OVID’s August Lineup: Streaming Resistance! Political and social issue indie docs from New Day Films (+ a handful of fun & thrilling features!)

This August, OVID presents 23 new films!

As the premier streaming destination for social issue documentary films from the US and internationally, OVID continues a newly launched partnership with pathbreaking filmmakers’ collective New Day Films to bring their collection to our members for the first time.

This month, New Day’s migration stories include a DACA student in Viva Diferida (Life, Deferred), plus Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis, about a group of immigration lawyers defending the legal right to safety and refuge, as well as the stories of asylum seekers fleeing gang violence, and those defying deportation orders (Soledad and Stop Time, respectively). Other highlights include Acts of Worship, which explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11. Plus, Higher Power, a doc on the DC recreational-cannabis market and the gray space for vendors: “Weed is legal, but you can’t acquire it the way you’d buy anything else.” (The Washingtonian)
 
Feature films on the way include Please Baby Please, an “ebullient, campy thrill ride” that plays like “an archly stylized West Side Story by way of Kenneth Anger” (Variety) starring the “dynamite” Andrea Riseborough, with a fun cameo from Tony-Award winning Cole Escola, as well as a Madame Bovary-inspired rom-com Gemma Bovery directed by Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel). Fear not the darker Dekanalog-side, either, with the dread-soaked School’s Out, a “stylish existential thriller” to keep you on the edge of your couch, and a Time of Moulting, Germany’s answer to Ari Aster’s nightmare family horror Hereditary.

We’ll take a short break at the end of the month to recoup before September’s big slate.

Full details on August’s complete lineup are below.

Image above from Brenda Ávila-Hanna's VIDA DIFERIDA (LIFE, DEFERRED), premiering on OVID on August 13th.

Friday, August 1

Gemma Bovery 
Directed by Anne Fontaine
With Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Fabrice Luchini
Music Box Films | Feature | 2014 | France, UK | 99 min

In this vibrant seriocomic reimagining of Flaubert’s literary classic Madame Bovary, life imitates art in uncanny ways when Gemma Bovery moves to the French countryside with her husband, drawing the attention of a local baker. This clever adaptation of Posy Simmonds’ graphic novel is at once a cheeky literary mash-up, a sensuous romance, a witty feminist commentary, and a heady celebration of French provincial life. This is the third film by Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel) to join the platform.

“An ideal romantic film!” —Elle

“A breezy and enjoyable update of the classic novel.” —The Hollywood Reporter

Tuesday, August 5

The Garifuna Journey
Directed by Andrea E. Leland
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 1998 | 46 min

Working closely with Garifuna tradition bearers, this “outsider and insider” collaboration is the first of its kind, one that captures the triumph of spirit of the Garifuna people. With vivid and engaging footage shot entirely in Belize, the documentary celebrates the continuity of Garifuna culture in the face of overwhelming odds.

“A sensitive, balanced portrait of Garifuna ritual life and identity.” —Mark Moberg, American Anthropologist

Jamesie, King of Scratch
Directed by Andrea E. Leland
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2006 | 70 min

Scratch band music, or Quelbe, is the grassroots folk music from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The lyrics are a form of oral history relaying the day-to-day trials and tribulations of living on a small Caribbean island. Playing with homemade instruments made from tin cans and gourds, the music has a crudeness to it that evokes the beauty and the hardship of the Crucian (of St. Croix) lifestyle. 

“An intelligent and enjoyable film, from which the viewer can learn much about scratch band music…. Leland has managed to craft a loving and mostly celebratory portrait of one of the tradition’s foremost exponents.” —Kenneth Bilby, PhD, Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University

Yurumein
Directed by Andrea E. Leland
New Day Films | Documentary | USA, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2014 | 50 min

An untold history of the indigenous Caribs on St. Vincent: their near extermination and exile by the British 200 years ago; and return of some in the Diaspora to reconnect with those left behind. A postcolonial story of re-identification.

“Emotionally perceptive, culturally sensitive, and visually rich. I recommend it highly.” —Virginia Kerns, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, College of William and Mary

Wednesday, August 6

The Lost Bird Project
Directed by Deborah Dickson 
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2022 | 60 min

A documentary about the stories of five birds driven to extinction in modern times and sculptor Todd McGrain’s endeavor to memorialize them. The film follows McGrain as he searches for the locations where the birds were last seen in the wild and negotiates for permission to install his large bronze sculptures there.

“A stunning and evocative work about art, nature and our imperiled planet.”—The Montreal Mirror

See Memory
Directed by Viviane Silvera
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2022 | 15 min

Painter Viviane Silvera uses art to explore memory and PTSD, animating 30,000 images to provide a visualization of the brain’s process of forming and storing memories. Art is combined with narration based on breakthroughs in neuroscience research by Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel and other scientists, revealing how we remember and misremember.

