Some of the best documentaries every year are not bought or commissioned by distributors or streaming platforms. These films have little to no money to market to audiences or embark on an awards campaign. The work itself is immense and daunting, and it can feel disheartening to be thrust into a mentality of competition with other documentaries, when the reason we make these films is with an ethos of generosity and care.

So we defied that notion, by partnering together to create this collaborative, collective event. Now in its second year, DIY FYC is an annual event showcasing four documentaries that do not have major distribution from large streamers or studios, but have found audiences nonetheless.

For one night, directors and producers of HOLLYWOODGATE, MAYA AND THE WAVE, NOCTURNES, and UNION will present short clips of each film, followed by a panel discussion on the documentaries themselves, the state of independent distribution, reaching audiences through innovative tactics, and building collective initiatives that shine more light on deserving films.

HOLLYWOODGATE (Germany, USA)

Director: Ibrahim Nash’at

Producers: Shane Boris, Odessa Rae, Talal Derki

Executive Producer: Diane Becker

Unprecedented and audacious, HOLLYWOODGATE is the riveting result of the year director Ibrahim Nash’at spent with the Taliban in the wake of the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Risking his life in the war-torn nation, Nash’at is on the ground with the Taliban when they enter an American base loaded with a portion of the roughly $7 billion worth of U.S. armaments left behind. Driving towards an astonishing and chilling end, Nash’at tracks Taliban leaders as they attempt to transform from a fundamentalist militia into a modern military regime, employing Hollywood-style propaganda to achieve their goals.

MAYA AND THE WAVE (USA)

Director + Producer: Stephanie Johnes

Ten years in the making, MAYA AND THE WAVE tells the extraordinary story of Maya Gabeira, the first woman to surf the giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal. She nearly drowns – and is ridiculed by the male big wave surfers who dominate the sport. Three spine surgeries and five years later, she surfs the biggest wave a woman has ever surfed. When her accomplishment is disregarded, Maya enlists the help of her fans to fight for recognition –and becomes the first female surfer honored with a Guinness World Record in big wave surfing.

NOCTURNES (India, USA)

Directors: Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan

Producer: Anirban Dutta

Production Companies: Metamorphosis Film Junction and Sandbox Films

In the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas, moths are whispering something to us. In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on this secret universe. The result is a deeply immersive film that transports audiences to a rarely-seen place and urges us all to look more closely at our hidden interconnections with the natural world.

UNION (USA)

Directors: Stephen Maing and Brett Story

Producers: Samantha Curley, p.g.a.; Martin DiCicco; Stephen Maing; Brett Story; Mars Verrone, p.g.a.

Synopsis: Up against one of the most powerful companies on the planet, a group of Amazon workers embark on an unprecedented campaign to unionize their warehouse in Staten Island, New York.