One of this year’s most talked-about documentaries is finally headed to theaters. Crows Are White, the acclaimed new film from director Ahsen Nadeem and executive producer Ari Aster, opens August 26 at IFC Center in New York before expanding to Los Angeles on September 4 at the Laemmle, with a national rollout to follow.
What begins as a filmmaker’s quest to document a secretive Buddhist sect living atop Japan’s Mount Hiei quickly takes an unexpected turn. After being denied access, Nadeem forms an unlikely friendship with a low-ranking monk who loves Slayer, ice cream, and breaking every stereotype you’d expect.
That surprising connection leads to something far more personal, as the filmmaker is forced to confront a long-hidden secret of his own. The result is a darkly funny, deeply affecting documentary that explores faith, identity, honesty, and the contradictions that shape us all.
Written by Ahsen Nadeem, Matt H. Hayes, and Dawn Light Blackman, Crows Are White has earned acclaim for blending humor, heart, and profound self-reflection into a documentary unlike any other. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking film that challenges expectations while delivering genuine laughs, this is one to add to your must-watch list.
