This is not the documentary renaissance we hoped for. Despite its 2023 Oscar win for “Navalny,” CNN pulled back on non-fiction production. Non-fiction programming at Showtime Networks, which produced Oscar-nominated “Attica” in 2022, is no more.
“The New York Times Presents” series, which produced titles like “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” and “Framing Britney Spears,” is being phased out in favor of integrating non-fiction video into the media brand. Hot Docs is on the ropes; Participant, which produced documentaries like “An Inconvenient Truth,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” and “American Factory,” closed last month.
And then there’s Netflix, which is still very much in the documentary game under Adam Del Deo, Netflix VP of original documentary films and limited series — and can afford to be with nearly 270 million global subscribers. However, it’s a specific sort of gameplay: For tight, high-quality nonfiction work that’s heartwarming, or thrilling, or stars a celebrity,...
“The New York Times Presents” series, which produced titles like “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” and “Framing Britney Spears,” is being phased out in favor of integrating non-fiction video into the media brand. Hot Docs is on the ropes; Participant, which produced documentaries like “An Inconvenient Truth,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” and “American Factory,” closed last month.
And then there’s Netflix, which is still very much in the documentary game under Adam Del Deo, Netflix VP of original documentary films and limited series — and can afford to be with nearly 270 million global subscribers. However, it’s a specific sort of gameplay: For tight, high-quality nonfiction work that’s heartwarming, or thrilling, or stars a celebrity,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Limonero Films has picked up world rights to distribute environmental documentary “Wild Coast Warriors,” which launches at Mipdoc.
The film aims to raise awareness of the plight of small coastal communities on South Africa’s Wild Coast, who are standing up to the oil and gas industry. It follows a David vs. Goliath court-case against Shell, which halted oil and gas exploration, winning protection for the community, the ocean and the local culture.
“Wild Coast Warriors” was directed by Nick Chevallier and Leigh Wood, who also was co-editor. Guido Zanghi was senior editor and co-director. The cinematographer was Warren Smart, who was topside cinematographer on Oscar winner “My Octopus Teacher.” “Wild Coast Warriors” is produced by Chevallier for Contemporary Film Productions. The executive producer is Gary Janks.
Pippa Ehrlich, director of “My Octopus Teacher,” said “Wild Coast Warriors” was “a critical story about the power of community advocacy, and a...
The film aims to raise awareness of the plight of small coastal communities on South Africa’s Wild Coast, who are standing up to the oil and gas industry. It follows a David vs. Goliath court-case against Shell, which halted oil and gas exploration, winning protection for the community, the ocean and the local culture.
“Wild Coast Warriors” was directed by Nick Chevallier and Leigh Wood, who also was co-editor. Guido Zanghi was senior editor and co-director. The cinematographer was Warren Smart, who was topside cinematographer on Oscar winner “My Octopus Teacher.” “Wild Coast Warriors” is produced by Chevallier for Contemporary Film Productions. The executive producer is Gary Janks.
Pippa Ehrlich, director of “My Octopus Teacher,” said “Wild Coast Warriors” was “a critical story about the power of community advocacy, and a...
- 3/28/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Obsession works like an addiction. You feed it and feed it, falling down rabbit holes, pursuing your prey with single-minded intensity. You chase the dragon, until you are indistinguishable from the beast itself and the rest of the world slowly becomes a blurry background.
The new Netflix docuseries American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is about a great many things: a journalist who either committed suicide or was murdered; a government surveillance software program that the Department of Justice might have stolen from its creators; a shady, scary assortment of geniuses,...
The new Netflix docuseries American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is about a great many things: a journalist who either committed suicide or was murdered; a government surveillance software program that the Department of Justice might have stolen from its creators; a shady, scary assortment of geniuses,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
Colossal Biosciences, a company devoted to genetically resurrecting the woolly mammoth, is the subject of Oscar-winning director James Reed’s next documentary series for Teton Ridge Entertainment, a company backed by former Legendary CEO Thomas Tull.
Reed, who won an Academy Award in 2020 for co-directing “My Octopus Teacher,” is currently in production on the multi-year docuseries, which will follow the Dallas-based company as it uses gene-editing technology to bring back extinct species including the woolly mammoth, the thylacine (commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger) and the dodo bird. Reed will chronicle how Colossal, which deems itself the world’s first de-extinction company, strives to rewild the extinct animals and bring them back to their natural habitats.
Teton Ridge is financing the first phase of the docu’s production with the intention to find a distribution partner to bring the film to market.
“After these past few months with Colossal,...
Reed, who won an Academy Award in 2020 for co-directing “My Octopus Teacher,” is currently in production on the multi-year docuseries, which will follow the Dallas-based company as it uses gene-editing technology to bring back extinct species including the woolly mammoth, the thylacine (commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger) and the dodo bird. Reed will chronicle how Colossal, which deems itself the world’s first de-extinction company, strives to rewild the extinct animals and bring them back to their natural habitats.
Teton Ridge is financing the first phase of the docu’s production with the intention to find a distribution partner to bring the film to market.
“After these past few months with Colossal,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Colossal Biosciences, the company bringing wooly mammoths and other extinct species back to life, and production partner Teton Ridge Entertainment are teaming with acclaimed filmmaker James Reed on a multiyear docuseries.
Reed – the Oscar-winning director of My Octopus Teacher – and producing partner Matt Houghton will executive produce the de-extinction series through Reed’s Underdog Films banner. Jillian Share for Teton Ridge Entertainment and Michael Dougherty are also on board as executive producers. Filmmaker Sophie Todd (Formula 1 – Drive To Survive) has joined the project as showrunner.
Illustration of a thylacine, also known as a Tasmanian tiger.
“The series will have exclusive access to follow Colossal as it works to bring back iconic extinct species – including the woolly mammoth, the thylacine [a carnivorous marsupial once native to Australia] and dodo bird – and strives to rewild them into their natural habitats,” notes a release. “It will have behind the scenes access to Colossal’s whole process – from their groundbreaking...
Reed – the Oscar-winning director of My Octopus Teacher – and producing partner Matt Houghton will executive produce the de-extinction series through Reed’s Underdog Films banner. Jillian Share for Teton Ridge Entertainment and Michael Dougherty are also on board as executive producers. Filmmaker Sophie Todd (Formula 1 – Drive To Survive) has joined the project as showrunner.
Illustration of a thylacine, also known as a Tasmanian tiger.
“The series will have exclusive access to follow Colossal as it works to bring back iconic extinct species – including the woolly mammoth, the thylacine [a carnivorous marsupial once native to Australia] and dodo bird – and strives to rewild them into their natural habitats,” notes a release. “It will have behind the scenes access to Colossal’s whole process – from their groundbreaking...
- 2/21/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Buoyed by the Oscar nomination of Chile’s very own Maite Alberdi for her poignant doc, “The Eternal Memory,” Chile’s documentary sector could not be more vibrant.
Debuting at the Berlinale’s Forum sidebar is “Oasis,” the latest feature doc from the Mapa Fílmico de un País (Mafi) collective and the hybrid Lgbtiq+ themed short film “Towards the Sun, Far from the Center.” Directed by Luciana Merino and Pascal Viveros and produced by Javiera Pineda, it vies for the best short film and the Teddy awards.
Both have their world premieres on Monday, Feb. 19.
Competing for the best documentary feature prize, “Oasis” is helmed by Tamara Uribe and Felipe Morgado and produced by Alba Gaviraghi and Diego Pino. It chronicles the turbulent times that led Chile to attempt a re-write of the Pinochet-era Constitution.
“We are pleased about this invitation and to be able to show our film. With it,...
Debuting at the Berlinale’s Forum sidebar is “Oasis,” the latest feature doc from the Mapa Fílmico de un País (Mafi) collective and the hybrid Lgbtiq+ themed short film “Towards the Sun, Far from the Center.” Directed by Luciana Merino and Pascal Viveros and produced by Javiera Pineda, it vies for the best short film and the Teddy awards.
Both have their world premieres on Monday, Feb. 19.