“A true collaboration between art and science, and the result is haunting, intelligent, and beautifully disorienting… a film that stimulates both the heart and the mind.” —Kent Hill, Film Threat

“In a visual and narrative journey that is as haunting as it is insightful, the film offers nothing short than an entirely new way of imagining memory, trauma, presentness, and emotional experience.” —R. John Williams, Associate Professor, English, Film and Media, Yale University

Thursday, August 7

25 Texans in the Land of Lincoln
Directed by Ellen Brodsky
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2019 | 33 min

Twenty-five history students travel from the Alamo to Springfield, Illinois to build a Day of the Dead altar honoring Lincoln’s support of Mexico, and ask a museum to return Santa Anna’s prosthetic leg. With humor, humility, and animated history lessons, these students, mostly Mexican American, raise questions of identity, borders, museum ethics, and collective memory.

“A beautiful, stirring, and redemptive story about learning and especially about teaching. A history lesson, and more —Jill Lapore, Professor of American History, Harvard University

Tracing Roots
Directed by Ellen Frankenstein
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2014 | 35 min

A portrait of an artist and a mystery. The film follows master weaver and Haida elder Delores Churchill on a journey to understand the origins of a spruce root hat found with Kwäday Dän Ts’ìnchi, the Long Ago Person Found, a 300-year-old traveler discovered in Northern Canada in a retreating glacier. Delores’s quest crosses cultures and borders, raising questions about the meaning of connection, knowledge, and ownership.

“The story unfolds like roots, in multiple directions all at once…although Churchill is the subject of the documentary, she is also one of its architects. It is her weaving, the art of it and the intellectual quest she lays before viewers that gives the film its humble humanity.” —Indira Arrigra, Anchorage Press

Friday, August 8

Please Baby Please
Directed by Amanda Kramer
With Andrea Riseborough, Harry Melling, Karl Glusman, Demi Moore, Cole Escola
Music Box Films | Feature | USA | 2022 | 95 min

Newlyweds become the dangerous obsession of a greaser gang that awakens a sleeping quandary in the couple’s sexual and gender identities. Visionary filmmaker Amanda Kramer pegs the hetero hellscape of the 1950s in a witty, syncopated riff that plays like a high camp emission from your wildest dreams – bathed in silk, sweat, and bisexual lighting. A full spectrum of underground fetishism and seductive musical asides featuring alluring cameos by Demi Moore and Cole Escola.

“A feverish queer manifesto.” —Manuel Betancourt, Variety

“Riseborough offers a dynamite performance.” —Teo Bugbee, The New York Times

“A helluva kick!” —Alex Saveliev, Film Threat

Tuesday, August 12

American Santa
Directed by Avi Zev Weider
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2023 | 24 min

American Santa delves into the seldom-seen world of Black Santas in America, presenting a narrative that is as heartwarming as it is eye-opening. At the heart of this documentary is the exploration of the complex duality these Santas experience – the joy and magic they bring to families during the holiday season, contrasted sharply with the racism they face in their roles. Through a series of intimate interviews and candid moments, the film paints a vivid picture of these men who embody the spirit of Santa Claus, capturing their laughter and warmth, as well as their resilience in the face of prejudice.

CodeSwitching: Race and Identity in the Suburban Schoolhouse
Directed by Mike Mascoll
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2020 | 54 min

CodeSwitching: Race and Identity in the Suburban Schoolhouse is a mashup of personal stories from African American students, spanning two generations, who signed up for voluntary busing to attend better-resourced suburban schools. It explores shifting race relations in the suburban-urban axis, teen self-perception, and the role gender plays in fitting-in.

Higher Power
Directed by Dewey Ortiz & Rafi Aliya Crockett
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2023 | 63 min

Recreational cannabis use is legal in Washington, D.C. Recreational cannabis sales are not. Higher Power uses the stories of Black Washingtonians navigating this gray space while fighting to enter the legal cannabis industry to reveal the stark reality of 700,0000 disenfranchised American citizens and the urgent need for D.C. Statehood.

“There are two stories at the heart of the new documentary Higher Power: the first is how many Black Washingtonians have carved out space for themselves and their businesses after DC voted to legalize cannabis nine years ago. The second is how Congress has thwarted local democracy, creating the weird limbo the DC recreational-cannabis market occupies to this day: Weed is legal, but you can’t acquire it the way you’d buy anything else.” —Andrew Beaujon, The Washingtonian

Wednesday, August 13

Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis
Directed by Victoria Bruce 
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2022 | 92 min

For a group of extraordinary women who practice immigration law, the refugee crisis is a call to action they can’t ignore. The Trump administration tried to shut down immigration to the United States, with no changes to the actual law, they nearly succeeded. Activist lawyers — mostly women — made it their mission to defend people’s legal right to seek safety and refuge under our asylum laws.

