‘Orwell: 2+2=5’ and ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ Lead Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations

The Critics Choice Association has announced the nominees for the 10th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, honoring the year’s outstanding achievements in nonfiction filmmaking.

Leading this year’s nominations is “Orwell: 2+2=5,” which scored seven nods, including documentary feature, director for Raoul Peck, editing, score, narration by Damian Lewis, archival documentary and political documentary.

Netflix’s “The Perfect Neighbor,” which was acquired after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, received six nominations, including for best documentary feature and true crime documentary.

Honoring the year’s outstanding achievements in nonfiction filmmaking, the winners will be revealed at a gala event on Nov. 9 at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan, hosted by actor, writer and producer Aasif Mandvi. The ceremony is produced by Bob Bain of Bob Bain Productions and Joey Berlin of Berlin Entertainment. National Geographic Documentary Films serves as the Catalyst sponsor.

CCA members who have expertise in the documentary field, select the nominees. At last year’s ceremony, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” and “Will and Harper” tied for best documentary feature.

“The nominated films and series this year remind us how documentary storytelling can illuminate truth, inspire empathy, and deepen our understanding of the world,” said Christopher Campbell, vice president of documentaries for the Critics Choice Association. “We’re thrilled to recognize the filmmakers whose vision and dedication keep the art form evolving.”

As previously announced, the Critics Choice Impact Award will go to legendary documentarian Ken Burns, presented by Christine Baranski. The award recognizes filmmakers whose work has illuminated history, inspired public discourse, and deepened cultural understanding — a legacy Burns has embodied throughout his decades-long career. In addition, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady will receive the CCA’s Pennebaker Award (formerly the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award), presented by D.A. Pennebaker’s widow and collaborator, Chris Hegedus. The honor celebrates artists who have made enduring contributions to documentary cinema.

The complete list of nominees is below:

Best Documentary Feature
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” (Frontline Features / The Associated Press)
“The Alabama Solution” (HBO Max)
“Apocalypse in the Tropics” (Netflix)
“Cover-Up” (Netflix)
“Deaf President Now!” (Apple TV)
“Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)
“Pee-wee as Himself” (HBO Max)
“The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
“Riefenstahl” (Kino Lorber)
“The Tale of Silyan” (National Geographic)

Best Director
Mstyslav Chernov – “2000 Meters to Andriivka” (Frontline Features / The Associated Press)
Petra Costa – “Apocalypse in the Tropics” (Netflix)
Nyle DiMarco & Davis Guggenheim – “Deaf President Now!” (Apple TV)
Geeta Gandbhir – “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
Andrew Jarecki & Charlotte Kaufman – “The Alabama Solution” (HBO Max)
Raoul Peck – “Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)

Best First Documentary Feature
“Art for Everybody” (Tremolo Productions)
“Grand Theft Hamlet” (Mubi)
“My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay” (HBO Max)
“Seeds” (Interior Films)
“Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost” (Apple TV)
“Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror” (Margot Station)

Best Cinematography
Ben Bernard – “Architecton” (A24)
Jean Dakar – “The Tale of Silyan” (National Geographic)
Elizabeth Lo – “Mistress Dispeller” (Oscilloscope)
Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo & Tor Edvin Eliassen – “Folktales” (Magnolia Pictures)
Brittany Shyne – “Seeds” (Interior Films)
Toby Strong, Doug Anderson (Underwater Photography) – “Ocean with David Attenborough” (National Geographic)

Best Editing
Michael Harte – “Deaf President Now!” (Apple TV)
James Lester and Oz Rodríguez, John MacDonald (Music Montage) – “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” (NBC)
Viridiana Lieberman – “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
Page Marsella – “The Alabama Solution” (HBO Max)
Michelle Mizner – “2000 Meters to Andriivka” (Frontline Features / The Associated Press)
Alexandra Strauss – “Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)

