This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - July 3-9, 2026
Have you seen the documentary Black Woodstock? How about Exposing the Myth of Southern Charm? Chances are, if you follow our recommendations, you have. But not under those titles. Their real names are Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) and Natchez, respectively. The former is an Oscar winner, yet that may not have been enough to appeal to audiences since IMDb, TV Guide, and Plex all list Questlove’s debut feature as Black Woodstock. Natchez, which made our list of the best documentaries of 2025, has been renamed Exposing the Myth of Southern Charm on the PBS Documentaries YouTube channel, where many are finding and watching it.
I understand the desperation of documentaries these days. I get the desire to garner views. See Anthony Kaufman’s latest newsletter for more on the dismal state of theatrical box office for nonfiction titles. I am also happy for audiences to discover these two films in particular, any way they can. But it’s quite confusing. It’s bad enough when titles are changed post-festival run, a la School Life (formerly In Loco Parentis) and last year’s Teenage Wasteland (formerly Middletown). It’s also bad enough when series like Independent Lens chop documentaries to new runtimes to fit PBS schedules without transparency. At the end of the day (and end of the year in many cases), I want to be sure I’m seeing and recommending the same version and title of a documentary that audiences are seeing. Otherwise, what am I doing this for?
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 (including the latest from Alex Gibney). 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 lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can now reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail.
Nonfics Picks Of The Week: The Best Documentaries Of 2026 Mid-Year
Last week, we published our updated list of the best documentaries of 2026 (so far) for the year’s halfway mark. These are films commercially released in the last six months and do not include several favorites we’ve seen at festivals that are due in theaters or on streaming later. Five more titles were added, and we increased the ranking to 15 documentaries, including two features that cracked the top three. At this point, no title from the initial ranking has fallen off. However, we anticipate some will be pushed out by the end-of-year list, which will be extended to 26 entries.
This list is exclusive to paid subscribers because it’s one of our most popular pieces and helps Nonfics continue as a mostly free publication. For our financial well-being, we can’t share the titles here. The image in the header collage above is from the documentary that previously held the top spot, and the one attached to this section is from another that was already on the list. I will say many of this year’s bunch were independent theatrical releases that aren’t yet easily seen at home. Congrats to distributors Icarus Films and Oscilloscope Laboratories, both of which have two titles in the midyear mix. Additionally, four are now available on Netflix, two are on The Criterion Channel, and others are streaming on Hulu, Prime Video, or Paramount+.
Other Documentary Highlights
Caterpillar (2023) & Fiume O Morte! (2025)
Two of this week’s home video releases are among the best documentaries of the last two years. Liza Mandelup’s Caterpillar, which is also currently available on Netflix, made the 2025 list for its character-driven story of a man who undergoes a risky procedure to alter his eye color. The film is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, and I recommend the latter to appreciate Ben Whatley’s cinematography. Igor Bezinovic’s Fiume o Morte! is on the best of 2026 list for being the year’s “most original documentary” and a “revelation of creative nonfiction.” The film’s tale of a fascist Italian poet who took over an Adriatic seaport after World War I is funny enough on its own, but it’s even more amusing if you take it as a dig at some of today’s leaders, too.
Caterpillar will be released on DVD and Blu-ray (via Good Deed Entertainment) and Fiume o Morte! will be released on DVD (via Icarus Films) on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
Chronicle Of A Summer (1961)
This week would have marked the 105th birthday of French philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin (born in Paris on July 8, 1921). I somehow missed that he passed away on May 29. He wasn’t primarily a filmmaker, but he did co-direct the landmark cinéma vérité feature Chronicle of a Summer with Jean Rouch, and that documentary turned 65 this year. Most critics consider it one of the best documentaries of all time, meaning it’s essential viewing whether you end up preferring it or not (I like it, but it didn’t make my all-time list). In memory of Morin, in honor of his birthday, and for its anniversary, you should watch it this Thursday.
Chronicle of a Summer is available to stream on The Criterion Channel.
Crazy Horse (2011)
Another French landmark celebrates its anniversary this year, as the cabaret Le Crazy Horse de Paris turned 75 years old in May. For the occasion, I recommend watching Frederick Wiseman’s Crazy Horse, which has an anniversary of its own (15 years) this fall. You can stream the film, which goes behind the scenes, into the dressing room, and out into the audience of the iconically infamous nude burlesque shows, via Kanopy. You can also pick up a physical copy from Zipporah Films for free for a limited time. Through July 31, 2026, you can claim a free DVD of Crazy Horse with the code CRAZYSUMMER when you buy any other documentary on DVD or Blu-ray from the Frederick Wiseman Store on the Zipporah Films website (note: I received no direct request or any payment to promote this offer). I also recommend my 2012 interview with the late documentarian about the making of Crazy Horse.