“The profiles in Las Abogadas of the determined and tenacious women lawyers who put themselves squarely in the middle of the nightmare at our southern border are truly inspirational.” —Hope Frye, Past President, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); Executive Director, Project Lifeline

Soledad
Directed by Lisa Molomot
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2020 | 24 min

From Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Lisa Molomot, Soledad tells the story of a young woman from Central America who fled gang violence to seek asylum in the U.S, and shows what life is like for asylum seekers imprisoned in immigration detention centers while they await their day in court.

“I have never seen anything that depicts the stories of asylum seekers as vividly as this short film.” —William Holston, Former Executive Director, Human Rights Initiative of North Texas Inc.

Stop Time
Directed by Kate Way
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2022 | 50 min

A story of community, perseverance, and defiance of a deportation. Stop Time tells the story of Lucio Pérez, a man who lived in a Massachusetts church basement for over three years in defiance of a deportation order. Lucio recounts the forces that brought him to the United States, entangled him in the immigration system, and ultimately led him to sanctuary.

“Seeing the profound commitment of one community gave me new perspective on what it means to defend the rights of immigrants.” —Miriam Lewin, Director, Commandment 613

Vida Diferida (Life, Deferred)
Directed by Brenda Ávila-Hanna
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2017 | 23 min

A six-year, intimate journey into the life of a young, undocumented student and her family before, during and after DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). After the announcement of the policy known as “Deferred Action”, Vanessa, an undocumented teenager, contemplates the possibility of a future she was ready to give up on. How will this life-changing opportunity impact her life and the lives of those around her?

“Avila Hanna brings an insider’s heart and outsider’s skill to bear on this portrait of one young woman whose undocumented status is shadowing her future. Poignant, eye-opening, and only hesitantly joyous, Vida Diferida should be required viewing in schools everywhere.” —B Ruby Rich, UC Santa Cruz

Thursday, August 14

Deaf Jam
Directed by judy lieff
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2013 | 70 min

ASL poetry changed Aneta Brodski’s life. Poetry, friendship and respect transcend politics as Aneta finds herself in an unexpected collaboration. Deaf Jam is the story of deaf teen Aneta’s bold journey into the spoken word slam scene. In a wondrous twist, Aneta, an Israeli immigrant living in the Queens section of New York City, eventually meets Tahani, a hearing Palestinian slam poet. The two artists create a new form of slam poetry that speaks to both the hearing and the Deaf. 

“A riveting documentary simply because the deaf Israeli teenager at the center of the film, Aneta Brodski, is so charmingly expressive.'”—Karen Badt, Huffington Post

“ASL poetry relies heavily on visuals and movement, and Lieff’s film follows suit, with lensing on a variety of digital formats, colorful tech wizardry and fast-paced cutting. A hip soundtrack further adds to the pic’s street cred for hearing auds.” —Boyd Van Hoeij, Variety

Duties of My Heart 
Directed by judy lieff
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2024 | 10 min

Blending American Sign Language, contemporary dance, and spoken word, Duties of My Heart offers a powerful visual interpretation of Barbara Barg’s poem on resilience. Performed by Deaf ASL poet Terrylene and dancers, the film transitions from monochrome to color as it moves between stillness and movement, silence and sound. Inspired by the aesthetics of 1940s experimental dance cinema, this short film is designed for both Deaf and hearing audiences.

“A revolutionary act in poet Barg’s world, calling us to free our bodies from the rule of authority and find a space we can call our own.” —Peter Valente, Author, Translator, Filmmaker

Friday, August 15

Time of Moulting    
Directed by Sabrina Mertens
With Zelda Espenschied, Miriam Schiweck, Freya Kreutzkam, Bernd Wolf
Dekanalog | Feature | Germany | 2020 | 82 min

Dark, oppressive, and ominous. A heavily atmospheric and harrowing portrait of the ways in which repressed family dynamics can influence and infect the lives of younger generations – not tangible, not namable, but inexorable. In a small town in 1970s West Germany, Stephanie is raised by parents who have no business having children. The mother suffers from an unspecified medical condition—both mental and physical. The father makes it clear that he has no patience for his daughter.

