47 Films Celebrating International Documentary Excellence

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an estimated four million children now live on the streets of its former nations. In Moscow alone, over 30,000 survive this way. This documentary focuses on a group of homeless children living in…

Three young men find solace in each other as they try to leave behind difficult family situations in their Rust Belt hometown. Years later, as they navigate the challenges of adulthood, long-held secrets emerge and put their decade-long friendship to…

Feeling lost and unhappy with his life, Dr. John Kitchin quits his job as a neurologist and relocates to Pacific Beach. He then undergoes a complete change, becoming SLOMO, swapping his professional attire for rollerblades and seeking a spiritual awakening.

Children Underground tells the story of five street children, aged eight to sixteen, who make their home in a Bucharest subway station. Daily, commuters pass them by as the children struggle to survive, resorting to begging, petty theft, and deception…

In May 1963, children in Birmingham, Alabama, marched in protest against segregation.

In the Chilean Atacama Desert, astronomers study the universe, seeking clues about how life began. Meanwhile, a group of women combs the desert sands for remains of relatives, victims of the violent repression carried out by Pinochet's government.

A spirited young woman, the daughter of Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary movement, travels from Hanoi to rural Mississippi for a high school exchange. There, her understanding of freedom, America, Vietnam, and her own identity is challenged.

"Woman Rebel" tells the story of Silu, a woman who became a key figure in Nepal's decade-long revolution. During the conflict, women made up 40% of the guerilla army fighting against the government. The film follows Silu's remarkable journey from…

This film is a love letter from a young mother to her daughter, chronicling Waad al-Kateab's life during five years of the Syrian uprising in Aleppo. It follows her as she finds love, marries, and has a daughter, Sama, amidst…

In the early 1970s, a summer camp for teenagers with disabilities near Woodstock became a catalyst for change. There, a revolution unfolded, profoundly impacting the lives of the young people and sparking a significant social movement.

Edith and Eddie, 96 and 95 years old, are America's oldest interracial couple. Their unique and peaceful love is challenged when a family conflict leads to a harmful misuse of legal guardianship.

Robb Reiner and Lips, best friends since they were 14, made a promise to play music together for life. Their band, Anvil, known as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal," inspired bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. After a disastrous European…

A SON'S SACRIFICE tells the story of Imran, a young American Muslim who faces challenges as he tries to run his father's halal slaughterhouse in Queens, New York City.

Human Remains is a documentary that explores the ordinariness of evil through intimate portraits of five dictators of the 20th century: Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Francisco Franco, and Mao Tse Tung. The film reveals personal details about their…

The film offers a glimpse into the everyday lives within Donka Hospital, the country's largest public hospital in Conakry, Guinea.

The film follows a rural farm where waste disposal is a hands-on affair. Bottles and cans are gathered for landfill trips, food scraps composted, and paper burned in a barrel each week. Through home movies, family photos, prairie scenery, and…

A community suffers when ambition outweighs integrity, political promises are broken, and well-meaning efforts backfire.

In a New Delhi choked by pollution and growing unrest, two brothers dedicate themselves to safeguarding a single black kite, a creature struggling to survive amidst the chaos.

*The Square* examines the daily struggles of Egyptians striving to establish a new democracy. The film centers on Cairo's Tahrir Square, following several young activists who believe the fight for democracy truly began after Hosni Mubarak's ouster. Driven by their…

In June 2013, filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald traveled to Hong Kong to meet Edward Snowden. Poitras documented their meetings with her camera.

"A Walk to Beautiful" follows five Ethiopian women who have suffered severe childbirth injuries. Rejected by their families and isolated by their communities, they face a lifetime of loneliness and shame. The challenges they overcome and their efforts to find…

Hugo Chavez, a charismatic and often unpredictable leader, gained immense popularity among Venezuela's working class. He became president in 1998 and fiercely resisted those who sought to remove him from power. The filmmakers were present in the presidential palace when…

This touching documentary follows a former Buddhist monk who operates an orphanage in the Himalayas. It explores his connection with Tashi, a difficult five-year-old child who has recently joined the home.

