The 40th IDA Documentary Awards Shortlists
The International Documentary Association (IDA) has announced the shortlists for its 40th IDA Documentary Awards. This year's selection highlights an impressive range of feature-length and short documentaries from around the globe. The selection process involved over 700 entries from 77 countries, making it one of the most diverse shortlists in recent history. This announcement follows the earlier reveal of nominees for the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards. While it’s still early in the awards season, several documentary films are emerging as potential frontrunners, such as Sugarcane from National Geographic, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin from Netflix, and Black Box Diaries from MTV Documentary Films, appearing across both lists.
Selection Process and Voting
Independent committees comprising over 300 documentary professionals from more than 40 countries created the shortlists.
IDA members can view shortlisted films on IDA Virtual Cinema starting November 4. Ten nominees in each category will be announced on November 19. IDA members can then vote for Best Feature and Short Documentary until December 1, 2024.
Dominic Asmall Willsdon, IDA’s Executive Director, said in a press release, “The 40th IDA Documentary Awards continues the tradition of celebrating the best of international nonfiction media of the year. We are grateful to all filmmakers who shared their work for consideration this year, representing a record amount of countries in the award’shistory. The impressive shortlist for Best Features and Best Shorts reflects on the prowess of our worldwide documentary community both in their artistry and dedication to raising public awareness on some of the most important subjects we face in today’s world.”
You can find both shortlists below.
Best Feature Documentary Shortlist
Agent of Happiness (Bhutan, Hungary | Film Movement | Director: Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó | Producer: Noémi Veronika Szakonyi, Máté Artur Vincze, Arun Bhattarai)
Black Box Diaries (Japan, USA, UK | MTV Documentary Films | Director: Shiori Ito | Producer: Eric Nyari, Hanna Aqvilin, Shiori Ito)
Brisa (USA | Astonish Entertainment | Director: Nick Nanton | Producer: Nick Ruff, Katie Tschopp)
DAHOMEY (France, Senegal, Benin | MUBI | Director: Mati Diop | Producer: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop)
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (France, South Africa, USA | Magnolia Pictures | Director: Raoul Peck | Producer: Tamara Rosenberg, Raoul Peck)
Hollywoodgate (USA, Germany | Fourth Act Film | Director: Ibrahim Nash'at | Producer: Shane Boris, Odessa Rae, Talal Derki)
IGUALADA (Colombia, Mexico, USA | Film Sales Corp | Director: Juan Mejía Botero | Producer: Juan E Yepes, Sonia Serna, Daniela Alatorre)
Kamay (Belgium, Afghanistan, Germany | CAT&Docs, Dalton Distribution | Director: Ilyas Yourish | Producer: Hanne Phlypo, Evelien De Graef, Ilyas Yourish, Karsten Stöter, Serge Gordey)
Mediha (USA | Director: Hasan Oswald | Producer: Hasan Oswald, Annelise Mecca, Fahrinisa Campana, Alexander Spiess, Stephen Nemeth)
Motherboard (UK | Autlook Film Sales | Director: Victoria Mapplebeck | Producer: Victoria Mapplebeck)
My Sweet Land (USA, Jordan, France | ITVS - PBS / ARTE France / RTS | Director: Sareen Hairabedian | Producer: Azza Hourani, Sareen Hairabedian, Julie Paratian, David Rane)
No Other Land (Palestine, Norway, USA | Director: Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor & Yuval Abraham | Producer: Fabien Greenberg & bård Kjøge Rønning)
Queendom (USA, France | Greenwich Entertainment | Director: Agniia Galdanova | Producer: Igor Myakotin, Agniia Galdanova)
Seeking Mavis Beacon (USA | NEON | Director: Jazmin Renée Jones | Producer: Guetty Felin, Olivia McKayla Ross)
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (Belgium, France, Netherlands | Kino Lorber | Director: Johan Grimonprez | Producer: Daan Milius, Rémi Grellety)
Sugarcane (USA | National Geographic | Director: Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie | Producer: Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn)
Tell Them You Love Me (USA, UK | Netflix | Director: Nick August-Perna | Producer: Tamara Rosenberg, Andrea Debrito)
The Last Journey (Sweden, France | Nordisk Film | Director: Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson | Producer: Petra Mahl and Lars Beckung)
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (USA | Netflix | Director: Benjamin Ree | Producer: Ingvil Giske)
Water For Life / Agua Es Vida (USA, Chile, El Salvador | Latino Public Broadcasting, Bullfrog Films | Director: Will Parrinello | Producer: Majo Calderon, Will Parrinello, Rick Tejada-Flores)
Notable Feature Documentaries
The IDA Documentary Awards have historically drawn attention to international documentaries that would otherwise go unnoticed by awards voters. This year's shortlists continue this tradition with selections from around the globe. Some international films that may garner attention in the coming months include Agent of Happiness from Bhutan and Hungary, Dahomey from France, Senegal, and Benin, Kamay from Belgium, Afghanistan, and Germany, and The Last Journey from Sweden and France, among others.
