I have an insatiable appetite for the strange, hidden, and wondrous stories of our world. I became a journalist because I wanted to follow my curiosity wherever it took me. It’s no surprise then that my favorite films to view are documentaries, factual films that according to pioneering filmmaker Dziga Vertov present “life as it is.” Of course, documentary films are often the antithesis of Hollywood blockbusters. That’s why if they make it to theaters at all, it’s often art houses where runs are very limited. So historically, documentaries have been relegated to the small screen via public television networks or niche cable channels. These days though, the Web is an ideal portal for documentary film fans seeking “life as it is,” or at least glimpses of it through the eyes of an endless number of filmmakers. Of course, there’s YouTube. But there are several choice cinematheques to find everything from cinéma-vérité to political propaganda to powerful shockumentaries:
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