Political Documentaries on Netflix

Footage of the most dramatic moments from World War II is restored in color and high definition for this historical documentary series.

Year: 2009
IMDb: 8.7
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Netflix ID: 70254851 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

From the attack on Pearl Harbor to D-Day, the most pivotal events of World War II come to life in this vivid docuseries featuring colorized footage.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.7
Netflix ID: 80989924 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

During the uprising in Syria, a young mother weighs fleeing to raise her daughter or staying to fight for freedom in this harrowing documentary.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.5
Runtime: 01:35:37
Netflix ID: 81132389 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Over 93 days in Ukraine, what started as peaceful student demonstrations became a violent revolution and full-fledged civil rights movement.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 8.4
Netflix rating: 3/5
Runtime: 01:38:24
Netflix ID: 80031666 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary explores the meteoric rise of Roh Moo-hyun during Korea’s 2002 presidential elections despite being the candidate in last place.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 8.4
Runtime: 01:49:13
Netflix ID: 80192784 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In 2015, a nightclub fire in Bucharest killed 64 people, unleashing an investigation that uncovered massive health care fraud and government corruption.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.4
Runtime: 01:53:59
Netflix ID: 81214045 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Learn how factory farming is decimating the planet's natural resources -- and why this crisis has been largely ignored by major environmental groups.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 8.3
Netflix rating: 3.5/5
Runtime: 01:30:21
Netflix ID: 80033772 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Learn in comprehensive, cogent detail about the pervasive and deep-rooted Wall Street corruption that led to the global economic meltdown of 2008.

Year: 2010
IMDb: 8.2
Netflix rating: 4/5
Netflix ID: 70139555 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This Emmy-winning, street-level view of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution captures the astonishing uprising that led to the collapse of two governments.

Year: 2013
IMDb: 8.1
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Runtime: 01:45:06
Netflix ID: 70268449 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Amidst a wave of student uprisings, writer and Japanese nationalist Yukio Mishima accepts an invitation to debate Tokyo University’s Zenkyoto group.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 8.1
Runtime: 01:48:17
Netflix ID: 81488310 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Over a two-year period, filmmakers embedded with cops in Flint, Michigan, reveal a department grappling with volatile issues in untenable conditions.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 8
Netflix ID: 80156688 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This portrait of musician, playwright, novelist and poet Chico Buarque celebrates the popular, provocative art that made him a cultural force.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 7.9
Runtime: 01:56:04
Netflix ID: 81484018 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This moving documentary profiles Sergio Viera de Mello, the charismatic U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights, who was killed by terrorists in Iraq.

Year: 2009
IMDb: 7.8
Netflix rating: 4/5
Runtime: 01:34:35
Netflix ID: 70112740 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This miniseries featuring archival footage and interviews with experts captures the drama of six of history's most iconic presidential campaigns.

Year: 2016
IMDb: 7.8
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Netflix ID: 80114987 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary series recounts the tumultuous history of Cuba, a nation of foreign conquest, freedom fighters and Cold War political machinations.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 7.8
Netflix rating: 3.2/5
Netflix ID: 80109535 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Brazilian TV personality and politician Wallace Souza faces accusations of masterminding the violent crimes he reported on and rallied against.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.8
Netflix ID: 80217946 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

An enigmatic conservative Christian group known as the Family wields enormous influence in Washington, D.C., in pursuit of its global ambitions.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.8
Netflix ID: 80063867 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Filmmaker Dylan Mohan Gray delves into Africa's AIDS crisis to put a human face on those caught in the battle over inexpensive, generic HIV drugs.

Year: 2012
IMDb: 7.7
Runtime: 01:23:11
Netflix ID: 70268209 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Filmed in 2014, this riveting documentary tells the lesser-known story of Himalayan guides who risk everything to support climbers on Mount Everest.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 7.7
Runtime: 01:35:49
Netflix ID: 80076001 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary chronicles the largely forgotten antiwar activities of American GIs and other members of the military during the Vietnam era.

