HBO Max will arguably debut its biggest Warner Bros. release yet on August 5, when James Gunn’s take on “The Suicide Squad” makes its day-and-date premiere on the streaming platform (the comic book blockbuster is also coming out in theaters nationwide).
But beyond “The Suicide Squad,” film fans will find a copious amount of features on HBO Max in August 2021, including a new Hugh Jackman movie, plus classic ‘90s favorites like “Basic Instinct,” “The Birdcage,” “The Fugitive,” “Deep Cover,” “Malcolm X,” and “The Shawshank Redemption.”
Ahead, every new movie and series coming to HBO Max in August 2021, plus the top titles leaving the service before September 1.
New on HBO Max in August 2021
August 1
2 Days in the Valley, 1996 (HBO)
9/11: Fifteen Years Later, 2016
A Mighty Wind, 2003 (HBO)
A Walk Among the Tombstones, 2014 (HBO)
The Accidental Spy, 2002 (HBO)
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, 2005 (HBO)
Americano, 2017 (HBO)
Anna to the Infinite Power,...
But beyond “The Suicide Squad,” film fans will find a copious amount of features on HBO Max in August 2021, including a new Hugh Jackman movie, plus classic ‘90s favorites like “Basic Instinct,” “The Birdcage,” “The Fugitive,” “Deep Cover,” “Malcolm X,” and “The Shawshank Redemption.”
Ahead, every new movie and series coming to HBO Max in August 2021, plus the top titles leaving the service before September 1.
New on HBO Max in August 2021
August 1
2 Days in the Valley, 1996 (HBO)
9/11: Fifteen Years Later, 2016
A Mighty Wind, 2003 (HBO)
A Walk Among the Tombstones, 2014 (HBO)
The Accidental Spy, 2002 (HBO)
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, 2005 (HBO)
Americano, 2017 (HBO)
Anna to the Infinite Power,...
- 7/31/2021
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
The 21st Annual Black Reel Awards took place today with Warner Bros’ rousing drama, Judas and the Black Messiah, taking the marquee Outstanding Film award. In addition, stars Daniel Kaluuya and Dominique Fishback were bestowed with the Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress award, respectively. Producers Charles King, Ryan Coogler, and Shaka King become the first all-African American team to win Outstanding Picture.
The late Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom star Chadwick Boseman was honored with the Outstanding Actor award, giving him the distinction of becoming the first posthumous winner in Black Reel Awards history. Viola Davis also took home the Outstanding Actress for performance as Ma Rainey.
Amazon’s One Night in Miami was the big winner of the night in terms of numbers, picking up five awards, including Outstanding Director and Outstanding Emerging Director for Regina King as well as wins for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Breakthrough Actor for Kingsley Ben-Adir,...
The late Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom star Chadwick Boseman was honored with the Outstanding Actor award, giving him the distinction of becoming the first posthumous winner in Black Reel Awards history. Viola Davis also took home the Outstanding Actress for performance as Ma Rainey.
Amazon’s One Night in Miami was the big winner of the night in terms of numbers, picking up five awards, including Outstanding Director and Outstanding Emerging Director for Regina King as well as wins for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Breakthrough Actor for Kingsley Ben-Adir,...
- 4/12/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Barack Obama’s memoir “A Promised Land,” the documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble” and the ESPN docuseries on Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan “The Last Dance” have won NAACP Image Awards for 2021, the organization announced Monday.
The NAACP is rolling out its winners for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards this week, revealing a slate of winners across various categories each night leading up until the televised awards show on Saturday, March 27.
This first crop of winners was announced in a virtual experience that is airing each night this week through the NAACP Image Awards website, and Monday recognized the best work by Black artists in literature and documentaries.
Obama’s book “A Promised Land” won Outstanding Literary Work in the Nonfiction category, and Dawn Porter’s documentary film “John Lewis: Good Trouble,” about the Georgia representative’s career-long fight for civil rights, won as the best documentary film. “The Last Dance...
The NAACP is rolling out its winners for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards this week, revealing a slate of winners across various categories each night leading up until the televised awards show on Saturday, March 27.
This first crop of winners was announced in a virtual experience that is airing each night this week through the NAACP Image Awards website, and Monday recognized the best work by Black artists in literature and documentaries.
Obama’s book “A Promised Land” won Outstanding Literary Work in the Nonfiction category, and Dawn Porter’s documentary film “John Lewis: Good Trouble,” about the Georgia representative’s career-long fight for civil rights, won as the best documentary film. “The Last Dance...
