Best Documentary Films 2023
Here’s my annual list of some of the great documentary films I’ve seen this year. I’m sure I’ve forgotten to mention a few and a number of these actually came out a few years ago, but here goes…
First up I need to mention one of my own films. Royal Television Society Award Nominated Film Sid Burnard’s Curious Kingdom
Royal Television Society Award Nominated Film Sid Burnard’s Curious Kingdom
All That Breathes - Now TV
Against the darkening backdrop of New Delhi's apocalyptic air and escalating violence, two brothers devote their lives to protecting one casualty of the turbulent times: the bird known as the black kite.
The Moment: How Sports Changed The World - Freevee
In mid-90s South Africa, apartheid was finally over, and the nation was in the midst of a transitional government led by Nelson Mandela. Sport proved to be a tool for unification in a country deeply divided both politically and culturally. Against the odds, South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup. This monumental moment in sports history had an enduring impact on both the nation and the world.
Storyville - A Bunch of Amateurs - BBC iPlayer
Bradford Movie Makers is one of the oldest amateur filmmaking clubs in the world. Once a thriving community, these days the membership is dwindling and the group struggle to keep the wolf from the door.
My Old School - BBC iPlayer
In 1993, 16-year-old Brandon Lee enrolled at Bearsden Academy, a secondary school in a well-to-do suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. What followed over the next two years became the stuff of legend.
Untold: The Race Of The Century - Netflix
A chronicle of the thrilling 1983 America’s Cup, “The Race of the Century” is a classic underdog story. It tells the tale of the scrappy group of Australians who band together to dethrone the New York Yacht Club, and break the longest-running win streak in history— 132 years!— in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world. Key members of the 1983 U.S. and Australian crews sit down for interviews sharing their experience of this ultimate race to victory.
Fire of Love - Disney plus
From National Geographic Documentary Films comes the extraordinary love story of intrepid French scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, who died just as explosively as they lived — capturing the most spectacular imagery ever recorded of their greatest passion: volcanoes.
FIFA Uncovered - Netflix
From power struggles to global politics, an exploration of FIFA reveals the organization's checkered history — and what it takes to host a World Cup.
Super League The War For Football - Apple TV plus
The fate of football hangs in the balance when the game’s leaders are left to defend — or upend — the traditions of the world’s most-beloved sport.
Untold: the story of AND1 - Netflix
Born out of the playgrounds of New York City, the “And 1 Mixtape Tour” took streetball to the masses, challenging convention and picking up a team of basketball misfits along the way. “The Rise and Fall of AND1” traces the journey of how three young friends with a dream of bringing greater acclaim to the game they loved, connected with the underground artform of streetball, and ended up flipping the billion-dollar basketball industry on its head. AND1 co-founders along with streetball legends The Professor, Hot Sauce, Skip 2 My Lou, The Main Event, Shane the Dribbling Machine and more reflect on their experience and the brand's journey.
Rygbi Cymru: Y Gêm yn y Gwaed - S4C
Cyfres newydd. Daw mawrion a chefnogwyr rygbi ynghyd i adrodd hanes tanllyd y gêm o 1875 hyd heddiw. Series celebrating rugby, with Sir Gareth Edwards, Ieuan Evans, Shane Williams & more. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0drp58r
Slammed 1970s - BBC iPlayer
The incredible tale of the golden era of Welsh rugby, bringing together members of the legendary squad and featuring never-before-seen and restored footage.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0dvxpcv
In her hands - Netflix
In Her Hands tells the story of Zarifa Ghafari, one of Afghanistan's first female mayors and the youngest person, at 26, to hold the position. The film documents her fight to survive and narrowly escape against the backdrop of her nation's accelerated unraveling.
Storyville: The Spy In Your Mobile - BBC iPlayer
Investigates a powerful and terrifying spyware called Pegasus, sold to governments around the world by Israeli company NSO Group and used on journalists, activists and others, including both the wife and fiancee of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001j638
This Was the XFL - Disney +
A bold challenge, a fearless experiment and ultimately, a spectacular failure. In 2001, sports entertainment titans Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon used the marketing behemoths of their respective companies -- NBC and WWE -- and launched the XFL. It captured headlines and a sense of undeniable anticipation about what was to come.
