Movies like Portugal: Carnations Against Dictatorship (2024)

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)

Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

Audrey (2020)

An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

Alone in the Wilderness (2004)

Dick Proenneke retired at age 50 in 1967 and decided to build his own cabin in the wilderness at the base of the Aleutian Peninsula, in what is now Lake Clark National Park. Using color footage he shot himself, Proenneke traces how he came to this remote area, selected a homestead site and built his log cabin completely by himself. The documentary covers his first year in-country, showing his day-to-day activities and the passing of the seasons as he sought to scratch out a living alone in the wilderness.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron (2017)

For the 20th anniversary of "Titanic," James Cameron reopens the file on the disaster.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

MARS: Inside SpaceX (2018)

The inside story of SpaceX's plan to get humanity to Mars, providing an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world's most revolutionary companies. A behind-the-scenes journey with Elon Musk and his engineers as they persevere amidst both disheartening setbacks and huge triumphs to advance the space industry faster than we ever thought possible.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & documentary

Another Day of Life (2018)

In 1975, Ryszard Kapuściński, a veteran Polish journalist, embarked on a seemingly suicidal road trip into the heart of the Angola's civil war. There, he witnessed once again the dirty reality of war and discovered a sense of helplessness previously unknown to him. Angola changed him forever: it was a reporter who left Poland, but it was a writer who returned…

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

One Day in September (1999)

The full story of the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and the Israeli revenge operation 'Wrath of God.' The 1972 Munich Olympics were interrupted by Palestinian terrorists taking Israeli athletes hostage. Besides footage taken at the time, we see interviews with the surviving terrorist, Jamal Al Gashey, and various officials detailing exactly how the police, lacking an anti-terrorist squad and turning down help from the Israelis, botched the operation.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

David Bowie: The Last Five Years (2017)

In the last five years of his life, David Bowie ended nearly a decade of silence to engage in an extraordinary burst of activity, producing two groundbreaking albums and a musical. David Bowie: The Last Five Years explores this unexpected end to a remarkable career. Made with remarkable access, Francis Whately’s documentary is a revelatory follow-up to his acclaimed 2013 documentary David Bowie: Five Years, which chronicled Bowie’s golden ‘70s and early-‘80s period.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Inside Deep Throat (2005)

In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel: "Deep Throat," starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self-appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film's star.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

Ronaldo (2015)

Filmed over 14 months with unprecedented access into the inner circle of the man and the sport, this is the first official and fully authorised film of one of the most celebrated figures in football. For the first time ever, the world gets vividly candid and un-paralleled, behind-closed-doors access to the footballer, father, family-man and friend in this moving & fascinating documentary. Through in-depth conversations, state of the art football footage and never before seen archival footage, the film gives an astonishing insight into the sporting and personal life of triple Ballon D'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his career. From the makers of ‘Senna’ and ‘Amy’, Ronaldo takes audiences on an intimate and revealing journey of what it’s like to live as an iconic athlete in the eye of the storm.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

David Bowie: Five Years (2013)

Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in Berlin with the critically acclaimed album Heroes, his triumph with Scary Monsters and his global success with Let’s Dance. With interviews with all his closest collaborators, David Bowie - Five Years presents a unique account of why Bowie has become an ‘icon of our times’.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014)

A look at the story behind Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from all of the Marvel films, the Marvel One-Shots and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."!

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Apollo: Missions to the Moon (2019)

National Geographic's riveting effort recounts all 12 crewed missions using only archival footage, photos and audio.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

The Accountant of Auschwitz (2018)

Oskar Gröning, known as the "Accountant of Auschwitz," was charged with the murder of 300,000 Jews. When he took the stand in 2015, at the age of 94, his trial made headlines worldwide.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (2014)

Darwin meets Hitchcock in this documentary. Directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have created a parable about the search for paradise, set in the brutal yet alluring landscape of the Galapagos Islands, which interweaves an unsolved 1930s murder mystery with stories of present day Galapagos pioneers. A gripping tale of idealistic dreams gone awry, featuring voice-over performances by Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger, and Gustaf Skarsgard.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & history

Louis Theroux: Twilight of the Porn Stars (2012)

In 1997, Louis Theroux made a documentary about the world of male porn performers in Los Angeles. 15 years later, he returns to find a business struggling with the deluge of free porn on the internet. Louis revisits some of the original programme's contributors as well as meeting the latest crop of porn performers dreaming of porn stardom.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998)

This documentary follows superstar Bret Hart during his last year in the WWF. The film documents the tensions that resulted in The Montreal Screwjob, one of the most controversial events in the history of professional wrestling, in which Vince McMahon, Shawn Micheals, and others, legitimately conspired behind the scenes to go against the script and remove Bret Hart as champion.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1990)

A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather" film, and some candid moments on the set of "The Godfather: Part III."

