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When deciding to make a documentary, a few factors immediately come into play: how deep should we delve into the subject matter? Are we putting our subjects at risk with exposure? Are we putting ourselves at risk? Documentary filmmaking, whether you’re an essayist with an agenda like Michael Moore or more of a fly on the wall, is risky.
The latest Netflix Original, Virunga, is one of those riskier documentaries. In the forests of the Congo lies Virunga National Park, home to the last of the endangered mountain gorillas. Though the park is one of the country’s most precious natural areas, Congo natives are in the middle of a full blown war with major oil companies looking to excavate the area and no one is safe. The park rangers decide to stand by the defenseless wildlife against poachers and ruthless soldiers, thus putting their own lives very much at risk.
Can’t you see why Leonardo DiCaprio is campaigning so hard for this? In honor of Virunga being released on Netflix, here are ten more groundbreaking documentaries that could have failed to be completed given the dangerous odds against them.
'Jesus Camp' (2006)
Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady are flies on the wall at a Missourian summer camp where youth are taught to “take back America for Jesus Christ.” Teachers and ministers of the camp teach the impressionable youngsters that the country has been plagued by non-believers and those of other “impure” religions. Not only was this a bold filmmaking endeavor, but the feeling the audience is left with is hollowing. [Where to stream Jesus Camp]
'Who Killed the Electric Car?' (2006)
Narrated by Martin Sheen, filmmaker Chris Paine landed exclusive interviews with Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, and more to help get the word out about former electric car users and how the government squashed production back in 2005. This documentary about sustainable energy almost got silenced just like electric car makers did, along with their owners who were forced to turn them into major authorities. [Where to stream Who Killed the Electric Car?]
'Blackfish' (2013)
Calling out a mega-corporation for wrong-doings is never easy, especially if you’re adamant about being heard. Documentarian Gabriela Cowperthwaite took on the dangerous task of exposing SeaWorld for animal cruelty by investigating the truth behind killer whale Tilikum, who is responsible for multiple trainer deaths at the tourist attraction. [Where to stream Blackfish]
'Super Size Me' (2004)
Say what you will about Morgan Spurlock, but one thing is for certain: he goes all out for his projects. Super Size Me nearly killed the filmmaker and McDonald’s, which was all but forced to offer healthier items after the film’s release. [Where to stream Super Size Me]
'Deliver Us From Evil' (2006)
Father Oliver O’Grady was accused of raping dozens of children who attended his church back in the 1970s. Filmmaker Amy Berg located Grady, who was deported to his native Ireland after serving only seven years in prison. Berg films both Grady’s side of the story as well as his victims’. [Where to stream Deliver Us from Evil]
'Dark Days' (2000)
Marc Singer went underground for this incredible black and white portrait of New York City’s homeless. In this case, however, “homeless” is an ambiguous term. These men who live in between subway tunnels have built themselves an underground city all their own, and Singer spent days and nights in the lives of the city’s forgotten poor and drug addicts. [Where to stream Dark Days]
'After Tiller' (2013)
After the assassination of late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller, only four doctors in the country are left to carry on his work. Martha Shane and Lana Wilson get as close as possible to the doctors and patients, who are faced with the most difficult decisions of their lives every day. Every single person in American, no matter what side of the abortion debate you’re on, should see this film. [Where to stream After Tiller]
'National Geographic: Inside North Korea' (2009)
Journalist Lisa Ling ventured into North Korea with a ophthalmologist and a camera crew, part of a medical missionary group to perform mass cataract surgeries. During her stay, she interviewed North Koreans in their homes and places of work and got a one-of-a-kind inside peak to the Communist regime. The ending feels like that of a horror film. [Where to stream National Geographic: Inside North Korea]
'The Act of Killing' (2013)
Joshua Oppenheimer, Christine Cynn, and one anonymous director interviewed former Indonesian death-squad leaders, including Anwar Congo and his loyal followers. These mass murderers have a soft side, however, when it comes to Western film and theater productions and performed reenactments of how they killed hundreds of innocent people to the tune of a musical. [Where to stream The Act of Killing]
'E-Team' (2014)
When Human Rights Watch gets word of tragedies against innocent people, they send the Emergencies Team, or E-Team, to investigate and document these crimes. In this Netflix Original documentary, the E-Team is sent to report on the atrocities taking place in Syria and Lybia conducted by corrupt leaders and in the thick of their journey, they realize they may not make it out alive. [Where to stream E-Team]
