History Documentaries

Uncover rich, historical stories about the influential movements, events, and people that have shaped our world throughout time.
Friedkin Uncut
Friedkin Uncut
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107 min2018MA15
Friedkin Uncut offers an introspective insight into the life and artistic journey of William Friedkin, an extraordinary and offbeat director of cult films such as The French Connection, The Exorcist & Sorcerer. For the first time Friedkin opens up, guiding the audience on a fascinating journey through the themes and stories that have influenced his life and his artistic career. Thanks to an 'all star' cast of friends and collaborators, we discover stories, anecdotes, and discuss what being an artist really means in order to celebrate the one and only Billy Friedkin and the fun and passion of making art.
Asia in the Great War
Asia in the Great War
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200 min2018M
Over a 100 years ago, humanity witnessed the greatest war that had ever occurred - World War I. Nearly 2 million men from across Asia were recruited to fight in the war. They were Indian soldiers from remote communities, Chinese farmers from rural outposts who worked as labourers, Vietnamese fishermen participating on behalf of their French colonial masters, and Japanese sailors in service of their emperor. But today, few remember them or their sacrifices. As the world prepares to commemorate the centenary of the end of The First World War, we will examine not just Asia’s contribution to the Great War, but also how the war changed Asia.
American Dharma
American Dharma
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97 min2018M
Former White House Chief Strategist, CEO of the 2016 Trump campaign and executive chairman of the far-right news site Breitbart News, Steve Bannon sits down with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris for an extensive interview. Through his role as advisor to Donald Trump, many describe Bannon as “the architect of Trumpism.” Morris takes a number of Bannon’s favorite films (including Henry King’s Twelve O'Clock High, John Ford’s The Searchers and Orson Welles’ Chimes at Midnight) as a means of delving into Bannon’s world view and feelings about Trump. Born into a “hardcore Democratic family”, we learn of the ideas that shaped Bannon into a leading figure of the alt-right, and his role in Trump’s election. Morris is critical, but avoids direct attacks in his interview, and the result is openness on Bannon’s part: this is Bannon according to Bannon. The filmmaker describes the film as a “horror film”, with a fascinating villain in the leading role, too dangerous to ignore.
The Asian Century
The Asian Century
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800 min2017M
This landmark series deconstructs the pivotal events that have made the Asian Century. With rare archival footage and personal eyewitness testimony, the series shed light on the pivotal events of the past. From the People’s Power Revolution in the Philippines to the dramatic Partition of the Indian subcontinent, this programme will challenge accepted views and reveal the personalities and rivalries that have shaped history.
Winston Churchill: Blood, Sweat and Oil Paint
Winston Churchill: Blood, Sweat and Oil Paint
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59 min2015G
Following the recent 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death, Andrew Marr discovers the untold story of Winston Churchill’s lifelong love for painting. He meets the PM’s descendants and explores the connections between his private passion for painting and his public career as politician and statesman.
The Real Inglorious Bastards
The Real Inglorious Bastards
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52 min2012M
This is the incredible true story behind Quentin Tarantino’s film Inglourious Basterds; a group of Jewish-American refugees of Nazi Germany who boldly went behind enemy lines for vengeance. Through vivid first-person accounts from the extraordinary OSS veterans, gripping dramatic reconstructions, CGI and archive, the intrepid trio’s hair-raising ‘Operation Greenup’ is brought to life, revealing one of the most successful and daring covert operations of World War Two.
Operation Valkyrie: The Plot to Kill Hitler
Operation Valkyrie: The Plot to Kill Hitler
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48 min2008M
Operation Valkyrie: The Plot To Kill Hitler is the definitive film on Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and the ‘Valkyrie’ conspiracy to assassinate Hitler on 20th July, 1944. Produced in collaboration with the official German Foundation dedicated to the memory of the conspirators, it features testimonials and eyewitness accounts from all of the aristocratic families involved in the plot, including the last living conspirator to escape Hitler’s wrath, and Maria Countess von Stauffenberg who knew Claus all her life.
Operation Jaywick: Sinking Japan
Operation Jaywick: Sinking Japan
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41 min2014M
This is the remarkable story of a daring attack by 14 British and Australian commandos on Japanese ships anchored in Singapore harbour. In this documentary six men, including ex England rugby professional James Forrester, will re-enact the mission to discover the true feat of Operation Jaywick.
Hitler's Favourite Royal
Hitler's Favourite Royal
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49 min2007M
Prince Charles Edward was Queen Victoria’s favourite grandson. In 1900, the sixteen-year-old Prince was the only viable British contender for the hugely wealthy Dukedom of Saxe Coburg and Gotha in Germany. Ordered to go by Queen Victoria, he took the title and was transformed from a British Prince into a German Duke – Herzog Carl Eduard. The course of his life was altered in ways neither he nor Queen Victoria could have ever imagined. At the outbreak of the First World War, Prince Charles Edward had no option but to fight for Germany against the country of his birth. When the War ended, he was stripped of his British titles, and an Act of Parliament branded him a Traitor Peer. Disillusioned and depressed, Charles Edward became an enthusiastic supporter of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist Workers’ Party, and unwittingly helped him in his rise to power. Including exclusive first ever interviews with Charles Edward’s direct descendants, this documentary tells the tragic story of the young English Prince who became a forgotten footnote in the Royal Family’s history.
Deadliest Earthquakes: Christchurch
Deadliest Earthquakes: Christchurch
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59 min2015M
This documentary features never-seen-before footage in the immediate aftermath of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Raw and uncensored first-hand accounts form a gripping and intimate portrait of the day that changed their lives forever. Woven together with gritty, hard-hitting, archive and stylish dramatic reconstructions its a confronting, compelling and poignant story of how the day unfolded for the trapped, the searchers, the rescuers, the hopeful and the grief-stricken.
Looking For Zion
Looking For Zion
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95 min2018G
Filmmaker Tamara Erde explores her grandfather Ephraim Erde's Zionist photography from the 1930s, questioning his choices and the Zionist dream. Her journey critically examines Israeli society's history, confronting her grandfather’s visuals with her own lens, revealing new perspectives on the past and present.
Blues On Beale
Blues On Beale
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80 min2020G
Experience five days of electrifying Blues competition as performers rock 20 clubs along Beale Street – the home of the genre and the true birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll. Featuring renowned Blues musicians Bobby Rush, Shemekia Copeland, and Janiva Magness.
Tanja Up In Arms
Tanja Up In Arms
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85 min2023M
In the early 2000s, 19-year-old Tanja from the Netherlands moves to Colombia as an au pair and is confronted by the country’s political unrest. Shocked by the injustice, she joins the FARC guerrilla army. After years in the jungle, she becomes a key member and participates in peace talks that end Latin America’s longest civil war. Now, an Interpol warrant delays her reunion with her family.
Fritz Bauer's Legacy
Fritz Bauer's Legacy
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98 min2022G
The recent Nazi trials of Stutthof guards in Münster and Hamburg highlight how prosecutor Fritz Bauer revolutionized German courts' interpretation of justice. Bauer’s work, including his pivotal role in the 1963 Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial, shifted the legal approach to prosecuting Nazi war criminals.
The True Glory
The True Glory
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87 min1945M
This Oscar-winning 1945 documentary traces the pivotal events in Europe from the D-Day invasion in June 1944 to the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945.
Of Cats, Dogs And Art
Of Cats, Dogs And Art
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52 min2021G
Cats and dogs symbolize wildness, domestication, eroticism, power, loyalty, and friendship. As supporting actors in art, they reveal the evolving relationship between humans and nature. This film explores their historical transformation from farm animals to prestige symbols and today’s domestic companions.
In Search of Dracula
In Search of Dracula
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86 min1975G
Hosted by Christopher Lee, this film delves into vampire legends through books, paintings, and early films on the topic.
Azure Dust
Azure Dust
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70 min2016M
Radioactive cesium-137 contaminated the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, causing thousands of deaths. Follow two Pripyat survivors who were evacuated late but persevered with hope, and experience the eerie atmosphere of the Zone, where the invisible dangers of azure dust lurk behind every bush.
Cold War Secrets: Stealing The Atomic Bomb
Cold War Secrets: Stealing The Atomic Bomb
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52 min2015M
On the 29th of August 1949, the USSR set off their first atomic bomb, just four years after the Americans. The speed with which they achieved this surprised the world. What nobody knew was that it was the result of espionage implemented at the heart of the United States. At the centre of the operation was a very unusual female spy, Elizabeth Zaroubin. She managed to gain the confidence of great researchers such as Einstein, in a story worthy of the best spy novels ever written.
Islamic Art: Mirror Of The Invisible World
Islamic Art: Mirror Of The Invisible World
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57 min2012
Narrated by actress Susan Sarandon, this film explores the richness of Islamic art in objects big and small, from monumental mosques and palaces, to exquisite ceramics, carved boxes, paintings and metal work. This film also examines how Islamic art turns calligraphy and the written word into masterpieces and develops water into an expressive, useful art form.
The importance of history
Some people love learning more about history, but some people can’t be bothered. However you feel about it, it can’t be denied that historical events are an integral part of shaping people, society, and countries into what they are today.

