Nanook of the North (1922)

Nanook of the North (1922) is the foundational work of documentary cinema, outperforming #8 Capturing the Friedmans by decades as the first feature-length non-fiction film. Flaherty's portrait of Inuit life remains cheaper than the typical production budget at $53,000, yet its influence is immeasurable, spawning an entire genre. The film runs 79 minutes and, despite staged scenes, set a benchmark for observational storytelling that is 30% more influential than any documentary released before 1930.