Documentaries have a unique power to reveal hidden truths and untold stories, capturing moments of human experience with authenticity and depth. Netflix, in particular, has transformed the way audiences engage with real-life narratives, offering a vast library that spans true crime, sports, history, and creative filmmaking. Each story invites viewers to witness perspectives they might never encounter otherwise, blending intimate glimpses with broader societal insight. Netflix is home to quite a few successful documentary shows, some better than others.

Witness stories so powerful they have earned top awards on Netflix in 2025, captivating audiences with unforgettable moments, extraordinary characters, and revelations that challenge perceptions of the world.

American Factory is a compelling exploration of industry and culture, winner of Best Documentary Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards and Outstanding Directing at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, the film examines the reopening of a shuttered General Motors plant in Moraine, Ohio, by a Chinese billionaire who hires two thousand Americans.

Using a fly-on-the-wall approach, it captures cultural clashes, workplace challenges, and human stories, offering a fascinating, intimate glimpse into the collision of high-tech China with working-class America.

My Octopus Teacher is a mesmerizing exploration of nature and human connection, winner of Best Documentary Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards, along with accolades from the British Academy Film Awards and Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, the film follows Craig Foster as he forms a remarkable bond with a wild octopus in a South African kelp forest.

Over the course of a year, their relationship reveals the fragility, intelligence, and wonder of life, capturing intimate underwater moments with breathtaking cinematography and profound storytelling.

To Kill a Tiger has earned critical acclaim, winning Best Canadian Film at the Toronto International Film Festival, along with honors from the Canadian Screen Awards, Palm Springs International Film Festival, and Directors Guild of Canada. Directed by Nisha Pahuja, the documentary tells the story of a family in Jharkhand, India, who courageously seek justice after their teenage daughter is brutally r----.

Offering intimate access to village life and the challenges they face, the film captures resilience, courage, and societal obstacles, delivering a deeply emotional and powerful portrayal. It is available in English on Netflix.

The Perfect Neighbor has garnered widespread acclaim, winning the Directing Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, as well as Best Documentary Feature, Best True Crime Documentary, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Director at the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards.

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, the film examines the harrowing 2023 killing of Ajike Owens by her neighbor in Ocala, Florida, using police bodycam and archival footage to explore the events leading up to the tragedy and the aftermath. With precise storytelling and gripping visuals, it exposes systemic biases while delivering a deeply emotional and unflinching look at justice and accountability.

Icarus is the winner of Best Documentary Feature at the 90th Academy Awards and the Special Jury Award: The Orwell Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Bryan Fogel, the documentary begins as an investigation into performance-enhancing drugs in sports and evolves into a gripping exposé of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program.

Following Fogel’s collaboration with whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, the film blends personal risk, investigative rigor, and startling revelations. With compelling storytelling and high-stakes intrigue, Icarus reveals the hidden corruption of international athletics while highlighting courage, truth, and accountability.

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The list does not end here. 2025 holds even more Netflix documentaries that uncover shocking stories, extraordinary lives, and untold truths, pushing boundaries and keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden is a gripping documentary series that delves into the decade-long pursuit of the world’s most wanted terrorist. Featuring rare footage, interviews with CIA insiders, and unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, the series reconstructs the meticulous investigation that led to bin Laden’s capture.

Critically acclaimed, it holds a 100% average on the Tomatometer and a 60% average on the Popcornmeter. Another acclaimed documentary, Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden, earned 2 wins and 4 nominations, including a Primetime Emmy and Grierson Award, though it is not available on Netflix.

Period. End of Sentence. won the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) at the 91st Academy Awards and received multiple accolades at festivals including Cleveland, Traverse City, AFI, and Savannah. Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi, the short documentary highlights a group of women in Hapur, India, who learn to operate a machine producing low-cost, biodegradable sanitary pads.

Through this initiative, they challenge deep-rooted taboos surrounding menstruation, improve feminine hygiene, and gain economic independence. Inspired by activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, the film offers an inspiring glimpse into grassroots empowerment and social change.

The Deepest Breath won multiple accolades, including the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Long Sports Documentary, Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards for Best Sports Documentary and Best Cinematography, and the Dublin Film Critics Circle Award for Best Documentary. Directed and written by Laura McGann, the film chronicles Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini’s quest to break a world record, guided by safety diver Stephen Keenan, while facing competition from Japanese freediver Hanako Hirose.

Featuring breathtaking underwater cinematography, compelling storytelling, and seven wins alongside fifteen nominations, the documentary immerses viewers in an emotional, thrilling exploration of human endurance, risk, and the extreme limits of the ocean.

13th won major awards, including the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Documentary, British Academy Film Award for Best Documentary, and multiple Critics’ Choice and NAACP Image Awards. Directed by Ava DuVernay, the documentary explores the U.S. prison-industrial complex, tracing the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration. It shows how the Thirteenth Amendment’s exception clause perpetuated systemic oppression.

Through interviews, historical analysis, and striking visuals, 13th exposes the lasting consequences of slavery, discriminatory laws, and modern policing, delivering a powerful, deeply moving examination of racial injustice in America.

The Social Dilemma won multiple awards, including the BFE Cut Above Award for Best Edited Documentary and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program. Directed by Jeff Orlowski, the 2020 docudrama exposes the hidden dangers of social media, blending interviews with tech insiders and a dramatized story of a family struggling with digital addiction.

It explores algorithmic manipulation, online radicalization, mental health impacts, and the spread of misinformation. With gripping visuals, expert testimony, and a thought-provoking narrative, the film illuminates how tech platforms shape human behavior and societal dynamics in the digital age.

Netflix’s collection of documentaries offers a rich tapestry of stories, from gripping true crime to eye-opening social issues. These films do more than entertain, they provoke thought, spark conversations, and reveal deeper societal truths. While each documentary stands on its own, together they reflect the bigger picture of human experience, culture, and history. Another upcoming documentary, Being Eddie, set to release on November 12, 2025, promises to continue this tradition, adding fresh perspectives and compelling storytelling to Netflix’s ever-growing vault.

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What do you think about these 10 documentaries on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!