Best Documentary Films of All Time

A definitive guide to the must watch documentaries that redefined nonfiction cinema — from groundbreaking true crime series to award-winning nature epics and essential historical records.

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What Makes a Great Documentary Film?

The best documentary films do what no other genre can: they place real people, real events, and real consequences in front of a camera and find the story within. Unlike fiction films that control every variable, documentarians work with the chaos of life itself — and the greatest among them shape that chaos into something profound.

Access is the first pillar of great documentary filmmaking. The filmmakers behind Making a Murderer spent ten years with the Avery family before a single frame aired. Errol Morris spent years with death row inmates for The Thin Blue Line. Without genuine access — without subjects who trust the camera — documentaries remain surface-level portraits. Deep access produces deep truth.

Narrative architecture is the second pillar. The best documentary films structure their stories with the same care as the finest fiction. They establish stakes, build tension, introduce complexity, and deliver payoffs that feel both surprising and inevitable. Free Solo is structurally a heist film where the safe is a vertical granite wall. Amy is a tragedy in the classical sense. Genre conventions apply to nonfiction as much as fiction.

Ethical integrity separates great documentaries from manipulative ones. The finest nonfiction films present complexity without exploitation, challenge subjects without ambushing them, and pursue truth without predetermined conclusions. Rithy Panh's work on Cambodian genocide achieves this balance at an extraordinary level — he forces confrontation without losing his humanity.

Finally, the best documentary films change something. They change laws (Making a Murderer reignited Steven Avery's legal case), change industries (Blackfish ended SeaWorld's orca breeding program), change cultural memory (Summer of Soul restored the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival to history), or simply change the way individual viewers understand the world they live in.

Top 10 Best Documentary Films — Ranked

1

Planet Earth II

(2016)Nature★ 9.5

Sir David Attenborough narrates six episodes capturing animal behavior never before filmed. The iguana-vs-snakes chase in Islands remains television's most-watched wildlife sequence.

Where to watch: Netflix, BBC iPlayer

2

Making a Murderer

(2015)True Crime★ 9.3

Ten years of filming inside the Avery family produced a documentary series that ignited a global debate about wrongful conviction and prosecutorial misconduct in rural Wisconsin.

Where to watch: Netflix

3

13th

(2016)Social★ 9.2

Ava DuVernay traces the history of racial inequality in the United States through the lens of the 13th Amendment, revealing how mass incarceration became the modern extension of slavery.

Where to watch: Netflix

4

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

(2018)Biography★ 9.1

Morgan Neville's portrait of Fred Rogers is the highest-grossing biographical documentary in history. It asks whether kindness itself can be radical in a cynical world.

Where to watch: HBO Max, Amazon

5

Free Solo

(2018)Sport★ 9.0

Alex Honnold's ropeless ascent of El Capitan's 900-metre face. The Academy Award winner is simultaneously a climbing film, a psychology study, and a meditation on obsession.

Where to watch: Disney+, HBO Max

6

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

(2011)Food / Art★ 8.9

An 85-year-old sushi master and his ten-seat restaurant in a Tokyo subway. Director David Gelb transforms a meal into a philosophy of lifelong dedication to craft.

Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime

7

Amy

(2015)Music★ 8.8

Asif Kapadia's Academy Award-winning portrait of Amy Winehouse uses home videos and testimonies to reveal the human behind the headlines — and the industry that consumed her.

Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime

8

The Last Dance

(2020)Sport★ 8.8

Michael Jordan opened his personal archive for this ten-part ESPN series on the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls dynasty. Every episode balances nostalgia with genuine championship tension.

Where to watch: Netflix, ESPN+

9

Icarus

(2017)True Crime★ 8.7

Bryan Fogel started filming a personal cycling experiment and accidentally uncovered Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping program — becoming a whistleblower in the process.

Where to watch: Netflix

10

Summer of Soul

(2021)Music / History★ 8.7

Questlove recovered 50 hours of lost footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The Academy Award winner restores a pivotal moment of Black cultural expression to history.

Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu

Best Documentaries by Category

True Crime

  • ▸Making a Murderer
  • ▸The Jinx
  • ▸Icarus
  • ▸Don't F**k with Cats
  • ▸Tiger King

Nature & Wildlife

  • ▸Planet Earth II
  • ▸Our Planet
  • ▸Blue Planet II
  • ▸Fantastic Fungi
  • ▸The Year Earth Changed

Social & Political

  • ▸13th
  • ▸I Am Not Your Negro
  • ▸American Factory
  • ▸The Price of Everything
  • ▸Seaspiracy

Music

  • ▸Amy
  • ▸Summer of Soul
  • ▸Searching for Sugar Man
  • ▸The Last Waltz
  • ▸Shut Up & Sing

Sport

  • ▸Free Solo
  • ▸The Last Dance
  • ▸Senna
  • ▸Icarus
  • ▸The Two Escobars

Biography & Portrait

  • ▸Won't You Be My Neighbor?
  • ▸Jiro Dreams of Sushi
  • ▸Super Size Me
  • ▸RBG
  • ▸My Octopus Teacher

Essential Southeast Asian Documentaries

Some of the most important documentary films ever made deal with the history of Southeast Asia — particularly the Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge and the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66. These films are essential viewing for anyone seeking to understand 20th century Asian history.

S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine

(2003) — dir. Rithy Panh

A Cambodian filmmaker returns survivors and former guards to Tuol Sleng prison (S21) and documents what happens. One of the most morally courageous documentaries ever made. Rithy Panh, who survived the genocide as a child, went on to found the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center in Phnom Penh to preserve Cambodian cultural memory.

Enemies of the People

(2009) — dir. Rob Lemkin & Thet Sambath

Cambodian journalist Thet Sambath spent years befriending Khmer Rouge mass killers to extract confessions on camera. A devastating and unique act of personal journalism from inside the perpetrator community.

The Act of Killing

(2012) — dir. Joshua Oppenheimer

Indonesian death squad leaders are asked to reenact their 1965-66 killings in the style of Hollywood genre films. The result is surreal, horrifying, and unlike any documentary before or since. Won the BAFTA for Best Documentary.

The Look of Silence

(2014) — dir. Joshua Oppenheimer

A companion piece to The Act of Killing following an optometrist who confronts the men who killed his brother during Indonesia's 1965 purges while testing their eyesight. Quiet where The Act of Killing is loud.

20 More Must Watch Documentaries

1The Act of Killing (2012)
2The Look of Silence (2014)
3S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2003)
4Enemies of the People (2009)
5Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
6Senna (2010)
7I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
8My Octopus Teacher (2020)
9American Factory (2019)
10RBG (2018)
11The Cove (2009)
12Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
13Grizzly Man (2005)
14Super Size Me (2004)
15Man on Wire (2008)
16The Imposter (2012)
17Blackfish (2013)
18Into the Inferno (2016)
19Abstract: The Art of Design (2017)
20The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)

Where to Watch the Best Documentary Films

Netflix

Widest library

Making a Murderer, 13th, The Last Dance, Icarus, Jiro Dreams of Sushi

HBO Max

Premium docs

Free Solo, Planet Earth II, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, The Jinx

Disney+ / Hulu

Sport + music

Summer of Soul, The Last Dance (ESPN+), Free Solo, National Geographic titles

Amazon Prime Video

Growing library

American Factory, Amy, Searching for Sugar Man, Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Apple TV+

Nature + originals

The Year Earth Changed, Prehistoric Planet, original documentary series

MUBI / Criterion

Arthouse & classic

S21, The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence, Grizzly Man, classic cinema verité

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best documentary films of all time?▸
The best documentary films of all time include Planet Earth II for its breathtaking nature cinematography, Making a Murderer for its gripping true-crime storytelling, Won't You Be My Neighbor? for its emotional depth, 13th for its powerful social commentary on racial inequality in America, and Jiro Dreams of Sushi for its meditative look at mastery and dedication. Each of these films reshaped how audiences understand the world through nonfiction storytelling.
What makes a documentary film great?▸
A great documentary film combines compelling storytelling with authentic access to its subject. The best documentaries feature a strong narrative arc, emotional resonance, and rigorous research. Visual craftsmanship matters enormously — from intimate handheld footage to sweeping aerial shots. Great documentaries also challenge the viewer's assumptions, presenting complex subjects with nuance rather than reducing them to simple good-versus-evil narratives. Subject access, archival depth, and editorial integrity are equally critical factors that separate good documentaries from truly great ones.
Where can I watch the best documentary films?▸
The best documentary films are available across multiple streaming platforms. Netflix is the dominant home for documentary content, offering originals like Making a Murderer, 13th, and The Last Dance. HBO Max hosts acclaimed titles like Free Solo and Planet Earth series. Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ are growing their documentary libraries significantly. Criterion Channel specializes in arthouse and classic documentary cinema. For Southeast Asian documentaries, MUBI and specialized festival platforms offer rare access to films like those by Rithy Panh.
What are the best true crime documentaries?▸
The best true crime documentaries include Making a Murderer (Netflix, 2015), which follows Steven Avery's controversial murder conviction and raised serious questions about the justice system. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (HBO, 2015) features shocking revelations captured on camera. Icarus (Netflix, 2017) began as a cycling experiment and accidentally uncovered Russia's state-sponsored doping scandal. Tiger King (Netflix, 2020), while more sensational in tone, became a cultural phenomenon. Don't F**k with Cats (Netflix, 2019) explores online sleuthing around a disturbing criminal case.
What are the best nature documentaries ever made?▸
The best nature documentaries of all time are led by the BBC's Planet Earth and Planet Earth II series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. These series set the gold standard for wildlife cinematography, capturing behaviors never before filmed. Our Planet (Netflix, 2019) followed with an explicit climate-change message. Blue Planet II (BBC, 2017) explored the ocean's deepest secrets. The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+, 2021) documented how nature recovered during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Fantastic Fungi (2019) offers a visually stunning exploration of the mushroom kingdom and consciousness.
Are there great documentaries about Southeast Asia?▸
Yes, some of the most important historical documentaries focus on Southeast Asia. S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2003) by Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh is a landmark film that confronts the survivors and perpetrators of Cambodia's genocide. Enemies of the People (2009) features a journalist tracking down Khmer Rouge killers who confess on camera. The Act of Killing (2012) and The Look of Silence (2014) by Joshua Oppenheimer are Indonesian documentaries that use surreal reenactment to explore the 1965-66 mass killings. These films are essential viewing for understanding 20th century Asian history.
What are the best music documentaries?▸
The best music documentaries give viewers unprecedented access to artists and their creative processes. Amy (2015), directed by Asif Kapadia, is a heartbreaking portrait of Amy Winehouse that won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Searching for Sugar Man (2012) tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, a forgotten Detroit musician who became a cultural icon in South Africa. The Last Waltz (1978) by Martin Scorsese documents The Band's final concert. Summer of Soul (2021) by Questlove recovered lost footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, often called the Black Woodstock.
What documentaries have won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature?▸
Recent Academy Award winners for Best Documentary Feature include Summer of Soul (2021) by Questlove, which brought the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival to mainstream audiences. My Octopus Teacher (2020) won for its intimate story of a filmmaker's relationship with a wild octopus. American Factory (2019), produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, won for examining the cultural clash at a Chinese-owned Ohio factory. Free Solo (2018) won for its terrifying portrait of Alex Honnold's ropeless ascent of El Capitan. Icarus (2017) won after unexpectedly uncovering the Russian doping scandal.

This guide to the best documentary films is updated regularly. Rankings reflect a combination of critical consensus, cultural impact, and long-term audience engagement. Streaming availability changes frequently — check each platform for current access.

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