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Archives for : Documentary

Meena Harris and Rashida Jones join as Executive Producers on Maya and the Wave

Maya and the Wave is currently playing at the Village East theater in New York, with upcoming screenings at the Laemmle Glendale and the Laemmle Monica in Los Angeles, and expanding through the end of the year   

NEW YORK—September 12th, 2024—The team behind Maya and the Wave announced today that Rashida Jones and Meena Harris have officially boarded the film as executive producers. The documentary tells the extraordinary story of Maya Gabeira, the first woman to surf the giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal. She nearly drowns – and is ridiculed by the male big wave surfers who dominate the sport. Three spine surgeries and five years later, she surfs the biggest wave a woman has ever surfed. When her accomplishment is disregarded, Maya enlists the help of her fans to fight for recognition — and becomes the first female surfer honored with a Guinness World Record in big wave surfing.

The story of the films’ release mimics Maya’s own story of heartbreak and comeback. Shortly after the Toronto premiere, the film’s cinematographer and co- producer, Jorge Leal, had a brain stem stroke, leaving him completely paralyzed. The crew and Maya rushed to his side and spent the next 10 months in hospitals and treatment centers, aiding in his recovery. With Jorge well enough to go back home, it was finally time to bring Maya and the Wave into the world. 

“We are so excited to have Rashida Jones and Meena Harris come on board the film. We admire them both so much for their commitment to amplifying female voices and are beyond thrilled to have their support. Getting the film here has been a journey, and they feel like the best partners we could ever have.” said Stephanie Johnes, the film’s director. 

“As we witness a global backlash against women’s human rights, we need powerhouse women like Rashida and Meena to champion women’s stories more than ever before. All hail these loud and powerful women for bringing their fire and their platforms to support a story that, at its core, is an everywoman’s story of living in a man’s world,” added producer Ali Johnes. 

“On and off the screen, Maya and the Wave is a miraculous story of resilience and perseverance. This inspiring portrait of an underestimated woman determined to win also happens to be an epic sports documentary — everyone should see it,” said Meena Harris.  

Rashida Jones added, “Maya and the Wave is inspiring, shocking, gorgeous, intimate and triumphant. Maya’s courage, determination and vulnerability will stick with me forever. Hers is the consummate heroine’s journey.  I’m so proud to have any small part of sharing this movie with the world.” 

Meena Harris is the founder and CEO of the Tony-Award winning company Phenomenal Media. She is a #1 New York Times bestselling children’s book author, and the co-founder and general partner of the VC firm Phenomenal Ventures. Meena is also a lawyer and influential activist for gender and racial equity. She most recently co-produced Dylan Mulvaney’s Edinburgh Fringe sensation, Faghag, and the Tony-Award winning musical Suffs, currently on Broadway.

Rashida Jones is an Emmy-nominated and Grammy award-winning actress, writer, director and producer, best known for her beloved roles on the universally acclaimed, fan favorite sitcoms, Parks and Recreation and The Office. Beyond acting, Jones is a renowned documentary filmmaker, who garnered an Emmy-nomination for her Netflix docuseries, Hot Girls Wanted, and won a Grammy for Best Music Film for Quincy, a film about her father, Quincy Jones. Jones is an outspoken feminist, and advocate for women’s rights and intersectional inclusivity, who often reflects these themes in her illustrious body of work.

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AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS Interview

This documentary series follows the 2023-24 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad their auditions and training camp and finally the ending of the Cowboys season predictably ended in the NFC Wild Card Round.

I had the chance to speak with Kelli Finglass, Judy Trammell, Victoria Kalina, Kelcey Wetterberg, and Reece Allman about this amazing and captivating series.

“America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” is available to stream on Netflix June 20, 2024.

