Best Documentaries
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- DirectorJeff ZimbalistMichael ZimbalistStarsMaría Ester EscobarFrancisco MaturanaAlexis García V.The rise of Colombian soccer is attributed to the influx of drug money into the sport by Pablo Escobar and the other drug cartels. However, the team's swift decline after Escobar's death results in the murder of star player Andres Escobar.
- DirectorLouise LockwoodStarsMark Oliver EverettAnnie MacMax TegmarkMark Oliver Everett, singer of the band EELS, on his quest to get to know his later father, quantum physicist Hugh Everett III, who invented the Many Worlds theory.
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerAnonymousChristine CynnStarsAnwar CongoHerman KotoSyamsul ArifinA documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.
- DirectorLeslye DavisCatrin EinhornStarsBrian EischIsaac EischJoey EischWhen Sgt. First Class Brian Eisch is critically wounded in Afghanistan, it sets him and his sons on a journey of love, loss, redemption and legacy.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogRichard LopezMichael PerryConversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.
- DirectorYann Arthus-BertrandStarsYann Arthus-BertrandGlenn CloseJacques GamblinWith aerial footage from fifty-four countries, 'Home' is a depiction of how Earth's problems are all interlinked.
- DirectorAsif KapadiaStarsAyrton SennaReginaldo LemeJohn BisignanoA documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.
- DirectorEric SteelStarsEric GeleynseChris BrownSusan GinwallaFilmmakers use hidden cameras to capture the various suicide attempts at the Golden Gate Bridge - the world's most popular suicide destination. Interviews with the victims' loved ones describe their lives and mental health.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsRandall AdamsDavid HarrisGus RoseA film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
- 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.
- DirectorChristina ClusiauShaul SchwarzStarsTim BlackPhilip GlassChristo GomesThis in-depth look into the powerhouse industries of big-game hunting, breeding and wildlife conservation in the U.S. and Africa unravels the complex consequences of treating animals as commodities.
- DirectorEd PerkinsStarsAndrew CaleyAlex LewisMarcus LewisAfter losing his memory in an accident, Alex Lewis trusts his twin brother, Marcus, to tell him about his past only to discover that he's hiding a dark secret about their childhood.
- DirectorMichael MooreStarsMichael MooreCharlton HestonMarilyn MansonFilmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
- DirectorKurt KuenneStarsKurt KuenneAndrew BagbyDavid BagbyA filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsAlex GibneyPaul PiffAnne RuethFilmmaker Alex Gibney investigates the fact that the 400 richest Americans control more wealth than the 150 million people in the bottom 50 percent of the population.
- DirectorRene DuignanDriven by a tragedy to make a documentary, 'Saving 10,000' is the story of one Irishman's quest to uncover the real causes of the high suicide rate in Japan. With the help of various experts and ordinary Japanese, the narrator comes up with the practical proposals on how Japan can win a war on suicide and reduce the number of deaths each year by 10,000.
- DirectorDavis GuggenheimStarsAl GoreBilly WestGeorge BushFilmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment.
- DirectorEmad BurnatGuy DavidiStarsEmad BurnatSoraya BurnatMohammed BurnatA documentary on a Palestinian farmer's chronicle of his nonviolent resistance to the actions of the Israeli army.
- DirectorLixin FanStarsChanghua ZhangYang ZhangSuqin ChenA couple embarks on a journey home for Chinese new year along with 130 million other migrant workers, to reunite with their children and struggle for a future. Their unseen story plays out as China soars towards being a world superpower.
- DirectorWerner HerzogDmitry VasyukovStarsWerner HerzogGennady SolovievAnatoly BlumeiA documentary depicting the life and work of the trappers of Bakhtia, a village in the heart of the Siberian Taiga, where daily life has changed little in over a century.
- DirectorPeter RichardsonStarsHarry BrutonRay CarnayCody CurtisIn 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize a terminally ill person's request to end his or her life with medication. At the time, only Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands had legalized the practice. 'How to Die in Oregon' tell the stories of those most intimately involved with the practice today -- terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends -- as well as the passage of a similar law in Washington State.
