Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "contemporary-history"
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1. The Crown (2016–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
Follows the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped Britain for the second half of the 20th century.
Stars: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith
Votes: 257,132
2. Chernobyl (2019)
TV-MA | 41 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In April 1986, the city of Chernobyl in the Soviet Union suffers one of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of mankind. Consequently, many heroes put their lives on the line in the following days, weeks and months.
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis
Votes: 867,588
3. Call the Midwife (2012– )
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, History
Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London in the late 1950s to late 1960s.
Stars: Vanessa Redgrave, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Stephen McGann
Votes: 31,571
4. 11.22.63 (2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
Jake Epping, a teacher, gets a chance to travel back in time to avert the death of John F. Kennedy. However, history's aversion to alteration and his love for the era and a woman endanger him.
Stars: James Franco, Sarah Gadon, George MacKay, Chris Cooper
Votes: 99,541
5. The Bletchley Circle (2012–2014)
TV-14 | 314 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In 1952, four women who worked at the wartime code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park, reunite to track down a serial killer.
Stars: Rachael Stirling, Julie Graham, Sophie Rundle, Anna Maxwell Martin
Votes: 14,081
6. Pan Am (2011–2012)
TV-PG | 583 min | Drama, History, Romance
Period drama about the pilots and flight attendants who once made Pan Am the most glamorous way to fly.
Stars: Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Michael Mosley, Karine Vanasse
Votes: 21,258
7. Genius (2017– )
TV-14 | 50 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life stories of history's greatest minds, from their days as young adults to their final years: their discoveries, loves, relationships, causes, flaws, and genius.
Stars: Samantha Colley, Seth Gabel, Antonio Banderas, Clémence Poésy
Votes: 20,129
8. Ratched (2020)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, History
In 1947, Mildred Ratched begins working as a nurse at a leading psychiatric hospital. But beneath her stylish exterior lurks a growing darkness.
Stars: Sarah Paulson, Finn Wittrock, Cynthia Nixon, Jon Jon Briones
Votes: 70,706
9. Hollywood (2020)
TV-MA | 50 min | Drama, History
A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood try to make it big - no matter the cost.
Stars: David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello
Votes: 40,838
10. Agent Carter (2015–2016)
TV-PG | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
In 1946, Peggy Carter is relegated to secretarial duties in the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). When Howard Stark is accused of treason, he secretly recruits Peggy to clear his name with the help of his butler, Edwin Jarvis.
Stars: Hayley Atwell, James D'Arcy, Enver Gjokaj, Chad Michael Murray
Votes: 89,243
11. Gaslit (2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
A modern take on the 1970s political Watergate scandal centering on untold stories and forgotten characters of the time.
Stars: Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Dan Stevens, Betty Gilpin
Votes: 7,643
12. Project Blue Book (2019–2020)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A tough US Air Force officer and a skeptical scientist investigate UFO and alien conspiracies as Cold War paranoia spreads.
Stars: Aidan Gillen, Michael Malarkey, Laura Mennell, Ksenia Solo
Votes: 14,459
13. A Very British Scandal (2021)
TV-MA | 59 min | Drama, History
The story of events surrounding the notorious divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll during the 1960s.
Stars: Claire Foy, Paul Bettany, Olwen May, Albertine Kotting McMillan
Votes: 6,988
14. The Right Stuff (2020)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, History
U.S. fighter pilots are recruited to test experimental aircraft and rockets to become first Mercury astronauts. TV adaptation of Tom Wolfe's book, 'The Right Stuff'.
Stars: Patrick J. Adams, Jake McDorman, Colin O'Donoghue, Patrick Fischler
Votes: 4,212
15. The Great Train Robbery (2013)
Not Rated | 90 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A two-part drama which portrays The Great Train Robbery of 8 August 1963, firstly from the point of view of the robbers and then from the point of view of the police who set out to identify and catch the robbers.
Stars: Robert Glenister, Jack Roth, Luke Evans, Paul Anderson
Votes: 4,992
16. Rillington Place (2016)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, History
A three-part drama about serial killer John Christie and the murders at 10 Rillington Place in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Stars: Tim Roth, Nico Mirallegro, Samantha Morton, Jodie Comer
Votes: 4,242
17. The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco (2018)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, History
Two female British code breakers team with American cryptographers to solve a series of murders in San Francisco.
Stars: Crystal Balint, Rachael Stirling, Chanelle Harquail-Ivsak, Julie Graham
Votes: 3,075
18. Romanzo criminale - La serie (2008–2010)
TV-MA | Crime, Drama, Thriller
This crime drama, set in Rome in the 1970s, tells the story of the Banda della Magia, a prolific Italian crime family responsible for some of the country's most violent crimes.
