The best documentaries on Netflix

Among its contents, Netflix houses an outstanding collection of documentaries, both original and classic, with proposals that have even received important awards such as the Oscar. There is no doubt that, in this area, the platform is the undisputed number one. Can't find what to see? Forget about fiction for a while and take a look at our list of the best documentaries on Netflix.

Keep in mind that this list has been compiled based on the programming available in the United States, so if you live in another country, it may not match exactly.

You will be interested:

cheer (2020)

When you think of Texas, you probably think more of football than cheerleading. However, this documentary will make you wonder: which of the two activities is more demanding? This series features Monica Adams, a cheerleading coach in Corsicana, Texas, who works to create the perfect cheerleading program for a small group of college athletes. It may remind you of Dance Moms or other popular reality series, but this one is much more intense.

Netflix

See (2021)

Award-winning filmmakers Davis Fincher and Davod Prior created this documentary series that celebrates the history of cinema. Its six parts include visual essays from legends, with a look at the key cinematic moments that have gone down in history.

Netflix

Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019)

This documentary series gives us access to the people behind one of the most popular (and dangerous) sports in the world. You'll get to know the drivers, the teams and those responsible for this multi-million dollar business in their element, and you'll understand the particular kind of madness it takes to drive on the tracks at 380 kilometers per hour to try to be number one.

Netflix

Seaspiracy (2021)

Seaspiracy (from the creators of Cowspiracy) takes us to the sea to show us the truth about the environmental destruction caused by humans. Filmmaker Ali Tabrizi's goal was to create a film that would pay homage to the ocean, but his narrative was inevitably drawn to the irreparable damage caused by our species. From plastic pollution to illegal fishing and hunting, humanity continually wreaks havoc on the oceans. This tape is definitely not for the faint hearted.

Netflix

Heist (2021)

The guys at Netflix are experts on true crime content. They take things to a new level in this dramatized documentary series, with stories about ordinary people who successfully pull off extraordinary heists. From a career criminal who resorts to hypnosis to a family man who convinces his friends to help him steal the world's most expensive whiskey, Heist is a hilarious production that will have you wondering, Could I do something like this, too? ?

Netflix

Cat People (2021)

Some love dogs; others to cats. However, while there are all kinds of movies and shows about dogs saving people, being loyal friends, or just plain lovable, cats don't get the same kind of love. However, for some people, cats are just as loyal and good companions as dogs, or better, and in Cat People you will see some of the most interesting cat lovers in the world. The idea is to correct the negative stereotypes associated with cat ownership and reveal the true power of the bonds people can make with these independent pets.

Netflix

PenguinTown (2021)

This documentary takes you to a quaint South African town where the coolest kids on the block are an eclectic group of endangered penguins. Narrated by comedian Patton Oswalt, the series presents a humorous look at the lives of penguins as they try to find mates, start families and blend in with the local population.

Netflix

Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know (2020)

Black holes are paradoxes full of complexity and yet amazing simplicity. For astrophysicists, they represent the limits of knowledge. This documentary follows two scientific works; one directed by Stephen Hawking that seeks to show that these regions do not annihilate the past; and another sips the world's highest-altitude observatories capturing their first images. In this search to demystify black holes, the documentary collects the greatest discoveries of humanity.

Netflix

This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist (2021)

On the eve of the 1990 St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston, two men dressed as police officers tricked their way into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. After subduing the guards, they spent about an hour and a half touring the museum and ripping millions of dollars worth of paintings from its frames. This crime is the largest art theft in history and to date it has not been solved. In this investigative series, filmmaker Colin Barnicle examines some of the most likely suspects, speaking with both amateur detectives and professional art thieves in an attempt to crack the case.

Netflix

Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)

A robbery gone wrong in 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, resulted in a terrifying public murder that captured the attention of the United States. Shortly thereafter, a series of collectors, outcasts, and miscreants became involved in a cat-and-mouse game with the FBI. Finally Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was arrested and declared the mastermind behind the assault. However, 15 years later, this documentary will show that the conspiracy and the murders go much further than anyone imagined.

Netflix

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

We have a lot to learn from nature, and that is evident in My Octopus Teacher. Filmmaker James Reed moves to the southwestern tip of Cape Town, South Africa, to recharge and dive in the kelp forests he visited in his childhood. As he escapes the stresses of his everyday life and plunges into the cold waters, he strikes up an amazing friendship with an octopus and learns about the mysteries and wonders of the ocean.

