An eligible documentary film is defined as a theatrically released nonfiction motion picture dealing creatively with cultural, artistic, historical, social, scientific, economic or other subjects. It may be photographed in actual occurrence, or may employ partial reenactment, stock footage, stills, animation, stop-motion or other techniques, as long as the emphasis is on fact and not on fiction.
Documentary Feature - motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes.
**********
Eligibility:
To be eligible for 84th Academy Awards consideration, a documentary feature must complete both a seven-day commercial run in a theater in Los Angeles County, and a seven-day commercial run in a theater in the Borough of Manhattan during the eligibility period.
The eligibility period for documentary features begins on January 1, 2011, and ends on December 31, 2011, with the one-time inclusion of the period from September 1 to December 31, 2010. All paperwork must be completed and received by the Academy no later than 30 days after the end of the qualifying runs. For films completing their qualifying runs after August 15, 2011, all paperwork, including legal contracts, must be completed and received by the Academy by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, September 15, 2011.
Both commercial runs must take place in the same eligibility period and within two years of the motion picture’s completion date. A run in only one of the qualifying cities disqualifies a picture from Academy Awards contention in the Documentary Feature category in any year. Documentaries submitted for consideration for the 84th Academy Awards in any category will not be eligible for consideration in subsequent Awards years in any category. The picture must be submitted in the same Awards year in which it first qualifies.
The picture must be exhibited using 16mm, 35mm or 70mm film, or in a 24- or 48-frame progressive scan format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels; source image format conforming to SMPTE 428-1-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Image Characteristics; image compression (if used) conforming to ISO/IEC 15444-1 (JPEG 2000), and image and sound file formats suitable for exhibition in commercial Digital Cinema sites. The audio in a typical Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is 5.1 channels of discrete audio, and that is the preferred audio configuration. The minimum for a non-mono configuration of the audio shall be three channels as Left, Center, Right (a Left/Right configuration is not acceptable in a theatrical environment). The audio data shall be formatted in conformance with SMPTE 428-2-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Characteristics and SMPTE 428-3-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Channel Mapping and Channel Labeling.
Screenings during each of the qualifying runs must occur at least twice daily and must begin between noon and 10 p.m. The motion picture must be exhibited for paid admission, and must be advertised during each of its runs in major newspapers: The New York Times, Time Out New York orThe Village Voice (New York); Los Angeles Times or LA Weekly (Los Angeles). Advertisements must have minimum dimensions of one inch by two inches and must include the theater, film title and the dates and screening times of the qualifying exhibitions. Advertising must begin no later than the first day of the qualifying run.
Works that are essentially promotional or instructional are not eligible, nor are works that are essentially unfiltered records of performances.
Only individual documentary works are eligible. This excludes from consideration:
- episodes extracted from a larger series,
- segments taken from a single “composite” program, and
- alternate versions of ineligible works.
The significant dialogue or narration must be in English, or the entry must have English-language subtitles.
Films that, in any version, receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release will not be eligible for Academy Awards. (This includes broadcast and cable television as well as home video marketing and Internet transmission, with the exception of password-protected Internet screenings for press review or film festival submission.) Ten minutes or ten percent of the running time of a film, whichever is shorter, is allowed to be shown in a nontheatrical medium prior to the film’s theatrical release.
**********
Voting Procedures:
Documentaries will be viewed by members of the Documentary Branch, which will use an averaged score system to produce a shortlist of 12 to 15 films. Five nominees will then be chosen by a second round of balloting, using a preferential voting system
In addition to the 30 DVDs required for the first round of balloting, filmmakers whose entries are voted onto the shortlist must submit another 50 DVDs, without trailers or other extraneous material, capable of playing on Region 1/NTSC DVD players, by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, December 1, 2011.
The creators of the shortlisted documentaries must submit either two 35mm or 70mm film prints (16mm is not acceptable) or two DCP versions of the documentary by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, December 1, 2011. Following the nominations screenings, one copy of the work shall become the property of the Academy Film Archive.
Final voting shall be restricted to active and life members of the Academy who have viewed all of the nominated documentaries in a theatrical setting. Viewing nominated works on “screeners” will not qualify a member for a ballot in the category, with the exception of those Documentary Branch members who have participated in the nominations selection process.
**********
Nominations:
Hell and Back Again – Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
- 1st nomination.
- Won the Moscow International Film Festival.
- Won Sundance Film Festival
- Nominated for the Gotham Award and the Indie Spirit Award
Hell and Back Again is a 2011 documentary film directed by Danfung Dennis about a sergeant in the United States Marines Corps who returns from the Afghanistan conflict with post-traumatic stress disorder.
On the surface, I thought this sounded too much like last year’s nominated short ‘Soldier Girl’. However, the critical success of this Documentary cannot be down played.
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front – Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
- 2nd nomination. Marshall was also nominated in 2005 for ‘Street Fight’.
- Won Best Documentary at the Nashville Film Festival.
- Runner-up at the Miami International Film Festival.
- Nominated by the Writers Guild of America.
- Won the Documentary Editing Award at Sundance.
- Won the Special ‘Environmental Film’ Jury Prize at the Santa Cruz Film Festival.
