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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For a ranked starting point, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie leads this list, followed by Kokomo City and 20 Days in Mariupol. The order is an editorial judgment, not a universal consensus: it weighs filmmaking, access to its subjects, urgency, emotional force and lasting relevance. The list focuses on documentaries released to audiences in 2023; festival premieres and later distribution can make a film’s “year” less clear-cut.
The best documentaries of 2023, ranked
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Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Davis Guggenheim’s portrait of the actor takes the top spot for its intimate approach to a public life shaped by fame, illness and reinvention. Its form blends documentary material, archival footage and scripted elements, using those shifts to make memory and performance part of the subject rather than mere packaging. Rotten Tomatoes placed it first in its 2023 documentary guide and described it as “Poignant and profound”; the Critics Choice Association separately named it Best Documentary Feature. Those are two notable signals, not proof of an objective winner. Rotten Tomatoes’ documentary guide; Critics Choice Association awards archive.
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Kokomo City
D. Smith’s film centers four Black transgender sex workers in Atlanta, letting them speak about their lives in their own voices. Its direct, character-led approach earns its high place: it resists turning the participants into symbols and instead gives the film its momentum through personality, candor and the differences among the women’s experiences. Rotten Tomatoes ranked it second in its guide, and it appeared among the Critics Choice documentary nominees. Rotten Tomatoes’ documentary guide; Critics Choice Association awards archive.
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20 Days in Mariupol
Ukrainian journalist and filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov documents the Russian siege of Mariupol in February and March 2022. He remained in the city with a small group of journalists, recording events under extraordinary danger and struggling to transmit reporting as communications failed. The result has the force of urgent frontline journalism, but also asks viewers to confront what it means to document suffering while trying to bear witness. Rotten Tomatoes ranked it third in its documentary guide; the Critics Choice Association awarded it Best First Documentary Feature. Rotten Tomatoes’ documentary guide; Vogue’s 2023 documentary selections; Critics Choice Association awards archive.
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The Deepest Breath
This portrait of champion freediver Alessia Zecchini and safety diver Stephen Keenan pairs the appeal of elite athletic achievement with the risks that make the sport so compelling—and so dangerous. The film follows Zecchini’s training in Dahab, Egypt, while its focus on the divers’ relationship gives the story an intimate center. Its visual access to the underwater world is a major part of the experience. The Critics Choice Association included it among its Best Documentary Feature nominees and recognized cinematographer Tim Cragg in its category listings. Vogue’s 2023 documentary selections; Critics Choice Association awards archive.
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A House Made of Splinters
Simon Lereng Wilmont’s film follows three children living in a Ukrainian orphanage while their parents are unable to care for them amid overlapping hardships. It earns a place here through patient attention to the children’s daily lives rather than a sweeping explanation of their circumstances. The subject calls for a careful viewing: the film observes vulnerable young people, and its premise alone does not establish what happens to them afterward. Vogue’s 2023 documentary selections.
Rank #2
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American Symphony
Jon Batiste’s musical life and work offer a strong documentary subject, and the film’s Best Documentary Feature nomination from the Critics Choice Association makes it a well-supported addition to this list. The available evidence here does not establish enough film-specific detail to describe its scenes or structure further, so this recommendation rests on its award recognition rather than a more elaborate claim about its approach. Critics Choice Association awards archive.
Strong music documentaries from 2023
Music films offer a different route into the year: concert spectacle, artist portraits and scenes from musical communities. The Associated Press published its choices in no particular order, so these titles are grouped here rather than assigned a false precision in the main ranking.
Rank #3
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- Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé — A concert film that also offers glimpses of Beyoncé’s life. AP reviewer Jonathan Landrum described it as “more about getting a glimpse into Beyoncé’s life — even for just a little bit.”
- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour — A large-scale concert experience built around the singer’s career-spanning tour.
- Thriller 40 — A look back at Michael Jackson’s landmark album and its legacy.
- All Up in the Biz — A portrait of hip-hop artist Biz Markie.
- The Elephant 6 Recording Co. — A window into the Elephant 6 musical collective.
- Little Richard: I Am Everything — A documentary about the influential musician Little Richard.
AP’s article named a mix of theatrical, streaming and rental options for some of these films when it was published. Those listings are historical, not a guarantee of present availability. Associated Press music-documentary selections.
How to choose what to watch first
- For a close, formally inventive biography: start with Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.
- For candid, character-led conversations: choose Kokomo City.
- For frontline reporting about the war in Ukraine: watch 20 Days in Mariupol.
- For athletic intensity and a personal bond: try The Deepest Breath.
- For an observational film centered on children: consider A House Made of Splinters.
- For a music-centered watch: choose among the AP selections according to the artist or musical world that interests you.
Why no list can settle the year
Year-end selections reflect different critics, criteria and access to films, not one shared scoring system. Rotten Tomatoes provides an ordered guide, while AP explicitly leaves its music-film picks unordered. POV Magazine’s Pat Mullen and Marc Glassman note that “some of the best non-fiction films of 2023 didn’t secure distribution,” limiting who could see them. A list based on films that reached audiences cannot stand in for every strong documentary that premiered or circulated in 2023. Rotten Tomatoes’ documentary guide; Associated Press music-documentary selections; POV Magazine’s year-end review.
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Where to watch
Availability changes by country and over time. Vogue named Netflix for The Deepest Breath and PBS for A House Made of Splinters when its 2023 selections were published; those historical listings should not be treated as current confirmation. Check the film’s official distributor or the streaming and rental services available in your region before planning a watch. Vogue’s 2023 documentary selections.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- DVD
- Box set, Black & White, Color
- English (Original Language)
- 5
- 1920
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