Since the 1920s, many filmmakers have produced works in the form of incredible documentaries. Not only entertaining, but this film genre also provides a lot of knowledge for the audience who watch it. Here we present the ten best documentaries of all time that you should watch.
If you are bored with mainstream films, it might be a good idea to watch documentaries. For those of you who are confused about what to watch, this article presents ten recommendations of the best documentaries of all time.
Know in advance; documentaries are not the same as fiction films. Documentaries, documentation, documents, and similar words come from Latin, Documentum, which means proof. Put, documentary cinema must depart from real and actual events, not fictional stories.
Because it relies on real events, documentary films can also be called journalistic works. You could say that this genre is a combination of art and journalism. The subject usually revolves around historical events, human behavior, to the story of unique and interesting discoveries.
Maybe some of you think documentary films are boring but believe the movie below is different and worth watching. Plus, the movie mentioned in this article had shocked the world. Curious?
The Cove (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRD8e20fBo
As a child, have you been invited by your parents to watch the dolphin show? This cute animal has become an idol for young children because of their intelligence and agility. Well, in second place in the list of the best documentaries of all time, we will discuss the question of dolphins. The title of the film is The Cove, the work of director Louie Psihoyos which was released in 2009. The Cove is a documentary that highlights the problem of hunting for dolphins that occur in Japan.
This film features Richard O’Barry, a former dolphin trainer who decided to become a dolphin activist after he realized that exploiting them was not the right thing. Hearing rumors about the slaughter of dolphins in Japan, Richard, Louie, and their crew decided to search for the truth while making it a documentary.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
The third place in the list of the best documentaries of all time was Fahrenheit 9/11. The title is taken from a 1953 novel by Ray Bradbury entitled Fahrenheit 451, about the future of the United States, which resembles dystopia (a very bad place where people are unhappy). While naming 9/11 refers to the tragedy of terrorism in the United States on September 11, 2001.
Fahrenheit 9/11 was worked on by writer, director, and political commentator, Michael Moore. He also acts as the narrator in the film. This journalistic work expresses a critical opinion on policies during the administration of President George W. Bush.
This journalistic work with a touch of comedy was premiered at the 57th Cannes Film Festival, precisely on May 17, 2004. After the screening of the film, the audience gave a standing ovation for about 20 minutes. The standing ovation is one of the longest in the history of the festival. Not only applause but Fahrenheit 11/9 also successfully won Palme d’Or. For those of you who don’t know yet, Palme D’Or is the highest award in the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, which documentaries rarely win.
Man on Wire (2008)
On August 7, 1974, an amazing and tense event took place in the twin towers of the World Trade Center (WTC), New York. A Frenchman named Philippe Petit was seen walking across a steel wire connected between the two tallest towers in the world in the 70s.
Petit, who at that time was only 25 years old, was very ambitious to cross the tower, which has 110 floors. He planned his illegal reckless actions for about eight months. Imagine, he must find a way to get past the security of the WTC and prepare all the equipment to launch the action.
Petit’s action was enshrined by a British director named James Marsh. In 2008, the release of the documentary made by James Marsh was titled Man on Wire. One of the best documentaries of all time also won the Best Documentary award at the 2009 Academy Awards. This 90-minute cinema contains interviews with Philippe Petit and the people who participated in planning this very risky event. In Man on Wire, Petit also tells how he went through 45 tense minutes over the steel wire that connects the two skyscrapers.
That’s the 3 documentaries that can add insight.