Competing for the best documentary feature prize, “Oasis” is helmed by Tamara Uribe and Felipe Morgado and produced by Alba Gaviraghi and Diego Pino. It chronicles the turbulent times that led Chile to attempt a re-write of the Pinochet-era Constitution.
“We are pleased about this invitation and to be able to show our film. With it,...
- 2/17/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
The Exchange has acquired the worldwide sales rights of romantic comedy feature “Worth the Wait,” which stars Lana Condor and Andrew Koji.
The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin, which runs Feb. 15-21.
Set in Seattle and Kuala Lumpur, “Worth the Wait” is a story about the intertwining lives of Asian-American strangers over the course of a year as they find new loves, mend their relationships, and create new connections.
The film, which is in post-production, is directed by Tom Shu-Yu Lin, whose credits include “The Garden of Evening Mists” and “Winds of September.”
“A modern approach to ‘Love Actually’ with a star-studded Asian American cast, Tom made a heartwarming rom-com that is truly worth the wait,” said Nat McCormick, The Exchange’s worldwide sales and distribution president.
Other members of the cast include Ross Butler, Sung Kang, Elodie Yung, Karena Lam...
The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin, which runs Feb. 15-21.
Set in Seattle and Kuala Lumpur, “Worth the Wait” is a story about the intertwining lives of Asian-American strangers over the course of a year as they find new loves, mend their relationships, and create new connections.
The film, which is in post-production, is directed by Tom Shu-Yu Lin, whose credits include “The Garden of Evening Mists” and “Winds of September.”
“A modern approach to ‘Love Actually’ with a star-studded Asian American cast, Tom made a heartwarming rom-com that is truly worth the wait,” said Nat McCormick, The Exchange’s worldwide sales and distribution president.
Other members of the cast include Ross Butler, Sung Kang, Elodie Yung, Karena Lam...
- 2/5/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Ted Danson is going undercover in the new comedy series A Classic Spy, reuniting him with The Good Place creator Mike Schur.
Based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, the eight-episode series follows a retired man, Charles (Danson), who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad placed by a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation of the Pacific View Retirement Residence in San Francisco. Joining him is a pedigreed list of stars, including several Schur veterans from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The original film, which was nominated for a best documentary Oscar in 2021 (My Octopus Teacher won that year), takes place in Chile and follows an 83-year-old widower who is hired by a private investigator to infiltrate a nursing home in order to find out if its residents, including the mother of the Pi’s client, are being mistreated.
Here’s who...
Based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, the eight-episode series follows a retired man, Charles (Danson), who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad placed by a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation of the Pacific View Retirement Residence in San Francisco. Joining him is a pedigreed list of stars, including several Schur veterans from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The original film, which was nominated for a best documentary Oscar in 2021 (My Octopus Teacher won that year), takes place in Chile and follows an 83-year-old widower who is hired by a private investigator to infiltrate a nursing home in order to find out if its residents, including the mother of the Pi’s client, are being mistreated.
Here’s who...
- 2/5/2024
- by Jean Bentley
- Tudum - Netflix
Luke Evans and Milla Jovovich are attached to lead the sci-fi action thriller “World Breaker,” which will be directed by Brad Anderson. The Exchange is handling international sales and will introduce the cast to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Evans, whose credits include “Beauty and the Beast,” is coming off a starring role in “Backstairs Billy” in the West End. He and Jovovich, best known for the “Resident Evil” franchise, previously starred together in “The Three Musketeers.” Anderson’s credits include “The Call,” “Beirut” and “The Silent Hour.”
The film centers on a father and his daughter. Five years previously, a tear in the fabric of reality brought creatures to our world from an alternate dimension bent on our destruction. The father hides his daughter on an island to keep her safe, while he prepares her for survival and the battles to come. But no place is safe.
Evans, whose credits include “Beauty and the Beast,” is coming off a starring role in “Backstairs Billy” in the West End. He and Jovovich, best known for the “Resident Evil” franchise, previously starred together in “The Three Musketeers.” Anderson’s credits include “The Call,” “Beirut” and “The Silent Hour.”
The film centers on a father and his daughter. Five years previously, a tear in the fabric of reality brought creatures to our world from an alternate dimension bent on our destruction. The father hides his daughter on an island to keep her safe, while he prepares her for survival and the battles to come. But no place is safe.
- 2/2/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Sundance documentaries are alive and well. And it looks like there’s some acquisition action this year, too. Which Sundance documentaries have the best shot at landing in Oscar contention this year? It helps to get bought early or to have an international footprint.
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
- 1/31/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is taking on her most sinister co-star yet: death itself.
The actress, who recently starred in the A24 indie “You Hurt My Feelings,” plays a grieving mother in another A24 film, the upcoming “Tuesday.” Written and directed by Daina O. Pusić, “Tuesday” centers on a parent (Louis-Dreyfus) and her teenage daughter (Lola Petticrew) as they confront Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking parrot. The film marks Pusić’s directorial debut.
In the trailer, Louis-Dreyfus’ character tries to connect with her ailing daughter while discussing modern dating. However, she can’t see the bird that her daughter speaks with as she is ushered to the other side. The film is a BBC Films co-production.
Louis-Dreyfus previously shut down rumors of a possible “Seinfeld” reunion and is set to appear in the continued phase of the MCU after making her debut in “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” Disney+ series.
The actress, who recently starred in the A24 indie “You Hurt My Feelings,” plays a grieving mother in another A24 film, the upcoming “Tuesday.” Written and directed by Daina O. Pusić, “Tuesday” centers on a parent (Louis-Dreyfus) and her teenage daughter (Lola Petticrew) as they confront Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking parrot. The film marks Pusić’s directorial debut.
In the trailer, Louis-Dreyfus’ character tries to connect with her ailing daughter while discussing modern dating. However, she can’t see the bird that her daughter speaks with as she is ushered to the other side. The film is a BBC Films co-production.
Louis-Dreyfus previously shut down rumors of a possible “Seinfeld” reunion and is set to appear in the continued phase of the MCU after making her debut in “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” Disney+ series.
- 1/25/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
With final voting complete, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt. We update predictions through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.
The State of the Race
With a fragile theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers, many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. Last year, three Sundance grads — eventual Oscar nominees “Fire of Love” (Neon), “All that Breathes” (HBO), and the winner, “Navalny” (CNN) — were actively campaigning.
One Sundance World Cinema entry that built a following during the year was Pulitzer Prize winner Mstyslav Chernov...
The State of the Race
With a fragile theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers, many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. Last year, three Sundance grads — eventual Oscar nominees “Fire of Love” (Neon), “All that Breathes” (HBO), and the winner, “Navalny” (CNN) — were actively campaigning.
One Sundance World Cinema entry that built a following during the year was Pulitzer Prize winner Mstyslav Chernov...
- 1/23/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher” documentarian Pippa Ehrlich is one of the voices behind a surprise A24 doc, streaming quietly on Prime Video since Friday, January 12.
Titled “My Mercury,” the film follows then-28-year-old conservationist Yves Chesselet, who sheds the comforts of modern living to relocate to the remote Mercury Island off the coast of Namibia. Chesselet is determined to bring 15,000 seals off the island and have Mercury Island solely be home to the critically endangered seabirds of the South Atlantic.
Chesselet’s sister Joelle Chesselet directed the documentary, with Ehrlich co-directing. Joelle said in a press statement, “My brother’s island saga has held me spellbound for three decades, challenging me to do justice to his tale of exhilaration, courage, positive masculinity and sacrifice. This journey has matured into what I see as a parable for our times, chronicling an intimate account of a re-wilding experiment and then zooming out to the choices we,...
Titled “My Mercury,” the film follows then-28-year-old conservationist Yves Chesselet, who sheds the comforts of modern living to relocate to the remote Mercury Island off the coast of Namibia. Chesselet is determined to bring 15,000 seals off the island and have Mercury Island solely be home to the critically endangered seabirds of the South Atlantic.
