Best Documentaries
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- DirectorMaria DemopoulosJodi WilleStarsAhom AquarianIsis AquarianDon BollesA charismatic leader founds a commune in Los Angeles in the early '70s based on natural food, spiritual practices and psychedelic rock. This short-lived era is recreated with archival material and the memories of participants.
- DirectorBart LaytonStarsAdam O'BrianNicholas BarclayCarey GibsonA documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.
- DirectorThaddaeus ScheelStarsMariska HargitayA documentary that follows four children from three different countries on their individual voyages from orphanages to their new homes with families in the United States.
- DirectorRichard PressStarsBill CunninghamAnna WintourMichael KorsA profile of the noted and extraordinarily cheerful veteran New York City fashion photographer.
- DirectorDaniel JungeSharmeen Obaid-ChinoyStarsSarkar AbbasMohammad JawadPlastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Jawad returns to his native Pakistan to help those left horribly scarred by acid attacks.
- DirectorJennifer ConradThe Paw Project chronicles the David and Goliath story of a tiny grassroots movement taking on big veterinary corporations in an effort to ban the de-clawing of cats.
- DirectorEvan Grae DavisEvery year in India and China, millions of babies are killed, neglected or abandoned simply because they are girls.
- DirectorRob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanStarsAnjelica HustonBilly CrystalTom HanksThe history of the Academy Awards.
- DirectorJonathon NarducciIs there such thing as love before first sight? This doc explores the mail-order bride industry, chronicling on a group of Ukrainian women and the Western men they marry, in a search for modern love.
- DirectorJill BauerRonna GradusStarsTressa SilgueroRiley ReynoldsRachel BernardA documentary about young women who have been drawn into the sex trade - and how easy it is for a web-savvy generation to end up making porn.
- DirectorZak PennStarsZak PennJoe LewandowskiRobert RentschlerA crew search for all of the old Atari 2600 game cartridges of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" that were tossed into a landfill in the 1980s.
- DirectorJeremy SneadStarsSean AstinAl AlcornPeter ArmstrongLearn how video games are made, marketed, and consumed by looking back at gaming history and culture through the eyes of game developers, publishers, and consumers.
- DirectorLisanne PajotJames SwirskyStarsJonathan BlowBrandon BoyerRenaud BédardA documentary that follows the journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world.
- DirectorBrett HarveyStarsSnoop DoggJoe RoganRonald ReaganScours the deep-seated roots of this morally induced Marijuana campaign and reveal the fascinating path it has taken to get to where it is today.
- DirectorKeith ScholeyAlastair FothergillStarsSamuel L. JacksonPatrick StewartMeet Mara, an endearing lion cub striving to be like her mother; Sita, a cheetah and single mother of five; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion.
- DirectorDereck JoubertStarsJeremy IronsFifty years ago there were close to half-a-million lions in Africa. Today there are around 20,000. To make matters worse, lions, unlike elephants, which are far more numerous, have virtually no protection under government mandate or through international accords. This is the jumping-off point for a disturbing, well-researched and beautifully made cri de coeur from husband and wife team Dereck and Beverly Joubert, award-winning filmmakers from Botswana who have been Explorers-in-Residence at National Geographic for more than four years. Pointing to poaching as a primary threat while noting the lion's pride of place on the list for eco-tourists-an industry that brings in 200 billion dollars per year worldwide-the Jouberts build a solid case for both the moral duty we have to protect lions (as well as other threatened "big cats," tigers among them) and the economic sense such protection would make. And when one takes into account the fact that big cats are at the very top of the food chain-and that their elimination would wreak havoc on all species below them, causing a complete ecosystem collapse-the need takes on a supreme urgency.
- An introduction to the greatest work of medieval literature, which draws upon new dramatic filmed sequences, contemporary images and the work of artists inspired by Dante's epic voyage of the imagination. This film provides the ideal starting point for the study of this major work. Entertaining and informative, Dante and the Divine Comedy will inspire viewers to want to study this work. Featuring: Visual interpretations of 'The Divine Comedy' by the Topiary Dance Group "The Doré illustrations, first published in 1861 " New location footage from Florence, Dante's birthplace " The themes " The plot " The characters " Interpretation and analysis by Professor Zygmont, Dr. Catherine Keen of St John's College, Cambridge, Dr. Simon Gilson of Warwick University, Dr. Robin Kirkpatrick of Robinson College, Cambridge, plus author and leading Dante authority Dr. Anna Lawrence.
