NETFLIX is the go-to place for binge-worthy TV shows and some of your favourite flicks.
But it’s also full of fascinating factual documentaries – from hard hitting real life stories to gritty in-depth exposés. Here’s our pick of some of the best that the streaming giant has to offer…
McQueen
This moving documentary follows the legacy of Lee A McQueen, the genius designer who changed the face of fashion with his outlandish designs.
It follows him from his early life in Stratford, where he was just a young boy dreaming of dresses, right through his whirlwind career that saw him become chief designer at Givenchy at the age of 27.
Yet it’s not all fame and glory. McQueen’s life was plagued with demons including ill health and the pressures of fame, and the film doesn’t why away from any of these issues.
So get your tissues ready and snuggle up for an explosive journey through the fashion world.
Watch it here.
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
It was supposed to be the greatest party on earth. But for the attendants of the notorious Fyre Festival, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
What was sold as an uber exclusive VIP music festival on a deserted island turned out to be one of the world’s most scandalous stories when it fell into the hands of fraudster Billy McFarland.
This is because the party never actually happened.
No stars had been booked, no marquees were ordered and almost no staff were hired – because all the cash had been taken by the fraudster.
This must watch documentary tracks the festivals story, from its creation – where it was promoted by super models such as Kendall Jenner – to its demise, where attendants were left with no shelter and soggy cheese sandwiches.
It also features exclusive interviews with party creators and some actual footage from the event.
Watch it here.
Abducted in Plain Sight
True crime has seen a great revival on Netflix this year, and this documentary only adds fuel to the fire.
Not one for the faint-hearted, it tracks the bizarre story of the Broberg family who lived in Idaho.
While things looked idyllic on the outside, the family was hit by tragedy after their close family friend abducted and brainwashed their 12-year old daughter Jan.
The show was so popular director Skye Borgman even hinted she would like to make another series.
Told from Jan and her parents perspective, the story takes shocking many twists and turns.
The chilling documentary ultimately leaves us asking is: who is it you can actually trust?
Watch it here.
More on Netflix...
The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
It was the story that gripped the nation: a little girl vanishes without a trace from an apartment in a luxury resort in Portugal, while her parents ate dinner nearby.
Since Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, there has barely been a week when her tragic story has been out of the headlines.
This eight-part series decodes all of the theories about what happened to Madeline, from the accusations made against her parents to the fears that she had been sold into a Belgium sex trafficking ring.
With fresh behind the scenes insight, this documentary is an interesting take on a well-known and tragic crime case.
Watch it here.
Cowspiracy
This landmark film – produced by Leonardo DiCaprio – follows filmmaker Kip Anderson as he delves into the agricultural emissions impact on the environment.
With stark depictions of the reality of factory farming, and some nerdy science stuff too, this documentary tells us it’s time to face up to the facts.
Both shocking and humorous, Kip Anderson doesn’t shy away from anything – or anyone – in his quest to prove that intense factory farming is having a negative affect on our environment.
Even if it doesn’t make you vegetarian, it might make you think twice about ordering that steak.
Meat free Mondays anyone?
Watch it here.
Dogs
A more uplifting take on Netflix’s animal theme, Dogs does what it says on the tin.
Through six intimate stories, this show explores the unbreakable bond that humans have with their dogs.
From New York to Syria, each episode tracks a different story centred around a persons relationship with their dogs.
Some of these include Japanese groomers and an Italian fisherman who seeks solace in his labrador as he fears losing his job.
One for a snuggly Sunday night, this documentary is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Watch it here.
Three Wives, One Husband
For some people, one is just never enough, particularly when it becomes to partners.
Three Wives One Husband explores this idea by diving into the Mormon Community in Rockland Ranch.
Here, it is traditional for men to have more than one wife. No questions asked.
While it is a shocking, and at times anti-feminist watch, it’s also really binge-worthy.
Watch it here.
Blackfish
Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s award winning documentary shocked the world when it was released and dramatically altered the way we view animals in entertainment.
In a hypnotic 90-minute film, Blackfish tracks the story of Tilikum, a frustrated captive killer whale that has taken the lives of several people.
Within his story, Gabriela carefully underscores problems within the sea-park industry, man’s relationship to nature, and how little has been learned about these highly intelligent mammals.
Get your tissues at the ready, because this one is sure to make you shed a tear.
Watch it here.
Girls Incarcerated: Young and Locked Up
Craving a fix of Orange is the New Black but already binged them all? Look no further than this gritty exploration of life behind bars at Madison Juvenile Correctional Facility.
The documentary is a unique exploration of youth imprisonment, and the struggles experienced by teenage girls as they face a life behind bars.
When interaction with the outside world is limited, the girls relationships with fellow inmates becomes fundamental to their development.
This is particularly true when they are missing out on birthdays and high school graduations.
And where there’s teenage girls, there’s romance. This documentary is sure to keep you hooked.
Making a Murderer
After two Colombia students read Steven Avery’s story, they thought it would make a good idea for a documentary.
Yet they had little success just quite how successful it would be.
The film follows Steven Avery, who spent nearly twenty years in prison for a crime he maintains he didn’t commit.
His nephew Brendan Dassey is also imprisoned, and features in the documentary.
Steven eventually filed a law suit against Manitowoc County and the key characters in his arrest. Whether or not, he did in fact commit the murder of twenty-five-year old, Teresa Halbach the case has become of the most discussed crime mysteries of recent times.
Watch it here.
Audrie & Daisy
Audrie & Daisy explores the sexual assault cases of two women: Audrie Pott, who committed suicide after her attack and Daisy Coleman.
Both of the girls were attending high school parties and both had been drinking when they were attacked.
Audrie and Daisy also became victims of online harassment in the aftermath of their attacks.
While their stories make for a heartbreaking watch, this is important viewing for the Me Too age.
Watch it here.