- CreatorConnor SchellJeff ZimbalistDocuments the high stakes battle that is set off when plans for a breakaway league emerge and the past, present, and future of European football collide, leaving the game's powerful leaders to defend, or upend, the traditions of the sport.
- DirectorJoe BerlingerBruce SinofskyStarsGary GitchellTodd MooreDana MooreA further followup of the case of the West Memphis Three and the decades long fight to exonerate them that finally gained traction with new DNA evidence.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsRobert McNamaraJohn F. KennedyFidel CastroThe story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert McNamara.
- DirectorAlbert MayslesDavid MayslesCharlotte ZwerinStarsPaul BrennanCharles McDevittJames BakerFour dogged door-to-door Bible salesmen travel from Boston to Florida on a seemingly futile quest to sell luxury editions of the Good Book to working-class Catholics.
- DirectorDavid GelbStarsJiro OnoYoshikazu OnoMasuhiro YamamotoA documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.
- DirectorSusanne Regina MeuresThe 14-year-old Leonie, a successful influencer living on the outskirts of Berlin.
- DirectorSarah GavronDavid KatznelsonStarsAne KruseLars Kristian KruseIlannguaq EgedeVillage At The End Of The World is a witty, surprising and ultimately feel good portrait of an isolated village of 59 people and 100 sledge dogs, surviving against the odds.
- DirectorCurt MorganStarsTravis RiceMark LandvikJohn JacksonTwo years in the making, this film gives snowboarder Travis Rice and friends the opportunity to redefine what is possible in the mountains.
- DirectorSam BlairJoe MartinStarsCsanad SzegediAn anti-Semitic far-right politician's astonishing transformation after finding out he is Jewish.
- DirectorFeras FayyadSteen JohannessenStarsKhaled Umar HarahBatulMahmoudKhaled, Mahmoud and Subhi volunteer with the White Helmets trying to save lives of hundreds of victims in the besieged city of Aleppo during the Syrian Civil War.
- DirectorRon FrickeStarsPatrick DisantoA collection of expertly photographed scenes of human life and religion.
- DirectorCharles FergusonStarsMatt DamonGylfi ZoegaAndri Snær MagnasonTakes a closer look at what brought about the 2008 financial meltdown.
- DirectorCharles FergusonStarsCampbell ScottGerald BurkeAli FadhilA comprehensive look at the Bush Administration's conduct of the Iraq war and its occupation of the country.
- StarsKevin ArmstrongDan WetzelStephen ZiogasA three-part documentary series examining what led to the murderous fall and shocking death of former NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez.
- DirectorJudit OláhStarsIstvánné FarkasLászlóné FazekasDénes FábriIn 1980s, many Hungarian youngsters dreamed of visiting a unique summer camp in Epipo. A realm of role-playing and magic, yet behind innocent games lurked humiliation and concealed abuse. After 25 years secrets is still a part of them.
- DirectorVikram JayantiStarsMarc GhannoumJoel BenjaminMichael GreengardIn 1997, chess champion Garry Kasparov goes head-to-head against IBM's computer, Deep Blue, and accuses IBM of cheating its way to victory. Interviews with Kasparov, his manager and members of the Deep Blue team illuminate the controversy.
- DirectorAndrew RossiStarsDavid CarrSarah EllisonLarry IngrassiaUnprecedented access to the New York Times newsroom yields a complex view of the transformation of a media landscape fraught with both peril and opportunity.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsJohn BeardTim BeldenBarbara BoxerA documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall.
- DirectorHeidi EwingRachel GradyStarsMike PapantonioLou EngleBecky FischerA documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham.
- DirectorThomas JohnsonStarsTim BirkettHans BlixMikhail GorbachevDocumentary about the nuclear disaster of Chernobyl.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsValetta BradfordXzavier Davis-BilboAurie ParrisStories of serious traffic accidents caused by texting and driving are told by the perpetrators and surviving victims.
- DirectorPaul CrowderStarsMichael FassbenderLewis HamiltonNiki LaudaSet in the golden era of Grand Prix Racing '1' tells the story of a generation of charismatic drivers who raced on the edge, risking their lives during Formula 1's deadliest period, and the men who stood up and changed the sport forever.