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Seven Up! (1985)

A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects. The filmmakers plan to re-interview them at 7 year intervals to track how their lives and attitudes change as they age.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

David Blaine: Real or Magic (2013)

David Blaine's signature brand of street magic mystifies the most recognisable celebrities in the world, such as Jamie Foxx, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Ricky Gervais, Katy Perry, Woody Allen, and Robert DeNiro, to name a few. He goes to the homes of Kanye West and Harrison Ford, Will Smith and Olivia Wilde. He pays a visit to Stephen Hawking at his office in Cambridge University. Blaine also travels the world, astonishing people from all walks of life with never-before seen, inconceivable magic.

Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

Rasputin: Murder in the Tsar's Court (2016)

St. Petersburg, Russia, December 30th, 1916. Grigori Rasputin is assassinated. The story of the humble peasant who became the most influential adviser to czarina Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of the last czar, Nicholas II Romanov.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & history

The Beast Is Still Alive (2016)

A young Bulgarian girl digs into her grandfather's turbulent life in an attempt to unravel the past and find answers and explanations for the catastrophic fall of communism.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & history

100 Years (2021)

As the Communist Party of China celebrates its 100th anniversary, this documentary looks back at the party’s history, from the 1920’s, to the Civil War, the Great Leap Forward, the Great Famine, the Cultural Revolution and the reforms by Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Did the Great Famine cost more than 15 million lives? How does the Cultural Revolution continue to shape Chinese politics today? What was capitalism like after Mao’s death? Through rare and never-before-seen historical footage, expert interviews and eyewitness accounts of the Great Famine, Tiananmen incident, and the Cultural Revolution, get to know how one party has so profoundly shaped China.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & history

Jesus Christ Saviour (2008)

Klaus Kinski has perhaps the most ferocious reputation of all screen actors: his volatility was documented to electrifying effect in Werner Herzog’s 1999 portrait My Best Fiend. This documentary provides further fascinating insight into the talent and the tantrums of the great man. Beset by hecklers, Kinski tries to deliver an epic monologue about the life of Christ (with whom he perhaps identifies a little too closely). The performance becomes a stand-off, as Kinski fights for control of the crowd and alters the words to bait his tormentors. Indispensable for Kinski fans, and a riveting introduction for newcomers, this is a unique document, which Variety called ‘a time capsule of societal ideals and personal demons.’

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Noua (1972)

In Algeria in 1954, in a village in the Aurès region, poverty reigns over peasants enslaved by colonial administrators and Algerian landowners. Noua, in love with the son of a peasant dispossessed of his land, must be sold to a wealthy landowner.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history

Storm (2021)

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

The Fifth Empire (2004)

Manoel de Oliveira directs José Régio's historical epic of religious and political power struggles. King Sebastião plans to make Portugal the world's Fifth Empire.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history

PsiQuis: Un Giro Decolonial (2023)

PsiQuis: Un Giro Decolonial is a documentary that presents and discusses the psychological impact that colonialism has had on the Puerto Rican people. The director analyzes the traumas generated in Puerto Rican society by that colonial experience.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Nixon (1995)

A look at President Richard M. Nixon—a man carrying the fate of the world on his shoulders while battling the self-destructive demands from within—spanning his troubled boyhood in California to the shocking Watergate scandal that would end his Presidency.

Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history

Afera Mięsna (2007)

A portrait of cabinet intrigues, the false aspirations of the party elite and the grinding reality of the 1960s, or "our little stability." Robert Meller and Janusz Dymek's documentary drama concerns the famous 1964 meat scandal, in which three death sentences were demanded and one was adjudicated and executed. The victim was Stanislaw Wawrzecki. Ostensibly, it was about fraud and bribes in the meat industry. In fact, it was about covering up the government's economic ineptitude, shortages of supplies and directing the people's anger at a few defendants.

Why it matches: Similar story and style