History Documentaries

Uncover rich, historical stories about the influential movements, events, and people that have shaped our world throughout time.
Friedkin Uncut
Friedkin Uncut
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107 min2018MA15
Friedkin Uncut offers an introspective insight into the life and artistic journey of William Friedkin, an extraordinary and offbeat director of cult films such as The French Connection, The Exorcist & Sorcerer. For the first time Friedkin opens up, guiding the audience on a fascinating journey through the themes and stories that have influenced his life and his artistic career. Thanks to an 'all star' cast of friends and collaborators, we discover stories, anecdotes, and discuss what being an artist really means in order to celebrate the one and only Billy Friedkin and the fun and passion of making art.
The Asian Century
The Asian Century
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800 min2017M
This landmark series deconstructs the pivotal events that have made the Asian Century. With rare archival footage and personal eyewitness testimony, the series shed light on the pivotal events of the past. From the People’s Power Revolution in the Philippines to the dramatic Partition of the Indian subcontinent, this programme will challenge accepted views and reveal the personalities and rivalries that have shaped history.
Cold War Secrets: Stealing The Atomic Bomb
Cold War Secrets: Stealing The Atomic Bomb
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52 min2015M
On the 29th of August 1949, the USSR set off their first atomic bomb, just four years after the Americans. The speed with which they achieved this surprised the world. What nobody knew was that it was the result of espionage implemented at the heart of the United States. At the centre of the operation was a very unusual female spy, Elizabeth Zaroubin. She managed to gain the confidence of great researchers such as Einstein, in a story worthy of the best spy novels ever written.
Islamic Art: Mirror Of The Invisible World
Islamic Art: Mirror Of The Invisible World
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57 min2012
Narrated by actress Susan Sarandon, this film explores the richness of Islamic art in objects big and small, from monumental mosques and palaces, to exquisite ceramics, carved boxes, paintings and metal work. This film also examines how Islamic art turns calligraphy and the written word into masterpieces and develops water into an expressive, useful art form.
First Lady Of The Revolution
First Lady Of The Revolution
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71 min2016PG
The remarkable story of Henrietta Boggs, who escaped the confines of a traditional, sheltered existence to expand her horizons into a new world, and live a life she never imagined. Her marriage to José ‘Don Pepe’ Figueres in 1941 led to a decade-long journey through activism, exile and political upheaval, and ultimately, lasting political reform.
Fake News: A True History
Fake News: A True History
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60 min2019
Fake news is never out of today's headlines but it has been raking in cash and wreaking havoc long before our own confused, uncertain times. From Victorians on the moon to 21st century deepfake, British journalist Ian Hislop looks back at 200 years of fake news, its causes and consequences.
The Spy Inside
The Spy Inside
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56 min2010M
An astonishing account of KGB's highest ranking spy, Herman Simm, who infiltrated NATO for over 13 years and sold its military secrets to the Kremlin, jeopardising the West’s security and provoking the largest counter-intelligence operation in NATO’s history.
Whistler: For Art's Sake
Whistler: For Art's Sake
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56 min2014
Caustic wit, man-about-town James McNeill Whistler was the original art star, revolutionising the art world in his time and beyond. Famed for the ground-breaking portrait of his mother, compared to Velazquez and Rembrandt and placed in the first rank of modern painters, Whistler, by the time of his death had become one of the most recognised artists in all of Europe.
The Day Stockholm Became A Syndrome
The Day Stockholm Became A Syndrome
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53 min2022M
On August 23, 1973 a bank robbery at the Kreditbank in Stockholm turned into a six-day hostage drama that gave rise to a psychological phenomenon known as “Stockholm Syndrome”. In this film, nearly fifty years after the standoff, we hear directly from the hostages, robbers and police, and find out what happened during those eventful six days.
Imminent Threat
Imminent Threat
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71 min2014MA15
Since 9/11, “War on Terror” has been used to justify everything from mass surveillance and spying to the use of drones to kill suspected terrorists without evidence or trial. Academy Award nominee James Cromwell looks at the military campaign’s impact on civil liberties and the unusual union it’s creating between the libertarian right and progressive left.
Nazi Creatures
Nazi Creatures
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51 min2017M
Hitler, Goring, Himmler: the three architects of the Final Solution. They, like many other high-ranking Nazis, shared another obsession: a fascination with the animal world. But their interest went beyond love of their pets; instead, they sought to control and purify the animal kingdom, practising the principles of eugenics they would later apply to humans.
Partners Of The Heart
Partners Of The Heart
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60 min2004PG
Against the backdrop of segregation, Vivien Thomas, a Black lab technician and Alfred Blalock, a renowned white surgeon, dared to defy medical gospel by forging a partnership that changed the course of medical history. Their work led to one of the century’s major breakthroughs: a daring heart operation to treat “blue baby syndrome”.
The Farewell Case: The KGB Double Agent
The Farewell Case: The KGB Double Agent
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52 min2019
In the midst of the Cold War, a KGB mole revealed confidential information to the French secret service – who passed them onto the CIA – ultimately leading to the fall of the Eastern Bloc.
Asia in the Great War
Asia in the Great War
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200 min2018M
Over a 100 years ago, humanity witnessed the greatest war that had ever occurred - World War I. Nearly 2 million men from across Asia were recruited to fight in the war. They were Indian soldiers from remote communities, Chinese farmers from rural outposts who worked as labourers, Vietnamese fishermen participating on behalf of their French colonial masters, and Japanese sailors in service of their emperor. But today, few remember them or their sacrifices. As the world prepares to commemorate the centenary of the end of The First World War, we will examine not just Asia’s contribution to the Great War, but also how the war changed Asia.
The Trial Of Ratko Mladic
The Trial Of Ratko Mladic
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90 min2018MA15
Victims call him the Butcher of Bosnia. Defenders say he protected the Serbs. With exclusive access to the prosecution and defence teams, this film chronicles the trial of Ratko Mladi?, accused of genocide and war crimes. An epic story of justice, accountability and a country at odds over its bloody past.
Fight Club: A History Of Violence
Fight Club: A History Of Violence
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188 min2012
Featuring vivid dramatised recreations, this series explores bare-knuckle boxing, duelling and jousting as it traces the history of man to man – and woman to woman – fighting. It delves into the impact on a fighter's body and mind, while exploring their social and historical context.
Winston Churchill: Blood, Sweat and Oil Paint
Winston Churchill: Blood, Sweat and Oil Paint
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59 min2015G
Following the recent 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death, Andrew Marr discovers the untold story of Winston Churchill’s lifelong love for painting. He meets the PM’s descendants and explores the connections between his private passion for painting and his public career as politician and statesman.
The Real Tom Thumb: History's Smallest Superstar
The Real Tom Thumb: History's Smallest Superstar
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46 min2014G
Meet General Tom Thumb, an unusually small man. By age 9 he was a celebrity with enough money to retire, thanks to the famous showman, P.T. Barnum.
The Real Inglorious Bastards
The Real Inglorious Bastards
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52 min2012M
This is the incredible true story behind Quentin Tarantino’s film Inglourious Basterds; a group of Jewish-American refugees of Nazi Germany who boldly went behind enemy lines for vengeance. Through vivid first-person accounts from the extraordinary OSS veterans, gripping dramatic reconstructions, CGI and archive, the intrepid trio’s hair-raising ‘Operation Greenup’ is brought to life, revealing one of the most successful and daring covert operations of World War Two.
The Man Who Shot Beautiful Women
The Man Who Shot Beautiful Women
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59 min2013M
Erwin Blumenfeld survived two world wars to become one of the world's most highly-paid fashion photographers and a key influence on the development of photography as an art form. In the first ever film about his life and work, Blumenfeld’s gripping life story is uncovered through his stunning photographs, fashion films, home-movies and self-portraits, to reveal a man obsessed by the pursuit of beautiful women, but also by the endless possibilities of photography itself.
The importance of history
Some people love learning more about history, but some people can’t be bothered. However you feel about it, it can’t be denied that historical events are an integral part of shaping people, society, and countries into what they are today.