- DirectorSimon GeorgeStarsCorey JohnsonKevin FarrellGeoffrey WawroThe events of World War II from 1941 onward are depicted from the perspective of space.
- DirectorDaniel GordonStarsDon CatlinLinford ChristieRobson da SilvaIn the history of the Olympics, there's never been a controversy quite like what ensued over the 100 meter race at Seoul in 1988. The match brought together Carl Lewis (USA) and Ben Johnson (Canada) who had been fierce competitors. Lewis was known as a savvy careerist who became an American hero at the previous Los Angeles Olympics. Johnson was his chief rival, considered an underdog due to his recovery from a pulled hamstring. In less than 10 seconds, Johnson edged out in front of Lewis to win the Seoul race. But that wasn't the end. Three days later, in a reversal of fortune, the Olympic committee announced that Johnson had failed a drug test, losing his medal to Lewis in disgrace. A mystery still shrouds the race. Was Johnson exceptional in his drug usage or merely the fall guy for a widespread practice? Six of the eight finalists in the 1988 race have since been implicated for drugs -- although some still deny any wrongdoing. Filmmaker Daniel Gordon, digs into the controversy, conducting extensive interviews with Lewis and Johnson as well as their competitors, coaches and Olympic insiders. He uncovers layers of intrigue, deception and favoritism that change our perception of the way this story has previously been told. The Seoul race wound up being the world's wake-up call to drugs in sports. Now the problem runs rampant throughout professional and amateur athletics. As drug-testing gets more sophisticated, so do means of evading it. This powerful story forces us to question what we expect from our athletes as they pursue records in the name of national pride. This story from the past is vital to understanding the future of sports.
- DirectorMorgan SpurlockStarsMorgan SpurlockDaryl IsaacsChemeeka WalkerWhile examining the influence of the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month.
- StarsChris GrahamDoug MathewsAmy MurrayA detailed account of the McDonald's Monopoly game scam during the 1990s as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents involved.
- DirectorSteven BognarJulia ReichertStarsJunming 'Jimmy' WangRobert AllenSherrod BrownIn post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
- DirectorRod BlackhurstBrian McGinnStarsAmanda KnoxMeredith KercherRaffaele SollecitoAmerican exchange student Amanda Knox is charged with the 2007 death of another student in Italy.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsPaul HaggisJason BegheSpanky TaylorA documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsElon MuskLawrence KraussLucianne WalkowiczWerner Herzog's exploration of the Internet and the connected world.
- DirectorJimmy ChinElizabeth Chai VasarhelyiStarsBancha DuriyapuntApakorn YoukongkaewAnan SurawanA chronicle of the enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.
- DirectorJulianna UgrinMárton VízkeletyShowcases how Robi, a priest and a father of three, deals with his profession and his forbidden private life.
- 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.
- StarsSally McNeilJohn LowdenShantina LowdenInterviews with friends, family and Sally McNeil herself chart a bodybuilding couple's rocky marriage and its shocking end in a Valentine's Day murder.
- DirectorKatie DellamaggioreStarsJe'Daiah BallantyneMichelle BallantyneRochelle BallantyneAmidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school's champion chess team.
- DirectorDaniel LindsayT.J. MartinStarsBill CourtneyO.C. BrownMontrail 'Money' BrownChronicles three underprivileged students from inner-city Memphis and their volunteer coach who tries to help them beat the odds on and off the field.
- DirectorOrlando von EinsiedelStarsAndré BaumaEmmanuel de MerodeMélanie GoubyA team of brave individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.
- DirectorEszter HajdúHungary was the site of serial murders on ethnic basis. Over the course of one year, the murderers killed and seriously injured Roma children and adults. The state charged 4 men with committing the crime with racial motivation. This historical trial started March, 2011, and ended August, 2013 in Budapest. The 167 days of hearings was only documented continuously by our crew. We had exclusive permission to use multiple cameras in the court-room. The film is a classical chamber-drama, taking place in a small, claustrophobic court room, in the middle of Europe. What will be the outcome of the marathon, 3 year-long trial?
