Festival Docs Podcast

SentientAn investigation into laboratory research on animals exposes a hidden world in which it’s not just the animals getting hurt. The story of Dr. Lisa Jones Engel, a primatologist turned animal welfare advocate, asks whether harming animals and ourselves in science’s name is justified. Animal testing, specifically on primates, has long been controversial. However, its supposed necessity for medical breakthroughs has made many in the medical community and general public accept it. Sentient questions this assumption with an open mind and deep research. It draws on evidence and testimony from people on the front lines of animal experimentation around the world, some of whom have been traumatized by what they’ve seen and done. With disturbing footage from highly secretive laboratories and a rigorous approach that includes conflicting voices, a complicated portrait of the efficacy of animal testing for the betterment of humankind emerges. Director Tony Jones asks us to consider, with great empathy to animals and humans alike: While we might have a need to test on animals, do we have a right? Tony Jones Tony Jones is an Australian television news and political journalist, radio and television presenter and writer. Tony began working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as a radio current affairs cadet working on the AM, PM and The World Today programs. In 1985, he joined the Four Corners program as a reporter. In 1986, Tony moved to SBS to present on the Dateline program before returning to the ABC in 1987, reporting for Four Corners. In 2011 he commenced as the host of the ABC's Q&A political panel discussion show continuing in that role until 2020.Tony is one of Australia's most well known journalists, winning awards including four of Australia's leading journalism awards, the Walkleys. Crikey awarded him "Outstanding Media Practitioner of the Year" in 2005. Tony is married to esteemed ABC journalist Sarah Ferguson.

American Doctor When three American doctors – Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian – enter Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics, risking everything to make a difference. As the world watches a besieged and heavily bombed Gaza grapple with a humanitarian catastrophe, a collapsing healthcare system, and an unprecedented civilian death toll, American Doctor tells a deeply humanitarian story from which we must not look away. The war in Gaza has strongly involved another country: the United States. As the attacks intensified in Gaza and medical expertise and capabilities were decimated, three American doctors felt a professional and moral obligation to act. We witness these three impressive individuals making the difficult but necessary triage decisions after an attack, caring for suffering children, and concerned for their own personal safety. Their stories reveal not only the human cost of war, but also the failure of the international community to protect civilians. Although they come from very different backgrounds and experiences, they are unified in their desire to ease suffering and raise their voices to demand action from their own government. From Gaza hospitals to the halls of American power, director Poh Si Teng unflinchingly depicts a brutal reality and also shows a path forward to engage with humanity and collective action. Variety magazine called American Doctor ‘a necessary watch because it dares its audience not to look away, forcing the question not only of whose story is told, but whose deaths matter and make headlines’. Poh Si Teng Poh Si Teng is the producer of the Oscar-nominated St. Louis Superman and Emmy Award–winning executive producer of Patrice: The Movie. She is a former creative executive for ABC/Disney, documentary commissioner for Al Jazeera, IDA grants director, and New York Times journalist. She is the founder of Tiny Boxer Films, which produces non-fiction feature docs, and docu- and unscripted-series for the US and global majority markets. American Doctor marks her debut as a feature documentary director.

The Sandbox Through cinematic landscapes and testimony from survivors, journalists, and witnesses, Kenya-Jade Pinto’s The Sandbox explores modern border control, where surveillance, AI, and militarization decide who lives and who dies. From the Arizona desert to the drone-policed Mediterranean, migrants flee unforgiving landscapes while rescuers face the Sissyphean task of keeping them safe. Meanwhile, tools tested at borders spill into databases and daily life, collapsing distance between watcher and watched. No villain stands at the center, only processes and protocols.. There is no outside: the film shatters the illusion separating “them” from us. In The Sandbox, we are all digitizable and disposable.Kenya-Jade PintoKenya-Jade Pinto is an Indo-Kenyan-Canadian documentary photographer, filmmaker, and lawyer. She grew up chasing crabs on the Kenyan coast, before moving to Alberta’s foothills as a teen. Her hyphenated worldview informs her work where she focuses on non-fiction and narrative projects that navigate themes of displacement, belonging, and access to justice.Kenya-Jade blends her creative eye with thoughtful precision, and most recently supported Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson as an associate producer on Scarborough – all the way to the Toronto International Film Festival and beyond. Kenya-Jade’s training as a human rights lawyer has deepened her practice as a documentarian on projects like Not Yet Home, Level Justice, and more recently, The Sandbox. She has participated in DOC Institute’s Breakthrough Program as well as HotDocs’ Emerging Filmmaker Program. She’s the filmmaker-in-residence at York University’s Refugee Law Lab, and in 2021, she was named a National Geographic Explorer. She is currently directing her first documentary feature with frequent collaborators, Compy Films. Kenya-Jade is also a member of Women Photograph and Diversify Photo, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations as well as a Juris Doctor (cum laude) with a specialization in International law. She is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario.Kenya-Jade is available for assignments, collaborations and connecting at hello[at]kenyajade[dot]com.

