Every once in a while, a documentary arrives on Netflix that doesn’t rely on dramatic music or shocking edits to make an impact. Instead, it uses silence. All the Empty Rooms is exactly that kind of film. It begins softly but becomes impossible to ignore within minutes.
Many viewers say they finished the documentary sitting in complete stillness, staring at the screen and trying to process everything they had just witnessed. That is the power of this film. It doesn’t simply show something. It makes you feel it.
About the Documentary of All the Empty Rooms
Directed by Joshua Seftel, All the Empty Rooms follows CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they travel across the United States visiting the bedrooms of children and teenagers who were killed in school shootings.
These rooms are shown exactly as they were left. Beds still made. Posters still hanging. Shoes still lined up on the floor. Every object captures a frozen moment from a life that should have continued.
Walking into these spaces feels like stepping into a memory that no one was prepared to face. That emotional weight has sparked powerful reactions among viewers, because the film reveals a level of grief that numbers alone can’t express.
There is no dramatic score. No heavy-handed narration. The impact comes from the silence, the objects and the absence that fills each room. The grief is present and undeniable, and Seftel allows viewers to sit with it in a way that feels honest and deeply human.
This authenticity is what makes All the Empty Rooms one of the most talked-about documentaries on Netflix.
How Many Children and Teens Have Been Killed in School Shootings?
More than 200 children and teenagers have been killed in school shootings in the United States since 1999. Many people have seen that number before, but it becomes something entirely different when you see the rooms where these lives unfolded.
All the Empty Rooms reminds viewers that behind every headline is a story. These kids were not statistics.
They were personalities, routines, laughter, dreams and futures that should still exist today.
The documentary gives these memories a place where they can still speak.
Trailer for All the Empty Rooms
Is All the Empty Rooms Worth Watching?
Absolutely. But be prepared. This documentary is emotional, intimate and heavier than most viewers expect. It isn’t designed for entertainment. It is designed for awareness.
Its power doesn’t come from shock. It comes from humanity, tenderness and truth. If you appreciate documentaries that shift your worldview, All the Empty Rooms belongs at the top of your watchlist.
This is the kind of film that lingers long after the credits end.
Where to Watch All the Empty Rooms
All the Empty Rooms is available on Netflix, where it may also appear under the alternative title Empty Bedrooms, depending on the region.
Who Is Joshua Seftel?
Joshua Seftel is an Oscar-nominated American filmmaker known for transforming real events into deeply human stories. His work often focuses on social issues that require empathy and emotional depth.
In All the Empty Rooms, he delivers what many consider his most intimate and vulnerable project. Seftel isn’t trying to shock viewers. He invites them to step inside places filled with love, routine and impossible loss.
Nothing about the film feels forced or exploitative.
The goal is understanding. The goal is connection.
Conclusion
All the Empty Rooms is more than a documentary. It is a moment of reflection, a reminder of what gets left behind when tragedy becomes normal in the news cycle.
The film is emotional, challenging and deeply necessary. It honors the children whose futures were stolen and gives viewers a chance to understand the weight of the grief their families still carry.
If you are looking for a documentary that truly matters, one that leaves you thinking long after it ends, All the Empty Rooms on Netflix is an unforgettable and essential watch.
Prepare to feel. Prepare to reflect. And prepare to never look at an empty room the same way again.
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I’m Milly, from Brazil — passionate about discoveries, K-dramas, series, and cinema. In this blog, I bring together my two greatest loves: exploring the world and telling great stories. I share travel experiences, entertainment recommendations, and tips that connect culture, technology, and emotion. Here, every read is a new journey.
