This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - January 30-February 5, 2026
Last week, I was not watching or writing about enough Sundance documentaries because I was glued to two more immediate examples of nonfiction media, both of them involving someone named Alex. First, I was horrifically hypnotized by the multiple videos presenting the killing of protestor Alex Pretti by a gang of ICE agents. Then I was entranced by the live event in which Free Solo star Alex Honnold climbed a Taipei skyscraper equipped only with a sack of chalk for his hands. The latter provided a spectacular distraction, and no, I wasn’t anticipating Honnold would fall.
Fellow documentary critic and industry expert Anthony Kaufman captured where my mind was all week in his post “Notes from the Sundance Bubble.” He, too, “found it difficult to seek out or be connected to movies that didn't somehow feel resonant or relevant to our current moment of crises.” Filmmaker Doug Block keenly responded that personal docs are more important right now:
“I’m sorry, it’s not my role as a filmmaker and artist to drop everything and save democracy…If you woke up in a time capsule 100 years from now and wanted to know what life was like on this planet for the past century, I’m convinced the first-person stories would sum it up more vividly and authentically than the historical overviews or so-called urgent docs their time.”
Eventually, I reviewed a couple of shorts I managed to appreciate (one is highlighted this week), and even saw a few features I think are exceptional. You can see which ones on my Letterboxd ranking of Sundance 2026 documentaries (that I’ve watched).
But Sundance is ending, February is beginning, and it’s time to think about Valentine’s Day, if for no other reason than it brings another sale on Frederick Wiseman documentaries (note: this is not a sponsored announcement, only my personal support). Just use the code IHEARTWISEMAN on the Zipporah Films website for 14 percent off DVDs or Blu-rays of Wiseman’s National Gallery, Crazy Horse, Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros, and La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet.
Now, without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best of and most anticipated lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc in need of coverage or a mention, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.
Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Natchez (2025)
I think Suzannah Herbert’s Natchez is the last film on our list of the best documentaries of 2025 to be officially released in theaters (not just for an Oscar-qualifying run). It’s also literally the last film on that list, ranked 25th. Here’s part of the entry I wrote for that piece:
“What starts seemingly as a curious look at one Mississippi town’s legacy regarding slavery winds up as a deeper exploration of how history should be represented, especially when it comes to humanity’s mistakes. By the end of this uniquely photographed documentary, Natchez’s past is anything but a black or white issue (or, not just a black and white issue, if we’re talking race) as Herbert bursts bubbles filled with expectations and stereotypes.”
Natchez opens at Film Forum in New York City on Friday, January 30, 2026, with other cities to follow through March.
Other Documentary Highlights
2DIE4 (2026)
I don’t care much for racing, but I have found the 24 Hours of Le Mans event intriguing after seeing it dramatized in Ford v. Ferrari. The medium-length documentary 2DIE4 puts us in the passenger seat for the real thing while following driver Felipe Nasr as he competes for Porsche. The mix of cinematic spectacle and behind-the-scenes verite sequences reminded me of old IMAX documentaries following space missions. But it’s character-driven and personal, with Nasr providing the voiceover narration instead of a Hollywood actor. If it grabbed me enough through its hour-long runtime, those who do care for racing are going to love it.
2DIE4 opens at the AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on Friday, January 30, ahead of a nationwide IMAX release in February.
Anirban Dutta & Anupama Srinivasan Documentaries
The Criterion Channel is spotlighting the two collaborations between directors Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan, including one of the best documentaries of 2024: Nocturnes. Their other film together is Flickering Lights, which I haven’t seen but sounds great. In my review of Nocturnes, I called it “one of my favorite surprises of the year…such an intimate and beautiful documentary (who knew staring at and listening to moths of varying sizes on a lit-up screen would be so enchanting) but also has broader ideas that are anything but comforting.”
Nocturnes and Flickering Lights begin exclusively streaming on The Criterion Channel on Sunday, February 1. Nocturnes is also available to rent or buy digitally elsewhere.
The Baddest Speechwriter Of All (2026)
I’ve seen a few Sundance shorts that I recommend watching this weekend while they’re available online, but Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry’s The Baddest Speechwriter of All, about Civil Rights activist and advisor Clarence B. Jones, is the best of them. It also won this year’s Short Film Grand Jury Prize. Here’s an excerpt from our review of The Baddest Speechwriter of All:
“The documentary shares Jones telling stories of his background, meeting Martin Luther King Jr., his part in writing the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and other biographical and professional anecdotes. He unsurprisingly has a way with words, but his telling of these stories is what makes the film so stimulating. The single shot of Jones uttering his history could have easily been enough. He’s lively, entertaining, loose yet deliberate. Proudfoot and Curry still add supplementary and illustrative footage, some of it archival and some of it animation…The Baddest Speechwriter of All is a particularly dynamic film as a result, and every cut away from Jones is warranted, every inserted image relevant and appropriate.”
