Africa is a rich and diverse continent and it is therefore not surprising that many nature lovers, photographers and filmmakers choose it as the best place to produce the world’s most interesting documentaries. Currently, the majority of the top-rated documentaries are video documentaries about Africa, even though they are produced by foreigners.
The documentaries are not only great for entertainment; They are also wonderful at educating people about nature and geography. If you are an African documentary enthusiast and want to know the 10 best Africa TV/Video documentaries, then this post is for you. You’ll soon find out why they’re top rated and why you should try to at least watch them.
Video documentaries about Africa you must see
1. Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan
Released in 2012, this documentary about Africa is one of the most popular and highest rated films of all time. In the IMDb, the documentary is rated 9.4 out of 10 possible stars. There are several great episodes of this documentary and they all scored so high that the best episode is The Black Hairy Thick Tail Scorpion. Dominic braves the remote wilderness of the African country of Namibia to search for Africa’s largest, deadliest scorpion, the Parabuthus villosus. I’m pretty sure you’ll love the documentary.
2nd witness (colony)
This documentary about Africa tends to examine China’s aggressive economic colonization of Africa, particularly the West African country of Senegal. The film, which premiered in 2010, shows how the Chinese in Senegal are working to transform the economic landscape of the world’s second largest continent. Historians believe that Chinese work in Africa actually began in Senegal, where its economic impact on the continent can easily be appreciated. The documentary also looks at a variety of ways that Africans are affected by the actions of foreigners.
3. The Queen of the Trees
Published in 2005, The Queen of Trees is a remarkable story of one of Africa’s most beautiful trees, known as the fig tree, and the nature of the relationship that exists between it and the animals of the jungle. The most interesting part is that the documentary explores the relationship between the enormous size of the fig tree and the small size of its evolutionary fig wasp. This is one of the most amazing stories you can find in nature. The story was written by Mark Deeble.
4. Rwanda: The Untold Story
Everyone knows what happened in Rwanda in 1991. The genocide in this country was the worst this world has ever seen. However, there are still so many profound mysteries about what really happened in this East African country. The documentary “Rwanda: The Untold Story” attempts to unveil some of the mysteries that have never come to light. The documentary’s cast features some of the world’s most respected personalities, including Kofi Annan and Tony Blair. This documentary about Africa is stunning and will keep you updated.
5. Life in an emergency
This documentary TV series that debuted in 2008 is one of the most educational and interesting/entertaining series in the world. Living in Emergency is about four MSF volunteers fighting the prospect of providing emergency medical aid in dire conditions in troubled regions of Congo and Liberia. I promise if you are truly a documentary maker you will make a great choice for entertainment and possibly education. Try it.
6. The last lions
Half a century ago there were about 500,000 lions in Africa. There are currently only around 20,000 lions left. Even more troubling is the fact that lions, unlike the far more numerous elephants, are not protected by government policies or international treaties. This sparked this well-researched and beautifully made documentary from husband and wife Dereck and Beverly Joubert. These two award-winning filmmakers are Botswana nationals who have served as National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence for over four years.
7. Beautiful people
Are you looking for a documentary set in Africa that is funny but informative and entertaining? Then you may love Beautiful People. The title of this documentary was originally called Animals are Beautiful people and that is what the documentary is about. It reveals the beauty of wild animals in Namibia (Namib Desert) as they interact with their immediate surroundings. You will wonder how interesting and beautiful animals can be in their natural environment. The documentary was directed by Jamie Uys.
8. River Monster
The Congo is known for some of the most interesting and rare freshwater fish species in the world. Jeremy Wade took the time to visit this African country and other countries in search of legendary freshwater carnivorous fish. You will meet some monstrous freshwater fish that are said to be able to eat meat, including that of humans. The documentary is quite scary and that’s why you have to be prepared.
9. Predators in War
Africa has wonderful wildlife and the most noticeable are the 5 mega predators such as the lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and tiger. Jeff Morales takes a look at the deadly survival game featuring the minds and eyes of Africa’s 5 ultimate predators. You will appreciate the predators hunting tactics as well as the prey survival tactics used in the hands of these mega predators to escape death. You will enjoy this game to the fullest.
10. Migration: Spy on the wildebeest
Completing our list of the 10 best TV/Video Documentaries about Africa is “Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest”. Every year, over 1.2 million wildebeest make a 1,800-kilometer round trip across the vast Serengeti plains in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. Revolutionary spy cameras floating in the air or disguised as rocks, dung or skulls show wildebeest migration from entirely new perspectives. It is a two-part film that sheds light on the life of the wildebeest from calf to migration. This documentary was released in 2007 and was written and directed by John Downer.