Grim documentaries provide an intimate look at heartbreaking tragedies, withthe details revealed leaving audiences disturbed for days.While such documentaries often succeed in being thought-provoking and informative, they’re not always an easy watch. These documentaries regularly delve into sensitive subject matter such as religion, sexuality, and suicide, asking that audiences engage with these topics by watching a mix of eerie footage and insightful interviews.
Still, as disturbing as documentaries likeSick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist,orThe Act of Killingare, audiences walk away with a stronger understanding of their respective subject matter, accomplishing what most great documentaries aim for. The events presented in these dark documentaries are unbelievable and unsettling and will stick with audiences for days after watching them.
I Am Jane Doe
Cast
I Am Jane Doe is a documentary that chronicles the battle of American mothers fighting against sex trafficking of their daughters on Backpage.com. Released in 2017, it highlights legal and social challenges faced in their pursuit of justice.
Balancing emotional interviews with the details of a tough legal battle,I Am Jane Doeis a difficult but essential watch.The documentary, narrated by Jessica Chastain, follows the mothers of a handful of young girls across the United States as they present suits against the advertising website Backpage.com. On behalf of their young daughters, the mothers accuse the site of facilitating sex trafficking of underage girls.
Audiences are likely to be equally enraged, heartbroken, and disturbed by the proceedings in the documentary and by its overall difficult subject matter.
The interviewees in the documentary present fascinating insight into both the emotional and legal consequences of online trafficking.Though it’s not as well-rounded as a few of the other documentaries mentioned,I Am Jane Doeremains an affecting watch.Audiences are likely to be equally enraged, heartbroken, and disturbed by the proceedings in the documentary and by its overall difficult subject matter.
Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist
Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist is a documentary exploring the life of performance artist Bob Flanagan. It focuses on his battle with cystic fibrosis and how he utilized masochism and art as coping mechanisms, offering insight into his prolonged life beyond medical predictions.
Documentaries are often centered around fascinating real-life subjects, with Bob Flanagan being one of the more interesting ones.Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at a young age, Flanagan copes with his illness on his own terms, as chronicled inSick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist. Through interviews and footage with Flanagan and his wife Sheree Rose, the documentary provides a considerate portrait of the artist’s bold lifestyle.
Having lived past his assumed death date, Flanagan’s commitment to living life fully is surprisingly inspiring, yet incredibly dark, as his inevitable death looms throughout the documentary.The emotional story ofSick, and its visuals—Flanagan’s self-torturing acts as a means of pleasure and his shocking performance art are shown explicitly— are likely to stick with audiences for quite some time.
The Imposter
The Imposter is a 2012 documentary examining the mysterious case of a 13-year-old boy who vanished from San Antonio in 1994, only to Reappear in Spain years later. The film explores the puzzling circumstances surrounding his disappearance and return, raising questions about identity and family dynamics.
Regardless of how much one knows about the disappearance inThe Imposterbeforehand, audiences are sure to be just as effectively moved by the documentary and its many twists and turns.Combining archived news footage, interviews, and stylized reenactments, the documentary details the disappearance of a young Nicholas Barclay that occurred in 1994.Barclay, who was 13 when he went missing, mysteriously reappears and a slew of questions trouble those involved in solving Barclay’s case.
WhileThe Imposterisn’t the darkest documentary mentioned, it’s certainly one that’ll leave audiences feeling uneasy.
The details surrounding Barclay and the documentary’s other main subject,French conman Frédéric Bourdin, are almost too good to be true. Bourdin’s repeated behavior and the confusing aftermath of Barclay’s supposed return will stick with audiences for a while.
Jesus Camp
Jesus Camp is a 2006 documentary directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. The film explores a summer camp for evangelical Christian children, located in North Dakota, where they are taught to become dedicated soldiers in “God’s army.” The documentary offers an in-depth look at the camp’s practices and the broader implications for the intersection of religion and politics in America.
The chilling nature ofJesus Camphas not lost its potency in the nearly two decades since its release.The documentary depicts the religious indoctrination of campers at the Kids on Fire School of Ministry camp in the summer of 2005, predominantly focusing on three kids and their attitudes towards their faith and the responsibility they feel they have to uphold it.
The messaging and methods seen in Kids on Fire are present in many documentaries about religious subject matter.
Also featured heavily throughout the documentary is the camp’s founder, Becky Fischer, who speaks passionately about the camp’s mission and its goal to transform the youth.Fischer, and other speakers in the documentary, believe the camp’s attendees are the key to redirecting America toward conservative Christian values.The messaging and methods seen in Kids on Fire are present in many documentaries about religious subject matter, but with children as participants,Jesus Campis considerably more disturbing.
Directed by Lucie Jourdan
Our Father
“Our Father” is a gripping thriller that delves into the chilling true story of a fertility doctor who uses his own sperm to inseminate unknowing patients, resulting in over a hundred biological children. The film navigates the emotional turmoil and ethical nightmare faced by his offspring as they discover their shared origins. Through a blend of interviews, archival footage, and reenactments, “Our Father” exposes the dark underbelly of a trusted medical practice, prompting a broader conversation about regulatory oversight in fertility clinics. It’s a haunting exploration of identity, medical ethics, and the complexities of family.
