Documentary from the world's archives

2,641–2,688 of 6,832 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Nothing is left out for being sexual: sexual content and nudity are for adults, placed by what the archive files a film as, never by a word of its title alone (The Naked City is a police film). A film filed as pornography is listed for adults without its picture and plays nowhere yet, as the law where it would play asks for a proof of age this site does not have. A sexual depiction of a child, drawn ones too, is listed nowhere.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual content, pornography, nudity and nudism, striptease, sexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, beheadings, atrocity footage.
Commons Эксплоатация самолета ИЛ-2 (1943) 1943 · Documentary · 24 min Производство: киноотделение 4-го отдела НИИ ВВС Красной Армии Страна: СССР Год: 1943 Жанр: учебный, документальный О самолете-штурмовике ИЛ-2 Commons Meeting Mr. Kid Pix (Internet Archive) 2019 · Documentary · 14 min An up and coming digital artist makes a house call to his personal hero Craig Hickman: the inventor of the internationally popular 90s kids painting program:… Commons Hands of Inge (1962) 1962 · Documentary · 11 min Hands of Inge is a 1962 documentary film on the American sculptor Ruth Inge Hardison, directed by John Fletcher, narrated by Ossie Davis, with a music… Commons Battalion Commander Assessment Program- Documentary JrA1EP4l29g 2020 · Documentary · 30 min In January 2020, the Army held its first-ever Battalion Commander Assessment Program to select the next cohort of officers to lead America's sons and… Commons The Vishnupur Gharana - Fading Footfalls in Gharana Fort - Documentary 2022 · Documentary · 36 min Direction: Ashoke Viswanathan Cinematography: Santanu Banerjee Editing: Swarup Basu Anchor: Madhumanti Maitra Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata, brings… Commons Geothermal landscapes - powering Kenya’s future 2018 · Documentary · 4 min This video essay explores the issues raised by SEI research on the risks and uncertainties Kenya must address to continue its development of geothermal power.… Commons WAYUU - Sol Sal Sed 2020 · Documentary · 6 min "IACHR launches short-documentary as part of the first year of its IACHR Channel "Wayuu - sun, salt, thirst" shows the situation of the Wayuu indigenous… Commons Aati Guliga Kola Sullia 2024 · Documentary · 4 min Aati Guliga Kola Sullia - Guliga Kola is a traditional folk ritual centered around the worship of Guliga Daiva, a fierce and protective spirit deity in Tulu… Commons 30 Jahre Tschernobyl – Zeitzeugen erinnern sich 2016 · Documentary · 23 min Als 1986 das Kernkraftwerk in Tschernobyl havarierte, stand die Welt vor einem Rätsel. Zuerst maßen Experten in Schweden erhöhte Radioaktivität – ohne zu… Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Egbughu dialect by native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 2 min The audiovisual documentary of the Egbughu dialect by Maria Christopher Edem a native speaker of the Egbughu language on the 24th of August, 2024 in Mbo, Akwa… Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Orogun dialect by native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 3 min The audiovisual documentary of the Orogun dialect by Hitler Ogheneyerhovwo Romeo a native speaker of the Orogun language on the 28th of August, 2024 in Delta… Commons 24 Hours in a Celebrity Chef Restaurant- NOBU 2023 · Documentary · 14 min Explore the life of an Executive Chef at Celebrity restaurant Nobu Singapore! Join Chef Hideki Maeda as he shares the challenges and rewards of running a top… Commons Seeds of Discovery (1970) 1970 · Documentary · 26 min This film is an introduction to planetary exploration and scientific satellite research planned for the 1970s. The film briefly describes plans for Mariner… Commons Life Beyond Earth and the Mind of Man - Carl Sagan on Aliens NASA Film 1975 · Documentary · 26 min This NASA film from 1975 is an edited version of a symposium held at Boston University on November 20, 1972, that explores the implications of the possible… Commons