Reluctant traveler - Apple TV +
Eugene Levy is taking the trip of a lifetime—whether he likes it or not. The Reluctant Traveler is now streaming on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_TheReluctantTraveler Eugene Levy normally hates traveling. In this 8-part globetrotting series the Emmy® Award-winning actor steps out of his comfort zone and takes us to some of the world’s most beautiful locations.
Finding Michael- Disney +
One of the highest search and recovery missions in history.
Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker - Apple TV+
A tennis sensation’s tumultuous life forever changed the game.
Wildcat - Amazon prime
Wildcat follows the inspiring story of a young veteran on his journey into the Amazon. Once there, he meets a young woman running a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center, and his life finds new meaning as he is entrusted with the life of an orphaned baby ocelot. What was meant to be an attempt to escape from life, turns out to be an unexpected journey of love, discovery, and healing.
Still: Michael J Fox - Apple TV +
Michael J. Fox is going back to his past and rewriting his future.
The film, which will incorporate documentary, archival and scripted elements, will recount Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, will unspool alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film will chronicle Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails and will explore what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film will feel like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.
The U.S. and The Holocaust - BBC iPlayer
The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick & Sarah Botstein, will examine the events leading up to and during this tragic period, dispelling the myths that the American people were entirely ignorant of what was happening to Jews in Europe, or that everyone looked on with callous indifference.
Storyville: The Fire Within: Requiem for Katie and Maurice Kraft
100 Foot Wave - Now Tv
Chasing a myth takes a legend, and a community.
All That Breaths - Now Tv
“We’re all a community of air.” Oscar-nominated film All That Breathes, an exploration of humankind’s connection to wildlife and climate change
To End All Wars - Oppenheimer- Now TV
“To End All War: Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb,” an NBC News Studios production. The feature documentary examines physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the weapon that changed the world — and how it changed him too.
Being Louis Rees-Zammit - BBC iPlayer
Unfiltered access to rugby's new superstar, playing for club and country, and at home with his family.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001qb3c
The Man Who Bought Cricket- Now TV
Allen Stanford lands his helicopter at Lord's cricket ground with a box containing $20 million and a plan to change cricket forever. However, cricket's would-be saviour was soon revealed to be nothing more than a sophisticated conman.
Val. - Now TV
Who is Val Kilmer? He's Batman. He's Iceman. He's Jim Morrison. And he's a lifelong filmmaker. Get re-acquainted with the legend
Wanted - The Escape Of Carlos Ghosn - Apple TV +
Money. Power. A CEO turned fugitive. Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn streaming now on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_CarlosGhosn The riveting story of CEO-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn, including his reign of power, shocking arrest, and calculated getaway that stunned the world.
Mud Sweat And Tears - Amazon Prime
Mud, Sweat and Tears: Premiership Rugby takes fans behind the scenes of a sport like no other to witness the triumph and heartache of elite-level Rugby Union
Welcome to Wrexham season 2 - Disney +
The boys are back in town. Watch the official trailer for FX’s Welcome to Wrexham season 2
The Pigeon Tunnel- Apple TV +
The Pigeon Tunnel—the final interview with John le Carré— in select theaters and streaming now on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_PigeonTunnel_ Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell — better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Constant Gardener. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. "The Pigeon Tunnel" is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré's extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction.
The Great Amazon Heist - Channel 4
Storyville- Made Of Steel - Wheelchair Rugby League - BBC iPlayer
A Storyville documentary that follows the fierce sporting rivalry between the two best teams, England and France, and their journeys in the 2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001r9zl
Telemarketers- Now TV
TELEMARKETERS chronicles the darkly comedic, unexpected 20-year journey of two unlikely office buddies, who stumble upon the murky truth behind the work they’ve been doing at a seedy New Jersey call center – persuading people to give money to charities – and vow to expose the crooked American telemarketing industry from within. As amateur sleuths looking to shine a light on the billion-dollar scam, with raucous insider access, raw eyewitness footage, and a comedic cast of call center characters, the film is a madcap story of an unruly, low-wage environment and two long-time office buddies who find themselves hot on the trail of a sobering look at the dark side of American capitalism and the misuse of consumer trust.
Stasi FC - Now TV
The games were rigged, players’ families were held and, eventually, all their fans deserted them. This is an astute look at the wild story of a Stasi-run East German club
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/nov/26/stasi-fc-review-the-astonishing-tale-of-the-secret-polices-football-team