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Movies like Orpheus Descending (2005)

The best movies like Orpheus Descending (2005) are Night Will Fall (2014), The Class of ‘92 (2013) and Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013). If Orpheus Descending hooked you with its documentary, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Night Will Fall (2014)

    When Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1944-45, their terrible discoveries were recorded by army and newsreel cameramen, revealing for the first time the full horror of what had happened. Making use of British, Soviet and American footage, the Ministry of Information’s Sidney Bernstein (later founder of Granada Television) aimed to create a documentary that would provide lasting, undeniable evidence of the Nazis’ unspeakable crimes. He commissioned a wealth of British talent, including editor Stewart McAllister, writer and future cabinet minister Richard Crossman – and, as treatment advisor, his friend Alfred Hitchcock. Yet, despite initial support from the British and US Governments, the film was shelved, and only now, 70 years on, has it been restored and completed by Imperial War Museums under its original title "German Concentration Camps Factual Survey".

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  2. The 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 this
  3. Drew: 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 this
  4. 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 this
  5. 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

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  6. As 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 this
  7. 180° South (2010)

    The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  8. Capital 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 this
  9. Above Majestic (2018)

    A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  10. McQueen (2018)

    Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. You Can See Everything (2026)

    Thirty-four days before she's sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. What begins as an intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon becomes a mind-bending three-year journey into the abyss.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  12. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)

    Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child (2023)

    Pro boxing sensation — and perennial troublemaker — Jake Paul shares his unlikely journey from online prankster to power puncher in this documentary.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

  14. The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)

    A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012)

    Alex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all way to the Vatican.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)

    Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. Anna 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 this
  18. Fuck (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 this
  19. Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)

    Brilliant, long in-the-works story of the life and art of the world's greatest comedian and the cinema's first genius, Charlie Chaplin. Produced, written and directed by renowned film critic Richard Schickel.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. 28 Up (1985)

    Just two years away from turning 30, participants in Michael Apted's documentary series are facing serious questions of identity and purpose, wondering whether they've found their place in the world.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this

Like Orpheus Descending and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Orpheus Descending?

The closest matches to Orpheus Descending are Night Will Fall (2014), The Class of ‘92 (2013) and Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Orpheus Descending?

Start with Night Will Fall (2014), the closest match to Orpheus Descending.

What is the highest-rated movie like Orpheus Descending?

Deliver Us from Evil (2006), rated 7.2/10 by 215 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Orpheus Descending?

You Can See Everything (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

How are movies similar to Orpheus Descending chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Orpheus Descending, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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