ORWELL: 2+2=5 LEADS WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR RECEIVES SIX NOMINATIONS
GALA EVENT TO HONOR AWARD WINNERS ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2025 AT THE EDISON BALLROOM
DOCUMENTARIAN KEN BURNS TO RECEIVE CRITICS CHOICE IMPACT AWARD PRESENTED BY CHRISTINE BARANSKI
FILMMAKERS HEIDI EWING AND RACHEL GRADY TO RECEIVE THE PENNEBAKER AWARD PRESENTED BY CHRIS HEGEDUS
This Year’s Ceremony Marks a Decade of Honoring Excellence in Nonfiction Filmmaking
The Ceremony Will Be Live-Streamed Through YouTube, X and Facebook and on THE CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION WEBSITE at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 9
Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, October 14, 2025) — The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has announced the nominees for the Tenth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA). The winners will be revealed at a gala event on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan. Hosted by award-winning actor, writer, and producer Aasif Mandvi,the milestone eventwill bring together leading filmmakers, industry professionals, and special guests for an evening celebrating excellence in documentary filmmaking.
The CCA previously announced that legendary documentarian Ken Burns will receive the Critics Choice Impact Award, which will be presented by acclaimed actor Christine Baranski. The prestigious award recognizes documentarians whose work has illuminated our shared story, made complex issues accessible to broad audiences, and sparked meaningful dialogue that inspires reflection and action. Ken Burns exemplifies this impact through a career that has brought the American experience vividly to life and deepened the nation’s understanding of itself.
Visionary filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, previously announced as recipients of the CCA’s Pennebaker Award (formerly the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award), will have the honor presented by Pennebaker’s widow and collaborator, Chris Hegedus. Named in tribute to trailblazing documentarian D.A. Pennebaker, the award celebrates filmmakers whose careers have made a profound and lasting contribution to the art of documentary storytelling.
Orwell: 2+2=5 leads the pack with seven nominations including Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other nominations are Raoul Peck for Best Director, Alexandra Strauss for Best Editing, Alexei Aigui for Best Score, Best Narration (Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck, Performed by Damian Lewis), Best Archival Documentary, and Best Political Documentary.
The Perfect Neighbor received six nominations including Best Documentary Feature, Geeta Gandbhir for Best Director, Viridiana Lieberman for Best Editing, Laura Heinzinger for Best Score, Best Archival Documentary, and Best True Crime Documentary.
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. Nominations are determined by the voting of qualified CCA members with expertise in the documentary field. The tenth annual awards ceremony is produced by Bob Bain of Bob Bain Productions and Joey Berlin of Berlin Entertainment.
“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, Critics Choice Association’s VP, Documentary. “We’re thrilled to recognize the filmmakers whose vision and dedication keep the art form evolving.”
National Geographic Documentary Films returns as a Catalyst Sponsor for the event.
At the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and Will & Harper tied for the top award of the evening, Best Documentary Feature. With a sweep of all six of its nominated categories, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story also scored wins for Best Director for Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, Best Editing for Otto Burnham, Best Score for Ilan Eshkeri, Best Archival Documentary, and Best Biographical Documentary.
Nominees for the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
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 & 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)
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
Apocalypse in the Tropics (Netflix)
Written by Petra Costa
Co-Writers: Alessandra Orofino, Nels Bangerter, David Barker, Tina Baz
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 (Message Pictures)
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)
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 31st annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on January 4, 2026, airing live on E! and USA Network.
Social Media:
Hashtag: #criticschoice
Facebook: /CriticsChoiceAwards
Instagram: @criticschoice
Twitter/X: @criticschoice
About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 500 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.
To stream the ceremony and learn more about the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, visit CriticsChoice.com. The full list of nominees and winners will also be available on the site.
All artwork (including nominee and winner laurels) can be found HERE.
Social Media handles:
X: @criticschoice
Instagram: @criticschoice
TikTok: @officialcriticschoice
YouTube
Facebook
Contacts:
To send FYC content and screeners to the CCA membership:
Kymber Allen: [email protected]
For tickets and table sales:
David Freedman: [email protected]
For press inquiries:
Laura Danford Mandel, LDM | PR
[email protected]
917-848-1460
Photos are available HERE.
Photo Credits:
Ken Burns: Michael Avedon
Aasif Mandvi: Gregg Delman
Heidi Ewing: Mei Tao
Rachel Grady: Charlie Gross
