The DocHouse team share their thoughts on the best docs of 2023, all of which are back on our screen this Christmas.
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed / Laura Poitras / 122 mins
Without a doubt one of my top films of the year, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a true testament to the transformative power of art and activism. Laura Poitras deftly weaves together Nan Goldin’s personal life, photography, HIV/AIDs and the opioid crisis to reveal how these narratives all interconnect. A searing portrait of an extraordinary woman, and her unwavering commitment to speaking truth to power. – Jasmine
20 Days in Mariupol / Mstyslav Chernov / 94 mins
Filmed on the very frontline of conflict, 20 Days in Mariupol has an urgency and immediacy that make it vital viewing. More important than the awards and accolades it has garnered, is the sense of bearing witness to the human suffering inside the besieged city. An extraordinary, harrowing and essential watch. – Jenny
A Compassionate Spy / Steve James / 101 mins
The perfect companion piece to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Steve James’ film tells the story of Ted Hall, a young physicist working on the Manhattan Project who secretly passed information on the atom bomb to the USSR. Lovingly told by his wife Joan, we see the existential moral dielmma Hall faced as he saw the implications of a world where the USA had nuclear dominance. A fascinating look at the Cold War era with a tender love story at its heart, I found A Compassionate Spy to be one of the most compelling docs of this year. – Tom
Dreaming Walls / Amélie van Elmbt, Maya Duverd / 90 mins
The glory days of the Chelsea Hotel as an artists’ refuge are conjured up beautifully in Dreaming Walls, and counterpointed against today’s less dreamy reality, where a couple of dozen recalcitrant residents are refusing to make way for luxury redevelopment. It’s a treat to see the storied building still housing such one-off characters, and a fascinating film to settle into. – Jenny
Hide and Seek (Nascondino) / Victoria Fiore / 88 mins
Iraq’s Invisible Beauty / Sahim Omar Kalifa, Jurgen Buedts / 87 mins
Latif al-Ani’s incredible photographs of a lost Iraq are at the heart of this little-known documentary gem, which reveals the heartbreaking destruction of al-Ani’s country through decades of regime changes and war. Al-Ani passed away soon after the film was finished, making it one of the final records of this extraordinary photographer. – Jenny
My Imaginary Country / Patricio Guzmán / 83 mins
Master Chilean documentarian Patricio Guzmán makes a triumphant comeback with this galvanising story of hope, and the beginnings of a new chapter for Chile. A departure from his more sombre Chile Trilogy, My Imaginary Country is a rallying call-to-arms with women at its centre. – Jasmine
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood / Anna Hints / 89 mins
A dreamy and ethereal delve into the sacred ritual of smoke sauna, this documentary is not only the perfect winter watch, but good for the soul. No topic is off limits amongst these women who, in the darkness, share their deepest secrets and most intimate experiences. Smoke Sauna Sisterhood is a beautiful celebration of sisterhood, with breathtaking hypnotic imagery that will have you in a trance. – Eliza
Stop Making Sense / Jonathan Demme / 88 mins
In Jonathan Demme’s seminal film of the Talking Heads’ 1983 shows at the Pantages Theatre, he steers clear of the clichés usually found in such concert films. There’s no backstage footage, no lingering audience shots, no clips of the band reminiscing in front of a giant mixing board. Instead, the focus is solely on the performance, examining every detail that made up Talking Heads’ propulsive, intricate and eclectic music. The joy of the band on stage is infection, and seeing Stop Making Sense for the first time in a packed cinema was a real highlight for me this year. – Tom
While We Watched / Vinay Shukla / 95 mins
Charting the rise of nationalism in India, While We Watched gives us intimate access to the formidable force that is journalist Ravish Kumar. Acting as a voice of reason amongst total chaos, his resolve is an incredible feat to uphold. Gripping from beginning to end, this is one of the most important documentaries of the year, proving that we all have the power to make a difference. – Eliza