Awards season has officially kicked off, and documentaries took center stage this weekend as the Critics Choice Association celebrated the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards in New York City.
Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor dominated the night, earning five awards, including the coveted Best Documentary Feature. The powerful true-crime doc, directed by Geeta Gandbhir, examines the devastating effects of Florida’s stand-your-ground laws through one tragic case that reshaped public debate. Gandbhir also took home Best Director, while editor Viridiana Lieberman won for Best Editing. The film additionally secured honors for Best Archival Documentary and Best True Crime Documentary.
Held at the Edison Ballroom and hosted by actor-comedian Aasif Mandvi, the evening gathered some of the industry’s most respected storytellers, including Soledad O’Brien, Questlove, Reginald Hudlin, Mariska Hargitay, Ben Stiller, and Christine Baranski, among others.
Baranski presented the prestigious Impact Award to legendary documentarian Ken Burns, honoring his lifelong commitment to historical storytelling. Meanwhile, Jesus Camp filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady received the Pennebaker Award, presented by Academy Award nominee and Pennebaker’s longtime collaborator Chris Hegedus.
“Ten years in, and the art of documentary storytelling has never been more vital or vibrant,” said Christopher Campbell, Vice President of Documentary at the Critics Choice Association. “This year’s filmmakers show, through their creativity and courage, just how powerful documentaries can be in shaping our view of the world.”
Highlights of the Night
- Best Documentary Feature: The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
- Best Director: Geeta Gandbhir – The Perfect Neighbor
- Best First Documentary Feature: My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max)
- Best Cinematography: Toby Strong & Doug Anderson – Ocean with David Attenborough (NatGeo)
- Best Score: Alexei Aigui – Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)
- Best Narration: Orwell: 2+2=5 – Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck, Performed by Damian Lewis
- Best Historical Documentary (TIE): The American Revolution (PBS) & Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time (NatGeo)
- Best Music Documentary (TIE): Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony Pictures Classics) & Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (Hulu/Onyx Collective)
- Best Biographical Documentary: Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)
- Best Science/Nature Documentary: Ocean with David Attenborough
- Best Sports Documentary: America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)
- Best Short Documentary: Saving Superman (Switchboard)
- Best Limited Doc Series: Mr. Scorsese
- Best Ongoing Doc Series: 30 for 30 (ESPN Films)
Produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment, the milestone 10th annual event marked another reminder that, while fiction may dominate the big screen, documentary filmmaking continues to redefine truth, art, and advocacy—one story at a time.