5. Manakamana
What's it about? Taking its name from the Hindu Temple, Manakamana is another experimental documentary which revolves entirely around the cable car which takes residents across the undulating landscape of Nepal. Each journey features a variety of pilgrims and tourists as they make the 2.8 kilometer journey to and from the temple. What makes it groundbreaking? Filmmakers Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez's groundbreaking documentary sees each subject perfectly framed for 9 minute takes, with no interviews or monologues to explain what is going on. The result is a movie that poses far more questions than answers and encourages the audience to read what they will from the assortment of human faces they are presented with. Manakamana is certainly challenging to watch, but as with the similarly uncompromising documentary Leviathan, a little patience goes a long way.