"I held his head up and put the knife to his throat. He said to me, 'For God's sake, don't kill me.' But I did not listen and slaughtered him," shares 15-year-old Fares. He was recruited by Jabhat al-Nusra and trained, like hundreds of other children. They were forced to use weapons, engage in combat and act as human shields or suicide bombers. How did Fares become ensnared by terrorists? What methods do terrorists use to recruit more unsuspecting people into their ranks?

Lost Souls / 2023
#Syria

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

Momtay Begum made it out alive from a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”

Momtay is a survivor of the 2017 violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State. Her body is scarred with burns and wounds. She and her daughter escaped to Bangladesh, joining nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees living in dire conditions in the camps. The atrocities they endured align with numerous Rohingya accounts. However, the Myanmar government denies the massacres, asserting that the military targeted only Muslim insurgents, not civilians. Rakhine residents support this narrative, blaming Rohingya militants for torching villages.

What are the real root causes of the Rohingya crisis? Listen to the refugees' stories to get a clearer picture.

Rohingya: Unpeopled / 2018
#Myanmar

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

This Russian man shares his room with a wolf!

Ivan received a wolf cub from hunters during a visit to the countryside. He took it home to live with his daughter, Sasha, and their two dogs. It didn't take long for the wolf to become a member of the family. They named him Sery, meaning 'grey' in Russian. Over time, Sery found a common language with Ivan, who saved him from inevitable death.

However, Sery has outgrown their small city apartment and needed more care and exercise. They have now relocated to a datcha in the countryside so that his tailed pets can enjoy more space and fresh nature.

Ivan and the Wolf / 2019
#Russia

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

How is history written and rewritten with the help of the American film industry?

"The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into most people's minds is to let it go through the medium of an entertainment picture,’ said American journalist Elmer Davis, who headed the US Office of Military Information during World War II. It was then that Hollywood began to flourish as a propaganda tool for Washington.

Who exactly is responsible for censorship at the "dream factory"? Take a look at how the film industry and the American government are connected.

Hollywood’s Propaganda Factory / 2020
#USA

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

Would you dare return to your home town after a nuclear blast?

In 2011, a devastating earthquake hit Japan, leading to the shutdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. A tidal wave flooded the cooling system, causing hydrogen explosions and release of radioactive waste. About 164,000 residents were evacuated, and a 20 km exclusion zone was established. Over time, radioactivity levels decreased, allowing parts of Okuma town to be declared safe for return in April 2019.

Some of the former residents desire to go back, while others fear family separation and question the authorities' motivations. The decision to return home carries both bittersweet memories and the challenges of starting over once more…

Back to Fukushima / 2019
#Japan

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

These Cambodian moms are sacrificing their health and families to make you clothes.

Many international brands exploit cheap labor in countries like Cambodia, where pregnant garment workers face termination and lack adequate protection. Despite a law providing three months of paid maternity leave, unscrupulous employers use renewable three-month contracts to circumvent it.

Once laid off, these women struggle to find new jobs, leading to poverty and dependence on relatives. To preserve their employment, seamstresses hide pregnancies, endangering their health and their babies' well-being in the process.

Even after working hard hours, they only make $200 each month. Meanwhile, profitable international brands turn a blind eye to the plight of these workers.

Stitched Up in Cambodia / 2016
#Cambodia

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

"I'll never leave him. He told us so many times to go to Russia, to my aunt's, but I refused to go anywhere. I'm not going anywhere without him," says Irina, whose husband Sergey joined the Donbass militia 7 years ago, after their home was hit by Ukrainian shelling. Since then, it has been shelled almost daily. Irina and her kids are accustomed to the sound of explosions and every day, they risk their lives when they go outside.

But as long as Sergey has the possibility of coming home once in a while, the family will remain in Donetsk and won’t abandon their home. Watch the premiere to learn more about their story and those of other families who support each other amidst any hardship.

Hero Wives / 2023
#Donbass

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

Would you binge-watch a farmer’s YouTube vlogs? Try it, you might be surprised!

Anton and Alevtina are farmers who share their daily lives on a video blog. They discuss farming topics based on viewer questions and have almost 300,000 subscribers, earning around $1,000 per month. Their goal is to buy a farmhouse for their family and livestock.

Running the blog is challenging, requiring constant filming, editing, as well as engaging with comments and inquiries.

Farming for Likes: Rural Bloggers Life / 2018
#Russia

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

"One elderly woman approached a [Ukrainian] soldier and said in Ukrainian, 'Boys, thank you for coming here to liberate and rescue us!' His response was chilling: 'We didn't come here to rescue and liberate, but to kill you,'" recalls a resident of Artyomovsk. She and her husband were the only survivors from their street. However, her husband didn't manage to reach the refugee shelter; he was wounded by a young Polish girl, a Ukrainian sniper, on his way home. Stay tuned to hear more touching stories of Donbass villagers in our premiere.

