Documentaries About Russia

by khetch-99073 | created - 22 Dec 2021 | updated - 13 Jun 2022 | Public
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2. Salt for Svanetia (1930)

TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary

Story of distant mountainous region in Georgia that depicts folklore, lifestyle and daily routines of Svani people, focuses on the scarcity of salt in Svaneti region. Rich with documentary ... See full summary »

Director: Mikhail Kalatozov

Votes: 897

3. Count Tolstoi (1909)

Documentary, Short

It is almost like meeting the renowned Russian author to see this film, we get such a splendid view of him as he leaves his fine estate, find ourselves within touch of him almost, and near ... See full summary »

Star: Lev Tolstoy

Votes: 9

4. A Hellish Chaos (2017)

110 min | Documentary

100 years of 'revolution' in Russia. 100 years of catastrophe, the consequences of which Russia and the whole world are experiencing to this day. The four empires have disappeared from the ... See full summary »

Director: Sergey Debizhev

5. The Magical World of Disney (1954–1997)
Episode: The Peter Tchaikovsky Story (1959)

Unrated | 30 min | Adventure, Drama, Family

The story of young Tchaikovsky through the premiere of his "Sleeping Beauty" ballet.

Director: Charles Barton | Stars: Grant Williams, Rex Hill, Leon Askin, Lilyan Chauvin

Votes: 64

6. The Desert of Forbidden Art (2010)

PG | 80 min | Documentary, Adventure, Biography

75 Metascore

Risking being denounced as an 'enemy of the people,' Igor Savitsky rescues 40,000 forbidden fellow artists' works and creates in a far desert of Soviet Uzbekistan a museum now worth millions.

Directors: Tchavdar Georgiev, Amanda Pope | Stars: Edward Asner, Sally Field, Ben Kingsley, Igor Paramonov

Votes: 232

7. Secret Life of... (2012– )
Episode: Catherine the Great (2012)

Documentary, Biography, History

She is famous for having sex with her horse. Now, that may be pure legend, but Catherine the Great did have an outsized libido. She was also smart, ambitious, and a masterful politician. Welcome to the Secret Life of Catherine the Great.

Director: Michelle Métivier | Stars: Leslie Carroll, Guy O'Sullivan, Virginia Rounding, Caroline Weber

9. Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension (2017)

G | 26 min | Documentary, Short

A famous places of pilgrimage is the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension is located in Israel, in the village of A-Tur near a tall tower on Mount Olives next to the old city of ... See full summary »

Director: Yanai Arfi

11. All the Russias (2002– )

Music, Documentary

Beautifully crafted, informative documentary series, exploring the musical history of Russia in a five-part series. Beginning with its origins in ancient chants and folk music, stretching ... See full summary »

Stars: Valery Gergiev, Anna Netrebko, Evgeniy Nikitin

Votes: 18

12. Mystery Files (2010– )
Episode: The Romanovs (2010)

26 min | Documentary, History, Mystery

Last Russian emperor ('czar') Nicholas and his five kids (weakling heir and four girls) were revered by the simpleton Russian people like saints, until the Great War turned out disastrous ... See full summary »

Director: Marc Tiley | Stars: Amy Barnes, Glynis Stewart, Branwen Summers, Struan Rodger

Votes: 21

13. American Geniuses (2018)

14 min | Documentary, Short, Biography

Nikola Tesla and Alexis Guy Obolensky are two American Geniuses. Tesla was born in 1856 in Croatia, one of the greatest inventors of all time; Obolensky was born in Chicago in 1929, a ... See full summary »

Director: Dimitri Devyatkin | Stars: Alexis Guy Obolensky, Nikola Tesla

14. Our Russian Front (1942)

37 min | Documentary, Short, War

Using footage taken by Soviet battlefront cameramen, this penetrating documentary about Russian life during World War II is narrated by Walter Huston and features the likes of Joseph Stalin... See full summary »

Directors: Joris Ivens, Lewis Milestone | Stars: Averell Harriman, Joseph Stalin, Walter Huston, Semyon Timoshenko

Votes: 51

15. Masters of Darkness (2002– )
Episode: Rasputin: The Devil in the Flesh (2002)

56 min | Documentary

The Life and Death of Grigori Efimovich Rasputin.

