February 28, 2025

Watch Over 15 Oscar-Winning Short Documentaries for Free Online

It’s Oscar weekend! We’ve previously highlighted on our blog 20 Oscar-Winning Feature Film Documentaries for Free Online, that you can watch both on YouTube and Tubi. Today we’re looking at over 15 of the Oscar-winning short documentaries that you can watch for free online on YouTube from 1941 to the present.

Much like the documentary features, the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film started off by honoring World War II propaganda films like Churchill’s Island (1941) and December 7th (1943). As the years went on the award went to films that highlighted important social issues from Nine from Little Rock (1964) all the way up to last year’s big winner The Last Repair Shop (2023).

We searched all the winners on YouTube and found over 15 there that are legally available to watch for free from providers like the U.S. National Archives, the National Film Board of Canada, and other channels. Here are the short documentaries we found in chronological order with brief summaries to guide you. Watch an Oscar-winning short from the Academy’s 95-year history!

Churchill’s Island (1941) – Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, this World War II documentary covers the Battle of Britain that took place in 1940.

December 7th (1943) – Shot by famed director John Ford and cinematographer Gregg Toland, this World War II documentary covers the events of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. There is both an 82-minute version and a 32-minute version, the latter of which won the Oscar for Documentary Short Subject.

Seeds of Destiny (1946) – Post-World War II film that focuses on the millions of child refugees after the war. This short documentary helped to raise over $200 million to help civilians affected by the war.

First Steps (1947) – Short film from the United Nations covering the physical therapy of disabled children with the focus on helping children to walk.

Glass (1958) – Fast forward to 1959 and this short, poetic documentary made in a glass factory in the Netherlands.

Nine from Little Rock (1964) – A film from renowned documentary filmmaker Charles Guggenheim (he won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short four times). This film covers the Little Rock Nine, who were the first African-American students to attend an all-white Arkansas high school in 1957. One of the students, Jefferson Thomas, narrates this documentary at an important time in the Civil Rights Movement.

A Year Toward Tomorrow (1966) – Documentary about the Volunteers in Service to America that originated from an idea by President John F. Kennedy and came to fruition under President Lyndon Johnson. Actor Paul Newman narrates this doc.

Princeton: A Search for Answers (1973) – This recruiting film from Princeton University portrays the teaching and learning of many subjects and highlights the importance of a college education.

If You Love This Planet (1982) – This short film features a lecture by anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott. The lecture is given along with footage of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Flamenco at 5:15 (1983) – Fun documentary covering a flamenco dance class at the National Ballet School of Canada.

Defending Our Lives (1993) – This documentary highlights the important issue of domestic violence, with personal testimonies from four imprisoned women.

Smile Pinki (2008) – Documentary set in rural India where two children, Pinki and Ghutaru, receive surgery from their cleft lips.

The White Helmets (2016) – This short documentary covers the Syria Civil Defence during Syrian Civil War, as these volunteers seek to save lives in the conflict.

Period. End of Sentence. (2018) – In this film, Indian women seek to lead a menstrual health revolution as they make affordable menstrual pads to help women in the community.

Colette (2020) – In this documentary, 90-year-old French Resistance fighter Colette Marin-Catherine visits the German concentration camp where her brother died.

The Queen of Basketball (2021) – Short film about the basketball player Lusia Harris who was the first and only woman ever to be officially drafted by the NBA.

The Last Repair Shop (2023) – This film covers a Los Angeles repair shop that fixes musical instruments for free for L.A. public school students.

Many interesting short documentaries to watch, all under an hour in length!