Best Malaysian documentary movies

Get ready to binge. We've found a collection of must-watch documentary films from Malaysia, now streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!

  • Poster for Ola Bola

    Ola Bola 2016

    Set in the 1970s, a multicultural team of Malaysian football players struggle to overcome personal and collective hardships as a team. Together they create the most triumphant zero to hero story and gain a place at the Asian Games.

    81
  • We Are No Different 0

    Could you imagine a dark-skin Indian guy speaking fluently in Mandarin and telling you that "I’m a Chinese"? Have you ever seen a little Chinese girl with fair skin being able to write fluently in Tamil? A Malay woman who is over 50 years old, only reunit

    80
  • Poster for Eye on The Ball

    Eye on The Ball 2019

    This documentary follows Malaysia's national blind football team, known as Harimau Buta, on their journey to qualify for the World Blind Football Championships. The footballers Asri, Kenchot and Rollen, along with their coach Sunny Shalesh, are also working hard to defend their 2017 ASEAN Para Games' championship title.

    100
  • Poster for Chilli Powder and Thinner

    Chilli Powder and Thinner 2021

    Chili powder and thinner painted the based on true story of young Malaysian boys in police custody, where they were brutally beaten and lost a dear friend.

    60
  • Poster for Hibiscus

    Hibiscus 2019

    'Hibiscus' highlights the city's hidden beauty and the warmth of its people that may go by unnoticed on a daily basis but are beautiful reminders to appreciate.

    60
  • Poster for The Big Durian

    The Big Durian 2003

    On the night of 18 October 1987, a soldier ran amok with an M16 in the area of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Due to the thorny circumstances of the time and place, his amok triggered a citywide panic and rumours of racial riots. Why did he do it? Why were Malaysians so jittery at the time? And what happened next? "The Big Durian" speaks to 23 Malaysians (some real, some fictional) to find out.

    80
  • Poster for Frontliner

    Frontliner 2021

    Several characters including medical personnel and food-delivery riders, play their part in Malaysia's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in its first few months.

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  • Poster for M for Malaysia

    M for Malaysia 2019

    M for Malaysia documents the 2018 Malaysian General Elections when the people of Malaysia, led by a 92 year-old former Prime Minister, overthrew one of the longest ruling governments in the world. Despite endless barriers thrown at them, the tense campaign pushed on with the most surprising result in the country’s history.

    80
  • Poster for Ten Years before Independence

    Ten Years before Independence 2007

    October 20th, 1947 was a historical day in the Malayan people's constitutional struggle for independence from British colonialism. This documentary chronicles the events that culminated in the Malaya-wide 'Hartal' day of protest against the undemocratic Federation of Malaya Constitutional Proposals devised by the British Colonial Government, and the rise of the people's democratic movement in Malaya, ten years before independence.

    80
  • Poster for Life in 24 Frames a Second

    Life in 24 Frames a Second 2021

    "Life in 24 Frames a Second" is a film about hardship, misfortune, perseverance and triumph. The personal stories of John Woo (The Killer), Anurag Kashyap (Sacred Games), Rithy Panh (The Missing Picture) and Lav Diaz (The Woman Who Left), who survived extreme poverty, disease, sexual abuse, genocide and civil war to go on to become maestros of world cinema. 'Survivors' united by their abiding love of the movies.

    70
  • Poster for Tanda Putera

    Tanda Putera 2013

    The film is about the close friendship between the second Malaysian prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak and his deputy, Tun Dr Ismail. They were secretive about their health problems as they had the task of restore the peace in their country following the events of 13 May, 1969. Tun Razak was suffering from leukemia and he had to keep it a secret from his family. They both seek the services of Dr. Macpherson. The reading room of Tun Dr Ismail became a secret clinic for their treatment.

    60
  • Poster for Highland Tower

    Highland Tower 2013

    In December 1993, a luxury condominium tower block collapse after ground erosion from the neighbouring hillside. About 50 people lost their lives and to this day has become one of the darkest and saddest tragic incidents in Malaysian history. Twenty years later in 2013, a group of documentary filmmakers venture into the remaining two blocks that is left standing to do a ghost hunting expedition. What they discovered is not for the faint-hearted.

    55
  • Village People Radio Show 2007

    A portrait of village life in South Thailand, home of retired Malay-Muslim members of the communist party of neighboring Malaysia. Recollections of the decades-long guerrilla war are interspersed with a Thai radio soap opera.

    55
  • Poster for Bukak Api

    Bukak Api 2000

    Bukak Api was made to heighten HIV/AIDS awareness amongst the sex-worker community in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, portraying the subculture as honestly as possible. The film was a community effort which brought together various agencies, residents, brothel owners, sex-workers, film students and production houses in support of the need for community-friendly information. It is an example of Pink Triangle Malaysia's working approach of community development for HIV/AIDS education, support and care. Bukak Api or "to open fire" is street lingo among sex-workers to mean "to have sex with a client".

    20
  • Poster for 15MALAYSIA

    15MALAYSIA 2009

    Fifteen short films with socio-economic subject matter by 15 directors of Malaysia's "New Wave" and "No Wave." 15Malaysia is a short film project. It consists of 15 short films made by 15 Malaysian filmmakers. These films not only deal with socio-political issues in Malaysia, they also feature some of the best-known faces in the country, including actors, musicians and top political leaders. You may think of them as funky little films made by 15 Malaysian voices for the people of Malaysia.

    10
  • Poster for At Rainbow’s End 2

    At Rainbow’s End 2 2020

    This follow-up to 2017's "A Rainbow's End" tells the true story of seven HIV-Positive youths, aged from 8 to 16 years old, who live at the Rumah Jaireh foster home in Batu Arang. Due to the stigma attached to HIV, these children are abandoned, abused and shamed despite suffering from the illness through no fault of their own. The movie aims to fight for their right to receive a proper formal education and to educate the masses that these youths future lies in everyone's hands.

    10