The Baddest Speechwriter of All can be screened as part of Sundance’s Documentary Short Film Program, which also includes Liza Mandelup’s brief but poignant Luigi Mangione fandom spotlight, Luigi, and the Short Film Jury Award, Non-Fiction winner The Boys and the Bees, now through Sunday, February 1.
Black History Documentaries
February is Black History Month, so it’s time again to share our lists of great Black History films and important films documenting Black History in the making. It’s also time for another curation on The Criterion Channel celebrating Black History with fiction and nonfiction films. They’re showcasing many of their regulars, including Portrait of Jason, Paris is Burning, and Agnès Varda’s Black Panthers, while adding Madeline Anderson’s Integration Report 1 and I Am Somebody to their library for the occasion. Also relevant to Black History is the streaming service’s program honoring the Sudanese Film Group, which includes the short documentaries Four Times for Children, The Station, It Still Rotates, and Africa, the Jungle, Drums and Revolution, and the feature Talking About Trees.
Melania (2026)
A reminder that highlights are not all recommendations, Melania is still the biggest documentary being released this week, thanks to President Donald Trump’s Citizen Kane-esque attempt to give his wife a massive showcase. I haven’t seen it (critics weren’t invited to screen it in advance), but I’m not biased against doing so. I watched the Michelle Obama documentary, Becoming, so I guess I have to be fair and watch this spotlight on the current First Lady. Maybe. At least if Amazon submits it for consideration for this year’s Critics Choice Documentary Awards, I will be obligated.
Melania opens in theaters on Friday, January 30.
Viva Verdi! (2024)
I haven’t seen Viva Verdi! either, but it is one of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentaries. Sure, it’s a nomination for the original song from the film, “Sweet Dreams of Joy,” by Nicholas Pike, but that might be enough reason to lure in viewers. It’s about a retirement home for opera singers and musicians in Milan, following the older generation as they mentor the younger.
Viva Verdi! is now available to rent from Jolt.
Awards Highlights
BAFTA Nominees
Nominations for the 79th BAFTAs were announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts last week, and the five contenders for Best Documentary include only two overlaps with the Oscars: Mr. Nobody Against Putin (streaming via Kino Film Collection) and The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix). The other three were at least shortlisted: 2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS), Apocalypse in the Tropics (Netflix), and Cover-Up (Netflix). All five are also on our list of the best documentaries of 2025.
Eddie Nominees
Several of our favorites from last year were also represented among the nominees for the 76th Annual ACE Eddie Awards, announced last week by the American Cinema Editors group. Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor was again in the mix, this time for Best Edited Documentary Feature. Its competition includes Becoming Led Zeppelin (also streaming on Netflix), John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video), Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music (Peacock), and It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley (HBO Max).
The nominees for Best Edited Documentary Series, which can include two-parters but specifically recognizes one part or episode, are aka Charlie Sheen (“Part One,” Netflix), Billy Joel: And So It Goes (“Episode 1,” HBO Max), Mr. Scorsese (“All This Filming Isn't Healthy,” Apple TV), Sean Combs: The Reckoning (“Official Girl,” Netflix), and Pee-wee as Himself (“Part One,” HBO Max). Two ongoing docuseries are up for Best Edited Non-Scripted Series: Conan O’Brien Must Go (“Austria,” HBO Max) and Love on the Spectrum (“Episode 7,” Netflix).
This year, the Eddies introduced a new category for Best Edited Short, and two documentaries have been honored among the bunch: All the Empty Rooms, which is nominated for an Oscar and now streaming on Netflix, and The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, which is available to stream on Prime Video, AMC+, and Vimeo.
National Film Registry Inductees
While being added to the National Film Registry is more than an honor in the way that awards are, it’s still a kind of prize for movies to be chosen and preserved by the Library of Congress. The 2025 inductees were announced last week, much later than usual because of the government shutdown last fall, and included among the latest 25 selections are Ken Burns’s Oscar-nominated debut, Brooklyn Bridge (now streaming on Kanopy), Nancy Buirsky’s The Loving Story (HBO Max and Tubi), and the music docs The Wrecking Crew and TCM staple Say Amen, Somebody.