- DirectorMaría José CuevasStarsAlejandra AldayAnselmo ApodacAntonio BarandaBetween 1998 and 2005, a wave of murders targeting elderly women hit Mexico City, triggering the hunt for and capture of a most unlikely suspect.
- DirectorNicolas EntelStarsJorge Enrique AbelloPablo EscobarSebastian MarroquínNicolas Entel's searing documentary tells the story of Pablo Escobar -- Colombian drug kingpin, murderer and family man -- through the eyes of his son, Sebastian, as well as the sons of two of Escobar's most prominent victims.
- DirectorKaspar Astrup SchröderThe story of China's abandoned children longing for their imprisoned parents.
- DirectorRon FrickeStarsBalinese Tari Legong DancersNi Made Megahadi PratiwiPuti Sri Candra DewiFilmed over nearly five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on seventy-millimetre film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsAlex GibneyDave KaplanBob CostasAfter the Chicago Cubs blow an opportunity to reach the World Series in 2003, Cubs fans blame the team's misfortune on fellow fan Steve Bartman, who interfered with a foul ball and prevented Moises Alou from making a catch.
- DirectorKen RodgersStarsTroy AikmanJerry AzarCarlton BaileyA behind-the-scenes look at the Buffalo Bills' four trips to the Super Bowl during the early 1990's.
- DirectorGreg KohsStarsIoannis AntonoglouLucas BakerNick BostromGoogle's DeepMind has developed a program for playing the 3000 year old game Go using AI. They test AlphaGo on the European champion, then March 9-15, 2016, on the top player, Lee Sedol, in a best of 5 tournament in Seoul.
- StarsRoss BrawnJenson ButtonRubens BarrichelloThe remarkable story of how, in 2009, competing in the most expensive and technologically advanced racing series on Earth, the impossible happened.
- DirectorLaura McGannStarsAlessia ZecchiniStephen KeenanLeigh BakerA champion and expert safety diver seemed destined for one another. Despite different paths taken, they meet at the pinnacle of the free-diving world, experiencing the thrilling rewards and inescapable risks of chasing dreams through the depths of the ocean.
- StarsNeil deGrasse TysonChristopher EmersonKeythe FarleyAn exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsLance ArmstrongReed AlbergottiBetsy AndreuA documentary chronicling sports legend Lance Armstrong's improbable rise and ultimate fall from grace.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogKatia KrafftMaurice KrafftAn exploration of active volcanoes around the world.
- StarsTiger WoodsPete McDanielSteve WilliamsA look at the life, success and scandals of golf legend Tiger Woods.
- DirectorNick BiltonStarsChristopher BaileyOsiris BashirJustine BatemanDocumentary follows an actress, fashion designer and real estate assistant who attempt to become social media influencers by purchasing fake followers and bots to boost their popularity.
- DirectorWerner HerzogClive OppenheimerStarsWerner HerzogClive OppenheimerSimon SchafferA documentary from Werner Herzog about meteors and comets and their influence on ancient religions and other cultural and physical impacts they've had on Earth.
- DirectorRoger Ross WilliamsAn account of the American Evangelicals' attempts to indoctrinate their Christian Right beliefs in Uganda.
- DirectorJacek BlawutA film about the international community of people fascinated with World War II, who fulfill their ambitions in computer games. They take the role of pilots of flying machines during WWII and participate in air battles in real time. Some of them treat it as a hobby, but for many of them the game has become their life. Has a new human species been born - Homo Virtualis?
- DirectorBecky ReadStarsJeremy MorrisA Christmas-loving lawyer's obsession with bringing Christmas cheer to all sparks a conflict with the local Homeowners' Association who believe his planned holiday extravaganza violates their neighborhood rules.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogJean ClottesJulien MonneyWerner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France and captures the oldest known pictorial creations of humanity.
- StarsCullen HobackFredrick BrennanCraig JamesWhen documentary filmmaker Cullen Hoback sets out to uncover the forces behind QAnon, his attention turns to 8chan, the site where "Q" posts.
- DirectorEva MüllerMichael SchmittStarsMaximilian SchmidtMax S. reveals how he built a drug empire from his childhood bedroom in this story that inspired the series "How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)."
