Movies like Deaf President Now!
If Deaf President Now! hooked you with its documentary, these are the films to watch next. Every pick says why it matches.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020)
Down the road from Woodstock in the early 1970s, a revolution blossomed in a ramshackle summer camp for disabled teenagers, transforming their young lives and igniting a landmark movement.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWon't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
For more than thirty years, and through his television program, Fred Rogers (1928-2003), host, producer, writer and pianist, accompanied by his puppets and his many friends, spoke directly to young children about some of life's most important issues.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Librarians (2025)
As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
RBG (2018)
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg now 84, and still inspired by the lawyers who defended free speech during the Red Scare, Ginsburg refuses to relinquish her passionate duty, steadily fighting for equal rights for all citizens under the law. Through intimate interviews and unprecedented access to Ginsburg’s life outside the court, RBG tells the electric story of Ginsburg’s consuming love affairs with both the Constitution and her beloved husband Marty—and of a life’s work that led her to become an icon of justice in the highest court in the land.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (2025)
In 1987, Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award and was thrust into the spotlight at 21 years old. Reflecting on her life in her primary language of American Sign Language, Marlee explores the complexities of what it means to be a trailblazer.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Siempre, Luis (2020)
A story that embodies the tenacity and passion of the American Dream, this documentary is a portrait of the pioneering activist Luis A. Miranda Jr. Luis is a decades-long fighter for Latino communities, a key player in the New York and national political arena, and a loving father of three – including the award-winning composer, lyricist and actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Alive Inside (2014)
Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSidney (2022)
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Six Billion Dollar Man (2025)
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange battled extradition to the U.S., where he could've faced a lengthy sentence for publishing classified documents. His case, centered on press freedom, took unexpected twists as it unfolded.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
My Name Is Pauli Murray (2021)
Overlooked by history, Pauli Murray was a legal trailblazer whose ideas influenced RBG's fight for gender equality and Thurgood Marshall's landmark civil rights arguments. Featuring never-before-seen footage and audio recordings, a portrait of Murray's impact as a non-binary Black luminary: lawyer, activist, poet, and priest who transformed our world.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
I Am Not Your Negro (2017)
Working from the text of James Baldwin’s unfinished final novel, director Raoul Peck creates a meditation on what it means to be Black in the United States.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLouis Armstrong's Black & Blues (2022)
Never-before-heard personal recordings and archival footage tell the story of Louis Armstrong's life from his perspective. From musical phenom to civil rights activist to world-renowned artist, this illuminating film shows sides of Armstrong few have seen.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Sally (2025)
Sally Ride's groundbreaking journey as the first American woman in space concealed a deeply personal story. Her life partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, unveils their covert 27-year romance and its accompanying sacrifices.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Gleason (2016)
At the age of 34, former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS and given a life expectancy of two to five years. Weeks later, Gleason found out his wife, Michel, was expecting their first child. A video journal that began as a gift for his unborn son expands to chronicle Steve’s determination to get his relationships in order, build a foundation to provide other ALS patients with purpose, and adapt to his declining physical condition—utilizing medical technologies that offer the means to live as fully as possible.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisGiving Voice (2020)
Every year, thousands of high schoolers enter the August Wilson monologue competition for a chance to perform on Broadway. This film follows these students, examining how Wilson and his characters speak to a new generation, inspiring them to listen to his words and find their own voice.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Not Going Quietly (2021)
An intimate, inspiring look at activist and loving father Ady Barkan, diagnosed with ALS at age 32 and who, in spite of declining physical abilities, embarks on a nationwide campaign for healthcare reform.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Anita (2013)
The story of young, brilliant African-American Anita Hill who accuses the Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of unwanted sexual advances during explosive Senate Hearings in 1991 and ignites a political firestorm about sexual harassment, race, power and politics that resonates today.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The ABCs of Book Banning (2024)
In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as banned, restricted, or challenged, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right—LGBTQ+ issues, Black History, and women’s empowerment—impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, THE ABCs OF BOOK BANNING reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World (2024)
A teen with autism unlocks a joyous world of self-expression as she shares her voice for the first time using a letter board.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
October 8 (2025)
A documentary exploring the explosion of anti-Semitism on college campuses, on social media, and in the streets of America in the aftermath of October 7th. High-profile individuals featured include actors Debra Messing and Michael Rapaport, Mosab Yousef (son of Hamas's co-founder), Sheryl Sandberg, Scott Galloway, US Rep. Ritchie Torres, US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Dan Senor, Noa Tishby, Bari Weiss, and a survivor from Nir Oz.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality (2019)
An intimate portrait of Alabama public interest attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, who for more than three decades has advocated on behalf of the poor, the incarcerated and the condemned, seeking to eradicate racial discrimination in the criminal justice system.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The Alabama Solution (2025)
Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of America’s deadliest prison systems.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlink (2024)
The Pelletier family sets out on an epic journey to see the beauty of the world when three of their four children are diagnosed with an incurable eye condition.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse (2025)
Explores the life and career of cartoonist Art Spiegelman including the creation and ground-breaking impact of his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel MAUS.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
John Lewis: Good Trouble (2020)
The timely biopic focuses on John Lewis’ longstanding prominence as a civil rights champion and his continuing crusade for racial and social equality. The documentary illuminates the 80-year-old Congressman’s life as it chronicles the moments on the extraordinary journey that have shaped his place in history and make him such a galvanizing figure today as protests circle the globe. Lewis’ schedule has increased ten-fold as he has become the go-to figure for TV news shows, podcasts and newspapers and magazines from the Washington Post to Vanity Fair, commenting on and leading the way forward through today’s worldwide protests and demonstrations.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (2020)
Every year, hundreds of children from pre-K through 12th grade take the stage at the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest, a public speaking competition where they perform poetry and speeches inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film covers the months leading up to the 40th annual festival, as schools across the city send their top-placing students to compete. It is a portrait of young people raising their voices about issues they care about and of the unique community that celebrates and supports them.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Famous Last Words: Dr. Jane Goodall (2025)
Dr. Jane Goodall connected humanity and nature in unprecedented ways. In this deeply personal interview, she shares her final message with the world.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Cover-Up (2025)
He's devoted his career to uncovering stories the powerful want buried. From My Lai to Abu Ghraib, dig into the life's work of journalist Seymour Hersh.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAmerican Symphony (2023)
Musician Jon Batiste attempts to compose a symphony as his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, undergoes cancer treatment.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisQueen of Chess (2026)
A Hungarian girl dreams of conquering international men’s chess. After a 15-year battle against world champion Garry Kasparov and her domineering father, Judit Polgár revolutionizes the sport’s patriarchal culture to become one of the greatest chess prodigies in history and the greatest woman chess player of all time.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Deaf President Now!?
The closest matches to Deaf President Now! are Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, The Librarians.
How are movies similar to Deaf President Now! chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Deaf President Now!, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.
Are there English movies like Deaf President Now!?
Yes: Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, The Librarians.