Netflix Original Documentaries
List activity
34 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
87 titles
- DirectorThom ZimnyStarsBruce SpringsteenPatti ScialfaThe intimate, final performance of Bruce Springsteen's 236-show run at Jujamcyn's Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway.
- DirectorEvgeny AfineevskyStarsHis Beatitude SviatoslavSaid IsmagilovBishop AgapitA documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
- DirectorJon AlpertLife in Cuba for three struggling families over the course of 45 years, from the cautious optimism of the early 1970s to the harrowing 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and the 2016 death of Fidel Castro.
- DirectorAva DuVernayStarsMelina AbdullahMichelle AlexanderCory BookerAn in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
- DirectorPaul DugdaleStarsTaylor SwiftMatt BillingsleaCamila CabelloTaylor Swift takes the stage and proves she doesn't care about her bad reputation.
- DirectorOrlando von EinsiedelStarsAndré BaumaEmmanuel de MerodeMélanie GoubyA team of brave individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.
- DirectorJeff Orlowski-YangStarsAndrew AckermanPim BongaertsNeal CantinCoral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
- DirectorChris BolanStarsTerry DonahuePat HenschelDiana BolanFalling in love in 1947, two women -- Pat Henschel and pro baseball player Terry Donahue -- begin a 65-year journey of love and overcoming prejudice.
- DirectorIreneusz DobrowolskiStarsStanislav SzukalskiGlenn BrayRobert WilliamsThis documentary chronicles the life of Polish-American artist Stanislav Szukalski (1893-1987) from his early years in Chicago, to his time in Poland and Los Angeles, and his artistic and political contributions to the world.
- DirectorRobert NixonFisher StevensStarsBarbara BlockJames CameronMichael deGruyFeature documentary about legendary oceanographer, marine biologist, environmentalist, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and her campaign to create a global network of protected marine sanctuaries.
- DirectorChapman WayMaclain WayStarsLou RussellKurt RussellKen WheelerIn 1973, Hollywood actor Bing Russell starts an independent minor league baseball team in Portland consisting of outcasts and misfits, and turns them into unlikely overnight success.
- 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.
- DirectorKief DavidsonRichard LadkaniStarsAndrea CrostaIan StevensonPrince William of WalesWildlife activists in take on poachers in an effort to end illegal ivory trade in Africa.
- DirectorJames LebrechtNicole NewnhamStarsJames LebrechtLionel Je'WoodyardJoseph O'ConorDown the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsAdam BlackstoneAaron CamperDevine EvansThe final performance of Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids' 20/20 Experience World Tour, filmed in 2015 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
- DirectorKirby DickStarsJim SpencerJeanne LenzerMichael CaromeA look at the unforeseen consequences of advanced technological devices used in the medical field.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsBob DylanAllen GinsbergPatti SmithIn an alchemic mix of fact and fantasy, Martin Scorsese looks back at Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour and a country ripe for reinvention.
- DirectorAlan HicksRashida JonesStarsQuincy JonesRashida JonesKareem Abdul-JabbarAn intimate look into the life of icon Quincy Jones. A unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years, Jones has transcended racial and cultural boundaries; his story is inextricably woven into the fabric of America.
- DirectorLiz GarbusStarsNina SimoneLisa Simone KellyRoger NupieA documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
- DirectorLana WilsonStarsTaylor SwiftAndrea SwiftScott SwiftA look at iconic pop artist Taylor Swift during a transformational time in her life as she embraces her role as a singer/songwriter and harnesses the full power of her voice.
- DirectorJacob LaMendolaStarsTasha BoggsJuan CatalanMelissa CatalanWhen Juan Catalan is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, he builds his case around raw footage from the popular TV show, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000).
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsAlan CummingPeter BogdanovichOja KodarIn the final fifteen years of the life of legendary director Orson Welles, he pins his Hollywood comeback hopes on a film, The Other Side of the Wind (2018), in itself a film about an aging film director trying to finish his last great movie.
- DirectorSandi TanStarsJasmine Kin Kia NgPhilip CheahSophia Siddique HarveyA woman explores the events surrounding a film she and her friends began making with a mysterious stranger decades ago.
