70 Best Free Online Documentaries


The 70 Best Free Online Documentaries list contains the best films youtube has to offer. This list is slightly different to our Best Documentaries of All Time list as this list is restricted to films that are free to watch. Our other list, on the other hand, is restricted by the film's availablity on Amazon. Therefore there are some excellent films here that are not on our other list as they are not currently being sold.



1. Lord of the Ants


Lord of the Ants

1,350,560 views


2. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (CC available)


The Internet\'s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (CC available)

688,170 views


3. Richard Feynman - The Pleasure Of Finding Things Out


Richard Feynman - The Pleasure Of Finding Things Out

529,360 views


4. The End of Suburbia - 52 minute documentary on peak oil


The End of Suburbia - 52 minute documentary on peak oil

419,742 views


5. Grizzly Man (Docudrama 2005)


Grizzly Man (Docudrama 2005)

304,756 views


6. Ground Zero Syria: Chapter 1 (Parts 1-6)


Ground Zero Syria: Chapter 1 (Parts 1-6)

286,667 views


7. (1/5) Origin of Species by Charles Darwin


(1/5) Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

195,411 views


8. Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media


Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media

174,407 views


9. The War On Democracy (John Pilger's documentary)


The War On Democracy (John Pilger\'s documentary)

136,136 views


10. Inside Job - The 2008 Financial Crash


Inside Job - The 2008 Financial Crash

132,086 views


11. Kierkegaard - Sea of Faith - BBC documentary (Part 1 of 2)


Kierkegaard - Sea of Faith - BBC documentary (Part 1 of 2)

131,441 views


12. John Berger / Ways of Seeing , Episode 1 (1972)


John Berger / Ways of Seeing , Episode 1 (1972)

127,766 views


13. Adam Curtis: The Living Dead


Adam Curtis: The Living Dead

121,000 views


14. Carl Sagan's: Cosmos Part 1 - The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean


Carl Sagan\'s: Cosmos  Part 1 - The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean

120,868 views


15. The Guns of August


The Guns of August

97,757 views


16. Jean Paul Sartre : The Road to Freedom


Jean Paul Sartre : The Road to Freedom

91,534 views


17. HEARTS AND MINDS (1974)


HEARTS AND MINDS (1974)

89,543 views


18. Occupation 101


Occupation 101

88,278 views


19. Plan Colombia-Cashing In on the Drug War Failure


Plan Colombia-Cashing In on the Drug War Failure

86,385 views


20. The Other Side of Suez (BBC Documentary)


The Other Side of Suez (BBC Documentary)

85,176 views


21. Planet Ant - Life Inside The Colony - BBC


Planet Ant - Life Inside The Colony - BBC

80,423 views


22. Wodaabe: Herdsmen of the Sun


Wodaabe: Herdsmen of the Sun

75,563 views


23. A Place Called Chiapas


A Place Called Chiapas

72,515 views


24. The Story of Science | What is out there? [1]


The Story of Science | What is out there? [1]

72,455 views


25. James Burke Connections³, Episode 1 Feedback


James Burke   Connections³, Episode 1   Feedback

68,495 views


26. Ernest Hemingway: The Spanish Earth (1937)


Ernest Hemingway: The Spanish Earth (1937)

62,276 views


27. Africa: Ep 1 - Different But Equal


Africa: Ep 1 - Different But Equal

54,641 views


28. F. FOR FAKE


F. FOR FAKE

53,451 views


29. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Chavez, The Coup


The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Chavez, The Coup

52,126 views


30. Baghdad ER (english) 1/5


Baghdad ER (english) 1/5

39,692 views


31. PBS Egalite for All: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution (2009)


PBS Egalite for All: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution (2009)

38,591 views


32. War Dance uganda


War Dance uganda

34,364 views


33. Meet the Romans with Mary Beard 1/3 - HD


Meet the Romans with Mary Beard 1/3 - HD

33,837 views


34. Enron - The Smartest Guys in the Room


Enron - The Smartest Guys in the Room

33,573 views


35. The Bases Are Loaded: US Permanent Military Presence in Iraq


The Bases Are Loaded: US Permanent Military Presence in Iraq

31,844 views


36. Dirty Wars ++ Full Documentary USA 2013


Dirty Wars ++ Full Documentary USA 2013

29,194 views


37. The Age of Uncertainty Episode 1 - The Prophets and Promise of Classical Capitalism


The Age of Uncertainty Episode 1 - The Prophets and Promise of Classical Capitalism

28,241 views


38. Dirt! The Movie (FULL)


Dirt! The Movie (FULL)

27,170 views


39. This Is What Democracy Looks Like (Seattle 1999 WTO)


This Is What Democracy Looks Like (Seattle 1999 WTO)

26,899 views


40. Arna's Children. A film by Juliano Mer Khamis


Arna\'s Children. A film by Juliano Mer Khamis

24,619 views


41. COMMANDING HEIGHTS P1 THE BATTLE OF IDEAS


COMMANDING HEIGHTS   P1   THE BATTLE OF IDEAS

24,618 views


42. The Birth of Israel(full length)


The Birth of Israel(full length)

22,132 views


43. 1914~18 Episode 1: Explosion (1 of 7)


1914~18 Episode 1: Explosion (1 of 7)

21,847 views


44. Frank Snepp on the CIA, Vietnam and torture part 1


Frank Snepp on the CIA, Vietnam and torture part 1

21,601 views


45. The Shock of the New - Ep 1 - The Mechanical Paradise


The Shock of the New - Ep  1 - The Mechanical Paradise

19,248 views


46. From Beirut to Bosnia - PART 1 - The Martyr's Smile - by Robert Fisk


From Beirut to Bosnia - PART 1 - The Martyr\'s Smile - by Robert Fisk

18,842 views


47. Night and Fog with the music by Fred Vogels


Night and Fog with the music by Fred Vogels

14,760 views


48. Taking Liberties [Full Film]


Taking Liberties [Full Film]

14,707 views


49. Big Ideas That Changed The World - Democracy-Tony Benn


Big Ideas That Changed The World - Democracy-Tony Benn

14,601 views


50. Malcolm X: Make It Plain


Malcolm X: Make It Plain

14,039 views


51. Gore Vidal - 1995 BBC Documentary - Episode One (1/4)


Gore Vidal - 1995 BBC Documentary - Episode One (1/4)

13,930 views


52. Arena - Harold Pinter - A Celebration


Arena - Harold Pinter - A Celebration

12,051 views


53. The Take (2004) Occupy, Resist, Produce! (english sub)


The Take (2004) Occupy, Resist, Produce! (english sub)

11,458 views


54. War with Gwynne Dyer, Part 1: The Road to Total War (1983)


War with Gwynne Dyer, Part 1: The Road to Total War (1983)

10,710 views


55. The Fourth World War


The Fourth World War

7,837 views


56. PALESTINE IS STILL THE ISSUE [full documentary]


PALESTINE IS STILL THE ISSUE [full documentary]

7,579 views


57. We have ways of making you talk 1/9


We have ways of making you talk 1/9

6,631 views


58. The Power of Community How Cuba Survived Peak Oil


The Power of Community How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

6,036 views


59. Britain and America's War Against the Left in Greece


Britain and America\'s War Against the Left in Greece

5,192 views


60. War Made Easy - How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death


War Made Easy - How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death

4,740 views


61. Paying the Price - Killing the Children of Iraq [2000]


Paying the Price - Killing the Children of Iraq [2000]

4,623 views


62. Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train 1


Howard Zinn: You Can\'t Be Neutral on a Moving Train 1

3,957 views


63. American Radical - The Trials of Norman Finkelstein


American Radical - The Trials of Norman Finkelstein

3,595 views


64. The Doctor the Depleted Uranium and the Dying Children 1_6


The Doctor the Depleted Uranium and the Dying Children 1_6

3,544 views


65. THOMAS EISNER: Seven Wonders of the World


THOMAS EISNER: Seven Wonders of the World

3,485 views


66. THE CIA: ON COMPANY BUSINESS (1980) - Alternative Views review with J.R. Stockwell


THE CIA: ON COMPANY BUSINESS (1980) - Alternative Views review with J.R. Stockwell

3,412 views


67. CIA Influence On Mass Media: How Disinformation Campaigns Work PT 1.


CIA Influence On Mass Media: How Disinformation Campaigns Work PT 1.

2,994 views


68. Gore Vidal in Venice Part 1 of 12


Gore Vidal in Venice Part 1 of 12

2,984 views


69. Dr Amartya Sen


Dr Amartya Sen

2,776 views


70. White Light & Black Rain - Hiroshima & Nagasaki


White Light & Black Rain - Hiroshima & Nagasaki

2,495 views