Art To Heart Training: Arts At Home: Visual - Kentucky: Fill & Download for Free

I spent the weekend at the Memphis Film Prize http://memphisfilmprize.com/ — an annual event that culls 10 short films made in Memphis and then screens them for a jury and a growing local audience (it doubled this year). The event then awards a grand prize of $10k to the winner of both the jury and the audience votes. Or, to quote their pithier slogan: “10 short films, $10,000 cash, you decide the winner.”Having traveled on the big festival circuit for years and followed the now over-saturated award films derby — my typical rotation is Berlin, Toronto, New York, Hamptons — I had definitely lost touch with the local filmmaking scenes outside my home base of the Hudson Valley, the Woodstock Film Festival and the growing filmmaking scene nurtured by the Hudson Valley Film Commission and other artistic leaders.As much as the Memphis filmmakers, I needed to get back to basics. Film on the local level is about having important stories to tell to add to the national conversation. It’s about artists working outside the mainstream finding their voices and being supported to take the next step — even if that next step is just having the confidence to continue on this path.It was eye-opening for a number of reasons:Memphis as a location and a state of mind is a fascinating place that begs to be a film location. It is a home of soul music, American music, and that sound that goes right to the heart and that beat that goes right to the feet — Al Green, Ike and Tina Turner, Isaac Hayes — is magnificent. The town is both unique and defiantly American. Walk one way and you tumbled into the place Elvis had breakfast — take a turn and you’re staring at the motel where MLK was assassinated. To me, that simple, human-scaled low-rise building had more power and impact than the overblown 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan even though that was an event I’d witnessed.The filmmakers included four people of color out of ten. And, white or black, many of the stories, like Memphis itself, reflected a culture where race relations are as much a complicated synthesis as institutional segregation. Whether it was the story of an African American father’s last day with his daughter before facing a judge and a potentially long prison sentence, or a scene in a mini-mart where a black woman clerk overreacts to the presence of a white shopper in a hoodie while reading a magazine with a photo of Trump bearing the headline “The First White President,” these stories resonated.Whether it’s watching film, video or web series, creative Americans have grown up in visual culture. And when these artists want to express themselves, they choose the familiar medium at their fingertips. And, with more accessible equipment and, in some cases, college or community technical and creative training, they are dedicating huge chunks of their lives, drawing on family and friends, to transform their vision into works of art. It’s inspiring. There’s so much juice among these filmmakers.And, there was discovery as well. In two of the short films I saw, there was an African American actress — Rosalyn R. Ross — who is a genuine discovery. Seeing her on screen, I thought of when I first met America Ferrara and Alicia Braga at the Sundance Film Festival long before their careers took off — and knowing they had a spark that couldn’t be extinguished. Ms. Ross reminds me of Emayatzy Corinealdi, the Kentucky actress and star of Eva Du Vernay’s Middle of Nowhere who plays Candance on HBO’s Ballers.The importance of regional film festivals is that they develop and showcase talent outside the New York - Los Angeles nexus. And, as we develop programs to be more inclusive in the filmmaking process, they are a touchstone for who is already out there, making film and video and voicing the complexity of the American experience. Memphis reminded me that the soul of America is so much richer than what we see when we go to the cineplex or click on cable.

The 35 Best Climbing Spots in AmericaFrom 10-foot boulders to 3,000-foot big walls, our nation has some of the best stone on Earth. Here, we’ve listed the top rock climbing areas in the United States. These crags have tons of diverse, accessible, and high-quality routes. This group is limited to routes you can climb with your hands and protective gear, and the grade ranges only include the climbing style for which each location is best known. These destinations may have beginner climbs below the 5.6 level, that’s just where we drew the lower limit. In case it rains, we also included the best rock gyms.Trevor Williams / Getty Images1 / 35The Midwest: Vertical Endeavors — Glendale HeightsVertical EndeavorsOpens a New Window. has five locations, but its Glendale Height facility is the most distinctive gym in the Midwest and the largest in the United States. In addition to three bouldering areas, this gym has Nicros 5.15 “wave walls,” overhangs, slabs, arêtes, and dihedrals, plus a dedicated crack climbing tower with replicas of five classic outdoor routes; one from Yosemite and four from Devils Tower. The ceiling is low, but the variety of styles available make up for it.Closest Town: Glendale Heights, IllinoisRoped Routes: 200+Wall Area: 45,000 sq. ft.Wall Height: 30 ft.Bouldering: YesKennan Harvey / Aurora / Getty Images2 / 35The Midwest: Mount Rushmore National MemorialBreezy Point, Chopping Block, South Seas, Mount Baldy… RushmoreOpens a New Window. is full of diverse, large-grained granite crags and boulder fields, making it the best climbing area in the Black Hills National Forest. Unlike California’s Needles and Yosemite, the spires and domes in Rushmore are bolted for sport climbing — if you want a similar multi-pitch adventure without the stress of placing gear, this is your spot. “Rushmore is known for its adventure climbing,” Potter says. “You should visit if you love domes and spires, but the routes are intense. It’s not for beginners. There are some serious runouts and big, slippery crystals in the rock. Climbing at Rushmore is more civilized than in the old days, but still one of the most unique climbing areas in the country.”Closest Town: Keystone, South DakotaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V11Notable Routes: 653Classics: Waves (5.8), Smear Campaign (5.10+), Mr. Critical (5.11), The Hurt Locker (V3), Orange Roughy (V6), Beetle Juice (5.12b)When to Visit: May-OctoberBoston Globe / Getty Images3 / 35The Northeast: Brooklyn Boulders, SomervilleBrooklyn Boulders SomervilleOpens a New Window. offers the best indoor climbing in New England, but it’s more a community climbing center than a conventional rock gym. In addition to dynamic walls, yoga classes, saunas, a kids’ section, and a fitness area, it has a separate communal area for work and study, complete with an espresso bar and WiFi. Brooklyn Boulders’ newest location, Somerville aims to redefine the rock gym.Closest Town: Somerville, MassachusettsRoped Routes: 200+Wall Area: 28,000 sq. ftWall Height: 50 ft.Bouldering: YesHarrison Shull / Aurora / Alamy4 / 35The Northeast: RumneyA cluster of small, mountainside cliffs on the southwestern edge of the White River National