Iconic urban activist Jane Jacobs challenges the top-down urban renewal plans of New York’s «master builder,» Robert Moses — plans that threatened to erase vibrant communities. This powerful documentary tells the story of her fight for human-centred cities and her enduring legacy in urban planning. Its themes resonate strongly with today’s debates about the kind of urban future we want to build.

+ Watch it on Filmin | on Prime Video

«When you go out on the streets and see nothing but a clutter of signs, what is that other than visual pollution?» The average person will see more than 143 million advertisements in their lifetime, and a single digital billboard can consume up to 14 times as much electricity as a home. 'This Space Available' takes a global look at visual pollution and explores how activists from advertising, street art, and politics are reclaiming public space from commercial saturation.

+ Official website of the documentary

Once known as the 'Island of Calm,' Mallorca has become a global tourism hotspot — and a territory on the verge of collapse. The island now suffers the effects of overtourism, from environmental degradation to social displacement and economic imbalance. Through interviews with a wide range of voices, the documentary offers a nuanced analysis of the relationship between tourism and place, and speaks directly to urban spaces reshaped by mass tourism and residents’ efforts to reclaim them.

+ Watch the trailer on Youtube

In 1997, Austrian filmmaker Michael Glawogger released 'Megacities', capturing everyday life in Mumbai, New York, Moscow, and Mexico City. A decade later, multimedia artist Timo Novotny remixes the original footage into a sensory-rich experience that reflects the rhythm, chaos, and repetition of contemporary urban life. With a pulsating soundtrack by Sofa Surfers, 'Life in Loops' captures both the beauty and pressure of cities in constant motion.

+ Watch on DaFilms

«We have made our own living environment deadly for people.» Grounded in the influential work of Danish architect and urbanist Jan Gehl, this documentary explores how decades of car-centric planning have eroded human connection and diminished urban quality of life. It highlights Gehl’s lifelong advocacy for cities designed at eye level — places made for people, not just vehicles.

+ Watch on Prime Video

Bicycles are a powerful tool for change. In the face of climate crisis and finite resources, 'Bikes vs. Cars' asks what it would take to rethink transportation models in car-dominated cities—despite the immense lobbying power of the automobile industry. The film follows activists and thinkers fighting for cleaner, healthier, and more equitable cities that move beyond traffic congestion and pollution.

+ Watch on Netflix

The climate is changing, and scientists warn that our future is at risk. Meaningful action is needed now. With a hopeful lens, Demain travels across ten countries to showcase women and men building the foundations of a better world. Through real-world examples, it highlights creative solutions in agriculture, energy, economy, education, and governance—showing that another future is possible.

+ Watch on Filmin | Prime Video

Cities are economic, social, and environmental forces — and by 2050, nearly 75% of the world’s population will live in them. 'Urbanized' explores how cities are designed and who gets to shape them, addressing challenges such as housing, mobility, public space, and economic development. Featuring architects, planners, and policymakers from around the world, the film reveals cities as complex intersections of voices, perspectives and lived experiences.

+ Official website of the documentary

The footprint that urban life leaves on the planet extends far beyond the boundaries of our cities. Marine ecosystems suffer enormously, with species disappearing at alarming rates due to plastic pollution, overfishing and coastal development. In a physically and mentally demanding expedition, three kayakers paddle across the Arabian Seas — passing through Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar — to document the region’s fragile marine life and raise awareness about the impact that our urban consumption has on these ecosystems.

+ Watch the trailer on Vimeo

Travel back to 1979 with this classic documentary by sociologist William H. Whyte, which explores how people actually use New York’s public spaces. From plazas and sidewalks to playgrounds and neighbourhoods, Whyte carefully observes everyday behaviour to understand what makes spaces succeed or fail. The result is a sharp, enduring critique — and a timeless guide to creating better urban places.

+ Watch it on Youtube

We close this journey through documentaries on the contemporary city with a film that turns the lens on one of today’s most widespread urban activities: tourism. Barcelona — where Citiestobe was born and is based — embodies the tension many cities face: how to welcome visitors without hollowing out the everyday life that gives neighborhoods their soul. Through the stories of four local families, the documentary explores rising rents, gentrification, and the transformation of Ciutat Vella, the city’s oldest and most tourism-pressured district. Seen through residents’ eyes, 'City for Sale' is a poignant reminder of what is truly at stake in the future of our cities: people’s lives. ●

+ Watch on Filmin