It’s one thing to sit down and put on a movie or a television show to entertain yourself — in fact, we highly recommend it. However, tuning in to a documentary is about much more than laid-back entertainment. Documentaries are meant to open your mind, expand your worldview and introduce you to people, places and perspectives you may have not otherwise known existed. The best documentaries plant the seed of a new, exciting idea in the center of your brain.

We’ve compiled a list of nine incredible, award-winning documentaries across a variety of themes and subject matters, all of which deserve a watch. From the stunning expanses of Mother Nature in Our Planet, to a crumbling Ohio factory repurposed for international gain in American Factory, to the story of a life-affirming summer getaway in 1971 in Crip Camp, these titles will change the way you think about the world, one story at a time.

American Factory

The story: A Chinese billionaire opens a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant in Dayton, Ohio, hiring roughly 2,000 American workers in the process. Though the early days unfold with plenty of energy and optimism, the story soon takes a turn. It spotlights the setbacks and frustrations of reconciling high-tech Chinese production sensibilities with working-class America. 

The cred: American Factory was directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert and was the first film acquired by Higher Ground Productions, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company. In 2019, it won an Academy Award for best documentary. 

Your reasons to watch: You like thought-provoking documentaries with a fly-on-the-wall filming approach, or your curiosities lie in exploring American industrialism, globalization and automation. American Factory will open your eyes to the nuances of how things get made — and perhaps more importantly, who makes them — in the global marketplace. 

American Factory : Un milliardaire chinois en Ohio

1h 50m   7+   2019

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Icarus

The story: Icarus starts as a first-person exploration of doping in sports: Director Bryan Fogel is an amateur cyclist who starts a doping routine that includes injecting hormones and other performance enhancements. However, when Fogel connects with Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, head of the Russian anti-doping program, a larger scandal begins to unfold. Rodchenkov becomes an international whistleblower who draws attention to an Olympic doping scandal. 

The cred: Fogel’s Icarus premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and won the US Documentary Special Jury Award. The film also won an Academy Award for best documentary feature. 

Your reasons to watch: You love documentaries that seem to scratch the surface of an issue, only to unravel and reveal a much larger story, and are interested in the complex world of competitive sports — both on a personal and regulatory level. 

Icare

2h 1m   13+   2017

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Our Planet

The story: In a vast landscape of nature documentary series, Our Planet rules supreme. Narrated by David Attenborough, it addresses issues of conservation and climate change against breathtaking footage of wildlife in a fascinating range of natural habitats around the world, including the deep sea, the Arctic, the jungles of South and Central America, the plains of Africa and more. 

The cred: Our Planet is directed by Alastair Fotherhill and Keith Scholey, the minds behind Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and The Blue Planet. The series was created in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and has won multiple Emmy awards, including outstanding nonfiction or documentary and outstanding narrator (Attenborough hive rise up).

Your reasons to watch: You love nature, seemingly impossible footage of animals in their natural habitats and the dulcet tone of David Attenborough’s buttery British voice. 

Notre planète

2 Saisons   7+   2019

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Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution

The story: Crip Camp tells the story of Camp Jened in 1971, a groundbreaking summer camp for teenagers with disabilities. The film focuses on a group of Camp Jened campers who become activists in the disability rights movement, fighting for accessibility legislation and to make public spaces more inclusive. 

The cred: Crip Camp premiered at Sundance in 2020, where it won the Audience Award. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2020. 

Your reasons to watch: You live for uplifting stories that often get pushed to the margins and want to learn more about the history of the fight for disability rights.

Crip Camp : La révolution des éclopés

1h 48m   13+   2020

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13TH

The story: 13th tells the story of mass incarceration in America, drawing troubling through lines between America’s history of slavery and its current carceral system. Through a series of interviews with influential writers, activists, politicians and more, 13th paints a grim picture of the purpose of the country’s prison system — not as a place for rehabilitation, but as a method to exploit free labor that the 13th Amendment dismantled when it abolished slavery. 

The cred: Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2016 and won an Emmy for outstanding documentary the same year. 

Your reasons to watch: You’re interested in stories about social justice, specifically the intersection of issues plaguing a forgotten American population, including racism, the justice system and how much (or little) the country has changed since the abolition of slavery.

Le 13e

1h 40m   16+   2016

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Athlete A

The story: Athlete A follows a team of investigative journalists from The Indianapolis Star as they broke the troubling story of sexual abuse allegations within USA Gymnastics. The title refers to Maggie Nichols, referred to at the time as “Athlete A” to protect her identity while authorities investigated USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar. The film alleges that Steve Penny, the former USAG president, did not report abusive coaches during his tenure.

The cred: The film won a Critics Choice Documentary Award in 2020.

Your reasons to watch: Though this film comes with content warnings for sexual abuse and graphic content, at its core it’s about survivors. The brave women at the heart of this story are your reason to watch, and hearing their stories will only further affirm how powerful their voices are in the wake of their collective trauma. 

Team USA : Scandale dans le monde de la gymnastique

1h 44m   16+   2020

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My Octopus Teacher

The story: A filmmaker named Craig Foster forges a gentle, mutually affirming relationship with... an octopus. No, really. The wild common octopus resides in a South African kelp forest where Foster spends his days free diving. The film depicts the pair’s unique bond, and Foster captures the octopus’ daily movements and activities, all while learning valuable lessons about humankind’s true bond with the natural world.

The cred: Directed by Pippa Erlich and James Reed, the film won an Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2020, as well as a Critics Choice Documentary Award.

Your reasons to watch: You appreciate the unspoken bond between human beings and animals, understand how uniquely fascinating and wickedly smart octopi actually are and enjoy quietly weeping about the fragility of life. 

La Sagesse de la pieuvre

1h 25m   Tous publics   2020

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Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

The story: The film follows the Maidan Uprising in Kyiv, Ukraine, which took place from 2013 to 2014. The uprising occurred after the planned EU-Ukraine trade agreement was abandoned in favor of a trade agreement with Russia, sparking a standoff between pro-Europe Ukrainians and the government. The protests ultimately led to police shootings, government repression and a takedown of the government. 

The cred: The film premiered at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival and won the People’s Choice Award for best documentary at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival.

Your reasons to watch: You have an interest in historical stories heavy on political dissent. Additionally, Winter on Fire provides an incredible amount of context for the current situation in Ukraine and the slow building of tensions ahead of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

1h 38m   16+   2015

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What Happened, Miss Simone?

The story: This film documents the complex life of American singer Nina Simone, who became a civil rights activist in the ’60s and subsequently moved to Liberia. The film uses never-before-heard recordings of the singer, as well as archival footage and audio of her best-known songs. 

The cred: What Happened, Miss Simone? was nominated for an Academy Award in 2015 and won the Emmy for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special that same year. 

Your reasons to watch: You love music, American history, complicated women of the highest caliber and, of course, Miss Simone herself. 

What Happened, Miss Simone?

1h 42m   13+   2015

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