Documentary Showcase News

Executive produced by John Banovich and directed by Garth de Bruno Austin, The Last Horns of Africa takes viewers to the heart of South Africa’s rhino poaching crisis.

Hell or High Seas follows troubled former Naval rescue swimmer Taylor Grieger and a high school comrade turned author as they embark on a quest across the world’s most treacherous waters.

Filmed across five rural American communities, Right to Harm follows residents living near large-scale industrial livestock operations—known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)—as they face rising public health risks and limited recourse.

In an extraordinary test of endurance and strength, Confessions of a Runner follows elite ultra runner Patrick Vaughan as he attempts to traverse the 292-mile-long Lebanon Mountain Trail—just following the deepest battle of his life: overcoming drug addiction.

The Best of Us is a feature documentary that exposes a growing national crisis: the sharp decline of volunteer firefighters—who still make up 70% of the United States fire service.

Heirloom: Guitar traces the evolution of the acoustic guitar—from a quiet parlor instrument to an icon of American music.

Sisu follows a 10-person amateur cycling team from rural Maine as they race 1,358 kilometers around the edge of Iceland—facing unpredictable weather, minimal sleep and a 72-hour deadline.

Spanning the US, South America and Uganda, The New Breed: The Rise of the Social Entrepreneur features emerging innovators driving purposeful change across the globe.

Comeback Kids tells the remarkable tale of how the Thomas G. Pullen middle school basketball team captured the heart of a town and became its biggest sensation.

After a fatal shark attack sends shock waves through Cape Cod’s quiet beach towns, surfers, scientists, and residents rally to confront the rising presence of great white sharks circling local waters.

Project Home traces the intersection of innovation and human resilience, exploring how cutting-edge 3D-printing technology may hold the key to solving the global housing crisis.

In Zero Gravity, middle school students from San Jose, California, enter a nationwide NASA tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Desmond O’Keeffe, a 65-year-old piano tuner facing retirement, accepts the challenge of a lifetime—to personally deliver a 100-year-old upright piano from London, England, to Zanskar, one of the most isolated places in the world, located high in the Himalayas.

Documentary Showcase announces a special Thanksgiving Day presentation of the multi award-winning film The Bullish Farmer, at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Cuban Food Stories centers on a road trip across Cuba to experience the rich variety of ingredients and flavors of the island’s cuisine. In the absence of modern conveniences, the people living off the land are able to carry on the culinary traditions and celebrate the heritage that defines Cuban culture.

Running For Good: The Fiona Oakes Documentary tells the incredible true story of Fiona Oakes, who overcame a disabling physical condition and defied all odds to become a champion ultra-marathon runner.

The Trouble With Wolves recounts the story of wolves being reintroduced in the wilds of Yellowstone National Park. After being hunted to near extinction, the wolves’ reintroduction sees them prospering and growing in numbers. But their success ignites a bitter clash between conservationists and ranchers, who stand to lose livestock as well as their livelihoods.

Liyana draws upon the heart-wrenching, real-life experiences of five African orphans to create an original story about a girl named Liyana who must undertake a perilous journey to save her twin brothers.

Under the Turban follows a young Sikh family as they travel the globe, meeting diverse communities of Sikhs from vastly different cultures to understand not only their history, but also what it means to be a Sikh in the modern world.

Soul On Ice: Past, Present and Future tells the seldom-heard story of the first Black hockey players to step onto the ice, and their struggle for acceptance that eventually broke the ice for today’s professional Black players in the NHL.

Finding Home follows three young girls as they transition from a heartbreaking past as hostages in Cambodia’s sex trade to a hope-filled future—all with the help of an organization working to rescue and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking.

The Bowmakers is an eye-opening account on the surprising significance of the bow. Hailed by experts as an instrument in itself, the bow is critical in shaping the sound of even the world’s finest stringed instruments.

On the Verge captures breathtaking footage of rock climbers scaling sheer granite walls in British Columbia, but whose biggest challenge is in struggling to protect the pristine forests and old-growth trees from the devastating onslaught of the timber industry.

The Bullish Farmer tells the story of a Wall Street investment banker turned small farmer. While struggling to build and operate his family farm, John Ubaldo discovers the dangers posed by corporate farming and becomes an advocate for sustainable agriculture.

