Documentaries You Have To Watch 🎥

Happy Thursday all! This week I've decided to do a blog post on documentaries I've watched and loved. This is a kind-of follow on of my blog post on Films You Have To See and I truly believe this should be a bucket-list of sorts. As I am a HUGE documentary fan, this list will only ever get longer so make sure to check back often to see my latest recommendations. Also, if you have an ultimate documentary I have to see, drop me a comment and I'll check it out! 

The Day My God Died

A difficult watch but definitely one of my top recommendations. The sex slave trade in eastern countries is enormous and something that isn't as highly reported as it should be. This documentary gives us a look into some of the brothels and shares stories from the poor women (most of whom are still basically children). Not all of it is a happy ending though, which I think hits the hardest. 

Food Inc.

Although this documentary is centered on the US, it's only a matter of time before the practices used in leading food production companies are used here in Europe - if they're not already. I would advise not eating any processed food or chain restaurant food prior to watching this as some parts will turn your stomach. A look into how food corporations deal with a growing population and turn a blind eye to being ethical when it comes to mass production. 

Louis Theroux: A Place For Pedophiles 

A documentary that spawned a lot of hate and complaints from viewers when it first aired back in 2009, A Place for Pedophiles looks at Coalinga Mental Hospital which homes 500 sex offenders deemed too dangerous to be allowed back into communities. What I find most chilling about this documentary is how easy it is for some of the offenders to go on camera and speak about their vile offences. As always, I applaud Theroux for his professionalism and no-barriers attitude to getting to the truth.

The True Cost

We are the fast fashion generation that are witnessing growths in trends that last shorter than the link of an eye. This documentary - not just for those who like fashion - investigates who is paying the real cost of fast fashion. It also explores taboo subjects such as sweatshops benefiting small economies. The most interesting thing I find about this documentary is how fast fashion doesn't just damage fashion houses, but also the environment and our economy. 

Paradise Lost

It was the appearance and supposed religious beliefs - particularly of the accused Joe Berlinger - that led three young men to be charged with murder of three children at Robin Hill Hoods. This documentary does not hold back on the graphic nature of the children's death so it's not for the faint of heart. I won't spoil too much but I will say that the real murderer is actually interviewed during the filming of the documentary and I think that really adds a chilling tone to it. 

Mommy Dead and Dearest

What starts off as a sinister, seemingly unprovoked murder unravels years of lies and abuse covered up by Deedee Blanchard. What makes this documentary interesting is how Deedee spents more than a decade making the public believe her daughter was a seriously ill child who was wheel-chair bound and with the mental age of a child. However the daughter, Gypsey Rose, was a victim of the mother's Munchausen syndrome and saw murder as the only escape. 

The Hunting Ground 

After reading Louise O' Neill's book Asking For It, I got a whole new perception of victim blaming. After wanting to learn more about it, I came across this documentary which focuses on unreported cases of sexual assault in US colleges. I will hold up my hand and say that before reading O' Neill's book and watching this documentary, I was part of the hoards of people who secretly thought "well surely there was something she could have done to stop it from happening?" I have learned that I was part of the problem - because my mentality was the reason that women are too scared to speak up after an ordeal; for fear they won't be believed or seen as trouble-makers and liars. A sad irony about this documentary is that it was partly financed by Harvey Weinstein's company. 

Making A Murderer

What documentary list would be complete without a nod to Making a Murderer. This 10-part series - which could have been reduced to 5 episodes in fairness - focuses on Stephen Avery; a man released from prison after being falsely accused of assault and attempted murder. Once released, he sued those who incarcerated him, only to end up back in prison, accused of the murder of 25 year old Teresa Halbach. Although the documentary is incredibly biased towards the innocence of Avery, it does provoke questions of coercion from the police and the possibility that Avery was conspired against for taking a stand against the police force. 

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Until next time...

Aimee♥