Documentary Collection

A behind the scenes look at the background and making of the 2008 TV mini-series

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks is a 2003 documentary about the life of Academy Award nominated actress Beah Richards. Directed by Lisa Gay Hamilton, it won the Documentary Award at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival in 2003.

Television's "King of Queens" reigns again in this Comedy Central special -- the network's first-ever hour-long show devoted entirely to one comic, taped live in July 2001 at New York City's Hudson Theatre. James riffs on life's many "royal" pains, including waiting in line with strangers, negotiating with the airport ticket counter clerk, underwear wedgies, boringly slow answering machine messages and more.

A look back at Victoria Wood's hugely successful television career. Featuring sketches, stand-up, characters and songs from her incredible repertoire as well as exclusive interviews with Victoria and friends and fans, including Dawn French, Julie Walters and Sir Roger Moore.

Dolores Huerta bucks 1950s gender conventions by starting the country's first farm worker's union with fellow organizer Cesar Chavez. What starts out as a struggle for racial and labor justice, soon becomes a fight for gender equality within the same union she is eventually forced to leave. As she wrestles with raising 11 children, three marriages, and is nearly beaten to death by a San Francisco tactical police squad, Dolores emerges with a vision that connects her new found feminism with racial and class justice.

While his aide continuously turns the handle of the bellows, keeping hot a small furnace in front of him, a farrier prepares a horse's hoof to receive a new shoe.

In 2016, almost anyone you asked, or any poll you consulted, pointed you to a Hillary Clinton landslide. The Accidental President is a balanced feature documentary that is seeking to answer one question - how the hell did Trump win?

An exploration of Gunhill Road's return to music 40 years after breaking into the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1973. Every 40 Years is about second chances and the power of chasing your dream down one more time.

Janis Joplin is one of the most respected and iconic rock & roll singers of all time, a tragic and misunderstood figure who captivated millions of listeners and blazed new creative trails before her death in 1970 at age 27. Director Amy Berg explored Joplin's story in depth. A portrait of a complicated, driven and often beleaguered artist. Joplin's own words recount a series of letters she wrote to her family over the years. Janis was a vessel of energy when she sang. Her rapid rise and untimely death changed music forever.

THE ARYANS is Mo Asumang's personal journey into the madness of racism during which she meets German neo-Nazis, the US leading racist, the notorious Tom Metzger and Ku Klux Klan members in the alarming twilight of the Midwest. In The ARYANS Mo questions the completely wrong interpretation of "Aryanism" - a phenomenon of the tall, blond and blue-eyed master race.

Legendary former Beach Boy, Brian Wilson toured America and Japan with a 10 piece band. Here he is captured performing 24 live tracks, and one that has never been issued before. Also included are interviews with Pete Townshend, Sheryl Crow, Neil Young and Patti Smith, a back-stage visit from Ronnie Spector, Paul McCartney's induction of Wilson to the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and a series of interviews with the man himself filmed over a 4 year period.

Set against the contrasting backdrops of Manhattan and Los Angeles, this film examines the life of one of the world’s greatest celebrities of print journalism - Dominick Dunne. Drawing on the memories of big names in Dunne’s field, including Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, Tina Brown, Joan Didion and octogenarian New York Post gossip columnist Liz Smith as well as legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans (The Godfather, Chinatown), the film uncovers what lies beneath a life. The film examines Dunne’s life from childhood, and his early days of being “an outsider on the inside”: a theme that has informed his whole life. From his World War II service that made Dunne return an unlikely hero – awarded the Bronze Star for bravery – to his rise and ultimate fall in Hollywood and then total reincarnation as a writer in his fifties, this film explores the nature of reinvention, belief in oneself, and the all-pervasive cult of celebrity.

The chronicle of the process, ten long years, that led to the end of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna), a Basque terrorist gang that perpetrated robberies, kidnappings and murders in Spain and the French Basque Country for more than fifty years. Almost 1,000 people died, but others are still alive to tell the story of how the nightmare finally ended.

Declared to be the funniest Robin Williams video made, this is a don't-miss comedy.

In this featurette, director George Lucas, along with cast and crew members from "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith", explore the story of Anakin Skywalker, the central character of "Star Wars", across the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy.

Marvel's first editor in chief, pop culture icon Stan Lee, and Marvel's current editor in chief, Joe Quesada, talk about the past and future of the company's stable of super-heroes in a lively discussion helmed by filmmaker Kevin Smith.

Before World War II the 3 sisters Mia, Uschi, and Martha were born in the former German city of Wrocław, which became Polish in 1945. They have been shaped by poverty, National Socialism, war, and escape, but also by peace, reconstruction, and an affluent society of Germany. The detailed stories they tell us in front of the camera, 75 years after World War II has ended, are as individual as the 3 sisters themselves.

Documentary about the 1999 film. Featured on the special features for The Blair Witch Project Second Sight Blu-ray release.

