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1960s – today

Political and Investigative Cinema

Films that reconstruct real events and expose the workings of power, corruption and conspiracy, from the political thrillers of the 1960s and 1970s to modern docudrama.

Some films treat cinema as a tool of inquiry, reconstructing real events to ask who holds power and who pays for it. Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers (1966) filmed the Algerian war as if it were newsreel, Costa-Gavras made Z (1969) as a conspiracy thriller out of a real Greek assassination, and Francesco Rosi and Elio Petri examined Italian corruption in the 1960s and 70s. Later directors such as Oliver Stone, Paul Greengrass, Laura Poitras and Alexander Nanau continued the tradition, and Yılmaz Güney and Mohammad Rasoulof made political films under real personal risk.

Where
Italy, France, Greece, the United States, Britain, Turkey, Iran and elsewhere
When
1960s to the present
Key figures
Costa-Gavras, Francesco Rosi, Gillo Pontecorvo, Elio Petri, Oliver Stone, Paul Greengrass, Laura Poitras
Landmark films
The Battle of Algiers (1966), Z (1969), The Mattei Affair (1972), Citizenfour (2014)
Legacy
Made the political thriller and the docudrama lasting forms of public inquiry

What to look for

  • Reconstruction of real events, often in near-documentary style
  • Conspiracy, corruption and abuse of power as plots
  • A clear political viewpoint and a drive for public debate

Famous Directors

Costa-GavrasFrance / GreeceFrancesco RosiItalyGillo PontecorvoItalyElio PetriItalyPaul GreengrassUKOliver StoneUSAMichael MooreUSABertrand TavernierFranceMohammad RasoulofIranLaura PoitrasUSAAlexander NanauRomaniaRoland JofféUKYılmaz GüneyTurkeySamuel MaozIsraelMohammed Lakhdar-HaminaAlgeriaReinhard HauffGermanyAndré CayatteFranceŽelimir ŽilnikSerbia (Yugoslavia)Şerif GörenTurkeyAlan J. PakulaUSAClaude LanzmannFranceMiklós JancsóHungaryTengiz AbuladzeGeorgiaAva DuVernayUSA
See all 32 directors
Brillante MendozaPhilippinesLadj LyFrancePatricio GuzmánChileJoaquim Pedro de AndradeBrazilJorge SanjinésBoliviaElia SuleimanPalestineAmos GitaiIsraelHany Abu-AssadPalestine

