The ISSEP Task Force for Pedagogical Advancement has also solicited recommendations, curated and presented here, for award-winning documentary films and television series that communicate or incorporate at least some aspect of the science of existential psychology.
To share your favorite documentaries related to the science of existential psychology, please send them as an email attachment to info@issep.org with the subject line “Documentary involving existential psychology.”
Topics
The Science of Existential Psychology (Overview)
Closer to Truth, with Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Getzels
2000-present (20+ seasons)
Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature
The Great Courses
2019 (24 episodes)
Being Human: Life Lessons from the Frontiers of Science
The Great Courses
2012 (12 episodes)
Life & Death
Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America
Peltz, O’Neill
2020
Defining Hope
Jones
2018
Go Gentle
Rosenthal
2018
Dying to Live
Todd
2018
Into the Night: Portraits of Life and Death
Whitney
2018
The Future of Work and Death
Blacknell, Walsh
2017
Death, Dying, & the Afterlife: Lessons from World Cultures
The Great Courses
2016
Until 20: Is a Good Life Measured by its Length or its Depth?
Paksima, Moriba
2015
Death: A Series About Life
Chavarria, Tolas
2014 (5 episodes)
Facing Death: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Haupt
2013
A Virus Called Fear
Fama
2012
How to Die in Oregon
Richardson
2011
Science of the Soul
Jacobovici
2010
A Good Death
Masters, Carney
2010
Flight From Death: The Quest for Immortality
Shen
2004
The End
Dick
2004
Freedom, Authenticity, & Responsibility
Automatic Brain: The Magic of the Unconscious Mind
D’Amicis, Hofer, Rockenhaus
2012
Behavioral Economics: When Psychology and Economics Collide
The Great Courses
2015 (24 episodes)
Conformity and Independence
Milgram
1973
Obedience
Milgram
1962
Culture & Identity
Empathy: The Heart’s Intelligence
Lumbroso
2018
Consumed: Inside the Belly of the Beast
Heap
2011
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth, with Bill Moyers
Moyers
2018 (6 episodes)
Joseph Campbell: Sukhavati
Fox
2005
Joseph Campbell: The Hero’s Journey
Balnicke, Kennard
1987
Isolation, Uncertainty, Shared Reality
Right Between Your Ears: An Anatomy of Truth
Marshall
2016
Merchants of Doubt
Kenner
2015
The Secret Life of Chaos
Stacey
2015
Reject
Thomas-Suh
2013
Meaning Systems, Purpose, Awe
Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life
Barnes
2015 (3 episodes)
Being in the World
Ruspoli
2010
How to Live Forever
Wexler
2009
Personal Growth & Well-being
In Search of Greatness
Polsky
2019
Less is More: How to be Happy with Nothing
Griessler, Mayr-Keber
2014
The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-based Path to Well-being
The Great Courses
2014 (29 episodes)
Happy
Belic
2011
Religion & Spirituality
The Search: Manufacturing Belief
Payne
2020
Losing Our Religion
Mair
2018
Reasons to Believe: Sometimes the Truth is Unbelievable
Fama
2017
What Matters?
Parris
2011
Joseph Campbell: Mythos
Joseph Campbell Foundation
1985 (S1; 5 episodes)
1987 (S2; 5 episodes)
2011 (S3; 5 episodes)
Biographies & Biopics
Albert Camus: The Madness of Sincerity
Film Ideas, Inc.
2017
Vita Activa: The spirit of Hannah Arendt
Ushpiz
2016
Trespassing Bergman
Pallas, Magnusson
2015
Hannah Arendt
Trotta
2013
William James: The Psychology
of Possibility
Davidson Films, Inc.
