Documentary: 40

The Brits made a true crime flick, The Tinder Swindler (2022), directed by Felicity Morris and released on Netflix. An Israeli, Shimon Hayut, went around Europe posing as the son of Russian-Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev aka the Diamond King. Using dating app Tinder under the alias Simon Leviev, he fooled women into giving him money that he never returned. He dazzled them with extravagant gifts and took them on fancy private jet dinners funded by other unsuspecting victims. He then claimed to be in danger from his “enemies”, sending identical messages and photos to each woman, claiming he had narrowly ...

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022) is a television special, released on HBO Max on New Year’s Day, celebrating the first installment of the beloved film series. Produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television and executive produced by Casey Patterson, this reunion honors the late cast members, including Helen McCrory, Alan Rickman, John Hurt, Richard Griffiths, and

The Rescue (2021), a documentary, sheds light on the incredible Tham Luang cave rescue mission of 2018. This joint project was directed and produced by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. Initially, Kevin Macdonald was set to direct the documentary, but in February 2021, it was announced that Vasarhelyi and Chin would take over as directors while Macdonald remained an executive producer. National Geographic Documentary Films was on board as the production company for this film since March 2019. However, due to certain ...

Directed and produced by Todd Haynes, The Velvet Underground (2021) is an American documentary that delves into the story of the influential rock band. Haynes was granted access to interviews with surviving members, including founding members John Cale and Maureen Tucker. Filmed in 2018, the documentary also features voiceovers from Doug Yule, who joined the band in 1968. In October 2020, Apple TV+ secured distribution rights for the film. The world premiere took place at the ...

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali (2021), an American documentary film on Netflix, was directed by Marcus A. Clarke. Inspired by the book Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith, the film explores the bond and eventual breakdown between boxer Muhammad Ali and civil rights advocate Malcolm X. Through a combination of archival footage and interviews with close associates, it delves into their complex relationship. The film premiered on ...

Directed by Edgar Wright, The Sparks Brothers (2021) is a documentary that delves into the story of Ron and Russell Mael, the talented duo behind the pop and rock band Sparks. The film premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30 and was later released in North America on June 18 by Focus Features. Through extensive interviews with Ron and Russell Mael, as well as other notable musicians such as Beck, Flea,

Everybody’s Everything (2019) is a documentary that delves into the life of Gustav Elijah Åhr, better known as the American rapper Lil Peep. Directed by Sebastian Jones and Ramez Silyan, it was produced by Benjamin Soley and executive produced by Terrence Malick, Liza Womack, and Sarah Stennett. The film follows Lil Peep’s journey from his childhood in Long Beach, NY ...

The documentary film, They Shall Not Grow Old (2018), directed and produced by Peter Jackson, utilizes original footage from the Imperial War Museum’s archives. This footage, all over 100 years old at the time of its release, had not been previously seen. The audio in the film is taken from interviews conducted by the BBC and Imperial War Museum with British servicemen who participated in the First World War. To enhance the experience and bring viewers closer to the soldiers’ perspectives, modern production techniques were employed such as colorization and sound effects. Through revolutionary computer ...

Rolling Stone: Stories From the Edge (2017) delves into significant articles, including Michael Hastings’ exposé that led to the downfall of Gen. Stanley McChrystal in Afghanistan, Lawrence Wright’s captivating exploration of televangelist Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall, and Jann Wenner’s moving post-election interview with Barack Obama in 2016. This two-part documentary also takes a retrospective look at the past 50 years of the renowned magazine, featuring interviews and footage with prominent individuals who have graced its pages since Jann Wenner founded it in 1967.

Voyage of Time (2016), an American experimental documentary written and directed by Terrence Malick, is an exploration of the origin and end of the known universe. The film was a culmination of over forty years of work for Malick and has been described by him as “one of my greatest dreams”. It was released in two versions: a forty-minute IMAX version narrated by Brad Pitt, and a feature-length edition (also known as Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey) narrated by Cate Blanchett. Additionally, the ...

