Top Documentary Films - Watch free streaming films

You came across some websites that offer hundreds/thousends of documentaries? All for free? We want to share some thoughts about that:

• In most of these cases the films have not been not provided by the filmmakers, so somebody else is making profit of their hard work.
• Their simple argument: “Films should be free”.
  It should be the filmmakers to decide.
• “The filmindustry is making much money anyway.”
  Think about the independent filmmakers, they really lose money. And in general it is them making the quality content.
  Big studios double their marketing budgets to ensure their revenues, independents can’t do that. Result: Less quality content from independents, more “old story” mass content from majors and tv-networks
• “Copyright is dead.”
  It needs definitely a new system. Right. But ignoring existing AND new ones (i.e. CC) is not the answer. Those people even don’t give a damn about Creative Commons Licencing.

There are three simple ways to find out the legitimate business of documentary film websites:

1. Check if you find some imprint page with full info who is behind the website. All websites that operate in a “legal gray area” hide the webmasters real names, postal-addresses and contacts for a good reason.
2. Once a documentary website offers many films from the BBC, the National Geographic Channel or any other TV channel in full length and/or HD – it is quite sure that it’s not legal (of course it is on networks own sites…)
3. If you find the films split in many parts (like 5x10min), this is a sign of an illegal upload.

So please support the legitimate uploader instead of people ripping off independent filmmakers.