10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
Edison Ballroom, Manhattan, NY
Sunday, November 9, 2025
Hosted by Aasif Mandvi

2000 Meters to Andriivka • Frontline Features / The Associated Press

Mstyslav Chernov | Director
Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath, Mstyslav Chernov | Producers

The Alabama Solution • HBO Max

Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman | Director/Producers

Apocalypse in the Tropics • Netflix

Petra Costa | Director
Alessandra Orofino, Petra Costa | Producer

Cover-Up • Netflix

Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus | Directors
Yoni Golijov, Olivia Streisand, Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus | Producers

Deaf President Now! • Apple TV

Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | Directors
Michael Harte, Jonathan King, Amanda Rohlke, Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | Producers

Orwell: 2+2=5 • NEON

Raoul Peck | Director
Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell, Raoul Peck | Producers

Pee-wee as Himself • HBO Max

Matt Wolf | Director
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez, Matt Wolf | Producers

The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee, Geeta Gandbhir | Producers

Riefenstahl • Kino Lorber

Andres Veiel | Director
Sandra Maischberger | Producer

The Tale of Silyan • National Geographic

Tamara Kotevska | Director
Anna Hashmi, Jean Dakar, Tamara Kotevska | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST DIRECTOR

Mstyslav Chernov | Director
2000 Meters to Andriivka • Frontline Features / The Associated Press

Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath | Producers

Petra Costa | Director
Apocalypse in the Tropics • Netflix

Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino | Producers

Nyle DiMarco & Davis Guggenheim | Directors
Deaf President Now! • Apple TV

Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim, Michael Harte, Jonathan King, Amanda Rohlke | Producers

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix

Geeta Gandbhir , Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee | Producers

Andrew Jarecki & Charlotte Kaufman | Directors
The Alabama Solution • HBO Max

Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman | Producers

Raoul Peck | Director
Orwell: 2+2=5 • NEON

Raoul Peck, Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Art for Everybody • Tremolo Productions

Miranda Yousef | Director
Morgan Neville, Tim Rummel | Producers

Grand Theft Hamlet • MUBI

Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane | Directors
Rebecca Wolff, Julia Ton | Producers

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay • HBO Max

Mariska Hargitay | Director
Trish Adlesic, Mariska Hargitay | Producers

Seeds • Interior Films

Brittany Shyne | Director
Danielle Varga, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, Brittany Shyne | Producers

Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost • Apple TV

Ben Stiller | Director
Lizz Morhaim, John Lesher, Geoffrey Richman, Ben Stiller | Producers

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror • Margot Station

Linus O’Brien | Director
Adam Gibbs, Garret Price, Avner Shiloah, Linus O’Brien | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Architecton • A24
Ben Bernard | Cinematographer

Victor Kossakovsky | Director
Heino Deckert | Producer

Folktales • Magnolia Pictures
Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo & Tor Edvin Eliassen | Cinematographer

Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady | Director/Producers

Mistress Dispeller • Oscilloscope
Elizabeth Lo | Cinematographer

Elizabeth Lo | Director
Maggie Li, Emma D. Miller, Elizabeth Lo | Producers

Ocean with David Attenborough • National Geographic
Toby Strong, Doug Anderson (Underwater Photography)| Cinematographer

Toby Nowlan, Colin Butfield, Keith Scholey | Directors
Toby Nowlan | Producer

Seeds • Interior Films
Brittany Shyne | Cinematographer

Brittany Shyne | Director
Danielle Varga, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, Brittany Shyne | Producers

The Tale of Silyan • National Geographic
Jean Dakar | Cinematographer

Tamara Kotevska | Director
Anna Hashmi, Jean Dakar, Tamara Kotevska | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST EDITING

2000 Meters to Andriivka • Frontline Features / The Associated Press
Michelle Mizner | Editor

Mstyslav Chernov | Director
Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath | Producers

The Alabama Solution • HBO Max
Page Marsella | Editor

Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman | Director/Producers

Deaf President Now! • Apple TV
Michael Harte | Editor

Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | Directors
Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim, Michael Harte, Jonathan King, Amanda Rohlke | Producers

Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music • NBC
James Lester & Oz Rodríguez, John MacDonald (Music Montage) | Editors

