Looking Back: The Best Social Issue Documentaries released in 2025

The new year has just begun, and we want to look back at the past year and give you some tips for captivating social issue documentaries to watch this weekend. Social Issue Documentary specifically being a genre that is very close to our heart at Ghost Pictures. 

No Other Land by Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor is an award-winning story about the unique partnership of a young Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist supporting the activist’s work. Together, they document Israel’s gradual repulsion of Palestinian residents from the West Bank. However, their alliance is under the continuous shadow of the inequality in their personal freedoms. The Palestinian activist’s life is bound by military occupation, while the Israeli journalist is free in his movement. Although released in 2024, this documentary was awarded multiple prizes in 2025, among others the Academy Award for Best Documentary. 

The Perfect Neighbor by Geeta Gandbhir is nothing for weak nerves. The tragic story of a fatal shooting of a Florida resident by her neighbour raises questions on Florida’s controversial legislature on „Stand your ground“ and, even more importantly, on the society’s ongoing structures of racism. What makes the documentary noteworthy, is its being told in one and a half hours exclusively through body cam and CCTV footage. Well deserved, the documentary was  recognised with the Sundance Directing Award. 

How To Build a Library by Christopher King and Maia Lekow is a captivating narration on two activists’ endeavour of turning three abandoned libraries in Nairobi into digital cultural communities. Among these previously outdated libraries, is a former whites-only space that was in place until 1958. The past of this library makes the project even more relevant as it tackles memories of colonial violence and dialogue across generations. Nominated for a Golden Star, and awarded with a Special Mention for Best Arab Documentary Film, this documentary is definitely a must-watch. 

If you’ve not watched these yet, we highly recommend you do. In the meanwhile, stay tuned for our next article on the best social issue documentaries coming out in 2026!