Top 100 rated films

  1. Shoah 1985 · Claude Lanzmann · IMDb 8.7
  2. Me, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion 1962 · Tengiz Abuladze · IMDb 8.3
  3. The Battle of Chile 1979 · Patricio Guzmán · IMDb 8.3
  4. 13th 2016 · Ava DuVernay · IMDb 8.2
  5. The Battle of Algiers 1966 · Gillo Pontecorvo · IMDb 8.1
  6. Z 1969 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 8.1
  7. Collective 2019 · Alexander Nanau · IMDb 8.1
  8. Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion 1970 · Elio Petri · IMDb 8.0
  9. Platoon 1986 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 8.0
  10. JFK 1991 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 8.0
  11. Repentance 1984 · Tengiz Abuladze · IMDb 8.0
  12. The Wishing Tree 1977 · Tengiz Abuladze · IMDb 8.0
  13. Sicko 2007 · Michael Moore · IMDb 8.0
  14. Citizenfour 2014 · Laura Poitras · IMDb 8.0
  15. Toto and His Sisters 2014 · Alexander Nanau · IMDb 8.0
  16. All the President's Men 1976 · Alan J. Pakula · IMDb 7.9
  17. Bowling for Columbine 2002 · Michael Moore · IMDb 7.9
  18. The Confession 1970 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.8
  19. The Killing Fields 1984 · Roland Joffé · IMDb 7.8
  20. Captain Phillips 2013 · Paul Greengrass · IMDb 7.8
  21. Christ Stopped at Eboli 1979 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.7
  22. State of Siege 1972 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.7
  23. Missing 1982 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.7
  24. The Bourne Supremacy 2004 · Paul Greengrass · IMDb 7.7
  25. Hands Over the City 1963 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.6
  26. The Mattei Affair 1972 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.6
  27. Kapò 1960 · Gillo Pontecorvo · IMDb 7.6
  28. The Working Class Goes to Heaven 1971 · Elio Petri · IMDb 7.6
  29. Special Section 1975 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.6
  30. Magdana's Donkey 1955 · Tengiz Abuladze · IMDb 7.6
  31. Nostalgia for the Light 2010 · Patricio Guzmán · IMDb 7.6
  32. The Pearl Button 2015 · Patricio Guzmán · IMDb 7.6
  33. United 93 2006 · Paul Greengrass · IMDb 7.6
  34. Bloody Sunday 2002 · Paul Greengrass · IMDb 7.6
  35. White Meadows 2009 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.6
  36. Les Misérables 2019 · Ladj Ly · IMDb 7.6
  37. Todo modo 1976 · Elio Petri · IMDb 7.5
  38. Life and Nothing But 1989 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.5
  39. Kenedi Goes Back Home 2003 · Želimir Žilnik · IMDb 7.5
  40. Sophie's Choice 1982 · Alan J. Pakula · IMDb 7.5
  41. The Round-Up 1965 · Miklós Jancsó · IMDb 7.5
  42. The Red and the White 1967 · Miklós Jancsó · IMDb 7.5
  43. Fahrenheit 9/11 2004 · Michael Moore · IMDb 7.5
  44. Roger & Me 1989 · Michael Moore · IMDb 7.5
  45. There Is No Evil 2020 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.5
  46. The Seed of the Sacred Fig 2024 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.5
  47. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed 2022 · Laura Poitras · IMDb 7.5
  48. Selma 2014 · Ava DuVernay · IMDb 7.5
  49. Omar 2013 · Hany Abu-Assad · IMDb 7.5
  50. Carmen (1984) 1984 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.4
  51. Music Box 1989 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.4
  52. A Sunday in the Country 1984 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.4
  53. Round Midnight 1986 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.4
  54. The Mission (1986) 1986 · Roland Joffé · IMDb 7.4
  55. My Way Home 1964 · Miklós Jancsó · IMDb 7.4
  56. Paradise Now 2005 · Hany Abu-Assad · IMDb 7.4
  57. Ford Transit 2002 · Hany Abu-Assad · IMDb 7.4
  58. Salvatore Giuliano 1962 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.3
  59. Wall Street 1987 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 7.3
  60. Coup de Torchon 1981 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.3
  61. Chronicle of the Years of Fire 1975 · Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina · IMDb 7.3
  62. The Last of the Unjust 2013 · Claude Lanzmann · IMDb 7.3
  63. The Priest and the Girl 1966 · Joaquim Pedro de Andrade · IMDb 7.3
  64. The Moment of Truth 1965 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.2
  65. Illustrious Corpses 1976 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.2
  66. Amen. 2002 · Costa-Gavras · IMDb 7.2
  67. Born on the Fourth of July 1989 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 7.2
  68. Natural Born Killers 1994 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 7.2
  69. L.627 1992 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.2
  70. Captain Conan 1996 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 7.2
  71. The Cordillera of Dreams 2019 · Patricio Guzmán · IMDb 7.2
  72. El coraje del pueblo 1971 · Jorge Sanjinés · IMDb 7.2
  73. Manuscripts Don't Burn 2013 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.2
  74. A Man of Integrity 2017 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.2
  75. The Oath 2010 · Laura Poitras · IMDb 7.2
  76. Foxtrot 2017 · Samuel Maoz · IMDb 7.2
  77. Origin 2023 · Ava DuVernay · IMDb 7.2
  78. Lola (2009) 2009 · Brillante Mendoza · IMDb 7.2
  79. Justice Is Done 1950 · André Cayatte · IMDb 7.1
  80. We Are All Murderers 1952 · André Cayatte · IMDb 7.1
  81. Queimada 1969 · Gillo Pontecorvo · IMDb 7.1
  82. Ogro 1979 · Gillo Pontecorvo · IMDb 7.1
  83. Klute 1971 · Alan J. Pakula · IMDb 7.1
  84. The Parallax View 1974 · Alan J. Pakula · IMDb 7.1
  85. Blood of the Condor 1969 · Jorge Sanjinés · IMDb 7.1
  86. Iron Island 2005 · Mohammad Rasoulof · IMDb 7.1
  87. Foster Child 2007 · Brillante Mendoza · IMDb 7.1
  88. The Time That Remains 2009 · Elia Suleiman · IMDb 7.1
  89. Field Diary 1982 · Amos Gitai · IMDb 7.1
  90. Three Brothers 1981 · Francesco Rosi · IMDb 7.0
  91. We Still Kill the Old Way 1967 · Elio Petri · IMDb 7.0
  92. Nixon 1995 · Oliver Stone · IMDb 7.0
  93. Knife in the Head 1978 · Reinhard Hauff · IMDb 7.0
  94. Garrincha: Alegria do Povo 1962 · Joaquim Pedro de Andrade · IMDb 7.0
  95. The Conspirators 1972 · Joaquim Pedro de Andrade · IMDb 7.0
  96. My Country, My Country 2006 · Laura Poitras · IMDb 7.0
  97. Chronicle of a Disappearance 1996 · Elia Suleiman · IMDb 7.0
  98. Le Dossier noir 1955 · André Cayatte · IMDb 6.9
  99. Safe Conduct 2002 · Bertrand Tavernier · IMDb 6.9
  100. Lebanon 2009 · Samuel Maoz · IMDb 6.9