Pre 1930s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s

It should also be noted that during this time, countries that had previously been cultural centers, namely Russia and Germany, fell under the control of regimes that repressed almost all forms of artistic expression and as a result few non-propaganda films were made. Despite this, many artists still shone, such Leni Riefenstahl, whose film Olympia (1938) was Nazi propaganda, yet is still admired as a one of the greatest documentaries ever made.