4 Documentaries that will move you

So I've had a Netflix subscription for over a month now. Before I go any further, I know 90% of you are going to laugh your a** off on it. I know I can just download torrents or stream for free. You don't have to tell me that. I'm a CS engineer and I can probably find more creative ways of downloading torrents than you can. I'll write a blog justifying my subscription some other time. Anyway, the 2 best outcomes of having that subscription have been the amazing collection of Stand up comedians' performances and the documentaries.

Now I'll admit right here that I'm no expert on documentaries. In fact, for a very long time, I believed that documentaries are just boring stuff that you will find on Animal Planet, Discovery and National Geographic: 1% of them are good, rest are best used for falling asleep. Off late, I've come across a few documentaries that have moved me. Hence, I decided to mention a few of them on my blog. While there are many more amazing documentaries that you can find (on Netflix and off it), I've chosen to write about these as they address different themes.

The Inside Job

This one is a take on the global finance industry. The finance industry's actions are largely considered as one of the major (if not the only) causes of the global financial crisis in 2008. This documentary explores their role in the crisis and many other faces of the finance industry that you're unlikely to witness in the mainstream media. My skinny dutch friend, Iggy, suggested this documentary to me. It is one of the many (or just a few) positive contributions he has made to time in the city.

However, having done enough research on monetary policies in my university, I would also recommend you to not take it as the sole point of reference while forming your opinion about the banking industry. Even though it is an amazing documentary, like all other documentaries, it also uses cinematic tools to enhance the impact of the point it is trying to make in some situations. I have seen people forming extremely biased opinions against the banking and finance industry. The movie seems to underscore the extremely pivotal role that this industry plays in economies at all levels. While I will firmly agree that reforms must be there to enhance the performance of this industry, I also believe that this sector is extremely crucial to the development of all economies and must be given the importance it deserves.

The True Cost

This is the latest documentary I have watched and I mention it because it hit me very close to my heart. The True Cost is a heart wrenching take on the fashion industry. I have done a lot of projects and study on the cotton farmer suicides, the textile industry and MNC's in the agro-chemical sector. This movie brought all of it together in an way that literally brought tears to my eyes. In spite of knowing a bit about these areas, there were many other points that this documentary put forward that were new for me too and that's the reason I believe that it is a must watch for everybody. If you're someone who likes to have a nice wardrobe, a fancy variety of footwear and your dressing skills are a matter of pride for you, then this is a must watch. For those of you like me, who live on a minimal collection and look like a homeless person on most days, it will make you glance at the tag of that shirt you have on you, just to check where it was made.

I also liked the theme song that the director used for the movie. It extremely heart gripping. Another thing I liked about this documentary was that it also showed signs of optimism. Even though it was realistic in terms of the issues it showed, it also presented a sign of small change that is slowly creeping in and trying to make things better. It shows you how dark the clouds really are, but it doesn't forget to give a view of the silver lining. So go ahead and watch it.

Winter on Fire

Winter on Fire is based on the Ukranian revolution which preceded the annexation of Crimea by Russia. It shows the view from the eyes of the people of Ukraine. In all major political conflicts, we get so wrapped up in the games of power struggle that we often forget the common people that get caught up in the middle. This documentary shows the struggle from their eyes.

Compared to the 2 documentaries mentioned before it, Winter on Fire doesn't have any "shocking revelations" as such but I believe that very fact is what sets is apart from many other documentaries. It just tries to tell one side of the story and focuses on it. The important part is realising that this side of the story is the one that should be given the maximum importance in any geo-political struggle and this is the one side that always fails to grab anyone's attention.

Another fact makes it unique from all the other documentaries I'm mentioning in this blog. All other documentaries I'm going to mention try to show the negative side or the harmful effects of the Capitalist economic system and globalisation. However, Winter on Fire is about a student protest that spiralled into a geo-political power struggle.

Cowspiracy

I've saved the best for the last. Cowspiracy talks about the impact of the meat industry. The difficulty of swallowing these facts is just as intense as the amazing feeling you get when you rip through that beef burger, steak or any other meat dish that you enjoy from time to time. While the discussion is focussed mainly on cattle farming, poultry farming's impact is also discussed.

I stumbled upon this documentary while doing research on flaws of the Paris Climate Change agreement. I found out that agriculture and transportation industries were left out of the Paris agreement and both were one of the leading causes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Leaving agriculture surprised me a bit. It made little sense to me how planting trees, albeit temporarily, could be a major contributor to GHG. Digging in a little deeper made me realise that this included cattle and poultry farming as well and these were the major contributors towards GHG emissions. Finding material to write over this led me to this documentary. That's when I decided to have a look at it. In hindsight, it wasn't a very good idea as it ended up delaying my submission to the last possible second.

There is another reason for me to mention this documentary. When I talk to people back in India, I hear a lot of arguments on removing beef ban in India. This is primarily based on 'freedom to eat what you want' and a bunch of other reasons, many of which are perfectly rational in my opinion. However, while I may not support banning beef consumption, I am mindful of the semi-positive impact it has on the environment. Semi-positive because despite the ban, cattle farming for export purposes is thriving. Removing the ban would shoot up consumption and boost the cattle farming industry to unprecedented heights for a country like India. After watching this film, I really do not want that to happen.

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So these were the 4 most influential documentaries that I have seen in the recent past. All of these are available on Netflix (India and US at least). You can probably find their torrents or view them on free online streaming websites but I will not divulge information regarding those mechanisms on my blog. Feel free to post comments on questions, views etc. below. 

I'm also looking for other documentaries on other key areas. The focus area of my studies is International trade and investment, my research focus on monetary policy and my personal interest lies in International affairs and politics. As a result, I'm usually intrigued with documentaries in these areas specifically. Despite that, I'm always open to watching informative videos or reading informative articles on other themes as well. Feel free to post suggestions in the comments section below.