Documentary Films Trivia
Documentary Films trivia highlights the films, filmmakers, and true stories that have defined nonfiction cinema across different eras and styles. From early theatrical milestones to modern streaming hits, documentaries have informed audiences, sparked debate, and expanded the possibilities of film.
Easy Documentary Films Trivia
13 questions
These easy Documentary Films trivia questions are great for beginners and kids around age 12 and under.
Question 1
Which former U.S. vice president is featured in the 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth?
Answer: Al Gore
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary featuring former U.S. vice president Al Gore.
Question 2
Free Solo follows which climber attempting a rope-free ascent of El Capitan?
Answer: Alex Honnold
Free Solo follows climber Alex Honnold is he attempts a rope-free ascent of El Capitan.
Question 3
Who narrates the U.S. version of March of the Penguins?
Answer: Morgan Freeman
The U.S. version of March of the Penguins is narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Question 4
In Super Size Me, which filmmaker spends 30 days eating McDonald's food?
Answer: Morgan Spurlock
Super Size Me centers on filmmaker Morgan Spurlock eating McDonald's food for 30 days.
Question 5
Which documentary follows Chicago high school basketball players William Gates and Arthur Agee?
Answer: Hoop Dreams
Hoop Dreams follows two Chicago high school basketball players, William Gates and Arthur Agee.
Question 6
What is the title of the documentary focused on captive killer whales at SeaWorld?
Answer: Blackfish
Blackfish focuses on captive killer whales at SeaWorld.
Question 7
The documentary Amy is about which singer?
Answer: Amy Winehouse
Amy is a documentary about singer Amy Winehouse.
Question 8
Won't You Be My Neighbor? tells the story of which television host?
Answer: Fred Rogers
Won't You Be My Neighbor? is about television host Fred Rogers.
Question 9
Jiro Dreams of Sushi profiles which famous sushi chef?
Answer: Jiro Ono
Jiro Dreams of Sushi profiles sushi chef Jiro Ono.
Question 10
Which basketball star is at the center of The Last Dance?
Answer: Michael Jordan
The Last Dance is centered on Michael Jordan and the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls.
Question 11
Woodstock documents a famous music festival held in what year?
Answer: 1969
Woodstock documents the 1969 Woodstock music festival in New York.
Question 12
The Cove investigates dolphin hunting in which Japanese location?
Answer: Taiji
The Cove investigates dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan.
Question 13
RBG is a documentary about which U.S. Supreme Court justice?
Answer: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
RBG is a documentary about U.S. Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Documentary Films Family Trivia
12 questions
These family Documentary Films trivia questions are built for mixed-age game nights, classrooms, and groups.
Question 1
Which 2001 documentary follows the amazing journeys of migratory birds?
Answer: Winged Migration
Winged Migration is a 2001 documentary about bird migration.
Question 2
In Spellbound, eight children compete in what famous contest?
Answer: The Scripps National Spelling Bee
Spellbound follows eight children competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Question 3
Which documentary won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2005?
Answer: Born Into Brothels
Born Into Brothels won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2005.
Question 4
Babies features infants from Mongolia, Namibia, Japan, and which other country?
- A.Canada
- B.Australia
- C.Brazil
- D.United States
Answer: The United States
Babies follows infants from Mongolia, Namibia, Japan, and the United States.
Question 5
If you shrank down to bug size, which documentary would show you insects and other small creatures?
Answer: Microcosmos
Microcosmos is a documentary focused on insects and other small creatures.
Question 6
Pina is a documentary tribute to which choreographer?
Answer: Pina Bausch
Pina is a documentary tribute to choreographer Pina Bausch.
Question 7
March of the Penguins won which Academy Award category in 2006?
Answer: Best Documentary Feature
March of the Penguins won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2006.
Question 8
Who presents the BBC nature documentary series The Blue Planet?
Answer: David Attenborough
The Blue Planet is a BBC nature documentary series presented by David Attenborough.
Question 9
What is the name of the Macedonian beekeeper followed in Honeyland?
Answer: Hatidze Muratova
Honeyland follows a Macedonian beekeeper named Hatidze Muratova.
Question 10
Jane is built around archival footage of which primatologist?
Answer: Jane Goodall
Jane is a documentary built around archival footage of primatologist Jane Goodall.
Question 11
Who directed Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Answer: Morgan Neville
Won't You Be My Neighbor? was directed by Morgan Neville.
Question 12
Kedi is a documentary about street cats in which city?
Answer: Istanbul
Kedi is a documentary about street cats in Istanbul.
Fun Documentary Films Trivia
13 questions
These fun Documentary Films trivia questions highlight surprising moments and playful facts for game-night groups.
Question 1
Which documentary is the one linked with the elusive street artist Banksy?
Answer: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Exit Through the Gift Shop is the documentary associated with Banksy.
Question 2
Searching for Sugar Man goes looking for the story of which musician?
Answer: Sixto Rodriguez
Searching for Sugar Man is about musician Sixto Rodriguez.
Question 3
Paris Is Burning takes viewers into ballroom culture in what city?
Answer: New York City
Paris Is Burning documents New York City ballroom culture.
Question 4
If a documentary follows therapy, tension, and riffs with Metallica, which film are you watching?
Answer: Some Kind of Monster
Some Kind of Monster follows the heavy metal band Metallica.
Question 5
What documentary title rides straight into the world of big-wave surfing?
Answer: Riding Giants
Riding Giants is a documentary about big-wave surfing.
Question 6
Which documentary is literally about a typeface and shares its name with it?
Answer: Helvetica
Helvetica is a documentary about the typeface Helvetica.
Question 7
Stop Making Sense preserves a performance by which band?