Netflix

Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)

The word Bikram is known everywhere since doing yoga became fashionable. However, many ignore the story of the founder, Bikram Choudhury. In this documentary, based on a podcast miniseries, director Eva Orner examines the rise and fall of Choudhury, considered almost divine by many of his followers before the disturbing revelations about his predatory impulses were released.

Netflix

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021)

For decades, college counselor Rick Singer dedicated himself to "helping" the children of extremely well-off families get into America's top universities, giving money to coaches and athletic directors to pass off wealthy candidates as athletic entrants and providing students with fake credentials and scores, all for a few hundred thousand dollars. Through dramatizations based on wiretapped telephone conversations and court documents, this compelling documentary reveals just how corrupt the American university system is.

Netflix

Surviving Death (2021)

We've all wondered what happens when we die, but no one really knows for sure what the afterlife looks like...or even if it exists. However, this series seeks to investigate this question as thoroughly as possible. Based on the book by Leslie Kean, the series uses groundbreaking recent research and personal stories of near-death experiences, reincarnation, and paranormal phenomena.

Netflix

Join us tomorrow at CA @NatlMainStreet's Repair, Recover, Revive! Virtual Conference to learn about how to avoid pr… https://t.co/o7rsg9YdC3

— Small Business Majority Wed Nov 11 18:02:56 +0000 2020

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)

This series about one of California's most notorious and terrifying serial killers has been criticized for being overly graphic and for sensationalizing both the violence and the hunt for the killer dubbed the Night Stalker. It is definitely for strong stomachs. That said, fans of true-life crime stories will be on the edge of their seats as they learn all about a series of murders and sexual assaults that occurred in the summer of 1985 in Los Angeles County. The series is told through first-person interviews, archival video, and original photos.

Netflix

Pele (2021)

The life of Pelé, possibly the best player to ever compete on a soccer field, has been documented on numerous occasions. This tape includes black-and-white archive footage from the soccer star's early years, as well as interviews with him and some of his former teammates. The common thread for him is the 12-year period between 1958 and 1970, when the Brazilian took the world of sports by storm. Available on Netflix from February 23.

Netflix

Strip Down, Rise Up (2021)

The healing process after a traumatic experience can be a long one; it may even take a lifetime. Some women have found strength and sanity through an unusual practice: pole dancing. This activity, once seen as something of a circus or exotic dancers, now serves as a way to manage problems and take back the power that someone else took from them.

Netflix

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)

In 2018, the must-see festival destination of the year was Fyre Fest. Hosted by Ja Rule and Billy McFarland, this festival boasted the most exclusive and exciting event of the decade, staged on a private island with a long line of activities for those for whom money is no object, plus a host of artists led by Blink-182. The Fyre Fest, immortalized by its orange square logo, became something of a legend that took the world by storm almost overnight. However, for those who attended and were stuck on the little Caribbean island where it took place, it was also hell. This is the story of one of the biggest social frauds of all time.

Netflix

Last Breath (2019)

Chris Lemons and his team were deep diving for a routine repair 100 meters below the surface of the North Sea. However, what started as a normal day at work quickly turns into a worst nightmare when Chris's umbilical cord (the harness that ties him to the boat) breaks, leaving him trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Narrated with archival footage of what happened that day, as well as interactions with the ship's crew, Last Breath is an intense look at the sea and an endearing display of humanity, told by a group of men just doing their jobs.

Netflix

The Social Dilemma (2020)

The Social Dilemma, one of the most shocking documentaries of 2020, reveals something that most of us already suspected: Big tech and social networks are -potentially- extremely dangerous. Mixing drama with documentary, this film introduces us to the techies who have created many of the systems that drive our network-obsessed age. However, what they do is not promote his work – what they do is warn us what it is capable of doing.

Netflix

Long Shot (2017)

Did you know that Larry David (from Curb Your Enthusiasm) technically helped get an innocent man out of prison? In Long Shot, Juan Catalan, from Los Angeles, is imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. This short film presents the views of Juan's family, as well as his legal team, Larry David, and other relevant experts. However, it is when Catalan's defense goes to extreme measures to prove his alibi from the day of the crime that you will not be able to take your eyes off the screen.

