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Classic Documentaries Before 1990 · page 81

2,921 documentaries · ordered 27 October 2026 · How we order lists

Newest first: the year each film was released, from the open film record (Wikidata), then the order the list has always had. Every film’s page names its source.

1. No. 20011959

   Mästarnas match

   by Per Gunvall · Sweden · Swedish

   sport
2. No. 20021959

   Mise Éire

   by George Morrison · Irish
3. No. 20031959

   Morning in the Streets

   by Denis Mitchell · United Kingdom · English
4. No. 2004195951 min

   O Pão

   by Manoel de Oliveira · Portugal · Portuguese
5. No. 200519591 h 22 min

   Paradise and Fire Oven

   Director not on record · Germany · German
6. No. 200619591 h 26 min

   Portuguese Rhapsody

   by João Mendes · Portugal · Portuguese
7. No. 20071959

   Pre-History of Cinema

   by Emile Degelin · Belgium
8. No. 20081959

   Rock'n'Roll

   by Lee Robinson · Australia · English
9. No. 20091959

   Royal River

   by Gordon Sparling · Canada · English
10. No. 2010195921 min

    Skyscraper

    by Shirley Clarke · United States · English
11. No. 201119591 h 18 min

    Stars at Noon

    by Jacques Ertaud · France · French

    Alps
12. No. 2012195955 min

    The Race for Space

    by David L. Wolper · United States · English
13. No. 2013195948 min

    Three in a Million

    by Jennie Boddington · Australia
14. No. 201419591 h 14 min

    Ut mot havet

    by Nils R. Müller · Norway · Norwegian
15. No. 20151959

    Window Water Baby Moving

    by Stan Brakhage · United States · English
16. No. 2016195820 min

    Algérie en flammes

    by René Vautier · France · French
17. No. 2017195847 min

    Antarctic Crossing

    by George Lowe · United Kingdom · English

    Antarctica
18. No. 20181958

    Behind the Great Wall of China

    by Robert Ménégoz · France
19. No. 2019195813 min

    Butterflies Do Not Live Here

    by Miro Bernat · Czechoslovakia
20. No. 2020195844 min

    Cuenca

    by Carlos Saura · Spain
21. No. 20211958

    Dream Road of the World

    by Hans Domnick · Germany · German
22. No. 2022195827 min

    Du côté de la côte

    by Agnès Varda · France · French
23. No. 20231958

    Employees Only

    Director not on record · United States · English
24. No. 202419581 h 42 min

    European Nights

    by Alessandro Blasetti · Italy
25. No. 20251958

    Great Is My Country

    by Roman Karmen · Soviet Union · Russian

By decade

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The collection

3,059New Documentaries of the 2020sdocumentaries, newest first3,128Documentaries of the 2010s in 2026documentaries, newest first4,066Documentaries of the 2000s in 2026documentaries, newest first1,196Documentaries of the 1990s in 2026documentaries, newest first767Documentaries of the 1980s in 2026documentaries, newest first