- DirectorTim HetheringtonSebastian JungerStarsThe Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat TeamJuan 'Doc RestrepoDan KearneyA year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan.
- 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.
- DirectorTodd Douglas MillerStarsNeil ArmstrongMike CollinsBuzz AldrinA look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.
- DirectorLizzie KemptonStarsJamie SaléPatti SaléYelena BerezhnayaControversy erupts at the 2002 Winter Olympics when a figure skating judge is allegedly pressured to rank Russia over Canada in the pairs competition.
- DirectorGeorge LoweStarsMeredith EdwardsJohn HuntGeorge BandDocumentary that covers the famous and successful expedition of the Everest conquest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, the first climbers to reach its peak.
- CreatorSteven LeckartGlen ZipperStarsJune Scobee RodgersWilliam HarwoodJohn ZarrellaFour-part docuseries on the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster, unpacking an indelible moment for a generation of Americans.
- DirectorMáté KörösiStarsMagdali AlexandraStumpf EmeseTordai TündeSzani, Tina and Emese: or as they call themselves, the Divas are three twenty-year-old girls who can talk for hours about makeup, clothes, or profile pictures. Máté, a young director, enters the scene, following them with his camera until their graduation, to find out what is hidden behind their perfect makeup. Meanwhile they learn from each other, they all make a step towards adulthood.
- DirectorBryan FogelStarsBryan FogelDave ZabriskieDon CatlinWhen Bryan sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.
- CreatorDaniel BogadoDinah LordEamonn MatthewsStarsMarlucia SouzaDivanilson CavalcantiPaula LitaiffThe true-life story of Brazilian TV host Wallace Souza, who was accused of literally killing for ratings, and using his crime TV show to cover up the grizzly truth.
- DirectorTom BeardStarsDavid AttenboroughIsrafeel AhamedBhashkar BaraA fresh new approach to the global lockdown and the uplifting stories that have come out of it. People all over the world have had the chance to engage with nature like never before.
- DirectorHernán ZinStarsWalaa EltitiYazeed FarujaFilmed shortly after the 2014 Gaza war, this documentary examines how violence has transformed the lives of 10 Palestinian children.
- DirectorHenry RooseveltStarsMaya KowalskiAs a medical team tries to understand 10-year-old Maya Kowalski's rare illness, they begin to question her parents. Suddenly, Maya is in state custody - despite a family desperate to bring their daughter home.
- DirectorTim WardleStarsRobert ShafranMichael DomnitzHoward SchneiderIn 1980 New York, three young men who were all adopted meet each other and find out they're triplets who were separated at birth. But their quest to find out why turns into a bizarre and sinister mystery.
- DirectorCosima DannoritzerStarsRichard JonesMolly MalcolmSteve BunnThis is the story of companies who engineered their products to fail.
- DirectorZach HeinzerlingStarsAnwar Bin IbrahimMahathir MohamadHo Kay TatLavish parties, luxury goods, dubious loans: Scandals surrounding Prime Minister Najib Razak rocked Malaysia - and left the nation drowning in debt.
- StarsYoram SheftelEli GabayMichael ShakedA Cleveland grandfather is brought to trial in Israel, accused of being the infamous German death camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.
- StarsJesse BarronEmily BazelonSam BoardmanTeen Michelle Carter's actions shocked a nation - but what really happened behind closed doors? This HBO special showcases the prosecution's point of view and alternately the defense's. Which side do you fall on?
- StarsWilliam B. EvansRick DeslauriersPhillip MartinFollows the tragedy in which terrorists detonated a bomb at the Boston Marathon's finish line; they carried out the attack by placing two homemade pressure-cooker bombs that resulted in three fatalities and numerous injuries.
- DirectorGreg BarkerStarsBen RhodesSamantha PowerJohn KerryA chronicle of the Barack Obama administration's foreign policy team and the events of Obama's final year in office.
- CreatorKelly LoudenbergStarsDavid BurnsBrian HutchinsonJames KonatA critical look into some true crime cases where American law enforcement made up for lack of actual physical evidence by using devious psychological tactics during interrogation in order to extract confessions from naive suspects.