The balance between education and entertainment walks a fine line. That ends up making it a daunting task to find the right documentary to watch. Luckily, Hulu documentaries are some of the best documentaries available. Hulu’s selection of documentaries is dense with feature films and series on significant figures throughout history. This documentary style of the films and series is common across Hulu between artists, athletes, celebrities, and ordinary folks with extraordinary stories.
There are multiple viewing options, all of which can be enjoyed with a free trial. Hulu’s on-demand plans start at $6.99 per month and level up to $12.99 per month if you get the ad-free version. Hulu + Live TV plans range from $64.99 to $78.99 per month depending on your package. There are also add-ons for HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz (included with the Live TV package) that are available. But keep in mind that most of those come at an extra cost. Lastly, Hulu offers bundles for Disney+/ESPN+, Spotify, and Sprint users.
There’s not much better than looking to the most successful and talented individuals for a burst of inspiration. We found these stories incredibly profound and we hope you’ll find the same.
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Margaret Atwood: A Word After A Word After A Word Is Power
- Released in 2019
- Starring: Margaret Atwood
After the dystopian Handmaid’s Tale sent waves around the sphere of U.S. television, Hulu bought the U.S. rights to the Canadian documentary about the creator behind the series, Margaret Atwood. Atwood wrote The Handmaid’s Tale novel in 1985, amongst hundreds of other creative works which captivated the attention of readers worldwide. It’s about time someone wrote a film about her!
Atwood spent many of her early years retreating into the wilderness to draw inspiration for her poetry and creative stories. Since 1961, she has published 18 poetry books, 18 novels, 11 non-fiction books, among collections of short fiction, children’s books, and graphic novels. This documentary explores many of her literary marvels and the character behind them in an inspiring exposition.
Amy
- Released in 2015
- Starring: Amy Winehouse
It is a privilege to look back at one of the most brilliant creatives of all time and continue to enjoy her creations after she is gone. This intimate and thorough documentary, Amy, recounts the life of singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse through the compilation of footage taken by her and loved ones throughout her life, as well as interviews with those who knew her best.
Amy endured a lifelong battle between fame, addiction, and creative genius — a battle which was ultimately fatal. Amy was a British musician whose music projected soul, jazz, rhythm, and blues. The documentary is slightly over two hours long and is a heartfelt film recommended for fans of Amy or viewers wishing to know more about the woman behind the hit songs.
Framing Britney Spears
- Released in 2021
- Starring: Britney Spears, Liz Day, Felicia Culotta, Hayley Hill, Nancy Carson
When an international pop star’s personal chaos sirened a media craze, her troubles became exacerbated by the paparazzi. What occurred behind closed doors began rising to the surface as Britney Spears started sending elusive signals to the public that her father had claimed rights to her finances through a conservatorship — a legal status appointed by a court to a person designated to manage an incompetant person’s finances — and was refusing to give her those rights back.
He claimed this status as Britney was going in and out of mental institutions, though it seemed cunningly opportunistic as he had not been an involved parent throughout Britney’s life. A global trend ensued as #FreeBritney ravaged the internet, gaining traction for Britney’s case.
Summer of Soul
- Released in 2021
- Starring: Roy Ayers, Ethel Beatty, Barbara Bland-Acosta, Mike Boone, Dorinda Drake
A collection of live music and historical footage was compiled by filmmaker Ahmir Khalib Thompson, known professionally as Questlove, to portray the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The Woodstock festival has washed out this celebration of Black culture through music, food, fashion, and community throughout the decades, which occurred just one hundred miles north of Harlem that same summer.Some of the footage in Summer of Soul includes never-before-seen clips of soul icons Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, and more.
I am Greta
- Released in 2020
- Starring: Greta Thunberg
Climate activist and worldwide inspiration Greta Thunberg is spotlighted in a Hulu documentary about her tireless fight to change the world. Greta is an 18-year-old Swedish student who began protesting the political inaction towards the climate crisis in 2018. Her grit and fearlessness has emanated across global media outlets, in conferences with the world’s political leaders, and has been the catalyst for millions of people to stand up and raise a voice toward the crippling threat of climate change.
Greta began striking outside the Swedish Parliament on school days and eventually attracted a crowd which began weekly protests called “Fridays for Future”. This documentary is a close-up look into Greta’s life, how her family has adapted to grow with her as a leading global activist, and the endearing moments of Greta’s youth which she still walks in.
