As a documentary filmmaker and general aficionado of the genre, hartflicker's Phoebe Hart decided to create a list of her favourite documentary films here. You're welcome to contact her to add your own comments about the films listed here or make suggestions for documentaries you feel should be included.

Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse (The Gleaners and I) (2000) Agnès Varda

Beautiful, eclectic and thought-provoking. This is a really great example of first-person filmmaking, as Varda explores her own aging as she explores the ways that gleaning (ie. taking what ever is left behind or discarded) has changed from the rural setting to the contemporary urban setting.

(Phoebe made Dumpster Divers just before seeing this film, so there was certainly a common wavelength happening.)

Shape of the Moon (2004) Leonard Retel Helmrich

An amazing family drama set in Indonensia, where tensions are growing between East & West, Christians & Muslilms.

Jesus Camp (2006) Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady

This doc is well wicked. The filmmakers follow children attending the 'Kids on Fire' Christianity camp in the States. It's like a horror-doco, as the youngsters are turned into foot soliders for Christ.

Southern Comfort (2001) Kate Davis

An incredible love story starring transgendered cowboy, Robert Eads, dying of ovarian cancer, falling in love, proving that love knows no boundaries when in comes to gender or sexual orientation.

Some Kind of Monster (2004) Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky

Gotta love Metallica but I also really like this doco. Love the stuff where we see the filmmakers negotiating with the musicians on whether or not to continue the film. Probably worth mentioning here another cool "rockumentary" that came out in the same year DiG! - Brian Jonestown Massacre vs Dandy Warhols. Nice.

Walt Whitman (2009) Mark Zwonitzer

A simply wonderful documentary on an artist of great originality, whose extraordinary life is so vividly portrayed here.

Drinking for England (1998) Brian Hill

This is really fun - and really disturbing at the same time. Such a clever idea to have the participants to sing their stories! Fantastic.

Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010) Banksey

This is a very cool and very clever and very funny doc about street art but also about the artists and obsessives behind the street art stars. Phoebe's favourite bit is "Papi Batman". Loved it!

Pink Saris (2010) Kim Longinotto

Phoebe saw this great doc at the Brisbane International Film Festival and found the lead character - Sampat Pal Devi, the leader of the "Pink Gang," who brings her own brand of justice to the streets of Uttar Pradesh, India, to be a compelling, inspiring yet complicated character.

Murandak: Songs of Freedom (2010) Natasha Gadd and Rhys Graham & Mrs Carey's Concert (2010) Bob Connolly and Sophie Raymond

Not much mention has been made of Australian documentary filmmakers and films (of which there are many brilliant examples) but these two Phoebe saw at film festivals in 2011 and she was blown away by the craft of the movie making and musical brilliance of the characters they both portray.

This Way of Life (2009) Thomas Burstyn

A lionhearted father struggles valiantly to create a life of idyllic simplicity for his family. Simply beautiful, shot in the stunning mountainous environs of New Zealand.

Tender (2015) Lynette Wallworth

A feisty and resilient community centre in an industrial seaside town is in the process of setting up a community-based funeral service when they are suddenly faced with the challenge of caring for one of their own. Bloody brilliant and well deserved winner of the AACTA Award for Best Documentary.

Janis: Little Girl Blue (2015) Amy Berg, Amy (2015) Asif Kapadia & Mystify: Michael Hutchence (2019) Richard Lowenstien

I love me a rock doc (can you tell??), especially one that portrays the vulnerability of the artists behind the music. I saw these films about music legends Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and Michale Hutchence (INXS) close together. The common theme for me was "love" or the lack thereof.