The final decade of the twentieth century was a special time for the genre of documentary. Shooting on video, a budget-friendly option, became more common and allowed for more access to people and places. Iconic characters were captured in timely moments, be they music legends (Madonna, Sonic Youth, Fugazi), artists (R. Crumb), or those that became icons as a result of the documentary itself, such as William Gates and Arthur Agee of HOOP DREAMS and Mark Borchardt and Mike Shank of AMERICAN MOVIE.

For this series we focus on portraits of American life, encompassing true crime, niche competition, political strategizing, and black culture, with a generous helping of music-focused films.

Q&As include Jem Cohen and Guy Picciotto for INSTRUMENT and Nick Broomfield (via Zoom) for AILEEN WUORNOS: THE SELLING OF A SERIAL KILLER. More at Prospect Park!