Chesselet’s sister Joelle Chesselet directed the documentary, with Ehrlich co-directing. Joelle said in a press statement, “My brother’s island saga has held me spellbound for three decades, challenging me to do justice to his tale of exhilaration, courage, positive masculinity and sacrifice. This journey has matured into what I see as a parable for our times, chronicling an intimate account of a re-wilding experiment and then zooming out to the choices we,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced the seven titles nominated for its 2024 Documentary Motion Picture award on December 12. Each of the films will advance to the final round of voting for the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards which will take place on Sunday, February 25.
The films nominated for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures are:
“20 Days in Mariupol”
“American Symphony”
“Beyond Utopia”
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite”
“The Mother of All Lies”
“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”
“Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)”
Recognition from the PGA is not always a reliable indicator of which direction AMPAS will go in determining the Oscar winner. Though PGA and AMPAS matched on their winners over the last three years with “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” and “My Octopus Teacher,” they differed the three years before that when the PGA winners “Apollo 11” (2019), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018), and “Jane” (2017) weren’t even nominated for the Oscar.
The films nominated for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures are:
“20 Days in Mariupol”
“American Symphony”
“Beyond Utopia”
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite”
“The Mother of All Lies”
“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”
“Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)”
Recognition from the PGA is not always a reliable indicator of which direction AMPAS will go in determining the Oscar winner. Though PGA and AMPAS matched on their winners over the last three years with “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” and “My Octopus Teacher,” they differed the three years before that when the PGA winners “Apollo 11” (2019), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018), and “Jane” (2017) weren’t even nominated for the Oscar.
- 12/13/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Unscripted streamer Curiosity has appointed Ludo Dufour to the new role of Vice President of Licensing.
Effective immediately, experienced industry exec Dufour will lead and drive global licensing of Curiosity’s large and growing portfolio of factual films, series and specials. The streamer’s IP spans history, technology, science, nature and wildlife, travel, adventure and more, with key programs including David Attenborough’s Light on Earth, The Real Wild West and Beyond The Spotlight, executive produced by Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio.
Dufour will report to Curiosity’s President and CEO Clint Stinchcomb.
“Ludo’s extensive experience and proven track record in the global media and entertainment industry make him an invaluable addition to our team,” said Stinchcomb. “We are confident that his leadership will significantly enhance our licensing capabilities and help expand our reach to audiences around the globe hungry for premium factual entertainment.”
“I am deeply honored to join...
Effective immediately, experienced industry exec Dufour will lead and drive global licensing of Curiosity’s large and growing portfolio of factual films, series and specials. The streamer’s IP spans history, technology, science, nature and wildlife, travel, adventure and more, with key programs including David Attenborough’s Light on Earth, The Real Wild West and Beyond The Spotlight, executive produced by Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio.
Dufour will report to Curiosity’s President and CEO Clint Stinchcomb.
“Ludo’s extensive experience and proven track record in the global media and entertainment industry make him an invaluable addition to our team,” said Stinchcomb. “We are confident that his leadership will significantly enhance our licensing capabilities and help expand our reach to audiences around the globe hungry for premium factual entertainment.”
“I am deeply honored to join...
- 11/28/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Cinema Eye Honors, a group the recognizes excellence in the artistry and craft of nonfiction filmmaking, announced the nominees for its 17th annual awards on Thursday, November 16th. The seven films nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature are “20 Days in Mariupol,” “32 Sounds,” “The Eternal Memory,” “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” “Kokomo City,” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.” Ceh will present the winners at the annual awards ceremony to be held on January 12, 2024.
Leading the pack with six overall nominations is “Kokomo City,” a debut film from director D. Smith about the lives of four black trans sex workers. Smith was nominated for Outstanding Debut and Outstanding Direction. The film’s other three nominations were for Cinematography and Sound Design, as well as among The Unforgettables selection.
See Key dates for Best Documentary Feature contenders
Also earning nominations for their debut film was Mstyslav Chernov...
Leading the pack with six overall nominations is “Kokomo City,” a debut film from director D. Smith about the lives of four black trans sex workers. Smith was nominated for Outstanding Debut and Outstanding Direction. The film’s other three nominations were for Cinematography and Sound Design, as well as among The Unforgettables selection.
See Key dates for Best Documentary Feature contenders
Also earning nominations for their debut film was Mstyslav Chernov...
- 11/17/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
For the 10th year in a row, the Scad Savannah Film Festival, the 26th edition of which ran from Oct. 21 through Oct. 28, was the place to be for documentary filmmakers and documentary lovers — specifically on Oct. 25, when The Hollywood Reporter presented and your humble correspondent hosted the fest’s Docs to Watch panel that brings together the directors of up to 10 of the year’s finest documentary features.
Over the past nine years, 45 films were nominated for the best documentary feature Oscar, 19 of which were first highlighted as Docs to Watch. And in seven of those nine years, one of the Docs to Watch went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar: 2015’s Amy, 2016’s O.J.: Made in America, 2017’s Icarus, 2018’s Free Solo, 2019’s American Factory, 2021’s Summer of Soul and 2022’s Navalny. (The other two eventual winners — 2014’s Citizenfour and 2020’s My Octopus Teacher — were not screened...
Over the past nine years, 45 films were nominated for the best documentary feature Oscar, 19 of which were first highlighted as Docs to Watch. And in seven of those nine years, one of the Docs to Watch went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar: 2015’s Amy, 2016’s O.J.: Made in America, 2017’s Icarus, 2018’s Free Solo, 2019’s American Factory, 2021’s Summer of Soul and 2022’s Navalny. (The other two eventual winners — 2014’s Citizenfour and 2020’s My Octopus Teacher — were not screened...
- 11/4/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the race to win Best Documentary Feature of the year at the Oscars, there are a slew of precursor prizes along the way. The five groups that are the best at previewing the Academy Awards contenders are: the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda), the Doc NYC film festival, Cinema Eye Honors (Ceh), International Documentary Association (IDA), and the Producers Guild Awards (PGA).
“Navalny” (2022), “Summer of Soul” (2021), and “American Factory (2019) were each recognized by all five groups before prevailing at the Oscars. Other recent champs earned prizes from a few of the groups as well: “My Octopus Teacher” (2020) began its run with a Ccda nomination and PGA win and “Free Solo” (2018) earned notices from all except Ceh.
Below are key dates for announcements from these groups:
Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards
Nominations: October 16, 2023 Winners: November 12, 2023
Doc NYC
Short List lineup: October 17, 2023
Cinema Eye Honors
Nominations: Tba Winners: Tba
International Documentary Association...
“Navalny” (2022), “Summer of Soul” (2021), and “American Factory (2019) were each recognized by all five groups before prevailing at the Oscars. Other recent champs earned prizes from a few of the groups as well: “My Octopus Teacher” (2020) began its run with a Ccda nomination and PGA win and “Free Solo” (2018) earned notices from all except Ceh.
Below are key dates for announcements from these groups:
Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards
Nominations: October 16, 2023 Winners: November 12, 2023
Doc NYC
Short List lineup: October 17, 2023
Cinema Eye Honors
Nominations: Tba Winners: Tba
International Documentary Association...
- 10/26/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Thirteen-year-old Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has revealed its influential 15-film Short List. The festival will run its main lineup of 114 features and 129 short films in-person November 8-16 in New York City’s IFC Center, Sva Theatre and Village East by Angelika and continue online until November 26 with films available to viewers across the U.S. All the films will have theatrical screenings at the festival, often with the directors in person.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC shortlist titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Shortlist. With the notable exception of Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for 11 years the festival has screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.” The festival has also screened 49 of the last 55 Oscar-nominated documentary features.
Historically, most of the Doc NYC shortlist titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Shortlist. With the notable exception of Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for 11 years the festival has screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” and “Undefeated.” The festival has also screened 49 of the last 55 Oscar-nominated documentary features.
- 10/17/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
It’s appropriate that Netflix dropped the sixth season of “Black Mirror” on June 15, the same day that Emmy voting began. The series isn’t eligible for this year’s awards, of course, but it has been a dominant force at the Emmys for years, even sparking a rule change that affects a number of other anthology programs this year.
