It is always a hard call when you are picking the best documentaries of 2023, or any year as a matter of fact. Documentary films are always so impeccably done that they suck you inside them in a way fiction can’t. It makes you worried and scared as it also makes you happy and brimming with pride. There is something about documentaries that always feels like the cherry on the top of a movie cake. Today, we are serving you the freshest and best cherries from the year 2023.
2023 saw the birth and play of some incredible documentary films. Thus, this list was a hard one to create but, here are the top eight- in no particular order whatsoever, that just takes the prize home. Read on to find out all about them!
8 Best Documentaries of 2023 That Made the Year Special
Beyond Utopia
If documentaries are your ideal cup of tea, then this Sundance release is something that will surely grab your attention. This film is all about human rights and how important it is to advocate for It. Revolving around the life of Pastor Seungeun Kim, a South Korean human rights activist and director of the Caleb Mission, the documentary gives us a detailed empathetic exposure to understanding how the revolutionary Kim rescued over 1,000 North Korean defectors since 2000. It is directed by Madeleine Gavin and has been adorned with various awards since its release.
Also Read: 8 Best Miniseries of 2023: The Fall of the House of Usher, Beef, Trial by Fire and More
Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case
Netflix is a sucker for making documentaries and we are surely leeching on all the good ones as soon as it comes out, which is why this new release is on our list. A documentary that true crime fans will love, this one explores six deaths that track back to one very suspicious woman. Exploring the Koodathayi Cyanide killing case, Curry and Cyanide is new, exciting and will tickle all your detective bones. Check it out right away on Netflix.
American Symphony
When you mix music and biography, things become unstoppable. A documentary film, written, shot, and edited by Matthew Heineman, American Symphony is all about creativity to bravely tell a story that needs to be heard. The film chronicles the year in the life of musician Jon Batiste, giving us a close look at this stunning career and the struggles his wife, Suleika Jaouad, faces with leukaemia that deeply impacts the singer. It is streaming now on Netflix.
A Revolution On Canvas
A documentary film that doubles up on the face for art and thriller lovers, this might be an exceptional sleeper hit for me in this list when it comes to the best documentaries of 2023. We have director Sara Nodjoumi delve into the mystery of the disappearance of more than 100 “treasonous” paintings by her father- Nickzad Nodjoumi, an Iranian legend. One would expect the best out of a HBO documentary film and, this one delivers with the right charm and suspense needed to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats, thinking. See it now on Max.
Judy Blume Forever
A writer’s view on screen is always much appreciated. And, here we are talking about the great Judy Blume, my friends. A documentary film dedicated to the author who changed the world with her radical honesty. From understanding sexuality to the process of growing up, Blume is an important figure in the educational journey of many and this film is a sum of all of that. Directed by Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, watch this film now on Amazon Prime Video.
Jimin’s Production Diary
Whether you are a part of the ARMY or not, Jimin is surely one artist that you need to look into if you haven’t already. This particular documentary regarding the singer is yet another proof in the long list that will show you how immensely talented he is. If you are into music and music production and everything related to it, this cannot be missed by you. The short film is about Jimin and the producers: PDogg, GHSTLOOP and Evan who hang out together, creating and recording stuff.
20 Days in Mariupol
War atrocities are a triggering topic of 2023 but, as triggering as the topic is it is important to look into the matter and know the story of all sides. 20 Days in Mariupol is a documentary film that will wake up the soul in you which needs to talk about the ongoing war and the wars of the past. Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, this docu-film was one of the earliest releases of the year 2023 but, still makes me think about life and war time and again. The film shows how during the Russian invasion a team of Ukrainian journalists that was trapped in the city of Mariupol struggled to continue their work documenting the war’s atrocities.
Let us know your favourite documentary of 2023 in the comments down below.
El diario documental de JIMIN, muestra lo natural y empático que resulta ser el grupo con el cual trabaja, en una atmósfera limpia y armoniosa, dónde le dieron a Jimin la oportunidad de expresar y mostrar todas sus habilidades. Tiene enseñanzas para quien se quiera adentrar en el mundo de la música en todos sus aspectos
JIMIN ????????
Jimin’s Production Diary is the best.