Documentary Film

Cert

Age groupAll ages

Duration77 mins

March of the Penguins(2005)

Documentary capturing the remarkable journey the Emperor penguins of the South Antarctic make every winter.

Some of the earliest films ever made captured evidence of life in far corners of the world, watched in awe by audiences who might never be able to travel the distance to see these sights with their own eyes. This stunning documentary pays tribute to that legacy, exploring the natural habitat of penguins and pressing upon us the importance of preserving a threatened landscape.

Cert

Age group7–14

Duration81 mins

Pick of the Litter(2018)

Canine documentary following five Labrador puppies as they train for two years to become guide dogs for the blind and partially sighted.

A heart-warming documentary, this film gets up close and personal with its cuddly and playful subject matter. With the puppies’ noses nudging the camera lens curiously and sequences that swoop along the streets at the dogs’ eye level, this documentary offers an insight that is both thrilling and cute.

CertUnclassified

Age group7–14

Duration2 mins

Nuraiyah(2019)

Hopeful documentary from the point of view of a seven-year-old girl as she contemplates the wonders of being alive.

Documentaries needn’t be hours long, as this short film about a young girl demonstrates. Just two minutes are enough for Nuraiyah’s lively and positive personality to shine, and lead audiences young and old to take a leaf out of her book and appreciate life. A fresh and poetic take on non-fiction film that is highly accessible.

Cert

Age group7–16

Duration91 mins

The Biggest Little Farm(2018)

Documentary about a married couple who follow their dream of creating a sustainable farm over eight years.

Some documentaries are born as deeply personal projects. Documentary filmmaker John Chester turned the camera on himself and his wife Molly, as the couple transitioned from city life to setting up their dream farm. He narrates their journey in the 1st person, offering a personal perspective on their experiences and raising awareness about sustainability.

CertUnclassified

Age group7–16

Duration7 mins

My Mum's Got a Dodgy Brain(2016)

Animated documentary in which three children tell their stories of how they cope with their mothers’ mental illnesses in their daily lives.

Much like drawings, animated documentaries offer a great way to visually represent very real memories, feelings, and emotions. In this short film, children share their personal experiences dealing with family mental health issues, their real voices accompanied by animated interpretations of their stories.

Cert

Age group11+

Duration76 mins

From Scotland with Love(2014)

Documentary exploring Scotland’s past and the lives of ordinary people, made entirely of film archive.

The word documentary comes from document, meaning evidence or artefact. Archival film is a great example for this definition. This nostalgic documentary feels like a postcard from another era, with old footage thoughtfully edited together to tell a story of how people used to live, work and connect with one another in Scotland.

Cert

Age group11–16

Duration87 mins

He Named Me Malala(2015)

Inspirational documentary about equal education advocate Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel peace prize.

A film demonstrating the importance and value of education which follows the journey of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Despite being shot and almost killed by the Taliban in 2012, she continues to speak out against the unjust lack of opportunities for schooling – particularly for girls – across the world. An inspiring documentary full of hope and determination.

Cert

Age group11+

Duration97 mins

That Sugar Film(2014)

A concerned filmmaker hosts an experiment on himself to understand the unhealthy effects of a high sugar diet.

In its search for the facts, documentary can also take the form of investigative journalism. In this documentary, a filmmaker goes to extreme lengths to try and find out the bitter truth about supposedly ‘healthy’ food products. Both highly entertaining and informative, the film frames important facts and figures in a friendly and accessible way.

Cert

Age group11+

Duration100 mins

Free Solo(2018)

Documentary chronicling Alex Honnold’s attempt to be the first person ever to free solo climb Yosemite’s 3,200ft high El Capitan rock.

Extraordinary real-life achievements captured on camera make for exciting documentaries, in which tension builds much like in an action movie. This film documents a famous climber’s nail-biting ascent of one of the world’s most elusive rockfaces. The film draws attention to pressures on protagonists to ‘perform’ for the camera and ethics of documentary filmmaking.

Cert

Age group14+

Duration117 mins

Summer of Soul(2021)

Archive documentary that revisits the summer of 1969 as thousands gathered at The Harlem Cultural Festival to celebrate Black culture, music and art.

Music documentaries can be considered as a genre in their own right, such is the curiosity to delve deeper into the context in which our favourite music has been created and enjoyed. In this case, a series of unique concert is brought back to life through never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with musicians and festivalgoers.

Cert

Age group14+

Duration102 mins

I Am Greta(2020)

Intimate documentary following the influential environmental activist Greta Thunberg and her quest to prevent climate change.

Documentary scripts are not always as clear-cut from the outset as fiction films. When filmmaker Nathan Grossman started filming young Greta Thunberg during her solitary protest outside the Swedish parliament, he had no idea that he was documenting, in real-time, how she would become one of the most prominent activists against climate change of her generation.

Cert

Age group14+

Duration93 mins

Next Goal Wins(2014)

Moving documentary about American Samoa – officially the world's worst football team – and their attempts to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Proving that if treated with dignity and some humour, a tale of defeat can be incredibly uplifting, this film focuses on the American Samoa football team following their spectacular 31 – 0 loss against Australia. The documentary has since inspired a Hollywood fiction remake, highlighting the role of documentary filmmaking in the evolving interpretations of a true story.

Cert

Age group14+

Duration99 mins

They Shall Not Grow Old(2018)

Astonishing archive-led documentary which celebrates the efforts of those involved in World War One on its centenary.

This documentary shows off how modern technology can restore 100-year-old footage, so that the experience of watching it is even more immersive: carefully integrated colour and sound effects bring further realism to the previously silent black and white moving images. Today’s audiences can thus get closer to feeling what it was like to be a soldier.

Cert

Age group16+

Duration94 mins

I Am Not Your Negro(2016)

Documentary in which the late writer James Baldwin looks back at his experiences through American history, most notably the Civil Rights movement.

A film essay can be defined as a documentary film that offers reflections and commentary on a theme through a narrator. The power of film to visually interpret non-fiction literature is powerfully exemplified in this documentary, which is based on an unfinished manuscript written by James Baldwin.

CertUnclassified

Age group16+

Duration13 mins

Half a Life(2017)

An animated documentary about the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in present-day Egypt.

Documentary film doesn’t necessarily have to contain actual photos or footage from real life. Facts can also be explored, and even be understood better sometimes, through animation. In this short film, a young man recounts his real experiences as gay rights activist in Egypt, his words helpfully illustrated through vivid and expressive hand-drawn animation.

Cert

Age group16+

Duration111 mins

McQueen(2018)

Documentary about the life and work of celebrated fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

In keeping with biographical documentary film traditions, this portrait of fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s life is told through interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues, as well as candid home movies. A revealing film that tries to unpack the myth of the creative genius, viewed from multiple perspectives.

Cert

Age group16+

Duration97 mins

Are You Proud?(2019)

Inspiring documentary featuring rare footage of LGBTQ+ led protests in the UK throughout the years.

Documentaries present a great opportunity to take stock of an issue, to appreciate how far society has come to address it, and how much more progress is yet to be made. It’s important to be aware of the history of LGBTQ+ led protests in order to understand the context and the reasons for which we stand up for human rights today.

Cert

Age group11+

Duration94 mins

Man on Wire(2008)

Gripping documentary about Phillipe Petit, who in 1974 walked on a tightrope between New York's Twin Towers, without permission from the authorities.

This gripping documentary is a mesmerising introduction to the genre. It uses a combination of archive footage, interviews and dramatic recreations to tell the astounding story of Phillippe Petit’s high-wire act, walking between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in the 1970s. The film also fascinatingly captures what sort of personality takes on such a mission!