Historisches Archiv Köln - Neubau 2017 2017 · Documentary · 4 min Offizieller Wikipedia-Fototermin an der Baustelle für das neue Historische Archiv der Stadt Köln und das Rheinische Bildarchiv am Eifelwall (zukünftige… Commons Beyond the Unicorn - Africans making IT in Silicon Valley 2018 · Documentary · 26 min In hyper-competitive Silicon Valley, California, African entrepreneurs pursue their passion of building the next big technology company. Over 70% of Silicon… Commons Seeds of Destiny (1946) 1946 · Documentary · 19 min Seeds of Destiny is a 1946 short propaganda film about the despairing situation faced by millions of children in the wake of the Holocaust who were homeless,… Commons How an Alt-Right Leader Used a Lie to Climb the Ranks - Times Documentaries 2018 · Documentary · 20 min This is Elliott Kline, also known as Eli Mosley. He wants you to believe the alt-right is made up of American patriots, often inspired by military service.… Commons Bluecherpark-Weiherneubau-2019 2019 · Documentary · 4 min Sanierung des Blücherparkweihers 2019: Trockengelegter Weiher mit Fundamentarbeiten. DFS-Genehmigung BNL 080401/19 Commons Summer Solstice Alaska 2019 4K Creative Commons Epic 2019 · Documentary · 6 min Summer Solstice Alaska 2019: Some shots of all of the wonderful greenery along the south-central coast. It's always particularly sad once the solstice… Commons Australian Pig Farming - The Inside Story - Longer edit 2012 · Documentary · 42 min At Wally's Piggery, 20 minutes from Australia's Capital Territory, the owner bashes his pigs to death with a sledgehammer and hacks at their throats while his… Commons Olsenfilms- Drone Reel - 2018 2018 · Documentary · 3 min Drone shots used in my films and other places. From Indonesia, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Micronesia, Baja California, Mexico, California, Colorado,… Commons تالوسي..الحلاقة التي لا تتكرر إلا مرة في السنة⁉️ 2021 · Documentary · 19 min shear the wool Shearing is defined as shearing sheep's wool with manual shears, and sheep are usually sheared in the spring when the weather tends to be… Commons Natua - the Primitive Ecstasy - Documentaries 2022 · Documentary · 45 min "𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐚- 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲" Direction: Chandan Bhaduri Cinematography: Santanu Dey Sound: Debasis Adak Editing: Pradipta Bhattacharya Eastern Zonal… Commons Gymnicher Ritt 1962 · Documentary · 28 min Gymnicher Ritt Gymnich 1962 – 30 Min. Aufnahme/Schnitt/Kommentar: Gabriel Simons Alljährlich zu Christi Himmelfahrt finden die Pilgerprozession und der… Commons Совкиножурнал № 75, 1930 год 1930 · Documentary · 4 min «Совкиножурнал» № 75, 1930 год, 4К. Немой выпуск. Режиссёр-постановщик: С. Гуров. Сюжеты: 1. Ленинградская прядильная фабрика «Равенство». 2. Тверской… Commons The audiovisual documentary of Ogoni language in Gokana Bodo dialect by its native speaker 2023 · Documentary · 3 min The audiovisual documentary of Ogoni language in Gokana Bodo dialect by Mrs. Domale Iyalla, A native speaker of the Gokana Bodo dialect on the 1st of… Commons The audiovisual documentary of Ikwere language in Aluu dialect by its native speaker 2023 · Documentary · 5 min The audiovisual documentary of Ikwere language in Aluu dialect by Anebo H. Emechukwu, A native speaker of the Ikwere-Aluu dialect on the 1st of December,… Commons An introduction to agrivoltaics (1080p) OLW 2024 · Documentary · 6 min An overview of agrivoltaics, combining food production with solar energy production, in New Zealand. Featuring Jasper Kueppers, a renewable energy engineer at… Commons Nature drone video of Alaska – Where The Snow is Never White 2021 · Documentary · 3 min Color grading is always a challenge. It's too tempting to go overboard and too easy to not go far enough. We are told that something has to be white balanced… Commons The People of Waste Living Plastic (mini-doc on What happens to our garbage after it is dumped) 2020 · Documentary · 18 min Recycling is not a solution What happens to our garbage after it is dumped? Through the example of Delhi, the film explores the