Best Score
Alexei Aigui – “Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)
Kris Bowers – “The Eyes of Ghana” (Breakwater Studios / Higher Ground Media)
Laura Heinzinger – “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
Claudia Sarne – “Love + War” (National Geographic)
Sam Slater – “2000 Meters to Andriivka” (Frontline Features / The Associated Press)
Paweł Szymański – “Trains” (EPF Media / Drygas Film Production)

Best Narration
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” (Frontline Features / The Associated Press) — Written by Mstyslav Chernov, Performed by Mstyslav Chernov
“The American Revolution” (PBS) — Written by Geoffrey C. Ward, Performed by Peter Coyote
“The Americas” (NBC) — Writers TBD, Performed by Tom Hanks
“Apocalypse in the Tropics” (Netflix) — Written by Petra Costa, Performed by Petra Costa
“Octopus!” (Prime Video) — Written by Gabriel Bisset-Smith, Performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
“Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon) — Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck, Performed by Damian Lewis

Best Archival Documentary
“One to One: John & Yoko” (Magnolia Pictures)
“Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)
“The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
“Riefenstahl” (Kino Lorber)
“Trains” (EPF Media / Drygas Film Production)
“WTO/99” (Foghorn Features)

Best Historical Documentary
“The American Revolution” (PBS)
“Cover-Up” (Netflix)
“Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977–2015” (HBO Max)
“Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time” (National Geographic)
“Number One on the Call Sheet” (Apple TV)
“Riefenstahl” (Kino Lorber)

Best Biographical Documentary
“John Candy: I Like Me” (Prime Video)
“Love + War” (National Geographic)
“Mr. Scorsese” (Apple TV)
“My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay” (HBO Max)
“Pee-wee as Himself” (HBO Max)
“Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost” (Apple TV)

Best Music Documentary
“Becoming Led Zeppelin” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Billy Joel: And So It Goes” (HBO Max)
“Bono: Stories of Surrender” (Apple TV)
“It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” (Magnolia Pictures)
“Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” (NBC)
“Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” (Hulu)

Best Political Documentary
“The Alabama Solution” (HBO Max)
“Apocalypse in the Tropics” (Netflix)
“Deaf President Now!” (Apple TV)
“The Librarians” (Independent Lens)
“My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow” (Marminchilla)
“Orwell: 2+2=5” (Neon)

Best Science/Nature Documentary
“The Americas” (NBC)
“Checkpoint Zoo” (Abramorama)
“The Last Rhinos: A New Hope” (National Geographic)
“Ocean with David Attenborough” (National Geographic)
“Octopus!” (Prime Video)
“Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey” (Netflix)

Best Sports Documentary
“America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” (Netflix)
“America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” (Netflix)
“Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024” (ESPN Films)
“Full Court Press” (ESPN+)
“Southpaw: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott” (ESPN)
“We Beat the Dream Team” (HBO Max)

Best True Crime Documentary
“The Alabama Solution” (HBO Max)
“Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer” (Netflix)
“The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
“Predators” (MTV Documentary Films / Paramount+)
“Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” (Netflix)
“The Yogurt Shop Murders” (HBO Max)

Best Short Documentary
“All the Empty Rooms” (Netflix)
“Classroom 4” (PBS)
“The Devil Is Busy” (HBO Max)
“Exodus” (Park County)
“Fiddler on the Moon: Judaism in Space” (Ironbound Films)
“Sallie’s Ashes” (Robi Creative)
“Saving Superman” (Switchboard)
“Shanti Rides Shotgun” (Voyager)

Best Limited Documentary Series
“The American Revolution” (PBS)
“Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977–2015” (HBO Max)
“Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer” (Netflix)
“Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time” (National Geographic)
“Magic City: An American Fantasy” (Starz)
“Mr. Scorsese” (Apple TV)
“SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” (Peacock)
“The Yogurt Shop Murders” (HBO Max)

Best Ongoing Documentary Series
“30 for 30” (ESPN Films)
“American Masters” (PBS)
“The Reluctant Traveler” (Apple TV)
“Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross” (Roku Channel)
“Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller” (National Geographic)
“Trainwreck” (Netflix)

List of films with more than three nominations: