Best Documentary Films

Documentary Category

Dawn Richard Champions the Power of Self-Expression in Moving New Orleans-Set Dance Short ‘Pigments’

Dawn Richard breaks down why she wanted to alter the cliched image of New Orleans through her compelling and empowering dance short.

Documentary

Jacob Lee’s BAFTA Short ‘A Drifting Up’ Offers a Cathartic Montage of City Life & Human Connection

Jacob Lee tells us how dancing as a means of stress relief became a self-shot, BAFTA-nominated documentary about overcoming depression and anxiety.

Documentary, Music

Las Vegas’ Original Elvis Impersonator Confronts His Fading Identity in Ivan Olita’s Short Doc ‘A King’

Ivan Olita shares how he authentically portrayed the Las Vegas visitors rarely see for his film about the conflicted identity of an Elvis impersonator.

Documentary

Jack Weisman & Gabriela Osio Vanden Shift the Perspective of Polar Bear Migration in Doc ‘Nuisance Bear’

Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden tell DN how they developed the self-aware approach of their shifted perspective polar bear documentary short.

Art & Fashion, Documentary

The Reids Chart the Tense Ongoing Challenges of Running a Fashion Brand in Doc ‘Cole Buxton: Still Here’

The Reids explain how they adapted to the sudden changes and challenges that arose for the Cole Buxton brand in their follow up documentary.

Documentary

Exploring the Ends of the World: The Perseverance and Determination Behind Nicholas Jones’ Documentary ‘A Greenlander’

Nicholas Jones recounts persevering through many obstacles and obscene cold to capture his documentary following a man’s fight to stay in his beloved home.

Animation, Documentary

Ivyy Chen Examines the Daily Struggles Unnecessarily Faced by Too Many in ‘Learning Disabilities in Primary Care’

Ivyy Chen speaks to us about using scale and colour to express the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities when trying to access healthcare.

Documentary

Jessica Bishopp Intimately Follows the Lives of Young Bird Watchers in Immersive Documentary ‘Skyward’

Jessica Bishopp deconstructs how she recreated the immersive feeling of birdwatching through considered visual language and detailed sound design.

Documentary, Premiere

Jack Pirie’s Genre-Blurring ‘The Storm Chaser’ Offers a Mythical Revamp to Conventional Extreme Sports Films

Jack Pirie speaks about finding the harmony between nature and humans at their extremes in his profound windsurfing dramatic documentary short.

Documentary

Harun Güler’s ‘In Limbo’ Mixes Documentary and High Style to Create an Ode to Non-Binary Turkish Life

Harun Güler discusses using slow-motion, evocative performances and subversive fashion to point to new ways for Turkish gender expression.

Documentary

Tobias James’ ‘Speedboat’ Is an Exhilarating White Knuckle Introduction to Bangkok’s Frenzied Waterway Racing

Tobias James describes the camera considerations and hold on and hope approach when filming at 130kmph on a drag racing turbo longtail riverboat.

Documentary

Christian Schultz’ Lyrical Documentary ‘Infinite Blue’ Creates a Unique Portrait of Life on the Margins

Christian Schultz & Oscar Ignacio Jiménez discuss the lyrical voiceover and stark monochrome photography behind their intimate depiction of homelessness.