Biographical Documentaries on Netflix
Last updated April 18, 2025
The English Surgeon
2007 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsBritish Brain Surgeon Henry Marsh works in a Russian KGB Hospital where patients are dying from simple brain tumors left untreated. This drama follows Marsh as he confronts the dilemmas of the doctor patient relationship on his latest mission.
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Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon
2011 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsThis documentary charts global phenomenon Kings of Leon's rise to rock 'n' roll stardom, from the band's humble beginnings in the Deep South to their record deals and concert tours -- and their struggles with drugs and alcohol along the way.
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Transcendent Man
2009 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsInventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil is the subject of this documentary that follows him on a world speaking tour in which he expounds on his ideas about the merging of man and machine, which he predicts will occur in the not-so-distant future. The visionary who invented the first text-to-speech synthesizer and much more raises eyebrows here with his wildly optimistic views of a technology-enhanced future.
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Love the Beast
2009 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsActor and director Eric Bana examines his own fixation with cars and chronicles his attempts to compete in the treacherous Targa Tasmania race. But can his Ford XB Falcon Coupe -- aka "the Beast" -- endure this grueling five-day affair?
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Gerhard Richter Painting
2011 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsRenowned painter Gerhard Richter reveals both his fascinating creative process and his famously grumpy personality in this documentary. Richter's unique method includes using both modified squeegees and brushes to create his abstract masterpieces.
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The Island President
2012 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsThis documentary chronicles the extraordinary efforts of Mohamed Nasheed, during his term as president of the Maldive Islands, to fight global warming and prevent rising ocean levels from deluging his low-lying archipelago nation right off the map.
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A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism
2009 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsMargrét Dagmar Ericsdóttir embarks on a quest to find answers about autism, which renders her 11-year-old son, Keli, unable to communicate. Across the United States and Europe, Ericsdóttir encounters autism experts exploring promising new methods.
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The Last Days
1998 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsDirected by James Moll and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, this powerful, Oscar-winning documentary recounts the harrowing stories of five Hungarian Jews who endured the horrors of the holocaust and the reign of Adolf Hitler. In addition to the testimonials of the Hungarian subjects, the heart-wrenching film also includes accounts from U.S. soldiers who participated in the liberation of the Nazi death camps in 1945.
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Where Soldiers Come From
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsStarting this coming-of-age documentary in her own hometown, filmmaker Heather Courtney follows a tight-knit group of friends who grow up together, sign up for the National Guard and are subsequently sent to Afghanistan.
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Mexican Fighter
2013 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis documentary takes a close look at the history and heroes of mixed martial arts in Mexico, showcasing the career of champion Cain Velasquez. Reflecting the warrior spirit of Mexico's original cultures, MMA continues to attract more fans.
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Horgasm: A Love Story
2012 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsExplore the world of competitive snowboarding through the experiences of record-breaking snowboarder Torstein Horgmo as he travels the world, filming in areas of spectacular scenery or while he competes in Olympic arenas with crowds of thousands.
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I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsJonathan Demme's documentary began as a film about Hurricane Katrina but became a portrait of one of the disaster's most colorful survivors: Carolyn Parker, a woman determined to rebuild her life -- even if it takes everything she has.
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In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great
1998 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this BBC production, documentary filmmaker and historian Michael Woods retraces the footsteps of the legendary Alexander the Great as he traveled from Greece to India on a quest for glory.
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The Striking Truth
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis dual-subject documentary charts the careers of two compelling professional fighters: Georges St-Pierre and David "the Crow" Loiseau. One is an Ultimate Fighting Champion; the other is one of the most exciting fighters in mixed martial arts.
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Pina
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsWim Wenders directs to arresting effect in this performance documentary about Pina Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal dance company. Performing alfresco in Wuppertal, Germany, the troupe's pieces include "The Rite of Spring."
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Wiebo's War
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsPaced like a thriller, this documentary chronicles back-to-nature Christian and accused eco-terrorist Wiebo Ludwig's struggle to save his little patch of Northern Canada from the scourge (or boon) of what lies beneath it: a huge natural gas field.
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Bobby Fischer Against the World
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Liz Garbus sheds light on one of the most enigmatic of 20th-century personalities: Bobby Fischer, a boy who rose to fame as a world-champion child chess prodigy and later found himself embroiled in Cold War-era politics.
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The Green Rush
2008 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis sympathetic documentary looks at the issues confronting one group of Northern California pot growers and articulates the frustrations they face in a unique business that many regard as the most practical way to feed their families. For decades, outlaw marijuana cultivation has been a huge "hidden" industry fueling much of the region's economy, but pot farmers have remained subject to harassment and arrest by federal law-enforcement agencies.
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L'Amour Fou
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsYves Saint-Laurent -- synonymous with Le Smoking suit, the safari jacket and Studio 54 -- met Pierre Bergé in 1958. This intimate documentary pays tribute to their love affair, business partnership and extraordinary 50-year friendship.
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RIP! A Remix Manifesto
2008 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Brett Gaylor's documentary takes a look at intellectual property laws by profiling controversial musician Girl Talk, called "a lawsuit waiting to happen" by The New York Times Magazine because of his extensive use of mash-up remixes. With numerous voices on both sides of the issue, the dynamic film examines fair use for artists creating sample-based music and other works versus copyright laws protecting the original artists' creations.
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Sons of Perdition
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFollowing three teenage boys who've left a polygamist sect over a 2-year period, filmmakers Tyler Measom and Jennilyn Merten offer up a poignant portrayal of the overwhelming challenges these young men face as they try to live in mainstream society. Cut off completely from their families and everything they know, the boys struggle to support and educate themselves and try to help other family members break away.
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The Queen and I
2008 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsNahid Persson Sarvestani's thought-provoking documentary about her friendship with Queen Farah, the Shah of Iran's wife, demonstrates how even those at odds can find middle ground and understanding as the conversation becomes political and personal.
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49 Up
2005 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn 1964, a filmmaker interviewed a diverse group of 7-year-olds and vowed to track their lives every seven years. Now, those "kids" are 49 years old. This documentary series reveals how Apted's subjects collectively serve as a microcosm of society.
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The Fall of Fujimori
2006 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsEllen Perry's true-life political thriller documents the reign of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, a man who ran on a ticket to fight poverty but whose rule was ultimately marked by violence, corruption and controversy. With promises to restore stability and crush terrorist insurgents, Fujimori won popular support -- and the 1990 election -- but his administration eventually dissolved under the weight of political abuses and scandal.
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Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
2006 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsJoe Strummer, the late lead singer of the legendary punk-rock band the Clash, narrates this music-lover's documentary of his own life courtesy of collected interviews and tapes from his BBC radio show. The film features rare footage of the rock hero, from his childhood to his later days playing with the Mescaleros, and includes interviews with Strummer fans such as Bono, Johnny Depp, John Cusack and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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