Netflix seems to be on a mission to produce as many original productions as possible, and luckily educational documentaries have not been left behind. If you like binging on some good ones but don’t like getting lost in fictional stuff, a ton of documentaries will entertain and educate you, and we think there couldn’t be a better combo. What makes this an even better documentary film is that it teaches you things that you may never study in school.
We created a list of important documentary films you might want to watch in 2022.
Teach Us All
This one returns us to 1957 when a group of American students from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, decided to end segregation by joining an all-white institution. Naturally, it wasn’t all roses, and they paid the price for breaking a tradition and norm that a group of supremacists formed. This educational documentary teaches resilience, some lessons that many of us work so hard to forget, and reminds us to appreciate the far we have come.
“History has a way of making us stop and look back – to see how far we have come and remind us to check our privileges,” says Joan Show, a senior writer at PapersOwl who is a history professor and has researched segregation processes in the middle of 20-th century. “We see from this educational Netflix documentary that equality is yet to be achieved in the educational system, and that some facts are stubborn. Do they need to be addressed? Definitely, and maybe eventually, we will see changes, but it helps to get involved if we are to have meaningful discussions over such issues.”
Girls Rising
One of our favorite documentaries on Netflix was directed by Richard E. Robbins, who is an academy award winner, and it features several celebrated artists. This film has a compelling storyline, and all related articles explain how vital it is to anyone that takes the time to binge on it.
Girls from Haiti, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Peru, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Egypt, and Peru narrate their stories that these prominent actors voice. We see what one can achieve from their voices when they decide to take their power. They tell of their struggles to overcome some of the most challenging barriers anyone could ever face. This film is the ideal lesson of what you can achieve when you take charge of things and are determined to change your future and others like you.
Chasing Coral
Finding Nemo took us on an adventure underwater that made most of us appreciate the colorfulness of nature, and so it’s sad to get from this film that climate change is causing a bleach of the coral, taking away as much color as possible. Planet Earth faces a difficult reality that some people deny, and this documentary reminds us of the impact of our choices. It shows the form of the sea and how we worsen matters with our daily routines, and it could inspire change as we all can contribute to a better Earth.
Night School
Greg, Melissa, and Shynika are adults, but that will not prevent them from going to school to meet their immediate goal of studying. This becomes one of the best educational shows on Netflix because the three beat the odds in Indianapolis, known for having one of the lowest graduation rates in the country. They coexist in a community of younger students that don’t encourage them, but they are products of their own making, as they prove to the end.
The significant behind-the-scenes take viewers through the days of these low-income earners who are determined to live differently. They are juggling families, jobs, and education, so the process is one driven by hope for a better life than anything else. If nothing else inspires you while watching this, you may want to appreciate your privilege if you didn’t have to go to such lengths.
NOVA: School of the Future
Twitter has consistently highlighted the American education system as wanting when compared to others in the developed world. This film was created to show the racial and quality discrepancies that plague the country and things that need to change for lasting solutions to be found.
We like a story of hope, and this piece gives us a bit of that. The minds of the young are catered for in what researchers and educators explain here, showing that the future isn’t all gloom. The coming times may look different if technology and the current findings are applied.
History 101
This topic usually gets either of these two reactions: applause or dismissal. A famous person once encouraged people to learn from their past or be doomed to repeat it, and it shows in several events. This film uses infographics and archival footage to share fundamental lessons in movements over the years. Learning about all these movements is one of the reasons to watch documentaries in general. We have ten topics that include feminism and justice, scientific breakthroughs, space matters, industrialization and pollution, a class on China, and the growth of the fast-food industry. You will gain a thing or two from the comforts of your home if you choose this knowledge-packed piece.
The Social Dilemma
In 2022, the media is a big part of our lives. This film proves it can be used for good to change the way we live, encourage us to recycle more and make better choices in our daily activities. A team of engineers gives us a glimpse into the future if we do not change our present, and it is scary, to say the least.
Conclusion
No matter your field of study, you are likely to find meaning and some teachable moments in these Netflix documentaries. Most of them are meant to jolt man into action, especially where societal responsibilities are concerned. These are only a few of the well-thought-out pieces. It is a good idea to spend your night by the TV set and indulge yourself with an interesting film while broadening your mind and knowledge.
