As the weather cools down and we’re naturally inclined to spend more time cosying up inside, it’s only natural that we’d want something good to watch. But with so many competing streaming services out there, and more content than ever before all demanding our attention, it can be hard to work out what’s actually worth watching. Never fear, we’re here to help, with our selection of the best documentaries 2024 has to offer.
Earlier this year, the harrowing, heartbreaking documentary 20 Days in Mariupol took home the Best Documentary Feature Oscar at the 2024 Academy Awards. The film documents the first days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the besieged city of Mariupol, and it’s a confronting, important film that you can watch now on Prime Video.
Of course, this is just one option, and 2024 has already seen the release of many incredible documentary features and docuseries that you can dive into, no matter the mood. From music to mayhem, fashion to felons, here are the best documentaries of 2024 so far, and the ones we can’t wait for later this year.
Best Feature Documentaries of 2024
As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial
Directed by: J.M. Harper
Synopsis: Bronx rap artist Kemba explores the growing weaponisation of rap lyrics in the United States criminal justice system and abroad, revealing how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades.
Where to watch: Streaming on Paramount+
A fascinating and compelling documentary that examines the double standards that rap artists face for their lyrics when compared to other musical genres, particularly in criminal trials.
Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion
Directed by: Eva Orner
Synopsis: The Instagram-perfect image of Brandy Melville hides a toxic culture endemic to fast fashion.
Where to watch: Streaming on BINGE
While there are only two Brandy Melville stores open in Australia, the story of Brandy Hellville is one that’s important for everyone to see. Beyond the company’s unprofessional and unethical practices, the documentary broadens its scope to fast fashion at large, and will make you think twice about your next purchase, no matter the store.
Ennio: The Maestro
Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore
Synopsis: A documentary on the legendary film composer Ennio Morricone.
Where to watch: Streaming on Stan
Despite Ennio‘s lengthy runtime, this is a documentary that will hold the attention of any cinephile or music lover. Morricone was (and remains) one of cinema’s most influential and prolific composers, and Ennio allows you to get to know the man behind the music in a film that is a thoughtful, loving portrait of the man he was.
Frida
Directed by: Carla Gutierrez
Synopsis: A raw and magical journey into the life of iconic artist Frida Kahlo, told through her own words from diaries, letters, essays, and interviews. Vividly brought to life with lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.
Where to watch: Streaming on Prime Video
Frida Kahlo was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, and her work remains relevant and beloved to this day. Frida is a film that delivers something for everyone, whether you’re relatively unfamiliar or curious about her work, or a longtime fan who’s looking for a fresh perspective on her work.
Girls State
Directed by: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
Synopsis: Follows 500 adolescent girls from all across Missouri as they come together for a week-long immersion in a sophisticated democratic laboratory, where they organise a Supreme Court to consider the most contentious issues of the day.
Where to watch: Streaming on Apple TV+
Girls State is the counterpart to 2020’s Boys State, which narrowly missed out on an Oscar nod for Best Documentary Feature. The film is a nuanced, thought-provoking look at the issues facing young women today, with plenty of laughs, charm, and vulnerability along the way.
The Greatest Night in Pop
Directed by: Bao Nguyen
Synopsis: On January 25th 1985, dozens of the era’s most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.
Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix
Recorded on January 25, 1985, “We Are the World” was a benefit single released to raise money for famine relief in Africa, and brought many of the biggest names in music of the 1980s together on one song. It went on to become one of the best selling singles of all time, and won four Grammy Awards.
The Greatest Night in Pop is a must-see for music fans of all ages, as it takes the viewer on a journey through one of the industry’s biggest events in modern history.
Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend
Synopsis: Messi narrates the ultimate story of his career with Argentina’s national soccer team, providing an intimate and unique look at his quest for a defining World Cup victory.
Where to watch: Streaming on Apple TV+
Sports fans, this one’s for you! Messi’s World Cup takes viewers on an inspiring journey as Lionel Messi offers up a look at exactly what it takes to make it to the World Cup.