Tamara Kotevska | Director
Tamara Kotevska, Anna Hashmi, Jean Dakar | Producers

Orwell: 2+2=5 • NEON
Alexandra Strauss| Editor

Raoul Peck | Director
Raoul Peck, Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell | Producers

The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix
Viridiana Lieberman | Editor

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST SCORE

2000 Meters to Andriivka • Frontline Features / The Associated Press
Sam Slater | Composer

Mstyslav Chernov | Directors
Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath | Producers

The Eyes of Ghana • Breakwater Studios / Higher Ground Media
Kris Bowers | Composer

Ben Proudfoot | Director
Ben Proudfoot, Anita Afonu, Moses Bwayo, Nana Adwoa Frimpong, Ethan Lewis, Vinnie Malhotra, Brandon Somerhalder | Producers

Love + War • National Geographic
Claudia Sarne | Composer

Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | Directors
Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Shannon Dill, Anna Barnes | Producers

Orwell: 2+2=5 • NEON
Alexei Aigui | Composer

Raoul Peck | Director
Raoul Peck, Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell | Producers

The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix
Laura Heinzinger | Composer

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee | Producers

Trains • EPF Media / Drygas Film Production
Paweł Szymański | Composer

Maciej J. Drygas | Director
Vita Żelakeviciute | Producer

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST NARRATION

2000 Meters to Andriivka • Frontline Features / The Associated Press
Written by Mstyslav Chernov
Performed by Mstyslav Chernov

Mstyslav Chernov | Director
Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath | Producers

The American Revolution • PBS
Written by Geoffrey C. Ward
Performed by Peter Coyote

Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, David Schmidt | Directors
Geoffrey Ward | Producer

The Americas • NBC
Written by Michael Gunton, Holly Spearing, Steve Cole, Kathryn Jeffs, Matt Richards, Giles Badger, Victoria Buckley, Alex Griffiths, Hannah Hoare, Poppy Riddle, Gillian Taylor, Nikki Waldron, Evie Wright, Charlotte Bostock, Victoria Bobin, & Ingrid Kvale
Performed by Tom Hanks

Michael Gunton | Executive Producer

Apocalypse in the Tropics • Netflix
Written by Petra Costa
Co-Writers: Alessandra Orofino, Nels Bangerter, David Barker, Tina Baz
Performed by Petra Costa

Petra Costa | Director
Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino | Producer

Octopus! • Prime Video
Written by Gabriel Bisset-Smith
Performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Niharika Desai | Director
Jenny Robins, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Melissa Wood, Alexandra Lowry, Elizabeth Ashe, Jennifer Hile, Joey Marra | Executive Producers

Orwell: 2+2=5 • NEON
Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck
Performed by Damian Lewis

Raoul Peck | Director
Raoul Peck, Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY

One to One: John & Yoko • Magnolia Pictures

Kevin Macdonald, Sam Rice-Edwards | Directors
Peter Worsley, Kevin Macdonald, Alice Webb | Producers

Orwell: 2+2=5 • Neon

Raoul Peck | Director
Raoul Peck, Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell | Producers

The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix

Geeta Gandbhir | Directors
Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee | Producers

Riefenstahl • Kino Lorber

Andres Veiel | Director
Sandra Maischberger | Producer

Trains • EPF Media / Drygas Film Production

Maciej J. Drygas | Director
Vita Żelakeviciute | Producer

WTO/99 • Foghorn Features

Ian Bell | Director
Ian Bell, Laura Tatham, Alex Megaro | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY

The American Revolution • PBS

Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, David Schmidt | Directors
Geoffrey Ward | Producer

Cover-Up • Netflix

Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus | Directors
Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus, Yoni Golijov, Olivia Streisand | Producers

Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015 • HBO Max

Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha M. Knowles, Muta’Ali, Rudy Valdez, Smriti Mundhra, Leslie Asako Gladsjo | Directors
Dawn Porter, Joy Gorman Wettels, Bedonna Smith, Patrisse Cullors, Mervyn Marcano, Judi Hampton, Sandra Forman, Steve Golin, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez | Executive Producers

Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time • National Geographic

Traci Curry | Director
Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian | Producers

Number One on the Call Sheet • Apple TV

Reginald Hudlin, Shola Lynch | Directors
Reginald Hudlin, Bryan Smiley, Halle Berry, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett | Executive Producers