Year: 2005
IMDb: 7.7
Runtime: 01:23:42
Netflix ID: 70043764 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary chronicles Johnny Cash's 1970 visit to the White House, where Cash's emerging ideals clashed with Richard Nixon's policies.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.6
Runtime: 00:58:32
Netflix ID: 80191051 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This made-for-TV drama charts the life of former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who led his nation through the turbulent 1970s and early '80s.

Year: 2013
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix rating: 4.2/5
Runtime: 01:27:47
Netflix ID: 70308062 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This dynamic documentary weaves together stories about students, educators and reformers to shed light on America's failing public school system.

Year: 2010
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix rating: 3.9/5
Runtime: 01:51:15
Netflix ID: 70129364 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary examines how Adolf Hitler's talent for manipulation, psychology and image-making led him from humble origins to near-world conquest.

Year: 1977
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Runtime: 02:30:18
Netflix ID: 80106791 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

By turns heartfelt and playful, this documentary details Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and landmark work on women's rights.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.5
Runtime: 01:38:31
Netflix ID: 80240086 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This investigative series explores social and political issues and trends across Asia, from China's social credit system to Malaysia's tahfiz schools.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.5
Netflix ID: 81477630 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Examine the rise, fall and rebirth of political operative Roger Stone, who's been an influential member of Team Trump for decades.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 7.4
Runtime: 01:41:20
Netflix ID: 80114666 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Through interviews with abortion rights supporters and opponents, this film lifts the lid on a decades-long political campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.4
Runtime: 01:39:40
Netflix ID: 80192834 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this revealing documentary, Taylor Swift embraces her role as a songwriter and performer — and as a woman harnessing the full power of her voice.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.4
Runtime: 01:25:17
Netflix ID: 81028336 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

When social upheaval sweeps Russia in the early 20th century, Czar Nicholas II resists change, sparking a revolution and ending a dynasty.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.3
Netflix ID: 80211648 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Meet The Satanic Temple, a provocative group whose crusade for religious freedom includes challenging corruption and having a devilish sense of humor.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.3
Runtime: 01:34:39
Netflix ID: 81053111 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Political fixer Roy Cohn gets profiled in this documentary that highlights his unscrupulous tactics, tormented spirit and mentorship of Donald Trump.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.3
Runtime: 01:37:33
Netflix ID: 81077041 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The right to vote is at the foundation of America's democracy. But not every vote is created equal. How does the system work, and can it be fixed?

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.3
Netflix ID: 81304760 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary recounts the fascinating and little-known role that music has played in the struggle to eradicate apartheid in South Africa.

Year: 2002
IMDb: 7.3
Runtime: 01:43:03
Netflix ID: 60025029 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In Oakland, Black Panther Party members and supporters rally for the release of co-founder Huey P. Newton. A short documentary directed by Agnès Varda.

Year: 1968
IMDb: 7.3
Runtime: 00:27:45
Netflix ID: 81471895 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The courageous investigators of Human Rights Watch's Emergencies Team risk their lives to document unlawful attacks on civilians by brutal dictators.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 7.2
Netflix rating: 3.8/5
Runtime: 01:29:47
Netflix ID: 70299286 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This provocative documentary tells the story of farms that were providing safe, healthy foods to their communities but were forced to stop.

Year: 2011
IMDb: 7.2
Netflix rating: 4/5
Runtime: 01:26:24
Netflix ID: 70235704 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary turns the spotlight on the man behind the iconic 'All in the Family,' with comments from friends, family and famous collaborators.