Power
Directed by: Yance Ford
Synopsis: Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.
Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix
STEVE! (Martin) a Documentary in 2 Pieces
Directed by: Morgan Neville
Synopsis: Dives into Steve Martin’s extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Steve Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionise standup before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Steve Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
Where to watch: Streaming on Apple TV+
Steve Martin has long been one of the most beloved figures in Hollywood, and STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces offers viewers a peek behind the curtain. Whether you’re a longtime fan or an Only Murders in the Building newcomer, this is a documentary that’s bound to satisfy and entertain.
Best Docuseries of 2024
Hollywood Con Queen
Directed by: Chris Smith
Synopsis: Three-part series from Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Chris Smith explores the incredible story of an international con artist impersonating the industry’s most powerful women. Based on the original reporting of investigative journalist Scott Johnson, and his book Hollywood Con Queen: The Hunt for an Evil Genius, the docuseries explores the shocking story behind one of Hollywood’s biggest scams.
Where to watch: Streaming on Apple TV+
If salacious scam stories are what you’re after, Hollywood Con Queen will be right up your alley. The scam itself is layered and complex, and the docuseries plays like a thrilling blockbuster that’s sure to hold your attention.
The Jinx — Part Two
Directed by: Andrew Jarecki
Synopsis: The Jinx – Part Two is a new six-episode continuation of the groundbreaking documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which debuted in 2015. In Part Two, the filmmakers continue their investigation for the next eight years, uncovering hidden material, Durst’s prison calls, and interviews with witnesses who had not come forward until now.
Where to watch: Streaming on BINGE
Back in 2015, The Jinx changed everything. Robert Durst‘s gobsmacking hot-mic confession made global headlines, and led directly to his arrest, prosecution and conviction. Part Two picks up where we left off, and shows us what happened after cameras stopped rolling all those years ago.
Quiet on Set
Synopsis: Uncovers the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Where to watch: Streaming on BINGE
Quiet on Set has fast become one of the most talked about docuseries of the year, and for good reason. The docuseries puts the shocking, often harrowing, stories of former child actors in the spotlight, and calls for new protections to be put in place for the safety of future child actors.
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment
Synopsis: At an Arkansas detention facility, a sheriff implements a radical social experiment to grant men who are incarcerated more agency.
Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix
An insightful look at the impact that jail conditions can have on the human psyche and spirit, Unlocked: A Jail Experiment is a compelling watch from start to finish. The series is engaging, entertaining, and makes a good case for the benefits of community connection when it comes to inmate reform.
The Most Anticipated Documentaries Still to Come in 2024
An Update on Our Family
Directed by: Rachel Mason
Synopsis: YouTube stars adopt a boy from China, build “vlogging” empire around him, but one day give him up, exposing unregulated family vlogging industry.
Australian release date: TBC
Apolonia, Apolonia
Directed by: Lea Glob
Synopsis: The talented Apolonia grows up seeking her place in the art world while grappling with the agonies and joys of womanhood and relationships in a world dominated by patriarchy, capitalism, and war.
Australian release date: TBC
Black Box Diaries
Directed by: Shiori Ito
Synopsis: Journalist Shiori Ito investigates her own sexual assault, seeking to prosecute the high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case, exposing Japan’s outdated judicial and societal systems.
Australian release date: TBC
Brats
Directed by: Andrew McCarthy
Synopsis: Centres on 1980s films starring the ‘Brat Pack’ and their profound impact on the young stars’ lives.
Australian release date: TBC
Bread and Roses
Directed by: Sahra Mani
Synopsis: Offers a powerful window into the seismic impact on women’s rights and livelihoods after Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021. The film follows three women, in real time, as they fight to recover their autonomy. Mani captures the spirit and resilience of Afghan women through a raw depiction of their harrowing plight.
Australian release date: Streaming on Apple TV+ from Friday, June 21
Carol Doda Topless at the Condor
Directed by: Marlo McKenzie, Jonathan Parker
Synopsis: A documentary set in San Francisco in 1964 when Carol Doda became the first dancer to go topless and in the process, became a tourist attraction second only to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Australian release date: TBC
Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg
Directed by: Alexis Bloom, Svetlana Zill
Synopsis: This intimate documentary reveals the story of a fierce rock ‘n’ roller, actress, muse and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s.
Australian release date: TBC
The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout
Directed by: William Nunez
Synopsis: The story of one of the great environmental disasters to befall the United States, and the terrible movie that help bring the catastrophe to light.
Australian release date: TBC
Daughters
Directed by: Angela Patton, Natalie Rae
Synopsis: Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C., jail.
Australian release date: TBC
Devo
Directed by: Chris Smith
Synopsis: In 1980, new wave band Devo scored a hit with “Whip It” and gained mainstream success with their message of societal “de-evolution”, formed in response to the 1970 Kent State shootings.
Australian release date: Premiering at Vivid Sydney on May 31, 2024. Buy tickets here. Australian release date TBC.
Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge
Directed by: Trish Dalton, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Synopsis: Focuses on the life and work of Von Furstenberg, who created a name for herself in a field that was predominantly male and amassed a multi-million dollar fashion empire.
Australian release date: Streaming on Disney+ from Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes
Directed by: Nanette Burstein
Synopsis: Newly discovered interviews with Elizabeth Taylor and unprecedented access to the star’s personal archive reveal the complex inner life and vulnerability of the groundbreaking icon.
Australian release date: Streaming on BINGE from August 4, 2024
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
Directed by: Raoul Peck
Synopsis: Follows Ernest Cole’s journey as the first Black freelance photographer in apartheid South Africa.
Australian release date: TBC
FEDERER: Twelve Final Days
Directed by: Asif Kapadia, Joe Sabia
Synopsis: Follows the last 12 days of the career of a tennis player considered the best ever as he plays his final tournament.
Australian release date: Streaming on Prime Video from June 20, 2024
High and Low — John Galliano
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Synopsis: Examines the rapid ascent, fall from grace, and journey forward for controversial fashion designer John Galliano.
Australian release date: May 30, 2024. Bookmark this page for tickets.
How Music Got Free
Directed by: Alex Stapleton
Synopsis: Factory worker Dell Glover becomes an early pioneer of illegal online file-sharing, sparking a global digital piracy revolution.
Australian release date: Streaming on Paramount+ from June 12.
I Am: Celine Dion
Directed by: Irene Taylor
Synopsis: This is a journey inside Celine Dion’s life as she reveals her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Australian release date: Streaming on Prime Video from June 25, 2024.
Ibelin
Directed by: Benjamin Ree
Synopsis: Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.
Australian release date: Streaming on Netflix, date TBC
The Invasion
Directed by: Sergei Loznitsa
Synopsis: Sergei Loznitsa questions the consequences of the invasion of one country by another.
Australian release date: TBC
Jim Henson: Idea Man
Directed by: Ron Howard
Synopsis: This Documentary will feature interviews of fans of Jim Hensons work, interspersed with footage from Jim Henson’s works, including Wilkins and Wontkins Commercials that were previously lost.
Australian release date: Streaming on Disney+ from May 31, 2024
Kim’s Video
Directed by: David Redmon, Ashley Sabin
Synopsis: Playing with the forms and tropes of various cinema genres, the filmmaker sets off on a quest to find a legendary lost video collection of 55,000 movies in Sicily.
Australian release date: TBC
La Belle de Gaza (The Beauty of Gaza)
Directed by: Yolande Zauberman
Synopsis: Follows Palestinian trans people fleeing Gaza for Tel Aviv to live openly. Their perilous journey between these worlds offers insight into their struggle for self-affirmation amid conflict and oppression.
Australian release date: TBC
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
Directed by: Bruce David Klein
Synopsis: A tribute to a young artist of unlimited raw talent and the deep, creative relationships she has with her mentors and influences.
