ABC Documentaries

This documentary looks at how the fly, a national nuisance, has shaped Australia and its people, confounding our scientists, influencing our lifestyle and defining the way we speak. But is its value misunderstood?

Sam Neill examines the enduring myths of the Anzac legend, sharing his family's war stories and uncovering forgotten truths that haunt us still today.

Moving and startling film about why Australia really went to war in Vietnam and how the troops discovered that their biggest battle there was dealing with Australia's best friend, America.

When we reflect on WWI what are we remembering? The facts, or just one small part of the Anzac story, a story steeped in legend? Ask yourself this question when Anzac Day comes about – Lest we forget what?

Narrated by Terence Stamp, this is the story behind one of the world's most loved films, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Arthur Phillip is arguably the most important person in Australia's history. The commander of the First Fleet and the founding Governor of what would grow into Australia, Phillip is - according to prominent historian Jonathan King - this nation's equivalent to George Washington. And yet for such an influential person, so little is widely known about Arthur Phillip. Who was this man, what did he do before the First Fleet and why did he accept the enormous challenge of sailing half way around the globe to found a new colony largely populated by Britain’s cast-offs and criminals? After all, as Phillip biographer Michael Pembroke argues, this mission was like "taking a group of citizens against their will to establish a colony on the moon." Presented by Scott Bevan, ARTHUR PHILLIP: GOVERNOR, SAILR, SPY is a revealing account of the man who helped lay the foundations for modern Australia.

The world's most powerful man, US President Barack Obama, interviews the world's most acclaimed naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, about the world's most critical environmental issues.

A cautionary and inspiring tale about the effects of anonymous sperm donation on donor-conceived children, their families and on the sperm donors themselves.

This film explores the unique set of circumstances in 1970s Brisbane that fostered The Saints; the sweaty rebellion of Brisbane's oppressed youth as punk counterculture challenged QLD's notorious police force.

Through rarely seen archive, interviews with leading experts and arresting visual graphics, this documentary reveals the untold story of how artists were recruited by the military to fool the enemy in modern warfare.

Multi-award winning Aussie comedian Felicity Ward takes up the challenge of breaking down the stigmas around mental health.

The pokies. They’re rigged, they’re addictive, and they’re everywhere. And most of the machines are in the poorest postcodes across the nation. They’ve got almost half a million Australians hooked. And that’s exactly what they’re designed to do. Produced by Neil Lawrence and Mitzi Goldman and directed by Jane Manning, Ka-Ching! Pokie Nation exposes how the seemingly innocuous pokie machines at your local pub are programmed for addiction. For the first time, industry insiders go on the record to explain how these sophisticated machines combine graphics and musical elements with complex mathematical algorithms to keep punters hooked. Hear from game designers, mathematicians and composers who’ve designed hundreds of machines, as they break the silence around this highly secretive industry. Their testimonies are supported by world-leading neuroscientists, who take us into the lab to show how these machines work on our brains, leading some researchers to call them “the crack cocaine of gambling” and “electronic morphine”.

This cutting edge documentary filmed over six months at HMP Gartree in Leicestershire provides an unprecedented insight into the lives of convicted killers facing a lifetime behind bars.

Billionaire Frank Lowy had a dream: to bring the world to Australia for the greatest sporting event on the planet. Football’s World Cup would be Lowy’s crowning achievement in an extraordinarily successful career and his greatest coup. History told him he was the man to do it. Instead, he was conned. He was completely played by the masters of dark politics and backstabbing. Along the way, Australia lost $43 million. Was it hubris or naivety from Frank Lowy. Or was one of the world’s smartest businessmen simply an unsuspecting player in the high-stakes power game beyond his control? It was certainly embarrassing for Australia. Now, for the first time, the inside story of what really happened is exclusively revealed by those close to the action – including Frank Lowy; former Prime Minister John Howard; disgraced FIFA President Sepp Blatter; former FFA CEO John O’Neill; Steven Lowy; Lowy’s close adviser Mark Ryan; biographer Jill Margo; film director Phillip Noyce; and Australia’s bid consultants.

This year The Rocky Horror Picture Show turns 40. To celebrate we are taking a look at the history of audience participation in cinema, for better or worse... and what does that look like now in the digital age?

This documentary investigates the dark side of sexting, revealing what can happen when your most intimate photos get into the wrong hands.

A revealing look at the growing trend of young people initiating sexual relationships on the internet and mobile devices. What are they risking? What are the boundaries? Hosted by Nathalie Emmanuel.

Join Jeff Leach as he takes a fearless look at the world of male escorts. Joining the industry for real, Jeff uncovers some of the dangers that lie in store for sex workers.

'Sexting' has become a new dating tool, embracing men and women in all kinds of relationships. Meet couples who use sexting to spice up their lives.

Sexworker, Lina, searches for Mr Right in this revealing and thought-provoking documentary filmed in Amsterdam's world-famous red-light district.