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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.
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.
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
Vision, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael PowellVision, 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).
ChemsexChemsex
Documentary201580 minsDirector: William Fairman and Max Gogarty
A hard-hitting and often graphic documentary about the 'chemsex' sub-scene in London’s gay community.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
More documentaries in our Rentals collection
More documentaries in our Molly Dineen collection