The Pathological Optimist

Bobby Cassidy: Counterpuncher

February 2010 •English

A deeply human portrait of a boxer with the heart of a lion who refused to give up, in and outside of the ring. This documentary follows the fighter's life from a child who was taught how to hate, to a father who learned how to love.

Beatrice Wood: Mama of Dada

March 1994 •English

Up until the end of her life, Beatrice Wood continued to influence younger artists with her definitive, free-wheeling ways. She was central to the American Dada movement and was the last surviving member of this group. In this program she recalls her friends Man Ray, Picabia and others, and her ex-husband Marcel Duchamp. She died in 1999 at 105 years of age.

Guido Magnone - Le Baladeur

July 2008 •French

Guido Magnone's incredible adventure begins strangely on the banks of the Ourcq canal among a group of kids who dream of swimming. Guido, the solitary son of "rital", dives to get noticed, succeeds, takes a liking to it, breaks his first record, collects medals. At the same time, he draws, attends the Beaux-Arts, is accepted with open arms and befriends the sculptors César and Féraud. At the end of the war, during a health stay in Chamonix, it is love at first sight for the mountains, climbing. Guido's ascent is now dizzying. He stormed the west face of the Drus, then the Fitzroy and the Tour de Mustagh, summits reputed to be impossible. He rubs shoulders with the greatest, Lionel Terray, Maurice Herzog, and participates in the Makalu expedition, camera in hand, or those of Jannu and Chacraraju. Later, in his fifties, Guido hangs up the carabiners and participates in the foundation of the UCPA

Faustina: Love and Mercy

March 2019 •Polish

Docudrama tracing the life of Saint Faustina Kowalska, whose visions of Jesus Christ inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of "Apostle of Divine Mercy".

Marjorie Lawrence: The World at Her Feet

December 2021 •English

Marjorie grew up in Winchelsea in country Victoria, Australia, dreaming of becoming an opera star like Dame Nellie Melba. In 1928 she went to Paris to study opera without knowing a word of French and having never heard of Richard Wagner. In 1941, at the height her success, she was tragically cut down by polio and became completely paralysed. With the help of Australian nurse, Sister Kenny, Marjorie regained movement in her upper body and resumed her career in a wheelchair. In 1955, MGM made a movie of her life, "Interrupted Melody", starring Eleanor Parker and Glenn Ford, which won an Academy Award.

Patrick Gabarrou, Pèlerin des cimes

January 2005 •French

Harry Benson: Shoot First

November 2016 •English

What we know today about many famous musicians, politicians, and actresses is due to the famous work of photographer Harry Benson. He captured vibrant and intimate photos of the most famous band in history;The Beatles. His extensive portfolio grew to include iconic photos of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, and Dr. Martin Luther King. His wide-ranging work has appeared in publications including Life, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Benson, now 86, is still taking photos and has no intentions of stopping.

Aretha Franklin, soul sister

September 2020 •French

A vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul, who has become a symbol of freedom and power for all African American women.

The Real Nolly

February 2023 •English

Helena Bonham-Carter narrates this explorative doc about Noele Gordon. Witness the rise & fall of a soapland queen with access to personal papers and never-before-seen pictures.

Tyson

May 2008 •English

Director James Toback takes an unflinching, uncompromising look at the life of Mike Tyson--almost solely from the perspective of the man himself. TYSON alternates between the controversial boxer addressing the camera and shots of the champion's fights to create an arresting picture of the man.

Madonna: Goddess of Pop

January 2012 •English

This fascinating Documentary gives you a real insight into the life and the career of one of the greatest figures in popular music. Madonna deservedly has won the accolade of Goddess of Pop.

John Holmes: The Man, the Myth, the Legend

June 2004 •English

A fine documentary that details the sordid life of 1970s pornographic actor John Holmes, from the stories of his fellow actors, his ex-wives, and directors. Clips of his work are shown and insight on what made the man tick are given. Despite all his flaws, you can't help but admire him for what he was.

Harta Tahta Raisa

June 2024 •Indonesian

Recording the journey of Raisa, a great Indonesian singer from childhood to her greatest achievements, holding a big concert at Gelora Bung Karno.

A Heart Set Free: Charles Wesley

January 2008 •English

A biography of Charles Wesley, father of the Weselyan Church, hymn writer, and preacher.

I Am Richard Pryor

March 2019 •English

The life story of Richard Pryor (1940-2005), the legendary performer and iconic social satirist who transcended racial and social barriers with his honest, irreverent and biting humor.

I'm the Vet

December 2022 •English

A story about my sister, Dr. Lindsay Eisenhour, one of the lead veterinarians at Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City, battles the reality of her profession and of pet care.

Navajazo

December 2014 •English

An imagined apocalypse is presented to us through portraits of people struggling to survive in a hostile environment, where they only have themselves and the only thing they have in common is the desire to live, no matter the cost.

The Comeback

May 1980 •English

After an absence of five years, six times Mr Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a comeback and attempts to take the World Body Building Championship for the 7th time.

Misha

Invalid date •English

The tragic story of the greatest soccer player the most have never heard of.

James Gandolfini: Tribute to a Friend

December 2013 •English

In the half-hour tribute, friends and colleagues remember the three-time Emmy winner, who died June 19 at age 51. The special features clips of Gandolfini’s work as well as behind-the-scenes footage.