Movies: Mtv Documentary Films

Casa Bonita opened in 1974 in an unassuming strip mall. The massive "Disneyland of Mexican restaurants" is an Old West and Acapulco-inspired fever dream made famous by its indoor waterfall, cliff divers, and haunted caves, and was featured in a class...

The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the “Chinese Dream.” Driven by mesmerizing—and sometimes humorous—imagery, this observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation...

In the days leading up to his execution, Texas death row prisoner John Henry Ramirez seeks redemption from his victim's son; an elegy about the death penalty where a prisoner seeks forgiveness....

The story of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, who became fast friends during their youth in Germany. With Rob coming from a broken home and Fabrice having left an abusive household, they shared a similar upbringing, as well as a future goal: to bec...

Exploring the rapidly growing marijuana industry through an irreverent approach to the misconceptions and promises of the marijuana explosion....

Russian activist Anastasia Shevchenko was kept under house arrest for two years for speaking out against the government. During that time, her young special-needs daughter died alone, away from her mother's touch....

With just a mobile phone and a gun, Mahmud, Ziyad and their group risk their lives trying to save Yazidi women and girls being held by ISIS as Sabaya (abducted sex slaves) in the most dangerous camp in the Middle East, Al-Hol in Syria....

Mixtapes have an out-sized role in the emergence of hip hop around the world. Before radio play, the internet, and social media, there were mixtapes. No matter where you lived, you could pop a cassette into a tape deck, and be transported to a party ...

Mother-of-two Judy Malinowski, then 31, was doused in petrol and set on fire by her crazed ex-boyfriend – and one of the first ever to testify from beyond the grave, at the trial for her own murder. A story that lives at the intersection of true crim...

Raw and intimate, this documentary captures the struggles of patients and frontline medical professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan....

Coded tells the story of illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, whose legacy laid the foundation for today's out-and-proud LGBTQ advertisements....

MOURNING IN LOD, takes a microcosmic look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through Musa, Yigal, and Randa — three people whose fates become inextricably linked in a vicious cycle of violence. Lod/Lydd is a “mixed” city inhabited by Arabs and Jews ...

With a narrative running deeper than a catchy tune and cryptic verses, “American Pie” is a musical phenomenon woven deep into the history of American culture, entertaining audiences around the world for over 50 years. This documentary tells the stori...

A grandmother, mother, and daughter quarantine together in a Tribeca apartment as they laugh about life over wine....

Using two decades of intimate home video, the story of the Sanford family, whose struggles with addiction and gun violence eventually lead to a journey of love, loss, and acceptance....

Ten years ago, inspired by the teacher who inspired her, actor-comedian Rosie O’Donnell established a school, giving public school kids access to dance, music, and drama. This film follows five kids, as they pursue their stage and screen goals, learn...

In the spring of 2016, global music sensation Major Lazer performed a free concert in Havana, Cuba—an unprecedented show that drew an audience of almost half a million. This concert documentary evolves into an exploration of youth culture in a countr...

Today, nearly two million Americans are being held for ransom. Without insulin, they'll be dead in days. This is the story of three families who are on the receiving end of ransom notes, revealing the reality of life with this chronic illness....

Sculpturist Dana King embarks on molding a bust of Black Panther Party co-founder Huey Newton, and to get it done right, she calls for help from the love of his life: his wife Fredrika Newton....

One night at her home in southeastern Congo, 14-year-old Mugeni awakes to the sounds of bombs. As her family scatters to the surrounding forests to save themselves, Mugeni finds herself completely alone....