Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution – Bill Haney

Bill Haney (USA), Cracking the Code, Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution, Doc Feature – Narrated by Oscar-nominee Mark Ruffalo, this expertly crafted doc combines meticulous research with masterful direction to chronicle Phil Sharp’s extraordinary journey from a one-room, dirt-floored house in Kentucky to the Nobel Prize. Overcoming severe dyslexia, family bankruptcy, and the deadly attention of the Unabomber, he broke scientific conventions and founded biotech companies that sparked a revolution transforming global medicine.

It goes beyond the love story at the heart of Phil’s success to explore the power of humility and the animating spirit at the core of America’s innovative culture. Living amidst one of the greatest revolutions in human history—the fundamental re-engineering of life itself—it highlights the extraordinary potential of ordinary people whose character, imagination, and courage allow them to overcome the challenges they face, illuminating paths for others and celebrating the contributions these adventurers offer the world.
Executive Producers Emmy winner R. J. Cutler, Tim Disney, Michael & Barbara Eisenson, Reed & Elena Jobs, Sean & Jennifer Reilly. Producers Carina Chavda, Maura McCarthy Haney, Bill Haney. From Uncommon Productions for Independent Lens PBS.

Nothing to See Here: Watts – Michael Soenen

Michael Soenen (USA), Nothing to See Here: Watts, Doc Feature – When an outsider witnesses the violence, shootings, and heartbreak of Watts—and finds the world has ignored it—he turns the camera on the community itself. Over three years, residents including rival gang members, police officers, community activists, and survivors film their own lives, revealing the raw, unfiltered reality of a neighborhood long misrepresented. Through their courage and collaboration, former enemies confront mistrust and moral complexity, capturing moments of fear, hope, and resilience like never before.

The result is a first-of-its-kind documentary created “by” the community, where storytelling becomes an act of radical empowerment. As neighbors become filmmakers, the film demonstrates how ordinary people, given the tools and trust, can rewrite narratives, forge unlikely alliances, and spark extraordinary outcomes—changing not only how Watts is seen but the lives of those living there. Producers: Oscar-nominee Todd Lieberman, Emmy-winner Suzanne Malveaux.

Bloody Vegans – Fabrizio Gammardella

Fabrizio Gammardella (Italy), Bloody Vegans, (Maledetti Vegani), Doc Feature – Set in Italy, where food is memory, ritual, and identity, the film explores the everyday realities of plant-based living with humor, creativity, and heart. It shows how choosing veganism can nourish both the body and the planet, even as it confronts the heartbreak and suffering inherent in the meat industry, while highlighting the playful, surprising, and sometimes challenging ways people negotiate tradition, culture, and personal pleasure.

Supporting this vision are athletes Massimo Brunaccioni, Riccardo Bugari, and Andrea Cavaglià, chefs Eleonora Ambroggi, Fabiola Di Sotto, and Claudia Vagnarelli, and cultural figures Gianluca Iacono, Emanuela Pacotto, Pietro Ubaldi, and Alessandro Rigotti, whose experiences bring the story to life. Through laughter, insight, and some truly incredible plant-based Italian cuisine, the audience encounters a lifestyle that is vibrant, joyful, and full of possibility. Mangia!

Tim Gray (USA), Miles, Morale and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II, Doc Feature – Narrated by Oscar-nominee Gary Sinise with deft direction and impeccable research by Emmy-winner Gray, it follows Bob Hope’s wartime work, reframing WWII as a deeply human experience of fear, exhaustion, longing and the need for connection – illustrating how his tours offered soldiers moments of comfort and emotional release. PBS

Peter Von Puttkamer (United Arab Emirates), Urban Solutions: Green World, Doc Feature. Through visionary environmental innovation in Sharjah, UAE, it shows how waste is transformed into building materials, energy and fuel while preserving local wildlife. Compelling narrative, lush cinematography and in-depth interviews highlight policies and technologies shaping a sustainable future. Sharjah Broadcasting Authority

Alison Bartlett (USA), A VITAL SUN, Doc Short – Narrated by Emmy winner Ben Stiller and directed by Emmy winner Bartlett it follows Sekem, a thriving bio-diverse community in Egypt, transforming barren desert into fertile land through biodynamic farming and solar innovation. Through intimate portraits, it shows the community’s vision, perseverance, and achievements. Tribeca Environmental Impact Award winner

Pacifica J. Sauer (USA), U S M S T, Doc Feature – Hosted by Emmy winner Deborah Duncan and directed by Emmy winner Sauer – it gives voice to survivors of military sexual trauma, exposing sexual assault within the U.S. Armed Forces and the systemic failures that allow it to persist. Survivor testimony, expert insight, archival material, and intimate reflection reveal both the emotional toll and resilience of those fighting for justice.

