Best Spanish documentary movies

Constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, this documentary centers on the personal life and career of the controversial football player Diego Maradona who played for SSC Napoli and Argentina in the 1980s.

Filmed over 14 months with unprecedented access into the inner circle of the man and the sport, this is the first official and fully authorised film of one of the most celebrated figures in football. For the first time ever, the world gets vividly candid and un-paralleled, behind-closed-doors access to the footballer, father, family-man and friend in this moving & fascinating documentary. Through in-depth conversations, state of the art football footage and never before seen archival footage, the film gives an astonishing insight into the sporting and personal life of triple Ballon D'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his career. From the makers of ‘Senna’ and ‘Amy’, Ronaldo takes audiences on an intimate and revealing journey of what it’s like to live as an iconic athlete in the eye of the storm.

A documentary on why 'Money Heist' sparked a wave of enthusiasm around the world for a lovable group of thieves and their professor.

This documentary spotlights one of the most contentious deals in football history and the extraordinary player at the center of the storm: Luís Figo.

In 1999, teen Rocío Wanninkhof is murdered. Her mother's ex-partner, Dolores Vázquez, is suspected. Did she do it? A second victim reveals the truth.

An in-depth look at the creative process behind "Society of the Snow," featuring cast, crew, director J.A. Bayona and even real-life survivors.

Juan Manuel Fangio was the Formula One king, winning five world championships in the early 1950s — before protective gear or safety features were used.

Through key testimonies, this documentary looks at a gang rape that took place during the 2016 San Fermín festival and sparked protests worldwide.

This true-crime documentary film features Rosa Peral's first interview from prison since she was convicted of murdering her partner aided by an ex-lover.

Real Madrid, the football club with the most Champions League titles, is undertaking a unique renovation of its stadium. The new Santiago Bernabéu will have a metallic facade, retractable roof, 360º video scoreboard, and a logistics ring. It will be the first stadium to store the pitch underground with a revolutionary system, all while continuing to host matches, pushing engineering to the limit.

His teachers, coaches, childhood friends and Barça teammates, together with journalists, writers and prominent figures from the history of football, come together in a restaurant to analyze and pick apart Messi's personality both on and off the field, and to look back at some of the most significant moments in his life. Viewed from Álex de la Iglesia's unique perspective, Messi recreates the player's childhood and teenage years, from his very first steps, with a football always at his feet, through to the decision to leave Rosario for Barcelona, the separation from his family, and the role played in his career by individuals such as Ronaldinho, Rijkaard, Rexach and Guardiola.

An exploration —manipulated and staged— of life in Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain, as it was in 1932. Insalubrity, misery and lack of opportunities provoke the emigration of young people and the solitude of those who remain in the desolation of one of the poorest and least developed Spanish regions at that time.

Survivors and insiders recount March 11, 2004's terrorist attack on Madrid, including the political crisis it ignited and the hunt for the perpetrators.

David Prowse is an eighty years old actor, who has lived behind Darth Vader's mask during three decades. A group of Star Wars fans find out why he has been apparently forgotten by Lucasfilm during thirty years, and decide to give him back the glory he never had. This is their last opportunity.

Province of Burgos, northern Spain, October 2015. A group of fans undertake the titanic task of restoring the location of the last scene of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the mythical spaghetti western directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone in 1966.

There are many number ones, but only one becomes a legend. The brand new mixed martial arts champion, Ilia Topuria, is clear about it. After defeating Josh Emett in Florida and placing himself in the World Top Five of the all-powerful UFC league, he enters the cage ready to snatch the title from the until then undefeated Alexander “The Great” Volkanovsky. 'Topuria: Matador' is Ilia's story of personal improvement, from his native Georgia at war and his arrival in Spain, to catapulting himself as the world champion. Supported by his wife, family, friends and training partners, he will now face the fight of his life.

Mia recounts her most intimate confessions, uncensored, in her first approach to a totally new world of domination and submission.