Riefenstahl • Kino Lorber

Andres Veiel | Director
Sandra Maischberger | Producer

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY

John Candy: I Like Me • Prime Video

Colin Hanks | Director
Ryan Reynolds, George Dewey, Colin Hanks, Shane Reid, Sean M. Stuart, Glen Zipper, Johnny Pariseau | Producers

Love + War • National Geographic

Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | Directors
Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Shannon Dill, Anna Barnes | Producers

Mr. Scorsese • Apple TV

Rebecca Miller | Director
Rebecca Miller, Damon Cardasis, Cindy Tolan, Rick Yorn, Chris Donnelly, Julie Yorn, Robert Fernandez, Patrick Walmsley | Producers

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay • HBO Max

Mariska Hargitay | Director
Mariska Hargitay, Trish Adlesic | Producers

Pee-wee as Himself • HBO Max

Matt Wolf | Director
Matt Wolf, Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez | Producers

Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost • Apple TV

Ben Stiller | Director
Ben Stiller, Lizz Morhaim, John Lesher, Geoffrey Richman | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

Becoming Led Zeppelin • Sony Pictures Classics

Bernard MacMahon | Director
Allison McGourty, Bernard MacMahon | Producer

Billy Joel: And So It Goes • HBO Max

Susan Lacy, Jessica Levin | Directors
Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Todd Milliner, Sean Hayes, Steve Cohen, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez | Producers

Bono: Stories of Surrender • Netflix

Andrew Dominik | Director
Jon Kamen, David Sirulnick, Dede Gardner, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner | Producers

It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley • Magnolia Pictures

Amy Berg | Director
Jennie Bedusa, Mandy Chang, Christine Connor, Ryan Heller, Matthew Roozen, Amy Berg | Producers

Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music • NBC

Tamara Kotevska | Director
Tamara Kotevska, Anna Hashmi, Jean Dakar | Producers

Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) • Hulu

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson | Director
Joseph Patel, Derik Murray | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

The Alabama Solution • HBO Max

Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman | Director/Producers

Apocalypse in the Tropics • Netflix

Petra Costa | Director
Alessandra Orofino, Petra Costa | Producers

Deaf President Now! • Apple TV

Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | Directors
Michael Harte, Jonathan King, Amanda Rohlke, Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | Producers

The Librarians • Independent Lens

Kim A. Snyder | Director
Kim A. Snyder, Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum | Producers

My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow • Marminchilla

Julia Loktev | Director/Producer

Orwell: 2+2=5 • Neon

Raoul Peck | Director
Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker, George Chignell, Raoul Peck | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY

The Americas • NBC

Michael Gunton | Executive Producer

Checkpoint Zoo • Abramorama

Joshua Zeman | Director
Zachary Mortensen, Joshua Zeman, Ian Davies, Torquil Jones | Producers

The Last Rhinos: A New Hope • National Geographic

Katie Cleary | Director

Ocean with David Attenborough • National Geographic

Toby Nowlan, Colin Butfield, Keith Scholey | Directors
Toby Nowlan | Producer

Octopus! • Prime Video

Niharika Desai | Director
Jenny Robins, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Melissa Wood, Alexandra Lowry, Elizabeth Ashe, Jennifer Hile, Joey Marra | Executive Producers

Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey • Netflix

Pippa Ehrlich | Director
George Chignell, Pippa Ehrlich, Jessica Grimshaw, Nick Shumaker | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders • Netflix

Greg Whiteley | Director/Executive Producer

America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys • Netflix

Chapman Way, Maclain Way | Directors
David Ellison | Executive Producer

Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024 • ESPN Films

Rudy Valdez | Director

Full Court Press • ESPN+

Nikki Spetseris | Director
Peyton Manning | Producer

Southpaw: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott • ESPN

Mike Farrell | Director
John Minton III, Mike Johns, Gus Pfisterer, Mike Farrell | Producers

We Beat the Dream Team • HBO Max

Michael Tolajian | Director
Moses Musilu , Michael Tolajian | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY

The Alabama Solution • HBO Max

Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman | Director/Producers

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer • Netflix

Liz Garbus | Director
Jon Bardin, Anne Carey, Mala Chapple, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus | Producers