- DirectorRicki SternAnne SundbergStarsDonna HowardJohn SeagoBrigitte AmiriA deep historical look at one of the most controversial issues of our time, highlighting the abortion debate from various points along the ideological spectrum in a winding story of abortion in America.
- DirectorGriffin DunneStarsJoan DidionGriffin DunneAnna WintourLiterary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne.
- DirectorDylan BankDaniel DiMauroMorgan PehmeStarsRoger StoneDonald TrumpJane MayerA documentary exploring the life and career of notorious Republican dirty trickster and longtime Trump adviser, Roger Stone, who helped create the real estate mogul's political career.
- DirectorKristina GoolsbyAshley YorkStarsStephanie AllynneZach GalifianakisSarah SilvermanThe personal Biography of Tig Notaro, a Stand-up comedian who was diagnosed with cancer.
- DirectorMike FleissStarsJohn Perry BarlowChuck BerryNeal CassadyA documentary that explores Bob Weirs life, through the Grateful Dead, Ratdog, and his childhood.
- DirectorJosh GreenbaumStarsAmari AveryJed DyAllan KournikovaThe best 7 year old golfers from around the world descend on the world famous Pinehurst Golf course in North Carolina to determine the next world champion and who might become golf's next phenomenon. Most of these young prodigies have been holding clubs since before they could walk and are better by the time they are six than most people will be in their lifetime. This is the breeding ground for the PGA and the stakes are huge. The short game follows 9 young golfers vying for the title of 'world champion'.
- DirectorKelly DuaneStarsSam CookeQuincy JonesSmokey RobinsonAn investigation into the circumstances and controversy surrounding Sam Cooke's murder.
- DirectorB.J. PerlmuttBent-Jorgen PerlmuttStarsVíctor JaraJoan JaraPascale BonnefoyThis documentary questions who killed Victor Jara, Chilean musician and activist who died during the dictatorship in his country.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsIan BurumaGuo-Qiang CaiWen-You CaiTrace the rise of contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang from childhood in Mao's China to global art world superstar, and join his quest to realize his lifelong obsession: Sky Ladder.
- DirectorJon GreenhalghStarsJohn du PontDave SchultzMike GostigianDocumentary filmmaker Jon Greenhalgh examines the life of Dave Schultz, a professional wrestler who was part of 'Team Foxcatcher', funded by multi-millionaire John du Pont.
- DirectorEstevan OriolStarsEstevan OriolMister CartoonSnoop DoggPhotographer Estevan Oriol and artist Mister Cartoon turned their Chicano roots into gritty art, impacting street culture, hip hop and beyond.
- DirectorChris SmithStarsBilly McFarlandJason BellGabrielle BluestoneAn exclusive behind the scenes look at the infamous unraveling of the Fyre music festival.
- DirectorSara DosaBarbara KoppleStarsJohnny CashRichard NixonAram BakshianConcerned by a rising rock-n-roll influence on a growing liberal fanbase, President Nixon invited Johnny Cash to the White House to solidify his base in the traditionally more conservative genre of country music. What Cash did instead was subversive and surprised everyone.
- DirectorDavid FranceStarsKurt WolfeSue YackaCatherine Shugrue Dos SantosVictoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson. Using archival interviews with Johnson, and new interviews with Johnson's family, friends and fellow activists.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogKatia KrafftMaurice KrafftAn exploration of active volcanoes around the world.
- DirectorBonni CohenJon ShenkStarsRobin BourlandDaisy ColemanCharles ColemanA look at the effects that online bullying has on the lives of teenagers and their community.
- DirectorPetra CostaStarsDilma RousseffLuiz Inácio Lula da SilvaMarisa Letícia Lula da SilvaPolitical documentary and personal memoir collide in this exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.
- DirectorBert MarcusStarsKirill BichutskyHailey BieberAmanda CernySocial media stars Paris Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky, Brittany Furlan and Kirill Bichutsky hustle to build online empires - and face the pitfalls of fame.
- 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.
