The DC/DOX documentary film festival is back for its third edition, celebrating the art of documentary filmmaking in the nation’s capital.
Set to run over four days in June, the festival will feature an impressive lineup of 59 feature films and 35 short films from 25 countries.
Festival director and co-founder Sky Sitney expressed the importance of this year’s lineup, stating it serves as a powerful reminder of documentary film’s unique ability to illuminate the world’s beauty, heartbreak, and complexity.
One highlighted film, Kim A. Snyder’s The Librarians, showcases the courageous efforts of librarians and educators who stand against the wave of ultra-conservative book bans sweeping across various states and school districts.
Described as “the civil rights fight of our time” by one librarian in the film, this group of women fights hard to protect community access to information and knowledge.
Despite facing substantial personal risks to their careers and reputations, these librarians view their role as vital in countering ill-informed attempts to censor and control.
Documentaries themselves are noted for their essential role in “bringing truth into the light,” according to Sitney, and this year’s DC/DOX program includes 12 world premieres.
Among them is The Last Class, a personal portrait of Robert Reich, and The Right Track, an exposé on sex trafficking.
The festival will also shed light on various themes, from global conflicts and women’s rights to the arts encompassing theater and music.
In Move Ya Body, filmmaker Elegance Bratton explores the birth and lasting influence of house music.
Additionally, Monk in Pieces, directed by Billy Shebar and David C. Roberts, chronicles avant-garde composer Meredith Monk’s life and career.
Another world-premiere short, La Orquesta, co-directed by Monica Villavicencio and Stephanie Liu, follows immigrant activist and music teacher Juana Alzaga as she guides her student orchestra through a year of challenges and triumphs.
In the entertaining and enlightening feature I Was Born This Way, co-directors Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard delve into the history of one of the first gay pop anthems.
The anthem, performed by singer-songwriter Carl Bean in 1977 on Motown Records, changed the landscape of music with its message: “I’m happy, I’m carefree, and I’m gay/I was born this way.”
The film features insightful interviews with Bean, who passed away in 2021, along with notable figures like Billy Porter, Dionne Warwick, Questlove, and Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga, in particular, reflects on how Bean’s anthem influenced her own hit, “Born This Way.”
The film serves as both a compelling history of dance music and a moving biography of Bean, who later founded the United Fellowship Church as Archbishop Carl Bean.
There, he advocated his message of love and acceptance, emphasizing that God is for everyone as he fought against homophobia and hate with positivity.
DC/DOX will also feature an array of LGBTQ-focused documentaries, including State of Firsts, which portrays trans congresswoman Sarah McBride.
With its formidable lineup, the festival exemplifies the urgency and artistry inherent in documentary filmmaking, as noted by Sitney.
image source from：https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/06/dc-dox-returns-with-powerful-lgbtq-documentaries/
