Documentary Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Documentary

Enthusiastic crowd with raised hands, diverse faces expressing joy.
Review

White Riot

by Adam Woodward

The story of how Rock Against Racism combatted fascism in ​’70s Britain has some disturbing contemporary parallels.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Monochrome image of busy workplace with clutter, a person sitting at a desk using a laptop in the foreground.
Review

Max Richter’s Sleep

by Thomas Hobbs

Max Richter’s eight-hour concept album is brought to life via Natalie Johns’s immersive concert film.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A woman in a black top sits on a wheelchair, gripping its wheels, surrounded by trees and buildings.
Review

Rising Phoenix

by Lillian Crawford

This powerful documentary charts the history of the Paralympics and its positive impact on disability representation.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Ornate gilded frame surrounds a portrait of a person wearing a black hat and coat.
Review

My Rembrandt

by Lillian Crawford

Dutch filmmaker Oeke Hoogendijk examines the enduring appeal of the art world’s Old Masters.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Close-up of two people sleeping on a couch, with one person's head resting on the other's shoulder.
Review

Again Once Again

by Lillian Crawford

Argentine actor and author Romina Paula turns director for this sublime mediation on middle age womanhood.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Soldier in military uniform comforting another soldier, with a concerned expression on his face.
Review

Father Soldier Son

by Charles Bramesco

There’s a sense of cyclical despair at the heart of Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn’s portrait of the modern day American veteran.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Two people in traditional Asian dress, a woman in a pink kimono with a red floral accessory and a man in dark clothing, in a lush green outdoor setting.
Review

Family Romance, LLC

by Tom Bond

Werner Herzog delves into the strange world of a Japanese agency which specialises in artifice.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Extensive bookshelf covering entire wall, containing numerous books of varying colours and sizes. Ornate lamp and chair visible in foreground, suggesting a cosy reading nook.
Review

The Booksellers

by Anna Bogutskaya

The curious world of rare book sellers is the subject of this documentary from director DW Young.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two men in a guitar workshop, one wearing a guitar-themed t-shirt examining a guitar, the other playing an electric guitar.
Review

Carmine Street Guitars

by Adam Woodward

Director Ron Mann takes us on an intimate tour of a legendary Greenwich Village music shop.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Young woman in a bright red sparkling leotard performing a dance routine.
Review

Athlete A

by Hannah Strong

Maggie Nichols and a raft of former gymnasts detail the sexual abuse they suffered within USA Gymnastics at the hands of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect