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Movies like Around the World in Eight Days (1949)

The best movies like Around the World in Eight Days (1949) are Samsara (2011), South of the Border (2009) and Girl Rising (2013). If Around the World in Eight Days hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Samsara (2011)

    Filmed over nearly five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on seventy-millimetre film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  2. South of the Border (2009)

    A road trip across five countries to explore the social and political movements as well as the mainstream media's misperception of South America while interviewing seven of its elected presidents.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  3. 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
  4. National Geographic: Journey to the Edge of the Universe (2008)

    In one single, epic camera move we journey from Earth's surface to the outermost reaches of the universe on a grand tour of the cosmos, to explore newborn stars, distant planets, black holes and beyond.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. I Am Heath Ledger (2017)

    The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. 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
  10. Dancing with the Birds (2019)

    Some of the world's most majestic birds display delightfully captivating mating rituals, from flashy dancing to flaunting their colorful feathers.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. Sherman's March (1986)

    Documentarian Ross McElwee originally set out to make a travelogue of sorts tracing General William T. Sherman's infamous scorched-earth march through the Confederacy in the latter stages of the Civil War. Instead, haunted by a recent breakup with a girlfriend, McElwee ends up documenting his progress -- or lack thereof -- in starting a new relationship. His journey then becomes one of self-reflection and self-discovery rather than a historical/sociological exploration.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  12. Baraka (1992)

    A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  13. 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
  14. Chasing Happiness (2019)

    From humble roots as pastor's sons in New Jersey, through their meteoric rise to fame, the Jonas Brothers' bond was unshakeable-until a surprising and painful breakup led Joe, Kevin and Nick down very different paths. With deeply personal interviews, previously unreleased footage and exclusive music, this is the Jonas Brothers as never seen before.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. Halloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006)

    Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  19. The Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1990)

    A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather" film, and some candid moments on the set of "The Godfather: Part III."

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. My 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 this
  21. Gringo Trails (2014)

    Are tourists destroying the planet-or saving it? How do travelers change the remote places they visit, and how are they changed? From the Bolivian jungle to the party beaches of Thailand, and from the deserts of Timbuktu, Mali to the breathtaking beauty of Bhutan, GRINGO TRAILS traces stories over 30 years to show the dramatic long-term impact of tourism on cultures, economies, and the environment.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. Skatteøens hemmelighed (1953)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Legends of the Sky: The Liberty Plane (2022)

    When the United States entered World War I, its Army Air Service lacked a combat-ready aircraft – a liability that prompted a search to find an aircraft suitable for production at home and combat operations abroad. This documentary from Bowling Green filmmakers tells the story behind the single-engine DH-4 plane dubbed The Liberty Plane.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. The Venetian Dilemma (2005)

    Few can resist Venice's magical allure, but with more than 14 million visitors a year, Italy's glorious city of canals faces a number of threats. This documentary examines issues at the heart of Venice's precarious future. Interviews reveal a city in crisis -- politician Roberto plans to modernize Venice, while environmentalist Paolo wages a battle against tourist power-boat shuttles and Michela tries to maintain Venice's residential population.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. Die Mechanik des Wunders (1992)

    Altötting in Bavaria, around 120 km from Regensburg, is a much-visited pilgrimage site. Numerous Catholic pilgrims come here every year. The photographs show various groups of pilgrims in search of extraordinary and spiritual experiences, which are contrasted with the ordinariness of village life. The secular-commercial organization of the pilgrimage site and the marketing of the miracle do not always make it easy to distinguish between pilgrims and tourists, pilgrimage and spectacle, faith and madness.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  26. Touristen in Italien - Beobachtungen mit der Filmkamera (1958)

    A documentary about German tourists on vacation in Italy and various activities at their Italian vacation destination.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Laos - Alles hat seinen Preis (2018)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Gringo on the Slum (2015)

    Documentary about the foreign tourism in Rocinha, the biggest Latin America's favela, which receives about 3.000 foreign tourists per month. They come to Rocinha looking for the most varied aspects, from the poorness to the violence, from the geography to the architecture, from the viewing to the atmosphere, from the curiosity to the welfarism.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. A Look At: Puerto Rico (2006)

    Part of a series of films produced by Vme TV that features aerial videography shot from a helicopter of points of interest. This film in particular features points of interest in Puerto Rico.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Voyage of the Southern Sun (2017)

    Michael Smith discovered the delights and perils of true adventure in a solo circumnavigation in his tiny amphibious flying boat, Southern Sun.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like Around the World in Eight Days and something else?

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Around the World in Eight Days?

The closest matches to Around the World in Eight Days are Samsara (2011), South of the Border (2009) and Girl Rising (2013). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Around the World in Eight Days?

Start with Samsara (2011), the closest match to Around the World in Eight Days.

What is the highest-rated movie like Around the World in Eight Days?

Baraka (1992), rated 8.2/10 by 735 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Around the World in Eight Days?

Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like Around the World in Eight Days?

Yes: Samsara (2011), South of the Border (2009) and Girl Rising (2013).

How are movies similar to Around the World in Eight Days chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Around the World in Eight Days, 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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