Historical documentaries are one of the most popular genres of documentaries. Furthermore, Netflix’s arsenal contains a number of them. They are not just well-researched but their quality of production is also high.
Ever since its inception, Netflix has been the gold standard for fascinating and mind-boggling documentaries. Here is a list of some of the platform’s best documentaries.
Procession
Released in 2021, the Netflix series Procession explores the lives of six men who were victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. This collaborative project reenacts the traumatic incidents that happened to the men when they were young.
According to Netflix’s official YouTube channel, the synopsis of Procession reads,
“Six midwestern men — all survivors of childhood sexual assault at the hands of Catholic priests and clergy — come together to direct a drama therapy-inspired experiment designed to collectively work through their trauma. As part of a radically collaborative filmmaking process, they create fictional scenes based on memories, dreams and experiences, meant to explore the church rituals, culture and hierarchies that enabled silence around their abuse.”
It further reads,
“In the face of a failed legal system, we watch these men reclaim the spaces that allowed their assault, revealing the possibility for catharsis and redemption through a newfound fraternity in this documentary feature.”
Robert Greene was the director of Procession. Furthermore, its producers are Susan Bedusa, Bennett Elliott, and Douglas Tirola.
Crip Camp
Released in 2020, Crip Camp narrates the story of Camp Jened, a summer camp that was catered to teenagers with disabilities. Furthermore, this 108-minute-long documentary was nominated for Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
According to IMDb, the synopsis of Crip Camp reads,
“Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.”
The directors and writers of Crip Camp were Nicole Newnham and James Lebrecht. Furthermore, Barack and Michelle Obama were its executive producers.
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese came out in 2019. However, this project contains both fictional and non-fictional occurrences that took place during Bob Dylan’s 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue concert tour. Bob Dylan is often considered as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Furthermore, he has been active since 1959.
The synopsis of this project according to Netflix’s official YouTube channel reads,
“ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY BY MARTIN SCORSESE captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975, and the joyous music that Bob Dylan performed that fall. Master filmmaker Martin Scorsese creates a one-of-a-kind movie experience: part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream.”
It further reads,
“Featuring Joan Baez, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, Sam Shepard, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Dylan giving his first on-camera interview in over a decade. The film goes beyond mere reclamation of Dylan’s extraordinary music—it’s a roadmap into the wild country of artistic self-reinvention.”
Directed by Martin Scorsese the producers of this pseudo-documentary film are Margaret Bodde and Jeff Rosen. Furthermore, the cinematographers of Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese were Paul Goldsmith and Ellen Kuras.
