What documentaries patrons watched most at the midyear mark on Kanopy
This is the first in our midyear check-in series, as we take a genre-by-genre look at what’s resonating with Kanopy audiences so far this year. First up is documentaries.
Documentary viewing this year skews toward music and art (profiles of Diane Warren, Jeff Buckley, and Leonardo da Vinci all made the top list for multiple regions), alongside a strong run of politically charged titles — The Librarians, Riefenstahl, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat. These titles reflect a patron appetite for documentaries engaging directly with censorship, propaganda, and authoritarianism.
Below, the top 10 most-watched documentaries in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and Canada.
United States
Perfectly a Strangeness
Watch Perfectly a Strangeness on Kanopy
In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe. A sensorial, cinematic exploration of what a story can be.
Are We Good?
This raw, intimate portrait of comedian and podcast pioneer Marc Maron follows the sudden loss of his partner and filmmaker Lynn Shelton. Maron struggles with grief, disillusionment, and a shifting comedy landscape, processing it all through his life, both on-stage and off.
Riefenstahl
Filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. Her films Triumph of the Will and Olympia are defined by their fascist aesthetics, perfectly-staged body worship, and the celebration of all that is “superior” and victorious, simultaneously projecting contempt for the imperfect and weak. But Riefenstahl – who first broke into the German film industry as an actress – spent decades after the war denying her association with Nazi ideology, and claiming ignorance of the Holocaust. How did she become the Reich’s preeminent filmmaker if she was just a hired hand? Riefenstahl examines this question using never-before-seen documents from Leni Riefenstahl’s estate, including private films, photos, recordings and letters, uncovering fragments of her biography and placing them in an extended historical context. During her long life after the fall of Nazism, she remained unapologetic, managing to control and shape her legacy; in personal documents, she mourns her “murdered ideals.” Meanwhile, her work would experience a renaissance, gaining esteem for its masterful technical skill. Today, Riefenstahl’s aesthetics are more present than ever. Is that also true for their message? In an era where fascism is on the rise again, fake news is prevalent, and the meaning of political imagery is constantly dissected and debated, Andres Veiel’s mesmerizing new film shows that Leni Reifenstahl is more relevant than ever.
Hung Up on a Dream
Watch Hung Up on a Dream on Kanopy
In their first feature documentary, rock legends The Zombies reflect on 60 years of music, friendship, and fame–from their 1960s hits “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season” to creating the iconic Odessey and Oracle. Through highs and setbacks, their bond endures, leading to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Megadoc
A raw, fly-on-the-wall documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-long journey in creating his self-financed passion project, Megalopolis. The bold and unrelenting epic returns in Mike Figgis’ portrait of Coppola’s creative process- weaving together archival material, unfiltered cast interviews, and a close-up view of how the legendary filmmaker drew from Roman history, political allegory, and his own singular vision to shape the world of Megalopolis. This isn’t a record of a production on the brink, it’s a personal memoir unfolding in real time.
The Librarians
Watch The Librarians on Kanopy
Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of a large-scale coordinated extremist movement fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.
AUM: The Cult at the End of the World
Watch AUM: The Cut at the End of the World on Kanopy
The shocking story of Aum Shinrikyo, the doomsday cult that unleashed a deadly nerve gas in Tokyo’s subway system in 1995. Founded by disillusioned yoga teacher Shoko Asahara, Aum transformed into a terrorist organization while Japan’s police and media turned a blind eye. Featuring rare archival footage and an interview with one of Asahara’s former high-ranking disciples. A Sundance premiere.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Watch Mr. Nobody Against Putin on Kanopy
Mr. Nobody Against Putin is a riveting first-person expose of Russia’s wartime student indoctrination program told through the eyes and lens of a small-town primary school teacher who dared to challenge the program and expose the truth. Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award.
Diane Warren: Relentless
Watch Diane Warren: Relentless on Kanopy
Diane Warren: Relentless is a groundbreaking documentary that reveals the unique genius of a woman who has shaped an entire generation of music. Having written over 400 songs for iconic artists such as Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Celine Dione, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, and Aerosmith, Diane Warren resides in the pantheon of music greats. This is her untold story.
Mistress Dispeller
Watch Mistress Dispeller on Kanopy
In China, a new industry has emerged devoted to helping couples stay married in the face of infidelity. Wang Zhenxi is part of this growing profession and is hired to go undercover and break up affairs by any means necessary; a “mistress dispeller.” Offering strikingly intimate access to a real, unfolding love triangle, Mistress Dispeller documents all sides of what is usually kept behind closed doors. As Teacher Wang attempts to bring a couple back from the edge of crisis, sympathies shift between husband, wife and mistress while emotion, pragmatism and cultural norms collide in this spellbinding look at modern love.
