Documentaries | Photo by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
While the semester seems to just keep getting busier, it’s important to take some time to relax; but, if you want to still feel productive and learn something, students might enjoy sitting back and putting on a documentary. Here are some documentaries to watch based on major.
Business | “American Factory”
Students in the Soin College of Business might enjoy “American Factory.”
This 2019 film by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert tells the story of Chinese company Fuyao Glass’s acquisition of Dayton’s abandoned General Motors plant. There are moments of strife and moments of hope as cultures both clash and come together.
“American Factory” is currently streaming on Netflix.
If you enjoy “American Factory,” Bognar and Reichert also collaborated a decade prior on 2009’s “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant,” which follows the same factory. “The Last Truck” is available on HBO Max.
Engineering | “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing”
Those focused on engineering might be interested in Rory Kennedy’s “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing,” released this year on Netflix.
In 2019, two new Boeing aircraft crashed within months of each other, killing 349 people, according to IMDb.
“Downfall” follows the search for answers as to what caused these tragic crashes, providing answers not just for Boeing but for the many families left behind.
Medicine | “End Game”
Medical and pre-medical students might find something valuable in “End Game,” a short 2018 documentary directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.
“End Game” is an intimate film which follows the end-of-life care of several terminal patients and doctors, who, according to Netflix, are aiming to change approaches to life and death.
Viewers should know that “End Game” deals with heavy topics. It is currently streaming on Netflix.
Education | “American Promise”
Students preparing to enter the field of education might learn something from “American Promise.”
This 2013 documentary by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson follows the couple’s son and his best friend on a 13-year journey from kindergarten through high school, according to a PBS synopsis.
“American Promise” is currently available for free on Pluto TV and YouTube.
Motion Pictures | “Cameraperson”
Students studying in the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures might enjoy “Cameraperson,” which is director Kirsten Johnson’s visual memoir of her life as a documentary cinematographer.
In the 2016 film, Johnson weaves together moments shot from her entire career to tell her own story and show what it means to work behind the camera, according to IMDb.
“Cameraperson” is streaming on HBO Max.
Social Sciences | “The War Room”
For those who study in the College of Liberal Arts, check out “The War Room,” a story of both history and politics.
Released in 1993, this documentary by Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker is a behind-the-scenes look at the 1992 Clinton for President campaign. Though Clinton is the case study of the film, the former president does not feature heavily; instead, much of the film focuses on the campaign staff.
“The War Room” is currently streaming on HBO Max.