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8th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations

NOMINATIONS UNVEILED FOR THE EIGHTH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE DOCUMENTARY AWARDS PRESENTED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS

AMERICAN SYMPHONY LEADS WITH SIX NOMINATIONS

20 DAYS  IN MARIUPOL, KOKOMO CITY, AND STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIERECEIVE FIVE NOMINATIONS EACH 

GALA TO HONOR AWARD WINNERS ON NOVEMBER 12, 2023AT THE EDISON BALLROOM IN MANHATTAN

ACTOR AND STANDUP COMEDIAN WYATT CENAC TO SERVE AS HOST

Acclaimed Documentarian Ross McElwee to Receive The Pennebaker Award Presented by Chris Hegedus

The Ceremony Will Be Live-Streamed Through Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 12

Nominees for the 8th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
Presented by National Geographic Documentary Films

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)
American Symphony (Netflix)
Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
The Eternal Memory (MTV Documentary Films)
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios)
Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
The Mission (National Geographic)
Stamped from the Beginning (Netflix)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)

BEST DIRECTOR

Maite Alberdi – The Eternal Memory (MTV Documentary Films)
Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
Davis Guggenheim – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)
Matthew Heineman – American Symphony (Netflix)
Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss – The Mission (National Geographic)
Steve McQueen – Occupied City (A24)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

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 Pictures)
Orlando, My Political Biography (Sideshow)
Smoke 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 (Sideshow)
D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
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 EDITING

Sammy Dane, Jim Hession, Matthew Heineman, Fernando Villegas – American Symphony (Netflix)
Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
Michael Harte – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+
Michelle Mizner – 20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)
D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
Aaron Wickenden – The Mission (National Geographic)

BEST SCORE

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 Pictures)

BEST NARRATION

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+)
   Performed by Kiefer Sutherland

Secrets of the 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 ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO | Max)
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films)
It Ain’t Over (Sony Pictures Classics)
JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic)
The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu)
The League (Magnolia Pictures)

BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY

The 1619 Project (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic)
The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu)
Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films)
The League (Magnolia Pictures)
Occupied City (A24)
Stamped from the Beginning (Netflix)

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO | Max)
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films)
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (HBO Documentary Films)
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios)
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu)
Sly (Netflix)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

American Symphony (Netflix)
Carlos (Sony Pictures Classics)
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (Netflix)
Little Richard: I Am Everything (Magnolia Pictures/CNN Films)
Love to Love You, Donna Summer (HBO | Max)
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theatres)
What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? (Abramorama)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)
Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic)
Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime)
Every Body (Focus Features)
Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films)
Silver Dollar Road (Amazon MGM Studios)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

32 Sounds (Abramorama)
Between Earth & Sky (PBS)
Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
Path of the Panther (National Geographic)
Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (Netflix)
Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West (Gravitas Ventures)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Black Ice (Roadside Attractions)
BS High (HBO | Max)
The Deepest Breath (Netflix)
It Ain’t Over (Sony Pictures Classics)
The League (Magnolia Pictures)
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 Southern Scandal (Netflix)
Telemarketers (HBO | Max)
The Thief Collector (FilmRise)
Victim/Suspect (Netflix)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

The ABCs of Book Banning (MTV Documentary Films)
The Barber of Little Rock (Story Syndicate)
Between Earth & Sky (PBS)
Keys to the City (New Yorker)
The Last Repair Shop (Breakwater Studios)
Last 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)
Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime)
JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic)
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)
Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)
Shiny Happy People (Amazon Studios)
Telemarketers (HBO | Max)

BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

30 for 30 (ESPN)
Frontline (PBS)
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix)
POV (PBS)
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX)

About the Critics Choice Awards

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

ANNA NICOLE SMITH: YOU DON’T KNOW ME Interview w/ Ursula Macfarlane & Alexandra Lacey

“From director Ursula Macfarlane (Untouchable) and producer Alexandra Lacey comes an unflinching and humanizing examination of the life, death and secrets of Vickie Lynn Hogan – better known as model and actress Anna Nicole Smith. From her first appearance in Playboy in 1992, Anna Nicole’s dizzying ascent was the very essence of the American dream, brought to a tragic halt with her untimely passing in 2007. With access to never-before-seen footage, home movies, and interviews with key figures who have not spoken out until now, ANNA NICOLE SMITH: YOU DON’T KNOW ME reveals new insights into the story of the quintessential blonde bombshell hardly anyone really knew.”

