Cinema Escapist
Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens
Interview: “Metal Politics Taiwan” Director Marco Wilms
BY Emily Hsiang
Marco Wilms discusses rebels, politicians, and what it was like being a foreigner shooting a politically charged documentary in Taiwan.
Interview: Mark Grieco’s “A River Below” Isn’t Just About Saving the Dolphins
BY Anthony Kao
Grieco's documentary explores the complex, "post-truth truth" behind an episode of environmental activism in Brazil.
Review: Berlinized (Germany, 2012)
BY Jake Goldwasser
"Berlinized" is a peek into the bizarre art culture that grew out of the fallen Berlin Wall.
Meet Joshua Wong: The 20 Year-old Poster Boy of Hong Kong’s Democracy Movement
BY Anthony Kao
Wong is the subject of "Joshua: Teenager v. Superpower"―a new documentary now available on Netflix.
“Change” Teaches Us How Construction and Environmentalism Can Coexist
BY Anthony Kao
This documentary follows a unique eco-education program initiated by Taiwan's construction industry.
“Uncertain” Finds Empathy at the Margins
BY Akshay Suggula
This documentary about a small Texas town helps us remember that, wherever we are, we're all part of the same human struggle.
A Talk About Kitties With the Director of “Kedi”
BY Anthony Kao
Ceyda Torun discusses her documentary about Istanbul’s street cats.
Interview: Zhao Qi on Bridging China and the West Through Documentaries
BY Anthony Kao
Zhao Qi is a Chinese producer and director who's helped bring four documentaries to Sundance—including 2015's "The Chinese Mayor".
Interview: Nanfu Wang, Director of “Hooligan Sparrow”
BY Anthony Kao
"Hooligan Sparrow" is an Oscar shortlisted documentary about one of China's most prominent women's rights activists.
Review: Under the Sun (Russia/North Korea, 2015)
BY Anthony Kao
Russian filmmaker Vitaly Manskiy's Under the Sun is perhaps the most philosophical and artistic documentary I've seen about North Korea.