DNA testing has revealed the truth in several true crime cases, including the shocking case offormer fertility doctor Donald Cline.Our Fathershows that, through a DNA testing kit, it was discovered that Cline had been impregnating dozens of his patients without their knowledge or consent, fathering a confirmed 94 children so far.
Unable to break everything down in its 90-minute runtime,Our Fatherdoes leave out some factsbut is otherwise a relatively accurate retelling of events.The documentary is deeply disturbing and it’s impossible for one to wrap their mind around Cline’s unfathomable actions and his ability to get away with it for so long. Audiences will be equally sympathetic towards Cline’s victims as they are creeped out by the former doctor’s actions.
Abducted In Plain Sight
Abducted In Plain Sight is a documentary that delves into the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped twice by a trusted neighbor and family friend in the 1970s. The film explores themes of manipulation, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships in small-town America, providing a detailed account of the psychological and emotional toll on the victim and her family.
A handful of true crime documentaries introduce audiences to absolutely unbelievable cases.The facts of Jan Broberg’s kidnappings, as chronicled inAbducted in Plain Sight, are stranger than fiction and bring about a mix of emotions from audiences. Broberg, as a child in Idaho, was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold on more than one occasion. Thefeature-length true crime documentarylays out how Berchtold was able to manipulate Broberg and her family.
The details of the kidnappings are disturbing enough, butAbducted in Plain Sightalso touches on unsettling themes such as religious guilt and pedophilia. In addition to feeling disturbed for days after watching the documentary, audiences are also guaranteed to feel frustration towards those who surrounded a young Broberg and did little to ensure her safety.
Grizzly Man
Werner Herzog’s documentary examines the life and tragic death of Timothy Treadwell, a self-proclaimed protector of Alaskan grizzly bears.
Considered to be one ofthe best documentaries of all time,Grizzly Manpieces together footage recorded by bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell during his summers spent among bears in Alaska.Believing he was called to bridge the gap between humans and nature, Timothy had built up what he believed to be a trusting relationship with the bears.Timothy’s confidence and complicated mission make him a compelling individual and a fascinating documentary subject.
The documentary is a disturbing watch due to the inevitability of Timothy’s fate, which is addressed by various nature experts in the documentary’s interviews.Tension lingers throughoutGrizzly Manas audiences await the moment when Timothy’s goodwill with the bears takes a tragic turn. The documentary is a powerful watch and its widespread critical acclaim throughout the years is well deserved.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a documentary by Kurt Kuenne, chronicling the life of Andrew Bagby, a medical resident murdered in 2001. The film serves as a personal letter to Bagby’s son, conceived by his girlfriend shortly after Bagby’s death.
One of the more emotionally demanding documentaries mentioned isDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.The documentary begins as a loving tribute for the titular baby, who is the son of filmmaker Kurt Kuenne’s late friend Andrew Bagby. However, an unexpected and tragic turn in real life transforms part of the documentary into an insightful and frustrating look at the failures of the justice system.
The emotional beats inDear Zachary are heartbreaking and are brilliantly edited in a way that pulls every emotion out of the audience without feeling overly manipulative.Still, audiences will walk away from the documentary angered and shattered asDear Zacharyis largely about Andrew’s murder and the unexpected outcome for his ex-girlfriend, who was arrested for the crime.
The Bridge
The Bridge is a documentary released in 2006, exploring the phenomenon of suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It features interviews with the loved ones of individuals who died there, offering insights into their lives and mental health challenges.
Though signs and barriers have since been installed, the Golden Gate Bridge was once a popular suicide site, and it’s this history that’s the focus ofThe Bridge.The documentary is quite controversial, even to this day, as it’s been deemed exploitative for capturing numerous suicides on camera. Still, the documentary aims to introduce necessary conversations about mental health and the need for stronger preventative measures at the site.
If the footage captured at the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t disturbing enough on its own, the documentary’s emotional interviews surely are.Mixed in with the distant footage of multiple suicides are interviews with a person who survived their jump and the loved ones of victims who did not.The Bridgeis not an easy watch and will keep audiences feeling uneasy for days.
The Act of Killing
The Act of Killing is a 2012 documentary film that explores the mass executions of alleged communists in Indonesia. It features those responsible for the crimes, who are celebrated in their country, providing a stark portrayal of the perpetrators and their actions.
Executioner Anwar Congo is one of the main subjects ofThe Act of Killing, where he must confront his past crimes thanks to Joshua Oppenheimer’s innovative approach to documentary filmmaking.Congo, and his acquaintances, were some of the individuals responsible for Indonesian mass killings that took place in the late ’60s. Congo and the others were told to kill suspected communists and those opposed to the New Order regime.
A documentary that’s scarier than a horror film,The Act of Killing’suniquely chilling examination of evil sets it apart from most other documentaries. The documentary relies on the murderer’s reenactments of their killings to present just how horrific their actions are. What starts with the murderers bragging about their involvement in the mass killings turns into a harrowing exploration of remorse and morality.