I got a chance to speak with director Ursula Macfarlane and producer Alexandra Lacey about the documentary, Anna’s most shocking details, and much more!

“Anna Nicole Smith You Don’t Know Me” is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Seventh Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Winners

Good Night Oppy Brings Home the Gold for Best Documentary Feature at Seventh Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards

Silver Awarded to Fire of Love

Bronze Awarded to Navalny

Winners Revealed at Gala Event on Sunday, November 13 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City

Barbara Kopple Received the D A Pennebaker Award 

Dawn Porter Received the Critics Choice Impact Award 

For the Very First Time, the Ceremony Was Live-Streamed on
THE CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION WEBSITE 

Actor and Standup Comedian Wyatt Cenac Served as Host of the Event

Winners of the Seventh Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Gold: Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

Silver: Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Bronze: Navalny (HBO Max/CNN Films/Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST DIRECTOR

Ryan White – Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

David Siev – Bad Axe (IFC Films)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Cinematography Team – Our Great National Parks (Netflix)

BEST EDITING

Brett Morgen – Moonage Daydream (Neon/HBO Documentary Films)

BEST SCORE

Blake Neely – Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

BEST NARRATION

Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

   Written by Helen Kearns, Ryan White

   Performed by Angela Bassett

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY

Descendant (Netflix)

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

Sidney (Apple TV+)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

Navalny (HBO Max/CNN Films/Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY (TIE)

Citizen Ashe (HBO Max/CNN Films)

Welcome to Wrexham (FX)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Nuisance Bear (The New Yorker Studios)

BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

30 for 30 (ESPN)


About the Critics Choice Awards

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

7th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations

NOMINATIONS UNVEILED FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE DOCUMENTARY AWARDS PRESENTED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS
 

FIRE OF LOVE LEADS WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS AND GOOD NIGHT OPPY RECEIVES SIX NOMINATIONS
 

GALA TO HONOR AWARD WINNERS ON NOVEMBER 13, 2022 AT THE EDISON BALLROOM IN MANHATTAN, MARKING A NEW VENUE FOR THE EVENT
 

ACTOR AND STANDUP COMEDIAN WYATT CENAC TO SERVE AS HOST
 

Acclaimed Documentarian Barbara Kopple to Receive The Pennebaker Award Presented by Chris Hegedus
 

For the Very First Time, the Ceremony Will Be Live-Streamed Through Facebook Live and Instagram Live at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 13

The nominees for the Seventh Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Presented by National Geographic Documentary Films are:

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Aftershock (Hulu)

The Automat (A Slice of Pie Productions)

Descendant (Netflix)

Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down (Briarcliff Entertainment)

Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

The Janes (HBO)

Moonage Daydream (HBO/Neon)

Navalny (HBO/CNN/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Sidney (Apple TV+)

BEST DIRECTOR

Judd Apatow, Michael Bonfiglio – George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO)

Margaret Brown – Descendant (Netflix)

Sara Dosa – Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Reginald Hudlin – Sidney (Apple TV+)

Brett Morgen – Moonage Daydream (HBO/Neon)

Laura Poitras – All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (HBO/Neon)

Daniel Roher – Navalny (HBO/CNN/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ryan White – Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Andrea Arnold – Cow (IFC Films)

Lisa Hurwitz – The Automat (A Slice of Pie Productions)

Jono McLeod – My Old School (Magnolia Pictures)

Amy Poehler – Lucy and Desi (Amazon Studios)

Alex Pritz – The Territory (National Geographic Documentary Films)

David Siev – Bad Axe (IFC Films)

Bianca Stigter – Three Minutes: A Lengthening (Neon)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Benjamin Bernhard, Riju Das – All That Breathes (HBO)

Magda Kowalczyk – Cow (IFC Films)

Lucas Tucknott – McEnroe (Showtime)

Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Sam Holling – Nuisance Bear (The New Yorker)

The Cinematography Team – Our Great National Parks (Netflix)

Alex Pritz, Tangãi Uru-eu-wau-wau – The Territory (National Geographic Documentary Films)

BEST EDITING

Jabez Olssen – The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

Erin Casper, Jocelyne Chaput – Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Joe Beshenkovsky – George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO)

Helen Kearns, Rejh Cabrera – Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

Brett Morgen – Moonage Daydream (HBO/Neon)

Langdon Page, Maya Daisy Hawke – Navalny (HBO/CNN/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Katharina Wartena – Three Minutes: A Lengthening (Neon)

BEST SCORE

Hummie Mann – The Automat (A Slice of Pie Productions)

Nicolas Godin – Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Blake Neely – Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

Max Avery Lichtenstein – The Janes (HBO)

David Schwartz – Lucy and Desi (Amazon Studios)

Marius de Vries, Matt Robertson – Navalny (HBO/CNN/Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST NARRATION

Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story (Fin and Fur Films), Written by Ben Masters, Performed by Matthew McConaughey

Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon), Written by Shane Boris, Erin Casper, Jocelyne Chaput, Sara Dosa, Performed by Miranda July

Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios), Written by Helen Kearns, Ryan White, Performed by Angela Bassett

Our Great National Parks (Netflix), Performed by Barack Obama

Riotsville, U.S.A. (Magnolia Pictures), Written by Tobi Haslett, Performed by Charlene Modeste

Three Minutes: A Lengthening (Neon), Written by Bianca Stigter, Performed by Helena Bonham Carter

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Moonage Daydream (HBO/Neon)

Nothing Compares (Showtime)

Riotsville, U.S.A. (Magnolia Pictures)

Three Minutes: A Lengthening (Neon)

BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY

The Automat (A Slice of Pie Productions)

Descendant (Netflix)

The Janes (HBO)

Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power (Peacock)

Still Working 9 to 5 (Mighty Fine Entertainment)

Three Minutes: A Lengthening (Neon)

The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS)

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

George Carlin’s American Dream (HBO)

The Last Movie Stars (HBO Max)

Lucy and Desi (Amazon Studios)

The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (Peacock)

Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams (Sony Pictures Classics)

Sidney (Apple TV+)

Sr. (Netflix)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (Sony Pictures Classics)

If These Walls Could Sing (Disney Original Documentary)

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+)

Moonage Daydream (HBO/Neon)

Nothing Compares (Showtime)

The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile (Sony Pictures Classics)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

Aftershock (Hulu)

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (HBO/Neon)

Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down (Briarcliff Entertainment)

The Janes (HBO)

Navalny (HBO/CNN/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Retrograde (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (Netflix)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

All That Breathes (HBO)

Cow (IFC Films)

Fire of Love (National Geographic Documentary Films/Neon)

Good Night Oppy (Amazon Studios)

Nuisance Bear (The New Yorker)

Return to Space (Netflix)

The Territory (National Geographic Documentary Films)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Citizen Ashe (Magnolia/HBO)

Hockeyland (Greenwich Entertainment)

Kaepernick & America (Dark Star Pictures)

McEnroe (Showtime)

The Redeem Team (Netflix)

Welcome to Wrexham (FX/Hulu)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

38 at the Garden (HBO)

Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices From a Plantation Prison (MTV Documentary Films)

The Flagmakers (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Four Seasons Total Documentary (MSNBC)

My Disability Roadmap (The New York Times Op Docs)

Nuisance Bear (The New Yorker)

Stranger at the Gate (The New Yorker)

BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

Hostages (HBO)

The Last Movie Stars (HBO Max)

The Lincoln Project (Showtime)

Our Great National Parks (Netflix)

The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS)

We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

30 for 30 (ESPN)

American Masters (PBS)

Cheer (Netflix)

The Circus (Showtime)

Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix)

Welcome to Wrexham (FX/Hulu)

About the Critics Choice Awards

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

Rapid Review: “Deep in the Heart” is a Beautiful Sight

Ben Master’s brilliantly captures the wildlife of Texas in the first ever nature documentary about the Lone Star State.

“Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story” is narrated by Texas native/ Academy Award winner, Matthew McConaughey. The film begins in the high plains and peaks of West Texas, flows along our many river systems, and concludes along the bay of the Gulf of Mexico. It showcases a variety of wildlife species ranging from mountain lions to the mysterious blind catfish.  Master’s vision is stunning, offering sharp and thrilling images that will consume audiences. Especially when we arrive at a heart-pounding hunt between a snake and bat.

It’s amazing we haven’t seen a doc like this about Texas before. The state has such diverse landscapes and unique creatures that deserve to be recognized. Though Masters excels at showing the beauty of our nature, his main goal is to inspire Texans to conserve what’s left of their wildlife. Encouraging water preservation and a plea to stop traps that are left in the wild to mangle animals who are unfortunate enough to get caught and left to die in the cruelest manner. That particular scene alone is enough to break your heart and seek change.

This isn’t a political documentary, it’s a humane one. “Deep in the Heart” is an immersive and breathtaking journey that powerfully portrays the importance of Texas’ conservation.

Rating: A

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Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Award Winners

(Brooklyn, NY – November 14, 2021) – The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has unveiled the winners of the Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, that recognize the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. 

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) topped every category in which it was nominated, winning the evening’s most prestigious award for Best Documentary Feature, as well as Best Director (TIE), Best First Documentary Feature, Best Editing, Best Archival Documentary and Best Music Documentary. 

There was a tie for Best Director between Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin for The Rescue.

In addition to the tie for Best Director, The Rescue received the awards for Best Cinematography and Best Score.

Winners of the Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST DIRECTOR (TIE)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST DIRECTOR (TIE)

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin – The Rescue

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

David Katznelson, Ian Seabrook and Picha Srisansanee – The Rescue

BEST EDITING

Joshua L. Pearson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST SCORE

Daniel Pemberton – The Rescue

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST HISTORICAL OR BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

Val

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

The Crime of the Century

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

Becoming Cousteau

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

The Alpinist

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

The Queen of Basketball

BEST NARRATION

Val

MOST COMPELLING LIVING SUBJECTS OF A DOCUMENTARY (HONOR)

Ady Barkan – Not Going Quietly (Greenwich Entertainment)
Selma Blair – Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)
Pete Buttigieg – Mayor Pete (Amazon Studios)
Anthony Fauci – Fauci (Magnolia Pictures/National Geographic Documentary Films)
Ben Fong-Torres – Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres (StudioLA.TV)
Val Kilmer – Val (Amazon Studios)
Ron and Russell Mael – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)
Rita Moreno – Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (Roadside Attractions)
Valerie Taylor – Playing With Sharks: The Valerie Taylor Story (Disney+)

6th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations

Los Angeles, CA (Monday, October 18, 2021) — The Critics Choice Association(CCA) has announced the nominees for the Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA). The winners will be revealed at a Gala Event on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at BRIC in Brooklyn, NY.

The Critics Choice Associationwill once again be honoring the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. 

This year, the Critics Choice Documentary Awards proudly has its first Presenting Sponsor, National Geographic Documentary Films. 

Catalyst Sponsors for the Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards are HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Showtime Documentary Films.

Last year at the Fifth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Dick Johnson is Dead took home the CCA’s top award for Best Documentary as well as the Best Director award for Kirsten Johnson.

