"The 14th" leads nominations for the 2026 Critics' Choice Documentary Award

Ava DuVernay's "The Fourteenth" leads nominations for the Critics' Choice Documentary Awards, which will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan.

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The Critics Choice Association (CCA) is the first major group to announce its nominees for the 11th annual Critics' Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA) for the best documentary of the year.

Ava DuVernay's "The Fourteenth," which just closed the New York Film Festival, leads the list with six nominations, and other notable documentaries such as "NAZA" and "You Can See Everything" also received multiple nominations.

Winners will be announced at a gala on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan, hosted by award-winning television personality Ross Matthews. The event brings together leading filmmakers, industry professionals and special guests for an evening celebrating excellence in documentary filmmaking. Sense and Sensibility review Related stories: Daisy Edgar Jones and George McKay infuse Jane Austen's adaptation with earthy sensibilities in A24's Friday the 13th.

"This year's nominees reflect the range of voices, perspectives and stories that make documentary filmmaking so compelling," said critic Christopher Campbell.Association Vice-Pick, Documentary, Through Statement. "These films challenge us to see the world in new ways and reinforce the vital role that documentaries play in informing, engaging and inspiring audiences. We are proud to recognize the exceptional talent and creativity behind this year's nominated films."

The CCDAs also honored Audon director Ron Howard with the Critics' Choice Impact Award, a prestigious award honoring filmmakers whose work, influence and commitment to nonfiction storytelling has had a significant and lasting impact on the documentary form, expanding its scope and supporting its continued evolution.

Visionary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim will receive the Pennebaker CCA Award, presented by Chris Hegdos, Pennebaker's widow and colleague. In honor of leading documentarian D.A. The Pennebaker Award (formerly the Critics' Choice Lifetime Achievement Award) honors filmmakers whose careers have made a profound and lasting contribution to the art of documentary storytelling.

See the full list of Critics' Choice Documentary Awards nominees below.

The 14th (Netflix) "Everest: The Other Side" (National Geographic Documentary Films) "All to Kenmore Street" (Icarus Films) "Concrete History" (Magnolia Pictures) "The Mask" (Bleecker Street) "NAZA" (Guardian / Harnce Uploads aO Films) A Revolution" (Sony Pictures Classics) "Remake" (Music Box Films) "You Can See Everything" (A24)

Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor – NAZA (The Guardian / mk2 Films) Philip Bustos Sierra – All to Kenmore Street (Icarus Films) Ava DuVernay – The Fourth (Netflix) Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim – You Can See Everything (A24 Rose Films) 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) Gabriella Osio Vanden & Jack Wiseman - "The Nuisance Bear" (Moby) Xander Robin - "Python Hunt" (Oscilloscope Labs Simeleonng Pictures) John Wilson - "Concrete History" (Magnolia Pictures)

David Bullen - "You Can See Everything" (A24) David Bullen & Matt Clegg - "Python Hunt" (Oscilloscope Labs) Sophie Darlington - "Lion" (National Geographic) Franklin Dow - "The Love Cycle" (Variance Films) Gabriela Osio Vanden & Jack Wiseman (Jack Wiseman) China, Christopher Murphy - "Everest: The Other Side" (Variance Films) National Geographic Documentary)

Spencer Orick – The 14th (Netflix) Anne du Marais & Lynn Treu – Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon) Adam Locke-Norton – You Can See Everything (A24) Colin Money – All to Kenmore Street (Icarus Films) Jonathan C. Redmond in Apple Concert (Neon) Corey Wapnoska – Concrete History (Magnolia Pictures)

"Doctor AI: Or How I Became an Apocalypse" (Focus Features) by Daniel Rohr and Carolyn Lindy Starring Daniel Rohr and Carolyn Lindy

"Concrete History" (Magnolia Pictures) by John Wilson, performed by John Wilson

"Lauren" (Focus Features) by Morgan Neville, Alan Lowe, Jake Hostetter and Chris Parnell

"The Nuisance Bear" (Moby) by Mike Tunalak Gibbons, performed by Mike Tunalak Gibbons

Practicing for a Revolution (Sony Pictures Classic) written by Pegah Ahangarani and performed by Pegah Ahangarani

"Remix" (The Music Box Movies) by Ross McElwee and performed by Ross McElwee

Ari Balozian - You Can See Everything (A24) Dan Deacon - Time and Water (National Geographic Documentaries) Carolyn Ho - Everest: The Other Side (National Geographic Documentaries) Jason Moran - The Fourteenth (Netflix) Cristobal Tapia de Virens, Nòuic Pacella, George Hutson Warren - Lion (National Geographic geographic)

"Earth, Wind & Fire (Heavyness Against This Weight of the World)" (HBO Max) "Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert" (Neon) "Man on the Run" (Amazon MGM Studios) "Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger" (Walt Disney Studios: Anywhere (Greenwich Entertainment) "Sarah Baril: Good Grief" (Group Effort Films / Bare Edge Films)

"The Fourteenth" (Netflix) "American Doctor" (Watermelon Pictures) "Ask E. Jean" (Abramorama) "All to Kenmore Street" (Icarus Films) "Musk" (Bleecker Street) "NAZA" (The Guardian / mk2 films) "Union Town" (Cabin Films)

The 14th (Netflix) Once Upon a Time in Harlem (Neon) Training for a Revolution (Sony Pictures Classics) SCTV: The Best Show You've Never Heard of (Netflix) Ghostbusters (Kino Lorber) Turning Point: The 9/11 Generation

"Audon" (Netflix) "Jean-Michel Basquiat" (Netflix) "Lauren" (Focus Features) "Marty, Life's Short" (Netflix) "Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old!" (HBO Max) "The Mask" (Bleecker Street)

"Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert" (Neon) "The Making of Marie Antoinette" (Mobi) "Man on the Run" (Amazon MGM Studios) "Once Upon a Time in Harlem" (Neon) "Rehearsal for a Revolution" (Sony Pictures Classics) "Remake" (Music Box)

Doctor AI: Or How I Became an Apocalypse (Focus Elephants) Ghost Elephants (National Geographic Documentaries) The Lion (National Geographic) The Pesky Bear (Moby) The Secret of the Bees (National Geographic) Time and Water (National Geographic Documentaries)

"Dinasty: UConn Huskies" (Apple TV) "Everest: The Other Side" (National Geographic Documentaries) "Give Me the Ball!" (ESPN) "Rafa" (Netflix) "Distinguished: The Ben Kiyar Story" (Samuel Goldwyn Film) "Tyson" (Netflix)

"Baby Doe" (Narrative Distribution) "Funny Money: The Danish Chef Story" (Dark Star Pictures) "Idaho Murders: College Nightmare" (Netflix) "Killer Story" (HBO Max) "The Missing Women of Alaska" (Investigative Discovery) "Murder in Glitterball City" (HBO Max)

Worst Speechwriter Ever (Netflix) A Derailment (POV) Escalation (Fire Movies) Miller's Night Football (HBO Max) Oh Will (New Yorker/Switchboard Magazine) Freddie Nole's Second Life (A Sweet Movie About a Sweet World) Here They Are (Praxis Films)

"9/11: Unite" (National Geographic) "Dark Wizard" (HBO Max) "Dynasty: Yukon Husky" (Apple TV) "High Horse: Black Cowboy" (Peacock) "Lion" (National Geographic) "Man Will Burn" (HBO Max) "Netflix"

"30 for 30" (ESPN Films) "American Masters" (PBS) "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" (Netflix) "The Food That Built America" (History) "Hazardous History with Henry Winkler" (History) "Independent" (Independent)