Browse documentary movie and series in New Zealand
Dive into the world of documentary movie and series in New Zealand. From timeless classics to trending hits, explore an exciting collection of titles that define the documentary genre.
Explore critically acclaimed blockbusters, hidden gems, and trending new releases that showcase the diversity and creativity of documentary storytelling. Use our filters to find top-rated titles, recent hits, or beloved classics tailored to your taste.
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Movie
Life is an adventure - especially for a newborn animal who has so much to learn. "Growing Up Wild" takes audiences to the wildest corners of the planet to tell the tales of five courageous animals as they tackle the very first challenges of their young lives. With a little guidance from sage family members, each must figure out how and where to find food, while learning to recognize the very real threat of danger. From their first steps of exploring their world to their final steps into independence, "Growing Up Wild" reveals the triumphs and setbacks of five young lives in which instinct, parental lessons, and trial & error ultimately define their destinies. Featuring the stunning imagery and iconic storytelling that makes Disneynature's big-screen adventures an inspiring movie-going experience, "Growing Up Wild", brings home a special look at how similar and different these young lives can be. - Written by (C) 2016 Disney Enterprises
Growing Up Wild (2016 )
- Free
Charmed by Darkness (2019 )
TV Show
This show combines cold hard science with some of the craziest, most spectacular and painful user generated clips ever recorded. Richard Hammond introduces all manner of mishaps featuring brave, if misguided individuals from around the world and then explains the science behind their failure and humiliation with the use of bespoke animations and super slo-mo cinematography. Every episode features between 50 and 60 clips of misadventure – ordinary folk making extraordinary mistakes. Each week watch stunts involving weightlifting, shooting guns or jumping over cars, that have gone wrong, paused, re-wound, and re-played and analysed to determine exactly what went wrong and why. Richard explains the physics, chemistry and biology at play, then presents forensic details to explain the stupidity that resulted in failure. He’ll look at everything including weight, volume, momentum, combustion and even how the brain operates. This is misadventure explained. This is the Science of Stupid.
Science of Stupid (2014 )
Movie
Texas filmmaker Kevin Booth delves into a world of deceit and corruption controlled by a drug dealing government who's only allegiance is to its corporate masters.
American Drug War: The Last White Hope (2007 )
TV Show
Adventurous chef, entrepreneur and global trailblazer Kristen Kish travels the world in search of the people, places, culture and traditions behind the world’s most remote restaurants.
Restaurants at the End of the World (2023 )
- Free
Movie
Filmmakers and paranormal investigators spend two weeks in the world-famous home that inspired the horror movie "The Conjuring."
The Sleepless Unrest: The Real Conjuring Home (2021 )
- Free
TV Show
Adventurers and their teams battle Mother Nature to build unique homes in remote areas. From unpredictable weather to encroaching wildlife, will they build in time to beat their deadlines?
Building Off the Grid (2014 )
- Free
Movie
Filmmaker Rob McCallum hits the road with his brother Chris Byford in search of their Mom who's been missing for almost 25 years.
Missing Mom (2016 )
TV Show
The new documentary will feature never-before-seen interviews with the group's current members— LEETEUK, Hee Chul, YeSung, SHINDONG, EUNHYUK, DONGHAE, SIWON, RYEOWOOK, and KYUHYUN. The SUPER JUNIOR members will recount their personal stories and share insights on the group as well as the modern K-pop industry.
Super Junior: The Last Man Standing (2023 )
Movie
How does a traumatic event shape a family? How do you sift through the memories to find hidden clues and unlock a collective grief? Kingdom of Us takes a look at a mother and her seven children, whose father's suicide left them in financial ruin. Through home movies and raw moments, the Shanks family travels the rocky road towards hope.
Kingdom of Us (2017 )
Movie
Chen Chun, My Land’s central figure, left the countryside fifteen years ago to settle in the outskirts of Beijing. Happily living with his family in the shadow of the capital, he makes a living by growing and selling vegetables. However, the city, ceaselessly expanding, eventually reaches Chen’s farm. The landowner, saying that the area will be redeveloped, tries to force Chen to leave.