Forest, RumneyOpens a New Window. is the best sport crag in New England. The fine-grained schist walls are rarely vertical, never straightforward, and always look like they’ve been crumpled by a giant and left to melt in the sun. The route and rock quality are excellent throughout the grade spectrum, and each cliff system is unique. “Rumney is the most coveted sport climbing area in the Northeast,” Hunter says. “It’s not as steep as Rifle in Colorado, but both have a high concentration of tough routes. A lot of great climbers have projects at Rumney.”Closest Town: Rumney, New HampshireGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 723Classics: Junco (5.8+), Lonesome Dove (5.10a), Waimea (5.10d), Flying Hawaiian (5.11b), Technosurfing (5.12b), Predator (5.13b)When to Visit: April-OctoberJames Balog / Getty Images5 / 35The Northeast: The GunksShort for the Shawangunk Mountains, this quartz conglomerate area in southeastern New York is legendary for its horizontal cracks, long roof systems, and stiff grades. The Vulgarians — a group of hard-partying, daredevil climbers — established many of the GunksOpens a New Window.’ classic trad routes in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and a new generation of climbers recently picked up where they left off. Climbs here are usually overhung jug-hauls with dizzying exposure. “The Shawangunks are super hard for their grades, which humbles you a bit,” Hunter says. “No other climbing area in America has those roofs and horizontal cracks. It’s a classic spot. Certainly one of the best places to visit in the Northeast.”Closest Town: New Paltz, New YorkGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 923Classics: High Exposure (5.6), Son of Easy O (5.8), Bonnie’s Roof (5.9), Directississima (5.10b), The Yellow Wall (5.11c), Supper’s Ready (5.12-)When to Visit: April-OctoberRyan Creary / Getty Images6 / 35The Southwest: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation AreaA favorite of dirtbag climbers in the winter, Red RockOpens a New Window. is one of the West’s most diverse crags: from bouldering to sport routes to multi-pitch trad, you’ll find tons of great lines here. It rarely rains at Red Rock, but stay off the routes if they’re wet — the sandstone is delicate and you’ll breaks holds and pop anchors. “You’ve got adventurous multi-pitches, classic sport climbs, everything,” Hunter says. “Lots of hard routes in Red Rock, so a lot of great climbers spend their winter there. But, the grades are usually soft, so it’s a good area for a beginner, too.”Closest Town: Las Vegas, NevadaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 2,128Classics: Epinephrine (5.9), The Fox (5.10+), Levitation 29 (5.11b/c), Cloud Tower (5.12-), The Gift (5.12d), Monster Skank (5.13b)When to Visit: February-March, October-DecemberAndrew Kornylak / Aurora / Getty Images7 / 35The Southwest: Mount LemmonLooming over Tucson’s suburbs in southeastern Arizona, Mount LemmonOpens a New Window.’s 9,157-foot summit is often snowcapped during winter, but you can climb year-round on the lower-elevation routes. Many climbs are just off the Catalina Highway, which bisects the massif into east and west. Lemmon’s granite is solid — especially higher up the mountain — but perfect temps and a variety of moderate routes are what make it one of the United States’ best wintertime sport climbing destinations. “Tons and tons of crags on Lemmon,” Hunter says. “Just crazy variety. The routes aren’t usually world-class, but the amount of them, and the being able to climb year-round by switching elevation, that’s what makes it special. One of the largest areas in the Southwest, for sure.”Closest Town: Tucson, ArizonaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 1,752Classics: Chihuahua Power (5.9), Nang (5.10b), Steve’s Arête (5.11a), Histoplasmosis (5.11+), Hard Day at the Orifice (5.12b), Coup d’état (5.13a/b)When to Visit: Year-roundAlexandra Kahn / Getty Images8 / 35The Southwest: Hueco Tanks State Historic SiteDeveloped in the 1970s, Hueco TanksOpens a New Window. is famous for its powerful bouldering on scalloped highballs and crimps, and the coolest problems are often overhung. Usually ranked with South Africa’s Rocklands and France’s Fontainebleau as one of the top bouldering areas in the world, bouldering was refined to an art at the Tanks. Many of Hueco’s boulders are illustrated with ancient, Native American rock art, and climbing is restricted to guided tours in three of the park’s four sectors. Access has been contentious for decades due to disrespectful behavior: stay on the paths, don’t litter, and never climb on restricted boulders. The route list changes regularly as boulders are closed and reopened. “There’s a reason it’s probably the most famous bouldering spot in the country,” Hunter says. “Hueco has some of the best overhung, powerful problems in the world, and it’s where that style was really pushed. If you only visit one bouldering area in America, I’d say visit the Tanks.”Closest Town: El Paso, TexasGrade Range: V0 – V14Notable Routes: 483 +/-Classics: The Maiden (V0), Nobody Here Gets Out Alive (V2), Lobster Claw (V5), Daily Dick Dose (V7), Mushroom Roof (V8), Full Service (V10)When to Visit: January-March, November-DecemberCourtesy Stone Summit9 / 35The Southeast: Stone Summit — AtlantaGeorgia isn’t an outdoor climbing mecca, and it seems like the owners of Stone Summit’s AtlantaOpens a New Window. location tried to overcompensate. Built for competition climbing, it features an absurd number of overhangs and even entire roof systems. Stone Summit Atlanta also has a large bouldering area and all the other elite-gym perks — cardio and weight machines, a kiddy wall, and yoga classes.Closest Town: Kennesaw, GeorgiaRoped Routes: 200+Wall Area: 30,000 sq. ftWall Height: 60 ft.Bouldering: YesMichel du Cille / The Washington Post / Getty Images)10 / 35The Southeast: Earth Treks, Rockville, Md.Founded as an expedition company in 1990 by an AMGA mountain guide, Earth Treks opened its first climbing facility in 1997. Now a four-location chain, it’s one of the largest rock gym companies in the United States. The Rockville location is one of the country’s most dynamic gyms — hundreds of top-rope and lead climbs on slab, vertical, and overhung walls, a huge bouldering area, and separate weight, yoga, and training areas. Don’t forget the kiddy wall and learn-to-climb section either. RockvilleOpens a New Window. is the best climbing gym in the Mid-Atlantic.Closest Town: Rockville, MarylandRoped Routes: 200+Wall Area: 38,500 sq. ft.Wall Height: 40 ft.Bouldering: YesDavid Coyle / Getty Images11 / 35The Southeast: Red River GorgeThe most popular crag east of the Mississippi, the RedOpens a New Window. is known for its powerful, overhung sport routes and high-level test pieces. Stretched out over several miles of the Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky, many of the United States’ iconic single-pitch climbs are here — including Pure Imagination and The Golden Ticket — and the sandstone is bullet-hard. In Slade, Miguel’s Pizza is the legendary epicenter of the RRG’s climbing community. “It’s the best place in America for overhung sport climbing, without a doubt,” Potter