matter its quality.
You Had to Be There will be released in theaters on Friday, September 18, 2026, via Greenwich Entertainment.
Documentary Release Calendar 9/18/26 - 9/24/26
Friday, September 18, 2026
Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood (2026) - A documentary feature about Latino representation in Hollywood since its beginning. (TCM)
Deadliest Catch Season 22, Episode 18: “Runaway Train” - The latest installment of a series that follows Alaskan crab fishermen. (Discovery Channel)
The History of Concrete (2018) - An essay film by John Wilson about concrete and related subjects. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Jay-Z in 8 Episode 1 & 2 - The first two episodes of a docuseries in which Rick Rubin interviews Jay-Z. (HBO Max)
Joffrey Ballet: The Next Movement (2026) - A documentary that follows five choreographers from around the world. (PBS)
No Country for Mothers (2026) - A documentary feature about the divide among American moms. (In Theaters)
Saving Ferris Butler (2026) - A documentary about the titular former Saturday Night Live writer. (In Theaters)
Traces of Home (2025) - A documentary feature in which the filmmaker takes her parents to the ancestral lands they fled in Mexico and Palestine. (In Theaters)
The Vanishing Song (2026) - A short documentary by Oscar winner Ruby Yang (The Blood of Yingzhou District) and Myles Storey about an effort to save a gibbon in Malaysia. (In Theaters)
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way) (2025) - A documentary feature about a 1972 production of Godspell that included many future famous comedy icons among its cast. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Arctic Roundup (1957) - A short documentary following an expedition to study musk ox in Canada. (TCM)
Austin City Limits Season 52, Episode 3: “Billy Strings” - The latest installment of a long-running music series. (PBS)
The Blues Accordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins (1970) - A short documentary by Les Blank with Skip Gerson about the titular blues singer and songwriter. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
Hot Pepper (1973) - A classic medium-length documentary by Les Blank about zydeco music star Clifton Chenier. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
The Route to Cappyness (2026) - A documentary about capybaras. (In Theaters)
Super Animals Season 4, Episode 5 - The latest episode of a nature docuseries for kids about animals with special traits. (National Geographic)
Your Last Act (1941) - A short film on various odd bequests people made in their wills. (TCM)
Sunday, September 20, 2026
Bucks County, USA (2025) - A five-part documentary by Robert May and Barry Levinson about two teenage best friends who disagree politically. (PBS)
The Detour with David Chang (2026) - A six-part docuseries that follows the titular chef on the road. (CNN)
Heaven in Stone and Glass (2026) - A documentary about Gothic cathedrals in France. (In Theaters)
How to Live on Earth (2026) - A documentary feature presented by Benedict Cumberbatch about our connection to nature. (YouTube)
Monday, September 21, 2026
New York: A Documentary Film Episode 9: “Shadows of the Past” - The first of two new installments of Ric Burns’s classic docuseries about New York City. These episodes look at how the city has changed since 9/11 and through the first quarter of the 21st century. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Burn Them (2023) - A documentary feature about the Cordobazo, a civil resistance in Argentina in 1969 against the dictatorship of Juan Carlos Onganía. (OVID)
Judge Judy: Unfiltered, Unforgettable (2026) - A documentary that looks back on Judy Sheindlin’s career as Judge Judy. (CBS and Paramount+)
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026) - A documentary feature about the titular poet and queer icon. Read our review of the film here. (Kino Film Collection)
New York: A Documentary Film Episode 10: “The Future of Cities” - The second of two new installments of Ric Burns’s classic docuseries about New York City. These episodes look at how the city has changed since 9/11 and through the first quarter of the 21st century. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (PBS)
Oil Capital Underground: The Genesis & Evolution of Punk Rock in Tulsa-Late 70s to Mid 90s (2018) - A documentary feature about the punk scene in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (DVD)
Ride of Faith: The Jeff Tackett Story (2026) - A documentary about the titular rodeo star and his recovery from a near-death accident. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie (2026) - A documentary feature by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor about the titular deaf professional bodybuilder and actress. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (HBO Max)
Twiggy (2024) - A documentary feature about the titular model. (DVD and VOD)
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Ages of Ice Episode 2: “Polar Ice” - The second installment of a three-part docuseries that follows scientists studying ice. (PBS)
Chuck Amuck: The Movie (1991) - A medium-length documentary about animation legend Chuck Jones. (TCM)
Nova Season 53, Episode 10: “Knowledge Keepers” - The latest installment of a science docuseries. This episode explores ancient scientific traditions of Indigenous communities. (PBS and PBS Documentaries on Prime Video)
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Go Deep: The DeSean Jackson Story (2026) - A documentary about the titular NFL wide receiver. (Prime Video)
A Killer Story Episode 3: “A Dangerous Notion” - The final installment of a three-part true-crime docuseries about a double murder, the ex-wife who allegedly committed the crime, and the citizen sleuths who believe she’s innocent. Read our review of the series here. (HBO & HBO Max)
Palimpsest: The Story of a Name (2025) - A documentary feature by Mary Stephen about her family history. (OVID)
Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore? (2026) - A documentary feature directed by Garth Jennings and narrated by Jarvis Cocker about the titular British band. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)
The Witches of the Orient (2021) - A documentary feature about the 1964 Japanese Olympic volleyball team. (OVID)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
9/25 - Chilean Mine Rescue: Race Against Time - A three-part docuseries about the effort to rescue 33 miners trapped for 69 days. (National Geographic)
9/26 - Playing with Fire: An Ecosexual Emergency - A documentary by Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens about their evacuation from their home during a wildfire. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)
9/27 - Kill. Bury. Print - A true-crime documentary produced by Rachel Maddow about a small-town newspaper’s battle with a corrupt sheriff’s office. Watch the film’s new trailer here. (Peacock)
9/29 - Miller Night Football - A short documentary about Dennis Miller’s time in the broadcast booth during Monday Night Football. Watch the film’s new trailer here. (HBO & HBO Max)
9/29 - The Swan: Behind the Mirror - A documentary about the titular reality series. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (Hulu)
9/30 - Linkin Park: Unshatter - A documentary feature about the titular band as it reunites after the death of its frontman, Chester Bennington. (In Theaters)
9/30 - NAZA - A documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (No Other Land) about the mass killing of Palestinian civilians by Israeli forces. (In Theaters)
10/9 - Musk - A nearly four-hour documentary feature by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about Elon Musk. Note: the release date has been moved up one week. (In Theaters)
10/9 - My Undesirable Friends: Part II - Exile - A documentary sequel directed by Julia Loktev that follows the characters from My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air in Moscow after they leave Russia. Watch the film’s new trailer below. (In Theaters)
10/13 - Following Harry - A documentary feature about 12 years in the life of Harry Belafonte. (VOD)
10/16 - A Place of Absence - A documentary about Central American women traveling with the Caravan of Mothers of Missing Migrants. (In Theaters)
10/17 - Super Scam Me - A medium-length documentary starring Mariana van Zeller in which she goes undercover as a romance scam target. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)
10/25 - A Course Called Ireland - A six-part docuseries starring Bill Murray as he tours golf courses in Ireland. (Paramount+)
10/30 - Who Killed Alex Odeh? - A documentary feature about the 1985 assassination of the titular Palestinian-American civil rights activist. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)