- DirectorKurt KuenneStarsKurt KuenneAndrew BagbyDavid BagbyA filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
- StarsLouis TherouxDavid PaulJ.J. MichaelsLouis Theroux documents some of the US's most bizarre happenings, events and rituals, by getting involved himself.
- DirectorSamantha FutermanRyan MiyamotoStarsSkylar AstinAnaïs BordierJacques BordierAdopted from South Korea, raised on different continents & connected through social media, Samantha & Anaïs believe that they are twin sisters separated at birth.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughRolf SteinmannEmma NapperDavid Attenbourough narrates on the greatest of all adventures - the journey through life.
- DirectorZach IngrasciSean LeonardChris TempleStarsChris TempleZach IngrasciSean LeonardFour young friends set out to live on just $1 a day for two months in rural Guatemala. Armed with only a video camera, they battle hunger, parasites, and extreme financial stress as they attempt to survive life on the edge.
- DirectorZana BriskiRoss KauffmanStarsKochiAvijit HalderShanti DasTwo documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.
- DirectorMichael MayerStarsRenee AlbertJenny BergmanAlexander BurkeAdults share their most embarrassing teenage writings and art in front of total strangers at Mortified stage shows across the country, as the filmmakers explore what the show's popularity says about all of us.
- DirectorVikram GandhiStarsVikram GandhiTobyGregA documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. At the height of his popularity, the Guru Kumaré must reveal his true identity to his disciples and unveil his greatest teaching of all.
- DirectorLuc JacquetStarsMorgan FreemanRomane BohringerCharles BerlingIn the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
- DirectorJames ErskineStarsGreg LeMondBradley WigginsEvgeni BerzinDocuments Marco Pantani's battle with addiction after winning Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 1998 until his death from cocaine poisoning six years later.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillMark LinfieldStarsTim AllenMeet adorable young chimp Oscar and his fellow mayhem-creating buddies, who see the world as their playground. Full of curiosity, joy and a love for mimicking others, these are some of the most extraordinary personalities in the jungle.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsAlex GibneyTerry KohutGary SmithAlex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all the way to the Vatican.
- DirectorGabriela CowperthwaiteStarsTilikumDave DuffusSamantha BergA documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.
- DirectorRobert KennerStarsMichael PollanEric SchlosserRichard LobbAn unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry.
- DirectorDavid SamplinerWhen a man discovers he will be the father to a boy, his fear and insecurities send him on an emotional, humorous quest for his own manhood.
- DirectorGeeta Vasant PatelRavi PatelStarsRavi PatelGeeta Vasant PatelChampa V. PatelAn Indian-American man who is about to turn 30 gets help from his parents and extended family to start looking for a wife in the traditional Indian way.
- StarsSteven AveryDolores AveryLaura NiriderFilmed over a 10-year period, Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime.
- DirectorRobert MayStarsCharlie BalasavageJoanne BalasavageJustin BodnarKids For Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious judicial scandal that rocked the nation. Beyond the millions paid and high stakes corruption, Kids For Cash exposes a shocking American secret. In the wake of the shootings at Columbine, a small town celebrates a charismatic judge who is hell-bent on keeping kids in line...until one parent dares to question the motives behind his brand of justice. This real life thriller reveals the untold stories of the masterminds at the center of the scandal and the chilling aftermath of lives destroyed in the process - a stunning emotional roller coaster.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsPaul HaggisJason BegheSpanky TaylorA documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
- DirectorGus HolwerdaStarsAyaan Hirsi AliWoody AllenRichard DawkinsRenowned scientists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss cross the globe as they speak publicly about the importance of science and reason in the modern world.
