Directed by Women

A classic documentary from Agnès Varda available for the first time in the US, Daguerréotypes is a wonderfully intimate portrait of the small shops and shopkeepers on a short stretch of the Rue Daguerre, a picturesque street that has been the filmmaker's home for more than 50 years. Varda has described it as an archeological study for future sociologists.

A beautiful and illuminating investigation into the ineffable relationship we have with art, Hidden Treasures introduces us to people who spend their days and nights surrounded by great works of art and have developed powerful, life-changing bonds.

A powerful documentary that captures the stirrings of an environmental movement in China, The Warriors of Qiugang brings to light the incredible efforts of a small village to shut down a chemical plant after years of environmental neglect. It is the third film in a trilogy about the changing face of China, from the filmmakers of The Blood of Yingzhou District and Tongzhi in Love.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011, the Peace Corps has inspired generations of young people into service around the world. Directed by one of its early volunteers, this exceptional documentary offers a fascinating first-person account of the organization's founding, early days and lasting influence. It also engenders greater understanding and a much-needed positive appreciation of Africa.

Jumping rope is one of the most timeless and universal forms of play. In the last 30 years, its popularity has moved it from the sidewalk to the stage. Doubletime profiles two championship teams - one suburban white and one inner-city black - for a revealing look inside an exciting new sport and a snapshot of race in America.

What does it mean to be young and Muslim in today's America? An invaluable and especially timely documentary, Abraham's Children takes us into the lives of 10 Muslim American adolescents, ranging in age from 10 to 17 years old, to share their experiences and hear their stories in their own words.

In the past twenty years, some of the most provocative, controversial and sought-after art has been made in China. This documentary profiles the booming art scene, from new art schools inundated with applications to leading Chinese artists whose work is selling for record breaking prices on the global art market.

A triptych of film essays exploring the photographic medium, Cinevardaphoto is a wonderfully potent and incisive work from Agnes Varda, director of The Beaches of Agnes and The Gleaners and I, who began her career as a photographer before turning to film.

The incredible story of how a treasure trove of banned Soviet art worth millions of dollars was found in the desert of Uzbekistan develops into a larger exploration of how art survives in times of oppression. A fascinating documentary about a group of visionary artists and one man who risked his life to rescue their work.

When a young Fidel Castro rescued his friend, Father Llorente, from drowning, he said it was a miracle and prayed to the Virgin Mary. Gabriel Garcia Marquez once gave Castro a copy of Stoker's Dracula which kept him up all night. A witty, engaging collection of personal anecdotes offers new insight into the Cuban leader.

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, three cities form a unique triple border between three South American countries: Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Beautifully photographed, Lands examines the impact of borders, commerce and urbanization on the lives of the local and indigenous population as well as the surrounding ecology.

In the age of Photoshop, Typeface explores the centuries-old tradition of hand-making wood type and the role it played in American graphic design. The latest documentary from award-winning production company Kartemquin Films, Typeface further examines the surprising resurgence of this analog craft in a digital age.

An award-winning documentary, Sweet Crude examines the humanitarian, environmental and economic devastation caused by 50 years of oil extraction in Nigeria's Niger Delta. Filmmaker Sandy Cioffi - imprisoned by the Nigerian military during the shoot and released only after an international outcry - uncovers an international web of oil politics, big business and media manipulation.

An exploration of gender and sexuality in Native American culture, Two Spirits interweaves the story of the life and brutal murder of a Navajo teenager with the largely unknown history of the 'two-spirit' tradition - the acceptance, even celebration, among indigenous cultures of people with both masculine and feminine traits.

An extraordinary and exquisite work of anthropology, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rolf de Heer, Twelve Canoes paints a vivid portrait of the people, history, culture and place of the Yolngu people whose homeland is the Arafura Swamp of north-central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, Australia.

A fascinating documentary on the unique sexual culture of the Mosuo people, a small minority situated in the southwest of China, and one of the last remaining matriarchal societies in the world. The Fall of Womenland explores their history and present reality as well as the dangers that threaten their inherited way of life.

Every year, mothers from all over America leave their families and homes behind (albeit briefly) to compete in the "Mother of the Year" pageant - in the hope of becoming the reigning representative of American motherhood. A surprising documentary that both explodes and reinforces feminist ideals.

For countless generations, Western ranchers have ranged their animals on public lands. An extraordinarily beautiful, critically-acclaimed documentary, Sweetgrass follows the last modern-day cowboys to lead their flocks of sheep up into Montana's Absaroka-Beartooth mountains for summer pasture.

For generations, Cairo has relied on the Zabelleen or "garbage people" to collect the city's trash - resulting in the world's most efficient recycling program. A multiple award-winning documentary, Garbage Dreams considers the environmental and social repercussions when the city suddenly decides to outsource their trade to multinational waste disposal companies.

Weaving together sequences of hair-braiding salons in Ghana, voice-over of Oprah rhapsodizing brown-skinned dolls and animated clips of signature hairstyles, Me Broni Ba (My White Baby) is an artfully composed, thought-provoking work that investigates the fraught relationship between images of beauty and power.