Year: 2016
IMDb: 7.2
Netflix rating: 2.8/5
Runtime: 01:31:19
Netflix ID: 80097360 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Mobilized by teenage activist Joshua Wong, young citizens of Hong Kong take to the streets in a bid to preserve their history of autonomy from China.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 01:18:45
Netflix ID: 80169348 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Friends, associates and critics reveal the truly American story of Donald Trump, the brash businessman who defied the odds to become U.S. president.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.1
Netflix ID: 80206395 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Political documentary and personal memoir collide in this exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 02:01:43
Netflix ID: 80190535 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this intimate documentary, former Uruguayan President José 'Pepe' Mujica talks about lessons he learned while in prison, his ideals and the future.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 01:13:09
Netflix ID: 81094074 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The life of John Lewis is celebrated in this documentary that follows his journey from civil rights activist to United States Representative.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 01:37:08
Netflix ID: 81246322 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary examines the controversy over foreign investment in Ethiopian commercial farmlands, where economic development has a human cost.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 7.1
Runtime: 01:20:11
Netflix ID: 81409017 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Celebrity profiler Louis Theroux hears all about the life philosophies that drive Chris Eubank as he spends time at home, in the ring, and on a shopping trip for jodphurs with the eccentric former world champion boxer.

Year: 2002
IMDb: 7
Runtime: 00:48:38
Netflix ID: 70222214 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The real Mitt Romney is revealed in this documentary that goes beyond the sound bites with unprecedented access to his 2012 presidential campaign.

Year: 2014
IMDb: 6.9
Netflix rating: 3.6/5
Runtime: 01:32:54
Netflix ID: 70296733 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Mexican superstar actress Kate del Castillo reveals the untold story of her encounter with El Chapo Guzmán, the world’s most-wanted drug lord.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 6.9
Netflix ID: 80184569 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Go behind the scenes as four determined women -- including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- challenge big-money politicians in the 2018 race for Congress.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 6.9
Runtime: 01:27:55
Netflix ID: 81080637 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this provocative documentary, director Michael Moore examines the impact of Donald Trump's presidency and seeks a political escape plan.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 6.9
Runtime: 02:08:21
Netflix ID: 81014833 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich meets with Americans from all walks of life as he chronicles a seismic shift in the nation's economy.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 6.8
Runtime: 01:13:16
Netflix ID: 80127558 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Revisiting 1970s photos of women that captured a feminist awakening, this film explores those women's lives and examines the continued need for change.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 6.8
Runtime: 01:26:05
Netflix ID: 80216844 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Hulk Hogan's court case against Gawker Media sheds light on wealthy, powerful figures who challenge freedom of the press in order to silence critics.

Year: 2017
IMDb: 6.5
Runtime: 01:35:46
Netflix ID: 80168227 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Lawmakers and activists with conflicting ideologies speak about the complexities of Catalonia's politics and the fight for its independence from Spain.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 6.5
Runtime: 01:56:46
Netflix ID: 80992039 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Raised in a quiet home, Lina searches for answers while investigating the mystery behind her father's disappearance in this documentary.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 6.5
Runtime: 01:14:49
Netflix ID: 81435737 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The restored documentary captures the Pacific leg of the 1971 anti-Vietnam War "Free the Army" comedy tour and experiences on both sides of the stage.

Year: 1972
IMDb: 6.5
Runtime: 01:43:56
Netflix ID: 70112759 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Declassified documents reveal the post-WWII life of Otto Skorzeny, a close Hitler ally who escaped to Spain and became an adviser to world presidents.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 6.5
Runtime: 01:07:08
Netflix ID: 81493626 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Skeptics and others discuss widely held conspiracy theories involving aliens, government cover-ups, secret assassinations and other intrigues.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 6.3
Netflix rating: 3.1/5
Netflix ID: 80118873 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Eight undocumented families' fates roller-coast as the United States' immigration policies are transformed.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 6.3
Netflix ID: 80209609 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This docuseries investigates the 1991 killing of politician Detlev Rohwedder, an unsolved mystery at the heart of Germany's tumultuous reunification.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 6.3
Netflix ID: 81022994 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary follows the love story of Countess Alexandra Tolstoy and oligarch Sergei Pugachev, and the scandal that led to their fallout.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 6.2
Runtime: 00:59:28
Netflix ID: 81485995 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Through the clever use of his own words, this documentary examines former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his influence over Italian politics.

