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Documentaries

Inspirational and award-winning documentaries from over 25 years of groundbreaking television

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Biggie and Tupac

Nick Broomfield uncovers the conspiracy theories surrounding the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls More on Biggie and Tupac
Billy the Kid

A portrait of Billy, a 15-year-old outsider growing up in Maine. Behavioural issues have left him marked but he has created techniques to help him survive in an environment of prejudice. More on Billy the Kid
Bitches and Beauty Queens

A unique behind-the-scenes look at one of India's most prestigious and intensive beauty camps, where pretty young women are turned into beauty godesses More on Bitches and Beauty Queens
Black Gold

As westerners sip designer lattes and cappuccinos, Ethiopian coffee growers live in hardship. Black Gold travels from Ethiopia to Seattle to reveal the grinding poverty behind our daily cup of luxury. More on Black Gold
Blind Young Things

A thought-provoking, heart-warming film from Cutting Edge following three blind or partially-sighted teenage students at the Royal National College for the Blind More on Blind Young Things
The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off

A frank and moving film about Jonny Kennedy, an extraordinary man with a terrible condition - Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) - which means his skin literally falls off at the slightest touch [S] More on The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off
Bringing Up Baby

Every parent wants the best for their baby but there are millions of different views on how to raise a child. This four-part series takes a look at three of history's most influential childcare methods. More on Bringing Up Baby
Burma VJ

Anders Østergaard's documentary goes beyond the occasional TV news clip from Burma to capture the bravery of the video journalists, who risk imprisonment or worse to capture and deliver the footage More on Burma VJ
Cafe de los Maestros

This wonderful documentary brings together the octogenarian stars of the 1950s tango scene for an emotional concert in Buenos Aires' monumental Teatro Colon More on Cafe de los Maestros
Car Bomb

Robert Baer investigates the complicated history of the car bomb. He charts the international evolution of this simple but deadly insurgent weapon and asks the question: how can it be tackled? [S] More on Car Bomb
Carny

True Stories documentary exploring the unusual, bizarre, and often very sad 'outsider culture' of the carnival worker across America More on Carny
Cave Mummies of the Canaries

Documentary exploring the possible connection between mummies found in the Canary Islands and Egypt - home to the great mummifiers of the ancient world More on Cave Mummies of the Canaries
Chasing Rainbows

Jeremy Marre examines popular music and entertainment in England through contemporary eyes, observing the many strands, influences and traditions that compose a nation and its music More on Chasing Rainbows
China

Niall Ferguson examines the questions and contradictions behind China's ascendancy, and asks what the future holds for the world's most populous country and its relationship with the rest of the world More on China
Classic Ships

This six-part series, narrated by John Peel, looks at the history and design of ships, boats and yachts that evoke Britain's great social and industrial heritage More on Classic Ships
The Club

This Cutting Edge film from 1994 joins the Norwood Golf Club to watch the time-honoured rituals, meet the club's members and uncover some of the more unpleasant wranglings that emerge both on and off the fairways More on The Club
Cocaine

A series of dramatic and intimate films about cocaine, and how this most iconic of drugs - and the policies that seek to control it - affect the lives of individuals, cities and entire countries More on Cocaine
Cotton Wool Kids

Told partly through the eyes of the children themselves, this Cutting Edge film explores the anxieties and fears of modern parents [S] More on Cotton Wool Kids
Crooked Tarts and Coronets

Cutting Edge tells the story of confidence tricksters Evelyn Burton and Laila Andre who fed off the English upper class and even met the Queen More on Crooked Tarts and Coronets
Cutting Edge

Channel 4's flagship documentary series More on Cutting Edge
Dana: The 8-Year-Old Anorexic

This programme follows 8-year-old Dana as she embarks on an intensive 12-week programme at a specialist clinic to examine why younger children are developing eating disorders More on Dana: The 8-Year-Old Anorexic
Dangerous Jobs for Girls

Four teams of high-achieving British women travel to four far-flung corners of the world to take on tough physical jobs that have only ever been done by men [S] More on Dangerous Jobs for Girls
Dani Dares

Dani Behr takes up a challenge to try out some unusual jobs, including becoming a bounty hunter, stand-up comedian and bodyguard. Will she be able to cut it? More on Dani Dares
The Day I Will Never Forget

More 4 documentary assessing the acutely painful and highly dangerous practice of female circumcision, focusing on girls in Kenya More on The Day I Will Never Forget
The Day of the Kamikaze