Man In Red Bandana retraces the final hours of a mysterious American hero who gave his life in the South Tower on 9/11 to save others. Firsthand accounts from those he rescued speak of a man wearing a red bandana, the only clue that would lead to the reveal of his true identity: Welles Remy Crowther.

Humanité, the Beloved Community centers on legendary jazz artist Kirk Whalum as he brings together the talents of incredible musicians from nearly a dozen countries to reflect the Beloved Community as preached by Martin Luther King Jr.

Fathers of Football illuminates the important role high school football plays in small-town America. Following the Wagoner Bulldogs in their attempt to win back-to-back Oklahoma state championships, the dramas on the field unfold against the personal dramas experienced by the players and their families.

Most Valuable Players shines the spotlight on talented kids in Pennsylvania’s high-school musical theater programs as they prepare for the Freddy Awards, the annual awards show honoring outstanding high-school musical theater talent and programs.

Climbing Blind tells the riveting and incredible story of blind rock climber Jesse Dufton as he attempts to become the first ever blind lead climber of the Old Man of Hoy, a towering, vertical sandstone stack off the coast of Scotland.

Forgive - Don’t Forget chronicles the journey by an American to return a Japanese samurai sword surrendered at the end of World War II to the family of its original owner in an attempt to better understand the past and build a bridge between cultures.

Lobster War: The Fight Over the World’s Richest Fishing Grounds follows the tense standoff between lobstermen in the US and Canada and the attempts to begin a constructive dialogue over the rights to one of the world’s richest fishing grounds.

An Irish Story: This Is My Home chronicles a race against time by popular Irish musical duo The Black Donnellys (singer-songwriter Dave Rooney and guitarist Dave Browne) to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records for performing 60 concerts in all 50 states in only 40 days.

Directed by Pablo Croce, Siudy Between Worlds – 50 Performances of the American Dream follows flamenco dance prodigy and award-winning choreographer Siudy Garrido as she brings her dazzling flamenco-inspired theatrical production to the New York stage hoping to win over audiences and critics with the beauty of flamenco.

Chocolate Road follows three chocolate artisans in pursuit of the highest quality cacao beans for the burgeoning craft chocolate market.

Surviving the Outback is inspired by the true story of two German aviators who, in 1932, became stranded deep in the Australian Outback and survived a remarkable 43 days before being rescued by Aboriginal locals.

Like a portal transporting you back to the origins of your favorite superhero and fantasy stories, director Brad Faye’s Geek, and You Shall Find dives deep into the culture surrounding comic books.

Life Without Basketball follows the struggles of female, Muslim American basketball star Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir as she fights to overturn a ruling that banned her from wearing a hijab on the court and ended her meteoric athletic career.

Losing Sight of Shore documents the incredible journey of four women who set out to accomplish what has never been done before—crossing the Pacific Ocean in an ocean rowboat by themselves.

Created by African-American youth, Jookin’ has captured the world’s attention and has been called “urban ballet.” The dance form has generated opportunities for the city’s youth, including a recent stage show tour across the US that may not have been accessible to them otherwise. 

Directed by Kurt Engfehr, The Kids Menu follows filmmaker Joe Cross as he works to educate children, parents and school officials with life-changing information on the healthful benefits of a fresh, whole foods diet.

Baribeau’s aims in making Unbranded are to raise awareness of the plight of America’s burgeoning wild mustang population and conservation of the unspoiled American wilderness.

To the Ends of the Earth focuses on the growing battles between the fossil fuel industry and environmental movements springing up to protest the devastation caused to the environment by the extreme measures used to extract energy.

Co-directed by Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday, Big Sonia follows 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski as she’s served an eviction notice for the iconic tailor shop she’s owned and operated for over 30 years. …

The pandemic brought about a deafening silence inside movie theaters the world over. New Orleans-based Independent film producer Nicelle Herrington found a way to keep the sweet sound of New Orleans jazz alive without missing a beat in the award-winning documentary A Tuba to Cuba. 

Memphis-born Independent filmmaker Eddie Bailey’s Memphis Majic traces the rise of “Jookin’,” an urban dance born on the streets of Memphis.

Amidst the pandemic, the demand for streaming and television content has surged. Yet, at a time when uplifting content became more necessary than ever, it has become harder than ever for Independent filmmakers to gain access to worldwide audiences.

In commemoration of Universal Human Rights Month, observed each December, Scientology Network’s Documentary Showcase is proud to announce its airing of the award-winning documentary Mully.

Bee Nation shines a spotlight on students as they compete in the first-ever First Nations Spelling Bee in Canada.

Directed by Fiona Turner, Eat Up follows entrepreneur and philanthropist Jill Shah on a yearlong mission to reinvent school lunches.

Saving Sea Turtles: Preventing Extinction tells the story of a community pulling together to rescue sea turtles stranded and virtually lifeless on the freezing beaches of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Uncommon Allies tells the story of Rosalyn Temple, a mother whose son was tragically murdered at the age of 26, who turned her search for justice into a life-changing call to action.

The Clean Bin Project chronicles a yearlong competition between partners and filmmakers Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin to determine which one of them can get closest to “zero waste” living. 

A Tuba to Cuba follows New Orleans’ famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band as they retrace their musical roots from the storied city of jazz to the shores of Cuba.

First-time director Serene Meshel-Dillman’s Getting to The Nutcracker follows young dancers through grueling routines as they prepare to perform the Christmas classic.

Scientology Network’s DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE, the weekly series providing a platform for Independent filmmakers to air films on important social, cultural…

Filmmaker Eddie Bailey makes his directorial debut with Memphis Majic, deftly juxtaposing the evolution of a dance form born in Memphis against the racially charged sociopolitical environment that engulfs the city.

500 Miles follows the journey US veterans navigate after coming home from their service. For some, acclimating to life after war is a challenge at best.

Modified showcases the battle raging over the food we eat. On one side are private citizens who demand the right to know what is in the foods in our stores and how they are produced—from the chemicals they’re sprayed with to their genetically altered components—on the other side are the food and chemical corporations that seek to profit by keeping their controversial practices out of the public eye.

Australia: The Wild Top End is an epic journey through some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.

Right Footed is a documentary chronicling the incredibly inspiring story of Jessica Cox, who was born without arms but determined to live a normal life. 

On August 18, 1929, 20 pilots set out to defy conventions and take their place among the pioneers of aviation. Breaking Through the Clouds tells their story.

Children of the Light tells the incredible life story of Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu. 

Co-directed by Breen Cunningham and Douglas Seirup, this award-winning documentary tells the emotional story of the strong bonds that are formed between inmates of a correctional facility and the rescued stray dogs they help train to prepare them for potential adoption.

Stand presents the story of Norm Hann, a paddleboarder who sets out to thwart a proposed oil pipeline that poses a threat to the pristine waterways and lush rainforests of British Columbia.

Road to Peace captures a day in the life of the Dalai Lama on his final tour of the United Kingdom before stepping down as the exiled political leader of Tibet. 

Unbranded follows four young cowboys who ride wild mustangs from the Mexico border to Canada, through 3,000 miles of the wildest terrain of the American West—all in hopes of raising awareness for the plight of America’s burgeoning wild mustang population.

Bangladesh is already facing permanent geographical alterations due to climate change.

The travels and conversations of artist, educator, activist and great-grandmother Edythe “Edy” Boone were filmed by documentarian Marlene “Mo” Morris in an exploration of the artist’s life and passions.

A young Rwandan anti-genocide activist and a renowned Holocaust historian teamed up to travel across 15 countries and 3 continents, interviewing survivors and descendants of 13 diplomats who, during World War II, helped rescue tens of thousands of Jewish people from Nazi death camps.

Humpback Whales, created by director Greg MacGillivray, follows the majestic creatures in the waters off Hawaii, Alaska and Tonga in the South Pacific, where the population had diminished to about 250 remaining humpbacks, before hunting was banned there in the 1970s.

The Kids Menu takes a deadly serious topic and covers it in a playful, high-spirited manner. The documentary incorporates animation to bring home the message that healthful eating can be fun.

Letters from Generation Rx, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton, presents these personal stories and reveals the latest research on effects of anti-depressants on the brain.

Now dubbed “Britain’s Schindler,” Sir Nicholas “Nicky” Winton saw children facing certain death at the hands of the Nazi regime on the eve of World War II in 1939.

This documentary tells the improbable story of drawings created by Japanese children shortly after the devastating 1945 atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima.

Filmmaker J.R. Biersmith’s award-winning film, Men in the Arena, is the story of two Somalian teenagers, Saadiq and Sa’ad, bound by friendship and a dream to inspire youth in Somalia through soccer.

When documentarian Sarah Moshman saw a shortage of inspiring stories about real women achieving success in their fields, she decided to do something about it.