New York Non-Fiction 2026

Set during her sold-out residency at the historic Blue Note Jazz Club, this intimate short film follows Grammy-nominated poet Aja Monet as she moves between performance and stillness, transforming the stage into a space for vulnerability, resistance, and connection. Captured entirely on film, the piece observes the quiet moments behind the voice as much as the electricity of the room itself, creating an immersive reflection on presence, artistry, and what it means to truly be heard.

A deeply unqualified man is inexplicably hired to be a Michael Bublé impersonator at a rich stranger’s party. Despite no resemblance, no singing ability, and just one week to prepare, he gives it everything he’s got.

Digitizing union newspapers in the quiet of a darkroom, a filmmaker reflects on her relationship to labor and the meaning of work.

On Manhattan's jam-packed streets, NYC's most iconic driving instructor prepares students for the road ahead.

Told with rare archival footage from the 1980s and 90s, Survival Without Rent follows a vibrant community of artists and activists as they take over abandoned buildings on New York’s Lower East Side.