This year’s 15 titles shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature were announced today, and there aren’t a whole lot of surprises. Sure, I’m disappointed that there’s once again no Oscar love for Frederick Wiseman (for National Gallery) and I’m a little surprised Point and Shoot didn’t make the cut even if I figured it would follow the rule that Marshall Curry is only nominated for every other film he makes (Racing Dreams, his second feature, wasn’t even shortlisted either).
Ilove that many of our favorites made the list, including seemingly obvious choices Citizenfour, Life Itself and The Overnighters but also The Kill Team, Virunga and Last Days in Vietnam. I’m ecstatic that The Internet’s Own Boy is on there and that Nick Broomfield has been recognized for Tales of the Grim Sleeper — I wonder if this might be his first to be shortlisted? The only other thing that I need to say about the list is that I really need to see Wim Wenders’s The Salt of the Earth soon.
Oh one more thing. Here are my nominee predictions now: Citizenfour, Life Itself, The Overnighters, Virunga, The Case Against 8. Those nominees (or another five from the below 15) will be announced on January 15th.
The shortlist:
Art and Craft, Purple Parrot Films
The Case Against 8, Day in Court
Citizen Koch, Elsewhere Films
CitizenFour, Praxis Films
Finding Vivian Maier, Ravine Pictures
The Internet’s Own Boy, Luminant Media
Jodorowsky’s Dune, City Film
Keep On Keepin’ On, Absolute Clay Productions
The Kill Team, f/8 filmworks
Last Days in Vietnam, Moxie Firecracker Films
Life Itself, Kartemquin Films and Film Rites
The Overnighters, Mile End Films West
The Salt of the Earth, Decia Films
Tales of the Grim Sleeper, Lafayette Film
Virunga, Grain Media