And because of that rule change, it’s going to be a lot harder for any of those other programs — which include “Documentary Now!” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” — to be nominated for Emmys this year.
First, a little background. “Black Mirror,” created by Charlie Brooker and first airing in 2011, was inspired by the classic 1950s and ’60s series “The Twlight Zone,” in which Rod Serling used each episode to tell a different story — usually creepy or scary, usually with a twist, always with a moral. Back then,...
And because of that rule change, it’s going to be a lot harder for any of those other programs — which include “Documentary Now!” and “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” — to be nominated for Emmys this year.
First, a little background. “Black Mirror,” created by Charlie Brooker and first airing in 2011, was inspired by the classic 1950s and ’60s series “The Twlight Zone,” in which Rod Serling used each episode to tell a different story — usually creepy or scary, usually with a twist, always with a moral. Back then,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Luke Wiles, Gwyn Williams co-direct.
The Exchange has acquired word sales rights to documentary The White Mountain and will commence sales talks at the Cannes market next week.
Luke Wiles (The Life Of Earth) and Gwyn Williams (Lost Treasures Of Egypt) are co-directing the film, in post, which follows elite skier Hadley Hammer and mountain rescue team member Bastien Fleury as they bear witness to the consequences of climate change on Mont Blanc.
Malcolm Wood (IMAX Presents The Last Glaciers) serves as producer, and executive producers are James Reed (My Octopus Teacher), Bahman Naraghi (Snowden) and The Exchange founder Brian O’Shea...
The Exchange has acquired word sales rights to documentary The White Mountain and will commence sales talks at the Cannes market next week.
Luke Wiles (The Life Of Earth) and Gwyn Williams (Lost Treasures Of Egypt) are co-directing the film, in post, which follows elite skier Hadley Hammer and mountain rescue team member Bastien Fleury as they bear witness to the consequences of climate change on Mont Blanc.
Malcolm Wood (IMAX Presents The Last Glaciers) serves as producer, and executive producers are James Reed (My Octopus Teacher), Bahman Naraghi (Snowden) and The Exchange founder Brian O’Shea...
- 5/12/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Shawn Ryan‘s “The Night Agent” continues to be Netflix’s most-watched English language television series, inching up on “Bridgerton” as the streamer’s most-watched television series of all time, but it received some competition from the second weekend of Lee Sung Jin‘s limited series “Beef.” Read on for the Netflix Top 10 (Week of April 10) viewing chart analysis.
With 90 million global viewing hours last week, “The Night Agent” continues to be one of Netflix’s biggest hits, remaining in the Top 10 in 89 countries, although the first season of “Beef” topped the charts in the United States and “Love is Blind” Season 4 was Canada’s top series. “The Night Agent” is currently Netflix’s #6 series of all time with 605.6 million hours viewed globally, passing “Stranger Things” Season 3.
SEENetflix shuts down DVD business after 25 years
“Beef” received 70.3 million viewing hours globally, with an odd mix of countries from Estonia to the...
With 90 million global viewing hours last week, “The Night Agent” continues to be one of Netflix’s biggest hits, remaining in the Top 10 in 89 countries, although the first season of “Beef” topped the charts in the United States and “Love is Blind” Season 4 was Canada’s top series. “The Night Agent” is currently Netflix’s #6 series of all time with 605.6 million hours viewed globally, passing “Stranger Things” Season 3.
SEENetflix shuts down DVD business after 25 years
“Beef” received 70.3 million viewing hours globally, with an odd mix of countries from Estonia to the...
- 4/18/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
April is international Earth Month, and to commemorate the planet that sustains us Xumo Play is adding a new free ad-supported TV (Fast) channel. The Xumo Free Nature and Wildlife TV channel is available to all Xumo users now, at no cost.
Watch Now $0 / month play.xumo.com
Channel highlights include two docuseries: “Butterflies: Superheroes of Nature” and “Nature’s Ultimate Survivors,” both of which are debuting in the United States for the first time. These series come from the production house Off the Fence, a United Kingdom-based studio that won an Oscar for its documentary “My Octopus Teacher.” Xumo’s engineers will curate the channel into themed programming blocks such as Big Cats, Safari, Wildest Places and more.
“Our new Nature and Wildlife TV channel will offer Xumo Play viewers a wide array of engaging and high-quality nature programming, including two new exclusive documentaries from the Academy Award-winning production house,...
Watch Now $0 / month play.xumo.com
Channel highlights include two docuseries: “Butterflies: Superheroes of Nature” and “Nature’s Ultimate Survivors,” both of which are debuting in the United States for the first time. These series come from the production house Off the Fence, a United Kingdom-based studio that won an Oscar for its documentary “My Octopus Teacher.” Xumo’s engineers will curate the channel into themed programming blocks such as Big Cats, Safari, Wildest Places and more.
“Our new Nature and Wildlife TV channel will offer Xumo Play viewers a wide array of engaging and high-quality nature programming, including two new exclusive documentaries from the Academy Award-winning production house,...
- 4/5/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Netflix shocked the industry last week with the news that two respected film executives, Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke, were leaving the company in an apparent nod toward austerity. But the move left many questioning just what Netflix’s strategy is for its cinematic future, and whether it will lead to a power struggle between co-ceo Ted Sarandos, who is adamant that Netflix is a streaming-first company, and film chairman Scott Stuber, who has stated that he would like Netflix to become a true cinematic force to be reckoned with, an aspiration that may require a far more substantial theatrical investment.
“There are concerns being whispered around the industry that this move from Netflix could be signaling an end to the high-quality content we’ve seen them get behind in recent years, and — potentially — a return to the more formulaic ‘sure thing’ kind of content that is lower cost but more certain financially,...
“There are concerns being whispered around the industry that this move from Netflix could be signaling an end to the high-quality content we’ve seen them get behind in recent years, and — potentially — a return to the more formulaic ‘sure thing’ kind of content that is lower cost but more certain financially,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Netflix executive Lisa Nishimura backed some of the streamer’s biggest successes – Tiger King, The Tinder Swindler, The Power of the Dog, Making a Murderer, and American Factory – but in an era of corporate cost-cutting, it wasn’t enough to save her job.
Related Story Netflix Vets Lisa Nishimura & Ian Bricke Depart In Film Group Reorg Related Story Omar Epps Boards Netflix's Limited Series 'The Perfect Couple' Related Story IFC Center's John Vanco Joins Netflix To Oversee Programming For Streamer's Theaters
Her imminent departure as VP of independent film and documentary features, after a 16-year stint at Netflix, has come as a particular shock to the nonfiction film community, which saw her build Netflix into a dominant force in documentary and become, in the process, one of Netflix’s most visible execs.
(L-r) Lisa Nishimura, Taylor Swift and Ted Sarandos attend the Netflix 2019 Golden Globes After Party
“Lisa...
Related Story Netflix Vets Lisa Nishimura & Ian Bricke Depart In Film Group Reorg Related Story Omar Epps Boards Netflix's Limited Series 'The Perfect Couple' Related Story IFC Center's John Vanco Joins Netflix To Oversee Programming For Streamer's Theaters
Her imminent departure as VP of independent film and documentary features, after a 16-year stint at Netflix, has come as a particular shock to the nonfiction film community, which saw her build Netflix into a dominant force in documentary and become, in the process, one of Netflix’s most visible execs.
(L-r) Lisa Nishimura, Taylor Swift and Ted Sarandos attend the Netflix 2019 Golden Globes After Party
“Lisa...
- 3/31/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The exits of film executives Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke from Netflix late on March 30 shocked the documentary and indie film world. Not only were they Netflix stalwarts — Nishimura joined in 2007, when it was a DVD business, and Bricke joined in 2011 — but also for how admired and how defining of a voice they’ve been at Netflix in the last decade.
“Both of them are the foundation of the kind of programming that is both commercial and also tasteful, and not just pure fodder for the masses,” one documentary producer who asked not to be named told IndieWire. “Lisa and Ian were the foundational DNA of Netflix as a company.”
