CATALYST PLANET - 7 Documentaries to Cure Your Wanderlust

With travel on hold, the best way to travel right now may be through documentary film. Here are seven films that take viewers around the globe.

Documentary filmmakers on set. Class Eland. CC BY 2.0.

With global travel on pause, the best way to see the world right now is through documentary films. These documentaries combine social activism with personal narratives to change how viewers see the world. From Mount Everest to North Macedonia, here are seven documentaries to cure your wanderlust and bring you on a journey around the globe.

1. “Chasing Coral” (2017)

In this visually staggering documentary, filmmaker Jeff Orlowski demystifies why and how coral reefs around the globe are disappearing at unprecedented rates. The “Chasing Coral” team compiled over 500 hours of underwater footage from team members in over 30 countries to uncover the coral crisis and bring viewers into the fight to save the world’s coral. To watch this award-winning documentary, head to Netflix.

2. “Sherpa” (2015)

In an effort to refocus the Himalayan narrative on a local perspective rather than that of Western mountaineers, director Jennifer Peedom explores Mount Everest from the view of Sherpas who risk their lives to make the famous mountain accessible to foreign climbers. This gripping documentary focuses on Sherpa Phurba Tashi, who has climbed Mount Everest over 20 times, while exploring Sherpa culture, spirituality, and the tension between Sherpas and foreign travelers. “Sherpa” is available for rental on Prime Video.

3. “Happiness” (2013)

Bhutan is known for being the happiest country on earth. In this film from French director Thomas Balmes, follow the story of 9-year-old monk Peyangki as he journeys through Bhutan in search of a TV. Through the eyes of a child, this documentary explores the effects of globalization and the impacts of technology in a country that first allowed television and internet in 1999. “Happiness” is free to stream on PBS.

4. “Village at the End of the World” (2012)

In this English-Danish documentary from Sarah Gavron, visit the Arctic village of Niaqornat in northwest Greenland, population 35. The film focuses on Lars, who desperately wants to leave his small fishing village in pursuit of a normal teenage experience. As climate change and mounting financial tensions envelop this settlement, Gavron explores a remote and beautiful community on the verge of collapse. Rent this film on Vimeo.

5. “Honeyland” (2019)

This mesmerizing documentary tells the story of Hatidze Muratova, one of the last North Macedonian beekeepers in the remote mountain village of Bekirlija. Environmental conservation is magnified through the delicate narrative of Muratova and her hives. This moving and reflective documentary was filmed over the course of three years, and the filmmakers’ intricate relationship with Muratova allows for this story of bee conservation to speak to wider themes of community, preservation and loss. Watch “Honeyland” on Hulu.

6. “Holy Land: Startup Nations” (2017)

While Israel is known as the “Startup Nation,” this Wired documentary looks past Tel Aviv’s robust startup scene to emerging tech epicenters across the Palestinian territories in East Jerusalem, Ramallah and the greater West Bank. Exploring the promise and tensions within these communities, this documentary brings viewers into an energetic and politically charged exploration of Palestine, Israel and the importance of technological ventures in marginalized communities. Stream this film on Wired for free.

7. “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” (2011)

David Gelb’s acclaimed documentary follows Jiro Ono, famed sushi chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat sushi restaurant in a Tokyo subway station. A reflective character study of Jiro Ono and his son, this film brings viewers into the meditative and cutthroat world of premier Japanese dining. Watch now on Sling TV.