From a teenager’s suburban bedroom to the boardrooms of Silicon Valley, Molly Vs the Machines is the story of a heartbroken father’s quest to uncover the truth behind his daughter's death and his fightback against how the most powerful corporations of the modern age operate.SynopsisAt just 14 years old, Molly Russell came home from school, finished her homework and said goodnight to her family. A few hours later, she took her own life.Surrounded by a loving circle of family and friends, it was a life-shattering mystery to all who knew her. In search of an answer Ian, her devastated father, pieces the final months of her life back together only to discover that, when Molly looked at her phone, social media machines dragged her into darkness.Co-written by Harvard professor and best-selling author Shoshana Zuboff, the film follows the trail of two narratives and their devastating convergence. Molly’s friends, family and associated professionals trace in detail what happened to Molly, while the economic logic behind Big Tech helped fuel an algorithmic spiral resulting in tragic consequences.From a teenager’s suburban bedroom to the boardrooms of Silicon Valley, Molly Vs THE MACHINES is the story of a heartbroken father’s quest to uncover the truth behind his daughter's death, and his fightback against how the most powerful corporations of the modern age operate.Now, as Big Tech's global domination escalates with AI, Molly's story reminds us that the real power is still in our hands.Director's Statement (Marc Silver)Telling this story was never solely about the harm done to a 14 year old girl, or the rights of all children, or the tech policy changes needed to protect them - as essential as all those things are.We made the film as a warning about the people who control the machines, about their vision for our future and the type of power they wield.That power is quite literally in our hands.Everyone, everywhere, all at once tethered to Big Tech’s machines.All of us connected to the digital, no matter who we are, no matter what we believe, are invited to watch Molly Vs THE MACHINES.And then ask questions.Questions like, ‘What right did the machines have to even ‘know’ that Molly was depressed? Remembering that her family, friends and teachers did not know.’Questions like, ‘What right does Big Tech have to know anything at all about what we are doing, and how we are feeling?’‘What right do they have to convert our lives into data, for their machines to consume?’‘What right do they have to manipulate how we behave without us being aware?’Ultimately we made Molly Vs THE MACHINES to help spark the huge shift needed in how we as individuals and communities see and understand Big Tech.Over the course of making the film, the question I’m always asked is ‘what can we do about this?’ Of course, there is a wide spectrum of answers out there offered by people far more qualified than me, but nevertheless here’s what I've been imagining.We could restrict Big Tech’s access to our lives.We could begin by reclaiming our bedrooms as private places, prohibiting data extraction from within those four walls. After all, in the real world, we don’t let strangers sit at the foot of our beds to observe and manipulate our behaviour like puppeteers.We could then extend the zone from bedrooms to entire houses.To cars and public transport.To schools, workplaces, parks, playgrounds and places of worship.This would end the transformation of our selves into their data that is then monetized and used to manipulate us. This would give us back some control of our lives - and redirect where our democracies are headed under the steer of Big Tech.

Gays Against Guns - AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER + SPECIAL JURY MENTION - DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALGays Against Guns takes us to the front lines of the American gun violence epidemic, seen through the eyes of an Irish immigrant, who left Ireland when it was illegal to be gay in search of the ‘Gay American Dream’. But political sands shifted and this dream quickly unraveled. The Pulse nightclub massacre changed everything. With 49 people murdered, it was the worst mass shooting in the U.S. at that time. It was also the catalyst for the formation of an extraordinary new activist group - Gays Against Guns - who have been fighting for gun reform ever since. We follow our narrator, the filmmaker, from neon splashed street protests into the corridors of power, as he documents GAG’s actions over a ten year period, from that fateful night in Orlando, through the chaos of today’s unhinged, divided America. The film blends the narrator’s personal reflections with fearless, outrageous, often hilarious political theatrics. GAG adopts the tactics of civil disobedience and direct action, forged during the AIDS crisis and fight for Marriage Equality, to give gun toters and puppet politicians a serious run for their money. Between all the action - wildly colourful protests and glittering drag - we hear survivors’ stories. Kit, who lost her beloved daughter Bailey, a Black transgender teen, to gun violence. Antonius, an Asian American artist who channels the trauma of his shooting into fierce activism. The film takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, combining deeply moving scenes with moments of levity. Legendary filmmaker John Waters even chimes in with his notoriously sharp wit.An inspiring David and Goliath story for our turbulent times, the film is a testament to resilience, community, and the power of caring for a perfect stranger.Produced with support from Screen Ireland.Paul Rowley Paul Rowley is an Irish filmmaker and visual artist based in Brooklyn, New York. For over twenty years he has been making work that combines elements of documentary, video art, and fiction into immersive and often politically engaged films. His work has screened at the Centre Pompidou, Berlin Film Festival, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Irish Film Institute, SXSW and many film festivals internationally. Past feature documentaries include SEAVIEW, a film made in collaboration with asylum seekers in the former Butlin’s holiday camp in Mosney, Ireland, and THE RED TREE which tells the little known story of Mussolini’s prison island for gay men. He has twice been nominated for Irish Films and Television Awards and was recipient of the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s Glen Dimplex Award. His 2022 film GAYS AGAINST GUNS follows a radical direct action group of LGBTQ+ activists as they work to end the American gun violence epidemic. 

