Though only in its fifth year, DOC NYC seems like a city institution already. The annual event, which ran from November 13 through 20, has become the largest documentary film festival in the country. This year’s DOC NYC encompassed 153 films and events, ranging from screenings of classic docs (Hoop Dreams) and high-profile films (Citizenfour) to premieres from first-time feature filmmakers (Opposite Field, Vessel, many, many others). There were also educational panels and master classes (Finish Your Doc) for aspiring auteurs. Opening Night Film was David Thorpe’s funny, poignant Do I Sound Gay?; Closing Night Film was The Yes Men Are Revolting, which chronicles the prankster-activists’ past five years, directed by Laura Nix and The Yes Men.

DOC NYC is a testament to the ever-growing popularity of documentaries, due to a number of reasons including an increase in movie outlets, the stylistic crossover between narrative fiction and non-fiction films, and accessibility of digital technology, now that practically everyone can make movies. (Imagine the various permutations that would exist of 1970 classic Gimme Shelter, had Altamont audiences owned smartphones.)

Festival screenings took place at Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas, IFC Center and SVA Theatre; in many cases filmmakers were present to introduce their work and answer questions afterward. Every sort of documentary was represented, broken down into categories including American Perspectives, International Perspectives, Centerstage (performance-focused films), Jock Docs (sports), Fight the Power (activism), Sonic Cinema (music), Docs Redux (classics), and Short List (awards-season picks).

Cairo Drive; Sherief Elkatsha

Four major categories were juried competitions; the winners were chosen on closing night: Cairo Drive, directed by Sherief Elkatsha, took the Viewfinders (distinct directorial visions) category. The film, which looks at a cross-section of Cairo residents during the revolution through the eyes of the city’s drivers, is “a funny, endearing, deeply humane look at the everyday struggle to navigate the crazy streets of Egypt’s capital,” according to the jurors. In the Metropolis (New York City stories) category, Thomas Wirthensohn’s Homme Less was the winner. The portrait of photographer Mark Reay, whose life is not as glamorous as it seems, shows “the beauty and cruelty of New York” through “a figure who’s complex, troubling, and fascinating,” said jurors. The Grand Jury Prize winner in the Shorts category was Mirror Image, directed by Danielle Schwartz, in which the Israeli filmmaker questions her grandparents about their mirror, previously owned by a Palestinian household. And the SundanceNow Doc Club Audience Award went to The Hand That Feeds, directed by Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick, an exposé of an Upper East Side Hot & Crusty bakery and its employees’ demands for better wages and working conditions.

Banksy Does New York; courtesy of HBO

Among the many worthwhile movies screened at DOC NYC was Chris Moukarbel’s Banksy Does New York, about the city’s response to the pseudonymous street artist’s month-long “residency” here last year. Moukarbel, whose previous film Me at the Zoo was about a video blogger, does a great job of documenting the scavenger hunt-like event, using Banksy’s own wry audio-guide commentary for his daily installations, scenes of the artworks themselves, and interviews with fans (“Banksy Hunters”), critics, art experts, and both working-class Joes and an upscale gallery owner leaping at a chance to make money. Most fascinating are spontaneous responses like the guys in East New York who charged people $5 to photograph Banksy’s mural in their neighborhood. Or the group of do-gooders who immediately began restoring defaced murals. The film also provides a short history of graffiti art in NYC, including the recent destruction of 5 Pointz in Long Island City.

No matter what one thinks of Banksy him(her?)self, the movie is an interesting – and enjoyable – examination of the question “Who owns art?” Unlike the excellent Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy had no input into this film (as far as we know). But it is an equally good embodiment of the artist’s work, message and cultural relevance. Banksy Does New York is currently airing on HBO.

Still Dreaming; Genevieve Russell

One of several films making their world premiere at the festival was Hank Rogerson and Jilann Spitzmiller’s Still Dreaming, a lyrical and honest film about the residents of the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, N.J. It documents the efforts of Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, two young theater directors who approached the assisted living facility for retired entertainers with the idea of mounting a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Initially residents react with both enthusiasm and trepidation. Says one former actor about performing onstage, “Nothing else replaces it,” adding, “Bingo is the most mindless thing I can think of.” Confides another elderly but game participant, “I still hope that I can make something of myself that people can remember.”

Still there are myriad physical and mental infirmities — including dementia and memory loss — to deal with, aside from the usual clash of personalities that are part of any theatrical production. The road to the production is a series of adjustments, setbacks and moments of transcendence. Brody and Steinfeld are challenged at every turn, but maintain their humor and mission for the most part (the film includes one shattering blow-up with a particularly vociferous resident). The filmmakers meld humor and pathos without veering too far into “cute” territory that often shades documentaries about seniors. They include beautiful outdoor scenes of nature that reflect the magic of Midsummer’s theme (somehow transforming suburban New Jersey into a seemingly enchanted forest!). Obvious, though never pushed, are the parallels between the actor/residents and play’s characters regarding what is real and what is imagined. Still Dreaming is currently seeking distribution.

More information, including festival highlights, at docnyc.net.

—Marina Zogbi