A Geographical round-up of our favourite documentaries – perfect to enjoy across the festive season and into 2025
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Struggling to decide what to watch in the New Year? With so much choice, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed – but we’ve got you covered.
From the best nature documentaries on some of the world’s most fascinating creatures, to explorations of fiery volcanic hotbeds, we’ve curated a selection of our must-sees on the screen from across the years. Whatever you pick, each one is a documentary so good you can be sure you’ll enjoy every moment…
1) Chimp Empire (2023)
Experience the lives of chimpanzees in Chimp Empire, this riveting Netflix documentary series. Delve into their intricate social dynamics, witness their intelligence and emotional depth, and gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of conservation.
Through stunning visuals and expert narration, Chimp Empire reveals the remarkable world of these primates and underscores the urgent need to protect their habitats for a sustainable future.
The filmmakers’ unwavering commitment to capturing the raw beauty and intricate complexities of these primates ensures an authentic and enlightening experience for viewers. Through their artistry and dedication, they bring the world of Chimp Empire to life, allowing audiences to connect with these incredible creatures.
2) Fire and Iceland (2022)
Iceland is a hotbed of volcanic activity; geysers, mud pools, volcanoes and geothermal springs. But Fire & Iceland put the spotlight on its people – from the Search and Rescue crews helping over-inquisitive tourists, to the geologist studying the island’s volcanoes, to the ‘lava master’ who uses homemade lava to educate people on the different types of eruptions.
For these people, volcanoes are simply a part of life.
3) Kiss the Ground (2020)
Kiss the Ground offers an optimistic, solutions-driven view of climate change. Narrated by Woody Harrelson, the film presents soil as the missing piece in the climate puzzle, highlighting the vital importance of this overlooked component of our ecosystems.
It delves into regenerative farming and permaculture, examining the huge pressure placed on farmers today and the cost of industrial-scale agriculture. The film aims to educate and encourage participation in a more sustainable future for food production.
4) Endurance (2024)
In 1914, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton undertook what may be considered the greatest survival story ever told. In a legendary feat of perseverance, Shackleton kept a crew of 27 men alive for twenty months in brutal Arctic conditions after the loss of their ship in frigid pack ice.
Over a century later, a team of modern-day explorers set out to find the sunken Endurance ship, using the latest cutting-edge undersea search technology to aid their mission.
Endurance tells the inspiring stories of these two landmark expeditions, bound by their shared grit and determination.
5) Saving the Lungs of London (2023)
The winner of Geographical‘s Better World Video Awards, Kingsley Obaseki’s Saving the Lungs of London tells the inspiring story of the residents of a London housing estate who stepped in to stop council contractors from mistakenly cutting down a rare, native tree in their local park. Encouraged by their success, they formed a group of volunteers who continue to preserve and develop the green space for both the local people and wildlife.
6) Broken: The Brick Kiln Donkeys of Egypt (2023)
In 2023, filmmaker and founder of Orange Planet Pictures Andrew Telling and actor and animal activist Peter Egan embarked on a journey to the Al Gisa desert in Egypt. They were accompanied by Safe Haven 4 Donkeys, a British charity working to provide treatment to injured and unwell donkeys and to offer education and support for their owners.
In Egypt, donkeys are used to transport the clay bricks used in building construction, and many face long hours of labour and mistreatment. Broken: The Brick Kiln Donkeys of Egypt exposes the reality of the donkey’s suffering along with the work of of Safe Haven 4 Donkeys to rescue these creatures from their plight.
7) Mission Blue (2014)
Dive deep with Mission Blue, a Netflix original documentary that follows the world’s favourite oceanographer, Sylvia Earle as she travels the high seas on an urgent mission. Through the documentary, Earle highlights the critical condition of Earth’s oceans and her campaign to save them from global threats such as overfishing and toxic waste.
8) Virunga (2014)
The Oscar-nominated true story of Virunga provides a first-hand account of how brave rangers risk their lives to protect mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park. An emotional, important and infuriating documentary – essential to watch.
9) Lead Me Home (2021)
A poignant examination of the housing crisis impacting Americans on the West Coast of the USA, Lead Me Home follows the lives of several homeless people, demonstrating that anyone can end up on the streets. The country’s vast disparity in wealth is fully on display, while plainly shot interviews lay bare a reality America doesn’t want to confront.
10) Three Songs for Benazir (2021)
This Academy-nominated short film follows a young Afghan man, Shaista, depicting his struggle to balance caring for his family with his ambition to join the Afghan National Army.
Living in a displacement camp in Kabul and unable to return to his village, Shaista wants to make something of his life and stop working on the notorious opium farms. Having built up a friendship with both Shaista and his wife Benazir over many years, directors Elizabeth and Gulistan Mirzaei are able to provide an intimate portrait of the couple and the difficult choices they must make.
Filmed before the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, it remains a moving and insightful watch.
