The 40th annual IDA Documentary Awards has officially unveiled its list of nominees, including this year’s most beloved and buzziest documentary features. The International Documentary Association (IDA) announced the nominations in 14 categories for the 2024 awards ceremony, which will take place December 5 at The Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be streamed live on documentary.org and on the IDA YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram channels. The awards show will be hosted by actor, comedian, and writer Adam Conover.
This year, IDA received more than 700 entries in all categories from 77 countries, an increase over last year both in the total number of entries and the countries represented. All IDA Documentary Awards entries were selected by jurors from over 40 countries; the shortlists for the Best Feature Documentary and Best Short Documentary categories were previously announced on October 24.
The IDA will honor prolific documentarian Dawn Porter with the Career Achievement Award. Porter’s latest feature “Luther: Never Too Much” about R&B icon Luther Vandross was acquired by CNN Films in partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), as IndieWire formerly announced.
“Black Box Diaries” director and subject Shiori Ito will receive the Emerging Filmmaker Award for her autobiographical true crime saga.
The “No Other Land” filmmakers, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham, will also be recognized with the Courage Under Fire Award. “No Other Land” co-director Yuval Abraham had received death threats earlier this year after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza onstage during the 2024 Berlinale closing ceremony. Both Ito and the “No Other Land” directors are all nominated in the Best Director category.
“The 40th IDA Documentary Awards continues the tradition of celebrating the best of international nonfiction media of the year,” Dominic Asmall Willsdon, IDA’s Executive Director, said in a statement. “We are grateful to all filmmakers who shared their work for consideration this year, representing a record amount of countries in the award’s history.”
In addition to the below nominees, the winners of the ABC News VideoSource Award and the Pare Lorentz Award will also be announced on December 5.
IDA members will have access to view each of the nominated films and to vote for films in the Best Feature Documentary and Best Short Documentary categories from November 19 to December 1. More information about the ceremony including the hosts, presenters, entertainment, and tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.
Check out the full list of the IDA Documentary Awards nominees below.
Best Feature Documentary
“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
“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
“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
“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” (USA) | Netflix
Director: Benjamin Ree | Producer: Ingvil Giske
Best Short Documentary
“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
“Enchunkunoto (The Return)” (Kenya)
Director: Laissa Malih | Producer: Kavita Pillay, Adam Mazo, Tracy Rector, Taylor Hensel
“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
“The Medallion” (UK, Ethiopia, USA) | The New Yorker, SUDU Connexion
Director: Ruth Hunduma | Producer: Lily Usher, Tolu Stedford
“The Poem We Sang” (Canada, Palestine, Jordan) | MAD Solutions
Director: Annie Sakkab | Producer: Annie Sakkab, Paul Lee
“Until He’s Back” (USA, Spain, Morocco) | PBS POV & Scripps News
Director: Jacqueline Baylon | Producer: Jacqueline Baylon, Hailey Gavin
Best Director
Agniia Galdanova, “Queendom” (Greenwich Entertainment | USA, France)
Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor & Yuval Abraham, “No Other Land” (Palestine, Norway, USA)
Johan Grimonprez, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (Kino Lorber | Belgium, France, Netherlands)
Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, “Sugarcane” (National Geographic | USA)
Shiori Ito, “Black Box Diaries” (MTV Documentary Films | Japan, USA, UK)
