18 Documentaries That Changed Public Opinion

Jake Valentine

August 11, 2025

The most powerful documentaries have the ability to not just inform and entertain viewers, but change the world as well.

That’s the sign of a good documentary: how much discussion and change does it bring about? It’s one thing to be entertained by a documentary, but it’s another to be changed by it.

With that in mind, we wanted to examine some of the documentaries that changed public opinion. Some of these films have obvious effects from their fallout, even in some cases being a catalyst for legislative action. Others have sparked either a renewed interest in debate on their subject or a change of opinion following their release.

An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore’s documentary on climate change won an Oscar at the 79th Academy Awards. That may not be its most impressive feat, however.

It also did the impossible: sway public opinion. After seeing the movie, 74% of people changed their habits due to seeing the film, with 66% of people having seen the film changing their minds on the topic of global warming, according to data from Nielsen.

Blackfish

The controversial 2013 documentary examined the life of captive orcas, particularly Tilikum, who was held by SeaWorld.

Despite an extensive campaign against Blackfish by SeaWorld, they saw an 84% drop in profits in 2015, though they blamed virtually everything but the documentary. In 2018, SeaWorld would pay over $5 million to settle federal charges about the company hiding the negative impact on the business from Blackfish.

What The Health

While the 2017 documentary has been met with plenty of criticism as it promotes vegan diets, it’s still responsible for a spike in public awareness and interest in plant-based diets, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Follow us on MSN for more of the content you love.

Citizenfour

Laura Poitras’ documentary covers the confidential Leaks from Edward Snowden and the U.S.’s NSA spying scandal. It’s regarded as one of the most important documentaries of the modern era and also has one of the biggest impacts.

In 2018, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the U.K. spy agency’s collection of telecom data violates the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Thin Blue Line

The 1988 documentary takes a look at the trial and conviction of Randall Dale Adams, who was wrongfully convicted of the 1976 shooting of Dallas police officer Robert W. Wood.

His conviction would be overturned in 1989 in the wake of the documentary’s release.

Harlan County, USA

The Brookside Mine strike was a labor dispute in Harlan County, Kentucky, involving 180 miners and their wives striking against Eastover Mining Company, which was owned by Duke Power.

The miners wanted to unionize with the United Mine Workers of America, and they’d get their wish in 1984. Jerry Johnson, one of the striking miners, said that the documentary film crew helped them win their strike and the right to unionize in a 2004 interview with Criterion Collection.

Fahrenheit 9/11

Michael Moore’s 2004 documentary took a critical look at George W. Bush’s administration, particularly surrounding the Iraq War.

According to the National Annenberg Election Survey, 41% of people who viewed the film lowered their opinion of President Bush, with many viewers, according to Voice of America news, also being critical of President Bush: “I gave Bush the benefit of the doubt before, but now there is no doubt. I really do not approve of his policies.”

Super Size Me

Do you remember the option to Super Size your meal at McDonald’s? Morgan Spurlock’s 2004 documentary Super Size Me claimed he was only consuming McDonald’s food over 30 days, though it later came out he was also abusing alcohol.

Still, the film’s release coincided with not only the renewed interest in American eating habits, but also McDonald’s removing the Super Size option from its menu.

Race to Nowhere

The 2009 documentary Race to Nowhere looks at the negative consequences from increased pressure in the American schooling system. As someone who attended middle school and High School in the 2000s, I can attest to this: it’s a high-pressure scenario where it feels like kids spend more time doing homework than they have available after school.

Despite the lack of widespread distribution, the documentary has still left a lasting impact to foster a growing discussion on what can be done to better the education system, not just in terms of teaching students, but not overbearing them with too much stress.

Miss Representation

The 2011 documentary takes a hard look at the role of mainstream media and how they have contributed to the under-representation of women in key positions.

While yes, there are several women who have had influential positions in power, whether on the news (Katie Couric), in politics (Condoleezza Rice), and Hollywood (Geena Davis), they’re still the exception, not the norm. The film is responsible for online activism in attempts to change the narrative, notably the #RepresentHer and #DisruptTheNarrative movements.

Forks Over Knives

The third food related documentary on our list makes me wonder if there’s something we should do about the status of food in this country.

Anyway, Food Over Knives attempts to convince viewers that plant-based food is a great way to avoid chronic illness compared to traditional diets centered on processed foods or animal-based products. The National Library of Medicine saw a rise in interest surrounding vegan recipes and plant-based diets on Google Trends following the film’s release.

Dirty Wars

The term “dirty wars” isn’t so much about how messy war can be, but instead dives into the shadow operations carried out by the U.S. military.

It’s also one of the major catalysts surrounding the conversation and debate in the 2010s around U.S. drone strikes.

Waiting for “Superman”

One of the more controversial documentaries to be released, Waiting for “Superman” failed to address the challenges within the U.S. public school system.

On the plus side, it brought about renewed energy in doing what we can to change things for the better.

Surviving R. Kelly

Lifetime’s documentary details the abuse allegations against acclaimed R&B singer R. Kelly, best known for “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition (Remix).”

Not only did the documentary result in a 40% increase in calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline, but radio stations across the country stopped playing his music due to boycotts.

Leaving Neverland

From one acclaimed signer to another.

Finding Neverland added to the already troubled conversation and legacy of Michael Jackson, with many wondering if it would lead to a boycott of his music. Ironically, director Dan Reed was surprised by this. “I’m not about cancelling Jackson. But I think people should know that he was, at times, a monster to children.”

It did result in an episode of The Simpsons guest-starring Jackson being pulled from syndication.

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley

In 2015, Forbes named Elizabeth Holmes the youngest and wealthiest self-made female billionaire in the U.S. on the back of her company Theranos, which claimed to revolutionize blood testing.

There’s just one problem with all that: she wasn’t necessarily telling the truth. 2019’s The Inventor brought her story back to the limelight, resulting in a larger focus on the corporate fraud that can, at times, run rampant in Silicon Valley.

Shoah

Shoah‘s lasting impact is how it relies on first-hand experiences from Holocaust survivors rather than archival footage.

Instead of hearing about what happened from talking heads, director Claude Lanzmann gave us a more personal look, highlighted by the testimonies from survivors and witnesses.