A little late, but my contribution to the best docs of the year. My criteria are films seen in festivals, the cinema or online premieres, with one exception.
1 Burma VJ Unquestionably the best film for me – compassionate, imaginative, thrilling, important.
2 Videocracy Running a close second, the film I’ve been waiting to see about Berlusconi. Exciting, innovative and very scary.
3 Rough Aunties A master class in empathetic film-making; how to win the trust of contributors to tell their extraordinary story both to us, and to each other.
4 Sleep Furiously Beautiful poetic filmaking in rural Wales; the kind you think didn’t they made any more.
5 Modern Life Rural France this time, with characters that get under your skin and stay there. See it now on joiningthedocs.tv
6 Anvil Friendship and belief against the odds – funny and touching.
7 Mugabe and the White African Extraordinary story of fortitude and courage.
8 End Of The Line The best eco film of the year, with brilliant strategic partnering, marketing and (mostly) distribution
9 The Unmistaken Child aka The Baby and the Buddah. Actually seen on Storyville, a film that captures an unbelivable tale and unearths some of the mysteries of Buddhism.
10 Afghan Star Great story that hit its moment and travelled the world with a tale of optimism in a country where we hear of little.