Australian release date: TBC
Look Into My Eyes
Directed by: Lana Wilson
Synopsis: A documentary through a series of intimate sessions with psychics and their clients.
Australian release date: TBC
Lula
Directed by: Oliver Stone and Rob Wilson (co-director)
Synopsis: An intimate portrait of Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, one of the world’s most influential political figures, chronicling his extraordinary path to regaining Brazil’s presidency in 2022 after a 19-month imprisonment.
Australian release date: TBC
Luther: Never Too Much
Directed by: Dawn Porter
Synopsis: Chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame. Explores his collaborations, influences, character and relationships with family, friends and fans.
Australian release date: TBC
Magic City: An American Fantasy
Directed by: Cole Brown
Synopsis: Uncovering the famed Atlanta strip club, Magic City, and its decades-long influence on hip-hop.
Australian release date: TBC
MoviePass, MovieCrash
Directed by: Muta’Ali Muhammad
Synopsis: Exploring the company founding and the implosion of the business by outside investors who took over the company, left it bankrupt and under investigation.
Australian release date: TBC
Open Wide
Directed by: Sara Goldblatt
Synopsis: John Mew has waged a lonely war against the industry — and that teenage rite of passage, braces, for decades. With his son Mike now taking up the fight, the Mews’ fringe theories have turned into a full-blown online sensation. But even while mewing goes viral on TikTok and the Mews churn out content for their millions of followers, Mike is pursued by the British Orthodontic Society and threatened with expulsion by the very people who took away his father’s license.
Australian release date: TBC
Picasso: A Rebel in Paris
Directed by: Simona Risi
Synopsis: Picasso: A Rebel in Paris paints an original portrait of the artist, outlining the contradictory nature of his character – both generous and despotic, often hidden behind a mask – and the duplicity of his behaviour, especially with the many women in his life. His difficult character has sparked off a thorny debate in the art world: can you separate the art from the artist?
Australian release date: June 22, 2024
Queen of the Deuce
Directed by: Valerie Kontakos
Synopsis: The unbelievable story of Chelly Wilson, who escaped the Holocaust and built a porn cinema empire in New York City in the 1970s.
Australian release date: October 2024, date TBC
Remembering Gene Wilder
Directed by: Ron Frank
Synopsis: A special tribute documentary honouring Gene Wilder’s life and career.
Australian release date: TBC
Seeking Mavis Beacon
Directed by: Jazmin Jones
Synopsis: Investigates the disappearance and reexamines the legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology.
Australian release date: TBC
Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play.
Directed by: Jeremy O. Harris
Synopsis: Follows Jeremy O. Harris as he workshops and mines Slave Play, the play that thrust him into the spotlight.
Australian release date: TBC
Sloane: A Jazz Singer
Directed by: Michael Lippert
Synopsis: Legendary singer Carol Sloane prepares for one final live recording in New York City while reflecting on her rich but largely unknown career involving some of the greatest names in music, from Ella Fitzgerald to The Rolling Stones.
Australian release date: TBC
Sue Bird: In the Clutch
Directed by: Sarah Dowland
Synopsis: Follows the life of WNBA star Sue Bird, capturing the final chapter of her 19-year career in basketball.
Australian release date: TBC
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Directed by: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
Synopsis: Follows Reeve’s rise to becoming a film star, follows with a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralysed from the neck down. After which he became an activist for spinal cord injury treatments and disability rights.
Australian release date: In cinemas October 10, 2024
Will and Harper
Directed by: Josh Greenbaum
Synopsis: In this intimate portrayal of friendship, transition, and America, Will Ferrell and his close friend of 30 years decide to go on a cross-country road trip to explore a new chapter in their relationship.
Australian release date: TBC
Witches
Directed by: Elizabeth Sankey
Synopsis: Examines the relationship between cinematic portrayals of witches and postpartum depression, utilising film history footage alongside personal testimony.
Australian release date: TBC
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