The extraordinary and compelling story of the Second World War suicide bombers, the kamikazes, Japanese pilots who crashed their planes into enemy ships [S] More on The Day of the Kamikaze
Deadliest Catch

The icy Bering Sea is home to high-priced Alaskan crab - and the most violent waters on earth. This documentary follows the unique breed of men who try to harvest these rich, but deadly, seas. More on Deadliest Catch
Death Row Stories

Documenrary series that follows director Werner Herzog as he uncovers the stories of inmates in America as they await execution More on Death Row Stories
Derek

Derek Jarman was one of Britain's most innovative and controversial artists of the late 20th century and arguably the most crucial figure of British independent cinema from the 70s through to the 90s More on Derek
Desperate Virgins

A touching, intimate investigation into the lives of three people who have yet to experience one of life's most important rites of passage More on Desperate Virgins
The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Profile of the cult singer-songwriter and artist - idolised by Kurt Cobain and the grunge scene in the early 90s, but constantly struggling with mental health problems More on The Devil and Daniel Johnston
The Diana Conspiracy

In this revealing film, award-winning investigative journalist Martyn Gregory forensically examines the conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana's tragic death in 1997 More on The Diana Conspiracy
Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel

Did the paparazzi chase Diana, Princess of Wales to her death in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris? This is the story of the photographers arrested that night and their version of the events. More on Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel
Diary of a Teenage Nudist

This sensitive and touching film follows 18-year-old Bianca as she embarks on an investigation into what motivates people to take off their clothes in public More on Diary of a Teenage Nudist
The Diary of a...

A pair of films offering different yet insightful looks into the lives of woman from across the world and how they are coping in quite extraordinary circumstances More on The Diary of a...
The Difference

Genetic research is forcing leading scientists to look again at racial differences. This series finds out what modern genetics can tell us about the differences between population groups. More on The Difference
The Dinner Party

This Cutting Edge documentary views the end of the 1979 - 1997 Conservative era through the opinions of a group of Home Counties dinner party guests More on The Dinner Party
The Dinner Party Inspectors

Fly-on-the-wall documentary series about the perpetual minefield of the dinner party, a microcosm of modern society perfectly contained around one table More on The Dinner Party Inspectors
Dirty Dali

In this intimate film art critic Brian Sewell gives his sympathetic private view of a man whose life and work were surrendered to sexual obsessions. More on Dirty Dali
The Doctor Who Hears Voices

BAFTA-award winning director Leo Regan takes a challenging look at how society deals with mental illness, using an innovative mix of documentary footage and dramatised scenes [S] More on The Doctor Who Hears Voices
Don't Look Back

Remarkable portrait of Bob Dylan, who comes across churlish as he tours Britain in 1965 More on Don't Look Back
The Doomsday Code

Tony Robinson visits the United States, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Africa to uncover the realities behind the terrifying vision of the end of the world in the Book of Revelation More on The Doomsday Code
Driving Me Crazy

Nick Broomfield's acclaimed documentary was originally intended as a real-life Fame, but when the tables turned on the production team, it ended up being something quite different... More on Driving Me Crazy
Drugs Live

This series will provide viewers with access to a live drug trial. With outstanding access to the leading researchers in the field, viewers will be able to see for themselves the actual effects drugs have in unparalleled detail and get a front row seat to witness compelling science as it unfolds. More on Drugs Live
Dying Breed

This hard hitting series examines the escalating problems for British farmers in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales More on Dying Breed
Elizabeth Taylor: The Auction

An exploration of Elizabeth Taylor's extraordinary life story, told through some of her most valuable and glamorous possessions and with exclusive interviews More on Elizabeth Taylor: The Auction
Empire's Children

Documentary series that examines the dismantlement of the British Empire and the effects of its legacy through the family stories of various British celebrities, each a 'child of the Empire' [S] More on Empire's Children
The End of the World Cult

This documentary delves into the world of Michael Travesser, leader of US cult Strong City, who claimed that 31st October 2007 would mark the end of the world [S] More on The End of the World Cult
The English Church

Journalist and author Simon Jenkins goes on a personal journey into the heart of English life and community, and tells a fascinating story of art, architecture and faith More on The English Church
Escape from Colditz

The Germans believed escape from Colditz was all but impossible. But they were proved wrong time and again, defeated by planning, ingenuity and boundless bravery. More on Escape from Colditz
Escape from Luanda

This True Stories documentary follows three people working and studying at a music school in Angola, and charts the triumph of their musical passion over their country's war-ravaged past More on Escape from Luanda