Amidst daily airstrikes targeting civilians in Syria, a dedicated team of first responders bravely risk their lives to rescue people from the wreckage.

Iraq In Fragments is a three-part documentary offering deeply personal glimpses into life in a war-torn Iraq. It follows an orphaned 11-year-old who becomes an apprentice in a Baghdad garage under a harsh owner; Sadr followers in two Shiite cities…

Bill Babbitt struggles with the difficult choice of whether to report to the police when he discovers his brother Manny has committed a crime.

The competition brings together dangerous individuals: murderers, guerrillas, and thieves. The victor will be named Queen, but her reward is not fame. Instead of a public appearance as a role model, she will be returned to her prison.

A man who works as an optician confronts the brutal Indonesian mass killings of 1965-1966, a period that saw the death of his own brother.

"The Wildest Show in the South: The Angola Prison Rodeo," a 1999 American short documentary directed by Simeon Soffer, centers on the inmates' experiences participating in the prison rodeo. For many prisoners, the rodeo represents their primary source of hope.…

In suburban Philadelphia, Dina, a vibrant 49-year-old with a unique perspective on life, asks her fiancé Scott, a Walmart employee, to move in. Both have navigated the world as neurologically diverse individuals and deeply love each other, but living together…

In 1974, French high-wire artist Philippe Petit performed an illegal walk between the New York World Trade Center towers, then the tallest buildings in the world. He spent nearly an hour on a wire strung 1,350 feet above the city…

This inspiring documentary follows acclaimed artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from the world's largest landfill in Rio de Janeiro to international fame. Muniz collaborates with the "catadores," the landfill's waste pickers – resourceful individuals who offer a unique perspective…

SALT follows acclaimed photographer Murray Fredericks as he undertakes his yearly solitary trip to the heart of Lake Eyre in remote South Australia. The film explores the artist’s personal journey, his creative process, and the stark beauty of the landscape.…

Each year, hundreds of people, predominantly women, are victims of acid attacks in Pakistan. The film follows several survivors as they pursue justice and a Pakistani plastic surgeon who returns to his country to provide them with reconstructive surgery, helping…

This film profiles the South African singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, internationally recognized for their work as backing vocalists on Paul Simon's acclaimed "Graceland" album.

Mostly told through animation to protect his privacy, Amin reflects on his childhood as an Afghan refugee while confronting a secret he has guarded for two decades.

Two South Africans travel to the United States to uncover the story of Rodriguez, a little-known rock musician from the 1970s who achieved a surprising level of fame there. They aim to find out what became of him.

This documentary follows the lives of child prostitutes in Kolkata's Songachi red-light district. Filmmaker Zana Briski initially intended to photograph the prostitutes, but she befriended their children. Briski started teaching the children photography, believing it could offer them a path…

A man rises from the poverty of Rio de Janeiro to become the leader of Afro-reggae, a movement centered on nonviolent cultural expression.

POSTER GIRL follows Robynn Murray, an American high school cheerleader who became a machine gunner in the Iraq War and a prominent symbol for women in combat, featured on the cover of Army Magazine. After returning from Iraq as Sergeant…

Werner Herzog explores the life of German-American pilot Dieter Dengler, shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War. Thirty years later, Dengler returns to the sites of his captivity, reflecting on the bonds he formed with fellow prisoners. The film…

This is the story of three young boxers and their coach, who is dedicated to helping them succeed both in their boxing careers and in their lives outside the ring.

This documentary examines the Waco siege, one of the most tragic confrontations between law enforcement and a religious group in recent history. Using archival footage and recorded conversations, the film explores the events leading to April 19, 1993. It analyzes…

This is the story of Zion Clark, a young man who became a wrestler. Zion was born without legs and spent his childhood in foster care.