Tomorrow night is the awards ceremony for the 7th annual Cinema Eye Honors. Sadly, I am missing out on the festivities for the second year in a row, but I did once again have the honor of voting in some of the major categories. How will my favorites match those of the greater documentary community? Let’s take a look below as I share my picks as well as my predictions, including those that were not part of my ballot.
I should point out that I did not see many of the films in either the Spotlight or the Heterodox categories, both of which are chosen by jury. So I did not cast a vote for my pick there nor for the new television award. And the Audience Choice award was open to anyone to vote on. Anyone can also share what their favorites and predictions are in the comments. You can find the full list of nominees on the Cinema Eye website here.
My Ballot:
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking: Stories We Tell
Outstanding Achievement in Directing: Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell
Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Nels Bangerter, Let the Fire Burn
Outstanding Achievement in Production: Michael Haslund-Christensen, Expedition to the End of the World
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Martin Munch, Expedition to the End of the World
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design or Animation: Rick Cikowski & Brandon Dumlao, Far Out Isn’t Far Enough
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score: Bradford Cox, Teenage
Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film: Jason Osder, Let the Fire Burn
Spotlight Award: Valentine Road (the only nominee I’ve seen)
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Filmmaking for Television: Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God
Audience Choice: Stories We Tell
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking: A Story for the Modlins
Heterodox Award: Computer Chess
My Predictions:
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking: The Act of Killing
Outstanding Achievement in Directing: Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell
Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Nels Bangerter, Let the Fire Burn
Outstanding Achievement in Production: Karim Amer, The Square
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verna Paravel, Leviathan
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design or Animation: Art Jail, Cutie and the Boxer
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score: Yasuaki Shimizu, Cutie and the Boxer
Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film: Zachary Heinzerling, Cutie and the Boxer
Spotlight Award: Fuck for Forest
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Filmmaking for Television: The Crash Reel
Audience Choice: Blackfish
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking: Death of a Prisoner
Heterodox Award: Computer Chess
