Documentary Recommendations

This list was created as part of the International Humanitarian Studies Association Media Committee. The list aims to share films that communicate the complexities of humanitarian crises to better educate and inform practitioners, academics, and ultimately the public at large. The IHSA would like to promote critical discussion of these films, but does not endorse the actual contents or views of specific films.The sole aim of the International Humanitarian Studies Association with the list is to educate and inform people about humanitarian crises, policy and action, so that they can critically engage with the films on the list, and hopefully also with the ways crises are either being addressed or neglected. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them.
8000 Paperclips (2020)

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A Day in the Life: Za’atari (2013)

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Adopting Haiti (2011)

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Advocate (2020)

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Bajo Fuego – Under Siege (2020)

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Between Frontlines – ICRC Delegates at Work (2014)

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Bitter Bread (2019)

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Children of Congo: From War to Witches (2008)

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Congo Calling (2020)

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Disaster Capitalism (2018)

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Do Not Split (2019)

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E-Team (2014)

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For Sama (2019)

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Fuocoammare – Fire at Sea (2016)

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Gaza (2019)

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He Named Me Malala (2015)

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Heart of the Congo (2005)

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Hidden in the Limelight of Tsunami (2009)

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Human Flow (2017)

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Hunger Ward (2020)

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Jim: The story of James Foley (2016)

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Kinshasa Symphony (2010)

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Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone – If You´re a Girl (2019)

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Living in Emergency (2011)

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Malteser International in Africa – With the people, for the people (2007)

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Most Shocking Second a Day Video (2015)

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Nasrin (2020)

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Orange Revolution (2007)

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Photographer of War (2019)

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Poverty INC (2011)

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Radio Silence (2020)

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Refugee (2018)

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Restrepo (2010)

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Salam Neighbor (2015)

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Selfish – The Humanitarian in the Field of the Intimate (2020)

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Selma (2014)

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Shadow Game (2021)

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Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait (2014)

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Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields (2011)

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Taking Root (2008)

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The Ambassador (2011)

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The Daughters of Destiny

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The Foreign Aid Paradox (2014)

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The Greatest Silence (2008)

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The Land Between (2013)

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The Land of the Enlightened (2016)

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The Most Distant Places (2010)

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The Normal Heart (2014)

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The Pebble in the Boot (2017)

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The Price of Cheap (2020)

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The Right Girls (2020)

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The Shock Doctrine (2009)

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The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008)

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The Trouble With Aid (2012)

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The White Helmets (2016)

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This is Congo (2017)

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Vivos (2020)

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We come as Friends (2015)

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