Syria, LA Riots in the Spotlight With IDA Awards Nominations

AWARDS BEAT

Agnes Varda and JR’s wry French travelogue “Faces Places,” Matthew Heineman’s Syrian conflict documentary “City of Ghosts” and Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin’s L.A. riots chronicle “LA 92” are among the nominees as the year’s top nonfiction films at the International Documentary Association’s 2017 IDA Documentary Awards, the IDA announced on Wednesday.

Also nominated for the IDA Awards’ top honor: “Dina,” Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ film about a romance between two people on the autism spectrum, and “Strong Island,” Yance Ford’s look at the killing of her brother.

Last year, four of the five Oscar doc nominees, including the winning “O.J.: Made in America,” were first nominated for IDA Awards. Over the previous five years, 10 of the 26 IDA feature nominees went on to receive Oscar nominations, and two, “Searching for Sugar Man” and “Citizenfour,” won both awards.

Also Read: Cat Movie 'Kedi' Leads Critics' Choice Documentary Award Nominees

The 33rd Annual IDA Awards will take place on Saturday, December 9, at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.

Nominations for the other main award handed out to honor nonfiction filmmaking, the Cinema Eye Honors, will be announced on Friday.

The nominees:

Best Feature
“City of Ghosts,” Matthew Heineman
“Dina,” Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles
“Faces Places,” Agnès Varda and JR
“LA 92,” Dan Lindsay and T. J. Martin
“Strong Island,” Yance Ford

Best Short
“Edith + Eddie,” Laura Checkoway
“The Fight,” Violeta Ayala and Dan Fallshaw
“Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Frank Stiefel
“Long Shot,” Jacob LaMendola
“Mr. Connolly Has ALS,” Dan Habib
“The Rabbit Hunt,” Patrick Bresnan

ABC News VideoSource Award
“Blood on the Mountain”
“Elian”
“Icarus”
“LA 92”
“Obit.”

Also Read: 'Faces Places' Review: Agnès Varda Takes a Joyful Artist's Journey Into Rural France

Best Curated Series
“American Experience”
“Independent Lens”
“POV”
“Dokumania”
“Reel South”

Best Limited Series
“Daughters of Destiny”
“The Defiant Ones”
“The Keepers”
“TIME: The Kalief Browder Story”
“The Vietnam War”

Best Episodic Series
“Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown”
“Chef’s Table”
“Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath”
“MARS”
“Planet Earth II”

Also Read: Leah Remini Says Scientology Church Urged Her to Convert Kevin James

Best Short Form Series
“Field of Vision”
“The Guardian Documentaries”
“The Secret Life of Muslims”
“Shorts on Time”
“The New York Times Op-Docs”

Creative Recognition Award Winners
Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Trejo Villanueva, “Machines”
Best Editing: Bill Morrison, “Dawson City: Frozen Time”
Best Music: Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin, “Brimstone & Glory”
Best Writing: Chico Pereira, Manuel Pereira, and Gabriel Molera, “Donkeyote”

Pare Lorentz Award: “Watani: My Homeland,” Marcel Mettelsiefen
Special Mention: “Intent to Destroy,” Joe Berlinger

Courage Under Fire Award:
“City of Ghosts,” “Cries From Syria,” “Hell on Earth” and “Last Men in Aleppo”

Career Achievement Award: Lourdes Portillo
Amicus Award: Abigail Disney
Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award: Yance Ford

13 Best Documentaries to Watch on Netflix (Photos)

Documentaries and chill?

If you're getting a bit tired of endlessly scrolling through Netflix movies, try these films on for size.

Added plus: You might even accidentally learn something.
"The 13th"

Ava DuVernay's latest documentary, "The 13th" sheds light on the prison industrial system and its relation to historical inequality in the United States. It's titled after the 13th amendment which abolished slavery.
Netflix
"Blackfish"

We can pretty much credit the downfall of Sea World to Gabriela Cowperthwaite's "Blackfish," which tells the story of Tilikum, a killer whale living in captivity that killed its trainer in 2010. The film discusses the dangers to humans and the orcas who are confined in theme parks.

Magnolia Pictures
"The Black Power Mixtape"

This 2011 documentary showcases the evolution of the Black Power Movement by using footage found 30 years after it was shot by Swedish journalists. It covers the time period between 1967 to 1975 and includes interviews from Angela Davis, Huey P. Newton and Eldridge Cleaver, along with others central to the movement.
"The Imposter"

This British-American documentary is about a French imposter, Frédéric Bourdin, who presents himself to a grieving family as their missing boy Nicholas Barclay -- a 13-year-old from Texas who went missing.
"Room 237"

If you've ever wondered what mysteries lied behind Room 237 in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," this is the film for you.

Each segment of the film, focuses on a specific element in "The Shining" and offers different interpretations.
"What Happened, Miss Simone?"

Academy Award-nominated "What Happened, Miss Simone" features previously unreleased footage and interviews with singer Nina Simone's friends and family that tells the life story of the activist and music legend.

The film was also executive produced by Simone's daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly.
Sundance
"Into the Abyss"

Werner Herzog's "Into the Abyss" focuses on capital punishment in Texas by profiling Michael Perry, a convicted killer on Death Row for the murder of a 50-year-old nurse, among other crimes.

Some of his interviews were filmed only eight days prior to his execution.

The documentary neither focuses on Perry's innocence nor his guilt.
IFC Films
"Virunga"

This one is for all the animal lovers out there. "Virunga" focuses on four park rangers who risk their lives to protect critically endangered mountain gorillas from poachers in Congo's Virunga National Park.
Grain Media
"Biggie & Tupac"

If you've ever been curious of the mysteries surrounding the deaths of two of rap's most prominent artists, watch "Biggie & Tupac."

While the documentary doesn't give a clear answer of who killed the rap icons, the director suggests that Suge Knight was responsible for the latter's murder.
Lionsgate
"The Invisible War"

While the military is known for fighting our wars overseas, there's one silent battle within the armed forces that few are talking about -- sexual assault.

Kirby Dick's "The Invisible War" features interviews with veterans who share their experiences of sexual assault in the U.S. military.

Cinedigm/Docurama Films
"Super Size Me"

This documentary can pretty much be credited for pushing McDonald's to alter their menu to include more healthy items and getting rid of their super size option.

Morgan Spurlock takes on a 30-day challenge -- he eats at least three meals a day for 30 days from McDonald's. The film documents the changes that occur in his physical appearance, as well as his health.

Roadside Attractions
"20 Feet From Stardom"

Most of us see backup singers providing support to the main act, but rarely do we recognize their talent.

This documentary follows backup singers like Judith Hill, Darlene Love and Merry Clayton and sheds light on their lives through behind-the-scenes footage.
Radius-TWC
"Hot Girls Wanted"

The appropriately titled doc features interviews with several young porn actresses, as they discuss their experiences in the industry.
Netflix