transformation of a piece of… Commons Triumph Gil Moore Interview- Metalworks Studios, Triumph Documentary, Tribute Album & New Music- 2020 · Interview · 34 min Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada's The Metal Voice spoke with Triumph Drummer and Metalworks Studios owner Gil Moore via Zoom on August 8 2020 Topics in… Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Eket dialect by native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 2 min The audiovisual documentary of the Eket dialect by Mrs. Nsisong Solomon a native speaker of the Eket language on the 26th of August, 2024 in Eket, Akwa Ibom. Commons The audiovisual documentary of Efik dialect by a native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 5 min The audiovisual documentary of the Efik dialect by Stella Matthias Bassey a native speaker of the Efik language on the 24th of August, 2024 in Uruan, Akwa Ibom. Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Olomu dialect by native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 3 min The audiovisual documentary of the Olomu dialect by Hon. Bright Ovayaro a native speaker of the Olomu language on the 28th of August, 2024 in Delta State. Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Okere dialect by a native speaker 2024 · Documentary · 2 min The audiovisual documentary of the Okere dialect by Amb. Duke Ufuoma Barho (JP) a native speaker of the Okere language on the 28th of August, 2024 in Delta… Commons The audiovisual documentary of the Ibibio (Nsit Ubium) dialect by a native speakers 2024 · Documentary · 3 min The audiovisual documentary of the Ibibio (Nsit Ubium) dialect by Udo, Samuel Moses a native speaker of the Ibibio (Nsit Ubium) language on the 24th of… Commons Drohnenflug Fort IV, Köln-Bocklemund, Teil 5-8 2024 · Documentary · 5 min Flug mit einer kleinen Drohne durch die Gänge des Fort IV. Aufgebaut war noch die Ausstellung zur Kölner Luftfahrt von Werner Müller im Rahmen des Tag des… Commons Skylab - The First 40 Days 1973 · Documentary · 22 min This video records the launch of unmanned Skylab-1 on May 14, 1973 and the major problems resulting from the loss of the meteoroid heat shield. Also shown is… Commons Apollo 17 - On the Shoulders of Giants 1972 · Documentary · 28 min A documentary view of the Apollo 17 journey to Taurus-Littrow, the final lunar landing mission in the Apollo program, is discussed. The film depicts the… Commons 50th Anniversary - John Glenn and Friendship 7 2012 · Documentary · 25 min NASA celebrates the 50th Anniversary of John Glenn's orbital space flight. Glenn's flight ushered in a new era for space travel. John Glenn, America's first… Commons Salaam Cinema Baku - sökülməkdən xilas edilən binanın tarixçəsi 2019 · Documentary · 15 min Malakanların ibadət evi kimi tikilan bina bir neçə ay əvvəl sökülmək təhlükəsi ilə üz-üzə qaldı. Binada Salaam Cinema Baku-nu yaradan gənclər onu qorumaq üçün… Commons The audiovisual documentary of Oba Adesoji Aderemi's House, Ile Ife 2025 · Interview · 11 min The audiovisual documentary of Oba Adesoji Aderemi's House by Prince Olakunle Aderemi Commons Trance and Dance in Bali 1951 · Documentary · 21 min Trance and Dance in Bali – documentary film by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. Commons Dhenkir Gaan - Songs of Peddle Husking - Documentaries 2022 · Documentary · 27 min Direction: Shubhasree Bhattacharyya & Sumantra Roy Cinematography: Somak Bhattacharya Editing: Arunava Basu Roy Chaudhuri & Banamali Sarkar Eastern Zonal… Commons بهتان برای حفظ نظام 2018 · Documentary · 50 min Defamation for the sake of the state is a BBC Persian Documentary made by Hossein Bastani. Turn on English subtitle in the setting. Commons Совкиножурнал № 46, 1928 год 1928 · Documentary · 7 min «Совкиножурнал» № 46, 1928 год, 4К Немой выпуск. Сюжеты: 1. О походе ледокола «Красин». 2. О строительстве совхозов и зерновой фабрики «Гигант». 3. Соляные… Commons Lala Lake, Romania - 4K Aerial 2016 · Documentary · 3 min The Lala Lake, a crystal tear within the Eastern Carpathians landscape, appears in its entire splendour: Ineu Peak on top, dominating the entire area and on…