From cultural reckonings to reclaimed histories, these documentaries go beyond the surface—interrogating power, legacy, identity, and truth. Each film offers a distinct lens on the world we live in, pairing urgent storytelling with visionary direction to challenge narratives, amplify unheard voices, and spark conversation long after the credits roll.
High Horse: The Black Cowboy
A rich, eye-opening documentary that reclaims the overlooked history and present-day reality of Black cowboys, challenging the myth of the American West while celebrating culture, legacy, and resilience.
Director: Jason Perez
The Perfect Neighbor
Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, this gripping and devastating documentary examines a fatal neighborhood dispute in Florida that ended with the killing of Ajike Owens. Told largely through police bodycam footage, the film powerfully exposes how racial bias, stand-your-ground culture, and unchecked escalation can turn everyday conflict into irreversible tragedy.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning
Directed by Emmy Award-winner Alexandria Stapleton, this searing docuseries traces Sean Combs’ rise as a hip-hop mogul while unflinchingly interrogating the darker side of his power. Through exclusive interviews, never-before-seen materials, and firsthand accounts, the series peels back the layers of Bad Boy’s empire and examines the systems that enabled abuse, culminating in Combs’ 2024 arrest and 2025 conviction.
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) is an examination of the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone — the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone — captures the band’s rise, reign, and subsequent fadeout while shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.
Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Orwell: 2+2=5
Directed by Raoul Peck, this urgent documentary reframes George Orwell’s 1984 as both a historical achievement and a living warning. By connecting Orwell’s final years to today’s political doublespeak and propaganda, the film underscores how language, power, and truth remain dangerously intertwined.
Seeds
Directed by Brittany Shyne, this lyrical and intimate documentary follows Black generational farmers in the American South, capturing their fight to preserve land, legacy, and autonomy. The film is as much about survival as it is about joy, stewardship, and resistance against systemic erasure.
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
Directed by Traci A. Curry and executive produced by Ryan Coogler, this National Geographic series centers survivor voices to reveal how Hurricane Katrina became a national tragedy. Through archival footage and firsthand accounts, it exposes systemic failure, racial inequity, and the resilience that emerged amid institutional collapse.
Number One on the Call Sheet
Director by Reginald Hudlin, Shola Lynch, Number One on the Call Sheet — through candid interviews and exclusive access, the film explores the actors’ breakthrough moments, strategies for success, and their perspectives on the future of Black talent in Hollywood.
Celtics City chronicles the saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams all the way to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy.
Director: Lauren Stowell
Harlem Ice is a 5-part documentary series that follows the coaches and girls of Figure Skating in Harlem as they prepare for competitions, performances and a life changing global experience. Through their eyes, we experience the highs and lows of the FSH Season, and the unique experiences they have as girls of color breaking the ice ceiling and gaining access to a global stage.
Director: Samantha Knowles
The Alabama Solution exposes the unconstitutional and inhumane conditions within Alabama’s state prisons through footage secretly recorded by incarcerated men.
Directors: Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water
Directed by Spike Lee, Geeta Gandbhir, and Samantha Knowles, this 2025 Netflix documentary series revisits Hurricane Katrina twenty years later through powerful first-person accounts and archival footage. Across three parts, the series exposes systemic neglect and failed responses while honoring New Orleans’ enduring resilience and underscoring the urgent need for future preparedness.
John Candy: I Like Me
Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, this intimate documentary explores John Candy’s life, career, and personal struggles through home videos, rare footage, and interviews with family and comedy legends. From his rise at Second City to iconic films like Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Uncle Buck, it highlights his generosity, humor, and hidden battles with anxiety, weight, and industry pressure. A heartfelt tribute, it balances laughter and heartbreak, celebrating the man behind the legendary smile.