Director: Olly Lambert | Stars: Brian Cox, Olegar Fedoro, Larissa Kouznetsova, Oleg Mirochnikov

Votes: 50

16. Votsareniye doma Romanovykh (1913)

A significant part of the 1912 production "A Life for the Tsar" was used in this film.

Directors: Pyotr Chardynin, Vasili Goncharov | Stars: Sofya Goslavskaya, Pavel Knorr, Vasili Stepanov, Lidiya Tridenskaya

Votes: 8

17. Chef's Table (2015–2019)
Episode: Vladimir Mukhin (2017)

TV-MA | Documentary, Biography

Russian chef who searches old history books for authentic Russian food to recreate into modern recipes. Very fierce and ambitious chef who wants to be the best in the world.

Director: Brian McGinn | Star: Vladimir Mukhin

Votes: 271

18. Omnibus (1967–2003)
Episode: Inside the Russia House (1991)

Not Rated | 49 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

Add a Plot

Director: Kim Evans | Stars: Pauline Black, John le Carré, Fred Schepisi, Sean Connery

19. On the Trail of Genghis Khan (2010)

Not Rated | 172 min | Documentary

For young Australian adventurer Tim Cope, this was the journey of a lifetime - travelling 10,000 kms alone on horseback across the Eurasian steppe through Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, ... See full summary »

Star: Tim Cope

Votes: 75

20. In Search of... (1977–1982)
Episode: Anastasia (1978)

Not Rated | Documentary

Did Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov survive the murder of her Royal Russian family by the Soviet Union and escape to the West?

Stars: Leonard Nimoy, Anna Anderson, Tatiana Botkina, Czarina Maria Fyodorovna

Votes: 26

21. Stanislavsky. Lust for life (2020)

82 min | Documentary

An in-depth investigation into the working process of Konstantin Stanislavski, who managed to maintain his inner freedom and true artistry within the harsh boundaries of the Soviet system, all thanks to the power of his prodigious talent.

Director: Julia Bobkova | Stars: Marina Brusnikina, Yuriy Butusov, Lev Dodin, Declan Donnellan

Votes: 58

22. A Year in Space (2016 TV Movie)

58 min | Documentary

Astronaut Scott Kelly's record-breaking year in space from launch to landing.

Directors: Jonathan Halperin, Shaul Schwarz | Stars: Mark Kelly, Scott Kelly, Barack Obama

Votes: 241

24. Baryshnikov: The Dancer and the Dance (1983 TV Movie)

82 min | Documentary, Biography

A documentary about renowned ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Director: Tony Cash | Stars: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Shirley MacLaine, Antoinette Sibley, Marianna Tcherkassky

Votes: 19

25. Russia's Last Tsar (1994 TV Movie)

60 min | Documentary

Explores the reign of Nicholas II, Russia's last Tsar.

Director: Robert Kenner | Stars: Jeremy Irons, Vasya Agayev, Alexander Derevenko, Kolya Derevenko

Votes: 22

26. Tsar to Lenin (1937)

68 min | Documentary

A narrative of the Russian Revolution.

Director: Herman Axelbank | Stars: Max Eastman, Grand Duchess Anastasia, Grand Duchess Maria, Grand Duchess Olga

Votes: 106

27. Biography (1987– )
Episode: Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1997)

TV-14 | 46 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Examine the sensational legend and amazing truth of the monk whose pervasive influence over the Russian royal family helped bring about the October Revolution.

Stars: Peter Graves, Grigory Rasputin, Tsar Nicholas II

Votes: 121

28. Man on a Mission: Richard Garriott's Road to the Stars (2010)

Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary

53 Metascore

The story of legendary computer game developer Richard Garriott's spaceflight in October 2008.

