20 Best Movies Over Three Hours Long

Runtime: 9 hours, 27 minutes 

Shoah, Claude Lanzmann's harrowing documentary that explores the people who survived and perpetrated the Holocaust, is a viewing experience of vital importance. 

Taking over a decade to make, Shoah (which means "Holocaust" in Hebrew) follows Lanzmann as he interviews survivors and officials involved in one of history's greatest crimes, allowing people from all walks of life - soldiers, train drivers, would-be victims and outside witnesses - to tell of the horrors the Holocaust unleashed.

Filled with startling revelations and gruelling testimonies, Shoah comes at its subject with stark honesty, finding the humanity in its subjects and the pain in their stories. Never an easy watch, it nonetheless grips from the off, holding you tight as secrets are brought into the light, and anguish becomes tinged with hope. 

Though you probably won't watch it in one go, Shoah still demands to be seen by anyone seeking answers about its subject, and insight into how truly great documentaries come together.