Best Cinematography
Arun Bhattarai, “Agent of Happiness” (Film Movement | Bhutan, Hungary)
Alix Blair, “Helen and the Bear” (N/A | USA)
Sareen Hairabedian, “My Sweet Land” (ITVS – PBS / ARTE France / RTS | Jordan, France)
Ruslan Fedotov, “Queendom” (Greenwich Entertainment | USA, France)
Christopher LaMarca, Emily Kassie, “Sugarcane” (National Geographic | USA)
Best Editing
Ema Ryan Yamazaki, “Black Box Diaries” (MTV Documentary Films | Japan, USA, UK)
Katrina Taylor, “Helen and the Bear” (N/A | USA)
Raphaelle Martin-Holger, Sareen Hairabedian, “My Sweet Land” (ITVS – PBS / ARTE France / RTS | Jordan, France)
Rik Chaubet, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (Kino Lorber | Belgium, France, Netherlands)
Nathan Punwar, Maya Daisy Hawke, “Sugarcane” (National Geographic | USA)
Best Original Music Score
Víctor Hernández Stumpfhauser, “Frida” (Amazon MGM Studios | USA)
Maxwell Sterling, “Life and Other Problems” (DR Sales | Denmark, UK, Sweden)
Tigran Hamasyan, “My Sweet Land” (ITVS – PBS / ARTE France / RTS | Jordan, France)
Mali Obomsawin, “Sugarcane” (National Geographic | USA)
Uno Helmersson, “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” (Netflix | USA)
Best Writing
Raoul Peck, Ernest Cole, “Ernest Cole: Lost & Found” (Magnolia Pictures | France, South Africa, USA)
Hasan Oswald, “Mediha” (N/A | USA)
Lea Glob, Andreas Bøggild Monies, “Piece by Piece” (HBO | Max | Denmark, Poland, France)
Jazmin Jones, “Seeking Mavis Beacon” (NEON | USA)
Johan Grimonprez, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (Kino Lorber | Belgium, France, Netherlands)
Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron Wickenden, Oscar Vasquez, “Piece by Piece” (Focus Features | USA)
Best TV Feature Documentary
“Madu” (Disney+ | USA, UK, Nigeria)
Directors: Matthew Ogens, Joel & Kachi Benson | Producers: Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, Rachel Halilej
“Night Is Not Eternal” (HBO | Max | USA)
Director: Matthew Ogens, Joel & Kachi Benson | Producers: Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, Rachel Halilej
“Stolen Gold” (ESPN | UK, USA, Spain)
Director: Suemay Oram | Producer: Santi Aguado, Gentry Kirby
“The Apartheid Killer” (BBC World Service | UK, South Africa)
Director: Charlie Northcott, Isa Jacobson | Producers: Isa Jacobson, Charlie Northcott
“Two American Families: 1991-2024” (PBS | USA)
Directors: Tom Casciato, Kathleen Hughes | Producers: Tom Casciato, Kathleen Hughes, Frank Koughan, Nina Chaudry
Best Curated Series
“30 for 30” (ESPN Films | USA) EPs: Heather Anderson, Marsha Cooke, Brian Lockhart, Burke Magnus
“99 – We all share 99% of the same DNA” (N/A | France) EP: Jérôme Plan
“Independent Lens” (PBS | USA) EPs: Lois Vossen, Carrie Lozano
“POV” (PBS | USA) | EPs: Erika Dilday, Chris White
“The New York Times Op-Docs” (The New York Times Op-Docs | USA) EP: Adam Ellick
Best Episodic Series
“A Real Bug’s Life” (National Geographic | USA, UK)
Directors: Alex Ranken, John Capener, Alex Hemingway, Nathan Small, Nat Sharman | Producers: Helen Williamson, Bill Markham, Alex Ranken, John Capener, Alex Hemingway, Nathan Small, Nat Sharman | EPs: Tom Hugh-Jones, Martha Holmes, Grant Mansfield, Justine Schmidt, Pamela Caragol
“Couples Therapy” (Paramount+ | USA)
Director: Kim Roberts | Producers: Sophie Kissinger, Matt Parker | EPs: Eli Despres, Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
“Queens” (National Geographic | UK)
Directors: Rachael Kinley, Ilaira Mallalieu, Victoria Bromley, Jess Tombs, Faith Musembi | Producers: Rachael Kinley, Ilaira Mallalieu, Victoria Bromley, Jess Tombs, Faith Musembi; Chloë Sarosh | EPs: Vanessa Berlowitz, Angela Bassett, Pamela Caragol
“The Negotiators” (CNA, Mediacorp Pte Ltd | Singapore)
Directors: Alyx Ayn Arumpac, Georgie Yukiko Donovan, Indra Nienhaus | Producers: Alyx Ayn Arumpac, Georgie Yukiko Donovan, Indra Nienhaus | EP: Aditya Thayi
“We’re Here” (HBO | Max | USA)
Director: Peter LoGreco | Producers: Erin Haglund, Kimberly Greenhut | EP: Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Johnnie Ingram, Stephen Warren, Peter LoGreco, Erin Gamble