“A nightmarish film.” —Nick Allen, RogerEbert.com

“A truly strange take on horror, art-house, and melodrama.” —Giles Edwards, 366 Weird Movies

Tuesday, August 19

Auction
Directed by Joel Fendelman
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2015 | 8 min

A portrait of a cattle auction, the cultural focal point in the dying town of Gonzales, Texas. The town is not what it used to be, Main street is desolate, the population is shrinking, but the culture and history live on through story and communal gathering at this once-a-week tradition that has been alive since the turn of the century.

Band of Sisters
Directed by Joel Fendelman
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2024 | 7 min

A retro look at one the largest marches for women’s lives in U.S. History. Set to a psychedelic rock score, Band of Sisters follows a group of 1.15 million women and men as they march through the Streets of Washington DC for women’s lives in what might possibly be the largest march in US history.

North Putnam
Directed by Joel Fendelman
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2024 | 90 min

A year-in-the-life of a yes-saying rural school district and the community it serves. Crafted with empathy, a hyper-real reporting lens and skillfully lush cinematography, North Putnam depicts a year in the life of a rural Indiana school district and the community it serves. Multiple storylines intersect, culminating in a narrative about the interdependence between public education and community development.

“Tells the story of democracy from the ground up.” —Arnie Fege, Founder and President, Public Advocacy for Kids

Wednesday, August 20

An Act of Worship
Directed by Sofian Khan
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2022 | 82 min

Told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States, director Nausheen Dadabhoy offers a counter-narrative of pivotal moments in U.S. history and explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11.

** World Premiere, Tribeca Film Festival

“A gracefully crafted, persuasive portrait of communities demonized for the acts of an extremist (and mostly overseas) minority with whom they share a religious identity.” —Dennis Harvey, Variety

Thursday, August 21

Finding Kukan
Directed by Robin Lung
New Day Films | Documentary | USA | 2017 | 75 min

An American Library Association “Notable Film,” filmmaker Robin Lung investigates the forgotten story of Li Ling-Ai, the uncredited female producer of Kukan, an Academy Award®-winning color documentary about World War II that has been lost for decades. Finding Kukan is both a personal film about a fourth-generation Chinese American digging into her culture and a wide-ranging exploration of the history between China and the U.S.

“Amazing….If you love movies or history see this film!” —Steve Kopian, Unseen Films

Friday, August 22

School’s Out
Directed by Sébastien Marnier
With Laurent Lafitte, Emmanuelle Bercot, Luàna Bajrami, Victor Bonnel
Dekanalog | Feature | France | 2018 | 104 min

In this dread-soaked cerebral thriller, a teacher throws himself from a classroom window before the terrified eyes of his students. Despite the tragedy, six of them remain oddly cool and unemotional. The new substitute teacher notices the hostile, strangely violent behavior of this close-knit clique, only to be sucked into their dark vision of a doomed future. With a killer soundtrack from Zombie Zombie, School’s Out is a Kafkaesque fable of youth failed by the generations before them.

“A masterpiece.” —Beth Daley, The Conversation 

“A stylish existential thriller that’s part Dead Poets Society, part Village of the Damned, sprinkled with a dose of Take Shelter and served with a side of Children of the Corn.” —Rafael Motamayer, Bloody Disgusting

Complete list of films premiering on OVID this month (in alphabetical order):

25 Texans in the Land of Lincoln, Ellen Brodsky (2019)
American Santa, Avi Zev Weider (2023)
An Act of Worship, Sofian Khan (2022)
Auction, Joel Fendelman (2015)
Band of Sisters, Joel Fendelman (2024) 
CodeSwitching: Race and Identity in the Suburban Schoolhouse, Mike Mascoll (2020)
Deaf Jam, judy lieff (2013)
Duties of My Heart, judy lieff (2024)
Finding Kukan, Robin Lung (2017)
Gemma Bovery, Anne Fontaine (2014) 
Higher Power, Dewey Ortiz & Rafi Aliya Crockett (2023)
Jamesie, King of Scratch, Andrea E. Leland (2006)
Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis, Victoria Bruce (2022)
North Putnam, Joel Fendelman (2024)
Please Baby Please, Amanda Kramer (2022)
School’s Out, Sébastien Marnier (2018) 
See Memory, Viviane Silvera (2022)
Soledad, Lisa Molomot (2020)
Stop Time, Kate Way (2022)  
The Garifuna Journey, Andrea E. Leland (1998)
The Lost Bird Project, Todd McGrain (2022) 
Time of Moulting, Sabrina Mertens (2020) 
Tracing Roots, Ellen Frankenstein (2014)
Vida Diferida (Life, Deferred), Brenda Ávila-Hanna (2017)
Yurumein, Andrea E. Leland (2014)