HBOmax
Documentary
Years

Popular Documentary Movies

Outside the Bubble: On the Road with Alexandra Pelosi
HBOmax
Outside the Bubble: On the Road with Alexandra Pelosi
Intent on escaping her coastal bubble, Alexandra Pelosi sets out on a cross-country trip to engage in conversations with fellow Americans in an effort to gain an unfiltered understanding of other perspectives.
Outside the Bubble: On the Road with Alexandra Pelosi 2018
San Francisco 2.0
HBOmax
San Francisco 2.0
San Francisco has long enjoyed a reputation as the counterculture capital of America, attracting bohemians, mavericks, progressives and activists. With the onset of the digital gold rush, young members of the tech elite are flocking to the West Coast to make their fortunes, and this new wealth is forcing San Francisco to reinvent itself. But as tech innovations lead America into the golden age of digital supremacy, is it changing the heart and soul of their adopted city?
San Francisco 2.0 2015
Listening to Kenny G
HBOmax
Listening to Kenny G
A humorous but incisive look at the saxophonist Kenny G, the best-selling instrumental artist of all time, and quite possibly one of the most famous living musicians.
Listening to Kenny G 2021
Oprah Winfrey Presents: After Neverland
HBOmax
Oprah Winfrey Presents: After Neverland
Oprah Winfrey hosts a conversation featuring Wade Robson and James Safechuck, alongside Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed, before an audience of survivors of sexual abuse and others whose lives have been impacted by it.
Oprah Winfrey Presents: After Neverland 2019
Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing
HBOmax
Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing
Recounts the dramatic story of the April 2013 terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon through the experiences of individuals whose lives were affected. Ranging from the events of the day to the death-penalty sentencing of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the film features surveillance footage, news clips, home movies and exclusive interviews with survivors and their families, as well as first responders, investigators, government officials and reporters from the Boston Globe, which won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the bombing. In the wake of terrorism, a newlywed couple, a mother and daughter, and two brothers - all gravely injured by the blast - face the challenges of physical and emotional recovery as they and their families strive to reclaim their lives and communities.
Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing 2016
One Nation Under Stress
HBOmax
One Nation Under Stress
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how advances in neuroscience are shedding light on the origins and impact of stress.
One Nation Under Stress 2019
God Is the Bigger Elvis
HBOmax
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Dolores Hart left a successful Hollywood acting career to become a nun. A true story.
God Is the Bigger Elvis 2012
Meet the Donors: Does Money Talk?
HBOmax
Meet the Donors: Does Money Talk?
Alexandra Pelosi looks at money in politics and interviews wealthy donors to Republican and Democratic parties to ask them about their contributions and philosophies. Also: a look at efforts to enact campaign-finance reform.
Meet the Donors: Does Money Talk? 2016
Mavis!
HBOmax
Mavis!
A look at the life and music of legendary singer and civil rights activist, Mavis Staples.
Mavis! 2015
How to Dance in Ohio
HBOmax
How to Dance in Ohio
In Columbus, Ohio, a group of autistic teenagers and young adults role-play this transition by going through the deceptively complex social interactions of preparing for a spring formal. Focusing on several young women as they go through an iconic American rite of passage, we are given intimate access to people who are often unable to share their experiences with others. With humor and heartbreak, How to Dance in Ohio shows the daily courage of people facing their fears and opening themselves to the pain, worry, and joy of the social world.
How to Dance in Ohio 2015
It's a Hard Truth Ain't It
HBOmax
It's a Hard Truth Ain't It
"It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It" is a companion piece to "O.G.", a narrative drama also directed by Madeleine Sackler. It is co-directed by thirteen men incarcerated at the Pendleton Correctional Facility in Pendleton, Indiana. Given unprecedented access to a maximum security prison, filmmaker Madeleine Sackler worked with a group of inmates to tell their own stories, giving rise to this collaborative, intimate documentary project.
It's a Hard Truth Ain't It 2018
A La Calle
HBOmax
A La Calle
A firsthand account of the extraordinary efforts of ordinary Venezuelans to reclaim their democracy from the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro, whose corrupt and brutal policies have plunged the country into economic ruin. Working with a network of clandestine camera crews, the filmmakers spent three years recording exclusive interviews with key opposition figures including Leopoldo López and grassroots activist Nixon Leal, as well as a host of everyday citizens, and captured the remarkable courage of the Venezuelan people as they unite to restore liberty to their country.