- DirectorSusan LambertStefan MooreStarsPam BurnsBryan AkitaCathy GoeggelThis is the gripping and emotionally charged story of Tyke, a circus elephant that went on a rampage in Honolulu in 1994, killed her trainer in front of thousands of spectators and died in a hail of gunfire. Her break for freedom - filmed from start to tragic end - traumatised a city and ignited a global battle over the use of animals in the entertainment industry. Looking at what made Tyke snap, the film goes back to meet the people who knew her and were affected by her death - former trainers and handlers, circus industry insiders, witnesses to her rampage, and animal rights activists for whom Tyke became a global rallying cry. Like the classic animal rebellion film King Kong, Tyke is the central protagonist in a tragic but redemptive drama that combines trauma, outrage, insight and compassion. Ultimately, this moving documentary raises fundamental questions about our deep and mysterious connection to other species.
- DirectorSteve HooverStarsRocky BraatSteve HooverAnithaDocumentarian visits best friend in India to see the mutual unconditional love that keeps his buddy bonded to a village hostel housing AIDS-afflicted children.
- DirectorCrystal MoselleStarsMukunda AnguloNarayana AnguloSusanne AnguloConfined in an apartment from a New York housing project, the six Angulo brothers learned everything they know about the world through watching films and spend their time reenacting their favorite movies with intricate homemade costumes.
- DirectorLarry CharlesStarsBill MaherTal BachmanJonathan BouldenBill Maher's take on the current state of world religion.
- DirectorWill AllenStarsWill AllenDimitrius PulidoPhillipe CoquetAn inside look at Buddhafield, a West Hollywood cult formed by a charismatic teacher in the 1980s that eventually imploded.
- DirectorBonni CohenJon ShenkStarsRobin BourlandDaisy ColemanCharles ColemanA look at the effects that online bullying has on the lives of teenagers and their community.
- DirectorÁlvaro LongoriaStarsÁlvaro LongoriaSimon CockerellKang Hyoin GyuGranted controlled access by national officials, filmmaker Álvaro Longoria tours North Korea to contrast his findings to the typical Western depiction of the nation.
- DirectorSamira GoetschelStarsLavrenti BeriaViktor FetisovMikhail GorbachevBehind the walls of a forbidden city, the only thing more dangerous than its secrets is the truth.
- DirectorPatrick CreadonStarsJudy BarbosaSøren BjergMichal BlicharzThis Is a documentary about life and struggle of people for becoming professional gamers.
- StarsGraham MitchellBob HumphriesKym IllmanThis series examines the nature of cuteness and how adorability helps some animal species to survive and thrive in a variety of environments.
- DirectorKohl HarringtonAn investigative expose of the inner workings inside the commercial pet food industry, which has gone largely unchallenged until now.
- StarsDonald Ian BlackKirk BozigianMark BellomoThe minds behind history's most iconic toy franchises discuss the rise (and sometimes fall) of their billion-dollar creations.
- DirectorGeoffrey O'ConnorStarsLouis TherouxLauren DrainSteve DrainLouis meets the Phelps family, who protest against an America that tolerates homosexuality
- DirectorChris SmithStarsBilly McFarlandJason BellGabrielle BluestoneAn exclusive behind the scenes look at the infamous unraveling of the Fyre music festival.
- 20161h 35mTV-147.9 (3.6K)TV Movie78MetascoreDirectorAlexis BloomFisher StevensStarsDebbie ReynoldsCarrie FisherTodd FisherAn intimate portrait of actress Debbie Reynolds and her relationship with her beloved children, Carrie and Todd.
- DirectorMatt RobertsonThe story of New Jersey's infamous Action Park is retold by visitors and those who worked there in this humorous, short documentary.
- DirectorNoam GonickStarsJane LynchJohnny WeirBan Ki-moonLeading up to the Olympics in Sochi, a law banning 'propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors' was passed in Russia. Gay Olympians were confronted with a tough decision: whether to protest in defense of their Russian comrades or compete in silence. Featuring world medalist Johnny Weir, Billie Jean King, Greg Louganis, Martina Navratilova, Simona Meiler and others.
- DirectorAmy BergStarsCat PowerJanis JoplinKarleen BennettMusician Cat Power narrates this documentary on Janis Joplin's evolution into a star from letters that Joplin wrote over the years to her friends, family, and collaborators.
- DirectorPaul OwensStarsJens BergenstenJonathan BlowLewis BrindleyThe first year in the life of independent game studio "Mojang" following the landmark success of their debut title, "Minecraft."