says. “The routes are pumpy and dynamic, and the sandstone’s friction is great. It’s a cultural spot for the Southern climbing scene, but you also find people from all over the world there.”Closest Town: Slade, KentuckyGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 1,597Classics: 27 Years of Climbing (5.8), Plate Tectonics (5.9+), A Brief History of Climb (5.10b), Amarillo Sunset (5.11b), Jesus Wept (5.12d), Ultra-Perm (5.13d)When to Visit: March-May, September-OctoberAlamy12 / 35The Southeast: New River GorgeSome climbers rank the New River GorgeOpens a New Window. below Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, but the New’s sandstone is also world-class, and there are enough routes to last a lifetime. Grades here are tougher than the RRG, the holds less visible, and the bolts spaced farther apart. The approaches can be long, which drives away less-dedicated climbers. Still, the New’s classic routes get crowded during peak season. “The New River Gorge is one of the original sport climbing areas in the United States,” Potter says. “Thousands of technical, precise sport routes, and usually on vertical walls. Plus, the Gorge is a BASE jumping area, if you need a break from climbing.”Closest Town: Fayetteville, West VirginiaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 1,177Classics: Mrs. Field’s Follies (5.8), Burning Calves (510b), Legacy (5.11a), Under the Milky Way (5.11d), Bullet the New Sky (5.12a/b), Apollo Reed (5.13a)When to Visit: April-Mary, September-NovemberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images13 / 35The Southeast: Horseshoe Canyon RanchEvery September, hundreds of costumed climbing duos spend 24 hours in “Horseshoe Hell,” competing to finish the most routes on the sandstone cliffs at Horseshoe CanyonOpens a New Window.. Most of the climbs here are juggy, single-pitch sport routes, and the closely spaced bolts make it the perfect place practice lead climbing. “Another one of those ‘outdoor-climbing-gym’ kinda places,” says Potter. “It’s packed with routes on really high-quality rock. The climbs are short, but really fun and interesting. People always say that the friendly, communal atmosphere is one of the best parts.”Closest Town: Jasper, ArkansasGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V14Notable Routes: 505Classics: Green Goblin (5.8), Orange Crush (5.9+), Commodus (5.10b), Horseshoes and Hand Grenades (5.11a), Love Slave (5.11c), Fat Hand (5.12a)When to Visit: March-May, September-OctoberAndrew Kornylak / Aurora / Getty Images14 / 35The Southeast: Horse Pens 40Renowned for its sloping sandstone boulders, “HP 40Opens a New Window.” hosts the final leg of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series every November. Some of the landing zones beneath Horse Pens’ highballs and overhung problems are difficult to protect, and the tough top-outs make this climbing area intimidating for beginners. If you visit during the muggy summer, boulder at night. “Horse Pens has a reputation as one of the best bouldering spots in the South, and definitely one of the hardest in that region,” Potter says. “People say that the atmosphere is different than similar bouldering areas in the West; a unique climbing community, somewhat secretive, out in the woods.”Closest Town: Steele, AlabamaGrade Range: V0 – V12Notable Routes: 293Classics: Night Fever (V1+), Bumboy (V3), Mortal Combat (V4), Hammerhead (V5), Mulletino (V7), Slider Sit (V10)When to Visit: October-JanuaryCourtesy Sender One15 / 35The West: Sender One — Santa AnaChris Sharma, the best sport climber of his generation and a California native, owns Sender OneOpens a New Window. and designed the Santa Ana location. This facility has all the typical corporate-gym fitness perks, but its tall walls and inspired route setting set this location apart from the pack. It’s easily the best gym in California.Closest Town: Santa Ana, CaliforniaRoped Routes: 200+Wall Area: 25,000 sq. ft.Wall Height: 50 ft.Bouldering: YesCourtesy PRG16 / 35The West: Portland Rock GymPortland Rock GymOpens a New Window. is the second-oldest climbing gym in the United States, but since renovations in 2012 and 2015, it’s also one of the most distinct. New additions include a large highball bouldering area, separate yoga, instructional, and youth spaces, and a lounge with beer on tap. PRG’s old-school top rope and lead area — which still features the original Metolius hex-wall from 1988 — focuses on climbing that mimics real stone. As evidenced by its outdoor guiding service, summer camps, and focus on customer service, Portland Rock Gym has maintained a community feel, while doubling in size. PRG isn’t the flashiest climbing gym in the Pacific Northwest, but it is the most rounded.Closest Town: Portland, OregonRoped Routes: 120Wall Area: 25,000 sq. ft.Wall Height: 40 ft.Bouldering: YesCourtesy Momentum17 / 35The West: Momentum — MillcreekOpened in 2014, Millcreek is Momentum’s fifth location and the best climbing gym in the Mountain States. The owner, Jeff Pedersen, was the first to use the now-ubiquitous Walltopia walls, and the Momentum is constantly looking to innovate. The largest rock gym in the state, Millcreek has every type of route imaginable, and some of the overhangs run up to 70 feet. The gym is just south of Salt Lake City, which is home to many professional climbers.Closest Town: Millcreek, UtahRoped Routes: 190Wall Area: 25,000 sq. ft.Wall Height: 50 ft.Bouldering: YesJerry Dodrill / Aurora / Getty Images18 / 35The West: Zion National ParkLess than an hour east of St. George’s boulder fields in southwestern Utah, ZionOpens a New Window. is known for multi-pitch trad routes on thin cracks and the epic scale of its red sandstone cliffs. The United States’ most famous big walls are in Yosemite Valley, but Zion’s canyons feature the highest concentration of them in a single area. There are hundreds of multi-pitch routes with little-to-no approach and solid anchors, in case you need to bail. Even a light rain will soften the rock, so stay off the walls if they’re damp. “Zion’s canyons are so unique, visually. Climbing anything with that type of geography would be worth a trip, but those sandstone big wall routes is unreal,” Hunter says. “If you’re getting into big walls, it’s the best spot for perfect your technique.”Closest Town: Springdale, UtahGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 264Classics: Ashtar Command (5.9), The Headache (5.10), Tatooine (5.11a), Crimson King (5.11c), Huecos Rancheros (5.12b/c), Moonlight Buttress (5.12d)When to Visit: March-May, October-NovemberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images19 / 35The West: Yosemite National Park — Yosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is the most iconic trad climbing area in the country, and arguably the world. The ValleyOpens a New Window. is the heart of the United States’ climbing culture, and thousands of dirtbags spend their summers and falls sleeping in the legendary Camp 4 and projecting the granite big walls and boulders nearby. Zion National Park has more big walls, but this sector of Yosemite is home the best big wall on Earth, El Capitan. “Nothing really needs to be said. It’s Yosemite,” Hunter says. “It