Australia/New Zealand
The Secret Life of Trees
Watch the Secret Life of Trees on Kanopy
Three trillion trees cover a third of our planet’s surface. This revelatory series, narrated by Michael Palin, explores their beauty and wonder, how they grow so strong and live so long. There are extraordinary tales of trees that can walk and trees so ancient that they pre-date the pyramids. Discover how little acorns become mighty oaks, how trees communicate, why they attack and how they care for one another.
World War II in Colour
Watch World War II in Colour on Kanopy
By using the very latest colorization techniques, it is now possible to show the full story of World War II as it has never been fully seen before with a collection of rare and unseen footage. With the very latest satellite delivered terrain mapping and state of the art graphics, this story can now be told with the very latest access to information. Code breaking revelations and newly released government papers on both sides of the Atlantic have added an insightful new dimension to the understanding of the worlds’ greatest ever conflict.
Leonardo da Vinci
Watch Leonardo da Vinci on Kanopy
A 15th-century polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most revered works of art of all time, but his artistic endeavors sometimes seemed peripheral to his pursuits in science and engineering. Through his paintings and thousands of pages of drawings and writings, Leonardo da Vinci explores one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds.
Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874
Watch Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874 on Kanopy
The Impressionists are the most popular group in art history – millions flock every year to marvel at their masterpieces. But, to begin with, they were scorned, penniless outsiders. 1874 was the year that changed everything; the first Impressionists, “hungry for independence,” broke the mould by holding their own exhibition outside official channels. Impressionism was born and the art world was changed forever. What led to that first groundbreaking show 150 years ago? Who were the maverick personalities that wielded their brushes in such a radical and provocative way? The spectacular Musee d’Orsay exhibition brings fresh eyes to this extraordinary tale of passion and rebellion. The story is told not only by historians and curators, but in the words of those who witnessed the dawn of Impressionism: the artists, press and people of Paris, 1874. Made in close collaboration with the Musee d’Orsay and National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
Watch Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth on Kanopy
In this beloved 1988 PBS series, mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell joins Bill Moyers to explore what enduring myths can tell us about our lives. In each of six episodes, Moyers and Campbell focus on a character or theme found in cultural and religious mythologies. Campbell argues that these timeless archetypes continue to have a powerful influence on the choices we make and the ways we live. Released shortly after Campbell’s death on October 30, 1987, The Power of Myth was one of the most popular TV series in the history of public television, and continues to inspire new audiences.
JPL and the Space Age
Watch JPL and the Space Age on Kanopy
JPL and the Space Age uses rare archival footage and interviews with many of JPL’s pioneering engineers and scientists in the retelling of many of humanity’s first steps out into the cosmos.
The Life of Mammals
Watch The Life of Mammals on Kanopy
David Attenborough introduces us to the most diverse group of animals ever to live on Earth. From the tiny two-inch pygmy shrew to the enormous blue whale, The Life of Mammals is the story of 4,000 species which have outlived the dinosaurs and conquered the farthest places on Earth.
Perfectly a Strangeness
Watch Perfectly s Strangeness on Kanopy
In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe. A sensorial, cinematic exploration of what a story can be.
Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers
Watch Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers on Kanopy
200 years after its opening and a century after acquiring its first Van Gogh works, the National Gallery hosted the UK’s biggest ever Van Gogh exhibition (14 September 2024 – 19 January 2025). The exhibition was a huge success, universally praised by the press and tickets quickly sold out, making this film the only way to see what Forbes called “a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition.” Explore the passion which drove one of the world’s favourite artists to change art forever. Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers rewrites the narrative and celebrates Van Gogh’s genius without exploiting his suffering, enabling its audience to truly understand this iconic artist in a brand new way…
David Lynch: The Art Life
Watch David Lynch: The Art Life on Kanopy
David Lynch takes us on an intimate journey through the formative years of his life. From his idyllic upbringing in small town America to the dark streets of Philadelphia, we follow Lynch as he traces the events that have helped to shape one of cinema’s most enigmatic directors. Nominated for Best Documentary on Cinema at the Venice Film Festival. “Extravagantly surreal as the products of his imagination may be, they are deeply rooted in personal history and philosophy — and it’s this connection that Jon Nguyen’s disarmingly off-kilter documentary…probes to rewarding effect.” – Guy Lodge, Variety
Canada
Leonardo da Vinci
Watch Leonardo da Vinci on Kanopy
A 15th-century polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most revered works of art of all time, but his artistic endeavors sometimes seemed peripheral to his pursuits in science and engineering. Through his paintings and thousands of pages of drawings and writings, Leonardo da Vinci explores one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
Watch It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil, Janis: Little Girl Blue, West of Memphis), covers the life of the rising young star with an otherworldly voice and boundary-pushing artistry, who left the ’90s music world reeling when he died suddenly, at age 30, after the release of his critically acclaimed debut album “Grace.” Told through never-before-seen footage from Buckley’s archives and intimate accounts from his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, Jeff’s former bandmates, including Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and luminaries like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley illuminates one of modern music’s most influential and enigmatic figures.
