Best Sports Documentary

Jon Bois' YouTube channel presents in-depth narratives exploring lesser-known stories within sports history. He focuses primarily on hockey, meticulously researching complex relationships, rivalries, and significant events. These longform documentaries are valuable for individuals interested in deta...

“The Last Dance” is a 2020 ESPN documentary series offering unprecedented access to Michael Jordan’s career, particularly his final season with the Chicago Bulls. The series details the team's 1997-1998 championship run through archival footage and interviews, providing insights into Jordan’s compet...

Olympia is a 1938 German documentary that meticulously records the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. The film provides valuable historical insight into the event, showcasing performances and celebrating the Nazi regime’s propaganda efforts during this period. It includes footage of key moments like the t...

The documentary When We Were Kings chronicles the lead-up to the historic 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire. It captures the political and cultural context surrounding this iconic fight, offering a rare glimpse into the personalities and circum...

Secret Base is a YouTube channel dedicated to archiving and presenting meticulously researched deep dives into Cold War espionage, focusing primarily on the UK’s involvement in covert operations like Operation Bluejay and the hunt for Klaus Barbie. It features extensive declassified documents and h...

This documentary follows young women in Kabul, Afghanistan, learning to skateboard through the non-profit organization Skateistan. The film highlights their resilience and determination amidst ongoing conflict, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of Afghan girls pursuing sport and education. It w...

'Icarus' begins as a personal experiment on athletic doping but unexpectedly evolves into an explosive exposé of state-sponsored cheating in Russia. Bryan Fogels journey is both captivating and unsettling, revealing a complex web of deceit and international intrigue. The films impact stems from its...

This documentary film explores the extraordinary life of Lusia Harris, nicknamed “The Queen of Basketball.” It chronicles her groundbreaking career as a pioneering woman in professional basketball, highlighting her exceptional talent and the significant obstacles she faced due to gender bias within...

The Dawn Wall chronicles the extraordinary 2017 free ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan’s Dawn Wall by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. This documentary details a monumental climbing effort involving years of planning, technical skill, and unwavering determination. It is notable for being one of the...

Maiden chronicles the remarkable story of Tracy Edwards and her all-female crew who competed in the 1989-1990 Whitbread Round the World Race. This documentary highlights a significant challenge to prevailing attitudes about women in competitive sailing. It’s for viewers interested in maritime histor...

The documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys chronicles the rise of the Zephyr Surf Shop skateboard team in 1960s Los Angeles. Peralta’s film explores their innovative approach to skateboarding, transforming it from a niche pastime into a globally recognized sport. It details the team's aggressive style and i...

Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows is a 1998 documentary film directed by Paul Jay that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the professional wrestling industry. The film follows Bret Hart during his final year with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), documenting his contract disputes and his tra...

The Battered Bastards of Baseball is a 2014 documentary film directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way that chronicles the history of the Portland Mavericks. Operating in the 1970s as the only independent team in professional baseball, the Mavericks were owned by actor Bing Russell and based in Portla...

Wayde van Niekerk is a South African sprinter renowned for his exceptional speed and dominance in the 400 meters. He currently holds the world record at 43.03 seconds achieved during the 2016 Rio Olympics, marking a significant achievement in track-and-field athletics. His performances inspire athle...

The Eagle Huntress is a 2016 documentary directed by Otto Bell and narrated by Daisy Ridley. It follows Aisholpan Nurgaiv, a 13-year-old Kazakh girl from a family of eagle hunters in the Altai mountains of western Mongolia, as she trains a golden eagle and competes in the annual eagle-hunting festiv...

Class Action Park is a 2020 American documentary directed by Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges, released on HBO Max. The film chronicles the history of Action Park, the Vernon, New Jersey amusement park that operated from 1978 to 1996 and developed a national reputation for under-regulated rides,...

Gleason is a 2016 documentary directed by Clay Tweel about former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason. The film chronicles Gleason's life after his 2011 diagnosis with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), documenting his physical decline while highlighting his family life and activism. Through p...

The Eagle Huntress is a 2016 documentary directed by Otto Bell following Aisholpan Nurgaiv, a 13-year-old Kazakh girl from northwestern Mongolia who trains to become an eagle hunter. The film documents her journey as she learns to capture and train golden eagles, activities traditionally passed from...

At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal is a 2019 HBO documentary directed by Erin Lee Carr. The film details the sexual abuse committed by Larry Nassar, former team doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, against hundreds of young female athletes over decades. Throu...

Athlete A is a 2020 Netflix documentary directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk examining the USA Gymnastics abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar. The film focuses on the Indianapolis Star investigative reporting team that broke the story and the gymnasts who came forward, including Maggie Nichols who...

Murderball is a 2005 American documentary directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro. It focuses on quadriplegic athletes who play wheelchair rugby, commonly called murderball, and specifically follows members of the United States and Canadian national teams as they prepare for and compete i...

Match of the Day is a British television documentary series offering highlights from English Premier League football matches. It’s notable for its extensive coverage and established role in UK sports journalism. The program primarily appeals to fans of the Premier League seeking a recap of key momen...

Undefeated is a 2011 documentary film directed by Daniel Lindsay and T. J. Martin. It follows the Manassas Tigers, an underfunded high school football team in North Memphis, Tennessee, during a season shaped by athletic ambitions and the players' personal circumstances. The film focuses particularly...

Baseball: The Tenth Inning is a two-part 2010 documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that continues Burns's earlier series Baseball. It chronicles Major League Baseball from the early 1990s through the end of the 2000s, addressing subjects including labor conflict, record-breaking performances, ex...

"Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off" is a 2022 documentary film directed by Sam Jones and released on HBO. The film chronicles the life and career of pioneering professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, from his early childhood in the sport to his landmark 900-degree aerial spin at the 1999 X Games. It...

"The Crash Reel" is a 2013 documentary film directed by Lucy Walker that explores the life of professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce. The narrative focuses on his intense rivalry with Shaun White leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics, which ended when Pearce suffered a severe traumatic brain injury...

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography is a 2012 documentary film directed by Stacy Peralta. The film chronicles the history of the Bones Brigade, the highly influential skateboarding team founded by Peralta and George Powell in the late 1970s and 1980s. Through archival footage and interviews, it details...

Riding Giants is a 2004 documentary film directed by Stacy Peralta that explores the history, culture, and evolution of big-wave surfing. The film traces the sport's progression from its early Hawaiian roots to modern times, profiling key figures who pushed the boundaries of the sport. It highlights...

The Scheme is a 2020 documentary film released on HBO that examines the FBI's investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting. The film centers on Christian Dawkins, a sports agent and business manager who became a central figure in the federal criminal cases that resulted from the in...