- StarsMa Anand SheelaPhilip ToelkesJane StorkWhen Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
- StarsGwilym LeeChristian WolfPiers BrendonThe history of Britain's ruling dynasty, the Windsors, over the last 100 years, starting with the time around the outbreak of WWI.
- StarsAlan WhitehouseKeith HellawellAndrew LaptewInvestigators and witnesses recall how a modern-day Jack the Ripper terrorized the north of England during the late 1970s.
- StarsGemma HoskinsAbbie SchaubVirginia AnzengruberA seven-part docuseries about the unsolved murder of a nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death.
- DirectorHeidi EwingRachel GradyStarsEttyChani GetterAri HershkowitzPenetrating the insular world of New York's Hasidic community, focusing on three individuals driven to break away despite threats of retaliation.
- DirectorEva OrnerStarsLarissa AndersonFrancesca AsumahSarah BaughnTracing from his rise in the 1970s to his disgrace in accusations of rape and sexual harassment in more recent years.
- DirectorAmy BergStarsNick CaveElaine AndersonSam BrowerWhen Warren Jeffs rose to Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, he took control of a religion with a history of polygamous and underage marriage. In a short time, Warren managed to expand these practices and the power of his position in unprecedented ways. He bridged the gap between sister wives and ecclesiastical rape, befuddling the moral compass of his entire congregation. The film examines Warren Jeffs' life and shows how he became a worshiped and adored Prophet. Warren has a devout following numbering in the tens of thousands, many of whom would give their life at any moment with just one word from the Prophet. Despite a trail of abuse and ruined lives, Warren has maintained his grip on power.
- DirectorCristina CostantiniKareem TabschStarsWalter MercadoWilly AcostaLin-Manuel MirandaEvery day for decades, Walter Mercado — the iconic, gender non-conforming astrologer — mesmerized 120 million Latino viewers with his extravagance and positivity.
- DirectorLaura BrownsonStarsRachel DolezalFranklin DolezalIzaiah DolezalRachel Dolezal becomes a social phenomenon when she passes herself off as an African American and becomes the head of her local N.A.A.C.P. chapter.
- StarsJoe ExoticCarole BaskinJohn ReinkeA rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.
- StarsDeanna ThompsonJohn GreenClaudette HamlinA group of online justice seekers track down a guy who posted a video of himself killing kittens.
- StarsDorie Hofmann OldsShannon FlynnBrent MetcalfeHigh-stakes exploits turn deadly - and shake a global church to its core - in the extraordinary true crime story.
- StarsVernon GosneyLeslie Wagner-WilsonTim CarterDocuseries looking back on the Jonestown Massacre on the 40th anniversary.
- StarsMike CarusoChris UrquhartElizabeth Stuart-MorrisTold by survivors, news clips and audio recordings of David Koresh. It tells the story of how he rose to power as their "prophet" and then fell from glory in the standoff and fire that made history.
- StarsJoel MossKevin FaganDavid KaczynskiThe beginning of the Unabomber's campaign of terror from 1978 to 1985; a look into his childhood to discover what might have turned the young mathematical genius with few friends, Ted Kaczynski, into a sociopathic terrorist.
- StarsLeah ReminiMike RinderMary KahnA series featuring stories from former members of the Church of Scientology whose lives have been affected by the Church's alleged harmful practices.
- StarsSalo LunaWilli MalessaEdeltraud BohnauThe rise of a poor German lay preacher to one of the mightiest men in Latin America told through the eyes of those who lived in the sect, who endured it, who fought it. All brought to life by unearthed, never before seen archive material.
- StarsMichael PetersonDavid RudolfRon GueretteThe high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
- DirectorAndrew JareckiStarsArnold FriedmanJesse FriedmanDavid FriedmanDocumentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
- DirectorErin Lee CarrStarsJessica ThomasJim ArnottDavid BlanchardIn this documentary, the murder of Deedee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose is explored, as well as the circumstances leading up to the event.
- DirectorKirby DickStarsAndrea PinoAnnie ClarkClaire PotterAn exposé of rape crimes on U.S. college campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and the devastating toll they take on students and their families.
- DirectorKirby DickStarsAmy ZieringKirby DickKori CiocaAn investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.
