Long-Form Documentaries Capture Public Interest

A resurgence in audience engagement with long-form documentaries is evident in the surprising box office success of films like "You Can See Everything" and "Musk." These documentaries, stretching to three hours or more, delve into complex and topical subjects, indicating a public appetite for in-depth narratives.

"You Can See Everything," a deep dive into the life of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, achieved an impressive $15 million opening weekend, ranking among the highest debuts for nonfiction films. The documentary, which explores Holmes's story leading up to her 2023 incarceration for fraud, has benefited from significant word-of-mouth buzz. Co-directed by Nathan Fielder and Joshua Oppenheim, the film examines themes of truth and deception, with some suggesting it could contend for an Oscar nomination. It has a runtime of 2 hours and 54 minutes.

Alex Gibney's documentary "Musk," detailing the life of Elon Musk, has also garnered attention. While not matching the box office of "You Can See Everything," the film's focus on the world's wealthiest individual and his prominent role in current events has made it a significant talking point. Gibney, known for his previous works profiling controversial figures, faced criticism from Musk himself for the film's "unvarnished" portrayal. This documentary runs for 3 hours and 55 minutes.

The success of these contemporary films stands in contrast to the trend of shorter feature films in mainstream cinema, highlighting an irony that lengthy nonfiction works are finding notable returns. These recent releases follow in the tradition of other epic documentaries that have earned critical acclaim and audience attention for their comprehensive examinations of real-life events and figures.

Among them is Ezra Edelman's 2016 documentary "O.J.: Made in America." Originally a seven-part series for ESPN's "30 for 30" banner, it explored the life of O.J. Simpson, his trial for murder, and its cultural implications. The film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, though its multipart nature later led to a rule change excluding such films from Oscar contention. The complete series totals 7 hours and 47 minutes.

Marcel Ophuls's 1971 film "The Sorrow and the Pity" is another monumental work, spanning 4 hours and 26 minutes. It examines the complex relationship between the French and German governments during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, including instances of collaboration. The film, which earned an Oscar nomination, was initially banned in France for its frank portrayal of historical events.

Claude Lanzmann's "Shoah," released in 1985, is a nine-and-a-half-hour documentary that confronts the Holocaust through interviews with survivors, perpetrators, and witnesses. It is widely regarded as one of the most important and impactful documentaries ever made.

More recently, Julia Loktev's two-part documentary "My Undesirable Friends" (2024 and 2026) offers an extensive look at Russian journalists navigating increasing state control and censorship leading up to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Part I runs 5 hours and 24 minutes, with Part II at 5 hours and 55 minutes.

Other notable long-form documentaries include Peter Watkins's "Resan (The Journey)" from 1987, which clocks in at over 14 hours and explores global issues through interviews with ordinary citizens, though it remains largely inaccessible. The "Up" series, initiated by Michael Apted and continued by others, has followed the lives of the same British individuals every seven years since 1964, amassing nearly 17 hours of footage across ten films.

Finally, the trilogy of "The Paradise Lost" films (1996, 2000, 2011) by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky documented the case of the West Memphis Three, presenting a compelling argument for their wrongful conviction. The three films together run for 6 hours and 41 minutes.