As a documentary filmmaker and general aficionado of the genre, I decided to create a list of my favourite documentary films here. You're welcome to contact me to add your own comments or suggestions for documentaries that should be added to this list, though that won't automatically mean that they will be included. :-)

Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse (The Gleaners and I) (2000) Agnès Varda

Beautiful, eclectic and essentially conscientious. This is a really great example of first-person filmmaking, as Varda explores her own aging as she explores the ways that gleaning (ie. taking what ever is left behind or discarded) has changed from the rural setting to the contemporary urban setting. I made Dumpster Divers just before seeing this film, so I love the fact that there was a common wavelength happening.

Shape of the Moon (2004) Leonard Retel Helmrich

An amazing family drama by Indo-Dutch filmmaker set in Indonensia, where tensions are growing between East & West, Christians & Muslilms.

Jesus Camp (2006) Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady

This doc is well wicked. The filmmakers follow children attending the 'Kids on Fire' Christianity camp in the States. It's like a horror-doco, as the youngsters are turned into foot soliders for Christ.

Southern Comfort (2001) Kate Davis

An incredible love story starring transgendered cowboy, Robert Eads, dying of ovarian cancer, falling in love, proving that love knows no boundaries when in comes to gender or sexual orientation.

Some Kind of Monster (2004) Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky

Gotta love Metallica but I also really like this doco. Love the stuff where we see the filmmakers negotiating with the musicians on whether or not to continue the film. Probably worth mentioning here another cool "rockumentary" that came out in the same year DiG! - Brian Jonestown Massacre vs Dandy Warhols. Nice.

Walt Whitman (2009) Mark Zwonitzer

This is a simply wonderful documentary on an artist of great originality, whose extraordinary life is so vividly portrayed here.

Drinking for England (1998) Brian Hill

This is really fun - and really disturbing at the same time. Such a clever idea to have the participants to sing their stories! Fantastic.

Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010) Banksey

This is a very cool and very clever and very funny doc about street art but also about the artists and obsessives behind the street art stars. My favourite bit is "Papi Batman".