Politics used to just be something people talked about if they were into it. It made up the third story on the 6pm news each night and your parents would occasionally get into with their friends after downing a fourth tinny at a Sunday BBQ. It was just a background hum, usually drowned out by something much more interesting.
Now, it seems, politics is everywhere. Everyone is interested, everyone has an opinion and, thanks to social media, everyone now has an outlet to share that opinion with the world. If you too can’t get enough political intrigue, SBS has you covered. Here are three of the hottest political documentaries streaming now on SBS On Demand.
Big Night Out
In an often grim world, sometimes there’s nothing to do but party like it’s 1999. Series Big Night Out looks at how partying has become not only an escape or act of youth rebellion but also one of survival for many young people in conflict-ridden zones throughout the world. From the effect Russia has had on the Ukrainian party scene to the decline of rave culture in an increasingly divided United Kingdom, the series makes a pretty solid argument that while you do indeed gotta fight for your right to party, it’s a fight worth having, now more than ever.
Listen to Fiona and Nick talk the politics of Big Night Out on The Playlist podcast:
Meet the Trumps
Love him or hate him, you can’t deny Donald Trump is a fascinating individual - hot-headed, impetuous and seemingly bulletproof. The media has had a field day covering his rise and rise while gleefully awaiting his (surely inevitable) fall. But what hasn’t had a lot of covfefe is how Donald got to be Donald. For all the time examining every bad policy or ill-advised tweet, we know very little about the Family von Trump itself. Meet The Trumps conducts a sort of Who Do You Think You Are? on The Donald, tracing his lineage from his grandfather Friedrich, who arrived in America on a boat from Germany in the 1880s, made a fortune on shady deals during the 1890s Gold Rush, and created the business model his son and grandson would later adopt. Meet the Trumps is a fascinating look at just what went into building the Trump brand and how it made it all the way to the White House.
Terror
Vice co-creator Suroosh Alvi travels to five global terror hotspots to investigate the deadliest terrorist groups operating in the world today. From al Qaeda in Yemen to Boko Haram in Nigeria and, of course, the Islamic State in Iraq, Alvi meets with activists, terror victims, soldiers (on both sides of the conflict) and government officials to try and get an understanding of how these groups came about. Figuring we need to look past the “good vs evil” narrative that has shaped much of the discussion about terrorism in the 21st century, Alvi sets out to uncover just how we stop the cycle of violence and whether a world free of terrorism is even possible.
The Story of God
Considering that Morgan Freeman has been the voice of God and portrayed him in movies, one could be mistaken thinking this was an autobiography of sorts. But no - in this 6-part first season, the distinguished actor travels to some of the holiest sites in the world to meet people of all faiths and speaks to religious leaders, scientists, historians and archaeologists in an effort to understand how religion evolved and adapted as society changed, and how religion transformed the evolution of society.
