Four Websites to Watch Documentaries
Where to Find Free Movies Online
Documentary film has gotten a lot of publicity in recent years, in large part because of the popularity of films by Michael Moore and Errol Morris. There's a lot more to documentary film than just these well known directors, though.
There are many places to watch free movies online, and award winning documentary films are no exception. Short and full length documentaries by big name directors and independent producers can be seen legally at many free online venues.
POV -- Documentaries with a Point of View
This is the website of the long-running PBS documentary show, Point of View. POV offers a mix of documentary shorts (generally under 15 minutes) and full length documentaries (from 30 minutes to two hours). The free documentaries featured on POV's website are chosen from recent PBS airings. Many documentaries are Emmy Award nominated, and the selection of free movies changes monthly. The POV website is updated with new documentaries regularly.
Frontline -- Thought Provoking Journalism
Another PBS offering, Frontline is a weekly current event and news program that features hour long documentaries on global news stories. The most recent episodes can be viewed free online, and there's often additional documentary footage not seen in the television broadcast. The website also features "Frontline Classics", free documentaries from years past going as far back as 1983.
SnagFilms -- Watch Free Documentaries
Full length and short documentaries are arranged by topic or channel at SnagFilms. Here, free documentaries from independent producers are shown alongside National Geographic programs, videos from Peter Jennings Reporting, and a selection of PBS documentary films. There are also several channels that feature foreign documentaries. SnagFilms is relatively new compared to the other free online film websites, but it's a large and growing company run by former AOL executives.
Hulu -- Documentary and Biography Channel
Hulu, owned by NBC Universal, is best known for their free movies and TV episodes. But the Documentary and Biography channel on Hulu features full length and short documentaries, including many National Geographic Specials and well known contemporary documentaries like Super Size Me, Buena Vista Social Club, The Times of Harvey Milk and Confessions of a Superhero. There's also a rotating series of new releases and free documentary shorts.
There's a wealth of free documentary films online, and these just a few of the websites available to watch them. Most free movies online have short advertisements before and once or twice during the film, but the advertising is minimal compared to network television shows.
Watch Documentary Films Online
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles