Top 20 Hardest to Watch Documentaries

Watching these docs is a mental and emotional workout. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most noteworthy documentaries that are extremely painful and difficult to watch, either due to their challenging subject matter, horrific visuals, or emotional storytelling. Our countdown of the hardest documentaries to watch includes “Restrepo”, "Shoah", “Waltz with Bashir”, “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father”, “The Bridge", and more! Have any of these documentaries stuck with you? Let us know in the comments below!

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[WatchMojo]

Have any of these documentaries stuck with you? Let us know in the comments below!

[kaygee]

How the Gabriel Fernandez doc did not make this list is shocking. I had to force myself through it but it’s truly an important and soul crushing film about child abuse.

[Rainbow.Pegacorn.Cosplay]

As someone who regards the orca as her favorite animal, Blackfish was a HARD documentary to watch. The largest species of dolphin on Earth doesn't belong in a swimming pool.

[darkwingdave]

I couldn't stop crying after Dear Zachary... that was absolutely brutal. I have never experienced a documentary like that. Truly devastating to say the least. R.I.P. A & Z

[HollyStAmour-hfwg]

Two documentaries that people should check out. The first one is “The trials of Gabriel Fernandez” Being a mother it is extremely hard to watch and it broke my heart. The other one is called “The falling man” and that’s about 9/11. Both docs. are really well done.

[chadczternastek]

I could go thru two more divorces without shedding a tear, but when I see animals hurt by us as humans, it hits me hard and deep. Makes me ashamed to be part of us monsters. Messing with harmless animals who just want to survive by instinct just is so low and cowardly.

[venomspawn]

The trials of Gabriel Fernandez was really rough to watch. It shows how the system has failed the children

[davidcatlett]

20. Restrepo (2010)
19. Jesus Camp (2006)
18. S-21 : The Khmer Rouge Killing
Machine (2003)
17. The Ivory Game (2016)
16. Jonestown : The Life And Death Of
Peoples Temple (2006)
15. Silverlake Life : The View From Here
(1993)
14. Waltz With Bashir (2008)
13. The Imposter (2012)
12. Earthlings (2005)
11. Grizzly Man (2005)
10. Shoah (1985)
9. 13th (2016)
8. Tarnation (2003)
7. Titicut Follies (1967)
6. Dear Zachary : A Letter To A Son
About His Father (2008)
5. Blackfish (2013)
4. Capturing The Friedmans (2003)
3. Paradise Lost : The Child Murders At
Robin Hood Hills (1996)
2. The Bridge (2006)
1. The Act Of Killing (2012)

[patinpatin]

The woman that was never there was also very good to watch. It was about a lady that lied about surviving 9/11 and was the face of 9/11 ptsd trauma. Also the mini series about worst places to go to school about kids risking everything for an education.

[MisatoBestWoman]

Dear Zachary was an experience I’ll never be able to forget it. Zachary and A drew deserved so much better than what happened.

[crownlessking]

And not a single 9/11 documentary. Good for you guys for not resorting to an easy choice on a tough subject matter list

[zulickj]

The Naudet brothers who documented 9/11 should be on this list. The fact they were with the FDNY pre, during, and post 9/11 will always carry a wave of emotions.

[RomeoMyDearst]

I’m so sad everytime I watch a video of top hardest documentaries to watch and NONE of them mention the Trails of Gabriel Fernandez. As some one who has watched many documentaries in all genres, that was the hardest one to watch. I had to pause many times to collect myself and keep watching. The anger and sadness I felt after watching that lingered for a while

[lolahernandez]

Animal cruelty...can't watch those things, it gets me super agressive and makes me wanna cry....

[Nick-]

I just watched Blackfish for the first time a couple of months ago and all I can say is it was more scarier then any other horror film I’ve ever seen

[melissaleoncreolenola]

There is one that should be on the list Roger and Me... when General Motors closed down and thousands of people in Detroit lose their jobs.. Detroit ever since then was struggling.
The ending where you see the CEO celebrating the holidays with his family and friends and having this Christmas party.. the scenes switches back and forth to ex workers of the plant being evicted from their homes ..in the cold.. and it was many who were being evicted.. I was pissed off, angry, smh 😤

[michaelforrest]

The ending of "Senna" is heartbreaking as you become so attached to a man full of life, his funeral procession and the music accompanying his loved ones viewing his coffin gets me everytime

[IcyTicey]

The theory of the family on The Imposter having something to do with the disappearance of the boy, and thus couldn't just come out and say they knew it wasn't him intrigues me.

[Leto]

06:30 Yep, nothing as dangerous as blind faith and blind devotion. Never stop questioning things or put all your faith into one thing; you'll end up depending on it.

[majg]

The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is absolutely devastating for so many reasons. I almost stopped watching it several times.