A La Calle 2020
Habla Men
HBOmax
Habla Men
Habla Men will enlighten audiences on what it means to be Latino in the United States through the perspective of a diverse group of Hispanic role models whose personal stories are told straight into the camera. Raw, humorous yet sincere, this series will feature the likes of a handsome sensitive man, a "tough guy" actor, a gay championship boxer, a legendary wrestler, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and a 6'2 transgendered blond bombshell among others. The personal experiences each of the participants openly disclose will keep viewers not only entertained, but challenge preconceived notions.
Habla Men 2014
The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee
HBOmax
The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee
An intimate portrait of Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee, tracing his remarkable ascent from a young Boston boy stricken with polio to the one of the most pioneering and consequential journalistic figures of the 20th century.
The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee 2017
Unlocking the Cage
HBOmax
Unlocking the Cage
Renowned filmmakers D A Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus follow determined animal rights activist Steven Wise into the courtroom for an unprecedented battle that seeks to utilize the writ of habeas corpus to expand legal “personhood” to include certain animals. Wise’s unusual plaintiffs—chimpanzees Tommy and Kiko, once famed showbiz stars—are now living in filth, struggling to survive. Wise and his impassioned legal team take us into the field, revealing gripping evidence of such abuse and plunging us into the intricacies of their case as they probe preconceived notions of what it means to be a non-human animal.
Unlocking the Cage 2016
The Cold Blue
HBOmax
The Cold Blue
A meditation on youth, war and stunning bravery, featuring footage, taken from the National Archives, from the documentary filmed in 1943 by legendary Hollywood director William Wyler about the famous Memphis Belle flying fortress and the gripping narration from some of the last surviving B-17 pilots.
The Cold Blue 2018
The Latin Explosion: A New America
HBOmax
The Latin Explosion: A New America
With more than 50 million Latinos now living in the United States, Latinos are taking their seat at the table as the new American power brokers in the world of entertainment, business, politics and the arts. As Latinos’ influence in American society has soared, they have entered mainstream American culture, and the proof is in the music. Executive produced by legendary music mogul Tommy Mottola, THE LATIN EXPLOSION: A NEW AMERICA features a dazzling array of artists at the center of Latino cultural power and influence, including Marc Anthony, Emilio Estefan Jr., Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Eva Longoria, George Lopez, Jennifer Lopez, Los Lobos, Cheech Marin, Ricky Martin, Rita Moreno, Pitbull, Romeo Santos, Shakira, Thalía and Sofía Vergara. Narrated by John Leguizamo.
The Latin Explosion: A New America 2015
One Nation Under Dog
HBOmax
One Nation Under Dog
.Americans have had a long love affair with dogs, with many of us referring to our canine companions as best friends, significant others, soul mates, even children. But lost amidst all the pampering and pedestaling are hard and often tragic truths surrounding dog ownership, care and commerce, not to mention the daunting odds continuing to face millions of unwanted shelter dogs. Divided into three parts – “Fear,” “Loss” and “Betrayal” – this 73-minute documentary is comprised of eight case studies that probe the complicated and conflicted relationship we have with canines. Collectively, the segments reveal the sobering realities behind our relationship with dogs, showing not only how far some dog lovers will go for their pets, but how far we as nation have to go in order to treat all dogs humanely.
One Nation Under Dog 2012
Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020
HBOmax
Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020
Inspired by the viral success of Tony-winner Laura Benanti's #sunshinesongs, this feel-good docu-special spotlights a talented group of high school seniors as they give show-stopping performances from home to capture their 2020 experiences.
Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 2020
One Survivor Remembers
HBOmax
One Survivor Remembers
Co-produced by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Research Institute, this Academy Award-winning documentary relates the harrowing story of Gerda Weissmann Klein and her journey of survival and remembering both before and after the war.
One Survivor Remembers 1995
The Spirit of Salsa
HBOmax
The Spirit of Salsa
People from all over New York City meet in Spanish Harlem once a week at Santo Rico Dance School, where they learn the art of salsa.
The Spirit of Salsa 2010
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn
HBOmax
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn
The 30-year legacy of the murder of black teenager Yusuf Hawkins by a group of young white men in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, as his family and friends reflect on the tragedy and the subsequent fight for justice that inspired and divided New York City.
Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn 2020
Finding the Way Home
HBOmax
Finding the Way Home
A look at the distressing circumstances for millions of children living in orphanages and other institutions around the world as J.K. Rowling's LUMOS foundation works to reunite them with family members or place them in foster homes.
Finding the Way Home 2019
First Cousin Once Removed
HBOmax
First Cousin Once Removed
Filmmaker Alan Berliner documents his first cousin, the poet-translator Edwin Honig, as he succumbs to Alzheimer's.
First Cousin Once Removed 2012
The Strange History of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
HBOmax
The Strange History of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
The strange history of the now abandoned American 1993-bill, «Don't ask, don't tell» where sexual orientation was a "non-talk" policy in the American forces, leading to 13.368 getting kicked out before 2011.
The Strange History of Don't Ask, Don't Tell 2011
Bleed Out
HBOmax
Bleed Out
After a routine partial hip replacement operation leaves his mother in a coma with permanent brain damage, what starts as a son's video diary becomes a citizen's investigation into the future of American health care.
Bleed Out 2018
Bananas!*
HBOmax
Bananas!*
Juan “Accidentes” Dominguez is on his biggest case ever. On behalf of twelve Nicaraguan banana workers he is tackling Dole Food in a ground-breaking legal battle for their use of a banned pesticide that was known by the company to cause sterility. Can he beat the giant, or will the corporation get away with it?
Bananas!* 2009
It's Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise
HBOmax
It's Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise
This portrait of Hilary Knight, the artist behind the iconic Eloise books, sees him reflecting on his life as an illustrator and his relationship to his most successful work.
It's Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise 2015
Hear and Now
HBOmax
Hear and Now
Filmmaker Irene Taylor Brodsky aims her camera at her own life to capture the remarkable transformation of her deaf parents, who decided to undergo a life-changing procedure to restore their hearing after spending 65 years in silence. Chronicling her parents' experiences over their first year of having sound in their lives, Brodsky tells a deeply personal tale that moved viewers to bestow it with the Documentary Audience Award at Sundance 2007.
Hear and Now 2007
Citizen Ashe
HBOmax
Citizen Ashe
Follows the life and career of Arthur Ashe.
Citizen Ashe 2021
Swiped: Hooking Up in the Digital Age
HBOmax
Swiped: Hooking Up in the Digital Age
A look at the evolving nature of sex and dating in the digital age that offers candid insights from twentysomethings and experts in the field.
Swiped: Hooking Up in the Digital Age 2018
Buzz
HBOmax
Buzz
Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and author, Buzz Bissinger, experiences a sexual awakening while collaborating with Caitlyn Jenner on her tell-all memoir.
Buzz 2019
The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm
HBOmax
The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm
When ten-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz and finding a new life in America.
The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm 2018
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
HBOmax
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
The story of the iconic singer's fascinating six-decade career in both music and Black and LGBTQ activism.
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over 2021
Liberty: Mother of Exiles
HBOmax
Liberty: Mother of Exiles
A look at the history of the Statue of Liberty and the meaning of sculptor Auguste Bartholdi's creation to people around the world.
Liberty: Mother of Exiles 2019
Thin
HBOmax
Thin
The story of four women suffering from anorexia and bulimia in South Florida.
Thin 2006
Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements
HBOmax
Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements
A deeply personal portrait of three lives, and the discoveries that lie beyond loss: a deaf boy growing up, his deaf grandfather growing old, and Beethoven the year he was blindsided by deafness and wrote his iconic sonata.
Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements 2019
Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped By Boko Haram
HBOmax
Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped By Boko Haram
The story of the freed female hostages of Boko Haram, detailing their lives in captivity and since their release.
Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped By Boko Haram 2018
Terror at the Mall
HBOmax
Terror at the Mall
A documentary detailing an indiscriminate terrorist attack that left 71 dead in Kenya.
Terror at the Mall 2014
Transhood
HBOmax
Transhood
Filmed over five years in Kansas City, this documentary follows four transgender kids – beginning at ages 4, 7, 12, and 15 – as they redefine “coming of age.” These kids and their families show us the intimate realities of how gender is re-shaping the family next door in a unique and unprecedented chronicle of growing up transgender in the heartland.
Transhood 2020