IndieWire spoke to multiple sources who worked with Nishimura and Bricke and they all offered variations on the same theme: They’re great people with great taste who have done great work, and they’re shocked by the departures.
In a statement,...
“Both of them are the foundation of the kind of programming that is both commercial and also tasteful, and not just pure fodder for the masses,” one documentary producer who asked not to be named told IndieWire. “Lisa and Ian were the foundational DNA of Netflix as a company.”
IndieWire spoke to multiple sources who worked with Nishimura and Bricke and they all offered variations on the same theme: They’re great people with great taste who have done great work, and they’re shocked by the departures.
In a statement,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Brian Welk and Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Industry will scrutnise evolving content strategy.
Longtime Netflix executives Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke have departed amid a restructure which will have the industry scrutinising its evolving content strategy.
Nishimura was with the company for more than 15 years and led the charge on stand-up comedy and docuseries. She most recently served as VP of independent film and documentary features and worked on the likes of Making A Murderer, My Octopus Teacher, American Factory, and Tiger King.
Among her lower budget narrative credits were Power Of The Dog from Oscar-winning director Jane Campion, and the upcoming They Cloned Tyrone and Nyad.
Longtime Netflix executives Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke have departed amid a restructure which will have the industry scrutinising its evolving content strategy.
Nishimura was with the company for more than 15 years and led the charge on stand-up comedy and docuseries. She most recently served as VP of independent film and documentary features and worked on the likes of Making A Murderer, My Octopus Teacher, American Factory, and Tiger King.
Among her lower budget narrative credits were Power Of The Dog from Oscar-winning director Jane Campion, and the upcoming They Cloned Tyrone and Nyad.
- 3/31/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
As part of a restructuring of Netflix’s film division, longtime company veterans Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke have exited the company, TheWrap has learned.
Prior to their departures, Nishimura headed up the indie film and documentary group, while Bricke served as vice president of indie films. Live action films are now being overseen by Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall.
In a statement, film division boss Scott Stuber said, “Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces. Her documentary work includes American Factory, My Octopus Teacher, Making a Murderer and Tiger King; and on the narrative film side her work includes Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, and the upcoming They Cloned Tyrone, Rustin and Nyad. Along the way,...
Prior to their departures, Nishimura headed up the indie film and documentary group, while Bricke served as vice president of indie films. Live action films are now being overseen by Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall.
In a statement, film division boss Scott Stuber said, “Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces. Her documentary work includes American Factory, My Octopus Teacher, Making a Murderer and Tiger King; and on the narrative film side her work includes Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, and the upcoming They Cloned Tyrone, Rustin and Nyad. Along the way,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
In a surprising move, Netflix has parted ways with two longtime film executives, with Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke departing the streaming service.
Nishimura, who served as vp independent film and documentary features, handled an array of projects budgeted at $40 million or below, including the Oscar-nominated doc Crip Camp and the western Power of the Dog, which earned Jane Campion a best director Oscar.
The move comes amid a restructuring, with projects under Scott Stuber’s film division now folding all live-action films under Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall. Dan Silver oversees documentary, which previously was partially overseen by Nishimura.
“Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces,” said Stuber in a statement. “Her documentary work includes American Factory,...
Nishimura, who served as vp independent film and documentary features, handled an array of projects budgeted at $40 million or below, including the Oscar-nominated doc Crip Camp and the western Power of the Dog, which earned Jane Campion a best director Oscar.
The move comes amid a restructuring, with projects under Scott Stuber’s film division now folding all live-action films under Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall. Dan Silver oversees documentary, which previously was partially overseen by Nishimura.
“Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces,” said Stuber in a statement. “Her documentary work includes American Factory,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Aaron Couch and Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Deadline has confirmed that Netflix film executives Lisa Nishimura and Ian Bricke are exiting the streamer amid a reorganization of the film group. All live-action film content now will be overseen by Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall.
We hear that Netflix will continue to make indie pics, and that this whole plan was part of streamlining and solidifying ops.
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Scott Stuber, Chairman of Netflix Film, said in a statement: “Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces.
We hear that Netflix will continue to make indie pics, and that this whole plan was part of streamlining and solidifying ops.
Related Story UK Culture Secretary Lays Out Why The Government Is Regulating The Streamers Related Story 'The Residence': Barrett Foa Joins Netflix's Shondaland Drama As Recurring Related Story Megan Thee Stallion Circling Josh & Benny Safdie's Netflix Film With Adam Sandler
Scott Stuber, Chairman of Netflix Film, said in a statement: “Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces.
- 3/31/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Two veteran Netflix creative executives are parting ways with the streamer following a restructuring of the film group.
Indie film and documentary features lead Lisa Nishimura and indie film vice president Ian Bricke have both stepped down. The change comes as the result of streamlining under Netflix film head Scott Stuber. All live-action film content will now roll up to Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall.
“Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces,” Stuber told Variety in a statement of the executive, a fixture in the indie community and on the annual festival circuit.
“Her documentary work includes ‘American Factory,’ ‘My Octopus Teacher,’ ‘Making a Murderer’ and ‘Tiger King’; and on the narrative film side her work includes Jane Campion...
Indie film and documentary features lead Lisa Nishimura and indie film vice president Ian Bricke have both stepped down. The change comes as the result of streamlining under Netflix film head Scott Stuber. All live-action film content will now roll up to Kira Goldberg, Ori Marmur and Niija Kuykendall.
“Lisa Nishimura joined Netflix in the DVD days, and as the company moved into streaming, she built our original documentary and stand-up comedy divisions from the ground up, and established Netflix as a powerhouse in both spaces,” Stuber told Variety in a statement of the executive, a fixture in the indie community and on the annual festival circuit.
“Her documentary work includes ‘American Factory,’ ‘My Octopus Teacher,’ ‘Making a Murderer’ and ‘Tiger King’; and on the narrative film side her work includes Jane Campion...
- 3/31/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is to narrate a natural history series about chimpanzees for Netflix.
Ali, who won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for Moonlight and Green Book, is narrating Chimp Empire, a four-part series for the streamer.
The series comes from director James Reed, who won an Oscar for co-directing Netflix’s My Octopus Teacher. It is his latest chimp doc, having been responsible for Rise of the Warrior Apes for Discovery.
Chimp Empire explores the world of the largest chimpanzee society ever discovered.
Set under the lush canopies of Uganda’s Ngogo Forest, scientists and field trackers have lived alongside this tribe for the last 25 years, watching as they built a sophisticated political and familial structure: forming alliances, building trust, caring for one another, and often going head to head in a never ending fight for power.
Reed and his team embedded a camera crew...
Ali, who won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for Moonlight and Green Book, is narrating Chimp Empire, a four-part series for the streamer.
The series comes from director James Reed, who won an Oscar for co-directing Netflix’s My Octopus Teacher. It is his latest chimp doc, having been responsible for Rise of the Warrior Apes for Discovery.
Chimp Empire explores the world of the largest chimpanzee society ever discovered.
Set under the lush canopies of Uganda’s Ngogo Forest, scientists and field trackers have lived alongside this tribe for the last 25 years, watching as they built a sophisticated political and familial structure: forming alliances, building trust, caring for one another, and often going head to head in a never ending fight for power.
Reed and his team embedded a camera crew...
- 3/22/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Over the years, the Oscar for best documentary feature has provided the Academy Awards with some of the ceremony’s most contentious and divisive moments: In 1975, when the Vietnam War doc Hearts and Minds claimed the prize, producer Bert Schneider read a letter of thanks from the Viet Cong, so incensing hosts Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra that they took it upon themselves later in the broadcast to apologize “for any political references.” In 2003, while accepting his Oscar for the anti-gun doc Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore was greeted with both cheers and boos when he cried “Shame on you, Mr. Bush” for launching the war in Iraq.
In the past couple of years, as Academy membership has grown larger and more diverse, the feature documentary results have been a lot more mellow, with crowd-pleasing choices — like the 2021 concert film Summer of Soul and the 2020 nature doc My Octopus Teacher — prevailing.