Riefenstahl
Filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. Her films Triumph of the Will and Olympia are defined by their fascist aesthetics, perfectly-staged body worship, and the celebration of all that is “superior” and victorious, simultaneously projecting contempt for the imperfect and weak. But Riefenstahl – who first broke into the German film industry as an actress – spent decades after the war denying her association with Nazi ideology, and claiming ignorance of the Holocaust. How did she become the Reich’s preeminent filmmaker if she was just a hired hand? Riefenstahl examines this question using never-before-seen documents from Leni Riefenstahl’s estate, including private films, photos, recordings and letters, uncovering fragments of her biography and placing them in an extended historical context. During her long life after the fall of Nazism, she remained unapologetic, managing to control and shape her legacy; in personal documents, she mourns her “murdered ideals.” Meanwhile, her work would experience a renaissance, gaining esteem for its masterful technical skill. Today, Riefenstahl’s aesthetics are more present than ever. Is that also true for their message? In an era where fascism is on the rise again, fake news is prevalent, and the meaning of political imagery is constantly dissected and debated, Andres Veiel’s mesmerizing new film shows that Leni Reifenstahl is more relevant than ever.
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Watch Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat on Kanopy
United Nations, 1960: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup. Director Johan Grimonprez captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collided in this magnificent essay film, a riveting historical rollercoaster that illuminates the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congo’s leader Patrice Lumumba. Richly illustrated by eyewitness accounts, official government memos, testimonies from mercenaries and CIA operatives, speeches from Lumumba himself, and a veritable canon of jazz icons, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat interrogates colonial history to tell an urgent and timely story of precedent that resonates more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate
Hannah Arendt
Discover Hannah Arendt, one of the most influential political writers of the 20th century. She transformed her time as a political prisoner and refugee during World War II into daring insights about the human condition, the refugee crisis and totalitarianism. Her warnings about a crisis in American democracy during McCarthyism and Watergate continue to resonate today. From American Masters.
World War II in Colour
Watch World War II in Colour on Kanopy
By using the very latest colorization techniques, it is now possible to show the full story of World War II as it has never been fully seen before with a collection of rare and unseen footage. With the very latest satellite delivered terrain mapping and state of the art graphics, this story can now be told with the very latest access to information. Code breaking revelations and newly released government papers on both sides of the Atlantic have added an insightful new dimension to the understanding of the worlds’ greatest ever conflict.
The Librarians
Watch The Librarians on Kanopy
Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of a large-scale coordinated extremist movement fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale
Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874
Watch Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874 on Kanopy
The Impressionists are the most popular group in art history – millions flock every year to marvel at their masterpieces. But, to begin with, they were scorned, penniless outsiders. 1874 was the year that changed everything; the first Impressionists, “hungry for independence,” broke the mould by holding their own exhibition outside official channels. Impressionism was born and the art world was changed forever. What led to that first groundbreaking show 150 years ago? Who were the maverick personalities that wielded their brushes in such a radical and provocative way? The spectacular Musee d’Orsay exhibition brings fresh eyes to this extraordinary tale of passion and rebellion. The story is told not only by historians and curators, but in the words of those who witnessed the dawn of Impressionism: the artists, press and people of Paris, 1874. Made in close collaboration with the Musee d’Orsay and National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Perfectly a Strangeness
Watch Perfectly a Strangeness on Kanopy
In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe. A sensorial, cinematic exploration of what a story can be.
AUM: The Cult at the End of the World
Watch AUM: The Cult at the End of the World on Kanopy
The shocking story of Aum Shinrikyo, the doomsday cult that unleashed a deadly nerve gas in Tokyo’s subway system in 1995. Founded by disillusioned yoga teacher Shoko Asahara, Aum transformed into a terrorist organization while Japan’s police and media turned a blind eye. Featuring rare archival footage and an interview with one of Asahara’s former high-ranking disciples. A Sundance premiere.
That’s a wrap on documentaries. Check back for our next midyear check-in, where we’ll look at what’s topping the charts in TV shows.