Best Limited Series
“A Town Called Victoria” (PBS | USA)
Director: Li Lu | Producers: Li Lu, Anthony Pedone | EPs: Deniese Davis, Hunter Arnold, Lois Vossen, Rachel Raney, Royd Chung, Donald Young, Stephen Gong, Li Lu
“Choir” (Disney+ | USA)
Director: Rudy Valdez | EPs: Jason Blum, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes, Sara Bernstein, Michael Seitzman, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, Gretchen Palek, Ryan Miller, Rudy Valdez, Ross Dinerstein
“Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial” (Netflix | USA)
Director: Joe Berlinger | EPs: Joe Berlinger, Tim Pastore, Patrick Milling-Smith, Matt Renner, Yoshi Stone
“Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning” (HBO | Max)
Director: Jason Hehir | Producers: Jason Hehir, Jacob Rogal, Nicholas Eisenberg, Jilllian Moosmamm | EPs: Joie Jacoby, Linda Pizzuti Henry, Dan Krockmalnic, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
“STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.” (HBO | Max | USA)
Director: Jamila Wignot | Producers: Jamila Wignot, Kara Elverson | EPs: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Nigel Sinclair, Nicholas Ferrall, Scott Pascucci, Sophia Dilley, Michele Smith, Jody Gerson, David Blackman, Charlie Cohen, Ron Broitman, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Tina Nguyen
Best Music Documentary
“Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story” (National Film Board of Canada | Canada)
Directors: Michael Mabbott, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee| Producers: Amanda Burt, Justine Pimlott, Sam Dunn, Scott McFadyen
“Beatles ’64” (Disney+)
Director: David Tedeschi, Producers: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, Sean Ono Lennon, Martin Scorsese, Margaret Bodde, Jonathan Clyde, Mikaela Beardsley
“Maestra” (BRKLY | USA)
Director: Maggie Contreras, Producers: Maggie Contreras, Neil Berkeley, Emma West, Melanie Miller, Lauren Lexton
“Omar & Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird” (Oscilloscope Laboratories | USA)
Director: Nicolas Jack Davies | Producers: Johann Scheerer
“Songs from the Hole” (N/A | USA)
Director: Contessa Gayles | Producer: Contessa Gayles, Richie reseda, David Felix Sutcliffe
Best Audio Documentary
“What’s Up, Michael Freeman?” (Ear Hustle and Radiotopia from PRX | USA)
Host: Earlonne Woods, Nigel Poor | Engineers: Earlonne Woods, Fernando Arruda, Harry Culhane | USA | Producers: Amy Standen, Bruce Wallace, Rahsaan Thomas
“Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust” (PRX | USA)
Hosts: Garrett M. Graff and Jennifer Mascia | Engineers: Claire Mullen and Yi-Wen Lai-Tremewan | Producers: John Patrick Pullen, Emily Martinez. Matthew Shaer, and Aleah Papes
“Pack One Bag” (Lemonada | USA)
Host: David Modigliani | Engineer: Willa Kaufman | Producers: David Modigliani, Willa Kaufman, Nicki Stein, Eric Spiegelman, Whitney Donaldson, Stanley Tucci, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Stephanie Wittels Wachs
“Shadowball: Rise of the Black Athlete” (Audible | USA)
Host: Jemele Hill | Engineer: Neil Cabana | Producers: Joy Road Entertainment, PG Cuschieri, Jim Young, Matthew Hatchette, Neil Cabana, Carey Williams, Jemele Hill
“The Sunday Story: A Song for Grief in China” (NPR | USA, China)
Hosts: John Ruwitch, Aowen Cao | Engineer: Josh Newel | Producers: Justine Yan, Jenny Schmidt
David L. Wolper Student Documentary
“Her Name Was Zehava” (NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute | USA, Israel)
Director: Tamar Baruch | Producer: Tamar Baruch
“Jerhy” (University of California, Santa Cruz | Costa Rica, USA)
Director: John Ortiz | Producer: John Ortiz
“Milk” (National Film and Television School | UK)
Director: Miranda Stern | Producer: Ashionye Ogene
“The Anarchist and The Fridge” (School of Visual Arts MFA Social Documentary Film | USA)
Director: Yunchang Zhang | Producer: Yunchang Zhang
“The Waiter, the Scientist and Jenny” (National Film and Television School | UK)
Director: Joe Snelling | Producer: Joe Snelling
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