As Martin Luther King puts it – “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” Our history affects who we are now, shaping our ideologies, preferences, and values. Reflecting on our history also helps us consider how we can learn from it in order to prepare ourselves for the future and in time play a part in making new history.

History documentaries can cover a wide range of topics
You may think that documentary films are only about very old history, but this isn’t true at all. History documentaries can be about all kinds of influential movements, people, and events, allowing you to learn about our shared past while entertaining yourself with a captivating historical story.

The beauty of a history documentary is that it covers everything that has happened in the past, which is a very broad definition. History documentary films can be about anything from cultural revolutions, to the moon landing, drug wars, supreme court battles, the genesis of rock bands, and much more.Consider your own interests when watching a history documentary
If you think watching history documentaries is boring, try factoring in your own preferences when it comes to selecting a history documentary film. If you are interested in a certain country, era, or historical figure, try searching for documentaries about them.

For example, if you have a strong interest in the British monarchy, you can watch documentaries such as Edward VIII: The King Who Threw Away His Crown, Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters, or Diana: The Night She Died, which paint intimate portraits of people who are members of or have ties close to the royal family.

Whereas someone who enjoys learning about major historical events may be more interested in historical documentaries that cover monumental changes in history, like 1929: The Year of the Crash or 1945: The Year That Changed the World, The 101 Who Made the 20th Century, which offer great insights into people and events that have shaped our world into what it is today, with stories about The Great Depression, World War II, and movers and shakers throughout time, such as Margaret Thatcher, Ghandi, Amelia Earhart, and more.

If you are a film buff, you can also watch the documentary film Chaplin in Bali, which follows the legendary Charlie Chaplin as he goes on a trip to Bali with his brother Sydney, in an attempt to ease off a professional crisis and gain peace and inspiration. Cinema Through the Eye of Magnum also ties together two seemingly opposite worlds, fiction and reality, by telling the story of the encounter between Magnum Photos Agency photojournalists and famous actors and filmmakers.

Whatever your interests are, our engaging history documentaries on iwonder can help you view the past in a whole new way.
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