Documentaries are a great way to learn in a passive way while often uncovering raw and emotional stories about real people or events. The four films that follow each tell the tale of real people — some famous and some tragic.
“The Perfect Neighbor” (2025)
When a seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates quickly into deadly violence, the family and community affected grapple with their grief and confusion. On June 2, 2023, in Ocala, Florida, Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz.
“The Perfect Neighbor” is a 2025 American documentary film, directed and produced by Geeta Gandbhir. The victim, Ajike Owens, was the best friend of Gandbhir’s sister-in-law. The film impacts audiences because of the deeply human storytelling and the director’s actual familial connection to the story.
The documentary is shot almost entirely through body camera footage, allowing viewers to see how the story truly unfolded. Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” laws are heavily mentioned and debated throughout the documentary. Other major talking points within the documentary are racism, systemic failures and racial bias.
“Martha” (2024)
America’s renaissance woman, Martha Stewart, shared her story on Netflix almost exactly a year ago on Oct. 30, 2024. Produced and directed by R.J. Cutler, she does not hold back on what it took to become one of the first influencers before it was even a title.
Renowned for perfecting cooking, cleaning, entertaining and gardening, she shares the details behind her homemaking empire. Galivanting through several marriages and divorces, with time she could tell that her heart was in her career.
Being the only female stockbroker on Wall Street in her time and being sentenced to prison for lying and obstruction of justice related to stock trading back in 2004 were certainly obstacles, but Stewart was able to rebuild her life and become the first female billionaire in the United States. This documentary is perfect for the Martha Stewart fans but also for those interested in entrepreneurship, marketing or public relations.
“Evelyn” (2018)
“Evelyn” is a documentary film, directed by and starring Orlando von Einsiedel. When 22-year-old Evelyn von Einsiedel kills himself, his three siblings and the rest of their immediate family try to bury and ignore their pain for years. Ten years later, they decide to go on a hiking trip and visit the places he liked to walk along in the English countryside while documenting the whole journey.
The hope of the trip is to allow them to contemplate their brother’s life and finally talk about the things they never did, helping Evelyn’s memory live on. They meet with many strangers along their journey who mention their loss of loved ones to suicide, bringing up their own ways of grieving.
Suicide is now the single biggest cause of death of young British men. The hope is that by telling more stories like this one it might help break the code of silence that tends to surround the tough subject, especially in young men. The film is visually beautiful while the story is deeply and emotionally moving.
“Audrey” (2020)
One of the biggest stars the world has ever known, a protagonist in films like “Roman Holiday,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “My Fair Lady”, was the one and only Audrey Hepburn. Known for her ladylike grace, kindness, beauty and activism, this documentary directed by Helena Coan depicts her life behind the silver screen.
Before becoming an actress, she was a ballet dancer and a child enduring the horrors of WWII. With her nazi-supporting parents and other family members killed, she became accustomed to living in hiding and began acting for money.
Hepburn’s long-standing relationship with fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy is described in depth, her granddaughter shares personal anecdotes and her life beyond her exquisite gowns and glamour is exposed. Audiences get a glimpse of the hardships which shaped her into the person the world loved so dearly.
