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Movies like Butterfly Disaster (2019)

The best movies like Butterfly Disaster (2019) are 42 Up (1999), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Naqoyqatsi (2002). If Butterfly Disaster hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. 42 Up (1999)

    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

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  2. 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
  3. Naqoyqatsi (2002)

    A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  4. Come 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 this
  5. Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (2025)

    Unravel the case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, whose child abuse arrest with parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke exposed a twisted tale of manipulation.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  6. Seduced and Abandoned (2013)

    SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  7. Maria by Callas (2017)

    Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  8. The Walking Dead: The Return (2024)

    Stars of "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. A 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

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  10. S4: The Bob Lazar Story (2026)

    Over 35 years after Bob Lazar's revelations, this documentary exposes secrets of a facility the government still denies. Featuring Lazar's testimony, recreations, and new evidence, it reopens a case that continues to spark global curiosity

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  11. Our Planet: Behind the Scenes (2019)

    Years spent recording footage of creatures from every corner of the globe is bound to produce a bit of drama. Here's a behind-the-scenes look.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Earthlings (2005)

    Using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  13. The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button (2009)

    A documentary about the making of David Fincher's 2008 film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Virtually every element in the evolution of the Fincher's film is documented here, from the project's attachment to numerous other directors during the 1990s, to its shoot in 2006 and 2007 in New Orleans, to its complex, CGI-intensive postproduction process.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. Aquaman: Heroines of Atlantis (2019)

    Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman discuss their characters Mera and Atlanna.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  15. 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

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  16. Catfish (2010)

    Nev, a 24-year-old New York-based photographer, has no idea what he's in for when Abby, an eight-year-old girl from rural Michigan, contacts him on Facebook, seeking permission to paint one of his photographs. When he receives her remarkable painting, Nev begins a friendship and correspondence with Abby's family. But things really get interesting when he develops a cyber-romance with Abby's attractive older sister, Megan, a musician and model. Prompted by some startling revelations about Megan, Nev and his buddies embark on a road trip in search of the truth.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  17. For Sama (2019)

    A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice– whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  18. Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007)

    The definitive 3½-hour documentary about the troubled creation and enduring legacy of the science fiction classic 'Blade Runner', culled from 80 interviews and hours of never-before-seen outtakes and lost footage.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022)

    This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  20. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022)

    With mesmerizing footage and time lapses of animators at work, this behind-the-scenes special captures the artistry of a unique tale years in the making.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  21. Dragonfly Eyes (2017)

    A young woman's life takes a series of unexpected turns after she leaves the Buddhist temple where she has lived most of her adult life.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. About the Pain of Others (2025)

    A personal essay on the destructive nature of war and the traces left behind by militarism and mandatory military service. Through found footage, the film explores the personal and inherited memories, reflecting how collective pain continues to shape the present. A reflexive exploration of post-memory, where past and present traumas reverberate within the wounds of the system.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Cine de Emboscada (2017)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. Farce of the Penguins (2006)

    In this spoof of "March of the Penguins," nature footage of penguins near the South Pole gets a soundtrack of human voices. Carl and Jimmy, best friends, walk 70 miles to the mating grounds where the female penguins wait. The huddled masses of females - especially Melissa and Vicki - talk about males, mating, and what might happen this year. Carl, Jimmy, and the other males make the long trek talking about food, fornication and flatulence. Until this year, Carl's sex life has been dismal, but he falls hard for Melissa. She seems to like him. A crisis develops when Jimmy comes upon something soft in the dark. Can friends forgive? Does parenthood await Carl and Melissa?

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. The Five Obstructions (2003)

    In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

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  26. Fantastic Vision (1957)

    Footage filmed in Spain, subjected a new visual effects process. Deslaw devoted himself to the discovery of a new machine that enabled film to be developed while using a new method called solarisation.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Sebastian and Jonas Leaving the Party (2019)

    "My last image of Jonas."—Ken Jacobs

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Halloween Home Haunts (2013)

    The new documentary from Apprehensive Films follows eight Home Haunters in their pursuit to transform their nice suburban homes into visions of the macabre. Their obsession with Halloween has lead them to spend thousands, dedicate countless hours and resources to acheive their horrific attractions and to scare the daylights out of unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. We'll meet all sorts of different haunters from basic yard haunts to one's so extreme they go beyond their property lines. Special features include: Trailers, Spotlight on Hauntcast, Larry Scholl's Tiki Room, Alternate Opening and Behind the Scenes at Night Frights.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. Letter in Motion to Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux (2014)

    Rather than writing a simple letter to explain his absence from the press conference for his latest Cannes entry, "Goodbye to Language," at the Cannes Film Festival, instead, legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard created a video "Letter in motion to (Cannes president) Gilles Jacob and (artistic director) Thierry Fremaux." The video intercuts from Godard speaking cryptically about his "path" to key scenes from Godard classics such as "Alphaville" and "King Lear" with Burgess Meredith and Molly Ringwald, and quotes poet Jacques Prevert and philosopher Hannah Arendt.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. To Teach a Bird to Fly (2020)

    This experimental nature documentary by Minna Rainio and Mark Roberts depicts climate change and the wave of extinction from the point of view of our near future. Actually, it depicts the age we live in now, or rather its fateful consequences.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like Butterfly Disaster and something else?

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Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Butterfly Disaster?

The closest matches to Butterfly Disaster are 42 Up (1999), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Naqoyqatsi (2002). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Butterfly Disaster?

Start with 42 Up (1999), the closest match to Butterfly Disaster.

What is the highest-rated movie like Butterfly Disaster?

For Sama (2019), rated 8.2/10 by 323 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Butterfly Disaster?

A Toxic Love Story (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like Butterfly Disaster?

Yes: 42 Up (1999), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Naqoyqatsi (2002).

How are movies similar to Butterfly Disaster chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Butterfly Disaster, 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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