Lumière, Le Cinema! (2024)
Another film (also with an exclamation point in its title) that made my midyear list of the best documentaries of 2026 so far is the Doc Option of the week. If you’re planning on taking your kids to see Minions & Monsters this week (or if, like my father-in-law, you’d go even without the kids), you should pair the experience with a viewing of Thierry Frémaux’s Lumière, Le Cinema! so everyone properly appreciates the beginning of the new animated sequel. That’s right, the Minions now have a connection to classic nonfiction cinema, as the opening of their latest movie sees them inserted into such Lumière landmarks as Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory, The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, and The Waterer Watered.
They also infiltrate some of Eadweard Muybridge’s earlier chronophotography works and Georges Méliès’s most famous sci-fi masterpiece, and encounter silent stars Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Buster Keaton. Of course, you could just show your kids the specific films being referenced (I’d link to my old Cinephile Summer Camp column if Film School Rejects was still alive), but given that Lumière, Le Cinema! is one of the best documentaries of the year, I can’t resist giving it another push here.
Lumière, Le Cinema! is available to stream on The Criterion Channel.
The Man Will Burn (2026)
A few days after you celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this weekend, you can enjoy a look at a microcosmic metaphor for the United States in this four-part docuseries about Burning Man. I will embarrassingly admit that I didn’t realize the difference between Burning Man and Coachella, and immediately wondered when I’d learn about the massive music stars who’ve performed at the desert concert festival. See, I usually don’t concern myself with remote overcrowded events. But I’m glad this documentary has arrived and made me concerned about the continued existence of Burning Man. It’s not my scene. I’ll never attend. Yet I enjoyed this virtual experience.
Helmed by Oscar winner Jehane Noujaim (The Square) and Kumare director Vikram Gandhi, The Man Will Burn chronicles five years of Burning Man’s operations as its leadership faces disagreements on how it’s run and what it means, a colossal obstacle in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the threat of disastrous weather. The first couple of episodes also tell of its history, going back to its origins involving a San Francisco counterculture group in the 1980s. What’s most interesting about the evolution of Burning Man is that it resembles the potential evolution of any idealistic society, including the United States of America, from its philosophical foundation to the reluctant but necessary introduction of bureaucracy and an economic system, and ultimately climaxing with the whole thing being appropriated by the uber-wealthy.
The series itself peaks with the third episode, and the fourth then plays like a supplemental chapter that focuses on just the flooding debacle of 2023. It’s not as interesting or necessary to the overall story as the rest, other than to emphasize that Burners make up a unified community that works together to get through anything thrown their way, be it individual loss or a collective physical scenario where everyone is stuck in place. One of the things that The Man Will Burn does well, however, is follow a handful of characters attending the event, some of them for the first time, showing viewers the diversity of these people interested in Burning Man for a variety of personal reasons. They remain a constant to the end of the series that holds it together, where other narratives and themes are somewhat abandoned.
The Man Will Burn premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
Mary Oliver: Saved By The Beauty Of The World (2026)
I’m not well-versed in poetry and wasn’t familiar with Mary Oliver, but that’s one of the reasons I love documentaries. They provide introductions to so many people from all areas of interest. Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World is your basic biographical feature, driven by talking heads discussing the Pulitzer Prize winner’s life and writing, but it also has John Waters, who will always be one of my favorite documentary interviewees. Any time he had something to say about Oliver, the film had my full attention. Even better, though, this documentary includes segments in which famous fans, including Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter, Oprah Winfrey, and Stephen Colbert, read Oliver’s poems, which gives them a new cinematic life.
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World will be released in theaters via Kino Lorber on Friday, July 3, 2026.
Sherman’s March (1985)
One of my favorite documentaries of all time, Ross McElwee’s Sherman’s March, is being re-released this weekend with a new 4K restoration. The theatrical engagement is also happening in anticipation of McElwee’s latest film, Remake, which comes out next Friday. A lot of the new documentary is about an attempt to adapt Sherman’s March into a fiction feature or television series, so if you’ve never seen it, you should do so. Actually, I recommend catching up with all of McElwee’s films ahead of the release of Remake since they’ve all kind of led up to this one.
Anyway, Sherman’s March specifically follows McElwee’s first-person narrative through academic and romantic pursuits in the mid-1980s. Part of the documentary is about Union General William Tecumseh Sherman’s “March to the Sea” campaign during the U.S. Civil War, and part is about McElwee’s dating life while working on this project. It’s one of the closest things to a documentary rom-com there is, and it’s also a fascinating look at the South, where McElwee grew up but no longer calls home. Sherman’s March also features one of the most memorable appearances of one of the most memorable documentary characters of all time, Charleen Swansea.