My Land (2016 )
TV Show
Urban Legends is a 30 minute 2007 television documentary-style series hosted by Michael Allcock. David Hewlett became the new host in 2011. In each episode, three urban legends are dramatized and presented to the television audience; the audience is then to speculate which one or two of the three is true. Each legend has witnesses to tell the story. For the one or two fake legends, the witnesses are actors, while the true legend uses real people affected by the story. Included in each episode are two quick quiz-like stories, called mini-myths, which air before the commercial breaks. Each will begin with the number of the mini myth and its name, followed by the story. After the commercial, the answer to the mini-myth is announced and the rest of the programming continues as it previously had. The show originally aired on the Biography Channel in the U.S., History Television in Canada and FX in the United Kingdom where it was hosted by Mark Dolan. It has also aired in Argentina, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, Russia, Hungary and Denmark. The series briefly returned to the Syfy network as an "Original Series" with new episodes starting on Monday April 18, 2011, then moved to the regular time, Fridays at 10. The new episodes followed exactly the same format as the original but were narrated by Stargate's David Hewlett. The show now airs occasionally as reruns and mini-marathons on both SyFy and Chiller.
Urban Legends (2007 )
TV Show
It's all about shop floor drama, gas fueled egos, and millions of dollars at stake. An oil drenched, history soaked, paint splattered garage where the dreams of lofty aficionados and grease monkey gear-heads meet. Car restoration and customization is a multi billion dollar industry worldwide. And everybody who brings their car to the Guild has the same dream. Whether it's a rare vintage Lancia, in for a complete restoration or a '67 Chevy booked for "go faster" stripes, every driver wants to be behind that wheel as soon as possible and turn every head on the road. But running such a specialized and demanding business isn't always smooth sailing, or driving...
The Guild Garage (2014 )
- Free
TV Show
The "Breaking Amish" cast are reunited in Pennsylvania, where Abe, Jeremiah, Rebecca and Sabrina are living, though Kate resides in New York City.
Return to Amish (2014 )
TV Show
Dr. Susan Kelleher owns and operates one of the busiest exotic animal care practices located in South Florida, Broward Avian and Exotics Animal Hospital. “Everything but dogs and cats. If it will fit through the door, I’ll treat it!” is Dr. K’s motto. And through the door they come. Rabbits, reptiles and birds of all shapes and sizes, foxes, ferrets, fish, marsupials, and even primates.
Dr. K's Exotic Animal ER (2014 )
TV Show
Spine-tingling crimes that take viewers on a ride of twists and turns, complete with jump-out-of-their-seats moments and chilling conclusions. This show uses classic suspense film techniques to follow some of the creepiest, most harrowing crimes ever committed, as these victims' darkest dreams become unfathomable realities.
Your Worst Nightmare (2014 )
- Free
Movie
Reporter Clay Pigeon interviews New Yorkers in October, 2008.
One October (2017 )
TV Show
There are among the thousands of fugitives who avoid criminal prosecution in the United States every year. Find out more about these fugitives and join John Walsh in his quest to track them down and bring them to justice
The Hunt with John Walsh (2014 )
Movie
In the days of the Mayas, cenotes – deep, natural pits on the Yucatan peninsula - provided the only means of obtaining drinking water. But in the mythology of this advanced civilisation, these waterholes and caves were also the entrance to Xibalba – the underworld.
Hidden Worlds 3D - Caves of the Dead (2013 )
Movie
A thought-provoking documentary about the ill-fated Trans World Airline Flight 800 to Paris, France, which exploded on July 17, 1996 just 12 minutes after takeoff from JFK International Airport, killing all 230 people on board. The special features six former members of the official crash investigation breaking their silence to refute the officially proposed cause of the jetliner's demise and reveal how the investigation was systematically undermined.
TWA Flight 800 (2013 )
Movie
Papua, the home island of the cannibals in the far Pacific ocean. Guinea contains many islands which are significantly diversified: enormous mountains, highlands, swamps and huge rocks alternate. The spectacular wildlife, unspoiled wilderness are species habitat of many animal and plant. Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on the Earth. According to this, 841 different languages are listed for the country. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18 percent of people live in urban centres. The country is one of the world’s least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals live there. If you like the amazing nature recordings also from the underwater (to show the rich life world of Pacific Ocean) and interesting cultures and secrets of the cannibals join and come with us for this exciting journey!