2013
Wood Allen: A Documentary
(2-parts)
Weide
2011
Viktor & I: The Viktor Frankl Documentary
Vasely
2011
Camus
Jaoui
2010
Dostoevsky
Khotinenko
2010 (8 parts)
Therapy & Counseling
Yalom’s Cure
Gisiger
2016
Irvin Yalom on Psychotherapy
& Writing
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
2015
Confronting Death and Other Existential Issues in Psychotherapy
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
2011
Irvin Yalom and the Art of Psychotherapy
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
1990
Understanding Group Psychotherapy
Yalom
1990
The Science of Existential Psychology (Overview)
Closer to Truth, with Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Getzels
2000-present (20+ seasons)
Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature
The Great Courses
2019 (24 episodes)
Being Human: Life Lessons from the Frontiers of Science
The Great Courses
2012 (12 episodes)
Life & Death
Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America
Peltz, O’Neill
2020
Defining Hope
Jones
2018
Go Gentle
Rosenthal
2018
Dying to Live
Todd
2018
Into the Night: Portraits of Life and Death
Whitney
2018
The Future of Work and Death
Blacknell, Walsh
2017
Death, Dying, & the Afterlife: Lessons from World Cultures
The Great Courses
2016
Until 20: Is a Good Life Measured by its Length or its Depth?
Paksima, Moriba
2015
Death: A Series About Life
Chavarria, Tolas
2014 (5 episodes)
Facing Death: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Haupt
2013
A Virus Called Fear
Fama
2012
How to Die in Oregon
Richardson
2011
Science of the Soul
Jacobovici
2010
A Good Death
Masters, Carney
2010
Flight From Death: The Quest for Immortality
Shen
2004
The End
Dick
2004
Freedom, Authenticity, & Responsibility
Automatic Brain: The Magic of the Unconscious Mind
D’Amicis, Hofer, Rockenhaus
2012
Behavioral Economics: When Psychology and Economics Collide
The Great Courses
2015 (24 episodes)
Conformity and Independence
Milgram
1973
Obedience
Milgram
1962
Culture & Identity
Empathy: The Heart’s Intelligence
Lumbroso
2018
Consumed: Inside the Belly of the Beast
Heap
2011
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth, with Bill Moyers
Moyers
2018 (6 episodes)
Joseph Campbell: Sukhavati
Fox
2005
Joseph Campbell: The Hero’s Journey
Balnicke, Kennard
1987
Isolation, Uncertainty, Shared Reality
Right Between Your Ears: An Anatomy of Truth
Marshall
2016
Merchants of Doubt
Kenner
2015
The Secret Life of Chaos
Stacey
2015
Reject
Thomas-Suh
2013
Meaning Systems, Purpose, Awe
Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life
Barnes
2015 (3 episodes)
Being in the World
Ruspoli
2010
How to Live Forever
Wexler
2009
Personal Growth & Well-being
In Search of Greatness
Polsky
2019
Less is More: How to be Happy with Nothing
Griessler, Mayr-Keber
2014
The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-based Path to Well-being
The Great Courses
2014 (29 episodes)
Happy
Belic
2011
Religion & Spirituality
The Search: Manufacturing Belief
Payne
2020
Losing Our Religion
Mair
2018
Reasons to Believe: Sometimes the Truth is Unbelievable
Fama
2017
What Matters?
Parris
2011
Joseph Campbell: Mythos
Joseph Campbell Foundation
1985 (S1; 5 episodes)
1987 (S2; 5 episodes)
2011 (S3; 5 episodes)
Biographies & Biopics
Albert Camus: The Madness of Sincerity
Film Ideas, Inc.
2017
Vita Activa: The spirit of Hannah Arendt
Ushpiz
2016
Trespassing Bergman
Pallas, Magnusson
2015
Hannah Arendt
Trotta
2013
William James: The Psychology
of Possibility
Davidson Films, Inc.
2013
Wood Allen: A Documentary
(2-parts)
Weide
2011
Viktor & I: The Viktor Frankl Documentary
Vasely
2011
Camus
Jaoui
2010
Dostoevsky
Khotinenko
2010 (8 parts)
Therapy & Counseling
Yalom’s Cure
Gisiger
2016
Irvin Yalom on Psychotherapy
& Writing
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
2015
Confronting Death and Other Existential Issues in Psychotherapy
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
2011
Irvin Yalom and the Art of Psychotherapy
Yalom (Psychotherapy.net)
1990
Understanding Group Psychotherapy
Yalom
1990