Julita expressed her three greatest wishes shortly after getting married: lots of children, a monkey and a castle she can call her own. That all of these wishes have become a reality is probably down to the immense stubbornness of this charismatic and equally hilarious matriarch who has a weakness for collecting crazy objects. When financial circumstances force the family to sell their castle, her adult children are left sifting through a lifetime of peculiarities in search of a few lost bones… Spanish actor and neo director Gustavo Salmerón paints a deliciously absurd family portrait that just happens to reveal a lot about Spain, Catholicism and the economic crisis.

An exploration of the rise of Héroes del Silencio, the seminal 1980s Spanish rock band anchored by Enrique Bunbury.

Spanish footballers come together for the first time to relive the turbulent 2023 Women's World Cup and the kiss that overshadowed their victory.

Many migrants live in search of a mirror in which to recognize themselves; they are not from here, but they are not from there either. Los Williams / The Williams, a feature-length documentary, familiar and sporting, told in first-person by Iñaki and Nico Williams. Two brothers, footballers, Basques and "beltzas" or black, of Ghanaian descent, reveal their incredible tale across the two most crucial years of their lives. From their historic participation in the Qatar World Cup with two different selections, to the long-awaited victory of the Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey after 40 years, and Nico's triumph at the European Championship. Two international stars, face to face with their past and their future, through the conflicts that have marked their lives: racism, identity, frustration, ambition, and success.

A documentary on Argentinean soccer star Diego Maradona, regarded by many as the world's greatest modern player.

Nicolas Entel's searing documentary tells the story of Pablo Escobar -- Colombian drug kingpin, murderer and family man -- through the eyes of his son Sebastian as well as the sons of two of Escobar's most prominent victims. Sebastian shares stories of living in luxury and on the lam, but more significantly, he attempts to end the cycle of bloody retribution and make peace with two of the men his father so deeply wronged.

An in-depth interview with José Antonio Urrutikoetxea, known as Josu Ternera, one of the most relevant leaders of the terrorist gang ETA.

Ten young people from all over the world meet in Rome with Pope Francis with the aim of talking and conveying to him the main concerns of their generation. What awaits them is an unprecedented meeting, a face-to-face conversation, and a unique event.

It delves into the depths of 21st-century war conflicts, exploring the world of private military companies and modern-day mercenaries.

Despite being blocked at almost every turn in pursuit of the sport he loved, Seve Ballesteros fought against adversity to become the most spectacular and charismatic golfer to ever play the game.

This documentary explores Yurena's meteoric rise to fame as Tamara, the media frenzy she faced in the 2000s and the present-day lives of her TV rivals.

The spotlight's on Parchís, a record company-created Spanish boy/girl band that had unprecedented success with Top 10 songs and hit films in the '80s.

An intimate portrait of Spanish singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina without his signature bowler hat, at night and with malice aforethought. Rugged, direct, and unflinching, director Fernando León de Aranoa captures Sabina’s hidden side over 13 years of filming, where the artist steps off the stage to reveal stories of misfortune, comedy, inspiration, and of pain.

A new reading of the historical period that began with the reign of the Catholic Monarchs (1479-1516) and the discovery of America (1492), as well as an analysis of its undeniable influence on the subsequent evolution of the history of Spain and the world.

One of the most important and exciting historical research of all time, the study of the DNA of the navigator Christopher Columbus, finally answers two fundamental questions: where do his bones rest? What is his true origin?

On the 10th anniversary of the publication of his first video on the Internet, "Rubius X" is a documentary that deals with the origin, motivation and secrets behind Rubius, one of the most followed Spanish content creators in the world. A review of the history of a pioneer, the icon of a whole generation, who represents like few others the revolution of the new digital media.

In 2017, a tragic event shakes the neighborhood of Patraix. An engineer, with no conflicts or previous history, is found dead in the garage of his home. Suspicions point directly to his wife, Maje, and her lovers.

This documentary offers an honest look at our fraught, complex relationship to video games from the perspectives of gamers and their concerned parents.

A thoughtful exploration of gypsy culture, an intimate portrait of flamenco guitar player Yerai Cortés and a healing family exorcism through music. Antón Álvarez (aka C. Tangana) makes his filmmaking debut with this documentary.

