Movies like Jef's (2014)
The best movies like Jef's (2014) are 35 Up (1991), 21 Up (1977) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). If Jef's hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- NewestA Toxic Love Story (2026)Released 2026
- In FrenchDaguerréotypes (1978)Also in French
35 Up (1991)
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this21 Up (1977)
After another 7 year wait, director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born children from Seven Up! and 7 Plus Seven. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEx Libris: The New York Public Library (2017)
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Toxic Love Story (2026)
A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDirected by John Ford (1971)
A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFuck (2006)
A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDaguerréotypes (1978)
An intimate portrait of the small shops and shopkeepers of the Rue Daguerre in Paris, a picturesque street that has been the filmmaker’s home for more than 50 years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisAvatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAs I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Bus: A French Football Mutiny (2026)
This documentary revisits the French football team's controversial 2010 World Cup and the bus strike that sparked global headlines and national outrage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCapital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)
Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEnd of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAnna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me (2023)
From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLionel Messi: Destiny (2023)
Behind-the-scenes documentary about how Lionel Messi succeeded in lifting the World Cup – the only trophy to have eluded him in an incredible career.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Class of ‘92 (2013)
A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDrew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013)
A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAlfredo Corrado (2023)
Julien Bourges partly retraces the life of Alfredo Corrado, an American deaf artist. Today, considered an important figure in the French deaf community, Alfredo Corrrado came to Paris in the late 1970s, at a time when sign language was forbidden and scorned. This unique documentary on Alfredo Corrado recounts the creation of International Visual Theater (IVT) and the adventures of the first deaf theater in France at the Château de Vincennes, which changed the history of deaf people in France.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Les Silencieux (2023)
On April 5, 2021, Mediapart published an article about the mistreatment of deaf children at the deaf school in Asnières, the Gustave Baguer Institute just north of Paris. In fact, the mistreatment of deaf children in quite a few deaf schools and medico-social services has existed for many years. These six deaf people decided to break the silence and tell their stories…
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Armand Pelletier (2023)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Les témoins qui dérangent (2016)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Les Mains du silence (1977)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Comme une pieuvre (2026)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Eugène Rubens-Alcais, l'homme infatigable (2020)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Claude Gaubert, le gérant de la chambre d’hôtes, La Maynade (2020)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Jean-Yves Augros (2023)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Koji Inoué, photographe au-delà des signes (1999)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Like Jef's and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Jef's?
The closest matches to Jef's are 35 Up (1991), 21 Up (1977) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Jef's?
Start with 35 Up (1991), the closest match to Jef's.
What is the newest movie like Jef's?
A Toxic Love Story (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there French movies like Jef's?
Yes: Daguerréotypes (1978), The Bus: A French Football Mutiny (2026) and Alfredo Corrado (2023).
How are movies similar to Jef's chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Jef's, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.