This is a list of films and miniseries that are based on actual events. All films on this list are from American production unless indicated otherwise.
2004 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004) – biographical drama television film about the life and death of legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt The 7th Day (Spanish: El 7º día) (2004) – Spanish-French drama film based on the Puerto Hurraco massacre 12 Days of Terror (2004) – South African biographical horror film revolving around the 1916 Jersey shark attacks, as recounted in the book of the same name by Richard Fernicola, in which a juvenile great white shark begins a series of attacks that takes place of the course of 12 days in New Jersey 18-J (2004) – Argentine anthology drama film focusing on the July 18, 1994, bombing of the AMIA Building in Buenos Aires, where 86 people were killed and 300 others woundedRaices del Cine article, by Carlos Winston Albertoni. 36 (French: 36 Quai des Orfèvres) (2004) – French action thriller film loosely inspired from real events which occurred during the 1980s in France known as the gang des postiches arrest 100 Minutes of Glory (Croatian: Sto minuta Slave) (2004) – Croatian biographical drama film telling the story of Slava Raškaj, a turn-of-the-century artist, often described as Croatian Frida Kahlo A Bear Named Winnie (2004) – drama television film concerning one of the real-life inspirations behind A.A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh Against the Ropes (2004) – sport drama film depicting a fictionalized account of boxing manager Jackie Kallen, the first woman to achieve success in the sport Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures (2004) – British biographical drama television film telling the life story of the British crime-writer Agatha Christie in her words The Alamo (2004) – war historical drama film about the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution Alexander (2004) – epic historical drama film based on the life of the ancient Macedonian general and king Alexander the Great The Aryan Couple (2004) – British-American historical drama film loosely based on the life events of Hungarian Jewish industrialist Manfred Weiss and his Manfréd Weiss Steel and Metal Works The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004) – American-Mexican crime drama film depicting the story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck, who plotted to kill Richard Nixon in 1974 The Aviator (2004) – American-German epic biographical film depicting the story of aviator Howard Hughes Ay Juancito (2004) – Argentine biographical drama film about the life of Juan Duarte, Eva Perón's brother and a political officer during Juan Domingo Perón's first presidency Baby for Sale (2004) – American-Canadian drama television film about a couple who discover the baby they are trying to adopt is being sold, based on true events Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels (2004) – biographical drama television film documenting the success of the series Charlie's Angels, as well as the interpersonal conflicts that occurred among its staff and cast Bettie Page: Dark Angel (2004) – biographical drama film based on the career of Bettie Page, a famous American 1950s pin-up and bondage model Beyond the Front Line (Finnish: Etulinjan edessä) (2004) – Finnish war film based on the diaries of Swedish-speaking Finnish soldiers who served in the Continuation War in 1942–1944 Beyond the Sea (2004) – biographical musical drama film based on the life of singer-actor Bobby Darin Bittersweet Memories (French: Ma vie en cinémascope) (2004) – Canadian French-language biographical drama film depicting the career of Quebec singer Alys Robi Black Friday (Hindi: ब्लैक फ्राइडे) (2004) – Indian Hindi-language crime drama film about the 1993 Bombay bombings, chronicling the events that led to the blasts and the subsequent police investigation The Blue Butterfly (French: Le papillon bleu) (2004) – Canadian adventure drama film based on the life of David Marenger and his trip with entomologist Georges Brossard in 1987 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) – biographical sport drama film based on the life of golfer Bobby Jones, the only player in the sport to win all four of the men's major golf championships in a single season Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss (2004) – biographical drama television film about the life of Heidi Fleiss The Captives (2004) – historical war film based on the true story of Mary Draper Ingles and her struggles during the French-Indian War Cazuza: Time Doesn't Stop (Portuguese: Cazuza: O Tempo Não Pára) (2004) – Brazilian biographical musical drama film about the life of singer Cazuza The Chorus (French: Les Choristes) (2004) – French-German-Swiss musical drama film inspired by the origin of the boys' choir the Little Singers of Paris Chrysalis (Hindi: काया तारन) (2004) – Indian Hindi-language action drama film set against the backdrop of 2002 Gujarat riots against Muslims and 1984 anti-Sikh riots The Clearing (2004) – thriller drama film loosely based on the real life kidnapping of Gerrit Jan Heijn that took place in the Netherlands in 1987 Clouds After Cloud (Bengali: মেঘের পরে মেঘ) (2004) – Bangladeshi historical war film based on the events of the Bangladesh Liberation War Colette, A Free Woman (French: Colette, une femme libre) (2004) – French biographical miniseries exploring the life of Colette Concrete (Japanese: コンクリート) (2004) – Japanese crime drama film based on the case of the murder of Junko Furuta Crutch (2004) – biographical drama film about a young man's struggle with family problems and substance abuse, based on the experiences of writer-director Rob Moretti De-Lovely (2004) – musical biographical film based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with his wife, Linda Lee Thomas, until his death Downfall (German: Der Untergang) (2004) – historical war drama film set during the Battle of Berlin in World War II, when Nazi Germany is on the verge of defeat, and depicting the final days of Adolf Hitler Drum (2004) – South African biographical film based on the life of South African investigative journalist Henry Nxumalo, who worked for Drum magazine, called "the first black lifestyle magazine in Africa" Dunkirk (2004) – British war miniseries about the Battle of Dunkirk and the Dunkirk evacuation in World War II Edelweiss Pirates (German: Edelweisspiraten) (2004) – German historical war film telling the story of a group of rebellious teenage German boys opposed to the war and Nazism, based on actual events Evel Knievel (2004) – biographical drama film based on the life and career of Evel Knievel Evilenko (2004) – Italian crime horror film loosely based on the Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo Father of Mercy (Italian: Don Gnocchi – L'angelo dei bimbi) (2004) – Italian biographical television film based on real life events of Roman Catholic priest and then Blessed Carlo Gnocchi Fighter in the Wind (Korean: 바람의 파이터) (2004) – South Korean biographical drama film depicting a fictionalized account of karate competitor Choi Yeung-Eui who went to Japan during World War II to become a fighter pilot but found a very different path instead Finding Neverland (2004) – British-American biographical fantasy film depicting the story of Sir James Matthew Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan First Love (Italian: Primo Amore) (2004) – Italian biographical drama film loosely based on the autobiographical novel by Marco MarioliniKevin Thomas, "Capsule Reviews: 'Primo Amore,' 'The Man Who Copied' and 'The Painting'" Los Angeles Times April 29, 2005 Friday Night Lights (2004) – sport drama film adapted from Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H. G. Bissinger, about the 1988 football season of Permian High School in Odessa, Texas Garden State (2004) – comedy drama film based on Zach Braff's real life experiences"Garden State (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 18, 2013. Gracie's Choice (2004) – crime drama television film about a teenage girl who trues to raise her four siblings after their drug-addicted mother is sent to jail, inspired by a true story Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004) – British historical drama television film based upon the lives of Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI of Scotland The Hamburg Cell (2004) – British-Canadian biographical drama television film describing the creation of the Hamburg cell, Islamist and extremist group composed by the terrorists that piloted the airplanes hijacked during the September 11 attacks Hawking (2004) – British biographical drama television film chronicling Stephen Hawking's early years as a PhD student at the University of Cambridge, following his search for the beginning of time, and his struggle against motor neuron disease Helter Skelter – crime drama television film based on the 1974 non-fiction book by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry about the murders of the Manson Family Hidalgo (2004) – American-Moroccan epic biographical Western based on the legend of the American distance rider Frank Hopkins and his mustang HidalgoBasha O'Reilly, "Hidalgo – from myth to movie", The Longriders Guild The Hillside Strangler (2004) – horror film based on the true story of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono Jr., the Hillside Strangler serial killers Homeland Security (2004) – drama television film about the creation of the United States Department of Homeland Security in response to the September 11 attacks Hotel Rwanda (2004) – American-British-Italian-South African biographical drama film based on the Rwandan genocide, which occurred during the spring of 1994, documenting Paul Rusesabagina's efforts to save the lives of his family and more than 1,000 other refugees by providing them with shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines Hours of Light (Spanish: Horas de luz) (2004) – Spanish romantic prison film tracking the real life romantic relationship established in 1991 between prison nurse María del Mar "Marimar" Villar and Juan José Garfia, imprisoned because of the cold-blood murder of three in 1987 Hustle (2004) – sport drama television film about the baseball player Pete Rose, following as he gambled on Major League Baseball while managing the Cincinnati Reds, got caught and was banned from baseball for lifeBogdanovich, Peter, "Rose in shades of gray", The Sporting News, St. Louis, vol. 228, issue 35, August 30, 2004: 8. Identity Theft (2004) – crime drama television film based on the true story of Michelle Brown who has her identity stolen and $50,000 purchased under her name Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004) – historical war drama television film dramatizing the 90 days leading up to Operation Overlord Innocent Voices (Spanish: Voces inocentes) (2004) – Mexican-Salvadorian war drama film set during the Salvadoran Civil War, and based on writer Óscar Torres's childhood Iron Jawed Angels (2004) – historical drama film focusing on the American women's suffrage movement during the 1910s and follows women's suffrage leaders Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as they use peaceful and effective nonviolent strategies, tactics, and dialogues to revolutionize the American feminist movement to grant women the right to vote Judas (2004) – Christian drama miniseries depicting the intertwined lives of Judas Iscariot and Jesus of NazarethPeter Malone, Screen Jesus: Portrayals of Christ in Television and Film (2012), p. 152. Kamaraj (Tamil: காமராஜ்) (2004) – Italian Tamil-language biographical film about the life of the Indian politician K. Kamaraj from Tamil Nadu, widely acknowledged as the "Kingmaker" in Indian politics during the 1960s Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (Mandarin: 可可西里; Tibetan: ཨ་ཆེན་གངས་རྒྱབ།) (2004) – Chinese action drama film depicting a moving true story about volunteers protecting antelope against poachers in the severe mountains of Tibet