DOC NYC’s online festival runs through Nov. 29, with individual screenings priced at $13 for general admission and two passes for viewers who want to watch more. The New York theaters are still showing films through Nov. 19, but the streaming program is open across the United States and its territories. Some documentaries arrive online after their first theater screening, so check the dates on the film page before you buy.
The first weekend brings two examples. American Doctor, a documentary about three U.S. physicians working in a Gaza hospital, opens online Friday, Nov. 13. Understory, Su Rynard’s documentary about how researchers and writers understand plant life, starts streaming Saturday. Both are listed through Nov. 29.
What a single screening or pass costs
The festival’s ticket page lists an individual online screening at $13 for general admission or $9 for IFC Center members. The $49 Online Shorts Pass covers the shorts on the festival’s virtual platform. The $250 Online Film Pass covers the films on that platform, including features. For either pass, check that the titles you want have an online listing. The festival also sells an All Film Pass that includes in-person access, which is a separate purchase.
At the published general admission price, three individual screenings cost $39 and four cost $52 before any checkout charges. For shorts, compare the pass with the number of programs you plan to watch. A shorts screening may include several films on one ticket. The full online pass only becomes cheaper than single $13 tickets at 20 screenings at those listed prices. IFC Center members paying $9 for singles would reach that point at 28 screenings.
What to stream this weekend
The festival page for American Doctor lists a Nov. 13 to 29 online window. Director Poh Si Teng follows Thaer Ahmad, Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa as they provide care in Gaza. The Understory listing gives a Nov. 14 to 29 window. Rynard’s film features plant ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, forest ecologist Suzanne Simard and philosopher Paco Calvo. The producer’s trailer shows the film’s use of close-up and time-lapse photography.
For a shorter option, the online Spirit of America program includes Daylight and The Boys and the Bees. The in-person program lists four films, including two that the online listing leaves out. If you are looking for one short in a bundle, check the festival’s description for the online version before paying.
When the 48 hours start
The festival FAQ says the clock starts when you click Stream in your confirmation email or on the film page. You have up to 48 hours to finish, or until the title’s online engagement ends if that comes first. Starting a film on the last day does not extend its window. The festival also says to use the same internet connection to resume a film on another device. The online program continues after the New York screenings end, but individual title windows control. For example, Acting Like Women, Cheri Gaulke’s film about feminist performance art, opens online Nov. 19 and runs through Nov. 29.
If you need closed captions, DOC NYC recommends filtering the program for closed-captioned films and says browser playback can show them when the rights holder supplied them. The FAQ lists Apple TV and Roku app instructions for viewers who prefer a television. Check the film’s own listing for the dates and accessibility details before starting the stream.
If you’re going to a theater in New York
The in-person schedule lists IFC Center, SVA Theatre and Village East by Angelika among the venues. Showtimes and tickets are listed separately from the online window. Look for the street address on your specific screening page, especially if you are booking more than one event on the same day.
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