Since most of us find a little extra free time on our hands during this time of quarantine and working from home, I thought what better time to catch up on some eye opening documentary films! I have compiled a small list of some of my personal favorite documentaries about sustainability, fast fashion, and our environment. All these films cover hard hitting topics in super informative ways, however I definitely found some more riveting then others so I created my own little 5 star* rating system that I included next to each film title. I hope you find these films as educational and enlightening as I did, and if you have any other recommendations to add to the list please comment below!
The True Cost * * * * *
- The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story about the fast fashion industry and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing? The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically.
Filmed in countries all over the world, from the brightest runways to the darkest slums, The True Cost is an unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothing. I highly recommend this film for anyone, not just fashion lovers. This is an amazing documentary to watch and learn from experts in fashion, sustainability, and human rights.
Filmed in countries all over the world, from the brightest runways to the darkest slums, The True Cost is an unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothing. I highly recommend this film for anyone, not just fashion lovers. This is an amazing documentary to watch and learn from experts in fashion, sustainability, and human rights.
Available on Netflix - https://truecostmovie.com/
RiverBlue * * * * *
-RiverBlue is an amazing documentary that follows international river conservationist, Mark Angelo, travel the globe to infiltrate one of the world’s most pollutant industries, fashion. RiverBlue brings awareness to the destruction of some of the world’s most vital rivers through the manufacturing of our clothing. RiverBlue is a transformative documentary that examines the destruction of our rivers, its effect on humanity, and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future. This documentary interviews numerous experts from around the world on matters of pollution, sustainability, human welfare, and fashion to really give you an in depth view of how the textile industry is hurting our earth and the people on it.
Available to rent on multiple platforms - http://riverbluethemovie.eco/
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things * * *
- Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things examines the many flavors of minimalism by taking the audience inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life—families, entrepreneurs, architects, artists, journalists, scientists, and even a former Wall Street broker—all of whom are striving to live a meaningful life with less. Minimalism opens up a great prospective of how our overly consumerist society contributes to unhappiness, negative environmental impacts, and societal disconnect. One of the things I enjoyed about this documentary was the wide range of minimalist lifestyles they explored. The filmmaker's narrative that minimalism isn't JUST about owning less, but that it's about living for YOU and only keeping things (physical goods, a job, a house, etc) that truly bring you inner joy is a powerful message.
Available on Netflix - https://minimalismfilm.com/
Alex James: Slowing Down Fast Fashion * * *
-In Slowing Down Fast Fashion, Alex James, former bassist of the band Blur, presents a critical look at the fashion industry and its enormous human and environmental cost. James explores society's disposable approach to clothing and the toll that over consumption of cheap fashion has on the people who make our clothing and our planet. In this documentary James asks, can anything slow down fast fashion? To help answer that question he explores the inner workings of landfills, clothing recycling plants, and talks to professionals in sustainable fashion and natural fibers.
Available on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Alex-James-Slowing-Down-Fashion/dp/B01IDQONZ0
The Next Black * * * *
-The Next Black is a documentary film that introduces the designers, innovators and leaders from around the world who are shaping the future of clothing. This film probes beyond what we are wearing to explore how we produce clothes, how we interact with them and how we care for them. Each person interviewed in this documentary has a fresh perspective on the future of the clothing industry - and all of them are using their passions to fuel change. This film covers new innovations in fashion including dry dying fabric in a process that uses zero water, bio-designing textiles from bacteria, responsible consumption, and clothing infused with advanced technology. This is a great film to watch to learn about what's coming next in sustainable fashion and technology.
Available free on: https://www.aeg.co.uk/archive/the-next-black/#146530
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret * * *
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is an environmental documentary by filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn. Cowspiracy follows Andersen as he explores the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. The film looks at various environmental concerns, including global warming, water use, deforestation, and ocean dead zones, and suggests that animal agriculture is the primary source of environmental destruction. This shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population. I thought this film had some really good information, however when watching it (especially the first half), you have to keep in mind that it aired in 2014, so some of what Andersen says might seem slightly outdated because this was before veganism really gained mass popularity and uncovered a lot of environmentally destructive facts about the agriculture business.
Period. End of Sentence. * * * * *
-Period. End Of Sentence. is an inspiring 2018 documentary short film directed by Rayka Zehtabchi about Indian women leading a quiet sexual revolution. The documentary chronicles a group of local women in Hapur, India, as they learn how make low-cost, biodegradable sanitary pads, which they sell to other women in their community at affordable prices. This not only helps to improve feminine hygiene by providing access to basic sanitary products but also supports and empowers the women to shed the taboos in India surrounding menstruation – all while contributing to the economic future of their community.
Available on Netflix - https://thepadproject.org/period-end-of-sentence/