- 3/23/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Predicting the nominees for Best Original Song at the Oscars is made more difficult by the three-stage process. In years past, many seemingly sure-fire contenders were deemed to be ineligible. Even those ditties that clear this hurdle then have to pass muster with the nearly 400 members members of the music branch of the academy. In recent years, upwards of 75 songs have been in the running. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2021 Oscar predictions for Best Original Song.)
To be even eligible for consideration, a tune must meet these criteria:
It must be an original song with words and music, both of which were original and written specifically for the film;
It must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the film; and
There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually...
To be even eligible for consideration, a tune must meet these criteria:
It must be an original song with words and music, both of which were original and written specifically for the film;
It must be the result of a creative interaction between the filmmaker(s) and the songwriter(s) who have been engaged to work directly on the film; and
There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually...
- 2/10/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
This year’s Oscar Original Song shortlist has recognized a number of tunes from Black narrative or documentary films, while at the same time kept up an Academy tradition of begin able to embrace a silly song. On Tuesday that specifically meant “Wuhan Flu” from Amazon’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and “Husavik” from Netflix’s Will Ferrell-Rachel McAdams comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga both made the first cut.
“Wuhan Flu” and “Husavik” follows in the tradition of AMPAS honoring such satirical tunes as “Blame Canada” from 2000’s South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, and the Bret McKenzie-penned ditty “Man or Muppet” in 2011 from The Muppets.
There was a time during the late 1980s when the Best Song category felt like a top 40 list with Oscar winners like “What a Feeling” from Flashdance, “I Just Called to Say I Loved You” from The Women in...
“Wuhan Flu” and “Husavik” follows in the tradition of AMPAS honoring such satirical tunes as “Blame Canada” from 2000’s South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, and the Bret McKenzie-penned ditty “Man or Muppet” in 2011 from The Muppets.
There was a time during the late 1980s when the Best Song category felt like a top 40 list with Oscar winners like “What a Feeling” from Flashdance, “I Just Called to Say I Loved You” from The Women in...
- 2/10/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s nine Oscar shortlists are voted on by five branches of the Academy — Music, Documentary, Animation and Shorts, VFX, and Makeup and Hairstyling — as well as the intrepid members from all over the world who were willing and able to watch online a minimum of a dozen qualifying international features. Reading the tea leaves of these shortlists reveals some strengths and weaknesses heading into the final round of voting for the final five nominations to be announced on March 15.
To state the obvious, voters made their selection from a wide range of smaller-scale movies, given that many of the studio blockbusters, from Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” to Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” were pushed back due to the pandemic. Clearly, while stuck at home, many Academy voters were watching Netflix. That’s a huge advantage for “step one” on the road to an Oscar nomination: getting your movie seen.
To state the obvious, voters made their selection from a wide range of smaller-scale movies, given that many of the studio blockbusters, from Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” to Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” were pushed back due to the pandemic. Clearly, while stuck at home, many Academy voters were watching Netflix. That’s a huge advantage for “step one” on the road to an Oscar nomination: getting your movie seen.
- 2/9/2021
- by Anne Thompson and Bill Desowitz
- Thompson on Hollywood
This year’s nine Oscar shortlists are voted on by five branches of the Academy — Music, Documentary, Animation and Shorts, VFX, and Makeup and Hairstyling — as well as the intrepid members from all over the world who were willing and able to watch online a minimum of a dozen qualifying international features. Reading the tea leaves of these shortlists reveals some strengths and weaknesses heading into the final round of voting for the final five nominations to be announced on March 15.
To state the obvious, voters made their selection from a wide range of smaller-scale movies, given that many of the studio blockbusters, from Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” to Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” were pushed back due to the pandemic. Clearly, while stuck at home, many Academy voters were watching Netflix. That’s a huge advantage for “step one” on the road to an Oscar nomination: getting your movie seen.
To state the obvious, voters made their selection from a wide range of smaller-scale movies, given that many of the studio blockbusters, from Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” to Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” were pushed back due to the pandemic. Clearly, while stuck at home, many Academy voters were watching Netflix. That’s a huge advantage for “step one” on the road to an Oscar nomination: getting your movie seen.
- 2/9/2021
- by Anne Thompson and Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The academy released the 2021 Oscars shortlists in nine categories on Tuesday, February 9. The hopefuls in a wide range of races found out if they are remain in contention for the 93rd annual Academy Awards. Among these are the marquee categories for Best International Feature Film (which was pared down to 10 films from the 93 submitted) and Best Documentary Feature (which went from 238 to 15).