- DirectorAmy BergStarsOliver O'GradyThomas DoyleAdamDocumentary about Father Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest who was relocated to various parishes around the United States during the 1970s in an attempt by the Catholic Church to cover up his rape of dozens of children.
- DirectorTheo LoveStarsDavid MahfoodPeggy MahfoodBill ParrIn the buckle of the Bible Belt, 10 churches burn to the ground in just over a month igniting the largest criminal investigation in East Texas history.
- StarsEli RothAlan MaxsonGreg NicoteroAn in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
- DirectorJenny PopplewellStarsNickole AtkinsonJim BenemannLuke EppleIn 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
- DirectorThomas LeaderA true crime documentary about one of Alabama's most horrifying cases. Involving an incestuous family, a sex trafficking ring and the unsolved disappearance of a young mother.
- DirectorHuw CordeyStarsStephen FryFrom ruffling their majestic feathers to nailing im-peck-able courtship routines, birds in paradise flaunt their best moves in hopes of landing a mate.
- DirectorFelicity MorrisStarsSimon LevievCecilie FjellhøyAyleen CharlottePosing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul, he wooed women online, then conned them out of millions of dollars. Now some victims plan for payback.
- DirectorDavid A. WeinerStarsTom AtkinsDoug BradleyJohn BloomAn exploration of '80s horror movies through the perspective of the actors, directors, producers and SFX craftspeople who made them, and their impact on contemporary cinema.
- DirectorLucie JourdanStarsJacoba BallardJulie HarmonMatt WhiteAfter a woman's at-home DNA test reveals multiple half-siblings, she discovers a shocking scheme involving donor sperm and a popular fertility doctor.
- DirectorDavid FarrierDylan ReeveStarsDavid FarrierDylan ReeveDavid StarrJournalist David Farrier stumbles upon a mysterious tickling competition online. As he delves deeper he comes up against fierce resistance, but that doesn't stop him getting to the bottom of a story stranger than fiction.
- DirectorJean-Xavier de LestradeStarsCaitlin AtwaterBradley BannonFreda BlackExplosive developments - implicating both the forensics laboratory of the police department of North Carolina, and Duane Deaver, its chief - recently saw the convicted subject of 'The Staircase', Michael Peterson, released from jail after serving eight years of a life sentence, pending a retrial.
- StarsElissa WallMike WatkissRebecca MusserExamines the rise of Warren Jeffs in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and his shocking criminal case.
- DirectorAmy PoehlerStarsLucie ArnazBette MidlerCarol BurnettThis film will explore the rise of comedian icon Lucille Ball, her relationship with Desi Arnaz, and how their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy forever changed Hollywood, cementing her legacy long after her death in 1989.
- DirectorAmy SchatzStarsLily TomlinPat DerbyColleen KinzleyNarrated by Lily Tomlin, this documentary short traces mankind's long history with elephants and explores the many problems that arise when they are brought to live in captivity in zoos and circuses.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughChadden HunterGordon BuchananDavid Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsTimothy TreadwellAmie HuguenardWerner HerzogA devastating and heart-rending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzly bears in Alaska.
- 20184 epsTV-MA7.5 (31K)TV Mini SeriesStarsTrey BorzillieriJerry ClarkJason WickThe extraordinary story of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.
- DirectorJoe BerlingerBruce SinofskyStarsTony BrooksDiana DavisTerry WoodA horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
- DirectorAlba SotorraStarsShamima BegumHoda MuthanaShamima Begum and Hoda Muthana made it into worldwide headlines when they left their countries as teenagers to join ISIS. Now they want to return but their countries don't want them back.
- StarsIsrael van DorstenMar Jan van DorstenEdino van DorstenThe Dutch village of Ruinerwold becomes world news when a hidden farm is discovered, where a family lived secretly and unregistered for years. The four oldest children tell their story.
- DirectorWaad Al-KateabEdward WattsStarsWaad Al-KateabSama Al-KhateabHamza Al-KhateabFOR SAMA is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.
- StarsCarmen Maria MachadoKimberly PeirceBriana VenskusA documentary telling the story of LGBTQIA+ horror and the relationship between queer audiences and horror, and the queer horror community as a whole.