Richard Wainwright (Australia), The Comfort Dogs of Uganda, Doc Short – With nuanced direction, it follows former child soldiers and rescued dogs as they heal the traumas of atrocities together through the Comfort Dog Project. Through intimate portraits and careful storytelling, it reveals how this innovative program restores trust, nurtures resilience, and forges a profound, life-saving bond between humans and dogs.

Jeffrey Morris (USA), The Eagle Obsession, Doc Feature – Both spirited and poignant, the film celebrates the iconic Eagle Transporter from SPACE: 1999, traveling across cultures and generations to reveal how its hopeful, human-centered vision inspired fans, artists, engineers, astronauts, and children. Featuring Emmy-winner William Shatner, Oscar winners Bill George and Brian Johnson, Nick Tate, Barbara Bain.

Tateyuki Adachi (Japan), The Taste of Nature II, Doc Feature – The film follows Adachi and chocolate expert Chloe Doutre Roussel as they search for a seemingly lost cacao variety across multiple countries, revealing the human stories, cultural history, and struggles of farmers. Beautifully shot and transformative, it unfolds into a deeper look at social realities and the lives intimately connected to this crop.

Kiki Kapany and Robert Edwards (USA), Wired for Connection, Doc Feature – it reveals how human connection shapes health and well-being from birth to old age.  Expertly crafted blending neuroscience, biology, and psychology with intimate storytelling, it shows how relationships heal, isolation harms, and how innovative solutions can rebuild connection in a world reshaped by technology. Kikam Media. PBS Nova

Robert Griffith (USA), The Judge – Character, Cases, Courage, Doc Feature – Narrated by Emmy-winner Justin Theroux, it follows Judge Merhige’s 30 years on the bench. His courage, fairness and devotion to the law shaped landmark cases that both inspired and divided the nation. Excellent research weaves a potent story through compelling interviews, archival footage, the human stories and his profound, lasting impact.

Joey Papa (USA), The Sins of Our Fathers: Race, Religion and the Rise of Trump, Doc Feature – Exposes the roots and enduring power of institutionalized racism in the USA, and how the white Christian church defended slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic oppression. Tracing history to Trump and supporters endorsing bigotry, racism and sexism, it urges them to confront their role in moral failures and inhumane subjugation.

Adam Grunseth (USA), Butte Creek, Narration / Voice-Over Talent (non-acting) (Mike Regan)
Andrea Lodovichetti (Italy), CARTAPESTA: CARNIVAL OF FANO – THE MOVIE, Documentary Feature
Andrew Davies Gans (USA), VOICES: The Danny Gans Story, Documentary Feature
Annette Juergens Busbee (USA), The Collins Story – The Internet Connection, Documentary Feature
Brian Knappmiller (USA), Sheepdogs, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Brynne Rardin and EP Tiff Duong, Tela Coral (USA), The Rebel Reef: Seeds of Hope, Documentary Short, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Cate O’Brien and Marius van Graan (USA), The Beauty of Your Earth, Cinematography (Marius van Graan)
Christiane Arbesu (USA), HOW WE SEE, Documentary Short
Dena Lasker Hildebrand, Butterfly Road Productions LLC (USA), Voice Unbroken – One Broadcaster’s Inspirational Survival Story, Documentary Feature, Women Filmmakers, Sports

Giuseppe A. Modica (Italy), Here Where The Sea Shines, Documentary Short
Hamdi Khalil Elhusseini and Samar Taher Lulu (Palestine), Adas Falasteen, Documentary Short
Jennava Laska (USA), Chronicles of The Laska Archives, Documentary Short
Jesús Pamplona and Javier Muriel (Spain), Paloma Negra: The Queen of Amphetamines, Documentary Feature
Joey Papa (USA), The Sins of Our Fathers: Race, Religion and the Rise of Trump, African American Theme
Juan Alberto Morillas (Ireland), Can Lis – Utzon’s Hidden Masterpiece, Documentary Feature
Leya Hale (USA), Medicine Ball, Documentary Feature
Lynniah Grayson (USA), Still We Rise — Healing Beyond Gun Violence, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, African American Theme
Randy Field (USA), BASEBALL MENSCH the Marty Lurie story, Documentary Feature

Richard Wainwright (Australia), The Comfort Dogs of Uganda, Nonprofit / Fundraising
Rob Herring (USA), Greenfield, Documentary Short
Rob Loos (USA), MEARS: How One Woman Changed American Christianity, Documentary Feature
Sam Forencich (USA), Am I an Artist?, Cinematography
The Lion Entertainment Partners / The Marcs Studios (USA), NINETY ONE, Documentary Short
Tim Rigaud, Foxline Films (France), Beyond The Veil – Paranormal Exploration, Documentary Feature, Television – Pilot Program
Tom Trainor (USA), Ziggy, Documentary Short
Vasilii Mozzhukhin (Russia), GOING LONG, Documentary Feature
Will Bowes and Linda Schuyler, Strathhome Documentary Inc, (Canada), HOME, Documentary Short

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