swap_horiz Waiting for Superman Alternatives

1

O.J.: Made in America

O.J.: Made in America is a five-part 2016 documentary series produced for ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 initiative. The film pre...

Movie United States 2010S

9.4 Excellent

2

The Civil War

The Civil War is Ken Burns's 1990 PBS documentary series on the American Civil War, noted for popularizing archival phot...

History Series 1990S America

9.1 Excellent

3

13th

'13th' examines the history of racial inequality in America through the lens of mass incarceration. Ava DuVernays powerf...

Powerful Social Justice Thought Provoking America

9.0 Excellent

4

Faces Places

Faces Places chronicles a 2017 journey undertaken by Agnès Varda and JR through rural France. The filmmakers documented...

France Movie 2010S

8.9 Great

5

For Sama

For Sama documents the experiences of Waad Al-Kateab and her family amidst the Syrian Civil War. The film follows the co...

Movie 2010S Syria

8.9 Great

6

Collective

Collective is a 2019 documentary examining the aftermath of the 2016 Colectiv nightclub fire in Romania. It details two...

Romania Healthcare Journalism Movie

8.9 Great

7

The Look of Silence

The Look of Silence is Joshua Oppenheimer's 2014 documentary in which an Indonesian optometrist confronts men involved i...

History Indonesia Justice 2010S

8.8 Great

8

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War is Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's 2017 PBS series, notable for combining American, North Vietnamese, South...

Series War Vietnam Ken Burns

8.8 Great

9

Inside Job

Inside Job is a 2010 documentary examining the causes of the 2008 financial crisis. The film details systemic corruption...

Complex Movie Political Thriller Investigative

8.7 Great

10

Virunga

Virunga documents the efforts of park rangers protecting Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo amids...

Movie 2010S Democratic Republic Of The Congo

8.7 Great

11

They Shall Not Grow Old

They Shall Not Grow Old is a 2018 documentary utilizing over century-old British Imperial War Museum footage of World Wa...

New Zealand Historical Movie War

8.6 Great

12

Minding the Gap

Minding the Gap is Bing Liu's 2018 documentary about three skateboarders in Rockford, Illinois, linking youth, abuse, an...

Coming Of Age Skateboarding America 2010S

8.5 Great

13

The Salt of the Earth

The Salt of the Earth is a 2014 documentary film examining the career of Sebastião Salgado, a Brazilian photographer. Th...

Movie Biographical Brazil 2010S

8.4 Great

14

5 Broken Cameras

5 Broken Cameras documents the ongoing protests in Bil'in, West Bank, centered around the construction of the Israeli We...

Movie 2010S Palestine

8.4 Great

15

The U.S. and the Holocaust

The U.S. and the Holocaust is a 2022 PBS documentary by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein about America's respo...

Series Holocaust America Ken Burns

8.4 Great

16

56 Up

56 Up is Michael Apted's 2012 installment of the British Up Series, revisiting participants first filmed as seven-year-o...

Life Series Britain Longitudinal

8.4 Great

17

America to Me

America to Me is Steve James's 2018 documentary series following students, families, and staff at Oak Park and River For...

Education Series School Race

8.1 Great

18

Prohibition

Prohibition is a 2011 PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about America's ban on alcohol, its political roots,...

History Series America Ken Burns

7.8 Good

19

Knock Down the House

Knock Down the House is a 2019 U.S. documentary following four insurgent Democratic primary campaigns, including Alexand...

Campaign Politics America Women

7.3 Good

20

The Lottery

The Lottery is a 2010 U.S. documentary about charter school admissions in Harlem, centered on families entering a high-s...

Education Charter New York 2010S

6.5 Fair