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Critics' 50 Greatest Documentaries of All Time

What are the greatest documentaries ever made? We polled 340 critics, programmers and filmmakers in the search for authoritative answers. Nick James introduces our poll while, below, we list the critics' top 56 documentaries.
Across the page, you can see the filmmakers' top 35 films, or now browse all the votes and comments on our dedicated interactive webpage. Further features and reflections on our poll can be found in our September 2014 issue.
194 users · 1,040 views
 
from bfi.org.uk · made by Bobbi Green
avg. score: 8 of 56 (14%)
required scores: 1, 2, 3, 7, 12 
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How many have you seen?

Page 1 of 2
1
Man With a Movie Camera (1929)
Man With a Movie Camera (1929)
Rotten Tomatoes®   98%
2
Shoah (1985)
Shoah (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
3
Sans Soleil (1983)
Sans Soleil (1983)
Rotten Tomatoes®   87%
4
Night and Fog (1955)
Night and Fog (1955)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
5
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
6
Chronicle of a Summer (1961)
Chronicle of a Summer (1961)
7
Nanook of the North (1922)
Nanook of the North (1922)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
8
The Gleaners & I (2000)
The Gleaners & I (2000)
Rotten Tomatoes®   93%
9
Dont Look Back (1967)
Dont Look Back (1967)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
10
Grey Gardens (1975)
Grey Gardens (1975)
Rotten Tomatoes®   94%
11
The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)
The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
12
Grizzly Man (2005)
Grizzly Man (2005)
Rotten Tomatoes®   92%
13
Land Without Bread (1933)
Land Without Bread (1933)
14
Nostalgia for the Light (2010)
Nostalgia for the Light (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
15
F for Fake (1973)
F for Fake (1973)
Rotten Tomatoes®   88%
16
The Up Series
The Up Series
17
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes®   98%
18
Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2002)
Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2002)
19
The Act of Killing (2012)
The Act of Killing (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes®   95%
20
The Battle of Chile - Part I (1975)
The Battle of Chile - Part I (1975)
21
The House Is Black (1963)
The House Is Black (1963)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
22
Listen to Britain (1942)
Listen to Britain (1942)
23
The Emperor's Naked Army Marches on (1987)
The Emperor's Naked Army Marches on (1987)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
24
Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)
Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
25
Histoire(S) Du Cinéma (1989)
Histoire(S) Du Cinéma (1989)
26
Salesman (1969)
Salesman (1969)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
27
Titicut Follies (1967)
Titicut Follies (1967)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
28
Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Rotten Tomatoes®   97%
29
Gimme Shelter (1970)
Gimme Shelter (1970)
Rotten Tomatoes®   93%
30
Leviathan (2012)
Leviathan (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes®   83%
31
Lessons of Darkness (1992)
Lessons of Darkness (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
32
The Quince Tree Sun (1992)
The Quince Tree Sun (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes®   89%
33
Night Mail (1936)
Night Mail (1936)
34
Primary (1960)
Primary (1960)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
35
Crumb (1994)
Crumb (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes®   95%
36
A Diary for Timothy (1945)
A Diary for Timothy (1945)
37
Close-Up (1990)
Close-Up (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes®   88%
38
The Fog of War (2003)
The Fog of War (2003)
Rotten Tomatoes®   96%
39
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Rotten Tomatoes®   96%
40
Man on Wire (2008)
Man on Wire (2008)
Rotten Tomatoes®   100%
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