Sherman’s March is available to stream on Fandor via Prime Video, and its 4K restoration will be released in New York City on Friday, July 3, 2026, and in Los Angeles on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Documentary Release Calendar 7/3/26 - 7/9/26
Friday, July 3, 2026
Donkey Baseball (1935) - A short documentary about the fad of playing baseball while riding donkeys. (TCM)
Lost Opportunities (2026) - A short documentary about a disabled father fighting to maintain a relationship with his son. (In Theaters)
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026) - A documentary feature about the titular poet and queer icon. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (In Theaters)
Sherman’s March (1985) - A 4K re-release of a classic first-person documentary feature by Ross McElwee about his romantic pursuits amidst his Civil War history project. See our highlights section for more info.*NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Souvenirs of Death (1948) - A short film following the journey of a souvenir World War II pistol. (TCM)
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Let’s Sing a Stephen Foster Song (1948) - A short film about four of Stephen Foster’s most famous songs. (TCM)
We Never Sleep (1956) - A short documentary in the RKO-Pathé Screenliner series about the oldest private detective agency in America. (TCM)
Sunday, July 5, 2026
The Food That Built America Season 7, Episode 11: “Spilling the Tea” - The latest installment of a docuseries about popular American foods. This episode involves iced tea drinks, including Snapple. (History)
Hazardous History with Henry Winkler Season 2, Episode 11: “Young & the Reckless” - The latest installment of a docuseries about dangerous toys and household items that used to be common. This episode involves stupid stunts kids would perform. (History)
In the Eye of the Storm Season 4, Episode 2: “That Car’s Flying!” - The latest installment of a docuseries about natural disasters. This episode looks at severe Hurricane Idalia. (Discovery Channel)
A Look at the World of Soylent Green (1973) - A short documentary about the making of the sci-fi film Soylent Green. (TCM)
Monday, July 6, 2026
History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren Episode 6: “World’s Fastest” - The latest installment of a docuseries about the machines that shaped our world. (History)
Lethally Blonde Season 2, Episode 6: “Hooters Gone Girl” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries involving people pursuing beauty and fame. This episode involves a Hooters waitress/OnlyFans model. (Investigation Discovery)
True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power (2025) - A documentary about the Black liberation movement in Montreal in the late 1960s. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. (PBS)
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Caterpillar (2023) - A documentary about a man who travels to India to permanently change his eye color. See our highlights section for more info. Read our review of Caterpillar. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
Dark Side of the Ring Season 7 - The return of this docuseries that shares the darkest stories of professional wrestling. (Vice)
Expedition Unknown Season 17, Episode 3: “Death Jars of Laos” - The latest installment of a docuseries that follows an archaeologist looking for lost artifacts. (Discovery)
Fiume o Morte! (2025) - A documentary feature about a Croatian city occupied by an Italian poet in 1919. See our highlights section for more info. Read our review of Fiume o Morte! *NONFICS PICK* (DVD)
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking (2021) - A biographical documentary about the titular pioneering African-American filmmaker. (TCM)
The Proof is Out There: Unexplained Edition Season 2, Episode 6: “Cryptid Creatures” - The latest installment of a docuseries about strange phenomena captured on camera. (History)
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 8: “Rocket Men” - The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)
Sofonisba’s Chess Game (2025) - A documentary about the titular painting by Sofonisba Anguissola. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) - A documentary feature about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Read our review of Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror. (Blu-ray)
Where the Horses Heal the Soul (2026) - A documentary feature about therapy horses. (DVD)
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
ER: Caught on Camera Season 1, Episode 1 - A docuseries in which medical patients recall experiences in hospital emergency rooms. (TLC)
Motoring in Mexico (1943) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores the Pacific International Highway from Mexico City to Acapulco. (TCM)
Thursday, July 9, 2026
The Man Will Burn (2026) - A four-part docuseries by Jehane Noujaim (The Square) and Vikram Gandhi (Kumare) about Burning Man. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (HBO and HBO Max)
On the Trail of the Iguana (1964) - A short documentary on the making of the film The Night of the Iguana. (TCM)
Surviving Earth Episode 5: “When the Forests Collapsed” - The fourth installment of an eight-part docuseries about extinct creatures. This episode involves amphibians. (NBC)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
7/10 - The March to War: Iran, Israel, and the USA - A three-part docuseries about the American and Israeli war against Iran. Watch the trailer for the series below. (OVID)
7/17 - American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez - A documentary feature about the titular activist and filmmaker. (In Theaters)
7/22 - A Toxic Love Story - A true-crime documentary about a revenge plot involving a newly married U.S. marshal. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Netflix)
8/7 - Cookie Queens - A documentary feature about Girl Scouts selling cookies. Read our review of Cookie Queens. (In Theaters)
8/20 - Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter - A documentary feature about tennis star Novak Djokovic. (Prime Video)
10/16 - Musk - A documentary feature directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney about Elon Musk. (In Theaters)