The American documentary film Best of Enemies (2015), co-directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville, delves into the televised debates between intellectuals Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. during the 1968 United States presidential election. Despite facing challenges in funding, securing interviews, and uncovering archival footage, the film was successfully completed after five years. Critics have given Best of Enemies high praise, with a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 118 reviews and an average score of 7.61/10. According to the website’s consensus, ...

De Palma (2015), an American documentary directed by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow, explores the career of famed director and screenwriter Brian De Palma. The film made its debut at the 72nd Venice Film Festival where it was screened out of competition. According to review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 95% approval rating with an average score of 8.0/10 based on 114 reviews. Critics praise the film for its entertaining stories from De Palma’s career, earning it a consensus of ‘universal ...

Citizenfour (2014), a documentary directed by Laura Poitras, delves into the NSA spying scandal involving Edward Snowden. It premiered in the US on October 10, 2014, at the New York Film Festival and in the UK on October 17, 2014, at the BFI London Film Festival. The film received widespread praise and numerous awards, including Best Documentary Feature at the 87th Academy Awards. After Poitras received encrypted emails from an informant with knowledge of government surveillance programs, she joined forces with journalist ...

1 (2013) is a documentary film directed by Paul Crowder and narrated by Michael Fassbender. It opens with the 1996 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where Martin Brundle escaped a dramatic crash at turn 3. Despite receiving clearance from race doctor Sid Watkins, Brundle quickly switched to a spare car to finish the race. The documentary also briefly examines the origins of Formula One racing in the 1950s, which essentially revived prewar Grand Prix racing. The following year, the FIA announced the Formula One World Constructors’ Championship for winning car ...

In 2012, filmmaker Oliver Stone released a groundbreaking documentary series called The Untold History of the United States (2012–2013). Alongside historian Peter Kuznick, director of American University’s Nuclear Studies Institute, Stone delves into the complex reasons behind the Cold War, the controversial decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan, and America’s evolving role in the world since the fall of Communism. This project, which began in 2008, was co-written by

The American television documentary miniseries, Prohibition (2011), was directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick and features narration by Peter Coyote. Airing on PBS from October 2 to October 4, 2011, the project received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its main source of inspiration was Daniel Okrent’s 2010 book, Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Throughout American history, heavy alcohol ...

The documentary film, George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011), was co-produced and directed by Martin Scorsese. It depicts the life of famed musician and former Beatles member, George Harrison. Along with the film’s release came a companion book and an album featuring Harrison’s demo recordings. Its impressive accomplishments include winning Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Nonfiction Special. Initially recognized as ‘The Quiet Beatle’ of the Fab Four, George Harrison’s life extended far beyond ...

The American documentary film, Hubble 3D (2010), follows Space Shuttle missions to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Narrated by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie features footage from various sources, including IMAX cameras brought into space on Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions via the Space Shuttle. This provided close-up shots and footage of maintenance tasks on the satellite. The first use of IMAX cameras on a servicing mission was during STS-61 in December 1993, with a subsequent use on STS-125 in May 2009 – which marked the final Space Shuttle mission to the Hubble. The IMAX 3D camera ...

The documentary film, Senna (2010), directed by Asif Kapadia, tells the story of Brazilian motor-racing legend Ayrton Senna. The film begins with his introduction to Formula One in 1984 and his time with Toleman and Lotus before focusing on his successful partnership with McLaren that propelled him to worldwide recognition as a World Champion. This period of his career was marked by intense competition with teammate Alain Prost and political struggles with FISA leader Jean-Marie Balestre. The climax of their rivalry occurred during the controversial clashes in the 1989 and 1990 seasons that ultimately determined the ...

The film Inside Job (2010), directed by Charles Ferguson, delves into the financial crisis of the late-2000s. It received high praise from critics for its well-paced storytelling, thorough research, and clear explanation of complex concepts. The documentary was even showcased at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May 2010 and went on to win Best Documentary Feature at the 83rd Academy Awards on February 27, 2011. Through examining the effects of Iceland’s government deregulation in 2000, including privatizing its banks, the film sheds light on how the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and collapse of AIG led to a ...