Documentary Release Calendar 1/30/26 - 2/5/26
Friday, January 30, 2026
2DIE4 (2026) - A nonfiction feature that follows Formula 1 driver Felipe Nasr in his attempt to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. (In Theaters)
The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast Season 2, Episode 3 - “The Rise of Black Mafia Family” - The latest installment of a docuseries about Black Mafia Family. (Starz)
The First Motion Picture Unit (1943) - A short documentary about the Army Air Corps’ film production unit created for making training films during World War II. (TCM)
Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir (2026) - A documentary feature about Paris Hilton’s music career. (In Theaters)
Melania (2025) - A documentary feature directed by Brett Ratner about current U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. (In Theaters)
Miracle: The Boys of ‘80 (2026) - A documentary feature about the “Miracle on Ice” hockey game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics. (Netflix)
Molly-Mae: Behind It All Season 2, Episode 6 - The latest installment of a nonfiction series about British influencer Molly-Mae Hague. (Prime Video)
Monsterquest Season 5, Episode 5: “Grave Mistakes” - The latest episode of a docuseries about strange creatures spotted around the world. (History)
Natchez (2025) - A documentary feature about the historical legacy of the titular town in Mississippi. See where the film ranks on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Peaches Goes Bananas (2024) - A documentary feature following the musician known as Peaches over 17 years. (In Theaters)
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Dean Martin: King of Cool (2021) - A feature-length documentary about the titular actor and crooner. (TCM)
Iyanla: The Inside Fix Season 1, Episode 3: “Confusing Love with Control” - The latest installment of a nonfiction series that revisits Iyanla Vanzant’s show Fix My Life. (OWN)
Kingdom Season 1, Episode 2: “Storm’s Retreat” - The second installment of a nature series narrated by Sir David Attenborough following rival families of leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and lions. (AMC+ and BBC America)
Maxxed Out Season 1, Episode 4: “The Spoiled Sister” - The latest episode of a docuseries focused on people currently having financial troubles. (OWN)
MGM Parade Show #2 (1955) - The second installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This film features Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. (TCM)
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Africa, the Jungle, Drums and Revolution (1979) - A short documentary about representations of Africa in Soviet society. (The Criterion Channel)
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) - A documentary feature about the titular heavy metal band. (The Criterion Channel)
Babenco: Tell Me When I Die (2019) - A documentary feature about the filmmaker Hector Babenco. (The Criterion Channel)
Flickering Lights (2023) - A documentary feature by Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan about a village on the India-Myanmar border finally getting electricity. (The Criterion Channel)
Four Times for Children (1979) - A short documentary depicting Sudanese schools for children with physical or mental disabilities. (The Criterion Channel)
Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing (2026) - A docuseries about competitive ice dance. (Netflix)
The Hillside Strangler Episode 3: “The Trial of the Century” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries following two serial killers who terrorized Los Angeles in the 1970s. (MGM+)
The Hoaxters (1952) - A short documentary about totalitarian dictators, including Adolf Hitler and the leaders of the Soviet Union, being con men. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
I Am Somebody (1970) - A short documentary about a hospital workers strike involving poorly paid Black women. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
Integration Report 1 (1960) - A short documentary about the first sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
It Still Rotates (1978) - A short documentary depicting schools in Yemen following its independence. (The Criterion Channel)
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 4, Episode 13: “Unrequited Love” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about romances gone tragically wrong. (Oxygen)
LA Firestorm: Inside the Inferno (2026) - A three-part docuseries about the wildfires in Los Angeles in 2025. (Reelz)
Nocturnes (2024) - A feature documentary by Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan about scientists studying moths in the Himalayas. Read our review of Nocturnes. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
Rise of the 49ers (2026) - A four-part docuseries about the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s and 1990s. (AMC)
Snapped: Women Who Kill Episode 5: “Samantha Rabon” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about mysterious and violent cases. This episode is technically part of Snapped Season 36. (Oxygen)
The Station (1989) - A short documentary about a literal crossroads in the desert of Sudan. (The Criterion Channel)
Talking About Trees (2019) - A documentary feature about a group of Sudanese filmmakers trying to bring moviegoing back to their country. (The Criterion Channel)