The Perfect Neighbor • Netflix

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee | Producers

Predators • MTV Documentary Films / Paramount+

David Osit | Director
Jamie Gonçalves, Kellen Quinn, David Osit | Producers

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish • Netflix

Skye Borgman | Director
Ross M. Dinerstein, Rebecca Evans | Producers

The Yogurt Shop Murders • HBO Max

Margaret Brown | Director
Nancy Abraham, Avi Belkin | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

All the Empty Rooms • Netflix

Joshua Seftel | Director
Trevor Burgess, James Costa, Conall Jones, Joshua Seftel | Producers

Classroom 4 • PBS

Eden Wurmfeld | Director
Zander Arkin, Tracey Bing, Yael Bridge, Siena Caddle, Charlie Pigott, Eden Wurmfeld | Producers

The Devil is Busy • HBO Max

Christalyn Hampton, Geeta Gandbhir | Directors
Christalyn Hampton, Rose Arce, Amber Fares, Soledad O’Brien | Producers

Exodus • Message Pictures

Nimco Sheikhaden | Director
Sara Bennett, Sara Chishti, Blair Foster, Geeta Gandbhir, Nimco Sheikhaden, LeLoni Smith, Rudy Valdez | Producers

Fiddler on the Moon: Judaism in Space • Ironbound Films

Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger | Directors
Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger, Joseph Strulowitz, Graham Wright | Producers

Sallie’s Ashes • Robi Creative

Brennan Robideaux | Director
Allison Bohl DeHart, Daniel Junge, Brennan Robideaux | Producers

Saving Superman • Switchboard

Sam Mirpoorian, Adam Oppenheim | Directors
Sam Mirpoorian, Adam Oppenheim, Julie Spiller | Producers

Shanti Rides Shotgun • Voyager

Charles Frank | Director
Andrew Hutcheson, Daniel Lombroso, Meliz Yilmaz | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES

The American Revolution • PBS

Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, David Schmidt | Directors
Geoffrey Ward | Producer

Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015 • HBO Max

Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha M. Knowles, Muta’Ali, Rudy Valdez, Smriti Mundhra, Leslie Asako Gladsjo | Directors
Dawn Porter, Joy Gorman Wettels, Bedonna Smith, Patrisse Cullors, Mervyn Marcano, Judi Hampton, Sandra Forman, Steve Golin, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez | Executive Producers

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer • Netflix

Liz Garbus | Director
Jon Bardin, Anne Carey, Mala Chapple, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus | Producers

Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time • National Geographic

Traci Curry | Director
Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian | Producers

Magic City: An American Fantasy • Starz

Charles Todd | Director
Trevor Kane, Marlowe Blue, Devin Amar, Ashley Brooke, Cole Brown, Drake, Jermaine Dupri, Jami Gertz, Bayan Joonam, Alex Kaplan, Michael Mauldin, Peter Nelson | Producers

Mr. Scorsese • Apple TV

Rebecca Miller | Director
Rebecca Miller, Damon Cardasis, Cindy Tolan, Rick Yorn, Chris Donnelly, Julie Yorn, Robert Fernandez, Patrick Walmsley | Producers

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night • Peacock

Robert Alexander, Neil Berkeley, Marshall Curry, Jason Zeldes | Directors
Jonathan Formica, Allison Klein, Juaquin Cambron, Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers | Producers

The Yogurt Shop Murders • HBO Max

Margaret Brown | Director
Nancy Abraham, Avi Belkin | Producers

— 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards —

BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

30 for 30 • ESPN Films

Marsha Cooke, John Dahl, Kathleen Jayme, Rob King, Brian Lockhart, Burke Magnus, Asia Youngman | Executive Producers

American Masters • PBS

Ed Barreveld, Leslie Fields-Cruz, Michael Kantor, Carrie Lozano, Sheila MacVicar | Executive Producers

The Reluctant Traveler • Apple TV

Eugene Levy, David Brindley, Sara Evans | Executive Producers

Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross • Roku Channel

Jon Bardin, Kate Barry, Anna Chai, Dan Cogan, Tommy Coriale, E. Brian Robbins, Tracee Ellis Ross | Executive Producers

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller • National Geographic

Darren Foster, Jeff Plunkett, Ben Selkow, Mariana van Zeller, Bengt Anderson | Executive Producers

Trainwreck • Netflix

Kari Lia, Hamish Fergusson | Executive Producers

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 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.