© Instagram.com/abstractdesign
Culture & Living
10 Netflix documentaries and series you can now watch for free on YouTube
In the wake of schools downing their shutters during the COVID-19 pandemic, the streaming platform has released a range of its educational documentaries and docu-series for free
As self-isolation continues to be our new normal, various industries are making an effort to help people pull through the pandemic as effortlessly as they can. Much-awaited new films and shows are releasing online earlier than they otherwise would, and diverse educational courses are being offered virtually. Most recently, Netflix joined in by making its select educational documentaries and series available on YouTube for free. “For many years, Netflix has allowed teachers to screen documentaries in their classrooms. However, this isn’t possible with schools closed. So at their request, we have made a selection of our documentary features and series available on our YouTube channel,” the streaming giant announced on YouTube. Scroll down for the entire list.
Abstract: The Art of Design
“Abstract is an eight-episode documentary series about creativity, about visionary designers who shape the world around us—from architecture to illustration, cars to typography,” Scott Dadich, former editor-in-chief of WIRED and the creator of the show, wrote in the magazine’s February 2017 issue prior to the Netflix release. The series spotlights the processes and works of select design professionals, and offers a peek inside their journeys and the specific creative industries.
Babies
How do babies learn to speak? What happens inside our brain when we fall in love with an infant? Do these little humans actually know more than we think they do? In this Netflix docu-series, experts find out all this and much more, by following the journey of 15 families across the world who are in their first years of raising a child. Expect both exciting and thought-provoking real-life moments.
Knock Down the House
Rachel Lears’ Knock Down the House tells the story of a historic political moment in the United States—the period after Donald Trump was elected as the president. Through the journeys of four resolute women, she brings the national scenario and what the citizens were feeling, on to our screens. “The purpose (of the documentary) is to tell a story about a historic moment, and what it was like for the people inside it, and how the politically impossible becomes possible,” she said during an interview with The Guardian ahead of the May 2019 release.
Period. End of Sentence.
Chronicling the journey of a group of women who produce and sell low-cost sanitary napkins in Hapur, a north Indian village, the film draws attention towards women’s menstrual hardships in rural areas. Period. End of Sentence., which manages to depict a social awakening of sorts, also won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2019.
Zion
In just 11 minutes, the documentary short narrates the stirring tale of Zion Clark, a teen who lives in foster care, and is born without legs. The feature takes an interesting turn of events when he realises that his true calling is professional wrestling. His struggles, and how he overcomes them, are captured brightly in the film.
The White Helmets
A group of rescue workers risk their lives to save fellow citizens in a war-torn Syria. The volunteer group, known as the White Helmets, portray a heroic effort as they prevent civilians—while they’re carrying out the most mundane day-to-day tasks—from being attacked. Viewers experience poignant details as well as intrepid moves in this 40-minute peek inside a dark world.
Our Planet
In the time of coronavirus, this eight-part documentary series will serve to be your next travel escape with panoramic views of the Peruvian coast and a charming parade of herds of reindeers. As British broadcaster David Attenborough narrates each episode, the viewers are introduced to the incredible interconnectedness of species and eco-systems on the planet. However, the series is not merely a montage of the existing natural wonders—Attenborough doesn’t stay away from drawing comparisons between the extraordinary sights that we witness on screen and what they had been a few decades back. Just when you think something couldn’t be more beautiful, he’s quick to note, “the awe-inspiring herd we are watching is 70 per cent smaller than it was 20 years ago.”
Explained
Ever wonder why women are paid less? Or, why some diets fail? Or, when does sound become music? All the questions that may arise in your mind during those long showers, plus many more, are answered in this Netflix original explainer series. The select episodes available for free on YouTube touch upon the topics related to career, cultural differences and creativity among others.
Chasing Coral
Jeff Orlowski’s Chasing Coral documents the mass damage of coral reefs on a global scale that majorly occurred during the El Niño that lasted from 2014 to 2017. A tribute to a variety of animal species that went extinct, and a wake-up call for humans, the documentary presents it all by following the stories of an ocean conservationist, an ad executive-turned-underwater photographer, a marine biologist, researchers and many other people. Amidst all the details, it also doesn’t fail to pinch out and show a clearer picture of nature as we know it.
13th
The Oscar-nominated film won Best Documentary at the Emmys, the BAFTAs and the NAACP Image Awards. The title refers to the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which abolished slavery and any involuntary service, except when performed as punishment for a crime. With that as a premise, the film explores the history of the country’s racial inequality.
Also read:
38 of fashion’s biggest names on the music, films and books that will change your life
Has the quarantine life made your favourite talk shows even more hilarious?