Stars: Vinicio Marchioni, Alessandro Roja, Marco Bocci, Daniela Virgilio
Votes: 6,721
19. Partners in Crime (2015)
55 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Agatha Christie's crime-fighting duo, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, solve mysteries and search for enemy spies in 1950s Britain.
Stars: Jessica Raine, David Walliams, James Fleet, Matthew Steer
Votes: 2,712
20. The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019–2020)
352 min | Drama, History
Story of Christine Keeler, who found herself at the heart of a political sex scandal that rocked British government in the 1960s.
Stars: Sophie Cookson, James Norton, Ellie Bamber, Emilia Fox
Votes: 2,071
21. The Indian Doctor (2010–2013)
Not Rated | Drama, History
In a comedy-drama set in the 1960s, a South Wales coal mining community is changed forever following the death of the local doctor, whose replacement comes as quite a shock to the villagers.
Stars: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Ayesha Dharker, Jacob Oakley, Mali Harries
Votes: 1,592
22. The Kennedys (2011)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, History, Romance
The triumphs and tragedies of the most popular political family in American history.
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, Katie Holmes, Tom Wilkinson
Votes: 7,696
23. Ridley Road (2021)
Not Rated | 229 min | Drama, Thriller
When Vivien Epstein follows her lover into danger and he is caught between life and death, Vivien finds herself going undercover with the fascists, not only for him but for the sake of her country.
Stars: Agnes O'Casey, Rory Kinnear, Henry Wilton-Hunt, Eddie Marsan
Votes: 2,898
24. Mrs Biggs (2012)
TV-MA | 258 min | Crime, Drama, History
The true story of Charmian Brent (née Powell), the rebellious product of a strict 1950s upbringing, and her whirlwind romance with Ronald Biggs leading to a descent into crime, most infamously 1963's Great Train Robbery.
Stars: Sheridan Smith, Daniel Mays, Caroline Goodall, Adrian Scarborough
Votes: 924
25. Sun Records (2017–2018)
TV-14 | 44 min | Biography, Drama, History
Colonel Tom Parker presses to take over Elvis' career, but Sam struggles with the decision to let his star go. Jerry Lee's philandering catches up with him, and Johnny starts his own band.
Stars: Chad Michael Murray, Margaret Anne Florence, Keir O'Donnell, Drake Milligan
Votes: 1,066
26. Once Upon a Time in Iraq (2020)
60 min | Documentary, History, War
With unique personal archive from civilians and soldiers from both sides of the conflict, this series takes viewers closer to the realities of war and life under ISIS than they have ever been before.
Star: Andy Serkis
Votes: 1,333
27. Nostalgia for the Light (2010)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
A documentary about two different searches conducted in the Chilean Atacama Desert: one by astronomers looking for answers about the history of the cosmos, and one by women looking for the remains of loved ones killed by Pinochet's regime.
Director: Patricio Guzmán | Stars: Gaspar Galaz, Lautaro Núñez, Luís Henríquez, Miguel Lawner
Votes: 6,128
28. Sources of Life (2013)
174 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
This is a family story that covers 30 years in the life of the Freytag family, narrated by grandson Robert. When his grandfather returns from Russia in 1949, he becomes part of the German "... See full summary »
Director: Oskar Roehler | Stars: Jürgen Vogel, Meret Becker, Moritz Bleibtreu, Lavinia Wilson
Votes: 522
29. Strangled (2020– )
45 min | Crime, Drama, History
In 1960s socialist Hungary, a serial killer targeting young women torments a small town and the determined detective on his trail. Based on true events.
Stars: Zsolt Trill, Mónika Balsai, Zsófia Szamosi, Gábor Jászberényi
Votes: 316
30. Jeonwoo (2010)
History, War
Presents the lives, adventures and struggles of 9 South Korean soldiers during their missions during the Korean War.
Stars: Choi Su-jong, Kim Roe-ha, Im Won-hee, Nam Sung-jin
Votes: 59
31. Folsom Forever (2014)
TV-MA | 72 min | Documentary, History
Folsom Forever tells the story of how the Folsom Street Fair, held in San Francisco, grew into the biggest outdoor kink and fetish event in the world, and managed to do a lot of good along the way.