Director: Mike Woolf | Stars: Sergey Brin, Mike Fincke, Renita Fincke, Helen Garriott

Votes: 133 | Gross: $0.01M

29. The Secret City (1992 TV Movie)

Documentary

The first Western journalists to film in Russia's secret city in the Ural mountains: a walled city which was so secret it had no name and featured on no maps. It also harbored a huge secret... See full summary »

Director: Clare Duggan

30. Soviet Russia Today (1935)

73 min | Documentary

American engineer Charles Stuart travels through Soviet Russia, showing not just the political but the everyday life of the country.

Director: Charles E. Stuart | Star: Norman Brokenshire

Votes: 8

31. The Putin Interviews (2017)

TV-PG | 58 min | Documentary, Biography

Academy Award-winning film-maker Oliver Stone interviews Russian president Vladimir Putin about divisive issues related to U.S.-Russia relations.

Stars: Oliver Stone, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Chudinov, Fernando Sulichin

Votes: 5,271

33. Russia (1972)

108 min | Documentary

The first uncensored documentary about the Soviet Union ever made by an outsider. The film takes viewers to 12 of the 15 states of the former USSR.

Directors: Theodore Holcomb, Kira Muratova | Star: Harrison Salisbury

Votes: 39

34. Unreported World (2000– )
Episode: Russia: Putin's Family Values (2017)

25 min | Documentary, News

The Russian Orthodox Church is at the forefront of a new movement combining religion and nationalism and has forged close ties with President Putin. But is it also responsible for a wave of intolerance?

Director: Jessica Kelly | Stars: Marcel Theroux, Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Votes: 8

35. Vagrich and the Black Square (2015)

81 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography

The film is a collage, an essay and a documentary in tribute to an avant-garde artist and writer Vagrich Bakhchanyan. Viewers are immersed in the absurd and bitterly funny universe of the ... See full summary »

Director: Andrei Zagdansky | Stars: Vagrich Bakhchanyan, Inna Kapinos, Aleksey Zubkov, Aleksandr Zadneprovsky

Votes: 35

36. Pokoriteli morya (1958)

80 min | Documentary

The Soviet Union's version of Cinerama where the cameras tour parts of Moscow and show buildings, streets and people. Followed by forests, fields, rivers, a visit by a jet plane to the ... See full summary »

Directors: Roman Karmen, Z. Feldman | Stars: C. Henkins, J. Adamov, Sophie Desmarets, Yves Robert

37. Cinerama's Russian Adventure (1966)

122 min | Documentary

Following an introduction by Bing Crosby, the Cinerama screen widens for scenes of landscapes, cities, peoples, and entertainments of the Soviet Union. Highlights include the historic ... See full summary »

Directors: Boris Dolin, Roman Karmen, Vasily Katanyan, Solomon Kogan, Leonid Kristi, Oleg Lebedev | Star: Bing Crosby

Votes: 133

40. Russian Beauties In America (I) (2016)

Documentary

How life is different in America for Russian and Ukrainian women.

Director: Lana Moscow

41. The Soviet Story (2008)

Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, History, War

The Soviet Story offers an alternative history of an Allied power, which helped the Nazis to fight Jews and which slaughtered its own people on an industrial scale.

Director: Edvins Snore | Stars: Jon Strickland, Vladimir Bukovsky, Vladimir Lenin, Norman Davies

Votes: 3,446

42. Ancient Mysteries (1994–1998)
Episode: Secrets of the Romanovs (1997)

TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary, History, Mystery

Experience the final days of the Romanov dynasty and penetrate the web of intrigue surrounding the murder of the royal family.

Stars: Bob Atchison, Mariana Fiore, Joseph T. Fuhrmann, Grand Duchess Anastasia

Votes: 8

43. Fall of Eagles (1974)
Episode: The Last Tsar (1974)

Drama, History, War

The young Tsarevich Nicholas of Russia finds the idea of succeeding his father an absolute nightmare and spends most of his time trying to forget the matter by amusing himself with his ... See full summary »

Director: Bill Hays | Stars: Gayle Hunnicutt, Charles Kay, Barry Foster, Patrick Stewart

Votes: 41

44. What is 'Dostoevsky Reimagined'? (2018 Video)

Short, Talk-Show

Meet Torey Gerace, vlogger for VM Productions, as he follows the ongoing production adventures of 'Dostoyevsky Reimagined: The Making of Notes from The New World.' Find out about this ... See full summary »

Director: Vitaly Sumin | Star: Tony Gerace

45. Baryshnikov in Hollywood (1982 TV Movie)

60 min

The famed dancer encounters various characters in a busy day at work on a movie studio lot.

