Chicago’s Doc10 documentary film festival will kick off its 10th edition on April 30 with the premiere of Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, directed by Elegance Bratton. The documentary, which premiered at Sundance in 2025, chronicles the rise of house music, tracing its roots to the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The event, which followed the “Disco Sucks” movement, saw thousands of people destroying records, most of which were by Black artists. The film highlights Vince Lawrence, an usher at the event, who reflects on how the night ultimately led him to become a pioneering figure in the house music genre.
Doc10, a five-day festival running from April 30 to May 4, will showcase 11 acclaimed feature documentaries from the past year. Notable highlights include Deaf President Now!, an audience award winner at SXSW directed by Davis Guggenheim and Nyle DiMarco, and Mistress Dispeller, directed by Elizabeth Lo, which premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival and earned 11 major film festival awards worldwide.
The festival, dedicated to social-impact documentaries, is hosted by Chicago Media Project (CMP). Alongside Move Ya Body, other prominent films include Sundance award winners The Perfect Neighbor, recently acquired by Netflix, and 2000 Meters To Andriivka, directed by Oscar-winner Mstyslav Chernov. The program also includes Antidote, a documentary about a Russian plot to murder journalist Christo Grozev, as well as Predators by David Osit and Folktales by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.
In keeping with tradition, each Doc10 screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers. Doc10 senior programmer Anthony Kaufman emphasized the importance of documentary film in the current political climate. “With American democratic norms and basic facts under attack, documentary film festivals offer a vital space to witness the real struggles of people around the world,” Kaufman stated. “From the dog-sledding teenagers in Folktales to Ukrainian soldiers fighting for their homeland in 2000 Meters to Andriivka, these films provide a direct, unfiltered look at the world.”
The festival will close on May 4 with the Sundance world cinema audience award-winning film Prime Minister, which profiles former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Directors Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz will join Ardern for a post-screening conversation.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, Doc10 will honor three industry veterans on May 3. Geralyn Dreyfous, an American producer with over 180 film credits, will receive the Angel Award. Dreyfous is known for her work on Born Into Brothels, Icarus, and The Invisible War, all of which earned Academy Award nominations or wins. Tabitha Jackson, former director of the Sundance Film Festival, will receive the Luminary Award, and Oscar-nominated producer Kellen Quinn will be presented with the Vanguard Award.
“These honorees represent the heart of Doc10’s mission,” said co-founders Steve Cohen and Paula Froehle. “Their deep commitment to impact-driven storytelling and groundbreaking filmmaking continues to shape the documentary world.”
The anniversary event will also feature the fourth edition of CMP’s Great Chicago Pitch, where finalists of the Shifting Voices Film Fund will present films amplifying underrepresented voices. The festival will also present its third annual Doc10 Shorts program, with eight new short films from top festivals like Sundance, Rotterdam, BlackStar, and IDFA.
Last year, four films from Doc10, including Daughters, Porcelain War, Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat, and Union, were shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary. Two of these, Porcelain War and Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat, received 2025 Academy Award nominations.
Related topic:
Warner Bros. Reschedules Key Film Releases
Sarasota Film Festival to Premiere ‘Godfather of Harlem’ Season 4
‘Stuntman’ Secures Japan Release in July