Netflix

American Murder: The Family Next Door (2018)

American Murder is a documentary that traces the disappearance of Shan'ann Watts and her two young daughters, beginning with the first 911 call and ending with the infamous trial of Chris Watts, her husband and father. Told through video, text messages and interviews with friends, family and legal experts, this film chronicles the struggle, terror and pain of the Watts family and those close to them.

Netflix

Athlete A (2020)

For more than two decades, Larry Nassar practiced medicine for the US national gymnastics team. However, Nassar betrayed the trust that was placed in him, sexually assaulting the gymnasts who were in his care. This documentary by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk tells the story of The Indianapolis Star journalists whose work helped land Nassar in prison. And more importantly, this film gives the victims another chance to share their stories.

Netflix

13th (2016)

The history of race in the United States is long, bloody, and tinged with an inequality that seems not to lose strength, as illustrated by this Oscar-nominated documentary, which tells the story of a post-slavery USA and puts the spotlight on the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution, which -at least in appearance- abolished slavery. However, there is a technicality that allows slavery as punishment for a crime. The documentary argues, through investigation and evidence, that the criminal justice system and mass incarceration have become a modern way of perpetuating racial inequality.

Netflix

Becoming (2020)

In 2018, the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, wrote an autobiography titled Becoming. In 2020 director Nadia Hallgreen made a documentary of the same name that followed Obama during her book's promotional tour. Michelle Obama also talks about her years in the White House with her husband, former President Barack Obama. However, her story is interesting on its own, especially as she talks about the challenges she has overcome.

Netflix

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

Before he died, James Baldwin planned to tell the story of his experiences in the civil rights movement in the United States through the book Remember This House. Baldwin was a contemporary of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers, and offered his own perspective on history in his unfinished book. With I Am Not Your Negro, filmmaker Raoul Peck enlisted Samuel L. Jackson to narrate Baldwin's reflections on the major movements he lived through. It is a battle that never really ended, and today it is more relevant than ever.

Netflix

Chasing Coral

Although they only cover less than 2 percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs are essential to marine ecosystems, supporting nearly 25 percent of ocean species. It is disturbing, then, to see the world's vibrant reefs turn white and die. Director Jeff Orlowski's latest documentary, Chasing Coral, follows a team of researchers as they attempt to document the slow death of these ecosystems. The documentary is informative and exposes why they are important for keeping the oceans healthy and how rising sea temperatures are destroying them. Chasing Coral provides a human element. The researchers involved show a great passion for their work, which can be more persuasive than any data.

Netflix

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness

2020 will be remembered as the year of the coronavirus and probably the year of Joe Exotic, Tiger King. Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin's docuseries about the big cat trade in the United States became a well-known meme. It's a documentary for the internet age, somehow constantly repeating itself with the insanity of its characters and stories. Joe Exotic is an openly gay, polygamous, backcountry, gun-toting redneck who owns and operates a private big cat zoo in Oklahoma. His story is even stranger.

Netflix

amanda knox

Amanda Knox is a controversial – and well-known – figure. In 2007, the foreign language student and her boyfriend were wrongfully convicted of allegedly murdering her roommate while she was in Italy, resulting in an eight-year legal battle involving dubious forensic evidence and misleading journalism. of bad quality.

In the documentary, Amanda Knox, directors Brian McGinn and Rod Blackhurst don't narrate the events so much, but rather examine the web of incompetence that permeates the tabloid narrative, with illuminating interviews with and her closest to Knox. .

Netflix

The Ivory Game

In this Netflix original documentary, filmmakers Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani tell the story of elephant poaching and the inner workings of the ivory trade.

The film paints a bleak picture of the economies, both political and financial, that have emerged as a result of the value of ivory in regions where loopholes allow black-market product to move unrestricted.

From Africa to China to Italy, the film seeks to expose the brutality of the ivory trade and help support those who seek to extinguish it.

Netflix

The Short Game

Have you ever seen the excellent 2002 documentary Spellbound? Well, The Short Game is something like that, although it focuses on eight participants in the 2012 Kids World Golf Championship in the United States.

Director Josh Greenbaum's inspiring film follows young athletes - five boys and three of whom are girls - six months before competition, outlining their athletic drive and personal interests in equal measure.

Some of the athletes are more important than others, like the younger brother of tennis superstar Anna Kournikova, but they all end up participating in a competition that brings both laughter and tears to the children and their parents.

