Lincoln's Washington at War

Washington, D.C. in 1861. The Civil War is at the doorstep and the city is bracing for disaster. America is a country torn in two. An untested President Lincoln strives to make the nation's capital the political center of the Union, but finds he is surrounded by Southern sympathies and under constant threat of attack. See how this once sleepy small town grew into the metropolis we know today. A city cast in marble, a symbol of American liberty and a memorial to those who fought tooth and nail to preserve it.

Directed by Molly Hermann, Lincoln's Washington at War leans on a strong ensemble — Fritz Klein, Barry Zate, Jay Butler — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2013.