The Tomb (1977) - A short documentary about a man who claims to be able to heal people. (The Criterion Channel)
Monday, February 2, 2026
120 Hours Behind Bars Season 1, Episode 3: “Clayton County Jail” - The latest installment of a nonfiction series that looks at America’s toughest jails. (Discovery)
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History Episode 1: “Let My People Go” - The first installment of a four-part docuseries on the complex relationship between Black Americans and Jewish Americans. (PBS)
Contraband: Seized at the Border Season 8, Episode 3: '“Trifecta of Trouble” - The latest episode of a nonfiction series focused on smuggling cases handled by Customs and Border Protection officers. (Discovery)
Fatal Attraction: I’d Kill to Be You Season 1, Episode 2: “Kayla Henriques: Comparison is a Killer” - The latest installment of a true-crime series about cases involving jealousy. (TV One)
History’s Deadliest with Ving Rhames Season 1, Episode 2: “Explosions” - The latest installment of a docuseries about history’s most devastating killers, weapons, battles, and disasters. (History)
MGM Parade Show #3 (1955) - The third installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This film features clips from A Free Soul and Trial. (TCM)
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. Season 12, Episode 5: “Love & Basketball” - The latest installment of a docuseries presenting celebrities with their ancestral history. Pro basketball players Brittney Griner and Chris Paul are the participants in this episode. (PBS)
Harlan Coben’s Final Twist Season 1, Episode 5: “Shot in the Dark” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries exposing shocking murders and scandals. This episode involves a man shot in the head while sleeping. (CBS and Paramount+)
Killer Confessions: Case Files of a Texas Ranger Season 1, Episode 4: “A Mother’s Manipulation” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries involving confessions, starring a retired Texas Ranger. (Investigation Discovery)
Pole to Pole with Will Smith Episode 7: “The North Pole” - The latest episode of a nature docuseries starring Will Smith. (National Geographic)
Sprout Wings and Fly (1983) - A short documentary by Les Blank about bluegrass fiddler Tommy Jarrell. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Alaska State Troopers Season 9, Episode 5: “No Way Out” - The latest installment of a docuseries about state troopers in Alaska. (A&E)
The Coach Vick Experience Episode 1 - The first installment of a docuseries following Michael Vick as he coaches the Norfolk State football team. (BET)
Expedition X Season 11, Episode 5: “God of the Underworld” - The latest installment of a paranormal investigation series. (Discovery)
The Investigation of Lucy Letby (2026) - A true-crime documentary about a neonatal nurse convicted of fatally harming infants. (Netflix)
My Letter to the World (2017) - A documentary feature about the poet Emily Dickinson. (OVID)
Nature: Parenthood (2026) - A docuseries narrated by Sir David Attenborough showcasing animal parents around the world. (PBS)
Starman (2025) - A documentary feature about robotics engineer and sci-fi writer Gentry Lee. (In Theaters)
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Common Waters (2025) - A documentary about the growing conflict of stream access in Colorado. (Theatrical Screening)
The Mega-Brands That Built America Season 3 - The complete third season of a docuseries about famously successful American businesses. (Hulu)
Taking the Stand Season 4 - The complete fourth season of a true-crime docuseries focused on defendants taking the witness stand. (Hulu)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
2/6 - Queen of Chess - A biographical documentary directed by Rory Kennedy about chess prodigy Judit Polgár. Read more in our 2026 documentary preview. (Netflix)
2/13 - Neighbors - A six-part docuseries produced by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein about outrageous conflicts between neighbors. (HBO Max)
2/16 - Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model - A three-part docuseries about the competition reality show America’s Next Top Model. (Netflix)
2/18 - Wild Boys: Strangers in Town (2026) - A two-part documentary about teenage brothers who claimed to have been raised in the wild. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Paramount+)
3/4 - AURORA: What Happened to the Earth? - A concert film starring the titular Norwegian singer. (In Theaters)
3/6 - Pompei: Below the Clouds - A documentary feature directed by Gianfranco Rosi showing life in the regions surrounding Mount Vesuvius. Watch the new trailer for the slightly retitled film below. (In Theaters)
5/8 - Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour - A concert film directed by James Cameron and Billie Eilish and starring Billie Eilish, presented in 3D. Read more in our 2026 documentary preview. Note the changed release date. (In Theaters)
5/12 - Marty, Life is Short - A biographical documentary directed by Lawrence Kasdan about actor and comedian Martin Short. (Netflix)
6/19 - Everywhere Man: The Lives and Times of Peter Asher - A biographical documentary about the titular pop star turned producer and manager. (In Theaters)