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Documentaries
Documentaries can be as expressive, surreal and experimental as any work of fiction. This collection explores a world made up of people and places.
Big Banana FeetBig Banana Feet
Documentary197678 minsDirector: Murray Grigor and Patrick Higson
Captivating 'lost' record of Billy Connolly on the cusp of international stardom during his 1975 tour of Ireland.
Of Time and the CityOf Time and the City
Documentary200874 minsDirector: Terence Davies
Brilliantly mixing archive film and music, Liverpool-born director Terence Davies reflects with wit and wisdom on a times of change, for good or ill
Visions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael PowellVisions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael Powell
Short documentary202441 minsDirector: Nic Wassell
Discover the unrealised visions and passion projects of revered British filmmaker Michael Powell, in this fascinating documentary featuring Oscar-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
The Gleaners & IThe Gleaners & I
Documentary200079 minsDirector: Agnès Varda
Agnès Varda’s award-winning study of those living on the margins of French society at the turn of the millennium.
Dance CrazeDance Craze
Documentary198189 minsDirector: Joe Massot
Legendary concert film that brilliantly captures the cultural phenomenon that was the 2 Tone movement, and showcases the very best of the British Ska revival.
Werner Herzog: Radical DreamerWerner Herzog: Radical Dreamer
Biopic202490 minsDirector: Thomas von Steinaecker
A riveting and all-encompassing portrait of the iconic German filmmaker.
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver SteinerThe Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner
Documentary197546 minsDirector: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog’s moving portrait of a record-breaking ski jumper.
SCALA!!!SCALA!!!
Documentary202396 minsDirector: Jane Giles and Ali Catterall
Engrossing tribute to London’s legendary Scala cinema, aptly subtitled: Or, the incredibly strange rise and fall of the world’s wildest cinema and how it influenced a mixed-up generation of weirdos and misfits.
Rebel DreadRebel Dread
Biopic202183 minsDirector: William E. Badgley
This is the story of the iconic Don Letts, the coolest cultural polymath – narrated by the man himself.
Loving HighsmithLoving Highsmith
Documentary202287 minsDirector: Eva Vitija
A beautifully textured study revealing the rich and troubled private life of the writer behind Carol.
LondonLondon
Animation & Artists Moving Image199485 minsDirector: Patrick Keiller
The first in Patrick Keiller’s highly imaginative trilogy of films is a photographic trip through London, recounted by our unseen narrator.
Shoah (First Era)Shoah (First Era)
Documentary1985274 minsDirector: Claude Lanzmann
Claude Lanzmann's monumental chronicle of the Holocaust has been acclaimed by many as the greatest documentary ever made.
Shoah (Second Era)Shoah (Second Era)
Documentary1985293 minsDirector: Claude Lanzmann
Claude Lanzmann's monumental chronicle of the Holocaust has been acclaimed by many as the greatest documentary ever made.
Getting It Back: The Story of CymandeGetting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Documentary202290 minsDirector: Tim MacKenzie-Smith
The incredible story of a band you may never have heard of but whose sound has influenced generations with their irresistible rhythms and message of peace.
Lawrence of BelgraviaLawrence of Belgravia
Documentary201285 minsDirector: Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly's stirring and acclaimed character study of enigmatic musician Lawrence (Felt, Denim and Go-Kart Mozart).
Land of Silence and DarknessLand of Silence and Darkness
Documentary197185 minsDirector: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog’s profound and deeply moving documentary about the experiences of a community of deaf-blind people.
The Story of Lover's RockThe Story of Lover's Rock
Documentary2011100 minsDirector: Menelik Shabazz
Menelik Shabazz (Burning an Illusion) shines a light on the music genre often dubbed ‘romantic reggae’; a uniquely black British sound that developed in the late 70s and 80s against a backdrop of riots, racial tension and sound systems.
Nighthawks 2: Strip Jack NakedNighthawks 2: Strip Jack Naked
Documentary199191 minsDirector: Ron Peck
Ron Peck’s experimental follow up to the groundbreaking Nighthawks is both a making-of documentary and a deeply personal film memoir.
Man With a Movie CameraMan With a Movie Camera
Documentary192967 minsSilentDirector: Dziga Vertov
Dazzling document of Soviet life, by Dziga Vertov, showing a living city and the people and machines that propel it.
News From HomeNews From Home
Documentary197689 minsDirector: Chantal Akerman
Chantal Akerman reads letters sent to her from her mother in Belgium, against a tableau of shots of 1970s New York.
A Syrian Love StoryA Syrian Love Story
Documentary201576 minsDirector: Sean McAllister
The inspiring journey towards freedom of Raghda and Amer, a couple brought together by the turmoil of the Syrian Civil War.
Mifune : The Last SamuraiMifune : The Last Samurai
Documentary201680 minsDirector: Steven Okazaki
The on and off-screen character of Toshiro Mifune, Japan’s first international movie star, is explored in this illuminating documentary exploring the life and legacy of this mercurial icon.
A Personal Journey... Part 1A Personal Journey... Part 1
Documentary199572 minsDirector: Martin Scorsese and Michael Henry Wilson
The first part of Martin Scorsese's 'personal journey' through American Cinema.
The Epic of EverestThe Epic of Everest
Non-Fiction192487 minsDirector: J.B.L. Noel
Premiere. A breathtaking and poignant account of the valiant 1924 British assault on the awe-inspiring peak, beautifully restored by the BFI.
A Personal Journey… Part 2A Personal Journey… Part 2
Documentary199579 minsDirector: Martin Scorsese and Michael Henry Wilson
The second part of Martin Scorsese's 'personal journey' through American Cinema.
A Personal Journey… Part 3A Personal Journey… Part 3
Documentary199574 minsDirector: Martin Scorsese and Michael Henry Wilson
The third part of Martin Scorsese's 'personal journey' through American Cinema
I Am WeekenderI Am Weekender
Anthology202372 minsDirector: Wiz and Chloé Raunet
Groundbreaking 1992 music film Weekender, coupled with Chloé Raunet’s documentary about the making of the film and its enduring impact, offering a unique insight into the heart of acid house.
More documentaries in our Rentals collection
More documentaries in our Molly Dineen collection