Papua 3D (2013 )
Movie
Infographic documentary extravaganza with world famous Swedish statistician and showman Hans Rosling. His main message - that our world is profoundly changing in ways most of us simply don't realize - much of it for the better.
Don't Panic: The Truth About Population (2013 )
- Free
Movie
Karl Lagerfeld, seated at his desk, sketches the events of his life and career with comments and snippets of intimate, lively narratives.
Karl Lagerfeld Sketches His Life (2013 )
- Free
Movie
Sergei Polunin is a breathtaking ballet talent who questions his existence and his commitment to dance just as he is about to become a legend.
Dancer (2016 )
Movie
Year after year, just after the monsoon season has finished, thousands of families travel to a bleak desert in Gujerat, India, where they will stay for an endless eight months and extract salt from the earth, using the same painstaking, manual techniques as generations before them. Director Farida Pacha spent a season with one of these families, observing the very particular rhythms of their lives.
My Name Is Salt (2013 )
TV Show
The Aviators is an award-winning weekly documentary-lifestyle-science TV series featuring interesting people, the latest aircraft, current technology and fly-in destinations. The show's site describes subject matter as follows: "We will take you behind the scenes to show you how airline pilots train, how planes are built, and how ATC works. We will profile aviation businesses and showcase aviation products. We will provide safety tips for private and recreational pilots and career tips for professional pilots." The Aviators premiered on the Global Television Network on Saturday, September 4, 2010. It could also be seen on CHEK-TV in Canada and is distributed to all 356 Public Broadcasting Stations in the United States for broadcast in numerous markets starting in September 2010. On September 1, 2010 the producers announced that a deal had been signed with Discovery Channel Asia that saw the series broadcast overseas in the spring of 2011. In the first six months after its premiere, the show aired almost 8,000 times across North America - an average of over 40 times a day. The Aviators launched on Hulu in February 2011 and was viewed over 32,000 times in just two weeks. In March 2011 producers announced some changes for season two including the addition of country music singer George Canyon to the cast as a guest host for the season. The current season's premiere date is September 16, 2013. Production for a fifth season has begun, and is planned to air in North America in September 2014.
The Aviators (2010 )
TV Show
Jack Steward joins Colton Smith to travel to America's greatest treasures, the awe-inspiring national parks, and to spotlight their beauty.
Rock the Park (2014 )
- Free
Movie
These children live in the four corners of the earth, but share the same thirst for learning. They understand that only education will allow them a better future and that is why, every day, they must set out on the long and perilous journey that will lead them to knowledge. Jackson and his younger sister from Kenya walk 15 kilometres each way through a savannah populated by wild animals; Carlito rides more than 18 kilometres twice a day with his younger sister, across the plains of Argentina; Zahira lives in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains who has an exhausting 22 kilometres walk along punishing mountain paths before she reaches her boarding school; Samuel from India sits in a clumsy DIY wheelchair and the 4 kilometres journey is an ordeal each day, as his two younger brothers have to push him all the way to school…
On the Way to School (2013 )
- Free
Movie
A filmmaker's insight into the biggest gathering on earth -the Kumbh Mela.
Faith Connections (2013 )
- Free
Movie
Movie about David Lama climbing the Patagonian mountain Cerro Torre for the first time free, a mountain that has been dubbed the most difficult to climb in the world.
Cerro Torre: A Snowball's Chance in Hell (2013 )
- Free
TV Show
A band of thirty schoolgirls brave tensions, line-up changes and heartbreak to triumph at tours across Europe and the USA. Over the course of a year, the Sweethearts face the hardest lesson of all – when to let go.
Heart & Soul (2014 )
- Free
Movie
50 % of the world’s population lives in urban areas. By 2050 this will increase to 80%. Life in a mega city is both enchanting and problematic. Today we face peak oil, climate change, loneliness and severe health issues due to our way of life. But why? The Danish architect and professor Jan Gehl has studied human behavior in cities through 40 years. He has documented how modern cities repel human interaction, and argues that we can build cities in a way, which takes human needs for inclusion and intimacy into account.
The Human Scale (2012 )