Streaming recommendations
Art and culture

The media libraries of the public broadcasters and various streaming services offer a wide range of engaging films about music, film, art, literature and architecture. Here are our viewing recommendations for you to enjoy.

Documentaries and feature films

2022, documentary, 19 min, OV with German subtitles

FIFA, Rapper und Trikots - Woher der Hype um Fussball?

This episode of HYPECULTURE is focused on football, rappers, and jerseys: featuring rappers playing football, footballers rapping, and the tracksuit as the street's tuxedo. Watch on funk until 28.11.2027.

FIFA, Rapper und Trikots - Woher der Hype um Fussball? © funk © funk

2022, documentary, 14 min, OV with German subtitles

Michael Verhoeven - Schauspieler, Regisseur, Unruhestifter

An episode of kinokino: Michael Verhoeven, director of films such as The White Rose and The Nasty Girl, caused a scandal with his debut film o.k. at the Berlinale in 1970 and from then on he was regarded as a controversial director. In his films, he repeatedly deals with the German past and collective guilt. Watch on ARD Mediathek until 26.04.2026.

kinokino: Michael Verhoeven - Schauspieler, Regisseur, Unruhestifter © BR/Markus Konvalin © BR/Markus Konvalin

2024, documentary, 45 min, OV with German subtitles

Hans Zimmer – Der Rebell von Hollywood

Terra X History tells the success story of Hans Zimmer and his breakthrough in Hollywood. Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 14.04.2029.

Terra X History - Hans Zimmer – Der Rebell von Hollywood © ZDF/ZDF © ZDF/ZDF

2020, documentary, 16 min, German subtitles

FilmFrauen. Die Interviews

In the ZDF series FilmFrauen. Die Interviews, female actors, directors, producers and screenwriters talk about their experiences in the German film industry. In this episode, actor Sibel Kekilli talks about social realities and cinema.
Available in the ZDF-Mediathek until 10.09.2025.

FilmFrauen Sibel Kekilli © ZDF / Marc Vorwerk © ZDF / Marc Vorwerk

2022, documentary, 86 min, German subtitles

Musik im Dritten Reich - Der Maestro und die Cellistin von Auschwitz

A documentary about the role of classical music under the Nazis. The stories of the Jewish cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and the conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler provide an insight into German musical life from 1933 to 1945.
Watch on DW Doku@Youtube.

Klassik unterm Hakenkreuz © DW © DW

2023, documentary, 80 min, German subtitles

BÄM! Die Geschichte des Comics

BÄM! tells the history of comics from Germany, the USA, France, Belgium and Japan in four episodes.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 24.08.2028.

BÄM! Die Geschichte des Comics © MDR/ARD KULTUR/Florian Wolf & Jens Richter © MDR/ARD KULTUR/Florian Wolf & Jens Richter

2022, documentary, 45 min, German subtitles

Das Raubkunst-Puzzle - Suche nach Gerechtigkeit

Documentary about the organised theft of art from Jewish families during the Nazi era. Dr Kathrin Kleibl, a North German provenance researcher, investigates this crime.
Watch on  ARD Mediathek until 15.05.2027.

Raubkunst Nationalsozialismus © NDR © NDR

2015, documentary, 42 min, German subtitles

Karl Lagerfeld - Designer, Künstler, Fashion-Ikone

Documentary about the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. In revealing interviews, he gives insights into his life, career and philosophy.
Watch on DW Doku@Youtube.

Karl Lagerfeld - Designer, Künstler, Fashion-Ikone © SWR / DW © SWR / DW

2021, documentary, 12 min, German subtitles

10 erfolgreiche Deutsche in Hollywood

From the series Cinema strikes back: Documentary about 10 German filmmakers and actors who made it in Hollywood and how they got there.
Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 12.10.2026.

Cinema strikes back © funk / Schattenwolf GmbH, Leo Lakämper © funk / Schattenwolf GmbH, Leo Lakämper

2023, documentary, 44 min, German subtitles

Neue Deutsche Welle – der Sound der 80er

The Neue Deutsche Welle is regarded as the most creative period in the history of German pop music. This documentary examines its rise and fall.
Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 16.04.2028.

Neue Deutsche Welle – der Sound der 80er © ZDF / Ralf Gemmecke © ZDF / Ralf Gemmecke

2023, documentary, 10 min, German subtitles

Blow up - Wim Wenders in 10 Minuten

The career of director Wim Wenders in 10 minutes.
Watch on ARTE@Youtube until 23.05.2026.

Blow up @ ARTE @ ARTE

2016, documentary, 30 min, German subtitles

Erich Kästner – Das andere Ich

The film portrays the life of the writer Erich Kästner. Starring Matthias Bundschuh as Kästner, Lisa Wagner as his partner Luiselotte Enderle. Directed by Annette Baumeister.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 01.01.2099.

Erich Kästner © MDR/Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion © MDR/Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion

2023, documentary, 26 min, German subtitles

Warum die Nazis Bücher verbrannten

Documentary about the burning of books under the Nazi regime, which targeted books by Jewish writers and others viewed as subversive or representing ideologies opposed to Nazism.
Watch on DW Doku@Youtube.

Warum die Nazis Bücher verbrannten @ DW / Susanne Spröer @ DW / Susanne Spröer

2022, documentary, 75 min, no German subtitles

Auswärtsspiel - Die Toten Hosen in Ost-Berlin

In 1983 the West German band Die Toten Hosen performed in a secret (and illegal) concert in East Berlin.  This documentary looks back on the event with contributions from musicians from the former East and West. Directed by Martin Groß.
Watch on ARD Mediathek until 13.04.2027.

Auswärtsspiel - Die Toten Hosen in Ost-Berlin © SWR/JKP © SWR/JKP

2023, documentary, 103 min, German subtitles

To Show or not to Show - Experimenteller Dokumentarfilm

Filmmakers talk about their experiences about success, failure and social participation, starring Jutta Brückner, Angelika Levi, Sarah Blaßkiewitz, Benito Bause and Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay. Directed by Jana Keuchel and Katharina Knust.
Watch on ZDF Mediathek until 28.04.2025.

To Show or not to Show © ZDF / Ray Peter Maletzki © ZDF / Ray Peter Maletzki