Unlike narrative films, documentaries allow you to take a walk in someone else’s shoes and open your eyes to a world you never knew. Thankfully, Netflix has a plethora of informative, inspiring, and sometimes heartfelt documentaries worth adding to your queue.
Don’t worry, there’s a documentary for everyone. Check out a few of our faves below.
Heal
The documentary takes a deep dive into society’s “sick care” system, which treats symptoms with medication (that often cause side effects) instead of finding the root of the problem. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from people with chronic illnesses and diseases, spiritual leaders, physicians, and health experts.
Gaga: Five Foot Two
Follow in the footsteps of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga) as she prepares for a huge performance at the Super Bowl while battling fibromyalgia and anxiety. It’s an inspiring story that unveils what goes on behind the scenes in a global star’s life.
13th
The U.S. has five percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. Ava DuVernay, the director of Selma, looks inside the American prison system to expose the criminalization of African Americans in U.S. prisons and explore how mass incarceration has become monetized.
Blue Planet II
The sequel to the award-winning series Blue Planet is a beautiful film that documents the vibrant and beautiful world that lies deep within the world’s oceans.
Diana: 7 Days That Shook the World
This documentary chronicles the national and international response to the sudden and tragic death of Princess Diana. Explore the aftermath of her death and the week leading up to her funeral as the royal family grapples with the loss and the press.
Audrie & Daisy
With today’s #MeToo movement, the heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of Audrie and Daisy carries that much more relevance. This documentary tells the story of two small-town girls who were sexually assaulted by boys whom they considered to be friends and the harassment and humiliation they faced in the aftermath.
Newtown
Newton shows the strength and resilience of a community after the tragic 2012 Newtown shootings, which took the lives of 20 children and six adults.
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
This documentary will make you reevaluate everything you own by exploring today’s culture of consumerism.
Oklahoma City
Get a raw look at the bombing of Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history.
What the Health
What the Health exposes the corruption of the health, food, and pharmaceutical industries and examines the connection between the food we eat and disease.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
