13 best documentaries about animals.

These mesmerizing works will make you remember how much you love nature.

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1. Microcosm

Microcosmos: Le peuple de l'herbe

• France, Switzerland, Italy, 1996.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 80 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.9.

The film tells about the smallest representatives of the fauna, which are usually not noticed. But one has only to look closely and a whole delightful world will open up before the viewer.

The documentary masterpiece by Claude Nourizani and Marie Perenou created a real sensation in 1996. It turned out that observing the world of insects is almost as exciting as watching Hollywood blockbusters. The film's awards include five Cesar Awards and the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix for Technical Excellence.

2. Birds

Le peuple migrateur

• France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, 2001.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.9.

The title of the film directed by Jacques Perrin literally translates as “Feathered Migration” or “Birds - a Wandering People”. The film is dedicated to the migration of different species and tells the story of the long and eventful journey of migratory birds from different parts of the planet.

Most of the film was shot in the air, very close to the birds. “The Birds” received the main French film award “Cesar” for editing, as well as many other prizes and nominations.

After the success of “The Birds,” it was decided to release another wonderful documentary work, “March of the Penguins” by Luc Jacquet, in Russian theaters under the title “Birds 2: Journey to the End of the World.” Although in fact the films have no relation to each other, even the directors are different.

3. Grizzly Man

Grizzly Man

• USA, 2005.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.8.

Multiple Cannes winner Werner Herzog is a director of not only feature films, but also documentaries. One of the director’s most famous works, “Grizzly Man,” tells the tragic story of American amateur naturalist Timothy Treadwell. The latter devoted his life to studying wild bears in Alaska. However, neglect of safety rules led to the researcher and his friend Amy Huguenard being torn to pieces by a grizzly bear.

4. Bear in the north

Arctic Tale

• USA, 2007.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.0.

A documentary film produced by National Geographic will tell everything about the life of amazing predators - polar bears. The little bear cub Nanu and the walrus cub Silu are growing and hunting before our eyes. But in the struggle for survival they face many dangers.

5. Oceans

Oceans

• France, Switzerland, Spain, USA, UAE, 2009.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 104 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.8.

An epic film about underwater fauna from the authors of “The Birds” Jacques Clouzot and Jacques Perrin and with a voice-over by Pierce Brosnan invites the viewer not only to admire, but also to think about environmental problems. This stunningly shot film received the main French film award, the Cesar, as the best documentary of the year.

6. Bay

The Cove

• USA, 2009.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 92 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.4.

Director Louis Psihoyos' investigative documentary explores the complex subject of Japanese whaling and its horrors. Every year, residents of the village of Taiji catch dolphins to sell to aquariums. However, most animals are still killed to sell the meat in markets.

Psihoyos' project received an Oscar in the category "Best Feature Documentary".

7. African cats: Kingdom of the brave

African Cats

• USA, 2011.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 89 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.6.

This breathtaking film was commissioned by Disneynature, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios. With the voiceover of Samuel L. Jackson, viewers will learn the life story of a pride of lions, led by the experienced lioness Leila. The second part of the film tells the story of Sita, a female cheetah with many children, who is heroically trying to protect her cubs from the dangers that lurk in the savannah teeming with predators.

8. Black fin

Blackfish

• USA, 2013.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 83 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.1.

Gabriela Cowperthwaite's documentary thriller begins with a story about an accident that occurred in 2010 in the United States. Then the male killer whale Tilikum, right during the show, dragged the trainer underwater and killed her. Later it turns out that the girl was not the first victim.

During his investigation, the director tries to find out the true causes of the tragedy and understand what prompted the smartest animals, which in their natural habitat never attack humans, to do so. The film raises important questions about the ethics of keeping killer whales in captivity and makes you think about what is behind the spectacular performances in dolphinariums.

Watch on iTunes →

9. Land of the Bears

Terre des ours

• France, 2013.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 95 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.0.

A breathtakingly beautiful documentary film by French director Guillaume Vincent will introduce viewers to the beauty of the Kamchatka region , which is often called the land of bears. After hibernation, the majestic predators make a long journey from the high hills to the rivers where the salmon swim. There the bears will have to look for food all summer long before heading back to their den for another long sleep.

The film is definitely worth watching in the original with subtitles for the voice-over of French actress Marion Cotillard.

10. Monkey Kingdom

Monkey Kingdom

• USA, 2015.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 81 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

Another very beautiful film from Walt Disney Studios will tell about how the cute Ceylon macaque Maya and her newborn son Kip survive in the ruins of an ancient temple in the middle of the jungle of Sri Lanka.

Watch on iTunes →

11. City of cats

Kedi

• Türkiye, USA, 2016.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 79 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.7.

A simple but very charming film by Turkish documentarian Ceyda Torun tells about the seven tailed inhabitants of Istanbul and the people who care for them.

In search of a suitable location, the film crew thoroughly studied various areas of the city, and in order to film Istanbul at cat-eye level, the cameramen mounted the camera on a remote-controlled toy car.

Watch on iTunes →

12. Earth: One Amazing Day

Earth: One Amazing Day

• Great Britain, 2017.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 95 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.7.

Every day incredible events happen to animals in different parts of the world. Some are fighting for survival and territory, others are concerned about protecting their offspring, while others calmly greet the new day after hibernation.

An excellent BBC documentary shows the viewer life on the planet in all its diversity. Even those who are indifferent to fauna will enjoy watching this film. Indeed, thanks to the efforts of cameramen and editors, each individual episode turns into a funny comedy, an action-packed western , or even an intense action film. For example, the scene in which snakes chase a newly born iguana was filmed so intensely that for some time it even became one of the most discussed events on social networks.

Well, a special pleasure is the voice-over text, which in the Russian version is read by the legendary Nikolai Drozdov.

Watch on iTunes →

13. Queen of Elephants

The Elephant Queen

• Germany, 2019.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.0.

In Victoria Stone and Mark Dibley's documentary, wise mother elephant Athena leads her family across the African savannah in search of water. Along the way, the majestic animals experience both joy and loss.

The voiceover in The Elephant Queen is by renowned actor Chiwetel Ejifor, who starred in the historical drama 12 Years a Slave.