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a documentary film by filmmaker Marshall Curry, exploring the origins, motives, and organization of the Earth Liberation Front and Eco-terrorismin general. Additionally, it explains how the Department of Justice was able to find and arrest Daniel McGowan and his co-conspirators in a nationwide sweep in December, 2005 and raises questions as to whether or not they deserved to be sentenced as "terrorists."
This film seems to be getting a lot of consolation prizes… and lost out on one of the Best Documentary prize at Sundance to ‘Hell and Back Again’.
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory – Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
- 1st nomination.
- Nominated for by the Director’s Guild of America.
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is a 2011 documentary film and sequel to the films Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. The three films chronicle the arrest, 18 year imprisonment, and eventual release of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, otherwise known as the West Memphis Three. The films, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, are considered to play a substantial role in generating publicity, awareness, and support for the innocence of the West Memphis 3.
The thing going for this film is that it’s directed by the guys who brought us ‘Metallica: Some Kind of Monster’ and ‘The Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows’… er… our maybe just the one about Metallica.
Seriously though, despite its lack of notoriety, I really like this films shot at winning. First of all, Joe Berlinger has been following this case since the beginning. The first ‘Paradise Lost’ came out 16 years ago! The three installments of this Documentary series follow every aspect of the case, right up to their release… this past August. This is a very topical documentary dealing with a lot of issues with our legal system. I think I might have just talked myself into voting for this film!
- 2nd nomination. Wim was nominated in 2000 for ‘Buena Vista Social Club’.
- Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the British Academy Awards.
- Won the European Film Award for Best Documentary.
- Nominated for the Gaudi Award (Best European Film) against ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘Melancholia’.
- Won Best Documentary at the German Film Awards and was also nominated for Best Direction.
- Nominated by the Writers Guild of America.
Pina is a 2011 German3D dance film directed by Wim Wenders. The film premiered Out of Competition at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. The trailer features the song "Lilies in the Valley" by Jun Miyake.
Honestly, when I first heard a ‘dance’ film was nominated I wrote it off. However, when I found out Wim Wenders made it… my story changed. It really has a shot! The guy made ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ for crying out loud!
- 1st nomination.
- Nominated for Best Documentary at the Black Reel Awards.
Undefeated is a 2011 documentary directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin. The film documents the struggles of the Memphis's Manassas Tigers as they attempt a winning season after years of losses. The team is turned around by a devoted coach, named Bill Courtney, who helps form a group of young men into an academic and athletic team.
I only know of two sports documentary’s ever to win the Oscar… ‘When We Were Kings’ and ‘Bowling for Columbine’… and I’m pretty sure the latter isn’t really about sports.
**********
Snubs:
You know? Documentary Features are an interesting breed. First, you almost never hear about them, and second, they are so damn good! I can watch documentary’s like they are going out of style. And this year have given us some great pieces of work. In particular, there are three Documentary’s this year that can be considered snubbed, however, I would be hard pressed to pick one of the five films above to as being undeserving.
Anyway, those excluded from Oscar night are as following:
Project Nim, about a chimpanzee raised as a human child in Manhattan since the 1970. This film was directed by James March, the 2009 winner of this category for ‘Man on Wire’. Project Nim won Boston Society of Film Critics Award, Directors Guild Award for Documentary, Newport Beach Film Festival, and the Documentary Direction Award at Sundance. It was also nominated for the BAFTA and the Evening Standard British Film Award. Project Nim was also named as one of the time five Documentaries of the year.
George Harrison: Living in a Material World, about George Harrison of the Beatles of course! Honestly, I am very surprised this Documentary wasn’t nominated, mainly because it was directed by Martin Scorsesse. I guess the Oscar voters were so taken by Hugo that they forgot about this one. That said, it was nominated for the BAFTA and the Directors Guild Award. Plus it won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and was named by the National Board of Review as one of the top five Documentaries of the year.
However, the biggest snub goes to Senna, about Brazilian auto-racing champion Ayrton Senna. Senna won the BAFTA for Best Documentary, the British Independent Film Award, Evening Standard British Film Award, Ghent International Film Festival, the International Documentary Association Award for Editing, London Film Critics Award, Los Angeles Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, won the Audience Choice Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and was listed as one of the time five Documentaries of the year by the National Board of Review.
**********
Oscar Trends:
I know what you are probably thinking. If all three snubbed films I listed are named in the top five Documentaries of the year by the National Board of Review, what were the other two films? Well… I can tell you which films they weren’t: All of the Documentaries nominated for the Oscar. Not a one made the cut.
Again, there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason regarding trends in this category. At least with the five nominees we have. In truth, at least based on what I’ve seen, the Writers Guild of America has been best odds at predicting the winner… and that’s still only about 50/50. If a Tree Falls and Pina are the only nominated Oscar films also up for the WGA award… so they do have an edge. However, I have a feeling the WGA will go to Senna which will probably screw up all my logic.
Anyway, it’s not always about logic. There is a sentimental favorite in the bunch… so I’m going to take the gamble and go all in… at least for now. The WGA award will be announced on February 19th, so I might make some adjustments after that.
**********
Prediction:
- Winner: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory – Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
- Runner-Up: Pina – Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
- Wild Card: If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front – Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
- Unlikely: Hell and Back Again – Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
- No Chance in Hell: Undefeated – TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas
No comments:
Post a Comment