- DirectorJoe PiscatellaStarsAgnes ChowJoshua 'Chi-Fung' WongWhen the Chinese Communist Party backtracks on its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong, teenager Joshua Wong decides to save his city. Rallying thousands of kids to skip school and occupy the streets, Joshua becomes an unlikely leader in Hong Kong and one of China's most notorious dissidents.
- DirectorSophie RobinsonLotje SodderlandStarsDavid LynchSophie RobinsonHente SodderlandAfter suffering a stroke at age 34, a woman documents her struggles, setbacks and eventual breakthrough as she relearns to speak, read and write.
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsKeith RichardsAnthony DeCurtisSteve JordanA portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
- DirectorKaty ChevignyRoss KauffmanStarsAnna NeistatOle SolvangPeter BouckaertWhen atrocities are committed in countries held hostage by ruthless dictators, Human Rights Watch sends in the E-Team (Emergencies Team), a collection of fiercely intelligent individuals hired to document war crimes and report them to the rest of the world. Within this volatile climate, filmmakers Ross Kauffman and Katy Chevigny take us to the frontline in Syria and Libya, where shrapnel, bullet holes, and unmarked graves provide mounting evidence of coordinated attacks conducted by Bashar al-Assad and the now-deceased Muammar Gaddafi. The crimes are rampant, random, and often undocumented, making E-Team's effort to get information out of the country and into the hands of media outlets and criminal courts all the more necessary.
- DirectorLuis LopezClay TweelStarsChris AndersonBruce BradshawCraig BroadyFollows the people racing to bring the hot new 3D printing technology to your home, documenting the "Macintosh Moment" of this revolution and exploring what it takes to live the American Dream.
- DirectorRachel MasonStarsKaren MasonBarry MasonMicah MasonIn 1976, Karen and Barry Mason had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family when they answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times. Larry Flynt was seeking distributors for Hustler Magazine. What was expected to be a brief sideline led to their becoming fully immersed in the LGBT community as they took over a local store, Circus of Books. A decade later, they had become the biggest distributors of gay porn in the US. The film focuses on the double life they led, trying to maintain the balance of being parents at a time when LGBT culture was not yet accepted. Their many challenges included facing jail time for a federal obscenity prosecution and enabling their store to be a place of refuge at the height of the AIDS crisis. Circus of Books offers a rare glimpse into an untold chapter of queer history, and it is told through the lens of the owners' own daughter, Rachel Mason, an artist, filmmaker and musician.
- DirectorJoshua IzenbergWynn PadulaStarsBobby LaneVan CurazaMartin PollockAfter years of nightmares, depression, and seizures, Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane could see no way out of his trauma other than suicide. Then he met Van Curaza, a former big wave surfer who since founded Operation Surf and dedicated his life to helping veterans find solace in surfing. Backed by a growing body of research demonstrating the healing power of the ocean on the mind and body, organizations such as Operation Surf and the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation are using surfing to help veterans cope with physical and mental trauma.
- DirectorLucy CohenStarsJamie-Jodie ShanksKacie-Kimie ShanksLorie-Lanie ShanksA father's suicide sends a family of eight on a journey through childhood memories and treacherous emotional waters in this poignant documentary.
- DirectorChris MoukarbelStarsSandra AmadorMichael BeardenTony BennettThis documentary goes behind the scenes with pop provocateur Lady Gaga as she releases a bold new album and prepares for her Super Bowl halftime show.
- DirectorChristopher GuestStarsLoudon Wainwright IIIGrammy-winning singer Loudon Wainwright III reflects upon his unique relationship with his father in an evening of original songs and heartfelt stories.
- DirectorSam RegaStarsSrinivas AyyagariJacques BaillyValerie BrowningChronicle of the ups and downs of four Indian-American students as they compete to realize their dream of winning the iconic tournament.
- DirectorKief DavidsonStarsBob MarleyArnold BertramCindy BreakspeareThe violent political suppression of the roots reggae movement in Jamaica told through an investigation into Jamaican politics and the CIA's involvement in the mysterious shooting of Bob Marley.
- DirectorJohanna DemetrakasStarsBella AbzugLaurie AndersonPhyllis CheslerFeminists: What Were They Thinking? takes aim at our current culture revealing all too vividly the urgent need for continued change.
