Top 13 documentaries to watch on Netflix in October: 'Deaf U' to 'Blackpink: Light Up the Sky', pick your favorite
Netflix has always been one of the top streaming sites not only for acclaimed international releases but also their intense and elaborate documentaries. It seems that the month of October has many documentaries in stock that showcase stars such as Dolly Parton and Guillermo Vilas. There are also those that speak on many social and global concerns such as climate change, medical anomalies and the water crisis. Here are the many binge-worthy documentaries coming to Netflix this October.
'Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire'
Release Date: October 1, 2020
Synopsis: IMDb lists the documentary synopsis as: "'Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire' is the untold story of legendary painter, Carlos Almaraz. This documentary offers an intimate portrait of the brief, rich, and contradictory life of Carlos Almaraz: a Chicano activist, sexual outlaw, and visionary painter of some of the most unforgettable images of Southern California. Almaraz was an important voice in the Chicano Art Movement, comrade to Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union and responsible for bringing Chicano Art to the forefront by orchestrating a first of its kind exhibition at LACMA, catapulting Chicano Art into the mainstream."
'Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire' first aired on May 1, 2019, in the United States at the 22nd Cine Las Americas International Film Festival. It later aired in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2020, at the Cheltenham International Film Festival. While the synopsis details what the documentary is about, it's important to mention that this highly acclaimed documentary comes from Elsa Flores Almaraz and Richard Montoya. Zack De La Rocha, Shepard Fairey, Dolores Huerta, Cheech Marin and Edward James Olmos play themselves in the documentary.
The trailer speaks about Almaraz's art, showcasing some of his best work, directly from the artist's "mind's eye to the canvas". Cheech Marin can be heard praising Almaraz's ability to paint with pastels and watercolors, comparing the artist to that of a Jazz artist — "slapping paint on it, and building it up — looks like architecture". The art is absolutely stunning without a doubt, and the trailer shows more than a few pieces that clearly show what type of artist Almaraz was — an absolutely talented genius when it comes to scripting his mind with colors. "He was the essence of what Los Angeles was during his time," says one of his fans, yet another adds, that Almaraz's works "feeds the soul". Watch the trailer below.
'Human Nature'
Release Date: October 1, 2020
Synopsis: IMDb lists the documentary synopsis as: "The biggest tech revolution of the 21st Century isn't digital, it's biological. A breakthrough called CRISPR has given us unprecedented control over the basic building blocks of life. It opens the door to curing diseases, reshaping the biosphere, and designing our own children. Human Nature is a provocative exploration of CRISPR's far-reaching implications, through the eyes of the scientists who discovered it, the families its affecting, and the bio-engineers who are testing its limits. How will this new power change our relationship with nature? What will it mean for human evolution? To begin to answer these questions we must look back billions of years and peer into an uncertain future."
This documentary comes from director Adam Bolt who also serves as a writer alongside Regina Sobel. It follows a process called CRISPR — Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats — a gene-editing process. The documentary had first debuted on March 12, 2019, at the South by Southwest film conference in Austin, Texas. Since then it has been played at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in the US in April 2019, the Academia Film Olomouc in the Czech Republic and in Toronto, Canada, in the same month, and at the Newport Beach International Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival in the USA in May 2019. The documentary won an Audience Award at the 2019 Academia Film Olomouc for International Documentary Competition and has three other nominations under its belt. The nominations were for a Politiken's Audience Award in 2019, and two Creative Recognition Award for Best Music and Best Editing. Watch the trailer of "the story of the most important scientific discovery of the 21st century" below.
'I'm Leaving Now'
Release Date: October 1, 2020
Synopsis: Cinema Guild lists the documentary's synopsis as: "A modern-day odyssey, I'M LEAVING NOW follows Felipe — a charismatic, undocumented Mexican immigrant who has reached a crossroads: after 16 years in Brooklyn, working three low-paying jobs and sending the bulk of his earnings to his wife and children in Mexico, he's decided to return home to the family he hasn't seen in almost two decades. But when he informs them of his plans, he discovers that they've squandered the money, are deeply in debt, and don’t want him to return. They need him to stay in the US and continue to earn. Shot over two years in the heart of Brooklyn’s immigrant community, 'I’m Leaving Now' brings a warm humanity to one of the most pressing political issues of our time, without sentimentalizing or trivializing its protagonist. The film updates the traditional migration tale — at a time when Mexican net migration has fallen to zero, and more Americans are migrating to Mexico than the other way around—and subtly challenges our ideas of the American dream through the character of Felipe, a man looking for that dream back home."
This socially relatable documentary comes from directors Lindsey Cordero and Armando Croda, with Josh Alexander serving as the writer and starring Felipe Hernández. It first aired on April 28, 2018, at the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and also aired at the Fayetteville Film Fest in the US in October 2019. It's also known as 'Ya Me Voy'. The theatrical trailer shows us how Felipe sends money to his family back home and how he informs them that he was "for real" coming home this time. We see how he worked in the US — the different jobs he had, and how he wants to go home for his youngest son, who he says needs him the most. A review from POV magazine says the documentary "manages to give humanity to the immigration story... a necessary perspective on race, class, and nationality." Watch the trailer below.
'Dick Johnson is Dead'
Release Date: October 2, 2020
Synopsis: Netflix's official synopsis reads: "As her father nears the end of his life, filmmaker Kirsten Johnson stages his death in inventive and comical ways to help them both face the inevitable. A lifetime of making documentaries has convinced award-winning filmmaker Kirsten Johnson of the power of the real. But now she’s ready to use every escapist movie-making trick in the book — staging inventive and fantastical ways for her 86-year-old psychiatrist father to die while hoping that cinema might help her bend time, laugh at pain and keep her father alive forever. The darkly funny and wildly imaginative 'Dick Johnson is Dead' is a love letter from a daughter to a father, creatively blending fact and fiction to create a celebratory exploration of how movies give us the tools to grapple with life’s profundity."
The documentary is filmed, produced and directed by Kirsten Johnson with Katy Chevigny and Marilyn Ness serving as producers, Maureen A Ryan serving as co-producer, and Megan Ellison serving as executive producer. The documentary chronicles the life of Johnson's father Richard who has been diagnosed with dementia. The film had first debuted in this year's Sundance Film Festival where it won a US Documentary Special Jury Award for Innovation in Nonfiction Storytelling. Further, it was nominated for a CPH: DOX Award and a Grand Jury Prize as well. Watch the incredible trailer below.
'David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet'
Release Date: October 4, 2020
Synopsis: Netflix's official synopsis reads, "In this unique feature documentary, titled 'David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet', the celebrated naturalist reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. The film addresses some of the biggest challenges facing life on our planet, providing a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lifetime. With it comes a powerful message of hope for future generations as Attenborough reveals the solutions to help save our planet from disaster."
With climate change being a huge topic of discussion, here comes a documentary by directors Alastair Fothergill and Jonathan Hughes starring David Attenborough who in his 93 years has visited every continent in the world. With his exploration, he has also seen the devastating effects of climate change and the "monumental scale of humanity's impact on nature". With no better way to put it than IMDb does, this is Attenborough's "witness statement" about climate change’s effect on our planet. Watch the trailer below.
'Dolly Parton: Here I Am'
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Synopsis: IMDb's synopsis reads: "In this documentary, the life, career, and music of Dolly Parton are reflected in interviews with friends and companions and the artist herself, interlaced with clips of Parton's performances."
This documentary follows the larger than life, famed country singer showing us her career and her lifetime of music. Besides having an epic and unique voice, Parton, the godmother of singer Miley Cyrus has had a very celebrated life. This documentary comes to you from director Francis Whately starring many big names such as Barbara Walters (archive footage) and Whitney Houston (archive footage). Also known as 'A&E Biography: Dolly' the documentary first aired in the UK in 2019 and later in April of 2020 in the US. It contains exclusive interviews and archive footage.
Netflix is yet to release the trailer for the documentary. Stay tuned for updates.
'Deaf U'
Release Date: October 9, 2020
Synopsis: Netflix's official synopsis reads: "Deaf U is a coming-of-age reality series following a tight-knit group of Deaf students at Gallaudet University, a renowned private college for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, in Washington, DC. As the group of friends navigates the high, lows and hookups of college life together, their stories offer an unprecedented, unfiltered and often unexpected look inside Deaf community. From executive producer Nyle DiMarco."
The coming-of-age documentary series is produced by Nyle DiMarco, a deaf activist, model and actor, who reportedly has said that the premise of the documentary is "to show deaf people as humans, from all walks of life". The trailer is absolutely hilarious as it touches on many aspects of the lives of adults growing up in the world that is college/University — from revealing interview to connections between students themselves, it brings the audience a perspective of how although differently-abled, these students are part of the same crowd everyone is. From disheartening questions like, "Am I deaf enough" to a young man wanting to preserve the American Sign Language, this documentray is a taste of reality that many need to see. What the trailer below.
'BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky'
Release Date: October 14, 2020
Synopsis: The official Netflix synopsis reads: "Record-shattering Korean girl band BLACKPINK tell their story — and detail the hard-fought journey of the dreams and trials behind their meteoric rise."
According to reports, the documentary will consist of BTS clips of the acclaimed musicians as they record their new upcoming album. The group is set to drop an album titled 'The Album' as a follow-up to their album 'BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA'. The documentray will also feature interviews with the stars of the group along with clips from their 2019 Coachella performance which had made them the first all-girl K-pop group to have graced the stage. The documentary comes from Caroline Suh who is known for 'Salt Fat Acid Heat'.
Netflix is yet to release the trailer for the documentary. Stay tuned for updates.
'Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis'
Release Date: October 15, 2020
Synopsis: IMDb's synopsis reads: "How is it that our miraculous blue planet is currently struggling to provide safe water to almost one billion of us. 'Brave Blue World:' is an honest yet hopeful documentary on a subject often narrated in catastrophic terms. It considers how humanity can listen to the explorative fringes of the water industry and change the story on the water crisis. Filmed in Kenya, India, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, North America and the UK, we see the solutions presented by innovators committed to solving the problems of water scarcity. Narrated by Liam Neeson, and includes Matt Damon and Jaden Smith, alongside scientists at the forefront of innovation, and experts speaking to the opportunities in the corporate world for positive change."
This documentary looks into innovations and dependence on science and technology that can help with the water crisis, which will be a major problem in the near future. As the trailer reveals, it speaks on how humans inhabiting earth can "re-think how we manage water". The film follows water industry expert and CEO Paul O’Callaghan as audiences get to see the many sites in the world that have "novel ways" of helping with water concerns. According to the trailer's synopsis, the film will "challenge some of your commonly held assumptions and change how you think about water. We will take you on a journey that explores an alternative water future, look at how we got to where we are today and then challenge some of the most commonly held assumptions about water. Is water a global issue? Is water a scarce resource? Is water essential for human life?"
'Rooting for Roona'
Release Date: October 15, 2020
Synopsis: Netflix's official synopsis reads: "In rural India, a child with hydrocephalus gets a chance at life-changing surgery after her photos go viral. This documentary charts her journey."
This documentary follows the journey of a child named Roona Begum who has a chance at life-changing surgery. The film features her struggle and follows her incredible story that initially made news when a picture of her went viral. The trailer speaks on how her journey began with Dr Rajiv Tandon explaining how the "media hype" changed her life. We also hear from the child's parents herself, along with seeing videos and pictures of Roona, who has very advanced hydrocephalus. Watch the trailer below.
'Bending the Arc'
Release Date: October 22, 2020
Synopsis: "A powerful documentary about the extraordinary team of doctors and activists — including Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Ophelia Dahl — whose work 30 years ago to save lives in a rural Haitian village grew into a global battle in the halls of power for the right to health for all. Epic, yet intimate, the film is a compelling argument for the power of collective and personal vision and will to turn the tide of history."
This heartwarming documentary is from Academy Award-nominee director Kief Davidson and Primetime Emmy Award winning director Pedro Kos with Cori Shepherd Stern serving as writer. The documentary chronicles doctors and humanitarians such as Jim Yong Kim, Ophelia Dahl and Paul Farmer, who help patients in impoverished areas with health care. In this documentray we see them treat tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in rural areas in Haiti, Peru and Rwanda. The film has been played at the Sundance Film Festival, Miami International Film Festival and the San Francisco Film Festival. It was nominated for the Knight Documentary Achievement Award for Best Documentary at the 2017 Miami Film Festival and won an Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the 2017 Berkshire International Film Festival. Watch the trailer below.
'Guillermo Vilas: Settling the Score' / 'Vilas: Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada'
Release Date: October 27, 2020
Synopsis: "The story of tennis legend Guillermo Vilas, who for more than 40 years demanded a revision of the rankings so he'd be recognized as No. 1 in the world."
The Argentinian documentary film follows the story of tennis legend Guillermo Vilas and includes interviews with many famous tennis players such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Gabriela Sabatini and Björn Borg. The documentary also speaks about Eduardo Puppo, a sports journalist and his research that "reviews all of the results for the male tennis global rankings between 1973 and 1978," according to Vacancy.
Netflix is yet to release the trailer for the documentary. Stay tuned for updates.
'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb'
Release Date: October 28, 2020
Synopsis: "This documentary follows a team of archaeologists as they unearth incredible artifacts in a previously undiscovered ancient tomb in Saqqara, Egypt."
There is no information on the release as of yet, and Netflix is yet to release the trailer for the documentary. Stay tuned for updates.