Best 2024 Documentaries: The Ones That Stayed With Viewers
- 01. The Best 2024 Documentaries: A Values-Driven Guide to Human-Centered Storytelling
- 02. Top 5 Documentaries of 2024 by Critical Acclaim & Impact
- 03. Why These Films Align with Marist Educational Values
- 04. 1. Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa
- 05. 2. Daughters
- 06. 3. Bobi Wine: The People's President
- 07. 4. The Eternal Memory
- 08. 5. 20 Days in Mariupol
- 09. How Educators Can Use These Documentaries in Curriculum
The Best 2024 Documentaries: A Values-Driven Guide to Human-Centered Storytelling
The best 2024 documentaries include Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa (Netflix, July 31, 2024), Daughters (Netflix, August 2024), Bobi Wine: The People's President (Oscar-nominated), The Eternal Memory (Oscar-nominated, Paramount+), and 20 Days in Mariupol (Oscar winner for Best Documentary Feature, March 10, 2024). These films prioritize intimate human stories over sensationalism, aligning with Marist educational values of dignity, solidarity, and hope for marginalized communities across Brazil and Latin America.
Top 5 Documentaries of 2024 by Critical Acclaim & Impact
| Documentary | Release Date | Platform | Awards/Nominations | Core Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa | July 31, 2024 | Netflix | Critical acclaim, 92% Rotten Tomatoes | Resilience, immigrant experience, gender equality |
| Daughters | August 14, 2024 | Netflix | Sundance favorite, seven-figure Netflix deal | Incarcerated fathers, family bonds, Black women's stories |
| Bobi Wine: The People's President | 2022 (2024 Oscar nomination) | National Geographic | Oscar nominee, Uganda's first Oscar-nominated film | Political activism, artistic courage, democratic resistance |
| The Eternal Memory | August 11, 2023 (2024 Oscar nomination) | Paramount+, YouTube (free) | Oscar nominee, 96% Rotten Tomatoes | Alzheimer's, love, memory, dignity in illness |
| 20 Days in Mariupol | 2023 (Oscar won March 10, 2024) | PBS Frontline, AP | Oscar winner, AP's first Academy Award | War journalism, human cost of conflict, truth-telling |
Why These Films Align with Marist Educational Values
These documentaries embody Marist pedagogy's core principles by centering marginalized voices, demonstrating solidarity with suffering communities, and affirming human dignity through authentic storytelling. Lhakpa Sherpa's journey as a single mother working at Whole Foods while summiting Everest seven times illustrates resilience through faith and family, a theme resonant with Catholic social teaching on work and family.
Daughters exemplifies the Marist commitment to accompaniment of the poor, as directors Natalie Rae and Angela Patton bring incarcerated fathers and their daughters to the center rather than the margins. Kerry Washington, executive producer, stated: "A story like this that centers people that society often ignores - incarcerated fathers and young Black woman - that's so important to us".
1. Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa
Directed by Lucy Walker, this documentary follows Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest 10 times, as she balances survival in an abusive marriage, single parenthood, and a Whole Foods job with her historic mountain ambitions. The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023, and reached Netflix on July 31, 2024.
2. Daughters
Directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae capture an emotional dance between incarcerated fathers and their young daughters at a Virginia prison, highlighting the criminal justice system's impact on Black families. Netflix acquired distribution rights in a seven-figure deal after the film's Sundance premiere in January 2024.
3. Bobi Wine: The People's President
This National Geographic documentary chronicles Ugandan musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine's challenge to dictator Yoweri Museveni's decades-long regime. The film earned Uganda's first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 96th Academy Awards on February 8, 2024.
4. The Eternal Memory
Chilean director Maite Alberdi documents journalist Augusto Góngora's battle with Alzheimer's disease over eight years, as his wife Paulina Urrutia becomes his caretaker while they preserve their 25-year love story. MTV Documentary Films made the Oscar-nominated film available free on YouTube through February 2024, expanding access for educational communities.
5. 20 Days in Mariupol
Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov filmed 20 days during Russia's siege of Mariupol, creating AP's first Academy Award-winning documentary that reveals the human cost of war through firsthand journalist perspective. The film won Best Documentary Feature at the 96th Oscars on March 10, 2024.
How Educators Can Use These Documentaries in Curriculum
- Social Studies & Civic Engagement: Use Bobi Wine: The People's President to teach democratic resistance, political activism, and African politics
- Ethics & Bioethics: Screen The Eternal Memory for discussions on Alzheimer's care, dignity in illness, and family caregiving responsibilities
- Justice & Criminal Justice Reform: Show Daughters to explore incarceration's impact on families and advocate for restorative justice
- Gender Studies & Immigration: Teach Mountain Queen alongside units on gender inequality, immigrant labor, and women's empowerment
- Journalism & Media Literacy: Analyze 20 Days in Mariupol for war journalism ethics, truth-telling under fire, and first-person documentary methodology
- All five documentaries are available on major streaming platforms (Netflix, Paramount+, PBS, YouTube) with educational licensing options
- MTV Documentary Films offered The Eternal Memory free on YouTube through February 2024 for educational access
- These films collectively received 23 Oscar nominations and wins across the 96th Academy Awards
- Critics praised 2024 as a "landmark year for documentary cinema" with films reflecting "complexity, resilience, and diversity of human experiences"
Expert answers to Best 2024 Documentaries The Ones That Stayed With Viewers queries
What makes 2024 documentaries different from previous years?
The best 2024 documentaries were "more human than loud," prioritizing intimate personal stories over sensationalism while addressing major global events like historic elections (over 70 nations), conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and climate disasters. Filmmakers captured stories behind headlines, giving voice to individuals navigating extraordinary times.
Which 2024 documentary won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature?
20 Days in Mariupol won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024. This AP and PBS Frontline documentary represents AP's first-ever Academy Award.
Are these documentaries appropriate for high school students?
Yes, all five documentaries are appropriate for high school students with teacher guidance. Daughters and Mountain Queen are rated PG-13 for thematic elements. The Eternal Memory addresses Alzheimer's with tenderness suitable for mature teenagers. Educators should preview 20 Days in Mariupol due to war footage.
Where can schools stream these documentaries for classroom use?
Netflix streams Mountain Queen (July 31, 2024 release) and Daughters (August 14, 2024). Paramount+ offers The Eternal Memory, while YouTube provided free access through February 2024. PBS Frontline and National Geographic stream 20 Days in Mariupol and Bobi Wine respectively. Schools should contact platforms for educational licensing.
How do these documentaries support Marist educational mission?
These films embody Marist values of solidarity with the marginalized, dignity of every person, and hope through authentic witness. They center voices often ignored-incarcerated fathers, immigrant women, Alzheimer's patients, war survivors-aligning with Catholic social teaching on preferential option for the poor. Educators can use them to foster critical reflection on justice, faith, and human flourishing across Brazil and Latin America.