- DirectorLygia BarbosaEliane BrumStarsLaerte CoutinhoEliane BrumRafael CoutinhoAfter living as a man for nearly 60 years, Laerte Coutinho, one of Brazil's most brilliant cartoonists, introduces herself to the world as a woman.
- DirectorRod BlackhurstBrian McGinnStarsAmanda KnoxMeredith KercherRaffaele SollecitoAmerican exchange student Amanda Knox is charged with the 2007 death of another student in Italy.
- DirectorGreg WhiteleyStarsMitt RomneyCandy CrowleyEric DraperMitt Romney and his family are followed through their U.S. Presidential campaigns for the Republic Party.
- DirectorDonick CaryStarsNick OffermanStingA$AP RockyMixing comedy with a thorough investigation of psychedelics, 'Have a Good Trip' explores the pros, cons, science, history, future, pop cultural impact, and cosmic possibilities of hallucinogens.
- DirectorNadia HallgrenStarsElizabeth AlexanderAdrian K. CollinsValerie JarrettJoin former first lady Michelle Obama in an intimate documentary looking at her life, hopes and connection with others during her 2019 book tour for 'Becoming.'
- DirectorDavid SingtonHeather WalshStarsWally FunkRhea WoltmanSarah RatleyAfter rigorous testing in 1961, a small group of skilled female pilots are asked to step aside when only men are selected for the spaceflight.
- DirectorRoberta GrossmanSophie SartainStarsGloria AllredLisa BloomHillary ClintonWomen's rights attorney Gloria Allred takes on the biggest names in American culture as coverage of sexual assault allegations in the media become more prevalent.
- DirectorJacob KornbluthSari GilmanStarsRobert ReichDarvin BentlageAnnie PresleySAVING CAPITALISM is a documentary film that follows former Secretary of Labor and Professor, Robert Reich, as he takes his book and his views to the heart of conservative America to speak about our economic system and present big ideas for how to fix it.
- DirectorFrancisco MacriStarsJackie StewartFernando AlonsoMika HäkkinenThe life of five-time Formula One world champion Juan Manuel Fangio. The first official documentary.
- DirectorJay BulgerStarsOscar De La HoyaDavid DiamanteBernard HopkinsThe seasoned pro. The Olympic hopeful. The young up-and-comer. The ring is their home, and the titles are their dream. As boxing' popularity wanes, three fighters at different stages of their career make sacrifices to pursue their dreams of becoming champions.
- DirectorJoe BerlingerStarsSage Bonnie HumphreySteven KronickAnthony RobbinsTONY ROBBINS: I AM NOT YOUR GURU, a feature documentary film about internationally renowned life and business strategist Tony Robbins, is a revelatory cinéma vérité film that goes behind the scenes of his mammoth seminar "Date With Destiny," attended by over 2,500 people in Boca Raton, Florida, each year, to give an insider look at how one man can affect millions. Granted never before seen access to the behind the scenes modus operandi of this enormous event, this film captures both the immense effort of producing this live seminar, as well as the life-changing transformations of the participants in real time. Embedding with Tony Robbins and his team over the course of six days, Academy Award nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger turns an unflinching eye on Tony Robbins' powerful and uncompromising approach to achieving success, ensuring the attendees leave "Date With Destiny" with new perspective on the forces, thoughts, and feelings that motivate their behavior and help them take control of their lives. Pulling back the curtain on Tony Robbins, a man that traverses the globe and counsels over 200,000 people annually, including world leaders, pundits, entrepreneurs, CEOs, athletes and celebrities, through interviews and unprecedented access, TONY ROBBINS: I AM NOT YOUR GURU is an emotional tour de force that unveils the inner-workings of this mega event, the zealous participants and the man himself.
- DirectorJulia KnowlesJohn L. SpencerStarsDerren BrownIllusionist Derren Brown reinvents the concept of "faith healing" through a series of stunts that debunk the confines of fear, pain and disbelief.
- DirectorBrian OakesStarsJam Master JayDJ HurricaneRahman DukesRun DMC's Jam Master Jay was shot and killed in a Jamaica, Queens recording studio in 2002. Despite six witnesses present at the murder, no one has ever been convicted.