Director: Mike Skiff | Stars: Cléo Dubois, Jack Fritscher, Lance Holman, Liliane Hunt
Votes: 55
32. The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden (2020 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, History
In the midst of the historic coronavirus pandemic, economic hardship, rising unemployment, race riots and growing insecurity, U.S. citizens were called upon to choose between incumbent ... See full summary »
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Will Lyman, Jeremiah Kissel, Mike McNally, Heike Hagen
Votes: 85
33. The House of Forgetfulness (2021)
73 min | Documentary, Drama, History
The Journey of a young man who is making a documentary about forgotten narratives around an old piano, takes him through an unknown path towards restoring history, culture and identity of his homeland, Iran, in dusty and abandoned objects.
Directors: Farhad Ghodsi, Sahand Sarhaddi | Stars: Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel, Parastoo Ghorbani, Glenn Gould
Votes: 10
34. Kunnian Kentät (1996)
240 min | Documentary, History, Music
Stars: Lasse Norres, Neumann, Pepe Laaksonen, Pave Maijanen
35. Hanau - Eine Nacht und ihre Folgen (2021)
46 min | Documentary
The murderer-assassin came from the neighborhood: On February 19, 2020, he shot and killed nine young people for racist motives. Survivors and relatives report how they experienced the ... See full summary »
Director: Marcin Wierzchowski | Stars: Gergana Muskalla, Filip Goman, Çetin Gültekin, Emis Gürbüz
Votes: 13
36. Baseballschlägerjahre - Die Wendegeneration und rechte Gewalt (2020 TV Movie)
89 min | Documentary, History
After the end of the GDR, thrashings, threats and hunts were part of everyday life. In the years after the reunification of the early 1990s, hatred, racism and violence against foreigners ... See full summary »
Directors: Christian Bangel, Claudia Bracholdt, Paul Buske, Dilan Gropengiesser, Heike Kleffner, Stella Könemann, Lydia Meyer, Ulrike Neubecker, Johannes Radke, Elke Sasse, Toralf Staud, Adama Ulrich, Sven Wolters | Stars: Nurcan Özdemir, Amadeu António, Klaus Baldauf, Christian Bangel
Votes: 10
37. Bolsonaro-Lula, le choc des titans (2022 TV Movie)
52 min | Documentary
In 2018, Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist candidate, was elected to lead Brazil. At the time, former President Lula was serving a prison sentence for corruption. But during the 2022 ... See full summary »
Directors: Ingrid Piponiot, Laetitia Rossi | Stars: Jair Bolsonaro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Chloé Astor, Marit Beyer
Votes: 10
38. Politiikka-Suomi (2021)
60 min | Documentary, History
Stars: Pekka Laine, Esko Aho, Ben Zyskowicz, Alexander Stubb
Votes: 142
39. How's the Weather Man (2021)
15 min | Short
Inspired by the January 6 Capitol insurrection, the author contrasts the current political revolt with the one from the 1960s.
Director: Shane Borza | Star: Shane Borza
40. Kampf auf der Bosporus-Brücke - Die Türkei und der gescheiterte Putschversuch (2021 TV Movie)
44 min | Documentary, History
The night of July 15, 2016 changed the history of Turkey. On that day there were coordinated attacks by parts of the Turkish army, among others in Istanbul. The aim of the military: a coup ... See full summary »
Director: Can Dündar | Stars: Ulrike Hübschmann, Esra Vural, Sebastian Schneider, Maximilian Popp
Votes: 20
41. Hyvää yötä ja huomenta (1999)
220 min | Documentary, History, Music
Stars: Ismo Alanko, Kalle Ahola, Toni Wirtanen, Gabi Hakanen
42. Punklandia (2008– )
266 min | Documentary, Music
Stars: Pelle Miljoona, Tumppi Varonen, Epe Kronholm, A.W. Yrjänä
Votes: 16
43. Fragments of a Revolution (2020)
7 min | Documentary, Short
An experimental film about narrations of two journal photos from Iran's revolution in 1979.
Director: Sahand Sarhaddi
44. Le rêve de Sisyphe (2000 TV Movie)
52 min | Documentary
Through the look of 9 years old child Kamel, child of a terrorist, shows us the daily-life in a torn apart by civil war town. There, converted terrorists and victims get together after more than 8 years of bloody fight.
Director: Faouzia Fekiri
45. Kuka Mitä Häh? (1994)
165 min | Documentary, History, Music
Stars: Juice Leskinen, Veltto Virtanen, Kari Peitsamo, Dave Lindholm
46. Im Wahn - Trump und die Amerikanische Katastrophe (2020)
89 min | Documentary
In 2020 the USA experienced a multiple catastrophe: No other country in the world was so badly affected by the corona virus pandemic, the economic slump was dramatic, the rise in ... See full summary »
Directors: Klaus Brinkbäumer, Stephan Lamby | Stars: Susan Glasser, Anthony Scaramucci, Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Heiko Maas
Votes: 18