The nominees for the Sixth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards Presented by National Geographic Documentary Films are:

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Attica (Showtime)

Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)

The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films)

A Crime on the Bayou (Augusta Films/Shout! Studios)

Flee (Neon)

Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)

The Lost Leonardo (Sony Pictures Classics)

My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)

Procession (Netflix)

The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

BEST DIRECTOR 

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Liz Garbus – Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)

Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry – Attica (Showtime)

Jonas Poher Rasmussen – Flee (Neon)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

Edgar Wright – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Jessica Beshir – Faya Dayi (Janus Films)

Rachel Fleit – Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)

Todd Haynes – The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Kristine Stolakis – Pray Away (Netflix)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

(Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

Edgar Wright – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 

Jessica Beshir – Faya Dayi (Janus Films)

Jonathan Griffith, Brett Lowell and Austin Siadak – The Alpinist (Roadside Attractions)

David Katznelson, Ian Seabrook and Picha Srisansanee – The Rescue

(National Geographic Documentary Films)

Jessica Kingdon and Nathan Truesdell – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Nelson Hume and Alan Jacobsen – The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)

Emiliano Villanueva – A Cop Movie (Netflix)

Pete West – Puff: Wonders of the Reef (Netflix)

BEST EDITING 

Francisco Bello, Matthew Heineman, Gabriel Rhodes and David Zieff – The First Wave (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Jeff Consiglio – LFG (HBO Max and CNN Films)

Bob Eisenhardt – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Affonso Gonçalves and Adam Kurnitz – The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Joshua L. Pearson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

Julian Quantrill – The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime)

BEST NARRATION

9/11: Inside the President’s War Room (Apple TV+) Jeff Daniels, Narrator

Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films) Vincent Cassel, Narrator & Mark Monroe and Pax Wassermann, Writers

The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films) Alex Gibney, Narrator & Writer

The Neutral Ground (PBS) CJ Hunt, Narrator & Writer

The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime) Pearl Mackie, Narrator & Oliver Kindeberg, Peter Middleton and James Spinney, Writers

Val (Amazon Studios) Jack Kilmer, Narrator & Val Kilmer, Writer

The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+) David Attenborough, Narrator

BEST SCORE

Jongnic Bontemps – My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)

Dan Deacon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)

Alex Lasarenko and David Little – The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)

Cyrus Melchor – LFG (HBO/CNN)

Daniel Pemberton – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Rachel Portman – Julia (Sony Pictures Classics)

Dirac Sea – Final Account (Focus Features)

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY 

Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)

The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime)

The Real Right Stuff (Disney+)

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (HBO Documentary Films)

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

Val (Amazon Studios)

The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

BEST HISTORICAL OR BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

Attica (Showtime)

A Crime on the Bayou (Augusta Films/Shout! Studios)

Fauci (Magnolia Pictures/National Geographic Documentary Films)

Final Account (Focus Features)

Julia (Sony Pictures Classics)

My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)

No Ordinary Man (Oscilloscope)

Val (Amazon Studios)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY 

Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry (Apple TV+)

Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James (Showtime)

Listening to Kenny G (HBO Documentary Films)

The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

Tina (HBO Documentary Films)

The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films)

Enemies of the State (IFC Films)

Four Hours at the Capitol (HBO Documentary Films)

Influence (StoryScope, EyeSteelFilm)

Mayor Pete (Amazon Studios)

Missing in Brooks County (Giant Pictures)

Nasrin (Hulu)

Not Going Quietly (Greenwich Entertainment)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)

Fauci (National Geographic Documentary Films)

The First Wave (National Geographic Documentary Films)

The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)

Playing with Sharks (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Puff: Wonders of the Reef (Netflix)

The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY 

The Alpinist (Roadside Attractions)

Changing the Game (Hulu)

The Day Sports Stood Still (HBO)

Kevin Garnett: Anything is Possible (Showtime)

LFG (HBO Max/CNN Films)

