Variety’s Doc Dreams Live Returns to New York for Third Year

Variety is proud to announce the return of Doc Dreams NYC Live, its marquee event dedicated to honoring the art of documentary filmmaking, on Nov. 9 in New York City. Following a successful debut in 2024, Doc Dreams will once again bring together acclaimed filmmakers, storytellers and thought leaders for a day of conversations celebrating the power of nonfiction cinema.

Doc Dreams spotlights the people and projects shaping culture through real stories. Last year’s program featured the year’s most powerful documentaries with filmmakers from “Becoming Led Zeppelin,” “The Age of Disclosure,” “Come See Me in the Good Light,” “Saving Superman” and many more. Their discussions gave audiences an inside look into the creative processes, challenges and cultural significance behind their acclaimed films.

This year’s 2026 edition of Doc Dreams will continue that tradition, convening some of the industry’s most exciting documentary voices. Alex Gibney, director, writer, and producer of “Musk,” will discuss the documentary’s unvarnished analysis of Elon Musk in a keynote conversation with Variety’s Co-Editor-in-Chief and Co-President Ramin Setoodeh.

The panels will feature:

• Ben Kjar, subject, “Standout: The Ben Kjar Story”
• Mary Mazzio, writer, director, and producer, “Mighty Mary”
• Jana Hojdová & Robert Richardson, director and cinematographer, “Robert Richardson: The White Devil”
• Shakiba Adil & Elina Hirvonen, directors, “The Secret Reading Club of Kabul”
• Dana Nachman, director, “The Second Life of Freddie Nole”

The full program of speakers and panels will be announced in the coming weeks, but attendees can expect a dynamic day that celebrates creativity, truth-telling and the impact of nonfiction storytelling in today’s media landscape. Request an invite here: variety.com/docdreams26.