52docs / 27 - Brave voices

The year is drawing to a close but there’s still time for one last recommendation in 2025.

It’s a farewell of sorts. I spent a couple of hours yesterday unsubscribing from the big streamers (and Spotify!), so this could be the last time I recommend a Netflix film.

A reminder of the role of journalism in holding power to account couldn’t be more timely or more timely or more timely. When we have the Melania piece calling itself a documentary you know things are getting weird. Is the consolidation of media corporations and political power just the same as it ever was, or is the United States being walked into autocracy?

Both the subject and the maker of this week’s film are the kind of rare courageous individuals whose work dares to ask difficult questions and has become, at great personal risk and cost, a form of resistance against tyranny.

As the co-director puts it: “the film is about the importance of investigative journalism and the importance of a skeptical journalistic class that does not take the official record as gospel and is willing to dig deeper and discover truths that perhaps are being covered up.”

Trailer

Review

Stream globally on Netflix (then delete your account!)

Note: Between the demands of two small children and beginning the journey of releasing a film this year the frequency of these emails has fallen behind, but stick around for great things in 2026 when the counter resets to zero and we’ll be heading to less travelled - but even more inspiring - trails in the non-fiction film world.

Warmest wishes for your year ahead.

Andrew