Year: 2011
IMDb: 6
Runtime: 01:20:50
Netflix ID: 81262870 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Insider interviews and footage capture key moments in the trial of disgraced former President Dilma Rousseff, whose scandal had far-reaching fallout.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 6
Runtime: 02:21:02
Netflix ID: 81464323 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary follows a white power leader and an Antifa activist leading up to the Charlottesville riots in the first year of Trump's presidency.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 5.8
Runtime: 01:45:39
Netflix ID: 80998786 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this four-part documentary series, former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reflects candidly on her life and career.

Year: 2020
IMDb: 5.2
Netflix ID: 81266238 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In the lead-up to the 2016 election, director James D. Stern travels across the country to interview Donald Trump supporters in this documentary.

Year: 2018
IMDb: 5.2
Runtime: 01:30:05
Netflix ID: 81000292 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

In this documentary, four men in São Paulo leading seemingly disparate lives face challenges in a surging middle-class, weeks before the 2014 World Cup.

Year: 2015
IMDb: 5.2
Runtime: 01:40:22
Netflix ID: 81464321 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

For 27 years, Kim Bok-dong fought tirelessly to spread education and recognition of the painful history of World War II's comfort women.

Year: 2019
IMDb: 4.5
Runtime: 01:41:33
Netflix ID: 81252857 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi opens up about his life, including his sex scandals, corruption trials, and friendship with Putin.

Year: 2016
Netflix rating: 3/5
Runtime: 01:40:33
Netflix ID: 80148275 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The shocking murder of singer Victor Jara in 1973 turned him into a powerful symbol of Chile's struggle. Decades later, a quest for justice unfolds.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 01:04:30
Netflix ID: 80191048 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Paco Ignacio Taibo II brings his book trilogy to life, highlighting Mexico's history in 1854-1867, a period he considers foundational to the country.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 01:29:55
Netflix ID: 80988257 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Archival video and new interviews examine Mexican politics in 1994, a year marked by the rise of the EZLN and the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio.

Year: 2019
Netflix ID: 80991872 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This documentary explores how activists mobilized millions to participate in the Women’s March following the 2016 inauguration of President Trump.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 01:38:50
Netflix ID: 81132559 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

London's young activists of color are profiled in a documentary that offers an inside look at their spirited fight against oppression and injustice.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 01:11:34
Netflix ID: 81326593 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

After his presidency, Roh Moo-hyun returned to his hometown to spend his days creating an eco-friendly community and nights dreaming of a better society.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 01:38:29
Netflix ID: 81396513 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

The spy game is a serious business, and throughout history, the tools and technologies developed for it have mattered as much as the spies themselves.

Year: 2021
Netflix ID: 81014547 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Ruling with an iron fist requires an aspiring dictator to know the playbook for absolute power, as history's despots prove in this sardonic docuseries.

Year: 2021
Netflix ID: 80989772 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This investigative series examines social issues and trends around Asia, including suicide, gender violence and limb-lengthening surgeries.

Year: 2021
Netflix ID: 81477504 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Explore how John F. Kennedy's worldview was influenced by his younger years, when he endured poor health, family tragedy and a demanding father.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 00:43:50
Netflix ID: 80158588 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Jessica and Diana were sisters who were separated by just a few years in age. But their political ideologies couldn't have been any farther apart.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 00:44:06
Netflix ID: 80158581 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Explore how Caesar, Napoleon, Mussolini, Hitler and modern-day dictators consolidated their considerable power through bold and brazen coups.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 00:47:00
Netflix ID: 80158769 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Starting in 1881, this film describes how the personal battle between the royal Romanovs and Lenin's Ulyanov family led to the Russian Revolution.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 00:47:14
Netflix ID: 80158770 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Historic footage and leading voices of the era examine the 'Bobby Phenomenon' of the 1960s and the legacy of the man who helped redefine the country.