Answer: Talking Heads
Stop Making Sense captures a concert by Talking Heads.
Question 8
Gimme Shelter builds toward which notorious concert from the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour?
Answer: The Altamont Free Concert
Gimme Shelter chronicles the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour and the Altamont Free Concert.
Question 9
Senna tells the story of which Formula One driver?
Answer: Ayrton Senna
Senna is a documentary about Formula One driver Ayrton Senna.
Question 10
Which daredevil is at the center of Man on Wire?
Answer: Philippe Petit
Man on Wire recounts Philippe Petit's high-wire walk between the Twin Towers.
Question 11
The September Issue revolves around the making of what massive annual magazine edition?
Answer: Vogue's fall fashion issue
The September Issue is set around the production of Vogue's large annual fall fashion issue.
Question 12
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is fueled by a high-score feud in what arcade game?
Answer: Donkey Kong
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters centers on a Donkey Kong high-score rivalry.
Question 13
Who directed the documentary Maradona?
Answer: Asif Kapadia
Maradona is a documentary directed by Asif Kapadia.
Funny Documentary Films Trivia
13 questions
These funny Documentary Films trivia questions highlight playful moments, odd facts, and inside jokes.
Question 1
Which mockumentary follows a fictional rock band that somehow treats amplifiers like personality tests?
Answer: This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is the mockumentary about the fictional rock band Spinal Tap.
Question 2
At the center of which mockumentary are dogs, handlers, and the kind of competitive grooming that deserves its own trophy?
Answer: Best in Show
Best in Show is a mockumentary set around a dog show.
Question 3
Which film is presented in documentary style and introduces the world to Borat?
Answer: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat is presented in documentary style.
Question 4
If the banjo case is open and the folk harmonies are earnest, which mockumentary are you probably watching?
Answer: A Mighty Wind
A Mighty Wind is a mockumentary about folk music performers.
Question 5
Which mockumentary turns vampire roommates into the subject of a very unusual house-share documentary?
Answer: What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary about vampire roommates.
Question 6
Who directed Waiting for Guffman?
Answer: Christopher Guest
Waiting for Guffman was directed by Christopher Guest.
Question 7
Which film uses a mockumentary format to peek behind the glittery curtain of a beauty pageant?
Answer: Drop Dead Gorgeous
Drop Dead Gorgeous uses a mockumentary format around a beauty pageant.
Question 8
In Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, what is the name of the character used to parody music documentaries?
Answer: Conner4Real
Popstar parodies music documentaries through the character Conner4Real.
Question 9
Which TV series specializes in spoofing famous documentaries, basically asking, 'What if prestige nonfiction had a comedy cousin?'?
Answer: Documentary Now!
Documentary Now! is a TV series that spoofs famous documentaries.
Question 10
Which mockumentary pedals straight into cycling and doping?
Answer: Tour de Pharmacy
Tour de Pharmacy is a mockumentary centered on cycling and doping.
Question 11
Who directed the mockumentary Mascots?
Answer: Christopher Guest
Mascots is a mockumentary directed by Christopher Guest.
Question 12
Which documentary-form spoof sends up the Beatles rather than trying to join them?
Answer: The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash spoofs the Beatles in documentary form.
Question 13
Fear of a Black Hat is about a fictional rap group with what name?
Answer: N.W.H.
Fear of a Black Hat is a mockumentary about a fictional rap group called N.W.H.
Hard Documentary Films Trivia
14 questions
These hard Documentary Films trivia questions are for expert fans who want a real challenge.
Question 1
Which year saw the release of the pioneering documentary Nanook of the North?
Answer: 1922
Nanook of the North was released in 1922.
Question 2
Who directed Man with a Movie Camera?
Answer: Dziga Vertov
Man with a Movie Camera was directed by Dziga Vertov.
Question 3
Name one of the Maysles brothers credited as a director of Grey Gardens.?
Answer: Albert Maysles
Grey Gardens was directed by Albert and David Maysles with Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer.
Question 4
In Michael Moore's Roger & Me, which corporation is the central subject of the film's conflict?
Answer: General Motors
Roger & Me is Michael Moore's 1989 film about General Motors and Flint, Michigan.
Question 5
The Thin Blue Line revolves around which man?
Answer: Randall Dale Adams
The Thin Blue Line centers on Randall Dale Adams.
Question 6
Who co-directed Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills alongside Bruce Sinofsky?
Answer: Joe Berlinger
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills was directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky.
Question 7
Which filmmaker directed Shoah?
Answer: Claude Lanzmann
Shoah was directed by Claude Lanzmann.
Question 8
The Act of Killing was directed by whom?
Answer: Joshua Oppenheimer
The Act of Killing was directed by Joshua Oppenheimer.
Question 9
Crumb profiles which cartoonist?
Answer: Robert Crumb
Crumb is a documentary about cartoonist Robert Crumb.
Question 10
Who is the subject of Grizzly Man?
Answer: Timothy Treadwell
Grizzly Man is about Timothy Treadwell.
Question 11
Virunga takes place in which national park?
Answer: Virunga National Park
Virunga is set in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Question 12
Cave of Forgotten Dreams documents which cave in France?
Answer: Chauvet Cave
Cave of Forgotten Dreams documents the Chauvet Cave in France.
Question 13
Restrepo follows a U.S. Army platoon deployed in what Afghan valley?
Answer: Korengal Valley
Restrepo follows a U.S. Army platoon deployed in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley.
Question 14
The Fog of War is structured around interviews with which former U.S. defense secretary?
Answer: Robert McNamara
The Fog of War is built around interviews with former U.S. defense secretary Robert McNamara.
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