Directors: Jan Cornell, Don Mischer | Stars: Mikhail Baryshnikov, The Bethune Ballet, Dom DeLuise, Dennis Falt

Votes: 52

46. One Inch from Victory (1944)

67 min | Documentary, War

Newsreel footage documents world history and politics from Russia in 1914 to the German invasion in 1941. The Russian Revolution led to the ascent of power by Vladimir Lenin, who promised a... See full summary »

Stars: Vladimir Lenin, Maxim Litvinov, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Quentin Reynolds

Votes: 11

47. A Moon of Nickel and Ice (2017)

110 min | Documentary

An intimate portrayal of the closed-off Russian city of Norilsk through the eyes of its youth, mine workers and truth seekers.

Director: François Jacob | Stars: Anna Baranova, Aleksandr Kharitonov, Lev Netto, Viktor Pashin

Votes: 114

49. Soviets (1991– )

Documentary

A series of documentaries exploring life in the Soviet Union during the glasnost era of the late 1980s.

Votes: 24

50. La case du siècle (2010– )
Episode: La guerre du N°5 (2018)

52 min | Documentary, History, War

Chanel's No. 5 perfume is a legend. With it, Coco Chanel reinvented perfume just as she revolutionized fashion, by injecting modernity, audacity and freedom. However, the No. 5 story is ... See full summary »

Director: Stéphane Benhamou | Stars: Ernest Beaux, Coco Chanel, Paul Wertheimer, Pierre Wertheimer

Votes: 14

51. Boris Ryzhy (2009)

60 min | Documentary

An investigation into why one of Russia's most promising young poets killed himself at the age of 29.

Director: Aliona van der Horst | Stars: Harry de Wit, Boris Ryzhy

Votes: 122

53. Last of the Czars (1996– )
Episode: Nicky and Alix (1996)

Documentary

In the center of film are fates of Nikolay II and his wife Aleksandra Fedorovna, whose sincere love to each other and tragic result of life cause deep sympathy.

Director: Mark Anderson | Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Alex Kingston, Linda Kenyon, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alfred

Votes: 9

54. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013–2018)
Episode: Russia (2014)

TV-PG | 43 min | Documentary, Adventure

In the shadow of Red Square, in the dining room of the historic and luxurious Metropol Hotel, Tony and Zamir sample the famous beluga caviar and catch up on their friendship.

Director: Ryan Miller | Stars: Anthony Bourdain, Zamir Gotta, Travis Leake, Alexander Lebedev

Votes: 137

55. The Russian Job (2018)

67 min | Documentary

Swedish manager Bo Inge Andersson comes to the Russian city Toyatti to save the struggling automaker factory. He is asked for a revolution, but what he doesn't know is that nothing should change.

Director: Petr Horky | Stars: Bo Inge Andersson, Alexandr Kolesnikov, Petr Linhart, Katerina Matuskova

Votes: 120

56. Red Army (2014)

PG | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History

83 Metascore

The story of the Soviet Union's famed Red Army hockey team through the eyes of its players.

Director: Gabe Polsky | Stars: Viacheslav Fetisov, Vladislav Tretiak, Scotty Bowman, Vladimir Pozner

Votes: 7,212 | Gross: $0.69M

57. Space Race (2005– )

240 min | Documentary, Drama

The BBC's Space Race is a documentary/drama chronicling the major events and characters in the American/Soviet space race, leading up to the first moon landing. The series concentrates on ... See full summary »

Stars: Richard Dillane, Steve Nicolson, Ravil Isyanov, Max Bollinger

Votes: 937

58. Russia, Land of the Tsars (2003– )

120 min | Documentary

The history of the Russian Tsars.