Friends and fans pay tribute to a great comic talent in this celebration of the life and work of the hugely popular Victoria Wood, who died of cancer in April 2016 at age 62. Victoria wrote some of television's greatest comedy sketches and musicals, won two BAFTAs for her drama Housewife, 49, and was once voted by the British public as the person they would most like to have as their next door neighbour.

A documentary based on Robert Ardrey's books that presents 15 million years of human evolution. The author believes that man began killing systematically 30,000 years ago when the Cro-Magnon Man killed off the Neanderthal Man because the latter was different. Man has been killing ever since. This very rare and most unusual docudrama with a cast made up entirely of men in ape suits is based on the work of the impossibly pompous anthropologist/ screenwriter Robert Ardrey, who attempts to unpack the origins and evolution of the killer instinct.

Narrated by Peter Bogdanovich, this biography of Orson Welles includes the emotional memoirs of actress Oja Kodar and interviews with Steven Spielberg, James Earl Jones, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Frank Marshall, Paul Mazursky, Henry Jaglom, Gary Graver, and Merv Griffin; it's re-release is even more profound since Welles' unfinished film, The Other Side of the Wind, was completed and released.

American filmmaker Julia Loktev, born in the Soviet Union, returned to Moscow in 2021 to make a documentary on the persistence of independent media journalism in Putin’s Russia—just months, as it turned out, before the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Structured in five chapters, Loktev’s film is an extraordinary vérité document of a moment of immense change and anxiety.

The never-before-told story of folk-rock icon Judee Sill, who in just two years went from living in a car to appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone. The documentary charts her troubled adolescence through her meteoric rise in the music world and early tragic death. Featuring Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Fleet Foxes, David Geffen, and more.

This film from acclaimed theater director Lonny Price charts the journey of the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along" in the 30-plus years since the musical debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1981.

Step inside the most complex heritage rejuvenation project ever to occur in Europe. Norwich Castle is being restored to its former glory - a unique and ambitious plan to return this 900-year-old building to its original Royal Palace design. Curators and craftspeople pore over every detail to ensure its historical accuracy. Will they run out of time, money and endurance before they can unveil one of Britain’s most iconic royal buildings? Filmed every step of the way over seven years, this is the story of a heritage makeover like no other.

Watch David Fincher's journey of the filming process for Panic Room (2002) in this interesting documentary. We see the entire cast and crew throughout production until the final filming day. Many interviews and on-set footage inform us on how the shoot was.

This documentary, produced by actor-producer-director Clint Eastwood, reflects on the life and journey of Bennett, using both archival and recent footages, including never before seen clips from his performance at the 2005 Monterey Jazz Festival.

A look at the legacy of icon actor James Dean on the 40th anniversary of his tragic death. The special follows his life and career, with obvious attention to the three big films that made him a legend; and interviews with the people who knew him.

The brilliant Czech writer Milan Kundera has not given an interview in thirty years; nor does he appear in public. How did he become a legendary author? What is so unique about his books?

Documentary featuring the contentious news surrounding the movie "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), including its Oscar win for feature film.

The legendary Bruce Lee created a unique arts style that resurrected a fighting technique which had survived thousands of years behind the Oriental curtain. Jackie Chan has exploded onto the movie screens around the world. His acrobatic action ballet has placed him in a world apart from others who would try and claim the crown. The producers of this wall to wall action have dared to answer the burning question; what would happen if these two men came eye to eye, Fist to Fist?

Oscar®-winning director Ben Proudfoot brings the inspiring untold story of UNICEF to life through first-person interviews and UNICEF’s never-before-seen archive. Discover this story of optimism as UNICEF celebrates 75 years of defending the rights of the world's youngest and most vulnerable citizens.

Set against the backdrop of 9/11, this documentary tells the story of how a new generation kickstarted a musical rebirth for New York City that reverberated around the world.

Body Team 12 is tasked with collecting the dead at the height of the Ebola outbreak. These body collectors have arguably the most dangerous and gruesome job in the world. Yet despite the strain they emerge as heroes while the film explores their philosophy and strength.

Based on the acclaimed memoir by renowned guitarist Andy Summers, Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police follows Summers’ journey from his early days in the psychedelic ‘60s music scene, when he played with The Animals, to chance encounters with drummer Stewart Copeland and bassist Sting, which led to the formation of a new wave trio, The Police. The band’s phenomenal rise and its highly publicized dissolution at the height of their fame in the early ’80s captured by Summers’ camera. Utilizing rare archival footage, Summers’ photos, and insights from the guitarist’s side of the stage, Can’t Stand Losing You brings together past and present as the band members prepare to reunite for the first time in two decades later for a global reunion tour in 2007.

They call him "the Great One" and this is the first time ever he has told the many stories behind his greatest accomplishments and moments. Hosted by hockey personality John Davidson and Wayne's good friend, Keifer Sutherland, sports fans take a journey into the man that is Wayne Gretzky.

The story of Dorothy Stratten (1960-1980), the 1980 Playboy "Playmate of the Year", who was murdered by her estranged husband, just as her entertainment career was taking off.

A documentary tie-in for the 2002 Spider-Man 2 film. Somewhat lost media as an incomplete version was uploaded to YouTube.