A portrait of the actress and singer Pepa Flores, an incarnation of the recent history of Spain, who, in just twenty-five years of intense career, went from being Marisol, child prodigy of the Franco dictatorship, to being one of the first communist militants, icon of the Transition; an idol of the masses who became a discreet person after having claimed her right to remain silent.

Lawmakers and activists with conflicting ideologies speak about the complexities of Catalonia's politics and the fight for its independence from Spain.

This documentary traces the career of renowned Spanish dolphin trainer José Luis Barbero and the events leading up to his shocking death in 2015.

Documentary film about stand-up comedian Eugenio.

A compelling account of Juan Pujol, an extraordinary Spanish double agent during WWII who helped change the course of history.

In 2012, awarded filmmaker Hernán Zin suffered an accident in Afghanistan that changed his life forever. The traumas he had been accumulating during 20 years of war reporting suddenly imploded. He began suffering depression, loneliness and self-destructive behaviors. Searching for answers of what happened to him, Hernán Zin decided to interview other journalists. He asked them about their traumas, their losses, their fears and their families. DYING TO TELL is the first documentary film ever made about trauma in war reporters. It is a brutal and torn portrait of war, and a tribute to those who risk their lives for the world to be informed. —Contramedia Films

Guzmán’s final installment shifts from covering the actions of Allende’s opponents to those who battled to revive & promote their toppled leader’s vision for a new Chile.

Fascinating chronicle of the ascendancy of FC Barcelona - possibly the top team in the world and powerful emblem of Catalan identity - 'Barca: More than a Club'. Director Jordi Llompart charts the team's inexorable rise from its origins with founder Joan Gamper more than 100 years ago to a Champion's League-winning side that boasts striker Lionel Messi and prestigious coach Pep Guardiola.

During the pandemic, actor Miguel Ángel Muñoz documents his 100-plus days living in a tiny flat with his beloved Tata, 95, who becomes an Instagram star.

The life of the bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey during a day of bullfighting, from the moment he dresses up to the moment he undresses.

Antonio Diaz, better known as El Mago Pop, embarks on the ambitious adventure of exporting his magic show “Nada Es Imposible (Nothing Is Impossible)” to Broadway, USA. This venture not only requires enthusiasm, tenacity and the joint efforts of his team members, but also the purchase of a gigantic theater. Will the most famous Spanish illusionist be able to fulfill his dream of debuting in the Mecca of show business?

In a celebration of the trans community in Puerto Rico, the fissure between internal and external is an ever-present battle. A unique exploration of self-discovery and activism, featuring a diverse collection of subjects that include LGBTQ advocates, business owners, sex workers, and a boisterous group of drag performers who call themselves The Doll House, Mala Mala portrays a fight for personal and community acceptance paved with triumphant highs and devastating lows.

For decades, the commandos of the ETA terrorist gang operating in Spain sought refuge in France after committing their crimes, without the French authorities doing anything about it; until, in 1986, the police forces of both countries began to collaborate closely and France ceased to be a sanctuary for the murderers.

Spain, 1970s. A Clockwork Orange, a film considered by critics and audiences as one of the best works in the history of cinema, directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1971, was banned by the strict Franco government. However, the film was finally premiered, without going through censorship, during the 20th edition of the Seminci, the Valladolid Film Festival, on April 24, 1975. How was this possible?

This is the story of a normal person who does extraordinary things. Someone who pursues and achieves triumphs through taking care of the small details, because these are, after all, the ones that make him a different soccer player.

This film is a documentary about the poet Leopoldo Panero. His widow and his sons talk about death in general in this special case, and also about their own family problems.

The film explores how “Patria Y Vida” became a rallying cry that Cubans shouted in the streets during unprecedented demonstrations on the island.

The chronicle of the process, ten long years, that led to the end of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna), a Basque terrorist gang that perpetrated robberies, kidnappings and murders in Spain and the French Basque Country for more than fifty years. Almost 1,000 people died, but others are still alive to tell the story of how the nightmare finally ended.

Filmmaker Victor Erice follows Spanish artist Antonio Lopez in his painstaking attempt to paint the image of a tree.