Year: 2018
Netflix ID: 80174282 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

Featuring interviews with leading economic experts, this documentary explores the causes and effects of wealth disparity in Germany.

Year: 2018
Runtime: 00:43:39
Netflix ID: 81022394 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

This docuseries disputes the Mexican government's account of how and why 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College vanished in Iguala in 2014.

Year: 2019
Netflix ID: 81045551 · Watch on Netflix · IMDb

A deconstruction of the 1959 bank heist in Romania, where a group of robbers pulls off the feat then is ordered by the state to reenact it on film.

Year: 2004
Runtime: 01:15:07
Netflix ID: 81149217 · Watch on Netflix

This frantic documentary analyzes the stories of Romanian street protesters who occupied Bucharest in 2012, calling for presidential impeachment.

Year: 2014
Runtime: 01:16:37
Netflix ID: 81149219 · Watch on Netflix

This documentary uses news footage and amateur video to paint a vivid picture of Romania’s 1989 revolution and the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu.

Year: 1992
Runtime: 01:47:00
Netflix ID: 70047777 · Watch on Netflix

This docuseries details the suspicious death of Alberto Nisman, investigator of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association building.

Year: 2020
Netflix ID: 80197991 · Watch on Netflix

Two politicians ran for seats in South Korea's National Assembly in different cities and eras, but shared the dream of a world where people come first.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 01:34:53
Netflix ID: 81219138 · Watch on Netflix

Journalists chronicle a decade of presidential attacks against South Korea's freedom of the press, and of corruption in its broadcasting companies.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 01:45:40
Netflix ID: 81219137 · Watch on Netflix

A groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality.

Year: 2020
Runtime: 01:48:07
Netflix ID: 81001496 · Watch on Netflix

Featuring rare concert footage and interviews with legendary musicians, this documentary traces Bob Dylan's life story and extraordinary career.

Year: 2005
Runtime: 03:28:13
Netflix ID: 70177496 · Watch on Netflix

In this satirical meta-documentary, Franco Maresco attempts to explore Silvio Berlusconi's ties to the Sicilian mafia — with "neomelodic" singers.

Year: 2014
Runtime: 01:32:55
Netflix ID: 80017217 · Watch on Netflix

Maverick journalist Isoko Mochizuki faces stonewalling and pressure in her relentless pursuit of stories exposing misconduct by those in power.

Year: 2019
Runtime: 01:54:10
Netflix ID: 81258661 · Watch on Netflix

In her own words, this documentary profiles renowned opera singer Soňa Červená and how the tumultuous events of 20th-century Europe impacted her life.

Year: 2017
Runtime: 01:19:44
Netflix ID: 81289412 · Watch on Netflix

This documentary follows the life of Jerzy Popiełuszko, the chaplain of the Solidarity movement, who inspired Poles to stand up to the Communist regime.

Year: 2014
Runtime: 01:26:32
Netflix ID: 81306466 · Watch on Netflix

As Germany builds its presence in the digital space, one rapidly growing online retailer is bent on bringing the nation up to speed in this documentary.

Year: 2020
Runtime: 00:58:39
Netflix ID: 81324785 · Watch on Netflix

The true story of Austria's Empress Elisabeth, whose assassination by an Italian anarchist in 1898 shocked the world and triggered historic unrest.

Year: 2020
Runtime: 00:44:38
Netflix ID: 81324786 · Watch on Netflix

In the small town of Jarocin, the birth of a unique rock music festival provides an escape amid the social and political tensions of 1980s Poland.

Year: 2016
Runtime: 01:45:08
Netflix ID: 81306462 · Watch on Netflix

Soda Stereo, Café Tacvba, Aterciopelados and others figure in this 50-year history of Latin American rock through dictatorships, disasters and dissent.

Year: 2020
Netflix ID: 81006953 · Watch on Netflix