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Movies like Waila! Making the People Happy (2009)

The best movies like Waila! Making the People Happy (2009) are David Byrne's American Utopia (2020), Girl Rising (2013) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). If Waila! Making the People Happy hooked you with its documentary, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. David Byrne's American Utopia (2020)

    A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  2. Girl Rising (2013)

    Nine filmmakers each profile a young girl from a different part of the world to weave a global tapestry of youth in the 21st century.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Ex 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 this
  4. 21 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 this
  5. Seven Up! (1964)

    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

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  6. The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2009)

    Produced by Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine for MTV and Dickhouse Productions, The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia is a documentary about the renowned West Virginia outlaw Jesco White and his eccentric backwoods family. In addition to getting in trouble with the law, the Whites, who live deep within Appalachia, uphold a time-honored dancing style, even as they contend with poverty, drugs and other issues. Alternately humorous and sad, the movie is an unflinching look at life on the criminal margins of rural mountain culture.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  7. LA Originals (2020)

    Photographer Estevan Oriol and artist Mister Cartoon turned their Chicano roots into gritty art, impacting street culture, hip hop and beyond.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022)

    Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. The Summers of It - Chapter Two: It Ends (2019)

    This documentary focuses on the actors and their journey over two summers to create the remake to the original IT, by Stephen King. The documentary originally released as bonus material, bundled with IT: Chapter Two.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye (2022)

    Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. 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

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)

    A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. 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

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince (1978)

    Martin Scorsese spends an evening with larger-than-life raconteur Steven Prince—a former drug addict, road manager for Neil Diamond, and actor—as he recounts stories from his colorful life.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this

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Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Waila! Making the People Happy?

The closest matches to Waila! Making the People Happy are David Byrne's American Utopia (2020), Girl Rising (2013) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Waila! Making the People Happy?

Start with David Byrne's American Utopia (2020), the closest match to Waila! Making the People Happy.

What is the highest-rated movie like Waila! Making the People Happy?

Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022), rated 7.0/10 by 246 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Waila! Making the People Happy?

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

Are there English movies like Waila! Making the People Happy?

Yes: David Byrne's American Utopia (2020), Girl Rising (2013) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017).

How are movies similar to Waila! Making the People Happy chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Waila! Making the People Happy, 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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