Best Short Documentary Shortlist
A Move (Iran, UK | The New York Times Op-Docs | Director: Elahe Esmaili | Producer: Hossein Behboudi Rad)
A Movement Against the Transparency of the Stars of the Seas (USA, Philippines | Criterion Channel | Director: Esy Casey | Producer: Esy Casey, Nur Jannah Kaalim)
Amma ki Katha (India | Director: Nehal Vyas | Producer: Nehal Vyas, Advik Beni)
Bad Hostage (USA | Director: Mimi Wilcox | Producer: Max Asaf, Mimi Wilcox)
ENCHUKUNOTO (The Return) (Kenya | Director: Laissa Malih | Producer: Kavita Pillay, Adam Mazo, Tracy Rector, Taylor Hensel)
Gaza Diaries (Palestine, UK | BBC | Director: Namak Khoshnaw | Producer: Haya Al Badarneh, Lara Elgebaly, Mohammad Shalaby, Mary O'Reilly)
Here We Are (Thailand | Director: Chanasorn Chaikitiporn | Producer: Banvithit Wilawan)
In Flanders Fields (India, Belgium, USA | Sachin | Director: Sachin | Producer: Sachin, Victor Candeias)
Instruments of a Beating Heart (Japan | The New York Times Op-Docs | Director: Ema Ryan Yamazaki | Producer: Eric Nyari)
Modern Goose (Canada | The New York Times Op-Docs | Director: Karsten Wall | Producer: Alicia Smith)
Nine Easy Dances (Canada | York University | Director/Producer: Nora Rosenthal)
Old Lesbians (USA | The Guardian | Director/Producer: Meghan McDonough)
OUTCRY: Alchemists of Rage (USA | Director: Clare Major | Producer: Rivkah Beth Medow, Jen Rainin, Whitney Bradshaw, Clare Major)
Squid Fleet (USA, Canada | The New Yorker, SUDU Connexion | Director: Ed Ou and Will N. Miller | Producer: Will N. Miller, Ed Ou, Raphaela Morais, Ben Blankenship)
Ted & Noel (UK | Channel 4 | Director: Julia Alcamo | Producer: Dan Hodgson, Mary Pattisson)
The Medallion (UK, Ethiopia, USA | The New Yorker, SUDU Connexion | Director: Ruth Hunduma | Producer: Lily Usher, Tolu Stedford)
The Passing (USA | The New Yorker | Director/Producer: Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan)
The Poem We Sang (Canada, Palestine, Jordan | MAD Solutions | Director: Annie Sakkab | Producer: Annie Sakkab, Paul Lee)
The Sparkle (Canada | The New York Times Op-Docs | Director: Isabelle Grignon-Francke | Producer: Patrick Francke-Sirois, Isabelle Grignon-Francke)
Until He's Back (USA, Spain, Morocco | PBS POV & Scripps News | Director: Jacqueline Baylon | Producer: Jacqueline Baylon, Hailey Gavin)
Notable Short Documentaries
Moving onto the shortlist for the IDA's short documentaries, there are several standout entries. Besides the usual The New York Times Op-Docs and The New Yorker shorts, films like Gaza Diaries from Palestine and the UK, and Old Lesbians from the USA, stand out as potential nominees. A Move from Iran and the UK, and ENCHUKUNOTO (The Return) from Kenya also showcase the international scope of the shortlist.
Additional Awards
Beyond the feature and short categories, the IDA Documentary Awards will recognize excellence in documentaries through several other awards selected by a blue-ribbon jury of 300 documentary professionals from over 40 countries in various categories including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and several others.
Distribution Breakdown
Of the shortlisted feature and short documentaries, four are distributed by The New York Times Op-Docs, four by The New Yorker, two by Netflix, and one each by National Geographic, NEON, POV, Film Movement, MTV Documentary Films, MUBI, Magnolia Pictures, Greenwich Entertainment, Kino Lorber, Nordisk Film, Latino Public Broadcasting/Bullfrog Films, BBC, Channel 4, and Criterion Channel.
Accessibility and Inclusion
In line with IDA's commitment to accessibility, all submissions were required to include closed captions.
Awards Ceremony
The 40th IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony will be held on December 5, 2024, at The Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles.
You can purchase tickets to The 40th IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony here. Additionally, the ceremony will be streamed live on the IDA's X account, Facebook Page, Instagram, and YouTube channel, making it accessible to even more people than those attending in person.
Looking Ahead
As the 40th IDA Documentary Awards approach, the documentary landscape is buzzing with activity. The awards season for documentaries is in full swing, with several key events on the horizon:
November 4, 2024: IDA Member Viewing Begins with all Shortlisted Films
November 10, 2024: The 9th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
November 19, 2024: IDA Documentary Awards nominations announcement and IDA Member Voting Begins
December 1, 2024: IDA Member Voting Ends
December 5, 2024: IDA Documentary Awards ceremony at The Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles
December 31, 2024: IDA Member Viewing Platform Closes
January 2025 (exact date TBA): Cinema Eye Honors
February 2025 (exact date TBA): Documentary Feature nominees at the Academy Awards
These ceremonies and announcements will play crucial roles in shaping the narrative for documentary recognition this awards season. As we move through these ceremonies, we'll see which documentaries emerge as frontrunners and which new voices break through in this dynamic and ever-evolving field of filmmaking.
Until next time!
