This fascinating book from veteran film journalist Ian Haydn Smith, with a foreword from award-winning director Asif Kapadia, explores 100 of the most compelling documentaries, each with the power to radically change our perceptions and challenge the way we see the world. Every so often a documentary comes along with the
power to change the way you think, to share alternative perspectives, to make you furious about injustice or warm your heart.
Contained in this book are documentaries that fulfil these criteria and
astound viewers around the world; real-life stories to stop you in your tracks, bring tears to your eyes, and put your heart in your mouth.
From Barbara Kopple's Oscar-winning gritty depiction of working class America in
Harlan County, USA to James Marsh's breathtaking
Man on Wire, from powerful sporting tales such as
Touching the Void to stories of true crimes and their repercussions such as
Making a Murderer, this book delves deep into
how these films were made, what
makes them great, and also what other films you might like if you loved these ones.
From
Oscar winners to
unseen gems from the Netflix vaults, international filmmakers to true crime, sport and culture stories, every documentary featured will
make you think, make you feel, and make you tell people,
"You NEED to see this film." Veteran film journalist
Ian Haydn Smith writes with passion and knowledge about these masterpieces, and illustrations bring these films off the page. A foreword from
BAFTA and Grammy-winning director Asif Kapadia helps situate this book as
one of the invaluable works on cinema today.