Matthew Heineman’s documentary about Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician Jon Batiste and his wife’s medical struggles that marked difficult times in their marriage leads the field of nominees for the 8th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards with six. Barack and Michelle Obama’s inspirational documentary “Higher Ground” has been picked up by Netflix after it premiered to critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival last month. Not far behind are three documents, each with 5 entries, below 20 days in Mariupol, Kokomo city, And Nevertheless: A film by Michael J. Fox. And not to be overlooked, this weekend’s blockbuster, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which earned a nomination for Best Music Documentary. The CCDA nomination represents the first recognition for the film (although it is not eligible for a documentary Oscar), which premiered just last Wednesday and narrowly missed the mark.
It’s been a big year for documentary, with household names making films about Mary Tyler Moore, Brooke Shields, Judy Blume, Sylvester Stallone, Carlos Santana, Little Richard, Donna Summer, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Stephen Curry and the 1970s Years rock band include. Blood Sweat was highlighted. The films that appeared in the various categories included “& Tears” and “John LeCarre”.
The 10 films competing in the highest category, “Best Documentary”, are 20 Days in Mariupol, American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, The Deepest Breath, The Eternal Memory, Judy Blume Forever, Kokomo City, The Mission, Stamped from the Beginning, And Nevertheless: A film by Michael J. Foxe.
In addition to the 18 categories listed below, a prestigious award, the Pennebaker Award (formerly known as the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award), is also presented to distinguished documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee. The award is named after Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award winner DA Pennebaker, who died in 2019.
“We are thrilled with the number of exceptional documentaries being released in theaters and streaming this year and are excited to introduce a long-awaited category celebrating true crime films and series,” said Christopher Campbell, VP Documentary at CCA. “This event is about showcasing and celebrating the best of non-fiction and I want to congratulate and thank all our nominees for making us see and think about the world in new ways.”
The co-chair of the CCA Documentary Division added: “We are also pleased with the diverse number of nominees, covering topics across genders (including transgender intersex) and genres, further underscoring the Critics Choice Documentary Awards’ commitment to this area.” of diversity, equality and inclusion in the documentary film landscape.”
The awards recognize the best achievements in documentaries released in theaters, television and major digital platforms, based on votes by qualified CCA members. FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a member of the CCA and served on the selection committee for the Documentary Awards.
Winners will be announced at a gala event on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City and streamed live on Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). Actor and stand-up comedian Wyatt Cenac is hosting for the second year in a row. The presenting sponsor is National Geographic Documentary Films. Bob Bain and Joey Berlin are producers.
Nominees for the 8the Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Is:
BEST DOCUMENTARY
20 days in Mariupol (PBS)
American Symphony (Netflix)
Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
Eternal Memory (MTV Documentaries)
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios)
Kokomo City (Magnolia Photos)
The Mission (National Geographic)
Stamped From The Beginning (Netflix)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)
DEAR DIRECTOR
Maite Alberdi – The Eternal Memory (MTV documentaries)
Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Sights)
Davis Guggenheim – Still: A Film by Michael J. Fox (Apple TV+)
Matthew Heineman – American Symphony (Netflix)
Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss – The Mission (National Geographic)
Steve McQueen – Occupied City (A24)
BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY
20 days in Mariupol (PBS)
26.2 to life (film Halau)
Bad Press (Oklafilm)
Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic)
Kokomo City (Magnolia Photos)
Orlando, my political biography (side topic)
Smoking Sauna Sisterhood (Greenwich Entertainment)
The Thief Collector (FilmRise)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Tim Cragg – The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
Tony Hardmon, Matthew Heineman, Thorsten Thielow – American Symphony (Netflix)
Lennert Hillege – Occupied City (A24)
Franz Lustig – Anselm (subprogram)
D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Photos)
Toby Strong, James Boon, Bob Poole, Neil Fairlie, Wim Vorster, Joshua Tarr, Pete Allibone, Neil Harvey, Andreas Knausenberger – Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)
BEST EDIT
Sammy Dane, Jim Hession, Matthew Heineman, Fernando Villegas – American Symphony (Netflix)
Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Sights)
Michael Harte – Still: A Film by Michael J. Fox (Apple TV+)
Michelle Mizner – 20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)
D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Photos)
Aaron Wickenden – The Mission (National Geographic)
BEST RESULT
Jon Batiste – American Symphony (Netflix)
Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans – The Mission (National Geographic)
Nainita Desai – The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
Philip Glass – The Pigeon Tunnel (Apple TV+)
Katya Richardson & Kris Bowers – The Last Repair Shop (Breakwater Studios)
D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Photos)
BEST STORY
20 days in Mariupol (PBS)
Written and performed by Mstyslav Chernov
32 Sounds (Abramorama)
Written and performed by Sam Green
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films)
Written by Nicole Newnham
Performed by Dakota Johnson
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)
Written by TBD
Performed by Kiefer Sutherland
Secrets of Elephants (National Geographic)
Written by Martin Williams
Performed by Natalie Portman
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)
Written and performed by Michael J. Fox
BEST ARCHIVE DOCUMENTARY
Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO/MAX)
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films)
It’s Not Over Yet (Sony Pictures Classics)
JFK: A Day in America (National Geographic)
The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu)
The League (Magnolia Images)
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY
The 1619 Project (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
JFK: A Day in America (National Geographic)
The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu)
Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films)
The League (Magnolia Images)
Occupied city (A24)
Stamped From The Beginning (Netflix)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO).
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films)
To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (HBO Documentary)
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios)
Beautiful Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu)
List (Netflix)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
American Symphony (Netflix)
Carlos (Sony Pictures Classics)
Ladies First: A Story About Women in Hip-Hop (Netflix)
Little Richard: I Am Everything (Magnolia Pictures/CNN Films)
I Love You, Donna Summer (HBO/MAX)
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theaters)
What the hell happened to blood, sweat and tears? (Abramorama)
BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
20 days in Mariupol (PBS)
Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic)
Fast: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime)
Each body (focus functions)
Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films)
Silver Dollar Road (Amazon MGM Studios)
BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
32 Sounds (Abramorama)
Between Earth and Sky (PBS)
Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
Path of the Panther (National Geographic)
Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (Netflix)
Secrets of Elephants (National Geographic)
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West (Gravitas Ventures)
BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Black Ice (attractions along the way)
BS High (HBO/MAX)
The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
It’s Not Over Yet (Sony Pictures Classics)
The League (Magnolia Images)
Reggie (Amazon Studios)
Stephen Curry: Underrated (Apple TV+)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
Burden of Proof (HBO/MAX)
The Jewel Thief (Hulu)
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)
Murdaugh Murders: A Scandal in the South (Netflix)
Telemarketer (HBO/MAX)
The Thief Collector (FilmRise)
Victim/Suspect (Netflix)
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
The ABCs of Book Banning (MTV Documentary)
The Barber of Little Rock (Story Syndicate)
Between Earth and Sky (PBS)
Key to the City (New Yorker)
The Last Repair Shop (Breakwater Studios)
Latest song from Kabul (MTV Documentary Films)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The 1619 Project (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul (Netflix)
Fast: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime)
JFK: A Day in America (National Geographic)
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)
Secrets of Elephants (National Geographic)
Shiny Happy People (Amazon Studios)
Telemarketer (HBO/MAX)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN)
Frontline (PBS)
Murdaugh Murders: A Scandal in the South (Netflix)
POV (PBS)
Trading with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
Source: Deadline
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