should be number one on your bucket list.”Closest Town: El Portal, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V13Notable Routes: 715Classics: Nutcracker (5.8), The Nose (5.9 C2), Serenity Crack (5.10d), Astroman (5.11c), Heaven (5.12d), The Phoenix (5.13a)When to Visit: May-July, September-NovemberAce Kvale / Aurora / Getty Images20 / 35The West: Yosemite National Park — Tuolumne MeadowsClose to Yosemite’s east entrance and away from the crowded Valley, Tuolumne’sOpens a New Window. massive domes and scattered boulder fields make it one of the most dynamic climbing areas in the West. The knobby granite and mild summer temps are unique to this section of the park. Peaceful and packed with challenges. “When someone says Tuolumne, I think of alpine lakes, slabby domes, and cool summertime climbing, but the best part is how relaxing it is compared to the Valley,” Hunter says. “No crowds, so you can take your time.”Closest Town: Lee Vining, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13 , V0 – V13Notable Routes: 473Classics: Southeast Buttress of Cathedral Peak (5.6), On the Lamb (5.9), Bombs Over Tokyo (5.10c), Blues Riff (5.11b/c), Kauk Problem (V5), Cellulite Eliminator (V7)When to Visit: May-OctoberTanner Harms / Getty Images21 / 35The West: VedauwooVedauwooOpens a New Window. is a granite trad area in southeastern Wyoming, famous for its high concentration of off-width cracks. Because of its remote location and sharp rocks, the “Voo” is rarely crowded. Tape up your hands before climbing here and be prepared for sweaty, painful thrashing on stiffly graded routes. “The top off-width testing-ground, for sure,” Hunter says. “Tape up, because the rock is abrasive. You’re gonna have a tough time if you’re not used to that style, but it’s really the best off-width area in America, no doubt about it.”Closest Town: Buford, WyomingGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 715Classics: Edward’s Crack (5.7), Middle Parallel Space (5.9), Friday the 13th (5.10 a/b), Spectreman (5.11), Max Factor (5.11c), New Mutant (5.12c)When to Visit: May-OctoberTy Milford / Getty Images22 / 35The West: Smith Rock State ParkAn iconic climbing destination since the 1980s, Smith RockOpens a New Window. is the birthplace of sport climbing in the United States. Most of the routes are technical, crimp climbing on dead-vertical walls or high-angle slab. The basalt-and-tuff rock is solid, and volunteers replace bolts regularly. There are plenty of classics at Smith, including some of our country’s first 5.14 sport routes, but it’s best to branch out and dodge the crowds. “I’m biased; I chose to live near here because it’s my favorite crag in the world,” Potter says. “I think it’s one of the most beautiful climbing areas in the world. Smith is obviously a legendary sport climbing destination, but there’s also trad and multi-pitch. More routes just keep going up.”Closest Town: Terrebonne, OregonGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 841Classics: Spiderman (5.7), 5 Gallon Buckets (5.8), Screaming Yellow Zonkers (5.10b), Moons of Pluto (5.10d), Pure Palm (5.11a), Dreamin’ (5.12a), Chain Reaction (5.12c)When to Visit: March-May, September-OctoberAlexandra Kahn / Getty Images23 / 35The West: Rocky Mountain National ParkLess than 80 miles west of Denver, Rocky Mountain National ParkOpens a New Window. is the only area in the United States with an abundance of world-class climbing in all six styles—bouldering, sport, trad, alpine, ice, and mixed. The Diamond on Long’s Peak is iconic, but there are less-crowded classics walls throughout the 265,873-acre park. Because of heavy snowfall, RMNP’s “dry” routes are seasonal; prepare to fight other climbers for parking spots and campsites during the summer and fall. “I think it’s the best place for high-alpine routes in the United States,” Hunter says. “You’ve got the Diamond and other long, adventurous climbs on amazing granite and surrounded by beautiful scenery. You’re gonna have a long, long days and come home tired. It’s wonderful.”Closest Town: Estes Park, ColoradoGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V15Notable Routes: 410Classics: South Face of Petite Grepon (5.8), Casual Route on Long’s Peak Diamond (5.10a), Days of Heaven (5.10d), The Kind (V5), Bologna Pony (5.12c), Tommy’s Arête (V7)When to Visit: June-SeptemberJonathan Kingston / Getty Images24 / 35The West: Rifle Mountain ParkRifle Mountain ParkOpens a New Window. is arguably the best limestone sport climbing crag in the United States. A mile-long canyon with technical, sustained routes just off the road on both sides of the gorge, the climbs here are steep and tough. There’s no such thing as a boring route at Rifle, and many of the United States’ best sport climbers spend weeks here each year. “Rifle is classic, hard sport climbing,” Hunter says. “The canyon offers a lot of flexibility with sun and shade, but it’s tough routes all around. Definitely a hard-man’s place to climb. You go there to test your athleticism.”Closest Town: Rifle, ColoradoGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 407Classics: Merry Maids (5.10a), Feline (5.11b), Rumor Has It (5.11b), Ricochet (5.12a), Easy Skankin’ (5.12b), Pump-O-Rama (5.13a)When to Visit: May-OctoberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images25 / 35The West: Owens River GorgeOnly a few miles from Bishop, Owens River GorgeOpens a New Window. has the highest concentration of sport climbing routes in California. The volcanic tuff walls are full of cracks, corners, pockets, and crimps, and the walls are usually just under vertical or overhung. Most cracks are bolted, making Owens a great crag for learning trad-climbing technique without the possibility of gear failure. “Owens is like an outdoor climbing gym; loads of quality routes on both sides of the canyon, and the approach is short,” Potter says. “You could set your backpack down and climb dozens of pitches without losing sight of it.”Closest Town: Bishop, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 538Classics: Slip ‘n Slide (5.9), Hardly Wallbanger (5.10c), O.R.G.asam (5.11a), Grindrite (5.11b), Darshan (5.12b), Fight Club (5.13b)When to Visit: February-Mary, October-NovemberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images26 / 35The West: The NeedlesThe NeedlesOpens a New Window. are a cluster of towering, lichen-speckled granite spires in the Sequoia National Forest. Trad climbers often describe them as “mythic”: the stone is flawless, and each pinnacle features several classic trad routes. A rigorous approach and the Needles’ intimidating scale ensures low climbing traffic. Arguably the best “small” climbing area in the West. “It’s a quiet climbing area, because beginners don’t go there,” Potter says. “The Needles is one of the best spots for big-exposure, multi-pitch climbs. The granite is excellent quality, and you’ll find lie-back cracks and flakes everywhere. It’s worth the trip just for the scenery and atmosphere, but if you’re a trad climber, you have to climb at the Needles at least once.”Closest Town: Ponderosa, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 75Classics: Igor Unchained (5.9+), Thin Ice (5.10b), Spook Book (5.10+), Atlantic (5.11+), Romantic Warrior (5.12b), Pyromania (5.13a/b)When to Visit: May-OctoberBen Girardi / Getty Images27 / 35The West: Little Cottonwood CanyonA huge portion of the United States’ professional climbers live in Salt Lake City and train in Little Cottonwood CanyonOpens a New Window.. Primarily a quartz monzonite area, LCC’s roped climbing is two-thirds trad and one-third runout sport. It’s a diverse and accessible climbing area, and among the most picturesque in Utah. “There’s a lot of great terrain up there, but Little Cottonwood is special because of the conglomerate knobs in the rocks,” says Hunter. “You can’t find another big, diverse climbing area with that type of stone anywhere else in the region.”Closest Town: Salt Lake City, UtahGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 837Classics: Beckey’s Wall (5.7), The Coffin (5.9), The Fin Arête (5.10b), Medusa (5.11b/c), All Chalk and No Action (5.12a), Orange Crush (5.13b)When to Visit: May-OctoberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images28 / 35The West: Lake TahoeIt’s impossible to visit TahoeOpens a New Window. and not be overwhelmed by the volume of granite and basalt climbing and bouldering. There are endless opportunities for single and multi-pitch top-rope, trad, and sport climbing here, but it’s also one of the best summertime bouldering spots in the United States. Across the border in Nevada, the Reno area is packed with good climbs as well. “There are so many great, small crags around Tahoe, and a ton of climbing tradition and history,” says Potter. “You can find adventure climbing up in the hills, multi-pitch at Lover’s Leap, and I’ve heard there’s great bouldering too. Not much to limit you here; you could explore Tahoe for a year and still discover more routes.”Closest Town: South Lake Tahoe, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V14Notable Routes: 1,893Classics: Corrugation Corner (5.7), The Perfect Lie Back (5.8), Fear of Flying (5.9+), Candyland (5.10c), Peter Principle (5.11a), Panic in Detroit (5.12b/c)When to Visit: May-OctoberR. Tyler Gross / Aurora / Getty Images29 / 35The West: Joshua Tree National ParkFamous for its surreal Yucca trees, Joshua TreeOpens a New Window.’s sheer cliffs, low-angle slab, and house-sized monzogranite boulders are what make it a bucket-list destination for climbers around the world. It’s usually easy to rig a top-rope in Joshua Tree, which makes it a great crag for perfecting your crack-climbing or slab technique. After sundown, J-Tree is among the best stargazing spots in the United States. Endless trad climbing and bouldering, limited parking. “Joshua Tree’s landscape is just amazing; there’s no other word for it,” Hunter says. “The rock formations just pop up out of the desert. In the winter, it’s one of the best trad areas for having an adventure. It’s always a good time, too. It’s easy to get around and you could climb there for a year without getting bored.”Closest Town: Yucca Valley, CaliforniaGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14 , V0 – V13Notable Routes: 5,608Classics: White Rastafarian (V2), Illusion Dweller (5.10b), Coarse and Buggy (5.11a/b), JBMFP (V5), Leave it to Beaver (5.12a), Father Figure (5.12d)When to Visit: October-MarchVisit Utah30 / 35The West: Joe’s ValleySpread out along three hillsides on the eastern edge of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, the skin-friendly red sandstone boulders at Joe’sOpens a New Window. are some of the best in Utah, and there are many more rocks in the area that haven’t been developed for climbing. Camping is free, approaches are almost always under 10 minutes, and the routes range from powerful, dynamic overhangs to delicate, technical faces. The best climbs are V5 and above, but the flat, safe landing zones make projecting less intimidating than at areas like Horse Pens 40. “Boulderers are known for keeping the best spots a secret, but Joe’s Valley got noticed about 15 years ago for its tough problems and isolation,” says Potter. “More and more, serious boulderers are starting to visit Joe’s.”Closest Town: Orangeville, UtahGrade Range: V0 – V14Notable Routes: 429Classics: Buoux Crack (V1), Michelangelo (V3), Self Service (V4), Rug Rat (V5), Planet of the Apes (V6), The Flu (V8)When to Visit: February-MayNoah Clayton / Getty Images31 / 35The West: Indian CreekIndian CreekOpens a New Window.’s Wingate sandstone cliffs offer the best splitter cracks in the country, and there’s almost an equal number of four-star arêtes. Almost entirely a trad climbing crag, the Creek can be dangerous for novices: soft stone, hard landings, and a tendency for poorly place gear to fail means you should proceed with caution, especially if you’re not used to sandstone crack climbing. “Indian Creek is one of the top crack climbing areas in America, and certainly the best for perfecting your splitter crack technique,” says Hunter. “It’s more accessible than Zion, and the routes are less committing. There’s a reason people go back to Indian Creek every winter.”Closest Town: Moab, UtahGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.15Notable Routes: 1,094Classics: Bunny Slope (5.9), Jolly Rancher (5.10), Pente (5.11-), Scarface (5.11b), Coyne Crack (5.12a), Learning to Fly (5.13)When to Visit: February-April, September-NovemberGetty Images32 / 35The West: IndexFifty-seven miles northeast of Seattle and on the western edge of the Cascade Range, the fine-grained granite cliffs at IndexOpens a New Window. are split by some of the best cracks in the Pacific Northwest. After a short approach, you’ll find a lot of challenging climbs concentrated in a small area. Index is a trad crag, but many of the newer routes are bolted. The bouldering is quite good, and in Leavenworth, an hour east, it’s excellent. “There are a lot of pure, high-quality cracks at Index,” says David Potter, lead guide at Smith Rock Climbing Guides. “The area has a cool alpine vibe. It’s tough, old-school style climbing, but also one of the best granite areas in the Pacific Northwest. You feel like you’re way off the grid where you’re here.”Closest Town: Index, WashingtonGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 402Classics: Senior Citizens in Space (5.7+), Godzilla (5.9), Davis-Holland Route (5.10c), Thin Fingers (5.11a), Iron Horse (5.11d), City Park (5.13d)When to Visit: May-SeptemberGreg Von Doersten / Aurora / Getty Images33 / 35The West: Devils TowerMade famous by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Devils TowerOpens a New Window. is an igneous butte with vertical cracks that run almost 900 feet from base to summit and bisect perfect open-book corners. No other crag in the United States has as many world-class, multi-pitch dihedrals in such a small area. Climbing the hardest routes on Devils Tower requires perfect footwork and elastic flexibility, but don’t show up in June — the Kiowa and Lakota tribes hold religious rituals here during that month, and climbers are asked to stay off the walls. “The dihedral formations are iconic,” says Hunter. “It’s one of the best spots anywhere for chimney climbing and stemming, and the cracks are really, really good. Devils Tower is just so unique; there’s nowhere else just like it”Closest Town: Hulett, WyomingGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.13Notable Routes: 129Classics: Durrance (5.7), Soler (5.9), Tulgey Wood (5.10a), El Matador (5.10d), Direct Southwest (5.11b), Whine and Bruises (5.12b)When to Visit: April-May, July-OctoberKennan Harvey / Aurora / Getty Images34 / 35The West: City of RocksCity of RocksOpens a New Window.’ abundance of 5.9-5.11 climbs makes it one of the best mid-grade crags in the United States, and the mixture of bolts-and-gear protection — often on the same route — means it’s a top spot for learning to trad climb. Just across the border from Utah, crowds are rare here. The distinctive, pitted granite makes for interesting climbing, and the approaches are usually short. “The climbers that visit City of Rocks talk about how there’s an amazing amount of route diversity,” says Hunter, “but few climbers have been there. I’d consider it overlooked, not underrated. The granite at City of Rocks is right up there in quality with Yosemite.”Closest Town: Malta, IdahoGrade Range: 5.6 – 5.14Notable Routes: 440Classics: Lost Arrow (5.7), Batwings (5.8+), Thin Slice (5.10a), Colossus (5.10c), Crack of Doom (5.11c), Gemini (5.12a)When to Visit: May-OctoberCorey Rich / Aurora / Getty Images35 / 35The West: BishopMany experienced climbers consider BishopOpens a New Window. the best bouldering area in the United States, and the rest usually rank it second after Hueco Tanks. Bishop’s iconic, townhouse-sized boulders are packed with classic highball problems, and there are endless “low” climbs if you’re worried about shattering your ankles and other trivial injuries. Some areas in Bishop are full of technical crimp problems and others trend toward overhung, burly routes, but grades are stiff all around. “Bishop is a classic bouldering destination, so you get people traveling from all over to climb there,” says Russell Hunter, owner and senior guide at Colorado Mountain School. “Huge variety of styles and a ton of famous, hard problems. If you’re into highball bouldering, it’s one of the best spots anywhere.”Closest Town: Bishop, CaliforniaGrade Range: V0 – V15Notable Routes: 1,128Classics: Buttermilk Stem (V1), Birthday Direct (V3), Jedi Mind Tricks (V4), High Plains Drifter (V7), Soul Slinger (V9), Stained Glass (V10)When to Visit: February-Mary, October-November

Moviegoers are suckers for a true story, which is why documentary films are so endearing and fascinating. While we often respond to narrative features with glee, hope, fear, and excitement, nothing can top a good documentary—which can also shake us to our core while expanding our worldview through experiences that are unknown or foreign. These 20 documentaries are powerful, shocking, heartbreaking, and intense, and each will resonate with viewers open to learning more about the world.THE WORK (2017)The OrchardBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESWithin the confines of the infamous Folsom Prison, level-four convicts—prisoners assigned to maximum security—meet for an intensive three-day group therapy session that serves as part of their rehabilitation. It’s there that arguably most intense moments of their stay takes place, when the convicts reach deep inside themselves to revisit their past traumas and vulnerabilities that have played a role in their violent behavior. The Work follows three outsiders who join the retreat, slowly revealing their own therapy progress as their expectations about both the convicts with whom they interact—and their own notions of masculinity—are completely shattered. It is at times heartbreaking, terrifying, and incredibly urgent.PINA (2011)Sundance SelectsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESLegendary director Wim Wenders offers a moving portrait of his friend Pina Bausch, an internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer who died unexpectedly in the early days of the production of Wenders’s documentary. The members of Bausch’s company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, became Wenders’s collaborators, offering their own memories and perspectives of their mentor and leader. Shot in gorgeous 3D, Pina is unlike any dance performance you’ve ever seen: Rather than watching the movement from the audience, the camera glides in and out of the set pieces to place you firmly within the action. The result is not just a fascinating biographical document of a creative genius, but also a beautiful celebration of the human body and the art that it can usher forth.THE ACT OF KILLING (2012)Dogwoof PicturesBUY/RENT ON AMAZONBetween 1965 and 1966, an anti-communist purge took place in Indonesia, a mass killing that historians have estimated a total of 400,000 to 3,000,000 victims. Half a century later, director Joshua Oppenheimer (along with Christine Cynn and an anonymous Indonesian filmmaker) crafted The Act of Killing, a compelling and brutal look at former members of the death squads—now revered for creating the society in which they now live. In a manner that highlights the banality of their work (and their cultural attitudes toward it), the former death squad members recreate their work in lavish ways in the style of cinematic genres—westerns, musicals, gangster films, etc.THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE (2013)Getty ImagesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESIn April 1989, 28-year-old Trisha Meili was brutally assaulted and raped as she was jogging in New York City’s Central Park. That same night, five young men—four black, one Hispanic—were arrested for suspected gang activity in the park; after hours of interrogations and coerced confessions, the teenage boys were charged with assault, robbery, rape, sexual abuse, and the attempted murder of Meili. What ensued was a media firestorm, in which racism within the confines of the courtroom—and on the front pages of the city’s tabloids—led to the boys’ conviction. Ken Burns’s documentary, co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns and David McMahon, looks back at one of the most notorious criminal cases in recent memory a decade after another man confessed to committing the crime and the Central Park Five’s convictions were vacated.MAN ON WIRE (2012)Magnolia PicturesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESIn 1974, a week before his 24th birthday, high-wire artist Philippe Petit stunned the typically cynical denizens of New York City when he walked on a wire between the towers of the World Trade Center. Balancing himself over 1,000 feet in the air, Petit made eight passes between the skyscrapers over the course of 45 minutes before his arrest by the NYPD. James Marsh’s Man on Wire uses archival footage of Petit’s training and performance—as well as staged scenes of Petit and his crew setting up the wires, constructed like a heist film—to show the artist as he planned and executed a death-defying stunt. It is also a portrait of the Twin Towers, which loomed large over New York City for nearly 30 years before the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK (2015)HBOBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESAt 27, Kurt Cobain was one of the most famous musicians on the planet—a status that he would