In the past couple of years, as Academy membership has grown larger and more diverse, the feature documentary results have been a lot more mellow, with crowd-pleasing choices — like the 2021 concert film Summer of Soul and the 2020 nature doc My Octopus Teacher — prevailing.
- 3/6/2023
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” seemed like a lock to win Best Documentary. The political exposé on artist Nan Goldin and the fall of a pharmaceutical empire was cleaning up among critics’ groups throughout awards season – including New York, Los Angeles, and Florida – as well as being named one of the top-five docs of the year by the National Board of Review.
But as we head toward the Oscars ceremony on March 12, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” feels more vulnerable than ever despite a comfortable lead in the Gold Derby combined odds. After missing a nomination at the Producers Guild Awards, director Laura Poitras lost to “Fire of Love” filmmaker Sara Dosa at the Directors Guild Awards. Then on Sunday at the BAFTA Awards, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” lost Best Documentary to “Navalny.”
Let’s start with the PGA Awards, which take place this weekend. The...
But as we head toward the Oscars ceremony on March 12, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” feels more vulnerable than ever despite a comfortable lead in the Gold Derby combined odds. After missing a nomination at the Producers Guild Awards, director Laura Poitras lost to “Fire of Love” filmmaker Sara Dosa at the Directors Guild Awards. Then on Sunday at the BAFTA Awards, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” lost Best Documentary to “Navalny.”
Let’s start with the PGA Awards, which take place this weekend. The...
- 2/27/2023
- by Sebastian Ochoa Mendoza
- Gold Derby
It’s shaping up to be an exciting, competitive awards season for documentaries. “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” is the odds-on favorite for the Oscar as of this writing, but precursor awards have gone in different directions. Coming up are the February 25 Producers Guild of America Awards, where “All the Beauty” is absent from the nonfiction lineup. So which film will win instead?
It’s a three-way race according to the combined predictions of over 1,000 Gold Derby users. “Fire of Love” has the lead with 5/1 odds and support from 12 out of 18 Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets, seven out of 12 Gold Derby Editors, 16 of our Top 24 Users, and 14 of our All-Star Top 24. The film, which explores the lives and deaths of a pair of married volcanologists, recently won the Directors Guild Award, so it’s off to a good start within the industry.
See‘Navalny’ filmmakers...
It’s a three-way race according to the combined predictions of over 1,000 Gold Derby users. “Fire of Love” has the lead with 5/1 odds and support from 12 out of 18 Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets, seven out of 12 Gold Derby Editors, 16 of our Top 24 Users, and 14 of our All-Star Top 24. The film, which explores the lives and deaths of a pair of married volcanologists, recently won the Directors Guild Award, so it’s off to a good start within the industry.
See‘Navalny’ filmmakers...
- 2/24/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Top Spanish producer Nostromo Pictures, which is behind Netflix hit “Through My Window,” is partnering with Beta Fiction Spain to launch “Hermano Caballo,” a documentary by Marcel Barrera, director of “Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea” and “100 Meters.”
“Hermano Caballo” marks the first documentary produced by Nostromo Pictures and also the first handled by Beta Fiction Spain, the Spanish arm of Jan Mojto’s European studio Beta Film, which launched last year.
The documentary focuses on reknowned Catalan wrangler Santi Serra, developer of a natural training technique based on creating bonds with horses and learning through play.
Barrena shows how Serra develops his own language with animals, especially with his horses, managing to communicate with them and establish strong relationships of trust and friendship.
“Hermano” is scheduled for a Spanish release before the summer and, to be announced soon, a festival that will serve as the doc-feature’s launch pad.
“Hermano Caballo” marks the first documentary produced by Nostromo Pictures and also the first handled by Beta Fiction Spain, the Spanish arm of Jan Mojto’s European studio Beta Film, which launched last year.
The documentary focuses on reknowned Catalan wrangler Santi Serra, developer of a natural training technique based on creating bonds with horses and learning through play.
Barrena shows how Serra develops his own language with animals, especially with his horses, managing to communicate with them and establish strong relationships of trust and friendship.
“Hermano” is scheduled for a Spanish release before the summer and, to be announced soon, a festival that will serve as the doc-feature’s launch pad.
- 2/20/2023
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
AC Independent, Anonymous Content’s new sales and finance division, is set to introduce Pippa Ehrlich’s anticipated follow-up to her Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” as well as Walter Salles’ “Sócrates,” to buyers at the Berlin Film Festival.
Ehrlich’s untitled new project and Salles’ “Sócrates” are part of AC Independent’s robust slate of documentary features from celebrated filmmakers.
In her upcoming project, Ehrlich will shed light on the secretive and endangered world of pangolins, a species viewed as mythological creatures. When Stevie, a baby pangolin, is rescued from death at the hands of poachers in Johannesburg, an investment manager pivots his life to become the animal’s caretaker, teaching him to trust the world again and, in doing so, rediscovers his own purpose. Hand-reared until his release back into the wild, Stevie takes Gareth into his dragon world and together they find freedom and healing in the wild.
Ehrlich’s untitled new project and Salles’ “Sócrates” are part of AC Independent’s robust slate of documentary features from celebrated filmmakers.
In her upcoming project, Ehrlich will shed light on the secretive and endangered world of pangolins, a species viewed as mythological creatures. When Stevie, a baby pangolin, is rescued from death at the hands of poachers in Johannesburg, an investment manager pivots his life to become the animal’s caretaker, teaching him to trust the world again and, in doing so, rediscovers his own purpose. Hand-reared until his release back into the wild, Stevie takes Gareth into his dragon world and together they find freedom and healing in the wild.
- 2/14/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Among the Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Feature are four films that received acclaim across the major nonfiction precursors this year and a fifth that earned its spot after flying under the radar for much of the season. One of these five films will become the documentary branch’s next Oscar winner when the 95th Academy Awards air on March 12. Let’s take a look the road to the ballot for the five nominees and consider which could end up with the statue.
During the season there are four major groups that signal where the documentary feature race is headed. The International Documentary Association (IDA), Cinema Eye Honors (Ceh), the Doc NYC festival shortlist, and the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda) have the strongest recent history of indicating which films will earn a nomination from the academy’s branch. Their track record at matching the academy’s winner is less of a sure thing.
During the season there are four major groups that signal where the documentary feature race is headed. The International Documentary Association (IDA), Cinema Eye Honors (Ceh), the Doc NYC festival shortlist, and the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (Ccda) have the strongest recent history of indicating which films will earn a nomination from the academy’s branch. Their track record at matching the academy’s winner is less of a sure thing.
- 2/10/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
We will update these predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2023 Oscar picks. Final voting is March 2 through 7, 2023. The 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
See IndieWire’s previous Oscars Predictions for this category and more here.
State of the Race
Because the much-enlarged documentary branch sees all fifteen shortlisted films when they pick their nominees for Best Documentary Feature, it wasn’t a surprise that a film that was not widely lauded on the awards circuit would sneak into the final five. Danish filmmaker Simon Lerent Wilmont’s Sundance World Cinema directing winner “A House Made of Splinters” was the surprise on Oscar nominations morning. Produced by Joshua Oppenheimer’s team behind “Flee,” the touching film goes inside a home for neglected children anxiously awaiting court custody decisions,...
See IndieWire’s previous Oscars Predictions for this category and more here.
State of the Race
Because the much-enlarged documentary branch sees all fifteen shortlisted films when they pick their nominees for Best Documentary Feature, it wasn’t a surprise that a film that was not widely lauded on the awards circuit would sneak into the final five. Danish filmmaker Simon Lerent Wilmont’s Sundance World Cinema directing winner “A House Made of Splinters” was the surprise on Oscar nominations morning. Produced by Joshua Oppenheimer’s team behind “Flee,” the touching film goes inside a home for neglected children anxiously awaiting court custody decisions,...
- 1/30/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Most Oscar documentary nominees launch at Sundance. There are exceptions, like winners “Citizenfour,” “Free Solo,” and “My Octopus Teacher,” but it remains the festival of choice for non-fiction films.
A Sundance award doesn’t hurt, either: The 2022 documentary Oscar winner, Questlove’s “Summer of Soul,” began its journey as a 2021 Sundance double winner with an Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize. This year, the Oscar nominees include “Navalny” (U.S. Documentary audience and Festival Favorite award), “Fire of Love” (editing award), “All that Breathes,” (Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary), and “House Made of Splinters” (World Cinema Documentary Directing Award).
This year’s Sundance crop, sampled by those in Park City theaters as well as online, is just as impressive. Jury prizes didn’t always go to the buzziest titles, but Sundance award-winners get a lift toward getting seen and often acquired.
Sheila Nevins’ MTV Documentary Films grabbed Chilean...
A Sundance award doesn’t hurt, either: The 2022 documentary Oscar winner, Questlove’s “Summer of Soul,” began its journey as a 2021 Sundance double winner with an Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize. This year, the Oscar nominees include “Navalny” (U.S. Documentary audience and Festival Favorite award), “Fire of Love” (editing award), “All that Breathes,” (Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary), and “House Made of Splinters” (World Cinema Documentary Directing Award).
This year’s Sundance crop, sampled by those in Park City theaters as well as online, is just as impressive. Jury prizes didn’t always go to the buzziest titles, but Sundance award-winners get a lift toward getting seen and often acquired.
Sheila Nevins’ MTV Documentary Films grabbed Chilean...
- 1/29/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The nature doc is a staple of nonfiction storytelling in film, and the genre has produced a number of Oscar-winning documentary features — as recently as 2021’s winner My Octopus Teacher. This year, three nature docs made it to the shortlist ahead of the Academy Award nominations announcement on Jan. 24, and all aim to make it in the final five films that will earn a nom for doc feature.
HBO’s All That Breathes is set in New Delhi, India, with director Shaunak Sen’s film focusing on two brothers — Nadeem and Saud — who have devoted their lives to protecting the black kite, a bird of prey essential to their native ecosystem. Known as the “kite brothers,” the film’s subjects show the tough work of environmental activism through their ingenious efforts to create an avian hospital. All That Breathes premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the grand...
HBO’s All That Breathes is set in New Delhi, India, with director Shaunak Sen’s film focusing on two brothers — Nadeem and Saud — who have devoted their lives to protecting the black kite, a bird of prey essential to their native ecosystem. Known as the “kite brothers,” the film’s subjects show the tough work of environmental activism through their ingenious efforts to create an avian hospital. All That Breathes premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the grand...
- 1/17/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
YouTube Original doc “The Letter: A Message For Our Earth,” a call to action for climate change from Pope Francis, will have its U.K. and Ireland premiere on environmental and sustainability channel EarthxTV.
The film is inspired by Pope Francis’ Laudato Si,’ a 42,000-word letter in which Pope Francis calls for the people of the world to take “swift and unified global action” against global warming. It features personal experiences from the poor, the indigenous, the young and the wildlife, whose everyday lives have been profoundly impacted by global warming. It also tracks the travels of four people from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawaii, who bring new perspectives, findings and solutions to address environmental challenges and the film aims to raise public awareness of the planetary crisis and create a global movement.
The doc is directed by Emmy-winning director Nicolas Brown (“Serengeti Rules”) and produced by Off The Fence,...
The film is inspired by Pope Francis’ Laudato Si,’ a 42,000-word letter in which Pope Francis calls for the people of the world to take “swift and unified global action” against global warming. It features personal experiences from the poor, the indigenous, the young and the wildlife, whose everyday lives have been profoundly impacted by global warming. It also tracks the travels of four people from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawaii, who bring new perspectives, findings and solutions to address environmental challenges and the film aims to raise public awareness of the planetary crisis and create a global movement.
The doc is directed by Emmy-winning director Nicolas Brown (“Serengeti Rules”) and produced by Off The Fence,...
- 12/14/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The Producers Guild of America announced the seven films vying for Best Documentary Feature on Monday, December 12. The nominees are: “All That Breathes,” “Descendant,” “Fire of Love,” “Navalny,” “Nothing Compares,” “Retrograde,” and “The Territory.”
Recognition from the PGA is one stop on the path to a nomination for non-fiction Oscar hopefuls. In the last two years, the PGA winner and the Oscar winner have matched (“Summer of Soul” and “My Octopus Teacher” each won both prizes), but the overlap in nominees is less consistent.
In 2021 and 2019, PGA and Oscar matched on four titles, but in 2020 and 2018 they only matched on two. In 2017, none of the seven PGA nominees were nominated by the academy. Just prior to 2020, the PGA winners “Apollo 11” (2019), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” (2018) and “Jane” (2017) all missed out on an Oscar nomination.
So far this year, “Fire of Love” and “Navalny” are the two PGA nominees that...
Recognition from the PGA is one stop on the path to a nomination for non-fiction Oscar hopefuls. In the last two years, the PGA winner and the Oscar winner have matched (“Summer of Soul” and “My Octopus Teacher” each won both prizes), but the overlap in nominees is less consistent.
In 2021 and 2019, PGA and Oscar matched on four titles, but in 2020 and 2018 they only matched on two. In 2017, none of the seven PGA nominees were nominated by the academy. Just prior to 2020, the PGA winners “Apollo 11” (2019), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” (2018) and “Jane” (2017) all missed out on an Oscar nomination.
So far this year, “Fire of Love” and “Navalny” are the two PGA nominees that...
- 12/13/2022
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
The International Documentary Association (IDA) presented awards to the winners in 18 categories for the 38th IDA Documentary Awards on December 10, 2022 at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles. Shaunak Sen‘s “All That Breathes” went into the evening with four nominations and emerged as a winner of three, including the top prize. See the full list of winners below.
In addition to taking home Best Feature Documentary, Shen was named Best Director and the film’s editor Charlotte Munch Bengtsen won for Best Editing. Of its four nominations, “All That Breathes” lost only the award for Best Cinematography which went to the team on “Fire of Love” instead.
“Fire of Love” was the leader in nominations with five and won twice — it was also victorious in Best Writing. “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” won for Best Music Documentary and “The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons” won for Best Music Score.
In addition to taking home Best Feature Documentary, Shen was named Best Director and the film’s editor Charlotte Munch Bengtsen won for Best Editing. Of its four nominations, “All That Breathes” lost only the award for Best Cinematography which went to the team on “Fire of Love” instead.
“Fire of Love” was the leader in nominations with five and won twice — it was also victorious in Best Writing. “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” won for Best Music Documentary and “The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons” won for Best Music Score.
- 12/13/2022
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
‘My Octopus Teacher’ Indie Cco Allison Bean Moves To Wildflame
Allison Bean, Chief Creative Officer of My Octopus Teacher producer Off the Fence (Otf), is moving to Welsh factual indie Wildflame Productions. As Creative Director, Bean will drive Wildflame’s international push, with the indie having been behind the likes of Discovery+’s Brink of Disaster and Smithsonian Channel’s Secrets of the Celtic Grave. Bean has spent 16 years with Zdf Enterprises-owned Otf, overseeing the likes of Oscar-winning feature My Octopus Teacher and Stan Lee’s Superhumans for History. She was hailed as a “major figure in the international production and distribution industry,” by Paul Islwyn Thomas, Wildflame CEO, who “built the business from its inception to an internationally renowned powerhouse of factual production.”
Queer Charity Out On Screen Launches Programming Fellowship
Exclusive: Charity and queer arts organization Out On Screen has launched its inaugural Programming Disruptor Fellowship, a...
Allison Bean, Chief Creative Officer of My Octopus Teacher producer Off the Fence (Otf), is moving to Welsh factual indie Wildflame Productions. As Creative Director, Bean will drive Wildflame’s international push, with the indie having been behind the likes of Discovery+’s Brink of Disaster and Smithsonian Channel’s Secrets of the Celtic Grave. Bean has spent 16 years with Zdf Enterprises-owned Otf, overseeing the likes of Oscar-winning feature My Octopus Teacher and Stan Lee’s Superhumans for History. She was hailed as a “major figure in the international production and distribution industry,” by Paul Islwyn Thomas, Wildflame CEO, who “built the business from its inception to an internationally renowned powerhouse of factual production.”