Netflix

Icarus

Bryan Fogel's first documentary, Icarus, began as an attempt to document the effects of doping, with Fogel taking drugs to compete in a bicycle race. In an act of journalistic cool, Fogel meets a Russian doctor, Grigory Rodchenkov, who leads Fogel into a much bigger story: a Russian state-sponsored doping program that could call into question the validity of international sports. It is essentially a real life political thriller.

Netflix

American Factory

Winner of an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2020, American Factory addresses the difficulties and culture shock of Chinese company Fuyao's reopening of an abandoned General Motors factory in Moraine, an Ohio town. The work was produced by Higher Ground Productions, the production company of former United States President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

Netflix

Our Planet

Original for Netflix, Our Planet is an ambitious documentary that collects ultra high definition images from more than 50 countries, from exotic jungles to the depths of the ocean. With the prominent British scientist David Attenborough as a voiceover (Penélope Cruz in the Spanish dubbed version and Salma Hayek for Mexico), this work will allow you to experience the natural beauty of the planet and discover how climate change affects all living beings.

Netflix

Night On Earth

Night On Earth is a revolutionary documentary, using state-of-the-art cinematographic technology to capture nature at night. Even in total darkness, Night On Earth shows nocturnal creatures and their behavior under the cover of darkness. This avant-garde cinema unearths a whole new world, rarely seen by humans, but now possible to see in full detail. Narrated by Samira Wiley (A Handmaid's Tale), Night on Earth is a riveting experience that brings a world of darkness to light.

Netflix

birds

Birders invites birdwatching from the US-Mexico border. Mexican birders Mexico record how birds cross into the United States and how they return to Mexico. Man-made obstacles pose a threat to birds and their habitat, causing untold destruction to their populations and ecosystems. This short documentary shows a world without borders, with members of both countries working together to protect the habitat of these magnificent animals.

Netflix

Into The Hell

Director and writer Werner Herzog presents this documentary feature film, focused on one of the most powerful and destructive forces on the planet: volcanoes. Capable of decimating any territory, they are also capable of creating new spaces. His thunderous force completely changes his surroundings. Werner Herzog takes viewers into the magma heart of volcanoes, as his destructive forces spawn creation and civilizations praise his power. Featuring impressive cinematic technology, Into The Inferno showcases the sheer power of volcanoes and how they have impacted our world and humans.

Netflix

Team Foxcatcher (2016)

Team Foxcatcher tells the story of the decline of John Du Pont and the tragic murder of wrestler Dave Schultz in a way that feels authentic and insightful, featuring exclusive interviews with John Du Pont and the families impacted by this tragedy. This film received an Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary.

Netflix

Spitfire: The Plane that Changed the World (2018)

Many planes took to the skies during World War II, but the Spitfire is celebrated as the greatest in history. This documentary is about the Supermarine Spitfire, the legendary combat aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in hundreds of combats. Through restored footage, historians, researchers, and war veterans, this film tells a story of heroism, bravery, sacrifice, and love.

Netflix

The Universe (2007)

Where do you go when the world is not enough? The Universe takes its focus beyond Earth and explores the cosmos in a unique way. This series invites experts from multiple fields who share their knowledge with the help of computer generated images to illustrate universal objects and concepts. Although nine seasons were produced, Netflix only has a selection of episodes from the second that focus on the funniest things: alien planets, dark matter, the Moon, supernovae, space travel and more.

Netflix

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)

Ten years ago, Luka Magnotta posted a video online of himself killing two kittens on camera. Then outraged viewers launched an online hunt, which you'll see documented in Don't F**k With Cats. They examined the video, hoping to find clues about Magnotta's identity and where they might find him. Meanwhile, Magnotta murdered an exchange student, showing that he was even more dangerous than he thought.

Netflix

The Great Hack (2019)

Do the words “Cambridge Analytica” mean anything to you? This is the name of the company that illegally obtained personal information from Facebook users during the 2016 US elections. In addition, Cambridge Analytica worked for Senator Ted Cruz and for the Brexit campaign in the UK. This documentary examines the story by speaking with the people who investigated it as well as other individuals involved in the scandal. What's scary about all of this is that what happened could just be the prelude to companies stealing information from public Facebook pages. It could be a long time before we know the true extent of the damage.

Netflix

Publisher Recommendations