6 More Oscar Best Documentary Feature Winners

By Vlad Zakh · June 17, 2026

The Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature has crowned some of cinema’s most urgent and revelatory nonfiction storytelling. In The Cove (2009): A team of activists and filmmakers goes undercover to expose a hidden dolphin slaughter in a small Japanese town. Worth seeking out is Searching for Sugar Man (2012): Two fans set out to discover the mysterious fate of a forgotten American folk musician who became an unlikely legend in South Africa.

Navalny (2022)

TMDB ★ 8.1

A Russian opposition leader investigates his own poisoning while confronting the regime that wants him silenced.

Directed by Daniel Roher · 1h 38m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

American Factory (2019)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A Chinese billionaire reopens a shuttered Ohio factory, exposing deep cultural clashes between American and Chinese workers.

Directed by Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert · 1h 50m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Icarus (2017)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 92% Metacritic 68

A filmmaker's personal doping experiment uncovers a massive Russian state-sponsored sports scandal.

Directed by Bryan Fogel · 2h 01m

Won 1 Oscar9 wins & 14 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 95% Metacritic 79

Two fans set out to discover the mysterious fate of a forgotten American folk musician who became an unlikely legend in South Africa.

Directed by Malik Bendjelloul · 1h 25m · Rated PG-13

Won 1 Oscar44 wins & 33 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Cove (2009)

IMDb ★ 6.1

A team of activists and filmmakers goes undercover to expose a hidden dolphin slaughter in a small Japanese town.

Directed by Boo Junfeng · 0h 19m

Where to watch

Stream: Film Movement Plus

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 95% Metacritic 72

A filmmaker investigates America's relationship with gun violence in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre.

Directed by Michael Moore · 2h 00m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar39 wins & 13 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 More Oscar Best Documentary Feature Winners

Navalny (2022)

American Factory (2019)

Icarus (2017)

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

The Cove (2009)

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

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