Making of the movie Southland Tales

The film tells the story of the Chernobyl accident through a mosaic of unique personal testimonies of its participants. The experiences of the difficult past and the sad results of the present recreate the full picture of the accident 30 years later.

Four college students travel to Europe to escape their routine faith and gain a radically new perspective on following Jesus.

An in-depth look at the rapid rise and dramatic fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.

Ross Kemp returns to EastEnders for its 40th anniversary, meeting iconic cast members and exploring the groundbreaking issues that defined the beloved British soap.

The world-renowned magician Dynamo is back as you've never seen him before - embarking on a transformative and soul-searching journey to explore the depths of mental health and well-being. As he grapples with his own struggles, Dynamo seeks answers from inspirational figures around the world so that he can bury his past and find a new beginning. Through candid conversations with iconic actors, musicians, sports stars, journalists, and activists, each with their own powerful stories to tell, Dynamo learns of the struggles behind their success as they open up about their own journeys and share the wisdom and tools to navigate the complexities of life.

Interviews with friends of the late Jim Morrison and several people involved with the making of the film The Doors (1991) by Oliver Stone, delving into what Morrison meant to everyone including themselves.

Documentary following George Martin and the making of his final album: "In My Life".

The Pulitzer at 100, by Oscar and Emmy winning director Kirk Simon, is a ninety-minute independent documentary released in conjunction with the Pulitzer Centennial in April 2016. This film is told through the riveting stories of the artists that have won the prestigious prize. With Pulitzer work read by Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, Liev Schreiber, John Lithgow and Yara Shahidi; journalists include Carl Bernstein, Nick Kristof, Thomas Friedman, and David Remnick; authors include Toni Morrison, Michael Chabon, Junot Díaz, Tony Kushner, and Ayad Akhtar; and musicians Wynton Marsalis, David Crosby, and John Adams also share their stories.

65 shots making up a cryptically alluded-to narrative: a lesbian couple's Midwest travels, a hitchhiking young man's journeys, the story of a man who may be having an affair.

In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were arrested and later convicted of raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park. They spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed that he alone had committed the crime, leading to their convictions being overturned. Set against a backdrop of a decaying city beset by violence and racial tension, this is the story of that horrific crime, the rush to judgment by the police, a media clamoring for sensational stories and an outraged public, and the five lives upended by this miscarriage of justice.

King of disco in the 70s with the band Chic, producer of Bowie, Mick Jagger, Madonna, Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and many others... Nile Rodgers is today pursuing his fascinating career. We take a behind-the-scenes look at the genesis of some of the greatest hits, and at the complex alchemy between Nile Rodgers and the biggest stars of the last 35 years: Madonna, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson, INXS, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and David Guetta. What are the secrets of this genius of the music world, who has succeeded in transcending successive eras, reinventing himself every time?

From Lord Have Mercy to A Pimp Named Slickback, original comedy freak Katt Williams has made his mark inhabiting a hustler's gallery of fast-and-loose personae. This real-deal documentary tracks the actor's rise from young stand-up to BET staple. Along with never-seen footage from early stand-up performances and backstage glimpses of Williams at work, the film includes interviews with Jeremy Piven, Damon Wayans, Snoop Dogg and Kathy Griffin.

The Cost of Growth connects local struggles against extractivism in Serbia, Italy and Sapmi with broader debates on justice, democracy, and war. It shows how people across Europe are not only resisting false solutions, but also building alternatives - from grassroots organising to new forms of cooperation and solidarity.

The Untold Story of the Suffragists of Newfoundland (1999) is a docu-drama celebrating the thirty year struggle by the women of Newfoundland to win the right to vote.

This film is not about Oleg Yankovsky in the usual sense: not a biography of a great actor, not a review of roles. And not the sharp facts from his personal life. Although it's all in the film: a dramatic fate, unknown pages of biography. Like any great actor, he possessed a secret - he did not tell both in the movies and in life. But his main gift was not even acting. Yankovsky was talented at making people fall in love with him. I wanted to look at him again and again: that's why they loved him and still love him.

The film is about the formation of a music channel that has shaped modern pop culture. On August 1, 1981, the life of a whole generation of Americans changed forever - on this day MTV began its broadcasting day, making VJ a new teen hero and creating a canon of music video as a vivid artistic statement.

A one-hour, non-partisan program in English and Spanish encouraging Latinos to vote. It features inspiring stories of leading Latino celebrities and media personalities such as María Celeste Arrarás, Prince Royce, Jorge Ramos and Adrienne Bailon, who are on a mission to make the voice of the Latino community heard in 2016.

Produced by multiple EMMY® Award-winning executive producers Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (HBO’s John Adams and The Pacific), and EMMY® Award-winning producer Mark Herzog (History’s Gettysburg) of Herzog & Company (HCO), on Thursday, Nov. 14, CNN will premiere The Assassination of President Kennedy at 9:00pm ET and PT. The two-hour film explores the events on the day that changed the nation – and the world, as well as how the public’s perceptions of what happened that day have changed through the years.