9 Documentary Festival Favorites Streaming on Netflix
Zack Sharf
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After winning the Best Director Award and the Special Jury Award for Cinematography (U.S. Documentary Competition) at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Matthew Heineman’s “Cartel Land” begins rolling out in select theaters this weekend. The Mexican Drug War documentary is one of many non-fiction features that has used the festival circuit to its advantage. Lucky for doc fans, many of last year’s biggest festival hits can now be streamed entirely on Netflix. Below are 9 of our favorite 2014 docs now available on the streaming platform.
Synopses provided by Netflix.
“Fed Up” (Stephanie Soechtig)
This eye-opening documentary examines the underlying causes of childhood obesity, which has become an ever-more serious medical issue in America. Katie Couric narrates the film, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize (U.S. Documentary) at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
“The Green Prince” (Nadav Schirman)
Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a top leader in Palestine’s militant Hamas movement, spends a decade working as a mole for Israeli intelligence. The film won the Israeli Film Academy’s Best Documentary award and prizes at the Sundance and Moscow Film Festivals.
“Happy Valley” (Amir Bar-Lev)
The town nicknamed Happy Valley searches for answers as Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is arrested on 40 counts of child molestation.
Korengal (Sebastian Junger)
Some mechanics of war can be seen on the battlefield. The rest exists solely in the heart and mind. Picking up where Junger’s “Restrepo” left off, the film takes viewers deeper into soldiers’ lives in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan.
“Life Itself” (Steve James)
Based on his memoir of the same name, the film follows Roger Ebert from his school newspaper days to his status as America’s premier film critic. The documentary premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival before going on to screen at Cannes and Telluride.
“The Overnighters” (Jesse Moss)
This documentary follows North Dakota pastor Jay Reinke as he tries to help the unemployed men drawn to the state’s booming shale oil industry. Director Jesse Moss won the Special Jury Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival for this acclaimed social documentary.
“Point and Shoot” (Marshall Curry)
Searching for adventure and self-discovery, an American embarks on a motorcycle journey through the Middle East and joins freedom fighters in Libya. The film won the Best Documentary Feature award at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival.
“Rich Hill” (Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos)
Two filmmaker cousins return to their decaying hometown of Rich Hill, Missouri to film this affecting documentary about the lives of three local boys. One of last year’s most critically acclaimed documentaries, “Rich Hill” won the award for U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
“Virunga” (Orlando von Einsiedel)
The Oscar-nominated true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa’s most precious natural park and its endangered gorillas.