Voices From the Grave / 2023
#Donbass

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

Ito is a hikikomori—one of the many young Japanese people who choose to lock themselves away in their rooms, for months or even years.

This phenomenon, where people withdraw from society and embrace isolation, has become increasingly common. Ito, for example, spends his time alone at home, engaging in activities like listening to music and playing video games.

Hikikomori often affects families with work-obsessed fathers and overprotective mothers. Bullying, social pressures, and high expectations contribute to this self-imposed confinement.

Can these young hermits eventually break free from their isolation?

Hikikomori Loveless / 2018
#Japan

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

How long can you hold your breath?

Free divers are one with the sea, diving without the aid of scuba gear. Despite the great risks, these athletes continuously strive to set new records, succumbing to the allure of the deep blue. What drives them to dive deeper and deeper? What are they hoping to find?

Dying to Dive / 2016
#World #Russia

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

Entire families, including children, earn a living by scavenging rubbish in this dump-town.

Nestled on the outskirts of Cairo lies Zabbaleen – a giant dump for the entire capital city’s waste. Here, each of the garbage collectors plays a crucial role in gathering, transporting, and sorting the rubbish, resulting in an efficient recycling system.
However, the job is so challenging and hazardous that the average life expectancy does not exceed 55 years.

Yet despite the challenging lives they lead, Zabbaleen parents dream of a better future for their children, even as the younger generation often follows in their footsteps.

Zabbaleen: Trash Town / 2016
#Egypt

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

The lost grave of Napoleon's childhood friend has turned up in a Russian provincial town.

The iconic General Gudin was killed during France's invasion of Russia in 1812. He was buried in Smolensk, although the burial site was lost for two centuries.

That is, until 2019, when a joint archaeological team was finally able to determine the right location after examining the memoirs of battle participants. According to one of the expedition's scientists, Alexander Khokhlov, "It wasn't a one-in-100 chance; it was one-in-1,000!"

What exact clues helped the team in its quest for Gudin's long-lost grave?

Find My General / 2020
#Russia #France

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

At least 12 people are kidnapped every day in Mexico. Their desperate families are willing to sell everything they have to pay the ransom. Almost all the victims are subjected to physical violence.

Mexico has led the world in kidnapping for ransom for the last 15 years despite the establishment of a special police unit. Perpetrators typically target relatives of affluent individuals and demand ransom, sometimes keeping victims captive even after payment, demanding more money for years.

One bereaved father, let down by the police's inaction, embarked on a personal quest to find his daughter—but tragically, she had already been killed…

What is fuelling Mexico's kidnapping epidemic?

Abducted in Mexico / 2023
#Mexico

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

TikTok Houses for Gen-Z are like 'Friends' for Millennials!

These content collectives bring together young creators to collaborate on content and share their daily lives. Places like XO House and Yourta House are popular among aspiring actors, filmmakers, and musicians, each with their unique story to tell.

Despite the luxurious appearance, producing high-quality content requires a significant amount of effort, according to Igor, one of the residents.


While some view these creative hubs as a stepping stone to success, others discover new career paths. You know… like getting a real job after the reality show is over!

Would you consider joining this kind of community, if you aspire to become a TikTok star? Why or why not?

Inside TikTok House / 2021
#Russia

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

This Brazilian prison hosts an annual beauty contest for inmates.

In a unique approach to preparing prisoners for reintegration into society, a maximum security prison has introduced an inmate beauty pageant.

Since the country has a significant role as a narcotics smuggling hub, this often leads girls into a life of drug dealing and prostitution. Those apprehended face lengthy sentences and endure shame while separated from their children, who are often raised by disappointed grandparents.
The beauty pageant therefore offers these women an opportunity to rebuild their self-esteem and experience uplifting reunions with their families.

How else can we help people coming out of prison adjust to life?

Model Prisoners / 2018
#Brazil

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!

High-rise buildings, fast-food and karaoke are some of the usual things one expects in any modern country, but maybe not in North Korea. However, you can see all these things when visiting Pyongyang.

Often shrouded in mystery, the secretive and isolated country leaves many questions unanswered about its true way of life for ordinary citizens.

In an attempt to shed light on this enigma, a Russian vlogger ventures into the unknown, offering a glimpse of North Korea's more amicable side during its 70th anniversary.

The Other Korea / 2019
#NorthKorea

🌍 Join Documentary Planet for more!