Doc Stories FAQ

The 2021 Doc Stories program will be presented November 4–7, 2021, both in-person and online. A select few streaming titles may be viewable through Monday, November 8.

Yes! The 2021 Doc Stories program will have both streaming opportunities and in-person screenings at the Castro Theater and Vogue Theatre. Please read our COVID-19 Protocols FAQ section for more information about your safety at SFFILM events.

The 2021 Doc Stories program will be announced on Thursday, October 14.

The best way to attend Doc Stories is with a Cinevisa. This all-access pass includes all streaming content and admission to our in-person screenings.

Ticket 6-Packs are available exclusively to SFFILM Members until October 15, 2021. Visit the SFFILM Memberships page to learn more about the benefits of joining the SFFILM Community.

Sign out and sign back into your account. This will refresh the web browser and update your record with any changes.

Of course! General Ticket 6-Packs will be available starting on October 15, 2021. If you’d like to secure access to Doc Stories before then, please consider becoming an SFFILM Member or purchasing a Doc Stories Cinevisa.

The 2021 Doc Stories Ticket 6-Pack was designed to be flexible. By purchasing a Ticket 6-Pack, you can choose between in-person and streaming titles at Doc Stories.

Members can redeem tickets to Doc Stories starting on October 14, 2021. Non-members can purchase Ticket 6-Packs and begin redeeming tickets on October 15, 2021.

A Doc Stories Cinevisa is a pass that includes all streaming content and admission to our in-person screenings.

Yes! Members can purchase individual tickets to Doc Stories starting on October 14, 2021, and Tickets will be available to the general public starting on October 15, 2021.

Yes. Ticket holders will be asked to present either a physical or digital copy of their COVID-19 Vaccination Record upon entering any in-person Doc Stories event. You can register for a digital copy of your vaccination record here: https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/

Your safety is our top priority. We will require all guests to show proof of vaccination before entering the theater. Masks must be worn throughout the entire event unless eating or drinking. We are monitoring city public health guidelines and recommendations regarding COVID-19 and may update safety protocols as needed leading up to the event. We anticipate that all screenings at the Castro Theater will have ample space for social distancing. We have increased the turnaround time between films to reduce crowding and to allow for a thorough cleaning of the theater. We ask that guests help keep each other safe and please stay home if you feel unwell or are experiencing any symptoms. If you prefer to watch films from the safety of your home, most films are available for streaming. Click here to see which titles are available to stream.

Yes, if tickets are available, you may purchase them at the theater. For COVID-19 safety, box office transactions will be credit card only (no cash.)

You can read more about the accessibility of our venues here.

Most films in the 2021 Doc Stories program are available both in-person and online. Films will become available online at 12:01 am the day after their in-person screening and be available for 24 hours.

The following films will only be screened in-person:

Doc Stories films are only viewable in the state of California. Live talks and Q&As can be viewed from anywhere.

The “streaming window” is the duration of availability for a film during the Doc Stories festival. The “viewing window” is the 24-hour window to finish a film once you click “Stream Film”.

Once you begin streaming a film, you have 24 hours to complete the film. Please note, all films will be unavailable at 11:59 pm on November 8; if you start a film late on November 8, it will turn off before midnight.

You can watch as many times as you wish within your 24-hour viewing window. Your 24-hour viewing window starts once you click "Stream Film".

Yes, but remember that you have 24 hours to finish the film from the time you hit "play".

A list of titles with closed captioning will be available closer to Doc Stories - check back!

Here are the recommended system requirements for watching films on these devices:

PC: Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10

Mac: Mac OSX 10.12 or later

Web Browsers: We recommend using the newest version of Google Chrome as your web browser. Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera are also supported. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Roku: 3rd generation (2013) or newer

Apple TV: 4th generation (2015) or newer

iPhone/iPad: iOS 11.2 or newer, using Safari or Chrome

Android: version 6.0 or newer

Yes! Here is an overview of how to set up your Roku, Apple TV, or FireStick to stream films.

-Download the “SFFILM” app on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire Stick

-Manually enter the 9 Digit Ticket Code that appears below the film when streaming in your web browser.

-You will be brought directly to the specific film’s event page. Click play to begin the film!

-Repeat for any and all films you have purchased tickets for.

Yes! You can Chromecast from PC and Mac computers as well as from an Android device. Navigate here for a guide to using Chromecast or here for a guide to using AirPlay. You can AirPlay a film from an iPad or iPhone to an Apple TV as well.

Yes! You can watch films and live talks on iPhone/iPad using Safari or Chrome on iOS 11.2 or later. You can watch films and live talks on Android 6.0 or later.

We use adaptive bitrate streaming which means the streaming quality will automatically adjust based on your internet speed. If your internet connection is poor or inconsistent you may experience problems during playback. If you’re on wifi, try moving closer to your router.

Check that your system meets the minimum requirements listed above in the Technical Requirements section. Try using a different browser or device if possible, to see if the issue persists. If none of these work, talk to our staff from 10am to 11pm (PT) using the chat tool in the bottom right corner!

This error happens in a Google Chrome browser means you need to do a “hard reload” of your system, see our directions below. If you are getting this error outside of Google Chrome, please talk to our staff from 10am to 11pm (PT) using the chat tool on our website.

To do a “hard reload” in Chrome on a Mac:

-In the menu at the top of your screen, go to View -> Developer -> Developer Tools

-Now right click on the “refresh” icon in Chrome and you should see an option to “Empty Cache and Hard Reload”

-Choose that option and now try streaming the film. It should work!

-If that does not work for you, try a different web browser. For example, if you are using a Safari browser, try using Google Chrome or Firefox instead. If switching browsers does not work, try watching on a different device. For example, if the video is not playing on your iPad, try watching on a computer instead.

No. iPad & iPhone iOS doesn't support playback of encrypted video through screen-mirroring.