THIRSTY FOR KNOWLEDGE: A LIST OF DOCUMENTARIES TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR

words by DEBORAH DRENOFCI

Fall season is here. It is time to return to our couches, grab some popcorn, turn on the TV, and let ourselves get lost in the beautiful world of cinema and visual storytelling. To switch gears and not opt for the fall classics like Gilmore Girls or yet another Harry Potter marathon, we have curated a list of documentaries to keep an eye out for. Because documentaries hold the keys to the realness we so much need after our fever-dream-like summer, and help ground us in the craziness of the world. Whether you are a true crime warrior, a cinephile, a music lover, or simply into the magical randomness of humankind, there is something for you. A documentary marathon? Sounds like a plan.

JAY-Z IN 8
An HBO MAX Original, streaming on MUBI, September 19

In this eight-part documentary, JAY-Z sits down with record producer Rick Rubin, who has curated a playlist of JAY-Z's musical legacy. The playlist seems to serve as a time machine, taking the two of them through each song: the creative process behind it, what influenced JAY-Z, shaped him, and led him to become one of the most legendary rappers of our time. A glimpse at the trailer already gives off a sense of comfort. Shot in a spacious, high-ceilinged space in Paris that almost feels like an empty museum or a palazzo of memories, JAY-Z and Rick Rubin are surrounded only by two large speakers and a table scattered with notebooks and pens. It's an exciting documentary, because at its core, it's a conversation — JAY-Z telling his story through his craft, and that makes all the difference.

MAKING OF MARIE ANTOINETTE
MUBI Release, November 6

It's always a pleasure to lose yourself in Sofia Coppola's whimsical world. Her film Marie Antoinette, with its candy-coloured aesthetics, really brings forward the queen's aura, and perhaps her spending problem too. The Making of Marie Antoinette, directed by Eleanor Coppola and narrated by Diane Lane, unveils the process behind making the film: how the actors settle into their roles, how they giggle between takes, and more. Eleanor Coppola sadly passed away in 2025, and Sofia, producer of the documentary, saw her mother's project through to completion. It's quite beautiful, really, that Eleanor set out to capture her daughter's process and in doing so left behind one final testament to a remarkable film. It's a love language.

THE ONE ABOUT MATTHEW PERRY
Netflix Release, October 27

image via PINTEREST

Prepare to get emotional with this one. Directed by Mary Robertson, this documentary is a tribute to the beloved Matthew Perry, whom we all know from the legendary sitcom Friends as one of its most charming, funny characters. The title, a nod to the show itself, tells us his story will be shared in full, from his dreams to his legacy, told by those closest to him. This release might pull at the heartstrings, but it delivers the kind of nostalgia that comes with gratitude — a chance to celebrate who he was, rather than only mourn what was lost.

THE WORST EX EVER, SEASON 2
Out now on Netflix

Already streaming on Netflix, The Worst Ex Ever — we've all had one — is back for season two. This twisted true-crime docuseries returns with four more unhinged stories, drawing on testimonies from police and survivors alike. Episode one profiles the "Deadpool Killer," followed by "Primetime Predator," a fatal attraction case, and a "ride or die" story gone wrong, each one a fresh reminder that some exes really do deserve the title.

AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMIST
Netflix Release, September 15

Not a true-crime documentary, but definitely a scary one. Directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell, the film follows a series of interviews with experts in the field. Roher, expecting his first child, asks his questions with the curiosity, anxiety, and worry of a father-to-be. What kind of world is he bringing his child into? It's one of those topics we can talk about endlessly without ever reaching a conclusion, because the truth is, we don't know. Frightening as it is, this documentary might give us the shake we need: a reminder to go outside, talk to a neighbour, and touch some grass.

SCHUMACHER '94: THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND
Netflix Release, October 2

Directed by Christin Freitag, this documentary takes us back to 1994, arguably the most dramatic season in Formula 1 history, and the one that turned a 25-year-old underdog named Michael Schumacher into a world champion and national hero. Through never-before-seen footage and interviews with those closest to him, including his wife Corinna Schumacher, Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone, and David Coulthard, the film traces a season defined by triumph and tragedy in equal measure. It's a portrait of a legend in the making, built on a season that changed the sport forever.

A KILLER STORY
HBO MAX Release, September 10

Brace yourself, true-crime lovers, you're going to love this one. Directed and produced by Matthew Galkin, this HBO docuseries follows investigative journalist Joe Sexton after he receives a series of emails from Eileen Umbehr, an "armchair detective," let's call her, who believes a woman convicted of murder is actually innocent. Three trials, family conflicts, and clashing narratives later, Sexton discovers that the truth is far more complex, and far deeper, than it first appears. What makes A Killer Story especially compelling is that it doesn't just tell a case, it digs into our collective obsession with true crime itself.

SIREN: THE VOICES OF SHELLEY BEATTIE
HBO MAX Release, September 22

Directed by Irene Taylor and produced by Marlee Matlin, Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie tells the story of a Deaf bodybuilder who rose to fame in the 1990s as "Siren" on American Gladiators. Matlin, who came across Beattie's story online, recognised a life similar to her own — shaped by fame, but also by discrimination in a hearing world. Through archival footage, home videos, and Beattie's own artwork, the film uncovers the sensitive spirit beneath her hard exterior. Beattie died in 2008 at 40. Guided by Matlin's perspective as a Deaf woman, Taylor crafts not just a biography, but a long-overdue act of listening.