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 100 submissions apiece. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects races as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
Two hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title,...
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 100 submissions apiece. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects races as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
Two hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
The shortlists for the Academy Awards’ two music categories are out, and while there are few surprises among the 375-member music branch’s 15 choices for best original score, there’s a remarkable shift in the original song category: Nearly half of the 15 songs on that list emerged from narrative films or documentaries whose casts or subjects were predominantly Black.
Most of these songs had already been tagged as leading contenders, even though it was hardly a certainty they’d all make the shortlist. Among them: Janelle Monae’s “Turntables” from the voter-suppression doc “All In: The Fight for Democracy,” Mary J. Blige’s “See What You’ve Done” from the prison-sterilization documentary “Belly of the Beast,” John Legend’s “Never Break” from the young-actor doc “Giving Voice,” Leslie Odom Jr.’s “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami,” H.E.R.’s “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah” and...
Most of these songs had already been tagged as leading contenders, even though it was hardly a certainty they’d all make the shortlist. Among them: Janelle Monae’s “Turntables” from the voter-suppression doc “All In: The Fight for Democracy,” Mary J. Blige’s “See What You’ve Done” from the prison-sterilization documentary “Belly of the Beast,” John Legend’s “Never Break” from the young-actor doc “Giving Voice,” Leslie Odom Jr.’s “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami,” H.E.R.’s “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah” and...
- 2/9/2021
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the shortlists in the Oscars race for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” has landed on both lists to advance in the awards race, as have songs and compositions from “Mulan” and “Minari.” And Sacha Baron Cohen’s satiric “Wuhan Flu” from “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” also made the cut.
Fifteen scores and songs were added to each respective shortlist from a whopping 136 eligible scores and a record 105 eligible songs. In the score category, other films to make the cut included “Tenet” by Ludwig Goransson, Terence Blanchard for “Da 5 Bloods,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for “Mank,” Alexandre Desplat for “The Midnight Sky” and James Newton Howard for “News of the World.”
The most surprising entry on the list of scores was Lolita Ritmanis’ work in the Latvian film “Blizzard of Souls.” Notable...
Fifteen scores and songs were added to each respective shortlist from a whopping 136 eligible scores and a record 105 eligible songs. In the score category, other films to make the cut included “Tenet” by Ludwig Goransson, Terence Blanchard for “Da 5 Bloods,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for “Mank,” Alexandre Desplat for “The Midnight Sky” and James Newton Howard for “News of the World.”
The most surprising entry on the list of scores was Lolita Ritmanis’ work in the Latvian film “Blizzard of Souls.” Notable...
- 2/9/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Documentaries about the fight for pay equity and America’s first Black variety TV show will help anchor the winter lineup of Independent Lens
The Emmy Award-winning weekly series boasts several films that will make their broadcast debuts, including Jared Leto’s “A Day in the Life of America; Melissa Haizlip’s “Mr. Soul!” and Shalini Kantayya’s “Coded Bias.” Many of these films, which will air on PBS between January and March, deal with issues of racial discrimination and gender bias.
“This Independent Lens lineup offers a stimulating and immersive slate of films that illuminate the powerful forces impacting our country today,” said Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens, in a statement. “From gender equality, to pay equity, to racial justice, there is an urgency, grace, and optimism to these documentaries and the topics they take on that is suited to the challenging times in which we live.
The Emmy Award-winning weekly series boasts several films that will make their broadcast debuts, including Jared Leto’s “A Day in the Life of America; Melissa Haizlip’s “Mr. Soul!” and Shalini Kantayya’s “Coded Bias.” Many of these films, which will air on PBS between January and March, deal with issues of racial discrimination and gender bias.
“This Independent Lens lineup offers a stimulating and immersive slate of films that illuminate the powerful forces impacting our country today,” said Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens, in a statement. “From gender equality, to pay equity, to racial justice, there is an urgency, grace, and optimism to these documentaries and the topics they take on that is suited to the challenging times in which we live.
- 12/22/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
In what is signaling a very good year for documentaries, the Critics’ Choice Association on Monday announced its list of nominations for the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, and if the past is any clue it could be an indicator of what to expect from the Oscars next spring.
With an inclusive list, to say the least, of about 50 films from approximately 200 submissions, three docs led the way with five noms apiece: Mr. Soul, about a historic Black TV show; Gunda, a touching film about the daily life of a pig and farm companions from exec producer Joaquin Phoenix; and Netflix’s Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, an archival film about a summer camp catering to disabled young people.