have rather avoided, and a level of fame that, along with his mental illness and drug addiction, led to his downfall. Two decades after his suicide, Montage of Heck attempts to piece together a portrait of Cobain, one told by the loved ones he left behind (including his Nirvana bandmates), as well as his personal audio recordings and juvenilia. Rather than hold Cobain up as a rock and roll saint and the typical doomed artist, the documentary gives insight into his mental health, his artistic expression, and his infamous relationship with his wife, Courtney Love.THE OVERNIGHTERS (2014)Mile End FilmsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESDirector Jesse Moss examines the residents of Williston, a small town in North Dakota that saw a huge population spike following an oil boom in the midst of the recession. With jobseekers flocking to the town and overwhelming Williston's housing market, the town's locals turned against their new neighbors—with the exception of Jay Reinke, a Lutheran pastor who offered up the confines of his church as a sanctuary for the town's newest residents. The Overnighters looks at what exactly defines a community for those who live on its margins and those who decide on its borders—and shows that one's good intentions often force a blind eye to the realities of the modern world.BEST WORST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED (2016)Atlas MediaBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESLonny Price's dreams came true when he landed one of the lead roles in a brand-new Stephen Sondheim musical, directed by the composer's frequent collaborator Hal Prince. When Price and his fellow cast members (many teenage actors making their Broadway debuts, including future Seinfeld star Jason Alexander) opened Merrily We Roll Along in 1981, they expected it to the first in a long line of career successes. The show, however, was a flop, and a massive disappointment for Sondheim's fans—and the show's cast. Years later, Price caught up with his fellow cast members to look back at the start of their careers in this touching examination of how life is full of peaks and valleys—and how we learn the most about ourselves in the face of major setbacks.I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (2016)Velvet FilmsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESRaoul Peck's Oscar-nominated documentary is part film essay, part biopic, with Samuel L. Jackson narrating the words of acclaimed novelist and social critic James Baldwin. Using Baldwin's unpublished manuscript Remember This House, I Am Not Your Negro tells the story of American identity through Baldwin's eyes, looking at the lives and deaths of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. alongside Hollywood-produced images delivered to the American public on screens across the nation. While Baldwin's heroes (and peers) sought to change the way black identity was seen at large, Baldwin felt he was fighting a losing battle against a culture that valued white supremacy.CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (2003)Notorious PicturesAndrew Jarecki set out to make a light-hearted documentary about birthday party clowns. When he began researching one of his subjects, David Friedman, he discovered a more interesting—and disturbing—story: Friedman's father and brother, Arnold and Jesse, had been convicted of child sexual abuse in their Long Island hometown. Culling together interviews with the police that investigated the Friedmans and the victims in the case—and combining those conversations with the family's home videos archives—Capturing the Friedmans offers a compelling look at a family falling apart when secrets and lies bubbled up to the surface.GLEASON (2016)Exhibit ABUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESNew Orleans Saint Steve Gleason achieved near-holy status when he blocked a punt in a game against the Atlanta Falcons—the first the team played in their hometown after Hurricane Katrina. Years later, at the age of 34, Gleason was diagnosed with ALS—otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Direct Clay Tweel followed Gleason and his wife, Michel Rae Varisco, after they learned of Gleason's diagnosis—and of Varisco's pregnancy with their son, Rivers. The result is a heartbreaking yet ultimately triumphant film about a man who symbolized for New Orleans refusal to admit defeat—and for his loved ones, the strength to survive in the face of a debilitating illness.JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011)Sundial PicturesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESEnter the world of Jiro Ono, the 85-year-old master chef of Tokyo's Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat sushi restaurant that has earned three Michelin stars and worldwide acclaim. The documentary focuses on Ono as he continues to perfect his cuisine, a passion that has driven him throughout his career. It also looks toward the future of the Ono legacy, as Jiro's sons, Yoshikazu and Takashi, followed in their father's footsteps to become sushi chefs in their own right.LIFE, ANIMATED (2016)A&EBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESBased on Ron Suskind's book about his son, this Oscar-nominated film depicts Owen Suskind who, after being diagnosed with autism at 3 years old, withdrew into a nearly silent state of being. With Suskind and his wife on the verge of losing hope that their son would have a meaningful life and the ability to connect with others, they discovered he responded intensely to the world of animated films—particularly those produced by Walt Disney—giving him a new chance to understand the confounding world around him.THE FOG OF WAR: ELEVEN LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ROBERT S. MCNAMARA (2003)Sony Pictures ClassicsBUY/RENT ON AMAZONThis Oscar-winning documentary from Errol Morris is a long interview with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara concerning his reflections on his political career—particularly his influence on the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. Similar to his own memoir, In Retrospect, McNamara offers his view of the conflict—and the complicated nature of war in general—to put the Vietnam War in a larger context within 20th century American history.SOUND AND FURY (2000)Aronson Film AssociatesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESThis Oscar-nominated film follows the Artinians, who across three generations have deaf and hearing members in their extended family. When brothers Peter (who is deaf) and Chris (who is hearing) both had deaf children and considered giving them cochlear implants, they opened up a debate within their family—one that also exists within deaf culture at large. Sound and Fury is a powerful look at how we create communities based on shared experience, abilities, and language, and the importance we place on where we stand within—or outside of—mainstream culture.KOYAANISQATSI (1982)IRE ProductionsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESGodfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi is admittedly more of an experimental film than a documentary. While one might have to appreciate the droning style