The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has announced the nominees for the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA). The winners will be revealed at a gala event on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan. The ceremony will be hosted by longtime event supporter and actor Erich Bergen.
Sugarcane leads the pack with eight nominations including in the category of Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other nominations are Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie for Best Director and Best New Documentary Filmmakers, Christopher LaMarca and Emily Kassie for Best Cinematography, Nathan Punwar and Maya Daisy Hawk for Best Editing, Best Historical Documentary, Best Political Documentary, and Best True Crime Documentary.
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, Daughters, and Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story received six nominations each. The nominations for Billy & Molly are Best Documentary Feature, Charlie Hamilton James for Best New Documentary Filmmaker, Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt and Bertie Gregory for Best Cinematography, Erland Cooper for Best Score, Best Narration (Written by Charlie Hamilton James and Performed by Billy Mail and Susan Mail), and Best Science/Nature Documentary. The nominations for Daughters are Best Documentary Feature, Natalie Rae and Angela Patton for Best Director and for Best New Documentary Filmmakers, Michael Cambio Fernandez for Best Cinematography, Troy Lewis and Adelina Bichiș for Best Editing, and Kelsey Lu for Best Score. The nominations for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story are Best Documentary Feature, Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui for Best Director, Otto Burnham for Best Editing, Ilan Eshkeri for Best Score, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Biographical Documentary.
Erich Bergen is best known for his groundbreaking performance as Blake Moran on the television show Madam Secretary, as well as his critically-acclaimed performance as Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, a role he performed on stage and reprised in Clint Eastwood’s film adaptation. Broadway audiences also know Erich from the hit musicals Waitress and Chicago, and he will be seen on Broadway again next year in Boop! The Musical. Other television credits include BULL, The Good Fight, Gossip Girl, and more. Erich is the creative force behind 6W Entertainment, a full-service production company that has produced over 250 projects for television and live events, including work with Clive Davis, President Barack Obama, John Legend, Cher, Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, and many more luminaries. (Erich Bergen Photo)
The Critics Choice Documentary Awards will be live-streamed through YouTube, X and Facebook.Viewing links will be available on the Critics Choice Association website at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 10.
The Critics Choice Associationhonors the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV, and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. The ninth annual awards ceremony is produced by Bob Bain of Bob Bain Productions and Joey Berlin of Berlin Entertainment.
“This year’s nominated films and series offered us new ways to see the world, celebrate our heroes, and better understand difficult histories,” said Christopher Campbell, Critics Choice Association’s VP, Documentary. “We are excited to honor so many exceptional documentaries as we continue to recognize diverse voices and styles within the realm of nonfiction storytelling.”
The Catalyst Sponsors for the event are Amazon MGM Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, and Netflix.
At the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie took home five trophies including the top award of the evening, Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other victories were Best Director for Davis Guggenheim, Best Editing for Michael Harte, Best Narration for Michael J. Fox, and Best Biographical Documentary.
Nominees for the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Daughters (Netflix)
The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
Music by John Williams (Walt Disney Studios)
Piece by Piece (Focus Features)
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
Sugarcane (National Geographic)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
Will & Harper (Netflix)
BEST DIRECTOR
Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui – Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
Josh Greenbaum – Will & Harper (Netflix)
Ron Howard – Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie – Sugarcane (National Geographic)
Natalie Rae & Angela Patton – Daughters (Netflix)
Benjamin Ree – The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER(S)
Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev – Porcelain War (Picturehouse)
Carla Gutiérrez – Frida (Amazon MGM Studios)
Charlie Hamilton James – Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Sue Kim – The Last of the Sea Women (Apple TV+)
Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie – Sugarcane (National Geographic)
Natalie Rae & Angela Patton – Daughters (Netflix)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Michael Cambio Fernandez – Daughters (Netflix)
Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt, Bertie Gregory – Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Christopher LaMarca, Emily Kassie – Sugarcane (National Geographic)
Iris Ng, Eunsoo Cho, Justin Turkowski – The Last of the Sea Women (Apple TV+)
Zoë White – Will & Harper (Netflix)
Jessica Young – The Blue Angels (Amazon MGM Studios)
BEST EDITING
Otto Burnham – Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
Rik Chaubet – Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Lorber)
Paul Crowder – Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
Troy Lewis, Adelina Bichiș – Daughters (Netflix)
Nathan Punwar, Maya Daisy Hawke – Sugarcane (National Geographic)
Robert Stengård – The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
BEST SCORE
Erland Cooper – Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Ilan Eshkeri – Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
Nathan Halpern – Will & Harper (Netflix)
Uno Helmersson – The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
Kelsey Lu – Daughters (Netflix)
Marc Shaiman – Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (HBO | Max)
BEST NARRATION
Bad River (50 Eggs Films)
Written by Mary Mazzio
Performed by Quannah ChasingHorse & Edward Norton
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Written by Charlie Hamilton James
Performed by Billy Mail & Susan Mail
Dahomey (Mubi)
Written by Makenzy Orcel
Performed by Lucrece Houegbelo, Parfait Viayinon, Didier Sedoha Nassegande, and Sabine Badjogoumin
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (Cohen Media Group)
Written and performed by Martin Scorsese
Queens (National Geographic)
Written by Chloë Sarosh
Performed by Angela Bassett
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces (Apple TV+)
Written and performed by Steve Martin
BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (Cohen Media Group)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Lorber)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY
Bad River (50 Eggs Films)
Dahomey (Mubi)
The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (Cohen Media Group)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Lorber)
Sugarcane (National Geographic)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Frida (Amazon MGM Studios)
I Am: Celine Dion (Amazon MGM Studios)
Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+)
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces (Apple TV+)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films)
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
I Am: Celine Dion (Amazon MGM Studios)
Music by John Williams (Walt Disney Studios)
Piece by Piece (Focus Features)
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (Hulu)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Kino Lorber)
BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
Bad River (50 Eggs Films)
Girls State (Apple TV+)
Porcelain War (Picturehouse)
Stopping the Steal (HBO | Max)
Sugarcane (National Geographic)
The Truth vs. Alex Jones (HBO | Max)
BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
Apollo 13: Survival (Netflix)
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)
Blink (National Geographic)
The Last of the Sea Women (Apple TV+)
Secrets of the Octopus (National Geographic)
The Space Race (National Geographic)
BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Copa 71 (New Black Films)
The Dynasty: New England Patriots (Apple TV+)
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa (Netflix)
Mr. McMahon (Netflix)
Simone Biles Rising (Netflix)
The Turnaround (Netflix)
BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
American Nightmare (Netflix)
Black Box Diaries (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+)
Incident (The New Yorker)
The Jinx – Part Two (HBO | Max)
Stopping the Steal (HBO | Max)
Sugarcane (National Geographic)
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
I Am Ready, Warden (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+)
Incident (The New Yorker)
Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World (Netflix)
Once Upon a Time in Ukraine (Earle Mack Productions, Storyville Films, Goldcrest Films)
The Only Girl in the Orchestra (Netflix)
The Turnaround (Netflix)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)
Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
Mr. McMahon (Netflix)
Ren Faire (HBO | Max)
Secrets of the Octopus (National Geographic)
Simone Biles Rising (Netflix)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN)
America’s Most Wanted (Fox Broadcasting Company)
The Food That Built America (History)
Independent Lens (PBS)
The Jinx – Part Two (HBO | Max)
POV (PBS)
The Critics Choice Association recognizes the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members.
About the Critics Choice Awards
The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.
The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on January 12, 2025 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA, hosted by Chelsea Handler. It will air live on E! and will be available the next day on Peacock.
About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: CriticsChoice.com.
