Movies Similar to Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life

Mac Dre: Legend of the Bay(2015)

Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.

Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist(2021)

A subtle portrait of Japanese director Satoshi Kon by the specialist of Japanese cinema Pascal-Alex Vincent and a dive into a rich work. With interviews of the greatest Japanese, French and American directors inspired by his work.

Gilbert(2017)

The life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.

Whitney: Can I Be Me(2017)

The life and tragic death of Whitney Houston.

The Look of Silence(2014)

An optician grapples with the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-1966, during which his older brother was exterminated.

I Am a Dancer(1972)

Documentary about the dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Robert Capa: In Love and War(2003)

Profile of iconic war photographer Robert Capa, whose career spanned five epic conflicts across three continents before his untimely death at the age of 40. The film traces Endre Freidman's transformation from a young Jewish boy in Budapest to his becoming Robert Capa, the most famous war photographer in the world. (Storyville)

Laurent Garnier: Off the Record(2022)

A look into the life of Laurent Garnier, one of the godfathers of house music, from his emergence on the music scene in the 80's to now. The story of the last music revolution through the eyes of a pioneer.

Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl(2022)

From Nashville newcomer to international icon, singer Shania Twain transcends genres across borders amid triumphs and setbacks in this documentary.

Frank Sinatra Memorial(2000)

Frank Sinatra, the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, is remembered by some of the brightest stars in Hollywood in this television memorial which celebrates his life and mourns his passing. Exclusive flashback interviews with Sinatra, his friends and his family, reveal little known facts about his overwhelming generosity and the sensationalized image created by the press. * In-depth interviews with those who knew him best... Ed McMahon, Tommy Sands, Shecky Green, Phyllis McGuire, Quincy Jones, & Betty Garrett, among others. * See highlights from some of Sinatra’s last films and farewell perfomances.

Becoming Warren Buffett(2017)

The story of the evolution of a boy from Nebraska who became one of the most respected men in the world, and the heroes who helped guide him along the way. By allowing access to his life and never-before-released home videos, Buffett offers a glimpse into his unique mind to help us understand what is truly important when money no longer has meaning.

Julia(2021)

Using never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos, first-person narratives, and cutting-edge, mouth-watering food cinematography, the film traces Julia Child's surprising path, from her struggles to create and publish the revolutionary Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) which has sold more than 2.5 million copies to date, to her empowering story of a woman who found fame in her 50s, and her calling as an unlikely television sensation.

Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire(1991)

Actress Sally Field looks at the dramatic life and successful career of the superb actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907-90), a Hollywood legend.

Lenin and the Other Story of the Russian Revolution(2018)

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, is remembered as the instigator of the October Revolution of 1917 and, therefore, as one of the men who changed the shape of the world at that time and forever, but perhaps the actual events happened in a way different from that narrated in the history books…

Elmore Leonard: "But Don't Try to Write"(2021)

Elmore Leonard, author of more than 40 novels, is renowned in the literary community. From his westerns and early novels of crime based in Detroit and South Florida, right through his complex and virtually plotless later work, Elmore Leonard dissected an America whose founding sins have continued to haunt it all the days. Leonard’s depiction of America is as real as Twain’s Hannibal, Faulkner’s Mississippi and Steinbeck’s Monterey. The new documentary ELMORE LEONARD: “But don’t try to write” explores the prolific author’s legacy and his influence on generations of writers. The documentary features exclusive images and previously unseen home movie footage, family photographs, and in-depth interviews with both literary experts and those who knew him well, including colleagues, family, and childhood friends.

I Am Heath Ledger(2017)

The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

Call Me Iggy(2012)

Who’s Counting? Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics(1995)

This documentary profiles economist and writer Marilyn Waring. In extensive interviews, Waring details her feminist approach to finances and challenges commonly accepted truths about the global economy. The filmmakers detail Waring's early rise to political prominence and her successful protests against nuclear arms. Waring also speaks candidly about wartime economies, suggesting that government policies tend to marginalize the fiscal contributions of women.

Cosmic Voyage(1996)

The Academy Award® nominee Cosmic Voyage combines live action with state-of-the-art computer-generated imagery to pinpoint where humans fit in our ever-expanding universe. Highlighting this journey is a "cosmic zoom" based on the powers of 10, extending from the Earth to the largest observable structures in the universe, and then back to the subnuclear realm.

Cary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man(1988)

A retrospective of the life and career of actor Cary Grant, including clips from his films and interviews with his friends and co-workers.