Queer Charity Out On Screen Launches Programming Fellowship
Exclusive: Charity and queer arts organization Out On Screen has launched its inaugural Programming Disruptor Fellowship, a...
- 12/13/2022
- by Max Goldbart, Zac Ntim and Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
“All That Breathes,” “Descendant,” “Fire of Love,” “Navalny,” “Nothing Compares,” “Retrograde” and “The Territory” have been nominated by the Producers Guild of America in the Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures category, the PGA announced on Monday.
The winner will be announced at the 34th annual Producers Guild of America Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.
In the 16 years that the PGA has been honoring nonfiction films, less than a third of the guild’s nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. The PGA winner has also won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature seven times, including the last two years with “Summer of Soul” and “My Octopus Teacher.”
Also Read:
‘All That Breathes’ Named Year’s Best Documentary at IDA Awards
This year’s nominees include several of the most honored nonfiction films of 2022, including “All That Breathes” and “Fire of Love,” which won multiple IDA Documentary Awards on Saturday.
The winner will be announced at the 34th annual Producers Guild of America Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.
In the 16 years that the PGA has been honoring nonfiction films, less than a third of the guild’s nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. The PGA winner has also won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature seven times, including the last two years with “Summer of Soul” and “My Octopus Teacher.”
Also Read:
‘All That Breathes’ Named Year’s Best Documentary at IDA Awards
This year’s nominees include several of the most honored nonfiction films of 2022, including “All That Breathes” and “Fire of Love,” which won multiple IDA Documentary Awards on Saturday.
- 12/12/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
National Geographic Films dominated the 2023 Documentary Motion Picture nominees for the upcoming 34th Producers Guild Awards. The studio landed three of the seven spots with “Fire of Love” from Sara Dosa, “Retrograde” from Matthew Heineman and “The Territory” from Alex Pritz.
In addition to the Nat Geo trio, other nominees included HBO’s “All That Breathes,” Netflix’s “Descendant,” CNN and Warner Bros’ “Navalny” and Showtime’s “Nothing Compares.” All seven are in the discussion for Oscar recognition this year.
The Producers Guild Awards honors excellence in motion picture and television productions, as well as the most notable names in the industry who are shaping the producing profession.
PGA nominees for docs haven’t had the best track record of translating to Oscar attention, which differs from the narrative feature category. However, it strongly correlates to appearing on the Oscar doc shortlist of 15 films, which began voting today. Last year,...
In addition to the Nat Geo trio, other nominees included HBO’s “All That Breathes,” Netflix’s “Descendant,” CNN and Warner Bros’ “Navalny” and Showtime’s “Nothing Compares.” All seven are in the discussion for Oscar recognition this year.
The Producers Guild Awards honors excellence in motion picture and television productions, as well as the most notable names in the industry who are shaping the producing profession.
PGA nominees for docs haven’t had the best track record of translating to Oscar attention, which differs from the narrative feature category. However, it strongly correlates to appearing on the Oscar doc shortlist of 15 films, which began voting today. Last year,...
- 12/12/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Maybe take these “historical” stories with a grain of salt.
Oscar winner Helen Mirren returns as the host for Season 53 of IFC’s “Documentary Now!” series, premiering October 19 on IFC and AMC+. “Stories that dare to tell the truth have never been more crucial to our culture,” Mirren says in the trailer. “Now, more than ever, the world needs ‘Documentary Now!'”
The “true” series will parody famed documentaries “The September Issue,” “Burden of Dreams,” “3 Salons at the Seaside,” “When We Were Kings,” “Gleaners and I,” and “Beaches of Agnes” across its six-episode season. A special sneak peek at the mock “My Octopus Teacher” entry stars “Fleabag” fan-favorite Jamie Demetriou as a filmmaker who “who forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey” and gets shirtless in a moment of passion. Titled “My Monkey Grifter,” the spoof spans true crime and bestiality.
Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, “Succession” star Nicholas Braun,...
Oscar winner Helen Mirren returns as the host for Season 53 of IFC’s “Documentary Now!” series, premiering October 19 on IFC and AMC+. “Stories that dare to tell the truth have never been more crucial to our culture,” Mirren says in the trailer. “Now, more than ever, the world needs ‘Documentary Now!'”
The “true” series will parody famed documentaries “The September Issue,” “Burden of Dreams,” “3 Salons at the Seaside,” “When We Were Kings,” “Gleaners and I,” and “Beaches of Agnes” across its six-episode season. A special sneak peek at the mock “My Octopus Teacher” entry stars “Fleabag” fan-favorite Jamie Demetriou as a filmmaker who “who forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey” and gets shirtless in a moment of passion. Titled “My Monkey Grifter,” the spoof spans true crime and bestiality.
Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, “Succession” star Nicholas Braun,...
- 9/21/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Oscar race came into sharper focus at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, with actors like Brendan Fraser and Michelle Yeoh cementing their lead contender status, and big-budget studio efforts like The Fablemans and Glass Onion premiering to raves.
The fall superfecta – Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York – is the traditional launchpad for the prestige dramas that go on to vie for Best Picture. But for documentaries, it’s a different story.
Analyzing the last 10 years of Academy Award nominees for Best Documentary Feature, most premiered early in the eligibility year, typically at Sundance. But a fortunate few have launched as late as the fall, arriving with such noise and momentum that they rise to the top and earn one of the five slots among the year’s most prestigious nonfiction films.
Stanley Nelson’s Attica accomplished that last year, launching at TIFF in 2021. A second Oscar nominee,...
The fall superfecta – Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York – is the traditional launchpad for the prestige dramas that go on to vie for Best Picture. But for documentaries, it’s a different story.
Analyzing the last 10 years of Academy Award nominees for Best Documentary Feature, most premiered early in the eligibility year, typically at Sundance. But a fortunate few have launched as late as the fall, arriving with such noise and momentum that they rise to the top and earn one of the five slots among the year’s most prestigious nonfiction films.
Stanley Nelson’s Attica accomplished that last year, launching at TIFF in 2021. A second Oscar nominee,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Adam Benzine
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has added four high-profile figures to its board of directors, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
The group behind the Gotham Awards has added actors Jonathan Majors and Stephanie March, entertainment marketing and PR executive Lisa Taback and entrepreneur and women’s advocate Dee Poku to its board.
The new additions join existing board members Nancy Abraham, Anthony Bregman, Jeb Brody, Gerry Byrne, Alina Cho, Dan Crown, Mark D’Arcy (director emeritus), Amy Emmerich, Philipp Engelhorn, Kai Falkenberg, James Janowitz, Franklin Leonard, Soledad O’Brien, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, John Schmidt, Teddy Schwarzman, Drew Wilson and Celia Winchester.
“We are thrilled that these four brilliant media and entertainment veterans are bringing their unique perspectives and expertise to The Gotham’s board,” Gotham executive director Jeffrey Sharp said in a statement. “As we find new and innovative ways to advance our mission and expand our impact,...
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has added four high-profile figures to its board of directors, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
The group behind the Gotham Awards has added actors Jonathan Majors and Stephanie March, entertainment marketing and PR executive Lisa Taback and entrepreneur and women’s advocate Dee Poku to its board.
The new additions join existing board members Nancy Abraham, Anthony Bregman, Jeb Brody, Gerry Byrne, Alina Cho, Dan Crown, Mark D’Arcy (director emeritus), Amy Emmerich, Philipp Engelhorn, Kai Falkenberg, James Janowitz, Franklin Leonard, Soledad O’Brien, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, John Schmidt, Teddy Schwarzman, Drew Wilson and Celia Winchester.
“We are thrilled that these four brilliant media and entertainment veterans are bringing their unique perspectives and expertise to The Gotham’s board,” Gotham executive director Jeffrey Sharp said in a statement. “As we find new and innovative ways to advance our mission and expand our impact,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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