Looking for a new documentary to watch on Netflix? Look no further, we’ve rounded up the top must-see documentaries for the fall.
1. Amanda Knox
Yes, this is the newest documentary done by Netflix, and no I’m not listing this as number one just because it’s new. This documentary is superb from start to finish that feels more like a movie rather than a documentary. It begins with an inside look at what Amanda Knox’s life is like now after eight years of being on edge. From there the entire documentary plays out like a thriller movie. Not only does the viewer get personal interviews with Amanda and her, then boyfriend, Raffaele, but also interviews of the main prosecutor and journalist who covered this case. For those of us who remember seeing Knox’s story being aired across the nation and written in tabloids and newspapers, this documentary will give true insight to what really happened.
2. Teacher who Defied Hitler
Though there are many stories and documentaries done about those who saved Jewish lives during the holocaust, none are quite like the story of Goldschmidt in this documentary. Goldschmidt was originally a teacher in Berlin and was dismissed because of her Jewish background. She then opened up a school specifically for Jewish children that lasted until the beginning of WWII. Within the documentary we get to hear stories of her former students and what that place meant to them as a Jewish child growing up in a hostile environment. It is a very inspiring story of a woman who persevered and risked her life in order to give her students the best chance at surviving what was to come.
3. Ballerina’s Tale
There are a lot of profile-based documentaries in this list, but, trust me, they truly are worth the watch. Misty Copeland is famous for being the first black ballerina of distinction. In this documentary we follow Misty through her daily life and learn what it was like being the only black ballerina in the American Ballet Theatre. The documentary also covers the history of black ballerinas and how the view of what a ballerina looks like is changing. This is an empowering story for anyone who wants to follow their dreams but feels as if they don’t fit in or aren’t the right type.
4. What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy
Another documentary about Nazi Germany, I know, but this one gives the viewer insight on perhaps the lesser known side of things during WWII. Philippe Sands is the interviewer of the documentary and is of Jewish descent. His relatives were killed in Lemberg, Poland in the concentration camps there and he reaches out to the sons of the two men who were responsible for orchestrating the killing of the Jews. This documentary reveals the other lives these two men and what they meant to their sons. While one has accepted what his father did, the other is in denial. In this documentary, the viewer gets to see what it’s like living as the children of two terrible men.
5. First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon
Though it may seem impossible to believe, there are still tribes in the world that have no contact with the modern world. One such tribe visited a remote village on the outskirts of the reservation land for indigenous peoples and contacted the outside world for the first time. After this first contact, the anthropologists involved continue to film this tribe and learn about their lives throughout the documentary. This is an excellent film that gives the modern world a new perspective on ways of life and how people survive without modern technology.
6. Holy Hell
This documentary focuses on the famous cult group known as Buddhafield based in LA during the 80’s. The cult’s founder was a man known as Michel Rostand and he claimed that he had the insight of god. The viewer not only gets to hear testimonies of former cult members but also see footage taken during the 80’s. Michel required members to live in houses together, break off ties with their families, and go to therapy sessions, which he charged them each $50. Even though he claimed he wasn’t the head of a cult, it’s clear that this organization could be nothing but a cult. To me, cult documentaries are always interesting because I always wonder why people join them and this documentary reveals just that.
So there you have it, folks. Now get some popcorn and get your documentary on!