As Martin Luther King puts it – “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” Our history affects who we are now, shaping our ideologies, preferences, and values. Reflecting on our history also helps us consider how we can learn from it in order to prepare ourselves for the future and in time play a part in making new history.

History documentaries can cover a wide range of topics
You may think that documentary films are only about very old history, but this isn’t true at all. History documentaries can be about all kinds of influential movements, people, and events, allowing you to learn about our shared past while entertaining yourself with a captivating historical story.

The beauty of a history documentary is that it covers everything that has happened in the past, which is a very broad definition. History documentary films can be about anything from cultural revolutions, to the moon landing, drug wars, supreme court battles, the genesis of rock bands, and much more.Consider your own interests when watching a history documentary
If you think watching history documentaries is boring, try factoring in your own preferences when it comes to selecting a history documentary film. If you are interested in a certain country, era, or historical figure, try searching for documentaries about them.

For example, if you have a strong interest in the British monarchy, you can watch documentaries such as Edward VIII: The King Who Threw Away His Crown, Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters, or Diana: The Night She Died, which paint intimate portraits of people who are members of or have ties close to the royal family.

Whereas someone who enjoys learning about major historical events may be more interested in historical documentaries that cover monumental changes in history, like 1929: The Year of the Crash or 1945: The Year That Changed the World, The 101 Who Made the 20th Century, which offer great insights into people and events that have shaped our world into what it is today, with stories about The Great Depression, World War II, and movers and shakers throughout time, such as Margaret Thatcher, Ghandi, Amelia Earhart, and more.

If you are a film buff, you can also watch the documentary film Chaplin in Bali, which follows the legendary Charlie Chaplin as he goes on a trip to Bali with his brother Sydney, in an attempt to ease off a professional crisis and gain peace and inspiration. Cinema Through the Eye of Magnum also ties together two seemingly opposite worlds, fiction and reality, by telling the story of the encounter between Magnum Photos Agency photojournalists and famous actors and filmmakers.

Whatever your interests are, our engaging history documentaries on iwonder can help you view the past in a whole new way.
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