Documentary on Disney+: the best movies
23 documentary films available on Disney+ today, ranked by audience rating, most recommended first. Updated 25 September 2026
BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage - LA leads with 8.8 out of 10, ahead of Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (8.5). Ratings range from 6.8 to 8.8. The oldest, Let It Be, goes back to 1970. The selection leans towards films from the 2010s, 11 of 23. 7 films came out since 2021.
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BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage - LA
Purple colors the city of Los Angeles, as BTS brings their "Permission to Dance" concert to SoFi Stadium for the first time in two years. In a stadium radiating anticipation and cheer, splendid performances from "On" to "Permission to Dance" glorify the stage that now comes to life on screen. Be united once again by the power of music.
Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
An intimate concert film, in which Taylor Swift performs each song from her album 'folklore' in order, as she reveals the meaning and the stories behind all 17 tracks for the very first time.
The Rescue
The enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.
Free Solo
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock climbing history.
Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles
Fresh off the heels of her brand-new album, "Happier Than Ever," this cinematic concert experience features an intimate performance of every song in the album's sequential order – for the first and only time – from the stage of the legendary Hollywood Bowl.
LA 92
Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92 immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage.
Flee
Recounted mostly through animation to protect his identity, Amin looks back over his past as a child refugee from Afghanistan as he grapples with a secret he’s kept hidden for 20 years.
Before the Flood
A look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems, and native communities across the planet.
Let It Be
A documentary chronicling the Beatles' rehearsal sessions in January 1969 for their proposed "back to basics" album, "Get Back," later re-envisioned and released as "Let It Be."
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.
The Pixar Story
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.
Fire of Love
A doomed love triangle between intrepid French scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, and their beloved volcanoes.
Buena Vista Social Club
In this fascinating Oscar-nominated documentary, American guitarist Ry Cooder brings together a group of legendary Cuban folk musicians (some in their 90s) to record a Grammy-winning CD in their native city of Havana. The result is a spectacular compilation of concert footage from the group's gigs in Amsterdam and New York City's famed Carnegie Hall, with director Wim Wenders capturing not only the music -- but also the musicians' life stories.
Jane
Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.
Bears
Filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey chronicle a year in the lives of an Alaskan brown bear named Sky and her cubs, Scout and Amber. Their saga begins as the bears emerge from hibernation at the end of winter. As time passes, the bear family must work together to find food and stay safe from other predators, especially other bears. Although their world is exciting, it is also risky, and the cubs' survival hinges on family togetherness.
Pina
Pina is a feature-length dance film in 3D with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, featuring the unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer, who died in the summer of 2009.
Born in China
Venturing into the wilds of China, "Born in China" captures intimate moments with a panda bear and her growing cub, a young golden monkey who feels displaced by his baby sister, and a mother snow leopard struggling to raise her two cubs.
African Cats
African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion.
Monkey Kingdom
A newborn monkey and its mother struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a dynamic group of monkeys who live in ancient ruins found deep in the storied jungles of South Asia.
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl
Step into Casa Madrigal for a special concert spectacular as the original voice cast of Disney Animation's Oscar®-winning "Encanto," Stephanie Beatriz, Adassa, Carolina Gaitán, Jessica Darrow, Diane Guerrero, Mauro Castillo, Angie Cepeda and Olga Merediz, along with special guests including Colombian superstar Carlos Vives, reunites for "Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl." This unprecedented concert experience gives you a front-row seat to the musical extravaganza celebrating the global phenomenon.
Chimpanzee
A nature documentary centered on a family of chimps living in the Ivory Coast and Ugandan rain forests. Through Oscar, a little chimpanzee, we discover learning about life in the heart of the African tropical forest and follow his first steps in this world with humor, emotion and anguish. Following a tragedy, he finds himself separated from his mother and left alone to face the hostility of the jungle. Until he is picked up by an older chimpanzee, who will take him under her protection.
Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe
A look at the story behind Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from all of the Marvel films, the Marvel One-Shots and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."!
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return
This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.
What to know before choosing
A well-rated documentary is not necessarily a fair one: audiences rate what turned them upside down, and the genre rewards reversals more than patient reporting. Ratings here are among the highest in the catalogue and vote counts among the lowest — which is why the vote floor is lowered for this genre, or the page would be empty. Check the date: a current-affairs documentary ages in three years.
Disney+ is the most predictable catalogue of the set, and that is its strength: what goes in rarely comes out. Lists about it therefore age better than the others. Its depth is real in animation and family, much thinner elsewhere — a "thriller on Disney+" page will always be shorter than an "animation on Disney+" page, and the catalogue decides that, not the selection.
Frequently asked questions
How were these 23 films chosen?
They come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and on a minimum number of votes — without that second filter, a film rated 9 out of 10 by eleven people would outrank a classic. No place is for sale: no platform, distributor or studio can enter this list other than by being well rated.
Which film in this list is rated highest?
BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage - LA (2022), with 8.8 out of 10 from 168 audience votes.
Are these films really available on Disney+ in the UK?
Yes, as of the day the page was built. Availability comes from TMDB and JustWatch for the catalogue in the UK, and the list is rebuilt daily. Streaming catalogues move constantly: a title can leave between two passes, which is why the page carries its date.
Are there any recent releases in this selection?
7 of the 23 films came out since 2021. The rest are older, which is expected: a film needs a few years to gather enough votes to be judged at all.
Do I need an account?
No. Taro eira is free, asks for no account and no subscription, and the two-or-three-question flow works without installing anything.
See also
- Disney+
- Documentary
- Documentary on Netflix
- Documentary on Prime Video
- Documentary on Apple TV+
- Documentary on HBO Max
- Action
- Adventure
- Animation
- Comedy
- Crime
- Drama
- Family
- Fantasy
- Biopic
- Horror
- Musical
- Romance
- Sci-fi
- Thriller
- War
- Western
How this list is built
Films come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and vote count, then cross-checked against real availability in the country. No paid placement, no partnerships. How we choose the films.
Film data and posters: TMDB. This app uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.