of a Philip Glass composition (a tough thing to love, I'll concede), the film itself—the first in a trilogy that includes 1988's Powaqqatsi and 2002's Naqoyqatsi—is a cult classic. Taking its title from a Hopi word that means "unbalanced life," Reggio's film is a juxtaposition of slow-motion and time-lapse images of cities and landscapes across the United States, a manic collection of cinema set to an equally unsettling score from Glass. What one takes from Koyaanisqatsi is personal, and while it may be befuddling, most viewers find it incredibly provocative and mind-blowing.DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER (2008)Richard KuenneBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESWhen Andrew Bagby was murdered by his girlfriend Shirley Jane Turner—and Turner announced that she was pregnant with Bagby's child after his death—filmmaker Kurt Kuenne planned to make a visual scrapbook dedicated to Bagby's son Zachary so that the boy would know how much his father was loved by his friends and family. A tumultuous custody battle between Turner and Bagby's parents ensued—leading to a shocking twist in the family saga—so Kuenne decided to release the film publicly, turning it from a collection of home videos into a beautiful and touching portrait to a lost friend, as well as a staggering and heartbreaking true crime documentary.BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK (2010)Zeitgeist FilmsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESBill Cunningham was a notable figure in New York City until his death last year; a Bill Cunningham spotting was almost as exciting as having your picture taken by him. The New York Times columnist, who documented how the city's residents expressed themselves through fashion in their own particular ways, was a cheerful and outgoing presence in the city—serving less as a fashion photographer and more as a cultural anthropologist. This portrait, filmed when he was 80 years old, follows him through the city on his fashionable journeys and offers a look into the man for whom, as Vogue editor Anna Wintour put it, all of New York dressed.HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE (2012)Public Square FilmsBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESThis Oscar-nominated film is a staggering portrait of the early days of the AIDS crisis, a time when those who lived on society's margins were left to die—largely ignored by the medical establishment and a horrifyingly apathetic government. Director David France, who covered the AIDS crisis as a journalist in the '80s, sheds light on the efforts made by members of ACT UP, who raised awareness of the disease, humanized the men and women afflicted by it, and ultimately changed the course of history by putting pressure on the government to fund medical research. Their work ultimately led to the discovery of treatments that turned an HIV-positive diagnosis from a death sentence to a chronic—and manageable—illness.O. J.: MADE IN AMERICA (2016)Getty ImagesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESThe 2017 Oscar winner for Best Documentary Feature, Ezra Edelman's five-part, seven-hour exposé on the life and legacy of O.J. Simpson examines the football star's rise and fall—and the murder trial that ripped the country apart in the '90s. Rather than focusing solely on the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman and the subsequent trial, this incredible documentary places the Simpson saga into a larger context—highlighting the ways in which it said more about race and American culture than any other event that took place in the second half of the 20th century.THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK (1984)Getty ImagesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESLong before Sean Penn won an Oscar for his role in Gus Van Sant's Milk, director Rob Epstein picked up the same trophy for Best Documentary with his incredible portrait of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors—and the first openly gay elected official in California history. His political career was cut short, however, when he was assassinated alongside San Francisco mayor George Moscone at the hand of their colleague, supervisor Dan White. But Milk's legacy has endured longer than his brief tenure as a public servant, and his courage and passion for social justice has inspired countless LGBT activists in the four decades since his murder.HARLAN COUNTY, U.S.A. (1976)Cabin CreekAcclaimed documentarian Barbara Kopple won her first of two Academy Awards for this incendiary look at the 1973 Brookside Strike formed by coal miners employed by the Eastover Coal Company in southeast Kentucky. The film depicts the complex nature of the American coal mining industry at large (a topic very prevalent in today's political climate), as well as the at-times violent clashes between the striking miners (and their wives) and the Eastover supporters and scabs—which left at least one striking miner dead.THE THIN BLUE LINE (1998)American PlayhouseBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESErrol Morris's best known film is, by his definition, a work of non-fiction rather than a documentary. It follows Randall Dale Adams, who at the age of 26 was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to the death penalty for the 1976 murder of a police officer in Dallas, Texas—a crime Adams did not commit. Reenacting the events leading up to the murder and including interviews with Adams and other players in the case, Morris's film made a strong case for a miscarriage of justice—so much so that the case was reviewed a year after the film's release, and Adams's conviction was overturned.HOOP DREAMS (1994)Getty ImagesThis Oscar-nominated feature from Steve James follows two boys in Chicago (William Gates and Arthur Agee) over the course of eight years of their lives. Gates and Agee are recruited from their inner-city high schools to attend the suburban St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, and play in its renowned basketball program. Hoop Dreams depicts the culture shock Gates and Agee experienced in the predominantly white high school, to which the two boys commuted 90 minutes every day. A modern masterpiece of documentary filmmaking, the film stirred controversy when it was shut out of the Best Documentary category at the Academy Awards—its sole Oscar nomination was for Best Film Editing.THE UP SERIES (1964-2012)First Run FeaturesBUY/RENT ON AMAZON BUY/RENT ON ITUNESIn 1964, Michael Apted profiled 14 children for his Granada Television special 7 Up, viewing the group as representative of England at large across the country's socio-economic system. Every seven years, Apted returned to his subjects (those that chose to participate, anyway) to see how life changed for each one—and how their dreams, fears, and philosophies evolved with time. The Up Series now includes eight films (56 Up was released in 2012), and Apted has stated his intentions to continue the project. It remains a fascinating study of how class plays a major role in British culture, but also how the human experience is one that is ultimately universal, despite the specifics that we encounter as individuals.