- DirectorJustin KrookStarsDevon AokiBenji MaddenWill.i.amI'll Sleep When I'm Dead, directed by Justin Krook, is a heart-pumping yet heart-wrenching documentary about one of the most eminent DJs working today: Steve Aoki. In the lead-up to Aoki's biggest show of his career, this introspective doc examines the driving force behind his passion: Rocky Aoki, daredevil showman, Benihana founder, and Steve's looming father figure. From producers David Gelb (Chef's Table, Jiro Dreams of Sushi), Matthew Weaver (Rock of Ages), Matt Colon, Happy Walters, Executive Producer Michael Mailis and Co-Producer Susan Wrubel.
- DirectorElaine McMillion SheldonIn the heart of America's opioid epidemic, four men attempt to reinvent their lives and reenter society sober after years of drug abuse. Recovery Boys, from Academy Award nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin(e)), is an intimate look at the strength, brotherhood, and courage that it takes to overcome addiction and lays bare the internal conflict of recovery and the external hurdles of an unforgiving society.
- DirectorBrian KnappenbergerStarsA.J. DaulerioHulk HoganCharles HarderThe courtroom and publicity battles between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media explode in a sensational trial all about the limits of the First Amendment and the new no holds barred nature of celebrity life in an internet dominated society.
- DirectorÁlvaro LongoriaGerardo OlivaresStarsLuis María AnsonInés ArrimadasElsa ArtadiA documentary that tackles the ideological conflicts surrounding the December 21 election in the country, to the push for sovereignty and subsequent parliamentary declaration of independence and the aftermath.
- DirectorAlison KlaymanStarsArianaDelaneyJasper Holt-TezaEvery era gets the drug it deserves. In America today, where competition is ceaseless from school to the workforce and everyone wants a performance edge, Adderall and other prescription stimulants are the defining drugs of this generation.
- DirectorYance FordStarsYance FordHarvey WalkerKevin MyersWhen filmmaker Yance Ford investigates the 1992 murder of a young Black man, it becomes an achingly personal journey, since the victim, 24-year-old William Ford Jr., was the filmmaker's brother.
- DirectorMichael BarnettStarsBob BehnkenAlayna BidlackNiko BlanksAspiring teenage astronauts reveal that a journey to Mars is closer than you think.
- DirectorDaniel H. BirmanAfter 16-year-old Cyntoia Brown is sentenced to life in prison, questions about her past, physiology and the law itself call her guilt into question.
- DirectorTheo LoveStarsBo ButterworthBri BryantEdward CraigA desperate man goes on a buried treasure hunt for $2 million worth of cocaine.
- 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.
- DirectorEslam RasmyStarsAhmed HelmyYoussraMona ZakiA documentary that investigates the meticulous process of film-making in all the three phases of production, told from the perspectives of Egyptian film-makers, celebrities, and other contributors to the film industry.
- 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.
- DirectorMyles KaneJosh KouryStarsGay TaleseGerald FoosNan TaleseJournalism icon Gay Talese reports on Gerald Foos, the owner of a Colorado motel, who allegedly secretly watched his guests with the aid of specially designed ceiling vents, peering down from an "observation platform" he built in the motel's attic.
- DirectorKitty GreenStarsHannah CagwinAeona CruzLiv BagleyIn the months following the unsolved murder of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, responses were elicited from her Colorado hometown community, creating a work of art from the collective memories and mythologies the crime inspired.
- 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.
- DirectorJohn HoffmanNanfu WangThe United States has long offered a promise of opportunity and safety to arriving immigrants - The American Dream. However, currently facing a time of deep political, social, and cultural divide, immigration has become a divisive issue.
- DirectorReginald HudlinStarsClarence AvantHank AaronGwen AdolphFollows the life of Clarence Avant, the ultimate, uncensored mentor and behind-the-scenes rainmaker in music, film, TV and politics.
- 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.
- DirectorRichard TrankStarsGeorge W. BushGeorge ClooneyBarack ObamaA look back on the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shimon Peres, who served as prime minister of Israel twice and negotiated the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty.