How to Find and View the Best Documentary Films
Where to find free documentaries online without downloads. Set up your own free virtual documentary theater.
How to Locate and See the Best and Most Inspiring Documentary Films
".... At their best, documentaries don‘t merely entertain us, they engage and inspire us to action...."SnagFilms.com
All it takes is a high speed broadband internet connection, and a recent download of Adobe Flash and you can spend 100's of hours watching some top notch full length documentaries totally free.... without the need for software or downloads of any kind.
You can even set up your own virtual documentary theater for free at your website, your MySpace or Facebook page, or your blog and treat your visitors to YOUR favorite documentaries.
Documentary Portals
DocumentaryFilms.net ".... provides documentary film information and resources to both viewers and filmmakers.... readers to add documentary films, festivals, events and resources to relevant sections of the site..... provide a valuable resource to those with an interest in documentary films while simultaneously helping independent documentary filmmakers and festival coordinators promote their films and events...."
MediaRights.org ".... maximizes the impact of social-issue documentaries and
shorts. By engaging with the MediaRights community, filmmakers reach
audiences, educators and librarians bring films into their classroom,
and nonprofits and activists integrate media into their campaigns.
We invite you to join our community by becoming a member (it's free). As a member you will get our monthly email newsletter, including articles and timely events. Read our 10 reasons to join or take the tour to see what MediaRights can offer you...".
Documentary24.com "... Watch free documentaries online in your browser without registration or download. Enjoy a collection of the best documentary films you can find on the web...."
Documentary-Film.net Has a catalog of 170+ titles and growing... many politically-oriented docs not available elsewhere.
TopDocumentaryFilms.com ".... watch free documentary films online .... attempts to offer full watchable documentaries and information on documentaries by quoting reviews from trusted sources...." List of documentaries.
SnagFilms ".... is committed to finding the world‘s most compelling documentaries, whether from established heavyweights or first-time filmmakers, and making them available to the wide audience these titles deserve.... a website where you can watch full-length documentary films for free, but we’re also a platform that lets you “snag” a film and put it anywhere on the web...." See more information on SnagFilms in right hand column including examples of most popular documentaries.->
Media That Matters Film Festival ".... is the premiere showcase for short films on the most important topics of the day.... From gay rights to global warming, the jury-selected collection represents the work of a diverse group of independent filmmakers, many of whom are under 21. The films are equally diverse in style and content, with documentaries, music videos, animations, experimental work and everything else in between. What all the films have in common is that they spark debate and action in 12 minutes or less. Every June, Media That Matters presents a new collection of twelve shorts...." Watch select documentaries online for free.
Watch Documentaries on TV
HBO Documentary Films"... offers a full spectrum of stellar, non-fiction
programming by acclaimed documentary filmmakers.
Taking viewers from the little-known, hidden corners of society, to the incredible lives of the world's fascinating inhabitants and from the shocking reality that is everyday America to astonishing destinations around the world, HBO and Cinemax's powerful, uncompromising and award-winning films are among the most critically-acclaimed and award-winning programs within the documentary genre...."
Where to Buy Documentary Films
The Kartemquin Store ".... For over 40 years, Kartemquin Films has been making documentaries that
examine and critique society through the stories of real people.
Kartemquin's first film in 1966, Home For Life – a powerful chronicle of two elderly people entering a home for the aged, established the direction the organization would take over the next four decades. With a record number of films currently in development and production, Kartemquin is poised to continue this legacy for years to come...."
Documentaries Blogs
About.com's Blog on Documentaries Up to date information on current releases. The page is also a gateway to a wide variety of information on documentary films.
Funding of Documentary Films ... and Documentaries Seeking Funding
Diffuse hatred and prejudice through documentary films that expose viewers to unrealized elements of cultures from every country in order to encourage each other to expand our horizons and challenge ourselves to discover the oneness of life and the interdependence of all beings.
This is a labor of love – a large scale project in need of large scale thinkers who are dedicated to and believe in the genuine beauty of their communities, without judgment or prejudice...."
ReelChanges.org "... is owned and operated by the Center for Media Change,
Inc., a 501c3 non-profit corporation based in Palo Alto, California.
The mission of the Center for Media Change, Inc. is to enrich our
culture by facilitating the creation and distribution of more
high-quality documentaries. Contributions to the Center for Media
Change, Inc. and to individual documentary projects posted and
displayed on the site are tax deductible as allowed under U.S. federal
law...."
Documentary Film Associations
International Documentary Association "... has worked to promote nonfiction film and video, support the efforts of
documentary film and video makers around the world and increase public
appreciation for the documentary form..... a forum and voice for documentarians around the world. IDA currently
serves over 2,800 members in over 50 countries, offering programs,
seminars, lectures, workshops, and screenings for those members and the
general public...." Register for free access to community including forum and blogs.
Watch Full Length Documentary Films Online and Then Set Up Your Own Virtual Documentary Theater ... all for Free!
Here's a great way to locate and share your favorite documentary films with visitors to your website, you MySpace or Facebook page, and/or your blog... and in so doing invite your visitors to take action and support a charity connected with the topic of that documentary.
SnagFilms ".... a website where you can watch full-length documentary
films for free, but we’re also a platform that lets you “snag” a film and put it anywhere on the web. With a library of over 850 films, and rapidly growing, you’re bound to find films that resonate with your interests. We make it easy for you to find a film that shines a light on a cause you care about. You can then open a virtual movie theater on any web site, so any one can watch your favorite SnagFilms for free.... By streaming films worldwide, on-demand, 24x7 and with no software
installation or downloading required, we have radically expanded the
audience for documentary films. All you need is a decent broadband
connection. Just click play, go full-screen, and lean back and enjoy
our films.... We provide a link for you to a charity related to the topic of each
film (many of them selected by the filmmaker) so you can get involved,
immediately. And just by embedding our widgets, you’ve donated your pixels and helped support independent film....."
Below is a sample listing of some of SnagFilms.com's most popular documentaries
Charles Chaplin's later life, after being forced to leave the USA in 1952
The Times of Harvey Milk The Oscar-winning documentary about the successful career and assassination of San Francisco's first openly gay elected official
The World’s Best Prom Racine, Wisconsin, an otherwise humble Midwestern town, is mightily obsessed with the senior prom.