Close behind with four nods each were Alex Gibney’s striking Covid-19 docu Totally Under Control that was actually just completed about two weeks ago; the personal story of a father and daugher, Dick Johnson Is Dead; the remarkable nature doc My Octopus Teacher; and gymnastics scandal pic Athlete A. The latter three hail from Netflix, which swamped the competition with 31 nominations, a more than 2-to-1 distance between next closest distributor Neon with 14. They are the only two distributors to reach double digits.
Overall the critics were in a generous mood, offering 15 films noms for Best Documentary Feature alone.
“At a unique time for the entertainment industry and the world, documentaries are more important and fortunately more abundant and more available and more essential than ever,” said Christopher Campbell, president of the documentary branch of Cca. “In 2020, documentaries have taken us to places and shown us perspectives we’ve never experienced before. They’ve chronicled events and life stories that are enlightening and enthralling — and sometimes frightening. It is a great honor for the Cca to celebrate these stories and subjects and shed light on the work of so many incredible filmmakers. The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year. Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Nominees were selected by Critics’ Choice members who were divided into five committees to whittle down the field.
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Gunda (Neon)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
A Secret Love (Netflix)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Time (Amazon Studios)
Best Director
Garrett Bradley, Time (Amazon Studios)
Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, Athlete A (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky, Gunda (Neon)
James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Benjamin Ree, The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
Best First Documentary Feature
Robert S. Bader, Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Chris Bolan, A Secret Love (Netflix)
Melissa Haizlip, Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Arthur Jones, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Elizabeth Leiter and Kim Woodard, Jane Goodall: The Hope (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Lo, Stray (Magnolia Pictures)
Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Rewind (Grizzly Creek Films/PBS Independent Lens)
Best Cinematography
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Roger Horrocks, My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky and Egil Håskjold Larsen, Gunda (Neon)
Scott Ressler, Neil Gelinas and Stefan Wiesen, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Gianfranco Rosi, Notturno (Stemal Entertainment)
Ruben Woodin Dechamps, The Reason I Jump (Kino Lorber)
Best Editing
Don Bernier, Athlete A (Netflix)
Eli Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
Lindy Jankura and Alex Keipper, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Helen Kearns, Assassins (Greenwich Entertainment)
Victor Kossakovsky and Ainara Vera, Gunda (Neon)
Eileen Meyer and Andrew Gersh, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Charlotte Munch Bengtsen, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Score
Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Marco Beltrami, Brandon Roberts and Buck Sanders, The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Tyler Durham, Sven Faulconer and Xander Rodzinski, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Peter Nashel and Brian Deming, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Daniel Pemberton, Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Jeff Tweedy, Long Gone Summer (ESPN)
Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy and Sammy Tweedy, Showbiz Kids (HBO)
Best Narration
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
David Attenborough, Narrator
David Attenborough, Writer
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Narrator
Kirsten Johnson, Writer
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (Apple)
Werner Herzog, Narrator
Werner Herzog, Writer
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Blair Underwood, Narrator
Melissa Haizlip, Writer
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Craig Foster, Narrator
Craig Foster, Writer
Time (Amazon Studios)
Fox Rich, Narrator
Fox Rich, Writer
Totally Under Control (Neon)
Alex Gibney, Narrator
Alex Gibney, Writer
Best Archival Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Belushi (Showtime)
Class Action Park (HBO Max)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Historical/Biographical Documentary
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Howard (Disney+)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Production)
Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (Netflix)
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (HBO)
Best Music Documentary
Beastie Boys Story (Apple)
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Laurel Canyon (Epix)
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (Magnolia Pictures)
Other Music (Factory 25)
Zappa (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Political Documentary
All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Boys State (Apple)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Totally Under Control (Neon)
The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Best Science/Nature Documentary
Coded Bias (7th Empire Media/PBS Independent Lens)
Fantastic Fungi (Moving Art)
Gunda (Neon)
I Am Greta (Hulu)
The Last Ice (National Geographic)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Sports Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Athlete A (Netflix)
Be Water (ESPN)
A Most Beautiful Thing (50 Eggs Films)
Red Penguins (Universal Pictures)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
You Cannot Kill David Arquette (Super Ltd)
Best Short Documentary
Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN)
(Directors: Kristen Lappas and Tom Rinaldi. Producers: Craig Lazarus, José Morales, Lindsay Rovegno, Victor Vitarelli and Ben Webber)
The Claudia Kishi Club (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Ding)
Crescendo! (Quibi)
(Director: Alex Mallis. Producers: Matt O’Neill and Perri Peltz)
Elevator Pitch (Field of Vision)
(Director and Producer: Martyna Starosta)
Hunger Ward (Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films)
(Director and Producer: Skye Fitzgerald. Producer: Michael Scheuerman)
Into the Fire (National Geographic)
(Director: Orlando von Einsiedel. Producers: Mark Bauch, Harri Grace and Dan Lin)
My Father the Mover (MTV Documentary Films)
(Director: Julia Jansch. Producer: Mandilakhe Yengo)
The Rifleman (Field of Vision)
(Director: Sierra Pettengill. Producer: Arielle de Saint Phalle)
The Speed Cubers (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Kim. Producers: Evan Krauss and Chris Romano)
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)
Distributor Nominations
Netflix: 31
Neon: 14
Magnolia Pictures: 9
Showtime: 6
Amazon Studios: 5
HBO: 5
National Geographic: 5
PBS Independent Lens: 5
Shoes in the Bed Productions: 5
Apple: 4
ESPN: 3
Focus Features: 3
Wavelength Productions: 3
Field of Vision: 2
Hulu: 2
IFC: 2
MTV Documentary Films: 2
Sony: 2
7th Empire Media: 1
50 Eggs Films: 1
Disney+: 1
Epix: 1
Factory 25: 1
Greenwich Entertainment: 1
Grizzly Creek Films: 1
HBO Max: 1
Kino Lorber: 1
Moving Art: 1
Quibi: 1
Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films: 1
Stemal Entertainment: 1
Super Ltd: 1
Universal: 1...
With an inclusive list, to say the least, of about 50 films from approximately 200 submissions, three docs led the way with five noms apiece: Mr. Soul, about a historic Black TV show; Gunda, a touching film about the daily life of a pig and farm companions from exec producer Joaquin Phoenix; and Netflix’s Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, an archival film about a summer camp catering to disabled young people.
Close behind with four nods each were Alex Gibney’s striking Covid-19 docu Totally Under Control that was actually just completed about two weeks ago; the personal story of a father and daugher, Dick Johnson Is Dead; the remarkable nature doc My Octopus Teacher; and gymnastics scandal pic Athlete A. The latter three hail from Netflix, which swamped the competition with 31 nominations, a more than 2-to-1 distance between next closest distributor Neon with 14. They are the only two distributors to reach double digits.
Overall the critics were in a generous mood, offering 15 films noms for Best Documentary Feature alone.
“At a unique time for the entertainment industry and the world, documentaries are more important and fortunately more abundant and more available and more essential than ever,” said Christopher Campbell, president of the documentary branch of Cca. “In 2020, documentaries have taken us to places and shown us perspectives we’ve never experienced before. They’ve chronicled events and life stories that are enlightening and enthralling — and sometimes frightening. It is a great honor for the Cca to celebrate these stories and subjects and shed light on the work of so many incredible filmmakers. The Documentary Branch faced its greatest task yet considering the quantity and quality of nonfiction cinema released this year. Ultimately, these nominees represent the best of the best of a remarkably fruitful moment for documentary filmmaking.”
Nominees were selected by Critics’ Choice members who were divided into five committees to whittle down the field.
