Critics' Choice Documentary Awards Nominees: '14th' Nabs 6; Elizabeth Helms Duck, Once Upon a Time in Harlem, Nuisance Bear Land 5 each

The 14th comes out of the gate with power. Ava DuVernay's documentary examining the threats to the 14th Amendment, which had its world premiere Friday at the New York Film Festival, earned six leading nominations Tuesday when the nominees for the 11th annual Critics' Choice Documentary Awards were announced. Close behind with five nominations each: you can see […]

Ava DuVernay's documentary examining the threats to the 14th Amendment, which had its world premiere Friday at the New York Film Festival, earned six leading nominations Tuesday when the nominees for the 11th annual Critics' Choice Documentary Awards were announced.

With five nominations each: You Can See Everything, a documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. Once Upon a Time in Harlem, directed by David Graves and produced by Liani Graves; and Pesky Bear directed by Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Wiseman.

Several films received four nominations each, including All to Kenmore Street, directed by Felipe Bustos Sierra. The exercises of a revolution directed by Pegah Ahangarani; remake directed by Ross McElwee; The History of Concrete directed by John Wilson; and Everest: The Other Side, directed by Oscar winners E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. Watch on Deadline

The 14th nominations come in the categories of Best Documentary Feature, Best Political Documentary and Best Historical Documentary, as well as DuVernay for Best Director, Spencer Averic for Best Editing, and Jason Moran for Best Score.

The 14 best documentary films are:

Winners will be announced at a gala event on November 8 at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan, with Ross Matthews as emcee.

"This year's nominees reflect the range of voices, perspectives and stories that make up Documentary," said Christopher Campbell, Critics' Choice Vice President, Documentary. These films challenge us to see the world in new ways and reinforce the vital role of documentary in informing, engaging and inspiring audiences. "We are proud to recognize the exceptional talent and creativity behind this year's nominated films."

As previously announced, Ron Howard will receive the Critics' Choice Impact Award, an honor to recognize "filmmakers whose work, influence, and commitment to nonfiction have had a significant and lasting impact on the documentary form, expanding its scope and supporting its continued evolution." Howard's documentaries include Avedon (2026), Jim Henson Idea Man (2024), We Feed People (2022), Rebuilding Paradise (2020) and Pavarotti (2019).

As previously announced, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jehane Noujaim will receive the Pennebaker CCA Award, an honor presented by Chris Hegdos, widow and fellow DA Pennebaker. Named in honor of pioneering documentarian DA Pennebaker (formerly the Critics' Choice Lifetime Achievement Award), the award honors filmmakers whose careers have made a profound and lasting contribution to the art of documentary storytelling.

Feature-length documentaries, two-part documentaries and documentary shorts are eligible for nomination if they are first commercially released in the United States between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Documentaries may be delivered to audiences theatrically or via broadcast, cable or streaming. Documentary series of three or more episodes are eligible for nomination if the majority of episodes of the series' eligible season were released between January 1 and December 31, 2026.

Everest: The Other Side (National Geographic Documentary)

All to Kenmore Street (Icarus Films)

History of Concrete (magnolia pictures)

Training for a Revolution (Sony Pictures Classic)

Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor - Naza (The Guardian / mk2 films)

Felipe Bustos Sierra – All to Kenmure Street (Icarus Films)

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim - You Can See Everything (A24)

Ross McElwee - Remake (Music Box Movie)

Orlando von Einsiedel - Cycle of Love (Variance Films)

David Graves - Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon)

Baz Luhrmann - Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert (Neon)

Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Wiseman - The Nuisance Bear (Moby)

Xander Robin - Hunting Python (Oscilloscope Labs)

Pu Si Teng - American doctor (watermelon pictures)

John Wilson – A History of Concrete (Magnolia Pictures)

David Bullen - You Can See Everything (A24)

David Bullen and Matt Clegg - Hunting Python (Oscilloscope Labs)

Sophie Darlington - Lion (National Geographic)

Franklin Dove - Cycle of Love (Variance Films)

Claire Popkin, Jamie Chin, Christopher Murphy - Everest: The Other Side (National Geographic Documentaries)

Anne Du Mare and Lynn True - Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon)

Adam Locke-Norton - You Can See Everything (A24)

Colin Money - All to Kenmore Street (Icarus Films)

Jonathan Redmond - Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert (Neon)

Corey Wapnoska – The History of Concrete (Magnolia Pictures)

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocalypse (Focus Features)