Tiger (HBO)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY 

Audible (Netflix)

Borat’s American Lockdown (Amazon Studios)

Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis (Netflix)

Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol (The New York Times)

The Doll (Jumping Ibex)

The Last Cruise (HBO Documentary Films)

The Queen of Basketball (The New York Times)

Snowy (TIME Studios)

MOST COMPELLING LIVING SUBJECTS OF A DOCUMENTARY (HONOR)

Ady Barkan – Not Going Quietly (Greenwich Entertainment)

Selma Blair – Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)

Pete Buttigieg – Mayor Pete (Amazon Studios)

Anthony Fauci – Fauci (Magnolia Pictures/National Geographic Documentary Films)

Ben Fong-Torres – Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres (StudioLA.TV)

Val Kilmer – Val (Amazon Studios)

Ron and Russell Mael – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

Rita Moreno – Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (Roadside Attractions)

Valerie Taylor – Playing With Sharks: The Valerie Taylor Story (Disney+)

Fifth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Award Winners

(Los Angeles, CA  – November 16, 2020) – The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has unveiled  the winners of the fifth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which recognize the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. 

Dick Johnson is Dead takes home the most prestigious award for Best Documentary Feature as well as Best Director for Kirsten Johnson.  

My Octopus Teacher wins the awards for Best Cinematography and Best Science/Nature Documentary.

“We couldn’t be more excited about being able to celebrate such a diverse group of films and filmmakers and subjects this year of all years, on the fifth occasion of the CCDAs, and with 2020 being what it is,” said Christopher Campbell, President of the Critics Choice Association Documentary Branch. “The world needs this variety of storytelling now more than ever, and all of these documentaries moved us in unique ways. We are proud that we could still support these films and share the best of the best with nonfiction fans. Our only regret is that we couldn’t do so while also honoring the talented artists and their incredible work in person.”

Though this year’s gala event was not held in person due to the ongoing pandemic, special acceptance videos from each of the winners can be found by clicking their links below. 

To view ALL of the acceptance videos, please click HERE.

To learn more about the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, see the full list of nominees, and all of the winner acceptance speeches, visit the Critics Choice Association website.


The winners of the fifth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards are:


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Melissa Haizlip, Mr. SOUL! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roger Horrocks, My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)

BEST EDITING
Lindy Jankura, Alexis Johnson and Alex Keipper, Totally Under Control (Neon)

BEST SCORE
Marco Beltrami, Brandon Roberts and Buck Sanders, The Way I See It (Focus Features)

BEST NARRATION
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
   David Attenborough, Narrator
   David Attenborough, Writer

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)

BEST HISTORICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY 
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures/Participant)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
Beastie Boys Story (Apple)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
Boys State (Apple)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Athlete A (Netflix)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY 
St. Louis Superman (MTV Documentary Films)
(Directors and Producers: Sami Khan and Smriti Mundhra. Producer: Poh Si Teng)

MOST COMPELLING LIVING SUBJECTS OF A DOCUMENTARY (HONOR)
Dr. Rick Bright – Totally Under Control (Neon)
Steven Garza – Boys State (Apple)
The Go-Go’s – The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Judith Heumann – Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson – Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Maggie Nichols, Rachael Denhollander, Jamie Dantzscher – Athlete A (Netflix)
Fox Rich – Time (Amazon)
Pete Souza – The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Taylor Swift – Miss Americana (Netflix)
Greta Thunberg – I Am Greta (Hulu)

About CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an off-shoot of The Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and televised/streaming achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most-accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations.

The 26th annual Critics Choice Awards will air LIVE on The CW Network on Sunday, March 7, 2021, with acclaimed film, television, and stage star Taye Diggs returning to host for his third consecutive time.  The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement.


About CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION (CCA)

The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 400 television, radio and online critics and entertainment reporters. It was organized last year with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the blurring of the distinctions between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.