Manhood From Director Daniel Lombroso (“White Noise”), MANHOOD follows Dallas entrepreneur Bill Moore as he attempts to make penis enlargement as commonplace as Botox. Along the way, an OnlyFans star and a father of five put their bodies—and their insecurities—on the line. Blending dark humor with unexpected empathy, MANHOOD examines shame, addiction, and the fragile myths of American masculinity.Daniel Lombroso Director Daniel Lombroso spent eight years building the Oscar-nominated video departments at The New Yorker and The Atlantic before launching his own premium documentary studio in 2025. His debut feature, WHITE NOISE, based on his four years reporting inside the white power movement, premiered in 2020 to critical acclaim. It was named one of the year's top documentaries by Vox and The Boston Globe, and one of the 25 films that explain America by The Guardian. His short, NINA & IRENA, Executive Produced by Errol Morris, was one of the most decorated shorts of 2023. Lombroso’s work has premiered at Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, and has been recognized with eight Vimeo Staff Picks, two National Magazine Award nominations, two Livingston Award nominations, an IDA nomination, a Critics Choice nomination, an Emmy nomination, and the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. MANHOOD is his second feature-length film.

Photo Credit - Andrew CornagaFrom acclaimed Irish filmmaker Gavin Fitzgerald (Conor McGregor: Notorious), witness an intimate portrait of a once in-a-generation athlete, “The Big Fella”, Jonah Lomu. An explosive, formidable athlete, Jonah quickly became a sporting legend, holding the record for the most tries scored in Rugby World Cup history. But despite his gentle giant persona, his life was marred by tragedy, often forcing him to battle adversity and confront his inner demons as the public watched on.Gavin FitzgeraldBorn and bred in Dublin City, Gavin FitzGerald is an award winning director whose documentaries have featured on Netflix, BBC studios and international film festivals such as HotDocs. Early in his career, he gained a reputation for making high profile celebrity biographies, including the Netflix titles, CONOR MCGREGOR: NOTORIOUS (2017, Universal Pictures) and LIAM GALLAGHER: AS IT WAS (2019, Warner Music). Since then, he has directed an IFTA nominated film, MILLION DOLLAR PIGEONS (2022, Dogwoof), a four part docu-series for the BBC, STABLE: THE BOXING GAME (2024, Lorton Entertainment), and multi-award winning short films. Upcoming projects include LOMU (Dogwoof, NZ Film Comission, UK Global Screen Fund) and SOUL OF THE SEA (Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán & TG4)

📣 Attention documentary filmmakers & storytellers!There’s an amazing opportunity you don’t want to miss: the partnership between Nonfiction Hotlist and Yahoo Media Group is currently accepting short documentary submissions — but the deadline closes Friday, March 6! 🎬💥 This initiative will hand-pick 20 short docs for global distribution and fair compensation, giving your work exposure across major Yahoo platforms and reaching audiences that other outlets just can’t match. 👉 Films must be 10–40 minutes, completed between Jan 2023 and March 2026, and fit one of six vibrant categories ranging from Sports to Culture & Arts. ⏳ Time’s running out — get your submission in before Friday!And while you’re here, be sure to check out our special Podcast Festival Docs episode with the founders of Nonfiction Hotlist, Adam and Isis — where we dive deep on the future of nonfiction storytelling and what this opportunity means for creators like you.🎧 Listen before the episode expires Friday as well!#Documentary #NonfictionHotlist #Yahoo #Docs #PodcastFestivalDocs #SubmitNow