In light of America’s current political moment, no one could fault you for steering clear of Errol Morris’s new documentary, Separated, so grave is its subject matter. The film is about the migrant families that were ripped apart at America’s southern border during Donald Trump’s first presidential term. Beginning in 2018, Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy demanded the prosecution of all adults who crossed the border illegally. When these people were imprisoned, their children were left parentless. The film includes interviews with public servants who witnessed the effects of Trump’s policies as they took place, as well as dramatizations of attempted crossings. Morris has directed impactful political documentaries in the past (if you haven’t watched 2003’s The Fog of War, do so), and he made clear that Separated would resonate most strongly if released just ahead of the 2024 presidential election. That didn’t happen, to Morris’s chagrin, and a distressing urgency now attends the film. —Jack Sullivan

Separated is also playing in select theaters.