5 Best Documentaries to Watch on Prison Life, Animal Abuse, Parenting & Spirituality
5 Best Documentaries that you must watch Asap:
These are some of my favourite documentaries that I highly recommend to you. Each documentary deals with a different subject and is loaded with heartfelt conversations of real people.
Some of these documentaries are so amazing that they will challenge your thinking. Each of them has been handpicked by me from my collection of best documentaries. Hence, I am sharing it with you.
As they all deal with different subjects ranging from— Animal Abuse, Parenting, Spirituality and Prison Life. If interested, you can watch them by clicking on the link below, where I have shared the summary and plot of the documentaries.
Brazil’s Prison Beauty Pageant Documentary:
About the documentary:
Brazil is known for hosting some of the biggest beauty pageants in the world such as— Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Earth. This time, it’s a hush-hush beauty pageant called “Miss Max”.
It is being held at the Penitenciaria Feminina da Capital in Sao Paolo— South America’s largest, all-female maximum security prison.
For the first time, LGBT inmates are also being recognised in this pageant. And are separately competing to bag the title of “Mr. Congeniality”.
Watch out to know the obstacles faced by the inmates. How they train, and the joy they experience on being recognised, as the members of the society.
Why you must watch this documentary:
The documentary sheds a light on how a trickle of happiness like— winning a competition inside a prison, brings hope and tears of repentance. Offering a blurry sight, how life is waiting to embrace them on the other side of the wall.
Unlike other pageants, the contestants of Miss Max are being judged on the criteria of beauty, poise, talent, and record of good behaviour.
Will this pageant do something good or will it invite unnecessary fights and problems in the prison? Watch the documentary to know more about it.
2. Bad behaviour ( Parenting documentary):
About the documentary:
This is one of my favourite parenting documentaries that I have seen so far. It revolves around the frail relationship between a little girl and her parents.
The couple is fed-up with the bratty behaviour of their daughter, who is too demanding and spoilt. She has been expelled from her former pre-school for misbehaving and disrupting the decorum of her classroom.
Her mother wants to discipline her, but she has her fair share of troubles. She feels uncomfortable around her child and doesn’t wish to bond with her.
On the contrary, her daughter does everything, she can do to steal her attention. When the couple finally decides to get some help from a professional, they finally realise the underlying problem.
Plot of the documentary:
The documentary features a seven-year-old girl named Georgina, who is being put to care for her bad behaviour.
The parents Diane and Fred go through several emotional breakdowns, as their daughter wants to express herself. But only expresses by reflecting what she has picked up from her environment.
To makes things worse, Georgina’s advances are not welcomed by her mother, as she doesn’t know what to do with her. You must watch it before it gets taken down by YouTube. Since it can be too sensitive and raw for some people.
Know whether the child tones down her attitude. Or her parents give up by not changing their parenting technique. Do watch it to know what happens in the end. This one is gold!
3. Pandleton Juvenile Correction Facility Documentary:
About the documentary:
This story shares an insight into the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility, where teenage sex offenders are kept under the facility. So they can be corrected and stopped from terrorising others in near future.
Some of the boys under the juvenile correction facility are serious offenders of sexual misconduct. Therefore, they are being treated with medicines and therapy provided by the correction facility. So they can take control of their mind and suppress their sinful urges.
Plot of the documentary:
Tammi Prince is the Counselor at the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility. Where she tries to initiate a conversation with the boys, so they can confront their mistakes.
By doing so, she is able to understand their psychology and make them realise, where they went wrong. All the boys kept under supervision are provided books and games, to stop them from panicking and revolting back.
What I liked about this documentary:
Instead of punishing, the facility emphasises on correcting. So they can become peaceful members of the society and don’t continue to create nuisance. But grow up as responsible, mature and empathetic individuals.
Nelson Mandela beautifully quoted, “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
This one is a thumbs up for me, and I laud this beautiful woman for her work. She is simply wonderful at what she does.
4. Earthlings Documetary:
About the documentary:
Earthlings is a documentary based on animal abuse. How one species “human race” is controlling the life of another species to use them for their benefit. Though, having the free right to share the same planet.
Humans abuse animals in different ways, some of which are unknown to us. This documentary is an eye-opener on how the food on our platter. The milk we drink and the clothes we wear are a product of our ignorance and bloodshed.
What I learnt from watching this documentary:
While watching the documentary, it struck to me that people involved in the meat industry, consider it as their daily paying job. When in reality, they are murdering someone, a living creature without having feelings of remorse.
This selective speciesism and the psychology behind it, make them think— killing an animal is okay. Because humans are on top of the food chain, and the life of animals are dependant on them.
Some strongly believe animals aren’t equal to humans and their suffering doesn’t equal to ours. When we all know that ignoring the pain of others is what makes us inhuman. Because we have evolved so much, that we are now capable of understanding and making decisions, and life choices, that do not hurt anyone.
Why you must watch this documentary:
Earthlings featured in 2005, speaks of the pain and bloodshed, that happens on the day-to-day life of animals. As they are used for food, clothing, scientific research, kept in pet stores, puppy mills, and even used as objects for sexual abuse and violence.
The entire world exploits animals to run big businesses. Fashion, meat and entertainment industries are heavily dependant on animals for trade.
These industries are involved in gruesome activities such as— butchering, crushing animals into big machines, putting needles into their eyes, and pulling out fur from their skin. Finally, killing them, when everything has been used, from that organism.
This draws parallels between racism, sexism, and speciesism. Must watch to know, what you can do to help these silent sufferers. So they can have a little less painful life.
5. Documentary on The Mountain Yogi: Pooye Lama Gomchen Milarepa Documentary on Gobind Lama
About the documentary:
I watched this documentary for the sole purpose of understanding the mind of a yogi. Who has set himself free from all the worldly desires, and the predefined goals of the society.
This documentary tells us about the life, and philosophy of Lama Govinda, who is practising one of the strictest forms of meditation. For which, he has taken refuge in an old thatched hut. He is unbothered by the harsh weather, and the lifestyle people are chasing outside.
Lama Govinda thinks he is special, not because people idolise him. But because he feels the kind of silence he holds inside. The pot of peace, which is kept safe in his heart is more valuable than the riches in the world.
The lama is wise and childlike at the same time. Since he is happy with his collection of spices and makes a joke about it. He tells the documentator, you can call me rich. Because once empty plastic bottles kept on the shelf, are now filled with an array of spices. Which is due to the love and care of all.
Plot of the documentary:
The documentary is shot in Kinnaur village nestled in Himachal Pradesh, India. Where Milarepa, Lama Govinda is undergoing serious meditation, which his followers call it, as his retreat.
While observing his retreat, Govinda Lama doesn’t eat and drink for days. He meditates without moving an inch from his place, even when his hut is swathed by heavy rain and snow.
At some point, the documentary also talks about the miraculous birth of Gobind Lama. And how he was drawn towards the path of dharma, at a young age.
What I learnt from watching this documentary and why I find it amazing:
I was amazed by Lama Govinda’s sheer devotion for his dharma, and what he feels is a peaceful way of living. Which will make you realise, how the gift of life holds a different meaning for everybody.
While sharing some precious moments with the documentator, Govinda Lama sees children and says, ‘Now, children are going to school. That is why they don’t know much.’
This tells a lot about, how we are modelled from a young age to be thrusted upon with the societal goals. And are given a direction by introducing us with a blurry picture that tells us— how a perfect life should be like.
Hence on growing up some of us feel, we do not fit in with that lot. Milarepa then continues his foot journey, meets people, and pats their back. To share the placid energy he received by indulging in serious meditation for years.
He says, he has nothing to offer. But he can give them blessings and pat on their backs to release the cosmic energy. So they can feel the same.
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Let thy spirit be high in love. Namaste