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Gunda (Neon)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
A Secret Love (Netflix)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Time (Amazon Studios)
Best Director
Garrett Bradley, Time (Amazon Studios)
Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, Athlete A (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky, Gunda (Neon)
James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Benjamin Ree, The Painter and the Thief (Neon)
Best First Documentary Feature
Robert S. Bader, Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Chris Bolan, A Secret Love (Netflix)
Melissa Haizlip, Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Arthur Jones, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Elizabeth Leiter and Kim Woodard, Jane Goodall: The Hope (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Lo, Stray (Magnolia Pictures)
Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Rewind (Grizzly Creek Films/PBS Independent Lens)
Best Cinematography
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Roger Horrocks, My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Victor Kossakovsky and Egil Håskjold Larsen, Gunda (Neon)
Scott Ressler, Neil Gelinas and Stefan Wiesen, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Gianfranco Rosi, Notturno (Stemal Entertainment)
Ruben Woodin Dechamps, The Reason I Jump (Kino Lorber)
Best Editing
Don Bernier, Athlete A (Netflix)
Eli Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, The Fight (Magnolia Pictures)
Lindy Jankura and Alex Keipper, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Helen Kearns, Assassins (Greenwich Entertainment)
Victor Kossakovsky and Ainara Vera, Gunda (Neon)
Eileen Meyer and Andrew Gersh, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Charlotte Munch Bengtsen, The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Score
Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope, Feels Good Man (Wavelength Productions/PBS Independent Lens)
Marco Beltrami, Brandon Roberts and Buck Sanders, The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Tyler Durham, Sven Faulconer and Xander Rodzinski, The Last Ice (National Geographic)
Peter Nashel and Brian Deming, Totally Under Control (Neon)
Daniel Pemberton, Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
Jeff Tweedy, Long Gone Summer (ESPN)
Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy and Sammy Tweedy, Showbiz Kids (HBO)
Best Narration
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
David Attenborough, Narrator
David Attenborough, Writer
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Narrator
Kirsten Johnson, Writer
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds (Apple)
Werner Herzog, Narrator
Werner Herzog, Writer
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Blair Underwood, Narrator
Melissa Haizlip, Writer
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Craig Foster, Narrator
Craig Foster, Writer
Time (Amazon Studios)
Fox Rich, Narrator
Fox Rich, Writer
Totally Under Control (Neon)
Alex Gibney, Narrator
Alex Gibney, Writer
Best Archival Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Belushi (Showtime)
Class Action Park (HBO Max)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Historical/Biographical Documentary
Belushi (Showtime)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix)
Howard (Disney+)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Production)
Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (Netflix)
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (HBO)
Best Music Documentary
Beastie Boys Story (Apple)
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Magnolia Pictures)
The Go-Go’s (Showtime)
Laurel Canyon (Epix)
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (Magnolia Pictures)
Other Music (Factory 25)
Zappa (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Political Documentary
All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Boys State (Apple)
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures)
MLK/FBI (Field of Vision/IFC Films)
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Totally Under Control (Neon)
The Way I See It (Focus Features)
Best Science/Nature Documentary
Coded Bias (7th Empire Media/PBS Independent Lens)
Fantastic Fungi (Moving Art)
Gunda (Neon)
I Am Greta (Hulu)
The Last Ice (National Geographic)
My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)
Spaceship Earth (Neon)
Best Sports Documentary
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (HBO)
Athlete A (Netflix)
Be Water (ESPN)
A Most Beautiful Thing (50 Eggs Films)
Red Penguins (Universal Pictures)
Rising Phoenix (Netflix)
You Cannot Kill David Arquette (Super Ltd)
Best Short Documentary
Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible (ESPN)
(Directors: Kristen Lappas and Tom Rinaldi. Producers: Craig Lazarus, José Morales, Lindsay Rovegno, Victor Vitarelli and Ben Webber)
The Claudia Kishi Club (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Ding)
Crescendo! (Quibi)
(Director: Alex Mallis. Producers: Matt O’Neill and Perri Peltz)
Elevator Pitch (Field of Vision)
(Director and Producer: Martyna Starosta)
Hunger Ward (Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films)
(Director and Producer: Skye Fitzgerald. Producer: Michael Scheuerman)
Into the Fire (National Geographic)
(Director: Orlando von Einsiedel. Producers: Mark Bauch, Harri Grace and Dan Lin)
My Father the Mover (MTV Documentary Films)
(Director: Julia Jansch. Producer: Mandilakhe Yengo)
The Rifleman (Field of Vision)
(Director: Sierra Pettengill. Producer: Arielle de Saint Phalle)
The Speed Cubers (Netflix)
(Director and Producer: Sue Kim. Producers: Evan Krauss and Chris Romano)
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)
Distributor Nominations
Netflix: 31
Neon: 14
Magnolia Pictures: 9
Showtime: 6
Amazon Studios: 5
HBO: 5
National Geographic: 5
PBS Independent Lens: 5
Shoes in the Bed Productions: 5
Apple: 4
ESPN: 3
Focus Features: 3
Wavelength Productions: 3
Field of Vision: 2
Hulu: 2
IFC: 2
MTV Documentary Films: 2
Sony: 2
7th Empire Media: 1
50 Eggs Films: 1
Disney+: 1
Epix: 1
Factory 25: 1
Greenwich Entertainment: 1
Grizzly Creek Films: 1
HBO Max: 1
Kino Lorber: 1
Moving Art: 1
Quibi: 1
Spin Film/Vulcan Productions/Ryot Films: 1
Stemal Entertainment: 1
Super Ltd: 1
Universal: 1...
- 10/26/2020
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
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