Stars: Edward Herrmann, Michelle Maryk, Ronnie Farer, Henry Strozier

Votes: 180

59. Vice (2013–2021)
Episode: State of Surveillance (2016)

TV-14 | 26 min | Documentary, News

In Moscow, VICE co-founder Shane Smith's in depth interview with controversial NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden serves as the backdrop for a story on the state of government sponsored ... See full summary »

Director: Alex Chitty | Stars: Ben Anderson, Andreas Bakke Foss, Jason Leopold, Morgan Marquis-Boire

Votes: 81

60. Born in the USSR (1991– )

Documentary

Born in the USSR: Up follows the lives of people who grew up in the Soviet Union. They give an insight into Russian life.

Stars: James McAvoy, Seva Novgorodtsev, Anton, Rita

Votes: 149

61. Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald (1993 TV Movie)

TV-14 | 88 min | Biography

The story of the widow of Lee Harvey Oswald, the man accused of shooting President Kennedy. Via flashbacks, the story traces the woman's life from her days in Russia, the turmoil following ... See full summary »

Director: Robert Dornhelm | Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Picardo, Frank Whaley, Bill Bolender

Votes: 230

62. This Is Russia! (1957)

Approved | 67 min | Documentary

Documentary footage of late 1950s Russia covers such cities and towns as Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Yalta, the Black Sea, Kharkov, Sochi, Sukumi, Gori, Bukhara, Samarkand, Frunzo and Siberia.... See full summary »

Director: Sid Feder | Star: Carey Wilson

Votes: 10

63. Blockade (I) (2006)

Not Rated | 52 min | Documentary, History, War

70 Metascore

The city of Leningrad and the blockade during the Second World War. No words. No music. Only sounds and black and white images of a dying city.

Director: Sergey Loznitsa

Votes: 712

64. Frankie Goes to Russia (2018)

Documentary, Comedy, Sport

Comedian Frankie Boyle visits Russia ahead of the 2018 World Cup. He explores Russian football and culture, and examines the current relationship between Russia and the West following recent controversial geo-political events.

Stars: Frankie Boyle, Valery Rodin, Sergei Kalenik, Denis McGoalach

Votes: 90

66. Pushkin Is Our Everything (2014)

73 min | Documentary, News

Russians often declare 'Pushkin is our everything.' After 200 years of regime changes and political upheavals, the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin remains Russian Number One, the common ... See full summary »

Director: Michael Beckelhimer

67. The Kremlin (1963 TV Movie)

Not Rated | 60 min

Once the heart of Soviet Russia and the center of the communist world, The Kremlin embodies the rich and fascinating cultural heritage of Moscow. This was the first time ever that an ... See full summary »

Director: Peter Jarvis | Stars: Frank Bourgholtzer, Lucy Jarvis, Edwin Newman, George Vicas

Votes: 16

68. Biography (1987– )
Episode: Andy Warhol: A Life at the Edge (1998)

TV-14 | 50 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Add a Plot

Stars: Debbie Harry, James Warhola, Paul Warhola, Dennis Hopper

Votes: 118

69. Olga - den sidste storfyrstinde (2003)

52 min | Documentary, Biography, History

Portrait of Grand Duchess Olga Romanov (1882-1960), youngest daughter of Czarina Maria Fyodorovna and the Russian Czar Aleksandr III. Olga was the Russia's last Grand Duchess.

Director: Sonja Vesterholt | Stars: Vadim Znamenov, Lydia Levchenko, Bent Jensen, Tatjana Meiners

Votes: 12

70. World War Two: 1941 and the Man of Steel (2011)

90 min | Documentary

This is an interesting documentary about Stalin, his rise to power, and the invasion of the USSR by Germany in WWII. It's split into two parts, the first a general overview of the early ... See full summary »

Director: Russell Barnes | Star: David Reynolds

Votes: 163

71. Russian Dream (2013)

52 min | Documentary, Adventure

The film tells about Marina Albi, a famous American woman who has been living for twenty years in Russia. She undertakes a spiritual trip to the Russian province to find 'the Heart of ... See full summary »

Director: Sergey Debizhev



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